Wisconsin Watch

Wisconsin’s Medicaid postpartum protection lags most of the country

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 14:00:00 -0400

Wisconsin doctors say the state could help save lives by extending postpartum Medicaid coverage to a full year, as many states offer. But the Legislature again blocked an extension. By Rachel Hale of Wisconsin Watch

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In fight over voter rolls, Wisconsin’s top judges can’t agree on sensitive data

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 12:00:00 -0400

An unusual split in two Wisconsin Court of Appeals districts highlights growing partisan division in the judiciary. By Wisconsin Watch's Jack Kelly

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10 guards, 900 inmates: Wisconsin prisons see dire results of ignored warnings

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 13:30:00 -0500

An extreme shortage of guards at Wisconsin’s prisons slowed basic operations to a crawl. Inmates escaped, prisons locked down and conditions deteriorated. By New York Times Local Investigations Fellow and Wisconsin Watch reporter Mario Koran and Justin Mayo of Big Local News. Originally published on Feb. 2, 2024.

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A Grand Chute police recruit alleged she was sexually assaulted. Days later she lost her job.

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 12:00:00 -0500

The Grand Chute police department didn’t seek an outside investigation for a case involving its own employee, yet invoked “victim rights” laws to resist disclosing details of the incident involving two other police recruits. By Wisconsin Watch's Jacob Resneck. Wisconsin Watch reporter Phoebe Petrovic contributed. This story was produced as part of the NEW (Northeast Wisconsin) News Lab.

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Sheboygan recruit accused of sex assault had potential red flag

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 12:00:00 -0500

A Sheboygan police recruit involved in an alleged sexual assault had been flagged as a suspected gang member in high school, but that information was not provided to an oversight board before he was hired. By Wisconsin Watch's Jacob Resneck. This story was produced as part of the NEW (Northeast Wisconsin) News Lab.

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PayPal shielded donors who gave to Wisconsin-based health misinformation outlet

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 12:00:00 -0400

The charitable arm of PayPal, one of the world’s largest digital payment companies, facilitated $141,194 in anonymous donations between 2019 and 2021 to groups trafficking in COVID-19 misinformation, anti-vaccine content and hate, tax records show. By Phoebe Petrovic of Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on Oct. 27, 2023.

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Oshkosh police cite ‘Marsy’s Law’ to withhold names of officers who shot suspects

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 12:00:00 -0400

A Wisconsin police department used Marsy’s Law to block the release of the names of police officers involved in a shooting incident. By Jacob Resneck of Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on Aug. 8, 2023.

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Wisconsin’s ‘death grip with alcohol’ is killing more residents

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 11:00:00 -0400

Excessive alcohol use is taking a heavy toll in a state that celebrates its drinking culture. By Sarah Eichstadt and Anupras Mohapatra of Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on Aug. 3, 2023.

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How alcoholism derailed former Wisconsin running back Montee Ball’s football career

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 11:00:00 -0400

Former Badger Montee Ball offers a cautionary tale to University of Wisconsin-Madison students about the dangers of booze. By Sarah Eichstadt and Anupras Mohapatra of Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on Aug. 3, 2023.

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Hot pursuit: Milwaukee police chases now top 1,000 per year. Some prove deadly.

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 12:00:00 -0400

Milwaukee sees a surge in police pursuits in years since loosening policy to target reckless drivers. Critics say the trend makes streets more dangerous. By Jonah Chester, Wisconsin Public Radio's 2022-2023 Mike Simonson Memorial Investigative Reporting Fellow embedded in the Wisconsin Watch newsroom. Originally published on Aug. 2, 2023.

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AI is starting to affect our elections. Wisconsin has yet to take action.

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 12:00:00 -0400

Heading into the 2024 election, Wisconsin faces a new challenge state lawmakers here have so far failed to address: generative artificial intelligence. The state of Washington required political ads to disclose if they use artificial intelligence while others banned deepfake technology in the runup to an election. By Phoebe Petrovic of Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on July 28, 2023.

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JusticePoint offers incarceration alternatives in Milwaukee. Two judges tried to cancel its contract.

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 12:00:00 -0400

Municipal Court officials refuse to comment on efforts to cancel JusticePoint’s contract without lining up an alternative provider. A legal ruling allows the services to continue — for now. Story by Wisconsin Watch’s Jonmaesha Beltran and Devin Blake of Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, produced in collaboration with The Appeal. Originally published on July 27, 2023.

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Misinformation, Disinformation: A guide to sorting fiction from reality

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 12:00:00 -0400

Social media and deceptive actors are allowing falsehood to spread even faster than the truth, but there are ways to inoculate yourself from information disorder. Story by Wisconsin Watch disinformation reporter Phoebe Petrovic. Originally published on July 20, 2023.

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Walmart pulls Milwaukee Tool gloves allegedly made by Chinese prisoners

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 11:00:00 -0400

Walmart is no longer selling Milwaukee Tool-branded gloves on its online marketplace — responding to allegations that a subcontractor for the Brookfield, Wisconsin-based tool company relied on forced Chinese prison labor to manufacture certain models of gloves. Story by Wisconsin Watch's Zhen Wang. Originally published on July 17, 2023.

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Wisconsin billionaires quietly bankroll effort to shrink state’s social safety net

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 17:00:00 -0400

A group funded by deep-pocketed GOP donors is pushing to make it harder to vote and to receive unemployment insurance and Medicaid. By Wisconsin Watch's Jacob Resneck. Originally published on July 11, 2023.

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Republican lawmakers reject proposal to help Wisconsin communities access federal grant programs

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 17:00:00 -0400

Gov. Tony Evers signs a budget that excludes his plan to help staff-strapped local governments track and apply for federal infrastructure dollars. By Bennet Goldstein / Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on July 7, 2023.

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Wisconsin towns brace for next fight on local control over large farms

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:00:00 -0400

A proposed pig CAFO spurred five northwest Wisconsin towns to regulate big farms. After one rescinded its ordinance, others wonder if they’ll face lawsuits. By Bennet Goldstein / Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on July 6, 2023.

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Midwest drought: Corn and soybeans suffer as forecasters expect no quick relief for farmers

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:00:00 -0400

Arid conditions are expected to persist in eastern Iowa and Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin. River barges are affected, too. By Bennet Goldstein / Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on June 23, 2023.

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Wisconsin law still refers to husband and wife, a reminder to LGBTQ+ families that their rights are at risk

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 15:00:00 -0400

The courts and Evers administration have stepped in, but bipartisan efforts to make state law neutral to reflect status of same-sex couples have stalled. By Matthew DeFour / Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on June 16, 2023.

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‘They die so quickly’: Fentanyl killing 1,000+ people in Wisconsin each year

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 15:00:00 -0400

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services in 2021 found synthetic opioids, particularly fentanyl, caused 91% of opioid overdose deaths, Grace Friedman and Max Stapleton report for Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on June 22, 2023.

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Some Milwaukee County parents leaving workforce due to sky-high child care costs

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 14:00:00 -0400

Milwaukee County parents spend more of their income on child care than most Americans. Gov. Tony Evers wants to intervene as Wisconsin providers face a fiscal cliff. By Tyler Dedrick for Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on June 15, 2023.

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Rising cost of living in northeast Wisconsin has many working families treading water

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 12:00:00 -0400

A dearth of affordable housing and the cost and availability of child care remain barriers to opportunity for many working families in the northeast region. The story was reported by Wisconsin Watch’s Jacob Resneck as part of the NEW (Northeast Wisconsin) News Lab’s Families Matter project, which explores the barriers to sustainable family life in northeast Wisconsin. Originally published on June 7, 2023.

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Wisconsin students with disabilities often denied public school choices

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 16:00:00 -0400

Public schools must serve all students living within their boundaries, including those needing special accommodations. But not all neighborhood schools are to meet the needs of students with disabilities, Mario Koran reports for Wisconsin Watch. The state’s biggest school choice program, open enrollment, allows students to apply to public schools outside of district boundaries. But those schools can limit or deny slots for out-of-district students with disabilities. Originally published on May 31, 2023.

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‘Unwanted and unwelcome’: Anti-LGBTQ+ policies common at Wisconsin voucher schools

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 16:00:00 -0400

The story was reported by Wisconsin Watch’s Phoebe Petrovic as part of a series of stories about discrimination in taxpayer-funded schools.
The story focuses on Nat Werth, a gay student who was banned from delivering his valedictory speech in 2019 at Sheboygan Lutheran High School after officials discovered he planned to come out as gay during the speech. Reviewing the school’s current handbook, Werth says the school has beefed up its anti-LGBTQ+ policies.
Said Werth: “If I was a kid with gender dysphoria, or even, like, questioning how people refer to me using my pronouns or if I wanted to use a different name and I read this, if this was what the school provided to me, that would have been extremely traumatic.” Originally published on May 31, 2023.

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How would widening Milwaukee’s I-94 affect residents near the highway?

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 15:00:00 -0400

Gov. Tony Evers in 2020 revived a plan to widen a 3.5-mile segment of the Interstate 94 East-West Freeway corridor in Milwaukee — calling it one of the state’s “most congested and dangerous roads.” But the highway cuts through the city, and opponents say the expansion will disproportionately disrupt Milwaukee's West Side neighborhoods that the highway shaped six decades ago, Jonmaesha Beltran reports for Wisconsin Watch’s News414 collaboration. Originally published on May 23, 2023.

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Federal, state law permit disability discrimination in Wisconsin voucher schools

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 16:00:00 -0400

The story was reported by Wisconsin Watch’s Phoebe Petrovic. This is Petrovic’s second story examining the laws and rules that allow publicly financed voucher schools to expel certain children for immutable characteristics, including having a disability or identifying as LGBTQ+. Originally published on May 20th, 2023.

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Wisconsin eviction process: What happens to a tenant’s property?

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 16:00:00 -0400

In Milwaukee County, government and nonprofit officials have in recent years bolstered resources for eviction prevention, Jonmaesha Beltran reports for Wisconsin Watch. But little, if any, aid is available to help residents retain or reclaim their possessions following an eviction. Originally published on April 25th, 2023.

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Voting has gotten harder in Wisconsin. Organizers have found ways to help

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 16:00:00 -0400

Wisconsin Watch's Matt Mencarini reports the story about how voting access in Wisconsin has plummeted compared with other states — from fourth best in 1996 to 47th in 2022. However voter turnout remains high because of the work of community groups such as Black Leaders Organizing Communities in Milwaukee. Originally published on May 2nd, 2023.

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Wisconsin Republicans clear out projects stalled by secretive ‘pocket veto’

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 14:00:00 -0400

The story follows up on a Wisconsin Watch report from last month that highlighted the decades-old process of lawmakers making anonymous objections to agency funding requests and then not scheduling a public meeting to discuss the objection, something a legislative lawyer said might have violated state law. This story was reported by Wisconsin Watch's Jacob Resneck. Originally published on April 19, 2023.

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False choice: Wisconsin taxpayers support schools that can discriminate

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 14:00:00 -0400

The story was reported by Wisconsin Watch’s Phoebe Petrovic, who reveals that voucher schools must accept students with disabilities and LGBTQ+ students for admission — but can expel them based on those same inherent qualities. A spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Instruction called the situation “unfortunate,” but said the agency is powerless to enforce anti-discrimination laws for students enrolled in voucher schools. Originally published on May 5th, 2023.

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Chinese prisoners: We were forced to make Milwaukee Tool gloves for cents each day

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 14:00:00 -0400

Wisconsin Watch reporter Zhen Wang found evidence that prisoners in China’s central Hunan Province were forced to make Milwaukee Tool-branded work gloves under grueling conditions, earning pennies each day. A supplier for Milwaukee Tool subcontracted work to the prison, two former prisoners said in separate interviews conducted in Mandarin. A self-identified salesperson of the supplier told Wang it manufactured the majority of Milwaukee Tool’s work gloves. And regulatory filings confirm that the company was contracted to manufacture “Performance Gloves” for a subsidiary of Milwaukee Tool’s parent company. Originally published on May 4th, 2023.

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Whistleblower claims Milwaukee doctor performed unneeded surgeries

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 12:00:00 -0400

The story is based on documents filed with the state Department of Safety and Professional Services, federal court documents unsealed at the request of Wisconsin Watch, a patient complaint filed with Aurora St. Luke’s, and interviews with the whistleblowing surgeon and seven other doctors who worked with obstetric gynecological surgeon Dr. Scott Kamelle. Kamelle and the hospital declined comment except to say that the Milwaukee hospital’s review of Kamelle’s work found no fault with his performance. The federal false claims lawsuit naming Kamelle was withdrawn, and one DSPS complaint against him was dismissed. Another is pending. The story was reported by Wisconsin Watch’s Phoebe Petrovic. Originally published on April 24, 2023.

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Republicans can’t simply remove a Wisconsin Supreme Court justice

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 12:00:00 -0400

A story dispelling the speculation that Republicans could simply remove Supreme Court justices because they disagree with their decisions. One way the Legislature could do so is impeachment, which only requires a majority of the Assembly and a two-thirds majority of the Senate, which Republicans have. However, impeachment is reserved for civil officers who commit crimes or acts of corruption. A justice could be removed for violations of judicial ethics under a separate constitutional provision called “address,” but that would require two-thirds of both chambers of the Legislature, which Republicans don’t have. Originally published on April 6, 2023.

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Why some Wisconsin residents with mental disabilities lose voting rights — and how they can restore them

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 30 May 2023 15:00:00 -0400

Thousands of Wisconsinites have been “adjudicated incompetent” to vote under state laws designed to protect mentally incapacitated people from having someone else fill out their ballot, Zhen Wang of Wisconsin Watch reports. Disability rights advocates and legal experts disagree over whether — and to what extent — certain people with mental disabilities should lose their voting rights. Originally published on April 3rd, 2023.

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Bill could help ‘innocent purchasers’ clean up contaminated Wisconsin land

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 30 May 2023 15:00:00 -0400

Previous legislative attempts to help innocent purchasers have fallen through, in large part due to lack of funding, Erin Gretzinger of Wisconsin Watch reports. But a bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced a fresh bill— this time with new potential funding options. Separately, Gov. Tony Evers proposes to broaden eligibility for funding to individuals who can show they thoroughly investigated potential contamination before buying a property. Originally published on April 6, 2023.

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Anti-trans ads favoring Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Daniel Kelly peddle fear, false info

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 23 May 2023 14:00:00 -0400

The story was reported by Wisconsin Watch’s Phoebe Petrovic.
American Principles Project PAC has poured at least $796,000 into digital advertisements and peer-to-peer messaging supporting Kelly, Petrovic found. The PAC has targeted trans people in elections nationwide for at least two years and fits into a much larger anti-trans movement. Originally published on March 31st, 2023.

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Mega donors fuel record-shattering $45M Wisconsin Supreme Court race

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 23 May 2023 14:00:00 -0400

A story about the unprecedented amount of money being spent on next Tuesday’s Wisconsin Supreme Court race. The story notes the top 41 donors to Judge Janet Protasiewicz’s campaign each giving the maximum $20,000 gave more than the more than 25,000 donors who gave $50 or less. Meanwhile former Justice Daniel Kelly’s campaign only has about 3,800 donations of less than $50, yet his billionaire backers have given him an overall spending edge in the race. The story was reported by Wisconsin Watch’s Jacob Resneck. Originally published on April 1st, 2023.

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Medical malpractice in Wisconsin: Could Supreme Court election change precedent?

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 15 May 2023 15:00:00 -0400

The story explains the role of precedent on the court through conflicting decisions related to the medical malpractice cap reported by Wisconsin Watch's Matt Mencarini.

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Dane County election review finds dozens of ineligible voters who cast ballots

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Fri, 05 May 2023 16:30:00 -0400

The story was reported by Wisconsin Watch’s Matthew DeFour, who is investigating gaps in the state’s process for ensuring that people deemed “incompetent” to vote by a court are removed from voting rolls. In this story, DeFour reports that Dane County has discovered 95 people who voted in recent years despite being on a state list of ineligible voters. DeFour also found two people who have voted multiple times who were unaware they were ineligible and are now seeking to restore their rights. Originally published on March 25th, 2023.

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Wisconsin Supreme Court’s ‘fractured opinions’ leave state without clear guidance

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Fri, 05 May 2023 16:00:00 -0400

A story reported by DeFour and Wisconsin Watch’s Matt Mencarini. DeFour’s package outlines how the court has become increasingly fractured in the past 20 years, even among justices who agree on the outcome of a case. That leaves an opening for a liberal majority — if Judge Janet Protasiewicz wins — to revisit previous cases. In the second story, DeFour and Mencarini explain the cases that liberals and conservatives say illustrates the “judicial activism” that both sides routinely rail against. Originally published on March 29th, 2023.

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In Wisconsin Supreme Court race, ad spending for Kelly ekes past Protasiewicz after she led in ads 23-to-1

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Fri, 05 May 2023 16:00:00 -0400

The story was reported by Wisconsin Watch’s Phoebe Petrovic. Petrovic analyzed more than 400 ads in the three-week period between Feb. 22 and March 14, finding advertising that boosted Protasiewicz and blasted Kelly was running 23-to-1 against Kelly. But that changed in recent weeks, as outside groups poured money into the race with a flurry of new ads favoring Kelly, according to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. Originally published on March 28th, 2023.

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Can formerly incarcerated people legally vote in Wisconsin? It depends.

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Fri, 05 May 2023 16:00:00 -0400

Wisconsin automatically restores voting rights of people who have committed felonies once they are “off paper,” meaning they’ve finished probation, parole or extended supervision — a process that can last years, Jonmaesha Beltran reports for Wisconsin Watch. But many formerly incarcerated people don’t realize they can vote once their eligibility is restored, advocates told Beltran. Originally published on March 21st, 2023 .

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‘There’s no transparency’: Secretive ‘pocket veto’ scuttles Wisconsin projects

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 16:30:00 -0400

Wisconsin Watch's Jacob Resneck reports on a story about how the state’s Joint Finance Committee has increasingly used its secretive “pocket veto” to thwart land acquisitions and other state spending requests. The committee may be violating state law, but Gov. Tony Evers has been reluctant to challenge a process that has been in place for decades under both Republicans and Democrats. Originally published on March 11th, 2023.

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Why fish consumption advisories in Great Lakes states like Wisconsin carry their own risks

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 16:00:00 -0400

A recent study highlighting the potential dangers of “forever chemicals” has raised questions about the health effects of consuming Great Lakes fish, Bennet Goldstein of Wisconsin Watch reports. But oversimplifying the risks and underplaying health benefits can have consequences for populations that rely heavily on eating fish — such as Ojibwe nations that center fish in their culture and traditions, experts told Goldstein. Originally published on March 14th, 2023.

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‘Election integrity’ proposals do not address most common voting infraction in Wisconsin

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 16:00:00 -0400

A story in Wisconsin Watch's Democracy on the Ballot series in which Matt Mencarini reviewed every election fraud prosecution since 2012 and found not only a small number of cases, fewer than 200, but the majority of them are related to felons voting while still on probation. The Wisconsin Watch review also found racial disparities in election fraud cases are more pronounced than in the overarching criminal justice system. Originally published on March 9th, 2023.

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‘Driver’s licenses for all:’ Why some advocates call for expanding access in Wisconsin

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 17:00:00 -0400

Immigrant advocacy groups have long pushed to repeal Wisconsin’s 16-year-old ban, saying doing so would expand the state’s tight labor force and boost public safety, reports Jonah Chester, a WPR reporter embedded in the Wisconsin Watch newsroom. Gov. Tony Evers’ budget would do just that, but the Republican-controlled Legislature is unlikely to advance the idea. Republicans say the spending plan shouldn’t include non-fiscal proposals that merit debate through standalone legislation. Originally published on March 16th, 2023.

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Great Lakes pollution threatens Ojibwe treaty rights to fish

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 16:00:00 -0400

Bennet Goldstein of Wisconsin Watch joined a fishing excursion in Lake Superior while reporting on the central role of fishing to the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and other Ojibwe communities in the Upper Midwest.

States spent a century disregarding or rejecting treaty rights — fining or arresting tribal citizens who exercised them, Goldstein reports. A series of court rulings, starting in 1971, would affirm their reserved rights within territory ceded to the United States, including the right to fish on Lake Superior.
But pollution in the Great Lakes — including hazardous PFAS chemicals — encroaches on how Ojibwe communities exercise their treaty rights, scholars and environmental advocates told Goldstein.
Tribes aim to fill regulatory vacuums through their own regulation and input they share on cross-government committees. They may get support from a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposal that elevates consideration of treaty rights when states set water quality regulations. Originally published on February 24th, 2023.

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What EPA’s nationwide PFAS rule means for Wisconsin drinking water

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 16:00:00 -0400

Though long sought by environmental and health advocates as a way to make drinking water safer, the regulations may increase water rates in PFAS-contaminated communities as utilities upgrade filtration technology or drill for cleaner water sources, Bennet Goldstein of Wisconsin Watch reports. Originally published on March 15th, 2023.

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Widespread sexual harassment draws discipline, resignations in Wisconsin police department

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 13:15:00 -0400

The story was reported by Wisconsin Watch’s Phoebe Petrovic in collaboration with Sheboygan Press reporter Maya Hilty. In late 2022, Petrovic and Hilty obtained more than 200 pages from the three sexual harassment probes from 2021, which resulted in discipline and counseling for 12 male and female officers. The internal investigations started with complaints from two female officers that semi-nude photos had been taken and passed around the department without their consent. A third probe was launched after female trainees reported inappropriate behavior by a male training officer. A review of the records showed the department failed to use best practices in carrying out the series of internal investigations and that female officers were, in some ways, more harshly punished than their male colleagues. Originally published on February 6th, 2023.

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Top Sheboygan officials lacked key details on police department sexual harassment probes

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 13:00:00 -0400

"This is a followup story to the report from Feb. 6 that revealed for the first time that a dozen officers had been disciplined or verbally admonished over allegations of misconduct, including sharing semi-nude photos of their colleagues without their knowledge or permission. The city also had paid $110,000 to a female officer who alleged harassment. Details of the findings of the three internal investigations are here.
Officer Bryan Pray, who received the stiffest punishment — a 10-day unpaid suspension — resigned two days after that story was published. And the state Department of Workforce Development determined there was probable cause to believe that former HR Director Vicky Schneider was retaliated against by then-Sheboygan City Administrator Todd Wolf after she raised concerns about the thoroughness of the probes.
The story was reported by Sheboygan Press reporter Maya Hilty and Wisconsin Watch’s Phoebe Petrovic." Originally published on February 27th, 2023.

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Wisconsin’s population is trending older. Where will non-drivers find transportation?

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 13:00:00 -0400

Jonah Chester of WPR and Wisconsin Watch rides along with Curative Connections, which serves folks with disabilities and the elderly, including transporting them to medical appointments and other important stops in and around Green Bay. The nonprofit is part of a fractured transportation system for Brown County’s non-drivers, Chester reports. That includes Green Bay Metro’s traditional busing and door-to-door services in the metro area. Those services will become more important as Brown County’s population, like much of Wisconsin, increasingly skews older and less mobile. But a host of challenges threaten their viability — from driver shortages to decreasing revenue. Originally published on January 5th, 2023.

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After rejecting staffing requests, Wisconsin Republicans approve DSPS audit

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 13:00:00 -0400

"The story was reported by Wisconsin Watch’s Matthew DeFour, who reveals that problems at the agency’s call center began before Gov. Tony Evers took office, yet GOP lawmakers have for at least four years rejected Evers’ calls to beef up staff at the agency to meet the needs of license applicants.
In 2022, Evers used federal pandemic relief funds to build up the DSPS call staff, but that money runs out in June. Meanwhile, the agency’s surplus — made up entirely of license fees — has ballooned to nearly $50 million, 10 times more than it was a decade ago." Originally published on February 7th, 2023.

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Tired of turmoil, Kiel residents rebuke far-right school officials

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 12:00:00 -0500

In 2022, a small but well-organized Kiel citizens group pushed restrictions on library books, sought to block anti-racism training and helped flip the school board to a majority that criticized efforts for racial equity and LGBTQ rights. Political tensions boiled over when Kiel schools were forced shutter early due to bomb threats aimed at halting a probe into alleged transgender bullying.

But moderates have since regained control of the school board, Wisconsin Watch's Mario Koran reports.
Concerns that the school board would oust popular Superintendent Brad Ebert spurred residents to pack a Jan. 4 meeting in which they supported Ebert and rebuked school board members. Facing the public outcry, the board unanimously voted to renew Ebert’s contract and two board members abruptly resigned.

Originally published on January 24th, 2023.

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In rural Wisconsin, former employees lift curtain on troubled crypto mine

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 15:00:00 -0500

Wisconsin Watch's Jacob Resneck and Zhen Wang report on a a story about a troubled cryptocurrency mining operation in Park Falls, Wisconsin. Two Chinese tech workers share a cramped motel room in a small northern Wisconsin town pondering their next move as they shell out $100 daily to keep out of the freezing temperatures. Lured by a Chinese company that recently built a cryptocurrency mine inside a former 19th century paper mill, the two skilled workers had come to the U.S. on a temporary business visa believing they had a long-term future helping a global firm establish a bitcoin mining operation in North America. Originally published on January 17th, 2023.

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From ‘dream’ property to nightmare: Some Wisconsinites pay the price for pollution they didn’t cause

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 15:00:00 -0500

Wisconsin Watch’s Erin Gretzinger explores the saga of Zach Skrede, who bought a house on 20 acres that he later discovered was laden with discarded roofing material containing asbestos. Under the state’s “spills law,” anyone who “causes, possesses or controls” a hazardous substance discharge is liable for cleaning it up — meaning Skrede faced the prospect of a million-dollar cleanup for contamination he did not cause. Originally published on January 9th, 2023.

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‘You’re treated like a criminal’: Wisconsin eyes fixes for emergency mental health system

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 14:00:00 -0500

Wisconsin Watch's Erin McGroarty reports on mental health crisis services in Wisconsin operating on a county-by-county basis, yielding wide disparities in care. Originally published on January 5th, 2023.

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Pandemic support fading for 1 in 12 Wisconsinites who were food insecure

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 14:00:00 -0500

"Wisconsin Watch’s Erin Gretzinger and other members of the University of Wisconsin-Madison investigative spring reporting class explore the history and state of hunger in Wisconsin, including the cumbersome government FoodShare program and efforts to increase the quality and accessibility of food through Wisconsin Watch's new series called 'Beyond Hunger'.
" Originally published on July 21st, 2022.

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What should I do about PFAS in my water?

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 17:00:00 -0500

Wisconsin Watch's Bennet Goldstein reports solutions regarding dealing with harmful PFAS increasingly being detected nationwide, including Wisconsin in a compregensive guide. Originally published on November 21st, 2022.

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Evers beats Michels for Wisconsin governor; Johnson defeats Barnes in U.S. Senate race

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 17:00:00 -0500

Wisconsin Watch reports on Democratic Gov. Tony Evers beating Republican challenger Tim Michels, while GOP U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson wins re-election bid against Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes. Originally published on November 8th, 2022.

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Security seals and documentation: The life cycle of Wisconsin election ballots

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 14:00:00 -0500

In our recent installment Democracy on the Ballot series, Wisconsin Watch's Matt Mencarini reports about the step-by-step process a ballot goes through from creation to the four to five minutes it spends with a voter to eventual destruction. The process with its checks and balances seems mundane but has become all the more important for the public to understand as disinformation about elections spreads. Originally published on November 4th, 2022.

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Many in Wisconsin GOP drop ‘stop the steal’ talk, play up inflation, crime

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 14:00:00 -0500

Wisconsin Watch reporter Matthew DeFour found that at least 22 Republicans with a good chance of winning their Assembly races have cast doubt on the 2020 election — with some even pushing to overturn the results. But as the 2022 midterm election draws near, most Republicans, especially in close races, aren’t even talking about “election integrity,” focusing instead on hot-button issues such as inflation and crime. Originally published on November 2nd, 2022.

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Two couples sue former UW child abuse doctor for alleged misdiagnoses

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 14:00:00 -0500

Wisconsin Watch's Hope Karnopp continues our coverage of Dr. Barbara Knox who has now been sued for wrongful child abuse diagnoses by two sets of parents in Alaska, where she headed the state’s child abuse forensic clinic. Knox, who now works as a child abuse pediatrician at the University of Florida, was placed on administrative leave at the UW and Alaska CARES amid complaints from co-workers in both places of bullying. Originally pubished on August 27th, 2022.

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As Midwest summers get hotter, Milwaukee’s most at risk have an unmet need: air conditioning

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 13:00:00 -0500

Samantha McCabe, Wisconsin Watch’s News414 accountability reporting intern, reports that about 36,500 homes in the Milwaukee metro area lacked any air conditioning as of 2019. But Wisconsin’s main program for utility assistance focuses largely on heating aid during cold weather, and typically runs out of resources to offer assistance during heat waves. Reporting by Samantha McCabe. Originally published on August 23rd, 2022.

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Wisconsin’s 173-year-old ban allows only life-saving ‘therapeutic abortions.’ No one knows what that means.

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 12:00:00 -0400

Wisconsin Watch's Phoebe Petrovic interviews doctors, health care facility operators and the Wisconsin Medical Society to determine what types of life-saving abortions would be allowed under Wisconsin's current abortion ban.The 1849 law was reinstated in June after the U.S. Supreme Court revoked the federally guaranteed constitutional right to an abortion. Reporting by Phoebe Petrovic. Originally published on 20, 2022.

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‘I had to speak up’: Two Northwoods friends push Wisconsin DNR to protect lakeshore forests

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 17:00:00 -0400

Wisconsin Watch's tanka dhakal profiles John Schwarzmann, a retired state forester, and Ardis Berghoff, a writer in Vilas County. The two tree-loving friends are closely scrutinizing lakeshore logging operations and accuse the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources of violating its own water quality standards by logging too close to the shorelines of at least nine lakes. The DNR denies the accusations in a dispute that has played out in a series of audits of agency practices, dhakal reports. Reporting by tanka dhakal. Originally published on August 18, 2022.

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As universal free school meals end, are Wisconsin families ready for it?

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 17:00:00 -0400

Wisconsin Watch’s Erin Gretzinger and Maddie Bergstrom examine the pandemic-era program providing free school meals to all students regardless of income — and why continuing the program may not be so easy in Wisconsin. This story is part of the Wisconsin Watch series "Beyond Hunger." Reporting by Erin Gretzinger and Maddie Bergstrom. Originally published on August 4, 2022.

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Federal food aid in Wisconsin has evolved, but users still face decades-old barriers

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 15:00:00 -0400

This story explores the history of federal food assistance and its potential future in Wisconsin. This story is part of the Wisconsin Watch series "Beyond Hunger." Reporting by Sam Watson and Joey Prestley. Originally published on July 28th, 2022.

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15 years later, Wisconsin university’s massive Lake Michigan seawall frustrates downstream neighbors

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 13:00:00 -0400

Wisconsin Watch’s Mario Koran examines the coastline near Mequon, where Concordia University Wisconsin built a massive $12 million seawall 15 years ago. Although the seawall protected the private institution, it has exacerbated erosion along neighboring property, leaving bitterness among neighbors. And new evidence shows that the wall has inflicted more damage than originally thought. Reporting by Mario Koran. Originally published on August 13, 2022.

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Oshkosh Defense sent a big contract to the non-union South. Will it keep future jobs in Wisconsin?

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 13:00:00 -0400

Wisconsin Watch reporter Jacob Resneck found that local governments and the state of Wisconsin have poured more than $70 million in taxpayer subsidies into Oshkosh Corp. and its defense subsidiary in recent years. Despite that, the company has sent more than 1,000 jobs south, where workers earn a fraction of what union laborers in Oshkosh’s Wisconsin plants earn. Reporting by Jacob Resneck. Originally published on August 6, 2022.

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‘When it’s rigid, it breaks’: How federal rules and market dominance fueled Wisconsin’s baby formula shortage

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 16:00:00 -0400

Wisconsin Watch reporter Hope Karnopp explores how market consolidation and state contracting practices left Wisconsin and other states vulnerable to a baby formula shortage. The shortage affects parents of all backgrounds, but those who navigate formula purchases through state-administered Woman, Infants, and Children programs face particular challenges.
Reporting by Hope Karnopp / Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on July 2, 2022.

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Wisconsin’s ‘chronic Lyme’ patients embrace alternative treatments, rack up big bills

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 16:00:00 -0400

In our recent installment of "Living with Lyme," Wisconsin Watch reporter Zhen Wang explores the ongoing debate over whether patients can suffer long-term effects of Lyme disease — or whether the shifting symptoms are caused by something else. Wang profiles five Wisconsin women who all say they are suffering from chronic Lyme disease.
Reporting by Zhen Wang / Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on June 9, 2022.

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Are abortions ever medically necessary? Wisconsin doctors say yes.

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 16:00:00 -0400

Wisconsin Watch reporter Phoebe Petrovic talks with two Wisconsin doctors who explain that in some cases abortions can be medically necessary because of how life-threatening conditions can develop or be exacerbated during pregnancy. Reporting by Phoebe Petrovic with Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on June 4, 2022.

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Wisconsin faces a ‘tangled series’ of abortion laws dating back to 1849 as it heads into a possible post-Roe future

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 16:00:00 -0400

Top GOP lawmakers remain mum on plans if the constitutional right to an abortion is overturned — and state law banning nearly all abortions takes effect.
Reporting by Phoebe Petrovic with Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on June 4, 2022.

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‘Toxic work environment’ in Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office pushes employees to the brink

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 14:00:00 -0400

This investigation by Wisconsin Watch reporter Brenda Wintrode details alleged screaming, bullying and unrealistic demands by supervisors in the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office that employees say damaged their mental health and caused some to find work elsewhere. The two supervisors accused of bullying — Barry Irmen, operations director, and Dr. Agnieszka Rogalska, the chief medical examiner — denied the allegations.
Reporting by Brenda Wintrode / Wisconsin Watch. Narrated by Wesley Lethem for Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on May 25, 2022.

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‘They can bring so much’: Despite barriers, Afghan evacuees enrich Wisconsin’s workforce

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 24 May 2022 12:00:00 -0400

More than 800 Afghan nationals have been resettled in Wisconsin — many of whom are highly skilled and educated but need to overcome barriers related to transportation, child care and language. Wisconsin Watch reporter Zhen Wang profiles one Green Bay-area man who has stepped up to help eight Afghan evacuees obtain their driver’s licenses, enroll in English classes and connect with job specialists.
Reporting by Zhen Wang / Wisconsin Watch. Narration by Wesley Lethem. Originally published on May 5, 2022.

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‘They can bring so much’: Despite barriers, Afghan evacuees enrich Wisconsin’s workforce

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 24 May 2022 12:00:00 -0400

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A controversial doctor. A disputed abuse diagnosis. Two convicted Wisconsin men say they are innocent.

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 10 May 2022 13:00:00 -0400

Dakota Black and Joshua Gehde are in prison for homicide after former UW Dr. Barbara Knox accused them of inflicting abusive head trauma on children. They both insist they are innocent. In the latest installment of our series "Flawed Forensics," Wisconsin Watch reporter Brenda Wintrode investigates Knox's findings of "abusive head trauma" — a controversial diagnosis which one New Jersey judge recently described as “junk science.” Narrated by Wesley Lethem for Wisconsin Watch.

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‘Blurring of lines’: Private lawyer plays starring role in taxpayer-funded Wisconsin election probe

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 17:00:00 -0400

In this investigation by reporter Matt Mencarini, Wisconsin Watch examines the unofficial — but central — role played by the nonprofit Thomas More Society law firm and its attorney, Erick Kaardal, in the state investigation into Wisconsin’s 2020 presidential election. Narration by Wesley Lethem for Wisconsin Watch.

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‘We’ve got to get gaming out of our blood’: Pandemic shock pushes Wisconsin tribes to diversify economy

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 13:00:00 -0400

In this story by reporter Mario Koran, Wisconsin Watch takes a look at how Wisconsin tribes are contemplating a future beyond gaming after the pandemic showed a risk of overreliance on casinos. This story is part of a collaborative series, “At the Crossroads," from the Institute for Nonprofit News, Indian Country Today, Wisconsin Watch and eight other news partners, examining the state of the economy in Indian Country. Narrated by Wesley Lethem for Wisconsin Watch.

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The history of Lyme disease has a Wisconsin chapter. It’s still being written.

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 19:00:00 -0400

In this latest installment of our series "Living with Lyme" Wisconsin Watch reporter Zhen Wang explores Wisconsin’s key role in the discovery and ongoing research into Lyme disease. Narrated by Wesley Lethem for Wisconsin Watch

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Doctors debate, patients suffer: The fight over chronic Lyme disease in Wisconsin

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 16:00:00 -0400

In this story, Wisconsin Watch reporter Zhen Wang profiles Maria Freitas, a woman who for years has suffered from joint pain, brain fog, fever and other maladies. Freitas attributes the symptoms to Lyme disease. But mainstream physicians insist she has rheumatoid arthritis — a diagnosis that she said does not explain many of her symptoms. It's part of Wisconsin Watch's series: "Living with Lyme." Narrated by Wesley Lethem for Wisconsin Watch. Read the story at https://wisconsinwatch.org

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‘I don’t know what will happen’: After months at Ft. McCoy Afghan family resettled in separate states

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 17:00:00 -0400

In this story, Wisconsin Watch reporter Zhen Wang profiles an Afghan evacuee family who was resettled in separate states after a months-long stay at Wisconsin’s Fort McCoy — illustrating major challenges within resettlement agencies to help evacuees start their new lives. The story follows the Nabizada family as they seek housing, jobs and food — while applying for permanent residency. Reported by Zhen Wang / Wisconsin Watch. Narrated by Wesley Lethem for Wisconsin Watch. Read more at wisconsinwatch.org

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Embattled former UW child abuse pediatrician resigns Alaska position

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 18:00:00 -0500

Wisconsin Watch brings you the latest news about former University of Wisconsin pediatrician, Dr. Barbara Knox. On Jan. 27th, Knox resigned from her position leading Alaska’s forensic child abuse clinic — days after Wisconsin Watch and the Anchorage Daily News reported on a couple who lost custody of their two young children after Knox wrongly diagnosed their 3-week-old baby as being abused. Reporting by Michelle Theriault Boots / Anchorage Daily News and Brenda Wintrode / Wisconsin Watch. Narration by Wesley Lethem. Originally published Jan. 28, 2022 on www.wisconsinwatch.org

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‘We were robbed’: Alaska couple loses custody of kids after erroneous abuse diagnosis from former UW doctor

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 15:00:00 -0500

In our latest installment from our series "Flawed Forensics," we feature a Fairbanks, Alaska, couple accused of abusing their 3-week-old daughter, prompting authorities to remove baby Izabel and her 18-month-old brother Ezekiel from their parents. Experts hired by Emilly and Justin Acker found former University of Wisconsin child abuse pediatrician Dr. Barbara Knox’s diagnosis of abusive head trauma was wrong and ignored Izabel’s serious birth injuries. A forensic psychologist found Emily Acker no danger to her children — and a judge agreed. Reporting by Brenda Wintrode / Wisconsin Watch and Michelle Theriault Boots / Anchorage Daily News. Narration by Wesley Lethem. Originally published Jan. 20, 2022 at www.wisconsinwatch.org

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Wisconsin debates cash bail changes in wake of Waukesha parade tragedy — as some states ditch system entirely

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 18:45:00 -0500

Wisconsin Watch brings you a story about a revived debate surrounding cash bail after Darrell E. Brooks was released from jail while facing charges related to domestic violence — just days before he allegedly drove through a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, killing six people and injuring dozens. Somewhat lost in the debate involving the rights of the accused and protecting the public, Reporter Clare Amari finds: The cash bail system in Wisconsin wasn’t created to protect public safety — only to ensure the accused’s appearance at the next court date. Narration by Wesley Lethem for Wisconsin Watch. Originally published Jan. 18, 2022 at www.wisconsinwatch.org

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MATC broadens access for Milwaukee students amid historical inequities, dropping enrollment

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 14:00:00 -0500

Wisconsin Watch reporter Mario Koran explores how Milwaukee Area Technical College offers free tuition, debt forgiveness and early credit to make college more affordable and more available to a diverse student population. Narration by Wesley Lethem for Wisconsin Watch. Originally published Dec. 15, 2021 on wwww.wisconsinwatch.org

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‘This is a charade’: GOP senator, voting experts urge Wisconsin Republicans to halt election attacks

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 17:00:00 -0500

Wisconsin Watch reports on how Senator Kathleen Bernier, the majority caucus vice chair, urged members of her own party to halt their attempts to discredit the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission they created, while also calling on former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman to finish his partisan review of the election soon. Reporting by Brenda Wintrode and Jim Malewitz / Wisconsin Watch. Narration by Wesley Lethem for Wisconsin Watch. Originally published Dec. 13, 2021 on wisconsinwatch.org.

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Wisconsin state parks battered as Lake Michigan shrinks beaches, smashes boardwalks

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 17:00:00 -0500

In the third installment from Wisconsin Watch's series "Imperiled Shores," reporter Mario Koran explores a fundamental question facing the state Department of Natural Resources: Preserve parkland affected by rising lake levels or let nature take its course? Reported by Mario Koran / Wisconsin Watch & WPR. Narrated by Wesley Lethem for Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on wisconsinwatch.org on Dec. 9, 2021.

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Wisconsin caregiver spent eight years, $250,000 in legal bills to exonerate herself from abuse charges

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 16:00:00 -0500

In this report, Wisconsin Watch presents a story about a Mauston, Wisconsin child care provider who was subjected to a lengthy and expensive ordeal to clear her name after she was wrongfully accused of child abuse by Dr. Barbara Knox. The story is the latest installment of our investigation into the former University of Wisconsin pediatrician whose controversial diagnoses of child abuse continue to reverberate for innocent caregivers and parents in southern Wisconsin. Reported by Brenda Wintrode / Wisconsin Watch. Narrated by Wesley Lethem for Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on wisconsinwatch.org on Dec. 4, 2021.

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Child abuse cases sparked by Dr. Barbara Knox rejected by Wisconsin judge, jury and prosecutor

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 15:00:00 -0500

In this episode of our "Flawed Forensics" series, Wisconsin Watch explores how the criminal justice system has repeatedly rebuffed the medical opinions of the former University of Wisconsin child abuse pediatrician Dr. Barbara Knox, and tells the stories of families who were affected by her misdiagnosis of child abuse. Reporting by Brenda Wintrode / Wisconsin Watch. Narration by Wesley Lethem. Originally published Dec. 2, 2021 on www.wisconsinwatch.org

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Parents recount terror of wrongful child abuse diagnoses from former University of Wisconsin doctor

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 16:00:00 -0500

In the latest installment of our "Flawed Forensics" series, Wisconsin Watch tells the story of seven Wisconsin families that faced child abuse investigations triggered by University of Wisconsin child abuse pediatrician Dr. Barbara Knox — suspicions later rejected by other doctors, police and child welfare officials. Reporting by Brenda Wintrode / Wisconsin Watch. Narration by Wesley Lethem for Wisconsin Watch. Originally published at www.wisconsinwatch.org on Nov. 27, 2021.

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Mass exodus at Alaska child abuse clinic as former Wisconsin doctor accused of bullying, misdiagnoses

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 18:00:00 -0500

In this addition to our series "Flawed Forensics," Wisconsin Watch tells more of the story of Dr. Barbara Knox. Two years after leaving the University of Wisconsin amid allegations of workplace bullying, the former top child abuse pediatrician is drawing similar scrutiny at her new job in Alaska. Reporting by Brenda Wintrode / Wisconsin Watch and Michelle Theriault Boots / Anchorage Daily News. Narration by Wesley Lethem. Story originally published Nov. 15, 2021 at wisconsinwatch.org.

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Jury rejects child abuse charge triggered by former University of Wisconsin doctor

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 10:00:00 -0500

Wisconsin Watch brings you a story exploring how a declaration of ‘obvious child abuse’ leveled at a child care provider by a former University of Wisconsin pediatrician fell apart after a five-day trial that centered on the controversial diagnosis of abusive head trauma. The story focuses on Dr. Barbara Knox, who left Wisconsin in 2019 under a cloud of controversy. It is part of our series "Flawed Forensics" and was originally published Nov. 13, 2021. Reporting by Dee J. Hall / Wisconsin Watch. Narration by Wesley Lethem.

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As Lake Michigan shoreline vanishes, Wisconsinites try to fight waves with walls

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 17:00:00 -0500

Wisconsin Watch brings you a story exploring how Great Lakes shorelines have seen a surge in barriers built to slow lakefront erosion. But such structures are temporary and may harm downstream beaches. This story is part of the series Imperiled Shores and was reported by Wisconsin Watch's Mario Koran. It was originally published Nov. 4, 2021. Narration by Wesley Lethem.

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‘The water always wins’: Calls to protect shorelines as volatile Lake Michigan inflicts heavy toll

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 15:00:00 -0500

Great Lakes shorelines have seen a surge in barriers built to slow lakefront erosion. But such structures are temporary and may harm downstream beaches. This story is part of the series "Imperiled Shores." Reporting by Mario Koran. Originally published Oct. 30, 2021. Narration by Wesley Lethem.

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Wisconsin imprisons 1 in 36 Black adults. No state has a higher rate

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 15:00:00 -0500

Wisconsin has the shameful distinction of locking up 1 in every 36 Black adults in the state, the highest rate in the country. A Sentencing Project report confirms the state’s deep racial disparities in incarceration, which one advocate calls ‘a slap in the face.’ Reporting by Clare Amari / Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on Oct 13. 2021. Narration by Wesley Lethem.

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‘Something has to be done’: Living along Madison’s Starkweather Creek, one of Wisconsin’s most polluted waterways.

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 17:15:00 -0400

Wisconsin Watch brings you a story that examines the latest contaminants of concern in a local waterway in Madison, Wisconsin: PFAS -- hazardous chemicals which are being flagged across Wisconsin for their properties as "forever chemicals." Original reporting by Isaac Wasserman / Wisconsin Watch. Story originally published Oct. 7, 2021.

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‘It’s criminal’: Milwaukeeans call for speedier lead pipeline removal to cut childhood poisoning

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 18:00:00 -0400

Replacing all Milwaukee lead service lines would take 70 years at current pace. Meanwhile, Wisconsin home lead investigations rarely test water amid focus on paint. Reporting by Diana Butsko / Wisconsin Watch. Originally published Sept. 9, 2021.

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A national debt: Should government compensate for slavery and racism?

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 17:00:00 -0400

Evanston, Illinois is compensating victims of housing discrimination. Big questions remain about whether and how reparations should be handled. Reporting by Molly Carmichael and Martha Daniels / Wisconsin Watch. Originally published on Oct. 2, 2021.

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Wisconsin schools called police on students at twice the national rate — for Native students, it was the highest

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Wisconsin Watch brings you a story that examines how school officials refer thousands of children to the police each year. And in Wisconsin, children with disabilities or who are Black, Latino or Native bear the brunt of it. Reporting by Corey Mitchell, Joe Yerardi and Susan Ferriss / Center for Public Integrity, Clare Amari / Wisconsin Watch, Angelica Euseary and Robert Chappell / Madison365.

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Spurred by Flint crisis, Eau Claire aims to eliminate lead pipelines

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 12:00:00 -0400

Eau Claire, Wis., wants to remove all of their lead service lines by 2023. In meeting that goal, they would join Madison and Green Bay on a list of Wisconsin cities that have rid their water systems of lead service lines, which typically consist of both utility-owned and privately owned portions. Reporting by Madeline Fuerstenberg / Wisconsin Watch. Story originally published Sept. 9, 2021.

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Many long-term care staff in Wisconsin reject vaccine, despite risks

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 12:00:00 -0400

Increasingly, health care facilities in Wisconsin and around the country require their employees to be vaccinated. Yet in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes — where residents are highly susceptible to severe illness and death from COVID-19 — some workers refuse the shot. Reporting by Madeline Fuerstenberg / Wisconsin Watch.

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‘Skipping the middleman’: Defendants faced shifting demands in Outagamie County judge’s one-man drug court

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 11:00:00 -0400

Drug and alcohol courts allow defendants to minimize punishment if they remain sober, receive treatment for substance abuse and participate in a structured program. Outagamie County Circuit Judge Vincent Biskupic created a similar arrangement with defendants with a key difference: The defendants were answerable only to Biskupic, who set no date for the supervision to end. The atypical arrangement meant longer punishments for some who failed to meet shifting demands.

Reporting by Mario Koran, Phoebe Petrovic, Madeline Fuerstenberg and Jack Kelly / Wisconsin Watch and WPR. This piece was produced for the NEW News Lab, a local news collaboration in Northeast Wisconsin. Story originally published on Aug. 28, 2021.

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Raising Wisconsin’s minimum wage would significantly cut poverty. So why is it still $7.25?

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 14:00:00 -0400

Workers like Olivia McKnight, a full-time Popeyes employee and mother of three, often struggle to get by even on wages above the federal minimum of $7.25, and those low-wage workers are disproportionately people of color. In Wisconsin, where the racial wealth and income gaps are some of the greatest in the nation, many feel raising the minimum is long overdue. Now, Democrats in the state are proposing a hike to $15 per hour for minimum wage workers, but face daunting political opposition from business interests and their Republican colleagues.

Reporting by Molly Davis and Gretchen Gerlach. Originally published July 20th, 2021.

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Wisconsin cities look to basic income to close racial, other wealth gaps

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 14:00:00 -0400

Cities across the country, including three in Wisconsin, are piloting basic income programs for residents. The goal: to better understand how providing money with no strings attached can help families turn their financial lives around. Some of these experiments show promising first results, and point to a possible solution to wealth disparities along racial and other lines. But public support for the programs isn't easy to drum up, and exploratory programs are short-lived. Will the trend toward providing guaranteed income to residents continue?

Reporting by Harrison Freuck and Zhen Wang. Originally published August 14th, 2021.

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Could ‘baby bonds’ close Wisconsin’s racial wealth gap?

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 14:00:00 -0400

A program of Wisconsin's Ho-Chunk Nation grants members large sums of money upon reaching adulthood — often allowing young adults to get a leg up in their financial lives. Similar programs, known as "baby bonds," have been floated in recent years as a possible solution to racial wealth gaps. Could it work?

Reporting by Ben Baker and Zhen Wang. Originally published August 5, 2021.

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Judge’s rigorous collection of court-ordered debt atypical in Wisconsin — even in his own county

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 13:00:00 -0400

Over the past seven years, in at least 52 cases involving 46 defendants, Biskupic has used “review hearings” to either monitor a defendant’s behavior or to pressure them to pay court-ordered financial obligations. In at least one case, he went as far as ordering additional jailtime for the failure to pay overdue debts — a tactic the Wisconsin Supreme Court has warned could be unconstitutional.

Reporting by Jack Kelly, Phoebe Petrovic, Mario Koran and Madeline Fuerstenberg in partnership with WPR. Originally published July 31st, 2021.

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‘Why do you keep harassing me?’: An Outagamie County judge controls defendants after sentencing

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 17:00:00 -0400

Chris Kartsounes had heard enough of Outagamie County Circuit Judge Vincent Biskupic’s demands. In May 2017, at his sixth hearing after having already been sentenced — when a case would normally be over — Kartsounes lost his cool.

“I’m tired of this, your honor,” he said. “I’ve served my time. I’ve done everything I’m supposed to do ... Why do you keep harassing me?” he asked, firing profanities at the judge.

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Man decries lengthy ‘de facto probation’ in Outagamie County

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 17:00:00 -0400

Jammes’ case was among 31 such cases between 2014 and 2020 in which a Wisconsin Watch investigation found Biskupic offered to stay or furlough defendants’ jail time if they complied with his conditions.

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Homeownership gap for people of color in Wisconsin is wide; communities, nonprofits try to close it

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 17:00:00 -0400

To Greg Lewis, the home was beautiful. Cozy and inviting, the two-bedroom house in Milwaukee had a finished basement, two and a half car garage, an attached apartment and a yard.

He had his eyes set on it for 42 days, only to learn that the appraisal, or valuation of the property, was lower than he expected. Lewis thought it was going to be about $100,000, as another house on the same block sold for $130,000. Yet the appraisal only came in at $90,000 — meaning banks would be limited in how much they could lend him to buy the home.

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FEMA offers generous funeral aid to those grieving COVID-19 deaths. Getting it isn’t easy.

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 14:30:00 -0400

Shenora Staten-Jordan felt lost when her father, Gary Lee Staten, died of COVID-19 in May. She hadn’t expected to lose him so soon at age 61 — or for a contagious disease to hinder her goodbye.

All of that only strengthened her Milwaukee family’s wishes to give Staten — a beloved father and grandfather who spent 30-plus years serving Milwaukee Public Schools — the type of homegoing service he deserved, she said.

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The CDC eviction moratorium may end. What does that mean for Wisconsin?

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 15:15:00 -0400

A federal judge on Wednesday tossed out the federal eviction moratorium, which could make it easier for landlords to kick out tenants behind in rent.

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Cow manure predicted to cause most sickness from contaminated wells in Kewaunee County

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 15:00:00 -0400

The No. 1 factor for acute gastrointestinal illness in Kewaunee County’s private drinking water wells is cow manure, according to a federal study released today. The findings raise questions about the effectiveness of existing regulations aimed at protecting residents from tainted drinking water. Reporting by Coburn Dukehart / Wisconsin Watch. This piece was produced for the NEW News Lab, a local news collaboration in Northeast Wisconsin.

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Wisconsin’s multigenerational homes face higher COVID-19 risk

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 18:00:00 -0400

For many years, Cassilyn Brown’s home in Madison has housed three generations, including her husband, three children and father-in-law. Since COVID-19 hit, her concerns about her family have grown as their multigenerational household works to stay safe from the pandemic, especially her 79-year-old father-in-law, who has chronic pneumonia and a heart arrhythmia. Reporting by Pratheek Rebala, April Simpson, Susan Ferriss and Taylor Johnston / Center for Public Integrity and Vanessa Swales / Wisconsin Watch

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Wisconsin Supreme Court weighs state power to protect water from farm pollutants

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 11:30:00 -0400

The state Supreme Court on Monday hears arguments in a case that could determine whether the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources failed to adequately protect water from manure pollution when awarding a permit to a giant dairy farm in northeastern Wisconsin — or whether the agency lacks the authority to issue such restrictions.

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In wake of Wisconsin’s racial justice protests, curfew tickets raise equity and speech questions

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 11:00:00 -0400

The envelope looked like any other — slightly wrinkled, a handwritten address scrawled across the front.
Reporting by Clara Neupert ad Jim Malewitz. Originally published on April 24, 2021.

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Drop out or drown in debt? Many Black students in Wisconsin face stark choices in paying for college

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 11:00:00 -0400

When Clint Myrick graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2010, he left with two consequential pieces of paper: a diploma for a bachelor’s degree in music education — and an eye-popping student loan bill.

Reporting by Alyssa Huglen. Originally published on May 15, 2021.

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Ancient human remains unearthed at proposed Kohler golf course site in Wisconsin

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 14:00:00 -0400

Archeologists have unearthed human remains of Native Americans during excavations of the site along Lake Michigan where Kohler Co. wants to build an 18-hole golf course. The rapidly eroding Lake Michigan shoreline is also raising questions about the future of the project.

Reporting by Jim Malewitz . Originally published on May 22, 2021.

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Undocumented immigrants qualify for rent relief, but Wisconsin sends mixed signals

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Thu, 06 May 2021 11:00:00 -0400

Some regional nonprofits administering Gov. Tony Evers’ $322 million emergency rental assistance program may be unintentionally discouraging non-U.S. citizens from applying — even though immigration status holds no bearing on eligibility for the federally financed program. At least eight of the 14 organizations administering the Wisconsin Emergency Rental Assistance (WERA) program ask applicants to share their Social Security numbers through pre-screening forms, a Wisconsin Watch review has found. The eight agencies administer aid to 35 of Wisconsin’s 68 WERA-eligible counties. Advocates say Social Security number queries could deter struggling renters who are among Wisconsin’s roughly 75,000 undocumented immigrants — an economically vulnerable group that in 2016 comprised about 24% of the state’s immigrant population and 1.3% of the total population.

Reporting by Vanessa Swales. Originally published March 29, 2021.

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Republicans keep grip on Legislature despite Democratic spending spree

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 04 May 2021 19:00:00 -0400

Democrats and Republicans in Wisconsin use different strategies to win seats in the state Legislature. Democrats have raised more money than ever from campaign fundraising. Meanwhile Republicans have consistently won a greater share of the seats in the state Legislature than their share of the total votes cast due to gerrymandering.

Reporting by Peter Cameron in partnership with The Badger Project. Originally published March 31, 2021.

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Bids to alter Wisconsin elections fall mostly along partisan lines

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 20:00:00 -0400

Democrats and Republicans largely disagree on how to proceed with future elections. Proposals include measures that could impact could determine how Wisconsin picks congressional candidates, how it awards its 10 Electoral College votes, how fast results can be announced and who can vote absentee. Experts say major changes to Wisconsin's election laws are unlikely for now because of partisan divides.

Reporting by Anya van Wagtendonk in partnership with Votebeat. Originally published March 9, 2021.

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‘I got nothing left’: Wisconsin’s jobless pushed to brink as ideas swirl for mending torn safety net

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 18:00:00 -0400

Some Wisconsinites have been waiting for unemployment aid from the Department of Workforce Development for months. Workers at the department have to use outdated technology, like a 60-year-old computing program, to process a record number of claims this past year. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and the GOP-controlled Legislature have also spent months blaming each other for the agency’s shortcomings as they stalemate in addressing many of Wisconsin’s challenges.

Reporting by Bram Sable-Smith. Originally published February 18, 2021.

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‘He shouldn’t have had to die’: COVID-19 infects half of Wisconsin inmates, five times the overall state rate

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 12:00:00 -0400

The coronavirus has run rampant across Wisconsin’s state prison system, infecting at least 2,153 staff members at adult institutions who self-reported test results and 10,786 inmates throughout the pandemic — more than half of the current population. These outbreaks have killed at least 25 inmates, according to Wisconsin Deparment of Corrections data. The state has detected infections among inmates at a rate more than five times higher than in the Wisconsin general population. Advocates are concerned that prisons aren't equipped to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.

Reporting by Vanessa Swales. Originally published on Feb. 13, 2021.

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Thousands await jobless aid as Wisconsin leaders blame each other for failure

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 17:00:00 -0500

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major backlogs in Wisconsin's unemployment system. Families are still waiting on the Department of Workforce Development to process jobless claims filed last spring, with many missing bill payments, racking up credit card debt, facing eviction or worse. DWD officials say that they have processed more claims in the last eight months than they had in the last four years. Hurdles like outdated computer systems and understaffed call centers are slowing the process even more.

Reporting by Bram Sable-Smith in parternship with Marty Hobe of TMJ4 News. Originally published on Nov. 17, 2020.

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Wisconsin’s No. 1 mink farming industry now seen as a COVID-19 risk

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Sat, 30 Jan 2021 01:00:00 -0500

Rampant COVID-19 infections and thousands of deaths of Wisconsin mink could pose a potential threat to humans, as viruses can hop between species and mutate. Now, mink farmers are gearing up to get the vaccine along with first responders and essential workers in Wisconsin. The state has not seen a mink-to-human infection yet, but evidence of mink-to-human transmission in Denmark, the world’s top mink producer, is concerning officials.

Reporting by Kate Golden. Originally published January 30, 2021.

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Could lawmakers ‘mess’ with Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes? Possibly.

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 12:00:00 -0500

In the days after the November presidential election, a petition filed in the Wisconsin Supreme Court alleging mass election fraud called for electoral votes for Trump to replace Biden's. Wisconsin Republican Assembley Speaker Robin Vos ordered an investigation into the state's election results because of claims of "mail-in ballot dumps and voter fraud." These efforts ended up not changing Wisconsin's Electoral College outcome, but changes in Electoral College law mean such moves could be possible in the future. Legal and political challenges to the 2020 presidential election have raised questions of whether a state’s election outcome can be subverted by officials who favor a different result.

Reporting by Anya van Wagtendonk in partnership with Votebeat. Originally published November 25, 2020.

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COVID-19 killed a thousand Wisconsinites in three weeks. These residents don’t see the danger.

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:00:00 -0500

Coronavirus skeptics in Wisconsin have gathered to protest mask-wearing and lockdown mandates throughout the pandemic. According to public health and communication experts, misinformation campaigns are one factor working against the state's pandemic response. As preperations continue for the coronavirus vaccine to be distributed across the nation, the misinformation that fuels many pandemic denialists is already threatening this fragile response.

Reporting by Howard Hardee. Originally published on Dec. 8, 2020.

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‘We’re not going to be quiet’: Disability community in Wisconsin demands better access to voting

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 17:00:00 -0500

COVID-19 has brought the struggles of the disability community to vote independently to the forefront. Despite the recent efforts to expand voting access through absentee ballots, disability community members and advocates say that different barriers emerged for people with disabilities during the pandemic.

Reporting by Nora Eckert in partnership with Votebeat. Originally published on Jan. 12, 2021.

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Aggressive policing escalates violence at protests, research shows. A former Madison police chief touts a better way.

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 17:00:00 -0500

Former Police Chief David Couper provides an alternative model to policing protests that respects free speech and curbs violence. Couper worked to improve community relations and build trust in the Madison Police Department during his time as police chief. After a summer of unrest and escalation in Madison, Couper shares his views on where today's police departments are going wrong.

Reporting by Clara Neupert of Wisconsin Watch and News414. Wisconsin Watch intern Will Cioci also contributed to this report.

Originally published on December 9, 2020

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Wisconsin GOP lawmakers call for tighter voting rules; Dems call election hearing a ‘sham’

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 12:00:00 -0500

Republican officials, lawyers, voters, volunteer poll watchers and recount observers dominated the roster of speakers on Dec. 11, 2020. They aired a range of concerns, including perceived bullying at polling places, foreign ownership of voting machines and frustrations with longstanding voting practices in Wisconsin, such as the use of in-person early absentee voting.

Reported by Anya van Wagtendonk and Nora Eckert, Wisconsin Watch/Votebeat project reporters.

Originally published on December 11, 2020.

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Speakeasy: Behind Wisconsin's election numbers: What just happened?

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 12:00:00 -0500

Wisconsin Watch presents a recording of our Nov. 12, 2020 webinar — part of the 'Speakeasy: Casual conversations, serious issues' series.

Wisconsin Watch reporters and guest panelist Jennifer Epps-Addison hosted a spirited discussion breaking down what happened in Wisconsin during the 2020 presidential election, including how voter turnout compared to the 2016 presidential election and the effect of rampant misinformation about voter fraud on social media.

Wisconsin Watch Managing Editor Dee J. Hall was joined by Jennifer Epps-Addison, president and co-executive director of The Center for Popular Democracy, Wisconsin Watch reporter Vanessa Swales, and Wisconsin Watch/Vote Beat reporters Nora Eckert and Anya van Wagtendonk.

Wisconsin Watch is the news outlet of the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization covering issues impacting quality of life in Wisconsin. We produce fact-checked reporting guided by three values: Protect the vulnerable. Expose wrongdoing. Explore solutions.

Stay current on our future events and investigations by signing up for our email newsletter at WisconsinWatch.org/subscribe, or following @WisconsinWatch on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).

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Stick up for truth: How to fact-check friends and family on social media

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 18:00:00 -0500

Everyone plays a part in amplifying misinformation online, but social platforms will continue elevating emotional posts and bad influencers will keep spewing toxic content — so one thing individuals can do is help family and friends stick up for the truth.

Reported by Howard Hardee, election integrity reporter.

Originally published on September 25, 2020.

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Evictions damage public health. The CDC aims to curb them — for now.

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 14:00:00 -0400

The CDC reccomends staying at home in order to slow the spread of Coid-19. But what happens to those facing eviction? Follow the story of the Pettigrew family as they battle to stay at home.

Reported by Bram Sable-Smith (WPR/Wisconsin Watch), Martha Bebinger (WBUR) and Darian Benson (Side Effects Public Media).

Originally published September 29, 2020.

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Militia member says Kenosha police sought to push protesters toward them on night of deadly shootings

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 16:45:00 -0400

A militia member patrolling the streets of Kenosha, Wisconsin on Aug. 25 claimed that police on the scene told him they planned to herd demonstrators toward the armed men — and then leave.

Reported by Wisconsin Watch's Dee J. Hall on September 5, 2020.

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Militia member says Kenosha police sought to push protesters toward them on night of deadly shootings
Before Jacob Blake, Kenosha had a history of police shootings — Jacob Blake is just the latest Kenosha resident whose shooting by police has sparked allegations of excessive force in a community that is no stranger to fraught relations between law enforcement and the public.

Wisconsin’s rural students face a digital divide as some return to screens instead of school

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 16:00:00 -0400

With school going virtual, access to the internet is more important than ever. Follow the story of the Hellenbrand family. Wisconsin farmers raising four children — ages 11, 9, 8 and 5 — and up to five more children attending their home day care at least for part of the day.

Reported by Peter Cameron in collaboration with The Badger Project, on August 25, 2020.

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Wisconsin’s rural students face a digital divide as some return to screens instead of school

‘Nowhere to go’: Wisconsin renters face evictions as emergency aid falls short

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Mon, 12 Oct 2020 16:00:00 -0400

As part of a news service journalism project, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service (NNS), Wisconsin Watch and Outlier Media are collaborating on the News414 project, which uses innovative technology and research techniques to deliver crucial information to residents, investigate neighborhoods’ most pressing issues and deliver accountability journalism to Milwaukee and the broader public.

Listen to how Milwaukee's black neighborhoods are being effected by the Covid-19 pandemic and how evictions filings are changing.

Reported by Allison Dikanovic and Clara Neupert (Wisconsin Watch) and Princess Safiya Byers (Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service), on August 22, 2020.

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‘Nowhere to go’: Wisconsin renters face evictions as emergency aid falls short

Skepticism urged as disinformation, voter suppression wash over Wisconsin

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 16:00:00 -0400

In the world of social media, disinformation travels fast. But how do you spot it? This report focuses on how disinformation in Wisconsin is attempting to discourage Wsiconsinites from voting.

Part of the Narrow Margin series by Wisconsin Watch staff, reported by Max Witynski and Jessica Christoffer on August 15, 2020.

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A Wisconsin man with visual impairment tried to vote. The coronavirus got in his way.

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 15:00:00 -0400

Voting during a pandemic is hard. Voting during a pandemic with a disability, is even harder. Follow the story of Don Natzke, a 69 year old visually imparied Wisconsin resident, and his journey to the voting booth.

Part of the Narrow Margin series by Wisconsin Watch staff, reported by Enjoyiana Nururdin on August 6, 2020.

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A Wisconsin man with visual impairment tried to vote. The coronavirus got in his way. — Read the story on WisconsinWatch.org

Wisconsin allows drillers to flout state law — sometimes with deadly results

info@wisconsinwatch.org (Wisconsin Watch) — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 14:00:00 -0400

In this story, Cap Times public affairs reporting fellow Parker Schorr digs into the fatal consequences that come with Wisconsin drillers disregarding state laws. Read by Wesley Letham. Originally published on April 22, 2020.

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Wisconsin allows drillers to flout state law — sometimes with deadly results — Read the story on WisconsinWatch.com