Wisconsin Weekly is a roundup of the week’s top headlines from around the state by Wisconsin Watch and other trusted news outlets.

• Gov. Tony Evers’s recent vetoes could still be overridden

• Oshkosh police use Marsy’s Law to shield officers who shot suspects

• Milwaukee interstate expansion raises flooding fears

• Harassment of state election officials under scrutiny

Access to some stories listed in the Wisconsin Weekly roundup may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing. 

Thanks for reading!

Legislature

Wisconsin Democrats on ‘veto watch’ after Tony Evers blocks 10 bills

Wisconsin Watch — Aug. 11, 2023

Republicans control 64 of 99 seats in the Assembly, not enough for a two-thirds veto-proof supermajority. But they could still override a gubernatorial veto if at least three Democratic members are absent due to illness or other reasons. Democrats are prepared to ensure that doesn’t happen.

More on Evers’ vetoes from The Associated Press: Evers vetoes GOP proposals on unemployment and gas engines but signs bills on crime

And welcome to our newest reporter: Wisconsin Watch hires Jack Kelly as new statehouse reporter

Law Enforcement

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

Wisconsin Watch — Aug. 9, 2023

Police departments in other states that have adopted a constitutional amendment expanding victims’ rights have shielded names of officers involved in use of force incidents. Oshkosh is first reported department in Wisconsin to cite the law, though other departments have released names, some within 24 hours.

More from WTMJ4: Viral video of wrong suspect beat, arrested in Kenosha prompts calls for accountability

Environment

Milwaukee residents fear more flooding due to planned I-94 expansion

Wisconsin Watch/WPR — Aug. 10, 2023

Gov. Tony Evers has signed off on plans to expand a 3.5-mile stretch of interstate to improve traffic flow from downtown Milwaukee to the western suburbs. Area residents worry the extra pavement will cut into green space that absorbs local rainfall.

More from our partners:

• Ensia: Inundation and injustice: Flooding presents a formidable threat to the Great Lakes region
• Grist: South Side Chicago neighbors fight Lake Michigan’s erosion and flooding

Elections

Bullied by Her Own Party, a Wisconsin Election Official’s GOP Roots Mean Nothing in Volatile New Climate

ProPublica — Aug. 7, 2023

Wisconsin Elections Commission Republican appointee Marge Bostelmann has been exiled by her local GOP chapter, prompting a lawsuit from prominent election denier Peter Bernegger that she should be removed. The Department of Justice warned Bernegger in June that his belligerent communications with the commission could be grounds for arrest.

Cities and Towns

What will Popple River, Wisconsin’s second-smallest town, do with a 5,000% increase in state funding?

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel — Aug. 8, 2023

A recent increase in shared revenue for local municipalities gave small towns some of the largest increases to address road, fire and EMS funding.

Health

Wisconsin residents endure long waits due to FoodShare and Medicaid changes

Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service — Aug. 7, 2023

Recent changes in public benefit programs have caused some to lose benefits entirely and others to face challenges getting their applications reviewed or renewed.

Did Florida decide that its middle school curriculum will include that some enslaved people benefited from slavery? (YES)

Did a Marquette University poll find that 50% of US Republicans don’t believe that Donald Trump had classified documents at Mar-a-Lago? (YES)

Wisconsin Weekly: Legislative Democrats now on ‘veto watch’ is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Wisconsin Weekly is a roundup of the week’s top headlines from around the state by Wisconsin Watch and other trusted news outlets.

In this issue:

• New liberal Supreme Court majority fires conservative state courts director

• Lawsuit filed to overturn Republican-gerrymandered legislative maps

• Milwaukee police chases have increased 20-fold over past decade

• Unhealthy Wisconsin series explores rise in alcohol-related deaths

If you value this reporting, please consider becoming a member.

Access to some stories listed in the Wisconsin Weekly roundup may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing. 

Public Safety

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

Wisconsin Watch — Aug. 2, 2023

Milwaukee police chases increased from 20 in 2012 to 1,028 in 2022 as restrictions on pursuits were loosened. The biggest increase came after the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission allowed pursuits in reckless driving and drug dealing cases.

Health

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

Wisconsin Watch — Aug. 3, 2023

Wisconsin’s alcohol-related death rate has tripled since 2000, and is now 25% higher than the national rate.

Read more from Wisconsin Watch’s Unhealthy Wisconsin series:

• How alcoholism derailed former Wisconsin running back Montee Ball’s football career
• ‘They die so quickly’: Fentanyl killing 1,000+ people in Wisconsin each year
• Here’s where to find Narcan in Wisconsin — and how to reverse an opioid overdose

Elections

Election disinformation campaigns targeted voters of color in 2020. Experts expect 2024 to be worse

The Associated Press — Aug. 1, 2023

A growing number of voters of color, especially in communities where English is not a first language, are questioning the integrity of elections based on disinformation seeded during and after the 2020 election.

Climate

Most of the Midwest is in drought – and there’s no simple way to get out of it

St. Louis Public Radio — July 31, 2023

Intense rainfall in late July isn’t helping address drought conditions throughout the Midwest as the rain more easily runs off and doesn’t soak into farmland. Climate change is part of the reason for the dry spring, record hot summer and sporadic rain.

Are Republican presidential candidates offering financial incentives to campaign donors in order to qualify for the Milwaukee debate? (YES)

Has Milwaukee Public Schools enrollment dropped 10% in three years? (YES)

Do Republican presidential candidates participating in the Milwaukee debate have to pledge not to participate in debates the GOP doesn’t sanction? (YES)

Wisconsin Weekly: New Wisconsin Supreme Court term starts with fireworks is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Wisconsin Weekly is a roundup of the week’s top stories from around the state by Wisconsin Watch and trusted news outlets. Access to some stories may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing, and sign up to get our free newsletters here. 

In this issue:

• Milwaukee County Board approves 0.4% sales tax hike.
• Hundreds of families wait for child care, even in small counties.
• Artificial intelligence is here to disrupt elections. Wisconsin isn’t ready for it.
• Milwaukee judges try to cancel diversion program without explaining why.

If you value this reporting, please consider becoming a member.

Thanks for reading!

Matthew DeFour

Statehouse Bureau Chief

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Milwaukee

Milwaukee County approves sales tax increase as part of plan to avoid bankruptcy

The Associated Press — July 27, 2023

The Milwaukee County Board approved a 0.4% sales tax after negotiating a deal with the Republican-controlled Legislature to cover ongoing pension costs without drastic service cuts. The city of Milwaukee recently passed a 2% sales tax as part of the same deal. Those come on top of Wisconsin’s 5% sales tax and the county’s previous 0.5% sales tax. Opponents worry the tax will hit low-income residents hardest.

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Child Care

Can’t find child care for your infant in Wisconsin? You’re not alone. Industry experts break down why it’s so difficult.

Appleton Post Crescent — July 25, 2023

Child care waiting lists are hundreds of names long in smaller communities around Wisconsin. Potential solutions include changes in state regulations as well as employers offering more paid family leave options.

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Supreme Court

Democrats eye Wisconsin high court’s new liberal majority to win abortion and redistricting rulings

The Associated Press — July 24, 2023

Next week Janet Protasiewicz will be sworn in as the newest Wisconsin Supreme Court justice, tipping control of the court from a 3-3 conservative/liberal split with one conservative-leaning swing justice to a 4-3 liberal majority. Abortion and redistricting are considered the most likely issues to come before the court, in addition to public sector union rights, election rules and the governor’s veto authority.

Previous coverage from Wisconsin Watch: Wisconsin Supreme Court’s ‘fractured opinions’ leave state without clear guidance

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Health

FDA Head Robert Califf battles misinformation — sometimes with fuzzy facts

KFF Health News — July 27, 2023

The head of the Food and Drug Administration has been telling people, without proof, that misinformation is the most common cause of death in the U.S. The FDA’s own efforts to combat misinformation may be drawing more attention than warranted to dangerous health fads that aren’t really fads.
More from Wisconsin Watch: Misinformation, Disinformation: A guide to sorting fiction from reality

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Stories from Wisconsin Watch

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Elections

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

Wisconsin Watch — July 28, 2023

Artificial intelligence could disrupt the 2024 election, but Wisconsin lawmakers have yet to take meaningful action to regulate it. The state of Washington, for example, requires political ads to disclose whether they use AI-generated images. The Republican chair of the Assembly elections committee says a Speaker’s Task Force on AI in Government could provide recommendations, but it’s unlikely it will be in place before the 2024 election cycle starts.

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Courts

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

Wisconsin Watch, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and The Appeal — July 27, 2023

A longtime program intended to prevent low-income people with unpaid fines from ending up in  jail is in jeopardy after Milwaukee tried to cancel a contract with the program’s vendor. The matter is being litigated and it’s unclear what the alternative would be.

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Do all state laws allow people to travel to get abortion access? (YES)

Is teaching the Bible in public school unconstitutional? (NO)

Wisconsin Weekly: Sales tax in Milwaukee upped to 7.9% is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Wisconsin Weekly is a roundup of the week’s top stories from around the state by Wisconsin Watch and trusted news outlets. Access to some stories may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing, and sign up to get our free newsletters here. 

In this issue:

• Michigan’s fake electors charged, Wisconsin election officials testify
• Tony Evers signs phonics-based reading instruction bill
• PFAS poses threat to those eating freshwater fish
• A Wisconsin Watch guide to information disorder

If you value this reporting, please consider becoming a member.

Thanks for reading!

Matthew DeFour

Statehouse Bureau Chief

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Elections

After Michigan charges against false electors, no word on Wisconsin investigation

Wisconsin Public Radio — July 19, 2023

The 16 Michigan Republicans who signed documents falsely declaring that Donald Trump had won the state’s 2020 election were charged with crimes under Michigan law. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul has declined to say whether there is an investigation into Wisconsin’s 10 fake GOP electors, one of whom is a Wisconsin Elections Commission member, but his office said he “strongly believes that those who committed crimes in an effort to unlawfully subvert the outcome of an election should be held accountable.”

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Federal authorities interview Wisconsin’s top election official in 2020 probe

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel — July 18, 2023

Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe acknowledged this week she has been interviewed by the special prosecutor probing Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election. The Madison city clerk and Milwaukee Election Commission executive director were also interviewed. Trump was alerted Sunday he is a target of the probe.

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Education

Wisconsin governor signs bill overhauling elementary reading education

The Associated Press — July 19, 2023

Wisconsin has joined at least 31 states and the District of Columbia in taking a phonics-based approach to reading instruction. Students in grades K-3 will be tested three times a year and those who fall behind will receive additional summer instruction.

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Environment

PFAS may pose the next big threat to fishing in Door County

Door County Knock — July 19, 2023

If proposed federal regulations of PFAS chemicals were applied by state and local regulators, fish taken from Green Bay could be deemed unsafe to eat. Environmental research shows those who regularly eat freshwater fish have higher levels in their bodies of the “forever chemicals” found in firefighting foam, nonstick cookware and other household products.

More on PFAS from the Wisconsin State Journal: Budget funds PFAS cleanup, but now Wisconsin lawmakers have to agree on how to spend the money.

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This week’s Wisconsin Watch headlines

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Disinformation

Misinformation, Disinformation: A guide to sorting fiction from reality

Wisconsin Watch — July 20, 2023

Wisconsin Watch disinformation reporter Phoebe Petrovic provides an explanation of “information disorder” — what it is, how to spot the different types and how to protect yourself.

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Economy

Walmart pulls Milwaukee Tool gloves allegedly made by Chinese prisoners

Wisconsin Watch — July 17, 2023

The country’s largest retailer has stopped selling Milwaukee Tool gloves allegedly made with Chinese prison labor. The news comes as Congress is probing the company’s supply chain practices in response to a Wisconsin Watch investigation.

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Did the government ‘help destroy’ the Bronzeville neighborhood of Milwaukee? (YES)

Must all money from Milwaukee’s new 2% sales tax be spent on police? (NO)

Did a Tony Evers veto allow Wisconsin children to choose gender reassignment surgery paid for by Medicaid? (NO)

Wisconsin Weekly: What role will Wisconsin play in 2020 prosecutions? is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Wisconsin Weekly is a roundup of the week’s top stories from around the state by Wisconsin Watch and trusted news outlets. Access to some stories may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing, and sign up to get our free newsletters here. 

In this issue:

• Milwaukee City Council approves 2% sales tax to stave off bankruptcy, service cuts
• How billionaires court Wisconsin Republicans to pass legislation
• Milwaukee Tool story draws attention in Congress
• Wisconsin Supreme Court rejects diversity, equity and inclusion training for lawyers

If you value this reporting, please consider becoming a member.

Thanks for reading!

Matthew DeFour

Statehouse Bureau Chief

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Milwaukee

Milwaukee council approves sales tax hike as part of plan to avoid bankruptcy

The Associated Press — July 11, 2023

Milwaukee agreed to raise a 2% sales tax as part of a deal between Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and the Republican-controlled Legislature to provide more funding to municipalities and allow the state’s largest city to honor its pension commitments. The city was projected to become insolvent by 2025 if nothing was done.

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Legislature

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

Wisconsin Watch — July 11, 2023

The Florida-based Foundation for Government Accountability and its lobbying arm, the Opportunity Solutions Project, has courted Republican lawmakers across the country to enact more barriers to voting and accessing social programs. Reporter Jacob Resneck reports on how that works in Wisconsin.

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Economy

Congress asks Milwaukee Tool for answers on human rights in China. Here are takeaways from a hearing Tuesday

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel — July 11, 2023

A bipartisan congressional effort is underway to probe the production of Milwaukee Tool gloves using Chinese labor. Lawmakers cited Wisconsin Watch reporter Zhen Wang’s recent investigation into this issue saying, “We understand that Milwaukee Tool may have strongly worded policies against the use of forced labor … but the evidence in this case is very compelling.”

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Environment

Proposed PFAS rule would cost companies estimated $1B; lacks limits and cleanup requirement

Kaiser Health News — July 12, 2023

The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a rule requiring companies to report whether their products contain toxic “forever” chemicals, known as PFAS. The rule excludes pesticides, foods and food additives, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices, and accounts for only a tenth of the 12,000 types of PFAS chemicals.

Read previous PFAS coverage from Wisconsin Watch.

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Groups argue Wisconsin regulators can’t make factory farms obtain preemptive pollution permits

The Associated Press — July 13, 2023

Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, working with the Wisconsin Dairy Alliance and Venture Dairy Cooperative, are challenging the state’s ability to require large farming operations to monitor groundwater pollution and draw up manure management plans.

Read previous groundwater coverage from Wisconsin Watch.

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Courts

Wisconsin Supreme Court denies State Bar request to start DEI training

Wisconsin Examiner — July 14, 2023

The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s conservative majority denied a request from the Wisconsin State Bar to allow lawyers to use a diversity, equity, inclusion and access course as part of their continuing education requirement. Justice Rebecca Bradley wrote a concurring opinion in which she laid out the conservative case against DEI and said such courses would create a “goose-stepping brigade of attorneys.”

Read previous coverage from Wisconsin Watch: Who are the liberal and conservative members of the Wisconsin Supreme Court? 

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Judge grants temporary restraining order in Mukwonago bathroom lawsuit

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel — July 10, 2023

Wisconsin Examiner — July 14, 2023

A federal judge ruled in favor of an 11-year-old transgender student whose family challenged Mukwonago School District’s policy requiring students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender assigned at birth.

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Do many NATO countries meet their pledge to spend 2% of their GDP on defense? (NO)

Did Gov. Tony Evers veto tax cuts for people earning over $36,000 per year? (YES)

Wisconsin Weekly: Milwaukee adopts 2% sales tax is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Wisconsin Weekly is a roundup of the week’s top stories from around the state by Wisconsin Watch and trusted news outlets. Access to some stories may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing, and sign up to get our free newsletters here. 

In this issue:

• Gov. Tony Evers extends school funding increases with 400-year veto
• Budget doesn’t include help for local communities to obtain federal grants
• Big ag probes small town opponents of CAFOs
• Teenager injured in Wisconsin sawmill as states consider loosening child labor laws
• Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling could free some ex-incarcerated people from lifetime electronic monitoring

If you value this reporting, please consider becoming a member.

Thanks for reading!

Matthew DeFour

Statehouse Bureau Chief

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Education

Tony Evers scales back GOP tax cut, extends K-12 funding growth in Wisconsin budget

The Associated Press — July 5, 2023

Gov. Tony Evers issued 51 vetoes in signing the state budget this week. With one of the nation’s most powerful veto pens, he axed most of a $3.5 billion income tax cut that would have mostly benefited the wealthiest Wisconsinites. But the biggest surprise was trimming a hyphen and a few numbers to turn an annual $325 increase in K-12 funding authority from two years into 402 years.

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Local government

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

Wisconsin Watch — July 7, 2023

Evers had proposed creating five grant-writing positions that would have helped small communities across the state obtain federal grants, but the Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee removed those positions from the final budget.

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Environment

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

Wisconsin Watch — July 6, 2023

Small towns that have fought to keep large dairy operations in check are facing intense scrutiny from the big ag industry with future litigation possible.

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Workplace safety

Teen boy dies following industrial accident at northern Wisconsin sawmill

Wisconsin Public Radio — July 3, 2023

OSHA is investigating the incident at Florence Hardwoods logging company in Florence County. It comes as many states, including Wisconsin, are considering ways to loosen child labor laws to address a workforce shortage.

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Public safety

Wisconsin probes how 8 roller-coaster riders became trapped upside down for hours

The Associated Press — July 3, 2023

It took three-and-a-half hours to rescue all eight people trapped upside down on a roller coaster at a festival in Crandon.

Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling gives hope to offenders on lifetime GPS

The Cap Times — July 3, 2023

Former Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel opined that people convicted of multiple counts of a sexual offense, even if they happened in a single case, were repeat offenders who must face lifetime electronic monitoring. A Wisconsin Supreme Court decision shot down that rationale.

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Is annual funding for Wisconsin public school districts $16,000 per student? (YES)

Is Wisconsin’s income tax rate highest in the Midwest for residents with the highest incomes? (NO)

Wisconsin Weekly: Tony Evers signs budget with 400-year twist is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Wisconsin Weekly is a roundup of the week’s top stories from around the state by Wisconsin Watch and trusted news outlets. Access to some stories may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing, and sign up to get our free newsletters here. 

In this issue:

• Foster parents hampered in getting mental health care for children 
• Shrinking population in Michigan prompts look to Wisconsin for answers
• Canadian wildfire smoke causes health risk across the state

Of note: This week we feature a story by Wisconsin Watch’s Bennet Goldstein, who examined the drought gripping much of the Midwest. Bennet interviewed Nick Stanek, part of a three-generation farm family in La Farge, Wisconsin. Stanek and his brother grow corn and soybeans across 400 acres, where the soil is now “bone dry” and grass crunches underfoot. “Of course, if we don’t get any rain,” Stanek said, “our crop will be a complete loss.”

Also – we are adding a new newsletter to our line up! The Wednesday Report will provide stories by Wisconsin Watch and our partners and offer exclusive access to behind-the-scenes insights on our investigations. Learn more and sign up here.

Access to some stories listed in the Wisconsin Weekly roundup may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing. 

Thanks for reading!

Matthew DeFour

Statehouse Bureau Chief

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Weather

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

Wisconsin Watch — June 23, 2023

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Mental health

Wisconsin foster children often need mental health care to thrive. Why is it hard to help them?

Green Bay Press-Gazette — June 26, 2023

Removed from home, deeply traumatized, foster children often need counseling. But even with activist foster parents, it can be hard to get.

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Population growth

As UP’s population shrinks, Wisconsin rural counties grow. Here’s why.

Bridge Michigan — June 29, 2023

Donald Domitrovich grew up in the small town where he still lives and works. Every day, it seems smaller. In Ontonagon, a Lake Superior shore village of about 1,500 and the surrounding county of the same name, there are now five funerals for every birth. Between 2010 and 2020, the county lost 14% of its population, as jobs dried up and people moved away. 

Related coverage: Report: Wisconsin near top in Midwest rural population growth

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Environment

Canadian wildfire smoke threatens Wisconsin air quality. Here’s how to check health numbers.

Associated Press/Wisconsin Watch — June 27, 2023

This week, Wisconsin faced a statewide Air Quality Advisory for fine particulate matter from wildfire smoke. State health and environmental officials recommended that people in all populations limit outdoor activities.

Related coverage:  Medical professionals weigh in on effects of poor air quality

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Are only 2% of students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Black? (Yes.)

Did Sen. Tammy Baldwin propose $25 million to train abortion providers? (Yes.)

Does Wisconsin rank among the states with the highest property taxes? (Yes.)

Can 18-year-olds in Wisconsin legally buy a handgun through a private sale? (Yes.)

Wisconsin Weekly: Drought hits Midwest  is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Wisconsin Weekly is a roundup of the week’s top stories from around the state by Wisconsin Watch and trusted news outlets. Access to some stories may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing, and sign up to get our free newsletters here. 

In this issue:

• Wisconsin Watch launches “Unhealthy Wisconsin” series
• Budget committee wraps up work on the state budget
• Public officials pledge improvement to police language barriers

Of note: Two legends of Wisconsin investigative journalism are handing off the organization they started in their basement 14 years ago to the next generation of leaders. Andy and Dee J. Hall announced their plans to leave Wisconsin Watch by the end of the year. Since its founding Wisconsin Watch has produced hundreds of award-winning stories and trained scores of young journalists to protect the vulnerable, expose wrongdoing and explore solutions.

If you value this reporting, please consider becoming a member.

Access to some stories listed in the Wisconsin Weekly roundup may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing.

Thanks for reading!

Matthew DeFour

Statehouse Bureau Chief

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Wisconsin Watch

Wisconsin Watch co-founders, creators of one of the nation’s top nonprofit news outlets, leaving as leadership transition begins

Wisconsin Watch — June 16, 2023

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Health

Can Wisconsin heal itself? New series provides insights into state’s most vexing health problems

Wisconsin Watch — June 22, 2023

Wisconsin was once a national leader in public health. But now, statistics show, the state is falling behind other states in both public spending and certain health outcomes. In a new series, “Unhealthy Wisconsin,” reported by UW-Madison investigative journalism students and edited by Dee J. Hall, Wisconsin Watch examines many of the different ways Wisconsin has faltered from infant mortality rates and alcohol abuse to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and suicide rates.

More from Wisconsin Watch:

• ‘They die so quickly’: Fentanyl killing 1,000+ people in Wisconsin each year
• Here’s where to find Narcan in Wisconsin — and how to reverse an opioid overdose

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Legislature

Republicans seek $3.5B tax cut favoring top earners, $32M reduction for UW System

The Associated Press — June 22, 2023

Republicans revealed the final pieces of their budget on Thursday, calling for $3.5 billion in income tax cuts that would heavily favor top earners. They also plan to cut the UW System budget by $32 million in an attempt to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) positions, which Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said are “burrowed in like a tick on every single college campus.” Gov. Tony Evers has been critical of both moves, setting up a potential veto.

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Police

Following the death of an 8-year-old on a Wisconsin dairy farm, officials look to bridge law enforcement language gap

ProPublica — June 21, 2023

Dane County officials hope to improve language barriers for law enforcement after a botched investigation into an 8-year-old boy’s death on a dairy farm. Deputies wrongly determined the boy’s father had accidentally run over the boy, even though the person who was driving the tractor remained on scene to be interviewed, but wasn’t. A wrongful death lawsuit over the 2019 incident was settled earlier this year after the original ProPublica story was published.

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Marijuana

Scent like marijuana enough to warrant police search, Wisconsin Supreme Court rules

The Associated Press — June 20, 2023

In a 4-3 ruling, the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s conservative majority ruled that police who smell marijuana in a vehicle can search a person in that vehicle even though there are legal substances that have the same scent.

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Was a voting system used in multiple states including Wisconsin responsible for a vote-tally inaccuracy in Michigan during the 2020 election? (NO)

Are Milwaukee’s police and fire departments overseen by a part-time board? (YES)

Were downtown Madison Starbucks employees required to take down Pride month decor? (YES)

Wisconsin Weekly: End of an era at Wisconsin Watch is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Wisconsin Weekly is a roundup of the week’s top stories from around the state by Wisconsin Watch and trusted news outlets. Access to some stories may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing, and sign up to get our free newsletters here. 

In this issue:

• More funding for local governments, schools passes with strings attached
• Wisconsin statutes still discriminate against same-sex couples
• Abortion bans driving away doctors in Wisconsin and elsewhere

Of note: Milwaukee County household income falls in the middle nationally, but infant care at about $16,000 a year ranks in the top 3%. That disparity is causing many parents to exit the workforce, Tyler Dedrick reports. On Friday morning at 2:30 a.m. the Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee voted to end the state’s pandemic-era federally funded Child Care Counts program, which Democratic Gov. Tony Evers had proposed continuing after February with $340 million in state funding over the next two years. The program has provided financial assistance to child care providers to help them stay in business as more parents work from home.

If you value this reporting, please consider becoming a member.

Access to some stories listed in the Wisconsin Weekly roundup may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing.

Thanks for reading!

Matthew DeFour

Statehouse bureau chief

Child care

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

Wisconsin Watch — June 15, 2023

Legislature

Local funding, K-12 education deal passes Legislature

The Associated Press — June 14, 2023

The Republican-controlled Legislature this week approved the biggest compromise yet with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, giving more state aid to local governments and public and private K-12 schools, and allowing cash-strapped Milwaukee to raise a sales tax to stave off severe service cuts. The deal also:

• Blocks local governments from holding advisory referendums on most topics;
• Eliminates the personal property tax for businesses;
• Prohibits local governments from using affirmative action hiring practices;
• Prevents local governments from cutting funding for police, fire and emergency services;
• Limits business closures due to health emergencies to 60 days;
• Limits local regulation of quarries;
• Requires reporting of school crime data;
• Requires local governments to sign off on conservation projects.

The bill needed Democratic support in the Senate to pass. Six Senate Democrats voted for it, and seven Senate Republicans voted against.

LGBTQ+

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

Wisconsin Watch — June 16, 2023

Wisconsin is one of only two states that include the word “husband” in their primary definition of “parent.” While many states have updated their statutes to include neutral language in the eight years since the U.S. Supreme Court declared same-sex marriage the law of the land, Wisconsin has resisted such change.

Health

Abortion bans in Wisconsin, elsewhere driving off doctors

KFF Health News — June 12, 2023

Three out of four current or future doctors say they won’t practice in a state such as Wisconsin that bans abortion, according to a survey earlier this year. Wisconsin saw 8% fewer applications for OB-GYN residencies. That means Wisconsin’s existing doctor shortage will likely get worse.

Previously from The Associated Press:

• GOP prosecutor urges judge to toss Wisconsin abortion suit
• Wisconsin Supreme Court control, abortion access at stake

Elections

Wisconsin Republicans sowed distrust over elections. Now they may push out the state’s top election official.

ProPublica — June 15, 2023

The future for Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator Megan Wolfe remains unclear. One member of the WEC and the Republican president of the state Senate say they won’t support Wolfe getting a second term. Her term ends July 1.

Environment

EPA proposes to expand its regulations on dumps of toxic waste from burning coal

Inside Climate News — June 13, 2023

Wisconsin has 14 coal ash dumping sites. A new EPA rule would extend federal regulation over the half-billion tons of toxic waste that has accumulated in those and other sites across the country. Many of the sites are in low-income areas and communities of color.

Fact Briefs

Did a leading poll indicate that an anti-establishment former sheriff is the most popular US Senate candidate among Wisconsin Republicans? (Yes)

Did pausing student loan repayments cost $5 billion per month? (Yes)

Did pausing student loan repayments cost $5 billion per month? (Yes)

Wisconsin Weekly: High child care costs fuel Milwaukee worker shortage is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Wisconsin Weekly is a roundup of the week’s top stories from around the state by Wisconsin Watch and trusted news outlets. Access to some stories may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing, and sign up to get our free newsletters here. 

Of note: Nearly 1 in 4 Wisconsin workers are making too much for public assistance, but not enough to afford anything beyond basic necessities, according to United Way. Another 11% of people are living below the poverty line. Inflation and high child care and housing costs are only making it harder for families, Jacob Resneck reports as part of Wisconsin Watch’s partnership with the NEW (Northeast Wisconsin) News Lab.

If you value this reporting, please consider contributing to our spring fundraising campaign. 

Access to some stories listed in the Wisconsin Weekly roundup may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing.

Thanks for reading!

Matthew DeFour

Statehouse bureau chief

Economy

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

Wisconsin Watch — June 7, 2023

See other stories in the Families Matter series.

State budget

Bipartisan deal boosts municipal revenue, K-12 funding, vouchers

The Associated Press — June 8, 2023

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and the Republican leaders of the Legislature reached a deal Thursday on state revenue for municipalities, which will help Milwaukee stave off bankruptcy, funnel $1 billion to K-12 education and boost funding for the private school voucher program.

Also this week the Joint Finance Committee signed off on about 18 new positions, most of them temporary, for the Department of Safety and Professional Services using licensing fees that Wisconsin Watch previously reported had ballooned into a $47 million surplus. Republicans had refused to authorize spending in past budgets. The Assembly also passed several bills meant to streamline work at the agency. A hearing is scheduled for July 6.

Public safety

A black teen who had tried to shoplift died from asphyxia. Why was no one ever charged?

ProPublica— June 6, 2023

Ten years ago a Black teenager caught shoplifting in West Allis died after three customers restrained him, compressing his body and putting him in a chokehold. Two district attorneys declined to bring charges against the men, all of whom are White. Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne is expected to announce the results of a third review of the case soon.

Elections

How the far right tore apart one of the best tools to fight voter fraud

NPR — June 4, 2023

The Electronic Registration Information Center is a nonpartisan consortium that allows states, including Wisconsin, to check if people who move between states are illegally voting more than once. But conservatives, led by the disinformation heavy Gateway Pundit, have turned ERIC into a right-wing bogeyman with eight states leaving the consortium and others banning entry. Wisconsin Republicans passed legislation requiring the state join the consortium in 2016.

Previously from Wisconsin Watch:

• Voting has gotten harder in Wisconsin. Organizers have found ways to help
• ‘Election integrity’ proposals do not address most common voting infraction in Wisconsin

Environment

Law may prevent Wisconsin from using $78M in federal funds to build publicly-available EV charging stations

WPR — June 7, 2023

Federal funds would allow Wisconsin to build 60 charging stations for electric vehicles. However, those stations must charge customers based on electricity use. Under Wisconsin law, only utilities can charge that way. Assembly Republicans blocked a bill last session that would have updated a law that was created before electric vehicles existed. The Joint Finance Committee removed updated language from Gov. Tony Evers’ budget.

Fact Briefs

Is there proof that skeletons of giants were found in Wisconsin in 1912? (No)

Did Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers veto legislation to increase literacy tests? (Yes)

Do visiting professional baseball players pay Wisconsin income taxes on the money they earn playing at the Milwaukee Brewers’ stadium? (Yes)

Wisconsin Weekly: Families feeling the squeeze in northeast Wisconsin is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Wisconsin Weekly is a roundup of the week’s top stories from around the state by Wisconsin Watch and trusted news outlets. Access to some stories may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing, and sign up to get our free newsletters here. 

Here are your headlines from Wisconsin Watch and trusted news outlets for people who care deeply about the state.

Of note: We’ve published two new stories in our series examining discrimination in Wisconsin school choice programs. Mario Koran found that public schools disproportionately reject applications of students with disabilities who seek transfers across district lines through the state’s open enrollment program. Wisconsin districts in 2021-22 rejected about 40% of students with disabilities who applied for open enrollment, compared to just 14% of students without disabilities. One suburban Madison district announced 115 slots for incoming open enrollment students — but none for children with disabilities. Separately, Phoebe Petrovic revealed anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in private schools that receive taxpayer-funded vouchers. One school welcomed an anti-trans speaker who argued that children should go through natural puberty, without blockers, “to discover what it feels like to be a man, to feel their shoulders broaden to take out their little sister and smack her against the wall.” 

If you value this reporting, please consider contributing to our spring fundraising campaign. 

Access to some stories listed in the Wisconsin Weekly roundup may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing.

Thanks for reading!

Matthew DeFour

Statehouse bureau chief

Education

Wisconsin students with disabilities often denied public school options

Wisconsin Watch — May 31, 2023

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

Wisconsin Watch — May 31, 2023

More from Wisconsin Watch: 

• Federal, state law permit disability discrimination in Wisconsin voucher schools
• False choice: Wisconsin taxpayers support schools that can discriminate 
• Considering a Wisconsin voucher school? Here’s what parents of children who are LGBTQ+ or have a disability should know.

Politics

‘Numbers Nobody Has Ever Seen’: How the GOP Lost Wisconsin

Politico— May 30, 2023

Wisconsin Republicans are reeling from a series of statewide election losses. The overturning of Roe v. Wade last year appears to be a major reason. “What the Republican base demands and what independent voters will accept are growing further apart,” Waupun Mayor Rohn Bishop told Politico’s David Siders.

Related from Wisconsin Watch:

• Wisconsin’s Assembly maps are more skewed than ever. What happens now?
• Wisconsin candidates sharply divided along partisan lines on abortion rights

Anti-semitism

Two years ago, back-to-back attacks rattled an Orthodox Jewish family. Now, they reflect on their place in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel — May 31, 2023

There has been a nearly 500% increase in antisemitic incidents in Wisconsin since 2015 and it’s not just coming from people associated with hate groups, according to the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. “What we’re seeing is people saying things out loud that they used to whisper,” said Miryam Rosenzweig, president of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.

Lead poisoning

Two-thirds of Wisconsin’s lead poisoned children live in Milwaukee. Just one provision to help them remains in the state budget.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel — May 25, 2023

Milwaukee children make up nearly two-thirds of Wisconsin’s childhood lead poisoning cases, with Black children four-times more likely to test positive for lead poisoning compared to white children statewide. But Republicans on the Legislature’s budget-writing committee have stripped all but one of Gov. Tony Evers’ budget proposals to tackle childhood lead poisoning.

Related from Wisconsin Watch: 

• ‘It’s criminal’: Milwaukeeans call for speedier lead pipeline removal to cut childhood poisoning
• Worried about lead poisoning in Wisconsin? Here’s what you should know.

Fact Briefs

Has the term ‘mentally retarded’ been removed from federal law? — No.

Was Wisconsin’s public school spending the third-slowest growing in the nation between 2002 and 2020? — Yes.

Ever wonder how our fact briefs work? Here’s how.

Wisconsin Weekly: Public schools deny choices to kids with disabilities is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Wisconsin Weekly is a roundup of the week’s top stories from around the state by Wisconsin Watch and trusted news outlets. Access to some stories may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing, and sign up to get our free newsletters here. 

Of note: In the second part of a series on discrimination in Wisconsin’s School Choice program, Wisconsin Watch reporter Phoebe Petrovic details how taxpayer-funded private schools can discriminate against students with disabilities. Parents are often shocked when a private school pressures their voucher students to leave or kicks them out. But there’s little the Department of Public Instruction can do. More to come on how public schools are also able to discriminate against students with disabilities as part of the open enrollment program and how voucher schools discriminate against LGBTQ+ students.

Also of note: In 2009 we launched as the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism. We later adopted the shorter name Wisconsin Watch while maintaining WCIJ. Now we will be known exclusively as Wisconsin Watch. Read more about why.

If you value this reporting, please consider contributing to our spring fundraising campaign. 

Access to some stories listed in the Wisconsin Weekly roundup may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing.

Thanks for reading!

Education

Federal, state law permit disability discrimination in Wisconsin voucher schools

Wisconsin Watch — May 20, 2023

More from Wisconsin Watch:

• False choice: Wisconsin taxpayers support schools that can discriminate 
• Considering a Wisconsin voucher school? Here’s what parents of children who are LGBTQ+ or have a disability should know

Transportation

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

Wisconsin Watch — May 23, 2023

Wisconsin Watch reporter Jonmaesha Beltran visited the neighborhoods along Interstate 94 and talked to those who will be directly affected by a proposed $1.2 billion expansion of the highway from six to eight lanes. The project has been in limbo for years, but was revived by Gov. Tony Evers.

Environment

Black and Hispanic communities more likely to have drinking water with PFAS

Grist — May 22, 2023

Some 18 million Americans are exposed to PFAS contamination with a disproportionate number in Black and Hispanic communities near airports, industrial sites and military bases, according to a new Harvard University study.

Health

Baby-formula makers face FTC investigation for collusion

Wall Street Journal — May 24, 2023

Remember last year’s baby formula shortage? The Federal Trade Commission is now investigating whether baby formula makers colluded to maintain control of tight markets in states where formula sales are subsidized by the federal government.
 

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

Justice

3 years after George Floyd’s death, are local police as diverse as their communities?

Lee Enterprises, Type Investigations — May 22, 2023

A survey of 105 police departments serving diverse communities found nearly three-quarters had gaps of 10 percentage points when comparing the diversity of their staff to the broader community. Milwaukee, a city with 67% people of color, has a police force with 36% people of color, a gap of more than 30 points. Madison had one of the narrowest gaps of only about 5 percentage points.

Fact briefs

Did the Wisconsin Assembly vote to require law enforcement officers in Milwaukee public schools? (Yes)

Wisconsin Watch — May 25, 2023

Does Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin vote with Joe Biden’s agenda 95% of the time? (Yes)

Wisconsin Watch — May 25, 2023

Is Tom Tiffany rated Wisconsin’s most conservative US House member? (Yes)

Wisconsin Watch — May 23, 2023

Did Wisconsin Republicans block a state sales tax exemption for feminine products and breastfeeding equipment? (Yes)

Wisconsin Watch — May 23, 2023

Access to some stories listed in the Wisconsin Weekly roundup may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing. 

Thanks for reading!

Wisconsin Weekly: Private schools can discriminate against students with disabilities is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.