>> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS PART
OF OUR "HERE AND NOW" 2018
WISCONSIN VOTE ELECTION
COVERAGE.
>> I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
TONIGHT ON "HERE AND NOW,"
MINORITY LEADERSHIP REPLACED HER
ON THE JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE
THIS WEEK.
EMBATTLED STATE SENATOR LENA
TAYLOR IS HERE.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE STATE OF
THE STATE'S ECONOMY THROUGH THE
LENS OF A NEW UW STUDY.
A GREEN BAY HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR
WILL BE AWARDED FOR HER WORK ON
LBGT ISSUES.
HEMP GETS A GREEN LIGHT IN
WISCONSIN.
IT'S "HERE AND NOW" FOR MAY 11.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED, IN PART, BY FRIENDS OF
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
>> IN OUR FIRST LOOK TONIGHT,
MILWAUKEE STATE SENATOR LENA
TAYLOR DESCRIBES HER REMOVAL
FROM THE POWERFUL LEGISLATIVE
JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE AS A,
QUOTE, POLITICAL LYNCHING.
THE DEMOCRATIC SENATE MINORITY
REMOVED HER FOLLOWING AN
INVESTIGATION THAT FOUND SHE
VIOLATED POLICIES ON RETALIATING
AGAINST AN EMPLOYEE FOR USE OF
FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE AND
VIOLATED ANTIBULLYING PROVISIONS
WITH HER BEHAVIOR TOWARD HER
OFFICE STAFF.
TAYLOR IS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE
ANTIHARASSMENT AND INTERPERSONAL
COMMUNICATION TRAINING.
HER REMOVAL FROM JOINT FINANCE
ALSO COINCIDES WITH AN INCIDENT
AT A MILWAUKEE BANK, WHICH
RESULTED IN TAYLOR BEING
TICKETED FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT.
SENATOR TAYLOR JOINS US NOW FROM
MILWAUKEE.
AND, SENATOR, THANKS VERY MUCH
FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> WHY DO YOU REFER TO YOUR
REMOVAL FROM JOINT FINANCE AS A
POLITICAL LYNCHING?
>> FOR CLARITY, I SAID SEVERAL
THINGS IN THE WAY THAT THE
MATTER HAS BEEN HANDLED, I
BELIEVE REALLY HAS A LOT OF
POLITICAL SHENANIGANS THAT ARE
GOING ON, AND IT REALLY IS NOT
ANYTHING TO DO WITH MY
PERFORMANCE ON THE COMMITTEE.
THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION TO
REMOVE ME FROM THE COMMITTEE.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED MY WORK, MY
OUTCOME AND MY SERVICE TO MY
CONSTITUENTS.
AND I DISAGREE WITH THE FINDINGS
THAT HAPPENED IN THE REPORT, AND
I BELIEVE THAT, VERY CANDIDLY,
THAT THAT INVESTIGATION AND THE
PROCESS IS A CAING CAING GA RADIO PROCESS THAT NEEDS
TO HAVE CHANGES.
>> GIVEN THE FINDINGS ABOUT
RETALIATION AND BULLYING,
SENATOR MINORITY LEADER JENNIFER
SHILLING SAID THIS, QUOTE, NO
MATTER THE WORKPLACE WE NEED TO
PROTECT AN EMPLOYEE'S RIGHTS TO
BRING FORWARD CONCERNS AND
ENSURE EVERYONE IS ABLE TO WORK
IN A SAFE, PRODUCTIVE
ENVIRONMENT.
THAT SEEMS REASONABLE, DOESN'T
IT?
>> IT DOES.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I BELIEVE
THAT'S WHAT I DID.
I DISAGREE WITH THE REPORT.
I THINK IT WAS A DISGRUNTLED
EMPLOYEE WHO COULD NOT DO THE
WORK AND WAS UNWILLING AND
REFUSED TO DO WHAT WAS NEEDED,
INCLUDING, VERY CANDIDLY, YOU
GOT TO SHOW UP TO GET PAID.
AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE FEEL
THAT.
AND I THINK VERY CANDIDLY THAT
THAT'S WHAT MY ISSUE WAS.
>> AND SO THAT'S YOUR VERSION OF
THE EMPLOYEE WHO TOOK MEDICAL
LEAVE.
>> VERY CANDIDLY, WHEN AN
EMPLOYEE -- YOU KNOW, WITHOUT
GETTING INTO ALL THE HR
COMPONENTS, BECAUSE I'M NOT
REALLY CERTAIN HOW FAR I CAN GO
WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, AND DEALING
WITH THE ISSUES OF REQUESTING AN
INCREASE AND THEY DIDN'T GET IT
AND THEN WENT OUT ON MEDICAL
LEAVE AND DIDN'T WHAT TO DO WHAT
THEY NEEDED TO DO.
THERE ARE JUST A NUMBER OF
ISSUES TO THIS.
I BELIEVE IT'S A DISGRUNTLED
EMPLOYEE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN
FIRED.
>> WHAT ABOUT -- GO AHEAD.
>> I'M SORRY.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT A --
THAT WHAT THE SENATE AND THE HR
DEPARTMENT DECIDED TO DO WITH
THE NO-SHOW/NO-WORK POLICY FOR
THE INDIVIDUAL THAT MAKES MORE
THAN $80,000 A YEAR, I DIDN'T
AGREE WITH THAT.
>> SO YOU DIDN'T AGREE WITH
PAYING THAT INDIVIDUAL $80,000?
>> I DIDN'T AGREE WITH GIVING
THAT -- I DID NOT AGREE WITH THE
PROCESS THAT HAPPENED.
I DID NOT AGREE WITH THE CONCEPT
OF GIVING AN EMPLOYEE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK AND TO NOT
HAVE TO DO WORK AND NOT HAVE TO
SHOW UP FOR WORK AND THAT ON
TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS.
AND I DISAGREED WITH THEM IN
THAT REGARD.
AND I DISGEA THAT DISAGREE THAT THE EMPLOYEE
SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN HET GO.
I DISAGREE WITH THE REPORTS.
I THINK THOSE INFLAMMATORY WORDS
THAT WERE USED IS NOT A
REFLECTION OF MY OFFICE AND THE
ENVIRONMENT.
WE HELPED A LOT OF PEOPLE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE WORKED IN
MY OFFICE.
PEOPLE HAVE COME BACK MULTIPLE
TIMES TO WORK WITH ME.
AND WE'VE DONE GREAT WORK AND WE
WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT GREAT
WORK.
>> AS FOR THE BANK INCIDENT,
WHERE YOU REFERRED TO A TELLER
AS A, QUOTE, HOUSE N-WORD, WHEN
IS THAT APPROPRIATE?
>> SO THREE THINGS.
FIRST, I DID NOT USE N-WORD,
WHICH EVERYONE KEEPS SAYING,
NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO, THE ISSUE AND THE
ENCOUNTER WITH THE BANK TELLER
VERY CANDIDLY WAS -- MY
TRANSACTION WAS DONE.
I DIDN'T ASK FOR THE SUPERIOR'S
NAME THAT I SPOKE WITH.
AND I WAS DENIED THAT.
AND MY PARTING COMMENT TO THE
TELLER, I DO NOT BELIEVE RISES
TO A DISORDERLY CONDUCT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE PERSON
WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF THE BRANCH
WAS DISHONEST WITH THE OFFICER
AND I BELIEVE THE OFFICER HAD
BIAS IN HIS REPORT SHOWS THAT
BIAS AND CONFLICT.
AND SO DOES THE BODY CAM.
>> SO YOU DID NOT SAY HOUSE
N-WORD.
>> I DID NOT SAY HOUSE N-WORD
AND I SAID SEVERAL OCCASIONS
WHAT WAS SAID AND I RESPECT WHAT
IT SOUNDS LIKE, BUT WHEN YOU GET
DONE, THAT'S NOT WHAT WAS SAID.
AND IF YOU LOOK IN THE POLICE
REPORT, THERE ARE MULTIPLE WORDS
THAT HAVE BEEN STATED THAT WERE
SAID.
AND SO IN THE END, I THINK WHAT
I'M TELLING YOU IS WHETHER OR
NOT IN THE TRANSACTION AT THE
WAY IT WAS SUGGESTED, IT WAS
SUGGESTED THAT I CAME TO THE
BANK AND I WAS FLAILING MY ARMS
AND POINTING AT PEOPLE AND BLAH,
BLAH, BLAH.
AND THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED.
AND IT ALSO IS SAYING THAT I
USED WORDS, FREDERICA, THAT I
DID NOT USE.
BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, I THINK
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS THE
ENTIRE THING WAS NOT
DEESCALATED.
THERE WAS NO COMMUNITY POLICING.
AND THERE WAS JUST FLAT OUT
MISINFORMATION.
AND I ASKED THE OFFICER, ARE YOU
GOING TO TALK TO ME IN PART OF
THIS INVESTIGATION?
HOW DO YOU MAKE A DECISION OF
WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO WITHOUT
EVER INTERVIEWING ME PERSONALLY,
WITHOUT ASKING ME MY NAME OR MY
I.D. AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY,
WITHOUT VIEWING THE VIDEO?
AND I THINK IF YOU DO, YOU SEE
MAYBE THERE'S SOME DISCREPANCY
IN WHAT WAS SAID.
>> UNFORTUNATELY, WE NEED TO
LEAVE IT THERE.
WE MAY LIKE TO FOLLOW UP WITH
YOU GOING FORWARD.
BUT THANKS VERY MUCH FORIC AT
THATTING THE TIME.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
I WANT TO SAY, LISTEN, I RESPECT
THAT THE BANK TELLER WAS, YOU
KNOW, UPSET.
CLEARLY I TOO WAS OFFENDED BY
THE DISRESPECT THAT HAPPENED IN
THE BANK.
BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT.
AND I RECEIVE THAT.
BUT IN THE END, I HOPE THAT WHEN
SOMEONE AFRICAN-AMERICAN GOES
INTO A PLACE THAT THEY SHOULD BE
ABLE TO GET THAT AND NOT BE MADE
INTO SOMETHING THAT IT IS NOT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
SENATOR TAYLOR, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NOW TO AGRICULTURE NEWS, NEWS
THAT OPENS THE DOOR TO A
PROMISING NEW INDUSTRY FOR
WISCONSIN.
AFTER MEETING WITH LAWMAKERS AND
FARM OFFICIALS ON THURSDAY,
ATTORNEY GENERAL BRAD SCHIMEL
REVERSED HIS PREVIOUS LEGAL
GUIDANCE THAT BANNED MOST
CANNABIDIOL OR CBD OIL IN
WISCONSIN.
JUST AS FARMERS WERE LINING UP
TO PRODUCE INDUSTRIAL HEMP UNDER
A NEW PILOT PROGRAM IN THE
STATE, SCHIMEL ISSUED A MEMO
THAT SAID THE OIL COULD ONLY BE
DISTRIBUTED IN LIMITED
CIRCUMSTANCES BY DOCTORS AND
PHARMACIES.
HE MET WITH MEMBERS OF THE
WISCONSIN FARM BUREAU IN
REACHING THE NEW DECISION TO
ALLOW FARMERS TO GROW AND SELL
INDUSTRIAL HEMP WITHOUT FEAR OF
PROSECUTION, INCLUDING FOR
PROCESSING THE HEMP INTO CWD
OIL.
ROB RICHARD FROM THE WISCONSIN
FARM BUREAU IS HERE.
SO WHAT IS YOUR REACTION SITTING
HERE TODAY TO THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S REVERSAL ON THIS?
>> I'M ECSTATIC FOR OUR FARMERS.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO GROW INDUSTRIAL
HEMP TO PRODUCE CWD OIL OR
WHATEVER USE THEY WANTED TO, BUT
IN THIS CASE THE CWD OIL WAS
KEY.
>> WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN
YOU SAW HIS ORIGINAL KIND OF
LEGAL GUIDANCE THAT WOULD HAVE
MADE THIS ILLEGAL?
>> JUST THE OPPOSITE.
IT WAS PURE DISBELIEF.
BUT I REALIZE WE HAD A CHANCE TO
HOPEFULLY WORK WITH THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL, EXPLAIN OUR POSITION
AND HOPEFULLY HE WOULD REVERSE
IT.
>> HOW MANY FARMERS ARE LINING
UP TO PRODUCE HEMP?
>> ACCORDING TO DATCP, I BELIEVE
WE'RE AT AROUND 380 FARMERS THAT
HAVE SENT IN APPLICATIONS TO
GROW OR PROCESS.
SO WISCONSIN IS LITERALLY
BLOWING THE DOORS OFF THIS THING
COMPARED TO ANY OTHER STATE IN
THE COUNTRY IN THE FIRST YEAR OF
THEIR PROGRAM.
>> AND SO FARMERS COULD BOTH
GROW THE HEMP AND PROCESS IT
INTO THE CWD OIL?
>> YES, BUT SOME FARMERS ARE
ALSO JUST BEING CONTRACTED BY
OTHERS WHO WILL BE DOING THE
PROCESSING FOR THEM.
>> AND WHY IS WISCONSIN POISED
THIS WAY, YOU KNOW, BLOWING THE
DOORS OFF OTHER STATES?
>> WE HAVE A LONG AND STORIED
HISTORY WITH INDUSTRIAL HEMP
GOING BACK TO THE EARLY 1910s
AND '20s IN THE WAUPUN AREA
THROUGH WORLD WAR II WHEN WE
BECAME THE NATIONAL LEADER IN
INDUSTRIAL HEMP.
YOU HAD THE FOND DU LAC, DODGE
COUNTY AREA.
THAT WAS THE MECCA IN THIS
COUNTRY.
ABOUT 70% OF ALL HEMP CAME OUT
OF THAT REGION.
>> COULD THERE STILL BE CHANGES
THAT MIGHT BE CONCERNING FOR
FARMERS AND OTHERS IN THE
INDUSTRY COMING FROM THE 2018
FARM BILL, WHICH IS STILL BEFORE
CONGRESS?
>> SURE.
SO WHAT WE'RE REAL EXCITED ABOUT
IS THAT SENATE MAJORITY LEADER
MITCH MCCONNELL FROM KENTUCKY
HAS INTRODUCED THE HEMP FARMING
ACT OF 2018 IN CONJUNCTION WITH
WHAT WAS ALREADY DONE LAST YEAR
WITH AN ACT AS WELL.
WHAT MCCONNELL WANTS TO DO IS
REMOVE INDUSTRIAL HEMP FROM THE
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT AND
INSTEAD TREAT IT LIKE A CROP, AS
IT SHOULD BE.
>> AND SO WHAT DO YOU THINK THE
EXPECTATION IS FOR THAT TO
HAPPEN, GIVEN THE U.S. DO JO?
>> YES.
CONCERNING THAT THE SENATE
MAJORITY LEADER WANTS THIS DONE
AND CHUCK SCHUMER HAS SIGNED
ONTO HIS BILL, THIS IS GREAT
NEWS IF IT CAN BE ATTACHED TO
THE FARM BILL AND MOVE THROUGH
THE PROCESS AND GET IT SIGNED IN
THE FALL.
WE REALLY NEED SENATOR TAMMY
BALDWIN AND RON JOHNSON TO
SPONSOR THIS BILL AS WELL.
>> WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE
LIKELIHOOD OF THEM DOING THAT?
>> WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH
THEM.
THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT IT.
WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THEIR NAME
ON THAT BILL.
>> WHAT HAPPENS IF THAT DOESN'T
HAPPEN?
>> WELL, I THINK MCCONNELL IS
COMMITTED ENOUGH TO PUSH THIS
THROUGH ANY WAY HE CAN.
HE'S WORKING WITH THE AMERICAN
FARM BILL FEDERATION TO GET THE
SUPPORT HE NEEDS TO GET THIS
ATTACHED TO THE FARM BILL WHEN
IT'S IN THE SENATE COMMITTEE.
>> OKAY.
IN TERMS OF HEMP AND THE
PRODUCTION OF THAT, ARE THERE
OTHER PRODUCTS OTHER THAN THIS
OIL THAT WISCONSIN COULD TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SO IF YOU GO ON THE GRAIN SIDE
AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE, THERE'S
PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR
FARMERS TO PUT IN CEREAL BARS OR
AN INGREDIENT IN THE CEREAL.
THAT'S A GAME-CHANGER.
THEN YOU GO INTO THE HIGH-TECH
INDUSTRY WITH SUPER CAPACITOR
BATTERIES, REPLACEMENT FOR
KEVLAR, THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY.
YOU HAVE COMPANIES LIKE BMW,
LOTUS AND MERCEDES USING IT ON
ON THE EX TER EXTERIOR OF CARS.
WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS LOOKING TO
UTILIZE HEMP TO MAKE BOARD.
IF WE CAN GET THIS GOING, GET
FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES BEHIND
THIS, I THINK THERE'S A REAL
OPPORTUNITY HERE.
>> WHEN DO FARMERS NEED TO START
PLANTING?
>> YESTERDAY.
IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE
STATE, SOIL TEMPERATURES ARE
REACHING THE LEVELS WE NEED.
THE TIMING OF THIS WHOLE ISSUE
WAS CRITICAL.
THAT'S WHY WE HAD TO PUSH AS
HARD AS WE COULD.
>> THANKS VERY MUCH.
AND NOW WE GO TO HEALTH CARE.
AS WISCONSIN'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
STAYS AT RECORD LOWS, NURSING
HOME FACILITIES ARE STRUGGLING
TO FIND PEOPLE TO CARE FOR
ELDERLY REST RESIDENTS.
A REPORT RELEASED BY THE
WISCONSIN ASSISTED LIVING
ASSOCIATION AND OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS SAYS ONE IN FIVE
CAREGIVER POSITIONS ARE NOT
BEING FILLED.
BUT WHY?
MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST MARISA
WOJCIK BRINGS US THESE FACTS
ABOUT THE STATUS OF ELDERLY
NURSING CARE IN WISCONSIN.
>> A $9 BILLION INDUSTRY IN
WISCONSIN IS EXPERIENCING A
WORKFORCE CRISIS.
SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES ARE
LOSING CAREGIVERS AT A RAPID
RATE.
ACCORDING TO A RECENT REPORT,
THERE ARE MORE THAN 16,000
VACANT POSITIONS IN WISCONSIN'S
RESIDENTIAL AND LONG-TERM CARE
FACILITIES.
AND THOSE WHO ARE CAREGIVERS ARE
GETTING BURNT OUT, AS PROVIDERS
RESORT TO OVERTIME, DOUBLE
SHIFTS AND OTHER MEASURES IN
ORDER TO FILL THE NEED.
TWO THIRLDZ OF WISCONSIN'S
LONG-TERM CARE RESIDENTS ARE ON
MEDICAID AND BECAUSE OF THIS,
PROVIDERS CAN'T OFFER
COMPETITIVE WAGES FOR NURSING
AIDES.
WISCONSIN HAS THE LOWEST
MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATE IN
THE COUNTRY.
AND THIS OFTEN TRANSLATES TO THE
AVERAGE CARE FACILITY IN THE
STATE LOSING ROUGHLY A MILLION
DOLLARS A YEAR.
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, 16
NURSING FACILITIES IN WISCONSIN
HAVE BEEN SHUTTERED.
AND MORE HAVE ANNOUNCED PLANS TO
CLOSE.
THE WISCONSIN HEALTH CARE
ASSOCIATION SAYS THERE HAVE BEEN
SOME EFFORTS BY THE STATE
LEGISLATURE TO INCREASE MEDICAID
REIMBURSEMENT.
BUT THEY NEED TO GO FURTHER.
A COALITION OF ORGANIZATIONS IN
THE STATE ARE LOOKING TO FILL
THIS NEED WITH A $2.3 MILLION
FEDERAL GRANT AWARDED TO THE
WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
AND HUMAN SERVICES FOR
PROGRAMMING TO GIVE CERTIFIED
NURSING ASSISTANTS TRAINING AT
NO COST.
FOR THESE AND OTHER FAST FACTS,
VISIT wpt.org.
>> NOW A LOOK AHEAD TO THIS
WEEKEND AND A SAIR CEREMONY FOR
G-SAFE ON MATTERS RELATED TO
LBGT ISSUES IN SCHOOLS AND
BEYOND.
EACH YEAR SELECTED STUDENTS WHO
FURTHER THAT MISSION ARE HONORED
FOR THEIR WORK AT A BANQUET FOR
EDUCATORS AND YOUTH FROM AROUND
THE STATE.
THE AWARDS DINNER IS TOMORROW
NIGHT.
OUR NEXT GUEST IS A GREEN BAY
SOUTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR WHO
IS ONE OF THE 2018 SCHOLARSHIP
WINNERS.
MERCEDES DANFORTH-HERNANDEZ WILL
BE RECOGNIZED FOR HER WORK
EXPANDING HER SCHOOL'S
GAY-STRAIGHT EFFORTS FOR ALL
STUDENTS, INCLUDING ONEIDA
TRIBAL TEEN MEMBERS.
MERCEDES JOINS US FROM GREEN
BAY.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANKS.
I'M GLAD TO BE HERE.
>> WE WANTED TO SAY
CONGRATULATIONS.
YOUR WORK HAS INCREASED THE SIZE
OF THE SCHOOL'S MEMBERSHIP IN
YOUR GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCE
CHAPTER.
HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT THAT?
>> WITH THAT, WE STARTED OUT
VERY SMALL BECAUSE WE WEREN'T
REALLY USED TO EACH OTHER, BUT
AS WE CONTINUED WORKING AND
SOCIALIZING AND GETTING TO KNOW
EACH OTHER, WE EVENTUALLY ALL
BECAME LIKE PRETTY GOOD FRIENDS.
AND WITH THAT, THEY INVITED
THEIR FRIENDS AND THE
INCLUSIVITY JUST DROPPED AND WE
ALL STARTED TO GET TO KNOW EACH
OTHER AND ACCEPT EACH OTHER.
AND I THINK WITH THAT, WE WERE
ALL SUPER ENCOURAGED TO LIKE
GROW TOGETHER.
AND SO YEAH.
>> YOU'VE ALSO WORKED TO EXPAND
THE GAY-STRAIGHT MEMBERSHIP TO
INCLUDE ONEIDA TRIBAL MEMBERS.
YOU YOURSELF ARE ONEIDA.
HOW ARE CHALLENGES FOR INDIAN
LBGTQ YOUTH DIFFERENT FROM
NONNATIVE YOUTH?
>> WE SUFFER FROM
UNDERREPRESENTATION IN THE
MEDIA.
SO WE ARE KIND OF CONFINED TO
OURSELF IF WE LIVE ON OR OFF THE
RESERVATION.
THERE ISN'T A LOT TO RELATE TO
OR SEEK OTHERS WHO MAY BE LBGT
OR JUST AN ALLY.
AND SO I THINK THAT WITH
EXPANDING ON EDUCATION,
ESPECIALLY FOR OTHER NATIVE
YOUTH, THAT LIKE TO SEEK OTHERS
AND TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS
TO BE YOURSELF AND TO ACCEPT
YOURSELF AND NOT JUST TOLERATE I
THINK, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO DO
MORE THAN WE THOUGHT WE WOULD.
>> WHAT DO YOU SAY TO A YOUNG
PERSON WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING
THIS TONIGHT WHO'S AFRAID TO
COME OUT?
>> I THINK THAT NO MATTER WHAT,
NO MATTER WHAT YOU THINK OF
YOURSELF OR WHAT OTHERS THINK OF
YOU, YOU ARE STILL HUMAN AND
THERE ARE OTHERS LIKE YOU AND
THERE IS OTHERS GOING THROUGH
EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE GOING
THROUGH.
AND EVEN THOUGH YOU FEEL
MISUNDERSTOOD AND
UNDERREPRESENTED, YOU'RE NOT
ALONE AND YOU ARE ACCEPTED, NO
MATTER WHAT.
NO MATTER WHO YOU THINK PEOPLE
ARE INSIDE, THEY'RE GOING TO
ACCEPT YOU NO MATTER WHAT, NO
MATTER WHO YOU THINK THEY ARE.
>> HOW IMPORTANT WERE ADULT
MENTORS IN THIS WORK THAT YOU'RE
DOING?
>> OUR ADVISERS WERE SO HELPFUL,
AND THEY ARE COUNSELORS
THEMSELVES.
EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE BUSY,
THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK, YOU
KNOW, IN THE STUDENT BODY.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE
SO RESPECTFUL TOWARDS US AND,
YOU KNOW, TOWARDS -- NO MATTER
LIKE OUR GENDER OR SEXUALITY OR
RACE, THEY ARE SUPER
UNDERSTANDING.
AND I THINK THAT THE MORE
UNDERSTANDING AND ACCEPTING THEY
WERE OF US IN OUR PROGRAM, THE
MORE COMFORTABLE WE BECAME.
AND AS THAT CONTINUED, THEY WERE
MORE COMFORTABLE COMING OUT,
ESPECIALLY IN A GROUP.
>> WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES AND
EXPECTATIONS FOR YOUR HIGH
SCHOOL FROM WHICH YOU WILL NOW
BE GRADUATING GOING FORWARD IN
TERMS OF KEEPING THE WORK THAT
YOU'VE DONE GOING?
>> I NOTICED THAT THERE ARE A
FEW SENIORS IN G-SAFE AND WE
LOOK BACK ON IT AND WE SEE ALL
OF THESE FRESHMEN, SOF SOPHOMORES,
AND THEY ARE SO INSPIRING AND
THEY'RE SO INSPIRED THEMSELVES.
THEY'RE VERY PASSIONATE AND
THEY'RE VERY DRIVEN FOR
ACCEPTANCE.
AND I THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING
TO DO SO MUCH MORE WE DID AND
I'M SO HAPPY AND I'M SO GLAD
THAT I GET TO SEE THAT.
>> YOU LAID THE GROUNDWORK.
BUT WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER
GRADUATION AND FOR THE
SCHOLARSHIP MONEY THAT YOU WILL
RECEIVE TOMORROW NIGHT?
>> I'M DEFINITELY COUNTING IT
TOWARDS COLLEGE, AND I'M HOPING
TO DO WORK IN SOCIAL SCIENCES
AND LITERATURE.
>> AND WHERE DO YOU EXPECT TO GO
TO COLLEGE?
>> ST. NORBERT.
>> AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE
ST. NORBERT?
>> I CHOSE ST. NORBERT BECAUSE
THEY GAVE ME A REALLY GREAT
OPPORTUNITY, AND I'VE ACTUALLY
HAVE LIKE FAMILY WHO GO THERE.
AFTER TOURING THE CAMPUS, I SAW
SO MANY LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE.
I'VE BEEN RECOMMENDED
ORGANIZATIONS, SOCIAL
ORGANIZATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT
FIT FOR ME.
>> ALL RIGHT.
MERCEDES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND, AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> WISCONSIN HAS SNAPPED BACK
FROM THE GREAT RECESSION, WITH
THE WORST-HIT COUNTIES MAKING
THE STRONGEST COMEBACK.
BUT SMALL COUNTING LOST
POPULATION DURING THE ECONOMIC
BAD TIMES, GIVING A BOOST TO
LARGER, MORE URBAN AREAS.
THESE ARE THE FINDINGS FROM A
NEW PAPER FROM THE UW-MADISON
CENTER FOR RESEARCH ON THE
WISCONSIN ECONOMY.
THE CENTER'S DIRECTOR AND
PAPER'S AUTHOR, UW-MADISON
PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS NOAH
WILLIAMS IS HERE WITH MORE.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE COUNTING
HIT THE HARDEST WERE ALWAYS THE
ONES THAT EXPERIENCE SAID THE
LARGEST CATCH-UP RECOVERY.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
PARTICULARLY I LOOKED AT SEVERAL
DIFFERENT MEASURES OF LIVING
STANDARDS, WHETHER IT'S
UNEMPLOYMENT, INCOMES, POVERTY
RATES, ALL OF THOSE.
THE COUNTIES WHICH HAD THE WORST
TIME DURING THE RECESSION HAD
SEEN THE LARGEST GROWTH AND THE
LARGEST RECOVERY.
>> IN FACT, A PRIME EXAMPLE OF
THIS WAS MENOMONIE COUNTY, WHERE
ITS PEAK EMPLOYMENT WAS 15.3%
DOWN TO A 2017 RATE OF 4.3%.
BUT WOULD THESE FINDINGS BE
UNEXPECTED?
>> TO SOME EXTENT WE DO EXPECT
WHERE THERE IS MORE SLACK, WE
WOULD SEE FALSE ER RECOVERY.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I
WANTED TO LOOK AT WAS ALSO NOT
JUST THE CHANGE SINCE THE
RECESSION, BUT FROM 2007 RIGHT
BEFORE THE RECESSION ON WARDS.
AND EVEN OVER THAT PERIOD WHICH
SORT OF NETS OUT THE DECLINE AND
THE RECOVERY, WE HAVE SEEN
CONVERGENCE.
WE HAVE SEEN THE WORST
WORST-PERFORMING COUNTIES DO THE
BEST.
>> YOU ALSO FOUND THAT RURAL
COUNTIES ARE LOSING PEOPLE.
YOU FOUND THAT COUNTY
POPULATIONS SHIFTED DURING THE
RECESSION, WITH RURAL COUNTIES
LOSING POPULATION TO URBAN
AREAS.
DANE COUNTY, THOUGH, GAINING
LIKE 12.6%.
>> HE WHY.
>> EXIERD TO COMPARED TO THE STATE AVERAGE
OF 4%.
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE LABOR
LANDSCAPE?
>> YEAH.
SO VERY PROMINENT POLICY ISSUE
WHICH HAS COME UP RECENTLY WITH
THE LOW STATEWIDE UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE HAS BEEN LABOR FORCE
SHORTAGES, EMPLOYERS HAVING
DIFFICULTY FINDING PEOPLE WHO
FILL JOBS.
AND THIS SHOWS THAT THAT'S
REALLY PARTICULARLY ACUTE IN
SOME OF THE SMALLER COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE SEEN -- I MEAN, IF YOU
LOOK ACROSS COUNTIES, 12 OUT OF
THE 13 SMALLEST EXPERIENCED A
NET POPULATION LOSS.
AVERAGE LOSS OF ABOUT 4% OVER
THE PAST DECADE.
WHEREAS ALL OF THE 16 LARGEST
HAD AN INCREASE, WITH DANE
COUNTY BEING THE LARGEST.
>> WOULD THE EXPLANATION FOR
THAT BE THAT PEOPLE IN THOSE
SMALLER RURAL COUNTIES WERE
MOVING TO LARGER POPULATION
CENTERS FOR WORK?
>> THAT'S PART OF IT, YES.
THAT GOES ALONG WITH A LOT OF
THE PROCESS, WHAT WE CALL
CONVERGENCE WITH NARROWING OF
INCOME GAPS, SOME OF THAT CAME
ABOUT BY INTERNAL MIGRATION, BY
PEOPLE MOVING TO WHERE THERE IS
MORE OPPORTUNITY.
SO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LEFT IN
THE SMALLER AREAS ARE THE ONES
ACTUALLY DOING BETTER.
>> HOW HAS THE DECADE SINCE THE
GREAT RECESSION TREATED
WISCONSIN INCOMES?
>> WISCONSIN INCOMES, OVERALL
IT'S BEEN SLOW BUT STEADY
GROWTH.
AVERAGE INCOME GROWTH ON THE
ORDER OF 2% TO 3%.
BUT, AGAIN, THERE'S BEEN BIG
DIVERGENCE ACROSS COUNTIES.
AND THE INITIALLY POORLY ER
COUNTIES INCREASING THE MOST.
SO ONE EXAMPLE I GAVE IN THE
PAPER WAS IRON COUNTY IN
NORTHERN WISCONSIN.
OVER THE LAST DECADE, SAW 30%
PER CAPITA INCOME INCREASE,
WHEREAS THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE
OVER THAT WHOLE PERIOD WAS ABOUT
9%.
>> NOW, YOU COMPARED NOT JUST
WISCONSIN COUNTIES TO EACH
OTHER, BUT YOU COMPARED
WISCONSIN TO OTHER STATES IN THE
UNITED STATES.
HOW DOES WISCONSIN STAND OUT?
>> SO ONE THING WE SEE, THERE
WERE SIMILAR OVERALL TRENDS
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, BOTH
LOOKING AT THE STATE LEVEL AND
AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, WHERE
UNEMPLOYMENT RATES WERE HIGHEST
THEY'VE COME DOWN THE MOST.
WHERE WISCONSIN STANDS OUT ON
THAT IS WE'VE SEEN A LARGER
REDUCTION IN UNEMPLOYMENT THAN
OTHER STATES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND YOU SEE THAT KIND OF
UNIFORMLY ACROSS COUNTIES WITHIN
THE STATE.
SIMILARLY WITH POPULATION
DYNAMICS, WE'VE SEEN INCREASED
CONCENTRATION IN URBAN AREAS.
THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROCESS
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WHERE WISCONSIN STANDS OUT THERE
IS OUR OVERALL POPULATION GROWTH
HAS BEEN LOWER.
SO THE SMALLER COUNTIES HAVE
REALLY LOST POPULATION AND
THAT'S EVEN MORE OF AN ACUTE
PROBLEM IN WISCONSIN.
>> ALL RIGHT.
PROFESSOR NOAH WILLIAMS, THANKS
VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NOW TO OTHER STATE NEWS AND A
SURE SIGN OF SPRING ON LAKE
MICHIGAN.
AN EMERGENCY GRANT WILL HELP THE
S.S. BADGER FERRY MAKE ITS
MAIDEN VOYAGE ON SCHEDULE TODAY.
HIGH WINDS AND WAVES DURING AN
APRIL WINTER STORM DAMAGED THE
HARBOR AREA.
BESIDES SEVERE EROSION, LOADING
EQUIPMENT WAS ALSO COMPROMISED.
THE STATE IS PROVIDING AN
EMERGENCY $800,000 GRANT TO HELP
REPAIR THE DAMAGE.
IT'S A NATIONAL HISTORIC
LANDMARK AND OPERATES BETWEEN
MANITOWOC, WISCONSIN AND
LUDINGTON, MICHIGAN.
AND THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR
TONIGHT.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED, IN PART, BY FRIENDS OF
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
>> FOR MORE INFORMATION ON "HERE
AND NOW'S" 2018 ELECTION
COVERAGE, DWOA