Wisconsin Watch
140 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 months ago - ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsThe Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism is an independent, nonpartisan and nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that reports on government accountability and quality of life issues, like education, the economy and the environment. It’s more important to us to get the story right than it is to be first and we believe in collaborating, not competing, with other news outlets. Not only can you find our stories on WisconsinWatch.org, but we give all of our reports away for free to hundreds of other news organizations.
We are excited to start sharing our reports in audio form and you can find them wherever you get your podcasts!
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Episodes
Top Sheboygan officials lacked key details on police department sexual harassment probes
March 15, 2023 17:00 - 14 minutes - 19.7 MB"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 unpai...
After rejecting staffing requests, Wisconsin Republicans approve DSPS audit
March 15, 2023 17:00 - 16 minutes - 22.8 MB"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...
Tired of turmoil, Kiel residents rebuke far-right school officials
March 02, 2023 17:00 - 14 minutes - 20.1 MBIn 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. ...
From ‘dream’ property to nightmare: Some Wisconsinites pay the price for pollution they didn’t cause
February 08, 2023 20:00 - 30 minutes - 41.4 MBWisconsin 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.
In rural Wisconsin, former employees lift curtain on troubled crypto mine
February 08, 2023 20:00 - 24 minutes - 33.9 MBWisconsin 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 bu...
‘You’re treated like a criminal’: Wisconsin eyes fixes for emergency mental health system
February 08, 2023 19:00 - 16 minutes - 22.8 MBWisconsin 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.
Pandemic support fading for 1 in 12 Wisconsinites who were food insecure
January 13, 2023 19:00 - 13 minutes - 19.3 MB"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.
What should I do about PFAS in my water?
January 03, 2023 22:00 - 13 minutes - 19.1 MBWisconsin 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.
Evers beats Michels for Wisconsin governor; Johnson defeats Barnes in U.S. Senate race
January 03, 2023 22:00 - 10 minutes - 14.9 MBWisconsin 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.
Two couples sue former UW child abuse doctor for alleged misdiagnoses
January 03, 2023 19:00 - 20 minutes - 28.4 MBWisconsin 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.
Many in Wisconsin GOP drop ‘stop the steal’ talk, play up inflation, crime
January 03, 2023 19:00 - 17 minutes - 24.1 MBWisconsin 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.
Security seals and documentation: The life cycle of Wisconsin election ballots
January 03, 2023 19:00 - 17 minutes - 23.9 MBIn 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.
As Midwest summers get hotter, Milwaukee’s most at risk have an unmet need: air conditioning
January 03, 2023 18:00 - 19 minutes - 27.3 MBSamantha 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.
Wisconsin’s 173-year-old ban allows only life-saving ‘therapeutic abortions.’ No one knows what that means.
October 19, 2022 16:00 - 22 minutes - 30.8 MBWisconsin 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.
‘I had to speak up’: Two Northwoods friends push Wisconsin DNR to protect lakeshore forests
October 18, 2022 21:00 - 18 minutes - 26.1 MBWisconsin 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 report...
As universal free school meals end, are Wisconsin families ready for it?
October 18, 2022 21:00 - 19 minutes - 26.7 MBWisconsin 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.
Federal food aid in Wisconsin has evolved, but users still face decades-old barriers
September 13, 2022 19:00 - 23 minutes - 32.6 MBThis 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.
Oshkosh Defense sent a big contract to the non-union South. Will it keep future jobs in Wisconsin?
August 30, 2022 17:00 - 29 minutes - 41 MBWisconsin 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.
15 years later, Wisconsin university’s massive Lake Michigan seawall frustrates downstream neighbors
August 30, 2022 17:00 - 15 minutes - 21.5 MBWisconsin 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.
Wisconsin’s ‘chronic Lyme’ patients embrace alternative treatments, rack up big bills
August 03, 2022 20:00 - 20 minutes - 28.8 MBIn 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.
‘When it’s rigid, it breaks’: How federal rules and market dominance fueled Wisconsin’s baby formula shortage
August 03, 2022 20:00 - 15 minutes - 21.6 MBWisconsin 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.
Are abortions ever medically necessary? Wisconsin doctors say yes.
August 03, 2022 20:00 - 8 minutes - 11.9 MBWisconsin 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.
Wisconsin faces a ‘tangled series’ of abortion laws dating back to 1849 as it heads into a possible post-Roe future
July 14, 2022 20:00 - 21 minutes - 30.3 MBTop 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.
‘Toxic work environment’ in Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office pushes employees to the brink
June 07, 2022 18:00 - 22 minutes - 30.9 MBThis 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 Let...
‘They can bring so much’: Despite barriers, Afghan evacuees enrich Wisconsin’s workforce
May 24, 2022 16:00 - 16 minutes - 23.3 MBMore 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 M...
‘They can bring so much’: Despite barriers, Afghan evacuees enrich Wisconsin’s workforce
May 24, 2022 16:00 - 16 minutes - 23.3 MBMore 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 M...
A controversial doctor. A disputed abuse diagnosis. Two convicted Wisconsin men say they are innocent.
May 10, 2022 17:00 - 28 minutes - 39.1 MBDakota 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.
‘Blurring of lines’: Private lawyer plays starring role in taxpayer-funded Wisconsin election probe
April 26, 2022 21:00 - 20 minutes - 28.1 MBIn 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.
‘We’ve got to get gaming out of our blood’: Pandemic shock pushes Wisconsin tribes to diversify economy
April 20, 2022 17:00 - 28 minutes - 39.8 MBIn 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.
The history of Lyme disease has a Wisconsin chapter. It’s still being written.
April 05, 2022 23:00 - 6 minutes - 9.55 MBIn 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
Doctors debate, patients suffer: The fight over chronic Lyme disease in Wisconsin
March 28, 2022 20:00 - 24 minutes - 33.8 MBIn 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
‘I don’t know what will happen’: After months at Ft. McCoy Afghan family resettled in separate states
March 16, 2022 21:00 - 22 minutes - 30.8 MBIn 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 wiscons...
Embattled former UW child abuse pediatrician resigns Alaska position
February 01, 2022 23:00 - 7 minutes - 10.3 MBWisconsin 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. Na...
‘We were robbed’: Alaska couple loses custody of kids after erroneous abuse diagnosis from former UW doctor
February 01, 2022 20:00 - 19 minutes - 27.5 MBIn 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 Ack...
Wisconsin debates cash bail changes in wake of Waukesha parade tragedy — as some states ditch system entirely
January 26, 2022 23:45 - 18 minutes - 25 MBWisconsin 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 safet...
MATC broadens access for Milwaukee students amid historical inequities, dropping enrollment
January 11, 2022 19:00 - 24 minutes - 33.4 MBWisconsin 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
‘This is a charade’: GOP senator, voting experts urge Wisconsin Republicans to halt election attacks
January 07, 2022 22:00 - 10 minutes - 14.8 MBWisconsin 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 ...
Wisconsin state parks battered as Lake Michigan shrinks beaches, smashes boardwalks
January 03, 2022 22:00 - 14 minutes - 20.6 MBIn 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.
Wisconsin caregiver spent eight years, $250,000 in legal bills to exonerate herself from abuse charges
January 03, 2022 21:00 - 14 minutes - 19.8 MBIn 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 Wintr...
Child abuse cases sparked by Dr. Barbara Knox rejected by Wisconsin judge, jury and prosecutor
December 15, 2021 20:00 - 13 minutes - 19 MBIn 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
Parents recount terror of wrongful child abuse diagnoses from former University of Wisconsin doctor
December 10, 2021 21:00 - 22 minutes - 30.9 MBIn 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.
Mass exodus at Alaska child abuse clinic as former Wisconsin doctor accused of bullying, misdiagnoses
November 30, 2021 23:00 - 17 minutes - 24.1 MBIn 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.
Jury rejects child abuse charge triggered by former University of Wisconsin doctor
November 23, 2021 15:00 - 11 minutes - 15.7 MBWisconsin 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 Wat...
As Lake Michigan shoreline vanishes, Wisconsinites try to fight waves with walls
November 16, 2021 22:00 - 25 minutes - 34.4 MBWisconsin 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.
‘The water always wins’: Calls to protect shorelines as volatile Lake Michigan inflicts heavy toll
November 11, 2021 20:00 - 22 minutes - 30.7 MBGreat 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.
Wisconsin imprisons 1 in 36 Black adults. No state has a higher rate
November 11, 2021 20:00 - 12 minutes - 17.8 MBWisconsin 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.
‘Something has to be done’: Living along Madison’s Starkweather Creek, one of Wisconsin’s most polluted waterways.
October 14, 2021 21:15 - 11 minutes - 15.2 MBWisconsin 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.
‘It’s criminal’: Milwaukeeans call for speedier lead pipeline removal to cut childhood poisoning
October 12, 2021 22:00 - 24 minutes - 34 MBReplacing 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.
A national debt: Should government compensate for slavery and racism?
October 12, 2021 21:00 - 16 minutes - 22.8 MBEvanston, 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.
Wisconsin schools called police on students at twice the national rate — for Native students, it was the highest
October 07, 2021 14:00 - 25 minutes - 34.9 MBWisconsin 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.