Wisconsin Watch
Episode Archive
Episode Archive
139 episodes of Wisconsin Watch since the first episode, which aired on October 7th, 2020.
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‘I had to speak up’: Two Northwoods friends push Wisconsin DNR to protect lakeshore forests
October 18th, 2022 | 18 mins 55 secs
audits, dnr, lakeshore forests, logging, news, northwoods, wisconsin
A retired forester and a writer say the DNR allows logging perilously close to lakes. State officials disagree. Now the agency’s auditor is being audited.
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As universal free school meals end, are Wisconsin families ready for it?
October 18th, 2022 | 19 mins 21 secs
beyond hunger, free school meals, news, wisconsin
Elected officials and advocates debate the fate of free school meals that provided relief to families during the pandemic.
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Federal food aid in Wisconsin has evolved, but users still face decades-old barriers
September 13th, 2022 | 23 mins 41 secs
beyond hunger, food, food assistance, food deserts, food insecurity, foodshare, news, pandemic, school lunch, snap, wisconsin
The former head of Wisconsin’s FoodShare program says qualifying for and maintaining food assistance is overly cumbersome for participants
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15 years later, Wisconsin university’s massive Lake Michigan seawall frustrates downstream neighbors
August 30th, 2022 | 15 mins 35 secs
bluff, concordia university, erosion, great lakes, home owners, lake michigan, news, sea wall, water levels, wisconsin
Erosion concerns and seawall feuds span the Great Lakes and the globe. Concordia University Wisconsin’s fortification has left neighbors bitter.
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Oshkosh Defense sent a big contract to the non-union South. Will it keep future jobs in Wisconsin?
August 30th, 2022 | 29 mins 48 secs
jobs, news, oshkosh, oshkosh defense, unemployment, union jobs, wisconsin
Despite tens of millions in state and local government incentives, the Wisconsin company is steering billions of dollars of work away from its namesake city.
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‘When it’s rigid, it breaks’: How federal rules and market dominance fueled Wisconsin’s baby formula shortage
August 3rd, 2022 | 15 mins 39 secs
baby formula, children, infants, market, shortage, wisconsin, wisconsin watch, women
The Women, Infants, and Children program funds about half of U.S. formula purchases. Wisconsin contracts only with Abbott Nutrition, whose recall and plant shutdown jolted the market.
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Wisconsin’s ‘chronic Lyme’ patients embrace alternative treatments, rack up big bills
August 3rd, 2022 | 20 mins 56 secs
chronic, long-term effects, lyme disease, news, symptoms, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Sufferers say they go down ‘rabbit holes’ to diagnose a condition that many doctors say does not exist.
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Are abortions ever medically necessary? Wisconsin doctors say yes.
August 3rd, 2022 | 8 mins 36 secs
abortion, doctor, law, life-threatening condition, news, pregnancy, system, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Life-threatening conditions can develop or be exacerbated during pregnancy — and childbirth itself is high risk for some patients, they say.
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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
July 14th, 2022 | 21 mins 59 secs
abortion, law, news, overturn, roe v wade, supreme court, system, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Wisconsin Watch reporter Phoebe Petrovic examines the “tangled” system of abortion laws and court decisions dating back to 1849 that could take effect in Wisconsin if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.
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‘Toxic work environment’ in Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office pushes employees to the brink
June 7th, 2022 | 22 mins 24 secs
bullying, dane county, employees, medical examiner, mental health, news, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Staffers say county refused action as yelling, insults and unrelenting demands damaged their mental health; alleged behavior causes other counties to cut ties
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‘They can bring so much’: Despite barriers, Afghan evacuees enrich Wisconsin’s workforce
May 24th, 2022 | 16 mins 52 secs
afghan, afghanistan, diversity, education, evacuee, green bay, immigration, jobs, news, resettle, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Wisconsin is in a labor crunch. Evacuees and other immigrants can help — if they can navigate transportation and other obstacles.
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‘They can bring so much’: Despite barriers, Afghan evacuees enrich Wisconsin’s workforce
May 24th, 2022 | 16 mins 52 secs
afghan, afghanistan, diversity, education, evacuee, green bay, immigration, jobs, news, resettle, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
Wisconsin is in a labor crunch. Evacuees and other immigrants can help — if they can navigate transportation and other obstacles.
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A controversial doctor. A disputed abuse diagnosis. Two convicted Wisconsin men say they are innocent.
May 10th, 2022 | 28 mins 24 secs
abusive head trauma, child abuse pediatrician, dr. barbara knox, news, wisconsin
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.”
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‘Blurring of lines’: Private lawyer plays starring role in taxpayer-funded Wisconsin election probe
April 26th, 2022 | 20 mins 24 secs
election, election integrity, erick kaardal, michael gableman, news, thomas more society, wisconsin, wisconsin watch
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.
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‘We’ve got to get gaming out of our blood’: Pandemic shock pushes Wisconsin tribes to diversify economy
April 20th, 2022 | 28 mins 57 secs
casino, gaming, ho-chunk nation, indian country today, news, tribal economy, wisconsin
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.
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The history of Lyme disease has a Wisconsin chapter. It’s still being written.
April 5th, 2022 | 6 mins 53 secs
chronic lyme, lyme, lyme disease, ticks, wisconsin
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.