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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‘Something has to be done’: Living along Madison’s Starkweather Creek, one of Wisconsin’s most polluted waterways.
October 14th, 2021 | 11 mins 4 secs
contamination, madison, news, pfas, pfos, starkweather creek, water, wisconsin
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."
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‘It’s criminal’: Milwaukeeans call for speedier lead pipeline removal to cut childhood poisoning
October 12th, 2021 | 24 mins 45 secs
lead, lead pipes, lead poisoning, milwaukee, news, wisconsin
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.
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A national debt: Should government compensate for slavery and racism?
October 12th, 2021 | 16 mins 34 secs
black, color of money, evanston, milwaukee, reparations, slavery, wisconsin
Evanston, Illinois is compensating victims of housing discrimination. Big questions remain about whether and how reparations should be handled.
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Wisconsin schools called police on students at twice the national rate — for Native students, it was the highest
October 7th, 2021 | 25 mins 21 secs
black, disabled, investigative, latino, native, news, police, police referrals, schools, students, wisconsin
School officials refer thousands of children to the police each year. In Wisconsin, children with disabilities or who are Black, Latino or Native bear the brunt of it.
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Spurred by Flint crisis, Eau Claire aims to eliminate lead pipelines
September 29th, 2021 | 7 mins 46 secs
eau claire, lead, lead pipes, lead service lines, news, wisconsin
The city of Eau Claire, Wis., finds success in canvassing neighborhoods, encouraging residents to schedule service line inspections. Residents typically pay nothing under the grant-funded program.
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Many long-term care staff in Wisconsin reject vaccine, despite risks
September 29th, 2021 | 12 mins 10 secs
health care, health care workers, news, vaccine, vaccine hesitancy, wisconsin
Suspicion, right to control health care, create clash between some long-term care workers and vaccine mandates to protect the vulnerable residents they serve
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‘Skipping the middleman’: Defendants faced shifting demands in Outagamie County judge’s one-man drug court
September 29th, 2021 | 27 mins 14 secs
criminal justice, drug court, new news lab, news, outagamie county, vincent biskupic, wisconsin
A judge says his method met a need, but the self-styled program lacked structure and meant longer punishments for some.
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Raising Wisconsin’s minimum wage would significantly cut poverty. So why is it still $7.25?
August 31st, 2021 | 16 mins 32 secs
color of money, minimum wage, news, wisconsin
Thousands of residents in Wisconsin — many of them people of color — would see a higher standard of living if politicians raised the long-stalled minimum wage.
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Wisconsin cities look to basic income to close racial, other wealth gaps
August 31st, 2021 | 25 mins 59 secs
basic income, color of money, news, wisconsin
Following the lead of presidential candidate Andrew Yang, cities in Wisconsin and elsewhere are providing residents a basic income. Will the trend grow?
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Could ‘baby bonds’ close Wisconsin’s racial wealth gap?
August 17th, 2021 | 19 mins 11 secs
baby bonds, economic disparities, news, racial wealth gap, wisconsin
Setting aside government money at birth for all children has been tried both inside and outside of the United States — and even in Wisconsin. Not everyone is a fan.
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Judge’s rigorous collection of court-ordered debt atypical in Wisconsin — even in his own county
August 17th, 2021 | 15 mins 21 secs
criminal justice, debt collection, news, wisconsin
Outagamie County Circuit Judge Vincent Biskupic has held dozens of review hearings stretching over years to push defendants to pay overdue court costs
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‘Why do you keep harassing me?’: An Outagamie County judge controls defendants after sentencing
August 3rd, 2021 | 34 mins 17 secs
news, wisconsin
A Wisconsin Watch and WPR analysis shows Judge Vincent Biskupic is the top user of this ‘de facto’ probation, which raises questions of judicial authority — and fairness
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Man decries lengthy ‘de facto probation’ in Outagamie County
August 3rd, 2021 | 24 mins 30 secs
news, wisconsin
Beau Jammes filed a complaint against Judge Vincent Biskupic, arguing that being subject to the judge’s scrutiny for months was ‘illegal’ — and unhelpful
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Homeownership gap for people of color in Wisconsin is wide; communities, nonprofits try to close it
August 3rd, 2021 | 13 mins 33 secs
news, wisconsin
Historical redlining, racial covenants and modern-day barriers including lower incomes keep most residents of color in Wisconsin from owning homes
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FEMA offers generous funeral aid to those grieving COVID-19 deaths. Getting it isn’t easy.
July 13th, 2021 | 14 mins 36 secs
news, wisconsin
Applicants complain of confusing bureaucracy and long waits as the agency handles thousands of applications over the phone. A Milwaukee woman details her struggle to connect.
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The CDC eviction moratorium may end. What does that mean for Wisconsin?
June 28th, 2021 | 8 mins 2 secs
news, wisconsin
A federal judge on Wednesday tossed out the federal eviction moratorium, making it easier for landlords to kick out tenants behind in rent. Here are some things you should know.