MILWAUKEE COUNTY — A holiday weekend like no other. Saturday, the sun was out in southeastern Wisconsin as people found new, safe ways to enjoy the day with loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.
From the beach, baseball diamond, and into the barbecue, people took on the holiday weekend in their own way.
At Franklin Field, the Milwaukee Milkmen baseball team hosted a reduced crowd on the Fourth of July.
“I’m actually surprised this was happening. But hey, we gotta take what we could get,” said one fan.
Fans like Brandon Rindfleisch said baseball Saturday was a piece of normalcy, but still very different.
“There’s no fireworks. There are no parades. This is the most American thing I can do. Going to a baseball game on the Fourth of July,” Rindfleisch said.
In Milwaukee, Julian Ugarte brought his family up for Illinois to enjoy Bradford Beach.
“I’m actually surprised. I don’t see anybody with a mask,” he said.
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Even with the pandemic, Ugarte said there are still ways to enjoy the beach.
“I really enjoy it here. Just looking to get away to protect myself and my family,” he said.
Down on the beach, Nell Speer and her daughter Charlotte got into the unusually warm Lake Michigan water.
“The city feels so hot but being on the water here with the wind is really nice,” Speer said.
The beach hosted hundreds on Saturday. Speer said many of them found ways to keep apart.
“You can see the little family groups and stuff. Kind of together, but separate,” she said.
Artwann Pointer chose to stay home and celebrate time with his family by barbecuing.
“Just have fun,” Pointers’ kids said when asked about the weekend.
The plan was simple for the pointers: Stay home. Stay safe.
“COVID hit. Then a lot of stuff hit so it doesn’t feel the same,” Pointer said. “My kids. They got chronic asthma, so I take this seriously.”
As of Saturday, there have been 12,062 reported cases of COVID-19. 355 deaths have been confirmed, according to the Milwaukee County Health Department.