Another sunny weekend day, another protest against Gov. Tony Evers' safer-at-home order stretching to Memorial Day weekend.

Unlike the 1,000 or so protesters in Brookfield on Saturday, only about 70 people came to the Capitol in Madison on Sunday. But the message was the same.

Some folks want to resume their lives as they were before the pandemic, and they want shuttered businesses including taverns, playgrounds and restaurants to reopen. Now.

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And they decided to make their opinions known by holding signs, carrying American flags and leading peaceful protests.

“We have never cowered to a virus in this country before — ever,” Kirsten Lombard, 53, of McFarland said outside the Capitol building. “I don’t know why we are now.”

Actually, the 1918 Spanish flu was a virus that killed an estimated 675,000 people in the U.S. and millions worldwide.

More:Extreme actions during Spanish flu may preview decisions on coronavirus today

Colin Guest distributed free T-shirts on the Capitol square that said "can't control me." One man held a sign with three numbers: Wisconsin's population, COVID-19 deaths, and the small risk of death from coronavirus.

Last week the governor extended the order for those in Wisconsin to stay at home as much as possible to May 26 and canceled the rest of the school year. But the toll on businesses has been catastrophic in Wisconsin and elsewhere in the U.S. as jobless numbers and demand at food pantries have spiked.

Evers issued a public health emergency March 12. In the following weeks, he closed bars and restaurants, schools, and scores of businesses to slow the spread of the infectious disease for which there is no vaccine.

More:What Wisconsin Gov. Evers' stay-at-home order means for you

Department of Health Services officials have said if Evers hadn't issued such orders, Wisconsin could have seen 1,000 more deaths by early April and 22,000 cases of the virus.

As of 5 p.m. Sunday, DHS reported 4,346 cases and 220 deaths. Around a quarter of people testing positive have been hospitalized.

Milwaukee County continued to be the epicenter of the outbreak with 2,150 cases and 125 deaths, according to DHS figures. The numbers are slightly higher than those reported by Milwaukee County officials.

Only seven of Wisconsin’s 72 counties have not reported a positive coronavirus case: Burnett, Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Pepin, Taylor and Vernon. The first case in Wisconsin was reported in Dane County and the second was in Pierce County, which so far has had only seven reported positive cases.

A total of 45,323 coronavirus tests were negative in Wisconsin.

Local links reopen

Evers is allowing golf courses to reopen starting Friday, though some opted to open this past weekend.

And despite the governor's order, at least one restaurant owner is vowing to reopen soon.

The owner of Jackson's Blue Ribbon Pub in Wauwatosa said he will open the dining room to the public on May 1.

Dan Zierath told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the pub would enforce social distancing and take other precautions, such as questioning customers at the door if they've been exposed to COVID-19 or if they have fevers, but he was determined to proceed.

"I feel like our constitutional rights are being taken from us. And I’m just not willing anymore. What’s going to happen is going to happen," he said.

Jackson's Blue Ribbon Pub, 11302 W. Blue Mound Road, is one of four pubs and restaurants that Zierath owns. He said the others — Zisters in Elm Grove and the Thirsty Duck in Wauwatosa and Sussex — could open for dining within a week after Jackson's.

Zierath said he would keep the capacity below 50% at Jackson's. "I just see no harm in that whatsoever," he said.

Zierath, who attended the rally in Brookfield Saturday, added, "I think our governor is abusing his power right now."

Asked if he consulted an attorney in the matter, Zierath said he did and was advised against opening the restaurant. But he said his restaurant group is relatively new, and profits have been used to expand and reinvest in the company.

"We don’t have a strong cushion to set on," said Zierath. "Things are becoming dire right now."

Jackson’s Blue Ribbon Pub in downtown Milwaukee posted a notice on its Facebook page on Sunday that it is under different ownership and will adhere to the policy.

"We do not share in any of his views or opinions. We will most definitely NOT be opening until the stay at home order has been lifted. Thank you for your continued support.”

The downtown location is co-owned by Brian Eft and Mark Zierath. The Zieraths are brothers but do not share ownership of the Jackson’s Blue Ribbon pubs.

Mark Zierath told the Journal Sentinel his location "will remain closed until all health department orders are lifted."

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporters Carol Deptolla, Molly Beck and Jim Owczarski contributed to this report.