>> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A
PBS WISCONSIN ORIGINAL
PRODUCTION.
>> I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
THIS WEEK ON "HERE AND NOW," AN
ALARMING NEW CORONAVIRUS TREND
IN WISCONSIN.
WE TALK WITH HEALTH SECRETARY
ANDREA PALM.
ALSO, NEW FACE MASK RULES IN
MADISON ALONG WITH FRUSTRATION
AND UNCERTAINTY WHEN TRYING
TO ENFORCE COVID ORDERS.
WINNEBAGO COUNTY EXECUTIVE
MARK HARRIS JOINS US.
PLUS RACIAL JUSTICE IN SMALLER
TOWNS ACROSS WISCONSIN.
DARRELL KEATON OF WAUSAU SHARES
HIS PERSPECTIVE.
IT'S "HERE & NOW" FOR JULY 10.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE & NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND FRIEND OF PBS
WISCONSIN.
? ?
>> AN ESTIMATED 100,000 PEOPLE
VENTURED INTO THE WISCONSIN
DELLS DURING THE 4TH OF
JULY WEEKEND EVEN WITH
CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS.
THESE ARE THE CROWDS AT NOAH'S
ARK WATERPARK.
GUESTS WERE ASKED TO WEAR MASKS
INSIDE THE PARK BUT WERE NOT
REQUIRED TO WEAR THEM.
THE NUMBER OF COVID CASES IN
WISCONSIN NOW TOPS 33,000, WITH
MORE THAN 800 DEATHS, AND THE
RATE OF POSITIVE CASES CONTINUES
TO RISE.
THE UPWARD SURGE HAS BEEN STEADY
SINCE THE WISCONSIN SUPREME
COURT STRUCK DOWN WISCONSIN'S
"SAFER AT HOME" ORDER.
GOVERNOR TONY EVERS THIS WEEK
SAID HE WOULD HAVE CONSIDERED
IMPOSING A FACE MASK ORDER TO
PREVENT FURTHER SPREAD IF HE HAD
THE POWER TO DO SO.
>> I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE
ASKED ABOUT ISSUING ANOTHER
"SAFER AT HOME" ORDER OR
REQUIRING MASKS AT THE STATE
LEVEL.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE REALITY IS
THAT THE SUPREME COURT RULING IN
THE REPUBLICAN LAWSUIT REALLY
HAMSTRUNG OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND
TO THIS PANDEMIC.
THIS WEEK, DANE COUNTY AND
MADISON BECAME THE FIRST IN THE
STATE TO MAKE IT MANDATORY FOR
FACE MASKS IN PUBLIC.
THE EMERGENCY ORDER APPLIES TO
EVERYONE FIVE YEARS AND OLDER.
IT REQUIRES MASKS INSIDE PUBLIC
PLACES AND INSIDE PRIVATE
RESIDENCES WHEN PEOPLE FROM MORE
THAN ONE HOUSEHOLD ARE GATHERED.
THE FACE MASK ORDER STARTS
MONDAY, JULY 13.
SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE SHOWS
WEARING A CLOTH FACE MASK
COVERING REDUCES THE RISK OF
COVID-19 INFECTION.
>> THIS IS IMPORTANT.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT NEXT
STEP THAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER
TO REDUCE THE NUMBERS OF CASES
THAT WE HAVE WITH COVID.
AS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WHO'S
STANDING HERE TODAY WHO ALSO
SERVED AND I HAVE ASTHMA, IT IS
CRITICAL THAT WE MAKE SURE WE
NOT ONLY PROTECT OURSELVES, BUT
OTHERS THAT ARE SO VULNERABLE.
>> IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US,
EVEN PEOPLE WHO FEEL HEALTHY, TO
WEAR A MASK, BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN
BE INFECTIOUS UP TO TWO DAYS
BEFORE SYMPTOMS BEGIN AND PEOPLE
MAY BE ABLE TO SPREAD COVID-19
EVEN IF THEY NEVER HAVE
SYMPTOMS.
>> WE ARE SEEING MORE COMMUNITY
SPREAD HERE IN MADISON.
33% OF PEOPLE TESTED IN THE LAST
TWO WEEKS DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY
NOT SICK.
ABOUT 13% OF PEOPLE TESTING
POSITIVE IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS
HAVE NO SYMPTOMS.
>> AND WE HAVE TO RESPOND
ACCORDINGLY.
IF WE ADHERE TO PUBLIC HEALTH
GUIDELINES, INCLUDING WEARING A
MASK, WE GREATLY IMPROVE OUR
ODDS OF GETTING THIS VIRUS BACK
UNDER CONTROL AND KEEPING IT AT
BAY.
>> AT THE SAME TIME, MILWAUKEE
IS WORKING ON IMPLEMENTING ITS
OWN FACE MASK REQUIREMENT.
HEALTH SECRETARY-DESIGNEE ANDREA
PALM IS HELPING MANAGE THE
CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE IN
WISCONSIN, AS WE EXPERIENCE THE
BIGGEST SURGE TO DATE.
AND ANDREA PALM JOINS US THIS
WEEK.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR DOING SO.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO REPORTING THIS WEEK SHOWED
THAT WISCONSIN'S COVID-19
REPRODUCTION RATE IS THE WORST
IN THE NATION.
WHAT SHOULD WE MAKE OF THAT?
>> SO I THINK WE -- WE HAVE HAD
THE GOOD FORTUNE HERE IN
WISCONSIN OF WATCHING, BOTH NOW
AND WHEN IT FIRST ARRIVED HERE
IN THE STATES, OTHER STATES WHO
HAVE BEEN SORT OF ON THE LEADING
EDGE OF THIS, AND SO I THINK AS
WE SEE OUR REPRODUCTION NUMBER
AND OUR SURGE HAPPENING HERE IN
WISCONSIN, WE NEED TO TAKE NOTE
OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING AROUND THE
COUNTRY AND DO WHAT WE NEED TO
DO AS A STATE TO PULL BACK
TOGETHER TO STOP THE SPREAD, TO
REDUCE OUR SURGE FROM BECOMING
WORSE SO THAT WE DON'T GET
OURSELVES IN A PLACE WHERE WE
LOOK LIKE SOME OF OUR
NEIGHBORING AND OTHER STATES
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
>> SO OUR NUMBERS HAVE DOUBLED
IN THE PAST SIX WEEKS.
WHAT HAVE CONTACT TRACERS BEEN
ABLE TO SHOW YOU AND OTHER
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS ABOUT
WHERE THOSE CASES ARE COMING
FROM?
>> SO I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE
OF THINGS WORTH NOTING IN THE
DATA WE'RE SEEING FROM OUR
CONTACT TRACERS.
ONE IS WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE
AND AROUND THE COUNTRY IS THAT
THERE IS A LARGE UPTICK IN OUR
20 SOMETHINGS WHO ARE BECOMING
INFECTED WITH COVID-19.
AND THEN, SECONDLY, OUR SURGE IS
ALSO BEING DRIVEN BY MASS
GATHERINGS, BY, YOU KNOW,
EVERYTHING FROM BBQS AND BARS
AND RESTAURANTS AND OTHER TYPES
OF EVENTS WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT
SOCIAL DISTANCING, NOT WEARING
MASKS AND ARE IN LARGE GROUPS
THAT HELP REDUCE OUR ABILITY TO
REALLY DO GOOD CONTACT TRACING,
GET TO THE ROOT OF IT AND STOP
THE SPREAD.
>> SO MASS GATHERINGS LIKE OVER
THE 4TH OF JULY, FOR EXAMPLE,
WHERE WE SAW LARGE CROWDS IN THE
WISCONSIN DELLS AT THE
WATERPARKS, WHEN WILL ANY
POSITIVE CASES FROM LAST
WEEKEND'S KIND OF MASS
GATHERINGS SHOW UP?
>> YOU KNOW, SO AS WE'VE LEARNED
MANY THINGS THROUGHOUT THIS
PANDEMIC, ONE OF THE THINGS WE
KNOW ABOUT THIS VIRUS IS SYMPTOM
ONSET IS ANYWHERE FROM A FEW
DAYS TO 14 DAYS, AND SO WE
CERTAINLY COULD START TO SEE
CASES FROM MASS GATHERINGS THAT
HAPPENED OVER THE WEEKEND, YOU
KNOW, LATE THIS WEEK, BUT WHAT I
THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT
FOLKS WHO WERE AT MASS
GATHERINGS SHOULD TAKE THE STEPS
TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, TO
PROTECT OTHERS, SELF-ISOLATE,
MONITOR FOR SYMPTOMS, GET A
TEST, TALK TO YOUR HEALTH CARE
PROVIDER IF YOU HAVE EVEN THE
MILDEST SYMPTOMS.
BUT MAKE SURE IF YOU WERE AT A
GATHERING THAT YOU TAKE THE
NECESSARY STEPS TO PROTECT
YOURSELF AND THOSE IN YOUR
COMMUNITY FROM THE SPREAD OF
COVID-19.
>> HAVE WE SEEN EVIDENCE THAT
ANY OF THE MASS GATHERINGS BY
WAY OF RACIAL JUSTICE PROTESTS
CAUSED AN INCREASE IN CASES?
>> SO, AS YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE
THINGS YOU GET IN A CONTACT
TRACING INTERVIEW IS INFORMATION
ABOUT WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN.
AND SO MASS GATHERINGS, AS I
MENTIONED, IS A DRIVER IN OUR
SURGE RIGHT NOW.
BUT THE BULK OF WHAT WE'RE
SEEING IN OUR DATA IS NOT FROM
THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN
PROTESTS, BUT IN OTHER TYPES OF
MASS GATHERINGS, HOUSE, PARTIES,
BARS, RESTAURANTS, PLACES WHERE
THERE WASN'T GOOD SOCIAL
DISTANCING AND MASK-WEARING.
BUT THE PROTESTS PARTICULARLY
ARE NOT COMING UP IN GREAT
NUMBERS IN THE DATA WE'RE
GETTING FROM CONTACT TRACERS.
>> AS YOU WELL KNOW, GOVERNOR
EVERS JUST IMPOSED A MASK
MANDATE FOR STATE EMPLOYEES
INSIDE STATE BUILDINGS, AND HE
WILL NOT REOPEN STATE BUILDINGS
AS PLANNED.
WOULD YOU, IF YOU COULD, IMPOSE
A MASK MANDATE STATEWIDE?
>> SO I THINK THE THING ABOUT
MASKS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A
COUPLE OF THINGS I WOULD SAY.
ONE, THE EVIDENCE AROUND THE USE
THE MASKS AND THEIR
EFFECTIVENESS AS A TOOL TO STOP
THE SPREAD HAS REALLY DEVELOPED
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
AND SO WE ABSOLUTELY ARE
STRONGLY ENCOURAGING FOLKS
AROUND WISCONSIN TO PITCH IN AND
WEAR A MASK AND HELP STOP THE
SPREAD.
I THINK AS IT RELATES TO STATE
EMPLOYEES, AGAIN, WE ARE TRYING
TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE, TO WALK THE
WALK AND TO BE PART OF A
SOLUTION STATEWIDE AS WE WORK
WITH LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE
TOOLS THAT THEY HAVE TO HELP
REDUCE THE SPREAD THROUGH ORDERS
AND ORDINANCES, ET CETERA, THAT
THEY ARE ALL WORKING TO DO
AROUND THE STATE.
AND WE ARE TRYING TO BE PARTNERS
WITH THEM IN THAT EFFORT.
>> MEANWHILE, AS YOU ALSO WELL
KNOW, TWO-THIRDS OF WISCONSIN
COUNTIES ARE IN THE HIGH
TRANSMISSION CATEGORY RIGHT NOW.
WHAT IN YOUR EXPERT OPINION
WOULD BE THE THRESHOLD FOR A
DECLARATION OF A NEW STATEWIDE
EMERGENCY?
>> SO THIS DASHBOARD WAS
INTENDED REALLY TO HELP PROVIDE
SOME OF THAT KIND OF INFORMATION
TO LOCALS AS THEY TRY TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING ON
THE GROUND IN THEIR COMMUNITIES,
RIGHT?
IT'S ABOUT DISEASE ACTIVITY, THE
TRAJECTORY THAT THAT DISEASE IS
GOING, IS IT GETTING BETTER,
HAVE WE NOT SEEN A SIGNIFICANT
CHANGE, IS IT GETTING WORSE.
IT REALLY HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND
DIRECTIONALLY WHETHER THE THINGS
WE ARE DOING ON THE GROUND THAT
LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND THEIR
LOCAL ELECTED, WHETHER IT'S
HELPING US MOVE IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION.
AND SO WE WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT
ALL THAT KIND OF INFORMATION,
HOSPITAL CAPACITY, HOW ARE THEY
DOING, WHAT'S THEIR ICU, HOW ARE
THEY LOOKING, TO MAKE DECISIONS
LIKE THAT MOVING FORWARD.
BUT, RIGHT, THIS IS THE
DAY-TO-DAY KIND OF THING IN
REALTIME THAT WE NEED TO BE
WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH LOCAL
PUBLIC HEALTH TO DO.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE NEED TO LEAVE IT THERE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND
THANK FOR YOUR WORK,
SECRETARY-DESIGNEE ANDREA PALM.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> SINCE WISCONSIN'S "SAFER AT
HOME" ORDER WAS CHALLENGED BY
REPUBLICANS AND STRUCK DOWN BY
THE STATE SUPREME COURT, LOCAL
HEALTH ORDERS WERE TO HAVE BEEN
THE REPLACEMENT.
BUT WINNEBAGO COUNTY EXECUTIVE
MARK HARRIS SAYS WE'VE RUN INTO
SIGNIFICANT OPPOSITION FROM THE
LOCAL CHAMBER OF CONGRESS, THE
LOCAL REPUBLICAN PARTY AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT DON'T
BELIEVE THE HEALTH OFFICERS
SHOULD HAVE ANY ENFORCEMENT
POWERS.
MARK HARRIS JOINS US THIS WEEK
AND THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON,
FREDERICA.
>> SO YOU HAVE SEEN HOW DANE
COUNTY HAS IMPOSED AND MILWAUKEE
COUNTY IS LOOKING AT IMPOSING
MANDATES ON MASK WEARING, IN
ADDITION TO OTHER DISTANCING AND
CAPACITY ORDERS.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE ABLE TO
IMPOSE THOSE SAME KINDS OF
HEALTH ORDERS IN YOUR COUNTY?
>> WE HAVE NO PRESSING NEED TO
DO ANY SORT OF ORDER AT THIS
POINT IN TIME.
BUT WHAT WE DISCOVERED IS THAT
OUR CODE WON'T SUPPORT
ENFORCEMENT OF ANY ORDER.
SO YOU'VE GOT THIS SITUATION
WHERE THE STATE LEGISLATURE,
THROUGH THE SENATE LEADER,
MR. FITZGERALD, IS SAYING WE
WILL NOT TAKE ANY ACTION WITH
REGARD TO COVID-19.
WE'LL RELY ON THE LOCAL HEALTH
OFFICERS.
BUT NEARLY ALL THE COUNTIES HAVE
HEALTH OFFICERS WHO CLEARLY HAVE
THE AUTHORITY TO GIVE HEALTH
ORDERS, BUT THAT DON'T HAVE
LANGUAGE IN THEIR COUNTY CODES
TO BE ABLE TO ENFORCE THEM.
SO WE CAN'T -- WE CAN'T MAKE ANY
ORDER ENFORCEABLE.
>> WHY AREN'T THOSE ORDERS IN
YOUR CODES?
>> I SUSPECT ALL THE COUNTIES
HAD MODEL CODES AND ONLY THE
VERY LARGEST COUNTIES DRAFTED
THEIR OWN FROM SCRATCH.
SO I BELIEVE NEARLY EVERY COUNTY
HAS THE SAME DEFECT IN THEIR
CODE.
AND ALL WE WANTED TO DO IS BY
RESOLUTION ADD LANGUAGE OUT OF
STATE STATUTE 252.03.
WE WANTED TO PULL LANGUAGE OUT
OF THERE THAT'S BEEN OUT THERE
FOR DECADES AND PUT THAT IN OUR
COUNTY CODE.
AND WE RAN INTO STIFF OPPOSITION
FROM PEOPLE THAT VIEW ANY
AUTHORITY IN A HEALTH OFFICER AS
SOME SORT OF ENCROACHMENT ON
THEIR FREEDOMS.
>> AND YET ISN'T THAT EXACTLY
WHAT WAS ENVISIONED FOLLOWING
THE STATE SUPREME COURT RULING?
>> THAT SEEMS TO BE WHAT THEY
HAD IN MIND.
I MEAN, THE LEGISLATURE AND THE
GOVERNOR COULD HAVE COME
TOGETHER AND REACHED SOME SORT
OF COMPROMISE.
AND IN FACT, THE LEGISLATURE
INITIALLY ASKED FOR SIX DAYS TO
PUT SOMETHING IN THE "STAY AT
HOME" ORDERS PLACE.
AND JUDGE ROGGENSACK, IN A
DISSENT TO HER OWN MAJORITY
OPINION, SAID THAT THEY SHOULD
HAVE GIVEN A SIX-DAY TRANSITION
PERIOD.
AND THAT'S WHEN OUR COUNTY
DISCOVERED -- WE TRIED TO PUT
THAT SIX-DAY PERIOD IN TO ALLOW
THEM TO WORK TOGETHER AND TO
SUBSTITUTE SOMETHING FOR THE
"STAY AT HOME" ORDER AND THAT'S
WHEN WE DISCOVERED WE DIDN'T
HAVE ENFORCEMENT POWERS.
SO WE HAD TO WITHDRAW THAT THE
VERY NEXT DAY THAT WE ISSUED IT.
>> WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT
THE POINT AT WHICH YOU MIGHT
NEED THOSE KIND OF ORDERS?
>> WELL, TO GET SOMETHING
THROUGH A COUNTY BOARD AND HAVE
IT ADDED TO OUR CODE, IT'S A
LENGTHY PROCESS.
AND IF WE WAIT UNTIL SOME ACTION
HAS TO BE TAKEN URGENTLY, IT'S
NOT GOING TO BE THERE ON TIME.
AND THE TYPE OF ACTION THAT I
THINK MIGHT OCCUR HERE, THERE
MIGHT BE NEED FOR A SURGICAL
ORDER.
THERE MIGHT BE A TATTOO PARLOR
WHERE ONE OF THE TATTOO ARTIST
IS INFECTED AND THEY'RE NOT
RESPONDING TO OUR ADVICE TO THEM
TO NOT ALLOW THAT ARTIST TO
WORK.
WELL, THAT'S A CASE WHERE OUR
HEALTH DIRECTOR COULD ISSUE AN
ORDER THAT WOULD BE ENFORCEABLE
AND WE COULD SHUT THEM DOWN OR
FORCE THAT ARTIST NOT TO
OPERATE.
AND THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE, A
HYPOTHETICAL.
BUT THE WAY IT IS NOW, WE CAN
SUGGEST THAT THEY NOT LET THAT
ARTIST OPERATE, BUT WE REALLY
CAN'T STOP THEM.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE ARGUMENT,
THOUGH, ON THE PART OF PEOPLE
WHO MIGHT BE OFFERING SOME OF
THIS PUSHBACK THAT THEY HAVE
CONCERNS OVER, QUOTE,
"SHUTTERING THE ECONOMY," AS
SENATOR FITZGERALD SAID ABOUT
THESE KINDS OF PUBLIC HEALTH
ORDERS?
>> DEFINITELY THERE'S A TRADEOFF
BETWEEN RULES THAT PROTECT
HEALTH AND RULES THAT IMPACT THE
ECONOMY.
AND, QUITE FRANKLY, I WOULD
ADVISE AGAINST ANY ADDITIONAL
GENERAL SHUTDOWN UNLESS THE
SITUATION BECAME ABSOLUTELY
HORRIFIC.
>> IS THE WISCONSIN COUNTIES
ASSOCIATION ABLE TO OFFER ANY
KIND OF GUIDANCE OR HELP IN
THIS?
BECAUSE PRESUMABLY YOU'RE NOT
THE ONLY COUNTY THAT IS
EXPERIENCING THIS.
>> THEY'RE ACTUALLY TALKING
ABOUT ISSUING SOME GUIDELINES,
PERHAPS SOME MODEL LANGUAGE, BUT
THEY'RE GOING THROUGH A
COMMITTEE PROCESS, TRYING TO
REACH THAT.
AND THEY SUGGESTED THAT THEY
WON'T ACTUALLY HAVE LANGUAGE
THAT YOU CAN JUST ADOPT.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME
GUIDELINES TO HELP YOU DEVELOP
YOUR OWN.
THAT COULD TAKE A LONG TIME.
AND IT WOULD PROBABLY STILL
RAISE THE SAME TYPE OF OPTION.
BASICALLY, OUR CRITICS ARE
TELLING US THEY DON'T WANT OUR
HEALTH OFFICER TO HAVE ANY
AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE AN ORDER.
>> SO, THERE WON'T BE.
I MEAN, IS THERE ANY -- DO YOU
HAVE ANY REMEDY?
>> WELL, THE BOARD COULD CHOOSE
TO GO AHEAD AND ADOPT THE
NECESSARY CODE LANGUAGE FOR THE
COUNTY OVER THIS ACTIVE
OBJECTION.
AND I BELIEVE THIS IS JUST A
SUBGROUP WITHIN THE TOTAL
COUNTY.
I SUSPECT THERE'S A LARGE BODY
OF PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE AS
WELL.
BUT IT'S VERY HARD FOR A COUNTY
BOARD TO MAKE A DECISION IF ONE
SIDE IS VERY VOCAL AND VERY
PROMINENT.
AND THEY'RE KIND OF -- THEY'VE
KIND OF BEEN GINNED UP BY SOME
OF THE PLAYERS.
I KNOW A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WERE
TOLD THAT WE CAN INVADE THEIR
HOME AND THAT WE COULD TAKE
THEIR CHILDREN OUT OF THEIR HOME
IF THEY HAVE THE SNIFFLES.
THOSE EXACT WORDS HAVE BEEN
REPEATED TO ME NUMEROUS TIMES.
WELL, THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS
DRAFTED HAD A REFERENCE IN IT
AND THAT REFERENCE TALKED ABOUT
EITHER HAVING TO HAVE PERMISSION
TO ENTER THE HOME OR HAVING TO
HAVE AN INSPECTION WARRANT
ISSUED BY A COURT.
BUT, OF COURSE, PEOPLE, LAY
PEOPLE READING IT, JUST READ
OVER THOSE REFERENCES.
>> WELL, MR. HARRIS, WE WISH YOU
WELL AS YOU TRY TO WORK THIS
OUT.
AND WE ALSO HOPE THAT YOUR
NUMBERS WILL FLATTEN OUT.
MARK HARRIS, COUNTY EXECUTIVE,
WINNEBAGO COUNTY, THANKS VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THIS WEEK, GOVERNOR EVERS
ANNOUNCED MORE THAN 2 MILLION
FACE MASKS AND THOUSANDS OF
INFRARED THERMOMETERS WILL BE
SENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AT THE SAME TIME, MAYORS OF THE
FIVE LARGEST CITIES ARE
INVESTING IN SAFER ELECTIONS.
LAST SPRING, MUNICIPALITIES
SCRAMBLED TO MAKE WISCONSIN
ELECTIONS SAFE AFTER A
LAST-MINUTE SUPREME COURT
RULING.
AS A RESULT, THE NUMBER OF POLL
LOCATIONS WAS REDUCED, FORCING
VOTERS TO STAND IN LINE LONG
LINES TO CAST BALLOTS DURING THE
CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK.
THE MAYORS OF MILWAUKEE,
MADISON, GREEN BAY, RACINE AND
KENOSHA ARE TEAMING UP WITH THE
CENTER FOR TECH AND CIVIC LIFE
TO FUND THE "WISCONSIN
SAFER VOTING PLAN."
THE $3.6 MILLION GRANT FROM THE
NON-PARTISAN, NON-PROFIT WILL
HELP OPEN AN ADEQUATE NUMBER OF
VOTING SITES, ALONG WITH
DRIVE-THROUGH AND DROP BOX
LOCATIONS.
IN ADDITION, THE MONEY WILL BE
USED TO PURCHASE PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, ALONG WITH
RECRUITING AND TRAINING FOR POLL
WORKERS.
ACROSS CONSERVATIVE AND LIBERAL
LINES THE SUPREME COURT STRIKES
ANOTHER BLOW TO GOVERNOR EVERS,
UPHOLDING LAWS PASSED JUST DAYS
BEFORE EVERS AND KAUL TOOK
OFFICE.
THE LAWS PASSED REQUIRE KAUL TO
GET PERMISSION FROM A
REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE TO SETTLE
LAWSUITS, AND THEY GUARANTEE THE
LEGISLATURE CAN INTERVENE IN
CASES USING ITS OWN ATTORNEYS
RATHER THAN THOSE FROM THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
THIS WAS NOT THE CASE WHEN
REPUBLICAN SCOTT WALKER WAS
GOVERNOR AND BRAD SCHIMEL WAS
ATTORNEY GENERAL.
>> IN RECENT WEEKS, PROTESTERS
IN CITIES LARGE AND SMALL ACROSS
WISCONSIN HAVE BEEN RALLYING FOR
POLICE REFORM FOLLOWING THE
DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD AT THE
HANDS OF MINNEAPOLIS POLICE.
DARRELL KEATON IS SEEN AS A
LEADER AMONG HIS PEERS IN THE
WAUSAU COMMUNITY AND HAS BEEN
ADVOCATING CHANGE DURING
DEMONSTRATIONS.
HE JOINS US THIS WEEK WITH HIS
PERSPECTIVES ON THE RACIAL
JUSTICE MOVEMENT IN CENTRAL
WISCONSIN.
MR. KEATON, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR
BEING HERE.
>> YES.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO YOU FOUNDED AN
ORGANIZATION IN 2011 THERE IN
WAUSAU.
TELL ME ABOUT THAT AND WHY YOU
STARTED IT.
>> SO I DEVELOPED THE PROGRAM TO
WORK WITH AT-RISK YOUTH.
WE WANTED TO CATCH THE YOUTH
BEFORE ENTERING JUNIOR HIGH OR
HIGH SCHOOL.
AND WE WANTED TO WORK WITH THEM
THROUGH THE SCHOOL EDUCATION TO
IDENTIFY KIDS WHO ARE STRUGGLING
WITH ATTENTION DEFICITS,
BEHAVIOR ISSUES, ET CETERA.
AND WHEN THAT SITUATION TOOK
PLACE WITH GEORGE FLOYD, IT JUST
WOKE SOMETHING IN ME.
AND I KNEW THEN THAT I NEEDED TO
ACT AND I NEEDED TO ACT SWIFTLY
IN MY COMMUNITY, BECAUSE I DON'T
WANT SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO
HAPPEN HERE IN MY COMMUNITY.
>> AND SO WHEN YOU SAY YOU
NEEDED TO ACT AND YOU NEEDED TO
ACT SWIFTLY, WHAT DID YOU DO?
>> WELL, THE FIRST THING I DID
WAS I REACHED OUT WITH SOME OF
THE OTHER MEMBERS IN THE
COMMUNITY THAT I WORKED
ALONGSIDE IN THE PAST, AND I
WENT OUT, MYSELF AND MY TWO
GRANDDAUGHTERS, AND WE DID A
PEACEFUL PROTEST.
AND AFTER ME AND MY
GRANDDAUGHTERS WENT OUT AND DID
A PEACEFUL PROTEST, IT SPARKED A
MOVEMENT.
THE NEXT DAY WE HAD OVER 300
PEOPLE COME OUT AND JOIN US.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE
SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPEN HERE.
AND SO IF YOU JUMP OUT IN FRONT
OF IT BEFORE IT COMES TO YOUR
DOORSTEP, THEN YOU CAN, YOU
KNOW, WORK WITH YOUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND MAKE SURE THAT
WE CAN BRIDGE THAT GAP BETWEEN
THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY
HERE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND WE'RE WORKING HARD SINCE
THIS TO BRIDGE THAT GAP.
AND I CAN PROUDLY SAY THAT
MYSELF, WITH MY MAYOR AND MY
CHIEF OF POLICE, WE HAVE REALLY
BEEN WORKING TOGETHER ON SOME
THINGS TO KIND OF HELP BRIDGE
THAT GAP.
I CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE
OFFICIALLY NEXT YEAR WILL
CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH IN THE CITY
OF WAUSAU, WHICH HAS NEVER
HAPPENED IN THE HISTORY OF THIS
COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST THINK THAT HAVING
SOMETHING HERE FOR THE BLACK
COMMUNITY WILL CONTINUE TO BRING
POSITIVES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
>> IT'S SO COOL THAT YOU WERE
ABLE TO TELL US THAT WAUSAU IS
GOING TO BE CELEBRATING
JUNETEENTH NEXT YEAR.
>> YEAH.
IT IS.
I MEET WITH MY MAYOR AND I'VE
BEEN IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH
THE CHIEF AND WE THINK THAT THAT
WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD START AS
FAR AS --
>> YEAH.
>> -- BRIDGING THAT GAP AND TO
CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH HERE AND
HAVE IT, YOU KNOW, ON THE 400
BLOCK.
BECAUSE WE WANT ALL PEOPLE TO
COME TOGETHER.
WE DON'T WANT IT TO JUST BE
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ONE RACE OF
PEOPLE.
WE WANT ALL PEOPLE TO COME
TOGETHER.
AND WE WANT THE BLACK COMMUNITY
TO FEEL LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING
HERE FOR THEM.
AND SO I WORK HARD TO TRY TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN BRIDGE
THAT GAP.
AND I WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR
THE PEOPLE OF WAUSAU, WISCONSIN.
THIS IS MY HOME.
>> YOU HAVE SAID THAT TAKING
PART IN DEMONSTRATIONS OR VIGILS
OR MARCHES, IT NOW SEEMS TO YOU
AS THOUGH WHITE PEOPLE ARE
LISTENING AND JOINING IN.
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO YOU THAT
THAT HAPPENS?
>> IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
I'VE SAID ALL ALONG THAT WE AS A
PEOPLE, AS THE BLACK COMMUNITY,
WE CANNOT TACKLE THIS SYSTEMIC
RACISM THAT HAS PLAGUED OUR
COUNTRY FOR 400 PLUS YEARS.
WE CANNOT DO THIS ALONE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE GOOD WHITE
PEOPLE TO STAND WITH US TO
DEFEAT RACISM IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND YOU HAVE TO START WITH THE
HEAD OF THIS SYSTEMIC RACISM IN
OUR COUNTRY.
AND I FEEL THAT STARTS AT THE
TOP, WHICH IS OUR GOVERNMENT.
AND IF WE CAN START THERE AND
TRICKLE DOWN TO THE MIDDLE CLASS
AND THE LOWER CLASS, THEN MAYBE
WE CAN MAKE GREATER CHANGES IN
THIS COMMUNITY, AND IN AMERICA.
>> WHAT KIND OF DIALOGUE HAVE
YOU SEEN HAPPENING ON MATTERS OF
RACE THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN
HAPPENING BEFORE THE KILLING OF
GEORGE FLOYD AND DEMONSTRATIONS
OVER THAT?
>> CHANGES ARE OCCURRING EVERY
DAY.
I JUST -- LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I
FEEL THAT THIS TIME IT'S
DIFFERENT.
IT FEELS DIFFERENT.
AND I DO BELIEVE THAT WE AS A
COMMUNITY, AS A WHOLE, IF WE
CONTINUE TO STAND TOGETHER, HATE
CANNOT DEFEAT LOVE.
>> DO YOU EXPECT PROTESTS AND
DEMONSTRATIONS TO CONTINUE IN
YOUR PART OF THE STATE?
>> NO, I DON'T.
I THINK AT THIS POINT THINGS ARE
GOING ACCORDING TO HOW THEY
SHOULD, AND I THINK IF THEY
CONTINUE ON THE PATH THAT THEY
ARE, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE'LL BE
OKAY.
>> SO YOU FEEL AS THOUGH THE
LINES OF COMMUNICATION ARE OPEN
AND --
>> YES.
>> -- WHITE PEOPLE, AS YOU
SAID, ARE LISTENING.
>> YES.
>> AND YOU IN FACT HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO ALREADY MAKE SOME
TANGIBLE CHANGE, AND SO YOU SEE
MORE OF THAT COMING?
>> CORRECT.
YES.
I DO.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE LEAVE IT THERE.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU
CHECKING IN WITH US AND TELLING
US ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE
HAPPENING IN CENTRAL WISCONSIN.
DARRELL KEATON, THANKS AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
YOU HAVE A BLESSED DAY.
>> THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR THIS
WEEK.
BE SURE TO JOIN US ONLINE
THROUGHOUT THE WEEK FOR UPDATES
ON THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND
CONTINUING COVERAGE ON RACIAL
JUSTICE ISSUES.
JUST GO TO pbswisconsin.org,
THEN CLICK ON THE NEWS TAB.
ALSO, FOR MORE IN-DEPTH
COVERAGE, CHECK OUT
WisContext.
THIS WEEK, EIGHT WISCONSIN
CITIES AND WHAT NUMBER OF THEIR
POLICE OFFICERS LIVE WITHIN CITY
LIMITS.
RESIDENCY HAS BEEN CITED AMONG
FACTORS THAT CAN LEAD TO A
DISCONNECT BETWEEN POLICE AND
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
THAT STORY AT WisContext.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING "HERE &
NOW."
STAY WELL, WISCONSIN, AND WE'LL
SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.
? ?
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
WISCONSIN.