NUMBERS.
206 CASES HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED IN
THE STATE WITH THREE DEATHS.
THERE IS COMMUNITY SPREAD IN THE
COUNTIES OF MILWAUKEE, DANE,
BROWN, KENOSHA, AND COLUMBIA.
MANY OF YOU HAD QUESTIONS YOU
WANTED TO ASK OUR GUESTS TONIGHT
AND WE INCORPORATE THEM.
IN A REDUCED STUDIO FOOTPRINT TO
LIMIT STAFF AND ALSO NOT BRING
GUESTS INTO OUR SPACE, WE ARE
JOINED NOW, VIA SKYPE, BY
GOVERNOR TONY EVERS.
GOVERNOR, WE WANT TO THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU, FREDERICA.
>> FIRST, WHAT MESSAGE WOULD YOU
LIKE TO GIVE THE PEOPLE OF
WISCONSIN TONIGHT?
>> GREAT QUESTION.
FIRST OF ALL, AS I'M SURE MOST
OF YOUR VIEWERS KNOW, WE'VE LOST
THREE WISCONSINITES TO THE
COVID-19 VIRUS.
AND OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE
OBVIOUSLY WITH THAT FAMILY, AND
THEIR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES.
IT'S A TRAGEDY, AND IT'S A
PUBLIC HEALTH TRAGEDY, TRAGEDY
NONETHELESS, AND THE OTHER THING
I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW IS THAT
OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS, WHETHER
IT'S EMERGENCY RESPONDERS,
PEOPLE THAT WORK IN HOSPITALS
AND THE CLINICS AND SO ON REALLY
NEED OUR SUPPORT NOW.
THEY ARE WORKING 24/7, AND UNDER
REALLY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND WHAT WE CAN DO AS
WISCONSINITES IS OBVIOUSLY PULL
TOGETHER, AND I FEEL CONFIDENT
ABOUT THE RESILIENCE OF
WISCONSINITES, BUT WE'RE
ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO STAY AT
HOME.
THE WAY WE WILL CONQUER THIS
VIRUS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
ARE NOT INFECTING EACH OTHER,
AND ONE OF THE WAYS WE CAN DO
THAT IS OBVIOUSLY AROUND SOCIAL
DISTANCING, BUT THERE'S ENOUGH
REQUIREMENTS AROUND THAT WE'VE
DONE THROUGH EXECUTIVE ORDER,
FRANKLY THERE'S NOT MUCH MORE
PEOPLE CAN DO THAN STAY AT HOME,
SO STAY AT HOME, BE SAFE, KEEP
THAT DISTANCE, AND WE CAN BEAT
THIS, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE --
THIS IS SOMETHING THE PEOPLE OF
WISCONSIN CAN SOLVE.
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE TRYING TO
SUPPORT OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS
AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT IF WE
DO THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW WE
HAVE TO DO, HYGIENE, MAKING SURE
THAT WE DON'T INTERACT WITH
PEOPLE THAT ARE SICK, THAT IF
WE'RE SICK, WE CONNECT WITH OUR
DOCTORS, ALL THOSE THINGS ARE
COMMON SENSE THINGS THAT IF WE
DO THIS, WE CAN SOLVE THIS
PROBLEM.
>> OTHER PLACES AS YOU KNOW HAVE
GONE TO MORE KIND OF EXTREME
SHELTER IN PLACE ORDERS WHERE
EVERYONE STAYS INSIDE, ALTHOUGH
YOU SAY THAT MOSTLY WE'RE
STAYING INSIDE, BUT WHAT WOULD
BE THE TIPPING POINT FOR YOU TO
DECLARE THAT KIND OF SOCIAL
DISTANCING?
>> IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR ME
TO GET TO THAT POINT.
I THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH
CONSTRAINTS ON PEOPLE'S LIVES
ALREADY THAT I THINK -- I
BELIEVE WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE
WILL WORK.
I UNDERSTAND OTHER PLACES HAVE
DIFFERENT NEEDS, BUT
WISCONSINITES ARE PEOPLE THAT
CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER, WE'RE
GOOD NEIGHBORS, WE UNDERSTAND
THAT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO
EACH OTHER, SO IT WOULD BE -- I
HAVE GREAT -- I WOULD HAVE GREAT
PROBLEMS DOING THE SHELTER IN
PLACE.
OBVIOUSLY IF WE'RE DIRECTED TO
DO IT, I'LL FOLLOW THOSE
DIRECTIONS, BUT FOR ME, I THINK
WE HAVE THE ADEQUATE PIECES IN
PLACE.
>> YOU ADDED SOME KIND OF NEW
CLARIFYING RULES AROUND
CLOSURES, AND RELEASED THEM
TODAY.
WHAT ARE THOSE?
>> PRIMARILY THEY'RE AROUND
BEAUTY SALONS, BARBERS, TATTOO
TATTOO -- PLACES WHERE YOU GET
TATTOOS.
WE BELIEVE THAT THOSE CANNOT
REMAIN OPEN, AND SO WE'VE BANNED
THOSE PLACES WILL BE CLOSING AS
OF THIS AFTERNOON.
>> HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU THAT
PEOPLE STILL ON THE JOB CAN
MAINTAIN SERVICES FOR THE REST
OF US, HEALTHCARE WORKERS, OF
COURSE, BUT GROCERY CLERKS OR
PHARMACISTS?
>> YEAH, IT'S ALL GOING TO BE
DIFFICULT.
AGAIN, WE'VE LOOKED AT EVERY
POSSIBLE SUPPLY CHAIN THAT IT OPEN
FOR MANUFACTURERS TO CONTINUE
DOING THEIR GOOD WORK AND WE'RE
BEING AS SUPPORTIVE AS WE CAN TO
MAKE SURE THOSE SUPPLY CHAINS BE
IN PLACE.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE OPERATING
UNDER 3.5 OR 3% UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE, SO THERE'S NOT MANY SPARE
PEOPLE AROUND.
AND SO WE ALWAYS HAVE CONCERN
ABOUT THAT.
BUT I THINK PIECES ARE IN PLACE
THAT OUR FOOD CHAIN IS GREAT IN
THE STATE OF WISCONSIN, WE KNOW
THAT FOR A FACT, SO WE'RE
CONTINUECONTINUALLY INTERACTING WITH ALL
THOSE FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE CAN LIVE.
>> YOU SAID TODAY THAT THE STATE
NEEDS TO TAKE LEGISLATIVE ACTION
AND THAT YOU ARE WORKING WITH
LEGISLATIVE LEADERS TO DEVELOP A
PACKAGE.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN THAT,
AND WHEN MIGHT IT COME?
>> WELL, I CAN ADDRESS THE
SECOND ONE MOST SPECIFICALLY.
THE MEETINGS WE'VE HAD THUS FAR
JUST DISCUSSING GENERAL PLACES
WHERE WE HAVE AGREEMENT.
THIS IS CLEARLY, CLEARLY, I
THINK EVERYBODY THAT WE'VE BEEN
TALKING TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS
IS A BIPARTISAN TIME, ACTUALLY
NON-PARTISAN TIME.
SO I'M NOT AT LIBERTY TO TALK
ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE
LOOKING AT, BUT THERE ARE REALLY
IMPORTANT ISSUES TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE STATE HAS THE
FLEXIBILITY TO REACT TO THIS
CRISIS.
I BELIEVE AT THE END OF THE DAY,
WE'LL FIND SOME COMMON GROUND
AND WE'LL BE BRINGING
LEGISLATION FORWARD FOR THE
LEGISLATURE TO CONSIDER.
>> WHAT'S BEING DONE NOW FOR
HOURLY WORKERS WHO UNDER CURRENT
ORDERS HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS AND
BUSINESSES THAT HAVE SHUT DOWN?
>> YEAH, EXACTLY.
OUR DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT HAS RAMPED UP THEIR
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ISSUE.
WE'VE HAD OBVIOUSLY A BIG SPIKE
IN THAT.
THROUGH EXECUTIVE ORDERS, WE'VE
RELIEVED SOME OF THE CONSTRAINTS
WE HAVE AROUND THAT, SO WE HAVE
NOW THAT 99% OF THE PEOPLE CAN
ACTUALLY APPLY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT
COMPENSATION INSURANCE ONLINE,
WE'VE BEEFED UP THE FOLKS THAT
ARE ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS,
SO I THINK THAT'S IN A GOOD
PLACE.
ON THE BUSINESS SIDE, WE'VE
TASKED OUR WISCONSIN ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO FOCUS
ON SMALL BUSINESSES, FOCUS ON
FINDING RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE
THAT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, OUR
MAIN STREET MERCHANTS ARE NOT
HARMED EAR REB IRREPARABLY, SO THAT'S
MISSY HUGHES, UNDER SECRETARY IN
THAT AREA, THAT IS HER TASK AND
SHE'S ALREADY REACHED OUT TO
THOSE COMMUNITIES.
I PERSONALLY HAVE MET WITH
BUSINESS OWNERS AND OTHERS
ACROSS THE STATE TO FIND OUT
WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE, BUT
CLEARLY IT'S FINANCIAL, YOU
KNOW, OUR RESTAURANTS AND BARS,
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WE
HAVE A STRONG MANUFACTURING
CLIMATE IN THE STATE OF
WISCONSIN, BUT MOST OF OUR
EMPLOYEES IN THE STATE ARE --
WORK IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY,
WHICH IS REALLY STRUGGLING NOW.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON
THEM.
>> WE GOT WORD THAT A PRISON
EMPLOYEE TESTED POSITIVE FOR
COVID-19 AT WAUPUN.
SEVERAL VIEWERS WANTED TO KNOW
WHAT ACTIONS THE STATE IS TAKING
TO PREVENT THE SPREAD INSIDE
THESE KIND OF ALREADY
OVERCROWDED INSTITUTIONS.
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
AND WE'VE HAD THINGS IN PLACE
NOW FOR SOME WEEKS IN
PREPARATION OF THIS, TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE
INSTITUTIONS ARE SAFE AND THINGS
ARE WORKING WELL AND WE'RE
CONTINUING TO PROVIDE FOOD AND
FREE PHONE CALLS AND THINGS LIKE
THAT, BUT YES, THERE WAS AN
INDIVIDUAL IN ONE OF OUR
CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS WHO
TESTED POSITIVE, WE'RE NOW IN
THE PROCESS OF WORKING THROUGH
THAT TO SEE WHICH EMPLOYEES WERE
EXPOSED TO THAT AND GETTING THEM
THE CARE THEY NEED AND TO FIND
OUT HOW CLOSE IT IS TO THE
PRISON POPULATION.
WE DON'T -- I DON'T HAVE THAT
INFORMATION AT THIS TIME, BUT WE
FEEL IT'S A GOOD PLACE WHERE
IT'S CONTAINED.
>> A VIEWER ASKED THIS QUESTION
AS WELL: IF HOSPITALS GET
OVERWHELMED, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED
RETROFITTING LARGE SPACES LIKE
COUNTY EXPO CENTERS AS KIND OF
FIELD HOSPITALS?
>> WE'RE RUNNING THROUGH EVERY
POSSIBLE SCENARIO.
LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE WORKING AT
IT, LOTS OF GOOD PEOPLE FROM OUR
UNIVERSITIES AND OTHERS THAT ARE
HELPING US OUT IN EACH TYPE OF
SCENARIO, ABSOLUTELY.
DORMITORIES MIGHT BE USED FOR
QUARANTINES, AND WE HAVE THE
ABILITY THROUGH VARIOUS
MECHANISMS TO ACTUALLY CREATE
MORE BEDS IF WE NEED TO, SO DO
WE FEEL THAT WE'RE ON TOP OF
THIS?
NO, BUT WE'RE IN A POSITION THAT
WE FEEL COMFORTABLE IF WE HAVE
THIS SURGE, MORE PEOPLE BEING
HOSPITALIZED AND MORE PEOPLE
THAT NEED QUARANTINES, THAT
WE'LL BE IN A GOOD PLACE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE ALSO
CONCERNED ABOUT OUR HOMELESS
POPULATIONS ACROSS THE STATE
BECAUSE THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO
BEGIN WITH, AND SO I'VE BEEN
WORKING WITH MAYORS TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY UNDERSTAND AND
OBVIOUSLY THEY DO OR THEY
WOULDN'T BE -- THAT WE'RE
LOOKING FOR PLACES FOR HOMELESS
PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT
ARE STRUGGLING WITH HEALTHCARE
ISSUES.
>> AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE GREAT
CONCERNS ABOUT WISCONSIN'S
UPCOMING ELECTION ON APRIL 7.
ELECTION CLERKS THAT WE HAVE
TALKED TO ARE ALREADY
OVERWHELMED WITH THESE ABSENTEE
BALLOTS AND WORRY ABOUT ELECTION
DAY ITSELF.
WHAT IF THEY GET SICK OR THEIR
STAFF.
, WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN.
WOULD YOU FAVOR DELAYING THIS
ELECTION?
>> NO, I WOULDN'T.
AND FIRST OF ALL, I'M NOT IN THE
POSITION TO DELAY IT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE
TO HAVE THE -- HAPPEN
LEGISLATIVELY.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS,
THIS PRIMARY ELECTION IS
PRIMARILY A GENERAL ELECTION,
GENERAL ELECTION, THE ONLY
PRIMARY IS THE PRESIDENTIAL ONE.
THE REST ARE LOCAL AND COUNTY
RACES THAT NEED TO BE DECIDED OR
POSITIONS THAT ARE MAKING
IMPORTANT DECISIONS AROUND WHAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THERE WON'T
BE PEOPLE IN THEM.
SO, A, IT MAKES NO SENSE TO
CANCEL IT.
I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTY BUT
DEMOCRACY HAS TO GO ON.
AND THEN THE SECOND PIECE IS,
FRANKLY, IF WE MOVED IT A MONTH,
IF WE MOVED IT TWO MONTHS, THERE
IS ABSOLUTELY NO GUARANTEE THAT
IT WOULDN'T BE AS COMPLEX AS IT
IS NOW.
SO OUR MESSAGE IS QUITE SIMPLE,
IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS, YOU'RE
NOT WILLING TO GO TO THE POLLS,
MYVOTE.WISCONSIN.GOV, YOU CAN
HAVE AN ABSENTEE BALLOT SENT TO
YOU, YOU CAN PUT IT IN THE MAIL
AND SEND IT IN.
WE HOPE THAT THE VAST MAJORITY
OF PEOPLE WILL DO THAT.
I'M WORKING WITH THE MAYORS
ACROSS THE STATE TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE GET THE POLL WORKERS IN
PLACE AND IT WON'T BE EASY, I'M
NOT SAYING THAT AT ALL, BUT WE
NEED TO GET THIS ELECTION IN IN
ORDER TO LET DEMOCRACY CONTINUE,
AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND COUNTY
GOVERNMENTS, AND WE'RE IN A GOOD
WAY.
>> WHAT DO YOU NEED MOST NOW
FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?
>> WE NEED -- WELL, THE GOOD
NEWS IS THAT ONE OF THE BEST
THINGS I THINK THE FEDERAL
ADMINISTRATION DID IS THEY'VE
KIND OF PASSED THE BATON FOR
THINGS THAT WE NEED TO THE
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PEOPLE AT
THE FEDERAL AREA, SO INSTEAD OF
EVERY DAY WONDERING WHAT'S GOING
TO BE DONE AT A PRESS CONFERENCE
IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND
RESPONDING TO THAT, WE ACTUALLY
HAVE PEOPLE IN THEIR REGIONAL
AND LOCAL AREAS THAT WE CAN GET
HELP.
WE'VE ALREADY GOT SOME -- VERY
GOOD NEWS, WE'RE GETTING SOME
MORE RESPIRATORS, WE'RE GETTING
SOME MORE MASKS, IN THE HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF MASKS.
ALL THOSE THINGS ARE GOOD.
IT'S NOT ENOUGH, WE NEED MORE,
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH LOCAL
PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN
TO GET THAT TO HAPPEN LOCALLY,
BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO STEP UP IN THE
AREA OF PROTECTION EQUIPMENT AND
MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE
TESTING MATERIALS THAT WE NEED.
>> AND LASTLY, YOU'RE A FORMER
TEACHER, GOVERNOR.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO OUR CHILDREN?
>> YOU KNOW, THIS IS A
MULTIFACETED CRISIS THAT WE'RE
HAVING HERE, SO WE HAVE TO MAKE
SURE OUR KIDS ARE SAFE, THAT
THEY'RE IN A GOOD PLACE AND
WE'RE ANSWERING THEIR QUESTIONS
DIRECTLY.
>> WE LEAVE IT THERE.
GOVERNOR TONY EVERS, THANKS VERY
MUCH, AND GOOD LUCK.
>> THANKS A LOT, FREDERICA.
>> FOR MORE ON COVID-19 IN
WISCONSIN AND FROM "HERE AND