Wisconsin bars reopen after court ruling

MADISON, WIS. » A court ruling tossing out Wisconsin’s stay-at-home order threw communities into chaos Thursday, after some bars opened immediately and were packed with customers while other local leaders moved to keep strict restrictions in place amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The conservative majority of the Wisconsin Supreme Court late Wednesday afternoon ruled that Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ “safer at home” order was invalid. To enact a new statewide plan, Evers will have to work with the GOP-controlled Legislature, a process that could take weeks. Evers and Republican leaders scheduled a Thursday morning meeting to discuss next steps.

The court ruling drew praise Thursday from President Donald Trump, who called it a “win” in a post on Twitter and added: “Its Democrat Governor was forced by the courts to let the State Open. The people want to get on with their lives. The place is bustling!”

The Tavern League of Wisconsin swiftly posted the news on its website, telling members, “You can OPEN IMMEDIATELY!”

Some bars did just that. Nick’s Bar in Platteville, in far southwest Wisconsin, posted a 30-second video late Wednesday that showed the bar teeming with people drinking, talking and bobbing their heads to music. Bars in Appleton and Kaukauna in northeast Wisconsin also opened and were packed with people.

Tom Diehl, president of the Association of Wisconsin Tourism Attractions, runs the Tommy Bartlett Exploratory and water ski show in Lake Delton in Sauk County, one of the state’s tourist destinations.

He plans next week to open the exploratory, an indoor attraction featuring some 175 interactive exhibits like giant levers and a mock-up of a Russian space station capsule. Diehl said he will take precautions such as having hand sanitizer available and asking visitors to keep their distance from each other.