The sprawling grounds of the St. Francis Friary in Burlington are both beautiful and heartbreaking.
Decades ago when the monastery was filled with friars, the picturesque property was meticulously maintained. The peaceful grottos and shrines scattered about the grounds served as a source of inspiration for visitors as well as those living in the Burlington area.
These days, however, much of the property is in mothballs as the decline of the religious brotherhood has left the Franciscan Order largely unable to meet the demands of the property.
On Tuesday, the City of Burlington Plan Commission recommended a request to subdivide a portion of the property into three separate lots – lots that could be sold or developed to raise revenue for the Franciscans.
A story on the future of the St. Francis Friary is among the top stories in this week’s edition of the Burlington Standard Press.
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Here’s a look at some of the other stories in this week’s edition:
- CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS: So how did last week’s election – held during what many believe is the peak of coronavirus outbreak – fare in comparison to other recent local elections? We have the numbers.
- SLOW PROGRESS: Although Racine County and the state have seen an increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases, health officials believe Wisconsin’s Safer-at-Home order has shown positive progress, the state Department of Health Services announced Tuesday.
- PANDEMIC OF 1918: Closing public institutions, churches, movie theaters and other venues to ward off a global pandemic isn’t entirely new in the state of Wisconsin. In 1918, more than a century before COVID-19 struck the state, Wisconsin dealt with the Spanish flu pandemic.
- STATE PARKS CLOSED: At a time when outdoor recreation is needed more than ever, 40 of Wisconsin state parks, forests and recreational areas have been closed – victims of their own popularity. Gov. Tony Evers on April 9 directed the Department of Natural Resources to close the selected state parks to protect the health and safety of residents.
- VIRTUAL CONNECTION: Local libraries are closed to the public, but that doesn’t mean people can’t enjoy reading and other programming online. Libraries in Burlington, Waterford and Union Grove are coping with the Safer-at-Home order due to the effects of COVID-19, but the staff is working hard to bring the learning experience into homes – virtually
- SIMPLY THE BEST: Burlington’s Cora Anderson is among the four local players earning mention on the annual Southern Lakes Newspapers All Area Girls Basketball Team.
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