Jessica Barrera, who receives Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), lost her part-time job at Groome Transportation in Eau Claire, Wis., due to the pandemic. She filed multiple unemployment claims with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, but was denied due to a state law barring the concurrent collection of federal SSDI and state unemployment insurance benefits. Courtesy of Jessica Barrera
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Claire DeRosa / Wisconsin Watch

Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit newsroom that focuses on government integrity and quality of life issues, and we always provide our news for free.

You can read all of our coronavirus/COVID-19 coverage by signing up for our Wisconsin COVID-19 Update newsletter, and please consider becoming a member to support our nonprofit journalism. 

Single mom Jessica Barrera lost her job providing airport shuttle service in Eau Claire during the pandemic. Now she has a new job — but is still uncertain about the future for herself and her son. Listen to Barrera’s story here on the latest installment of WPR/Wisconsin Watch’s series, Outbreak Wisconsin.

Top Stories

Jessica Barrera, who receives Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), lost her part-time job at Groome Transportation in Eau Claire, Wis., due to the pandemic. She filed multiple unemployment claims with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, but was denied due to a state law barring the concurrent collection of federal SSDI and state unemployment insurance benefits. Courtesy of Jessica Barrera

Introducing Jessica Barrera: A single mom reflects on returning to work during the pandemicWisconsin Watch/WPR

NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes joins drug maker in effort to treat COVID-19Wisconsin State Journal 

La Crosse County confirms 7 new cases, several downtown bars listed as at-risk businessesLa Crosse Tribune 

Racine’s local COVID restrictions go to court FridayJournal Times 

Cheap drug is first shown to improve COVID-19 survivalAssociated Press

Wisconsin coronavirus deaths surpass 703; test positivity rate remains below 3%USA TODAY-Network

Put a lid on it folks: Flushing may release coronavirus-containing ‘toilet plumes’Washington Post

What are we missing? And how are you coping? Help us provide critical information and accountability by filling out this form or emailing us at tips@wisconsinwatch.org.

Government updates

Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Gov. Tony Evers’ office

U.S. Centers and Disease Control and Prevention

World Health Organization

Quotable

“Judgments and stigma are not going to help us win this war against this virus.” 

La Crosse County Health Department Director Jen Rombalski, announcing a spike in COVID-19 infections among young adults who work at and frequent bars and restaurants there, as told to the La Crosse Tribune.

Data to note

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation now projects 201,129 COVID-19 deaths by Oct. 1, 2020. The IMHE says a new wave of infections could hit around Sept. 15 — just weeks after schools reopen.

!function(e,i,n,s){var t=”InfogramEmbeds”,d=e.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];if(window[t]&&window[t].initialized)window[t].process&&window[t].process();else if(!e.getElementById(n)){var o=e.createElement(“script”);o.async=1,o.id=n,o.src=”https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed-loader-min.js”,d.parentNode.insertBefore(o,d)}}(document,0,”infogram-async”);

Resilient Wisconsin

People helping others and showing resilience during this time of anxiety. Send suggestions by tagging us on social media — @wisconsinwatch — or emailing us: tips@wisconsinwatch.org.

Wisconsin man creates masks with windows to help the deaf and hearing imparied use visual cuesWHNT-TV

‘One community together’: West High Area Collaborative helps Madison families with rentCap Times

Access to some stories listed in the Wisconsin COVID-19 Update may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing.

The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (wisconsinwatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.

Popular stories from Wisconsin Watch

The byline "Wisconsin Watch" represents members of the Wisconsin Watch editorial and business staff.