>> Announcer: THE FOLLOWING
PROGRAM IS A PBS WISCONSIN
ORIGINAL PRODUCTION.
>>> VACCINATION NUMBERS SHOT UP
THIS WEEK AS A NEW
FEMA-SUPPORTED MASS VACCINATION
CLINIC OPENED IN DANE COUNTY.
THE CENTER IS CAPABLE OF
DELIVERING SHOTS TO 1400 PEOPLE
PER DAY.
ANOTHER COMMUNITY CENTER WILL
OPEN IN DOUGLAS COUNTY NEXT
WEEK.
THIS AS A RACE BETWEEN
VACCINATIONS AND NEW EMERGENT
CASES OF CORONAVIRUS VARIANTS
TAKE SHAPE AND AS THE POLITICS
OF THE PANDEMIC HEAT UP AT THE
STATE CAPITOL OVER CONTROL OF
FEDERAL RELIEF DOLLARS.
TONIGHT ON HERE AND NOW,
UP-TO-THE-MINUTE DETAILS ON
VACCINATION EFFORTS.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES
DESIGNEE JENNIFER TIMBERLAKE IS
HERE.
HOW TO FIGHT THE NEW VARIANTS.
A SPRITE SUPREME COURT RULING
PLACES FOOD ASSISTANCE DOLLARS
IN JEOPARDY.
AND WISCONSIN'S NEWLY ELECTED
STATE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT JILL
UNDERLY IS HERE.
IT'S HERE AND NOW FOR APRIL 9.
>>> THE WORST THING IN THE WORLD
WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW IS SAY, NO
MANDATE, NO MASK, BECAUSE WE
ARE, AS HAS BEEN SAID HERE,
SEEING SPREAD OF VARIANTS AND WE
NEED TO USE THE MECHANISMS WE
HAVE IN PLACE TO PREVENT SPREAD.
>> THE REAL WORLD IMPLICATIONS
OF RISING COVID CASES AND NO
MORE STATE MASK MANDATE.
WHILE WISCONSIN REMAINS A LEADER
IN THE NUMBER OF VACCINES IN
ARMS, THERE'S A WORRYING TREND
BY WAY OF AN UPTICK IN COVID
CASES AND NEWS THAT THE MORE
INFECTIOUS U.K. VARIANT IS
LIKELY TO BE THE DOMINANT STRAIN
IN WISCONSIN WITHIN THE NEXT TWO
WEEKS.
THIS MEANS THE RACE TO VACCINATE
TO BEAT THE VARIANTS IS URGENTLY
UNDERWAY.
IN A MOMENT WE WILL HEAR ABOUT
CUTTING-EDGE WORK BEING DONE ON
THE VARIANTS AT U.W. MADISON,
BUT FIRST, WE GET AN UPDATE FROM
THE SECRETARY DESIGNEE OF THE
STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
SERVICES, KAREN TIMBERLAKE.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> THERE DOES APPEAR TO BE NEW
URGENCY FROM HEALTH OFFICIALS,
NEW CASES HAVE DOUBLED THIS THE
LAST MONTH AND AS MENTIONED THE
U.K. VARIANT IS CHASING US DOWN.
HOW URGENT WOULD YOU DESCRIBE
THE SITUATION WE'RE IN RIGHT
NOW?
>> WE ARE VERY CONCERNED, BOTH
ABOUT THE GROWTH IN POSITIVE
CASES.
WE HAD SEEN A NICE DECLINE IN
OUR POSITIVE CASES FOR A NUMBER
OF WEEKS AND AS YOU POINT OUT,
IT'S NOW REALLY RISING QUICKLY.
IN ADDITION, THE THING THAT'S
IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW
ABOUT THESE NEW VARIANTS IS THIS
IS STILL COVID-19.
IT'S STILL THIS VIRUS THAT WE'RE
FAMILIAR WITH.
THE PROBLEM IS, IT'S A TRICKY
VIRUS AND IT'S CONTINUING TO
MUTATE THEN BECOME MORE
CONTAGIOUS.
SO THE REASON WE'RE PAYING
ATTENTION IS THAT THEY SPREAD
MORE QUICKLY.
SO THAT IS WHY IT'S THAT MUCH
MORE IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO
KEEP WEARING MASKS, KEEP STAYING
PHYSICALLY DISTANT, AND KEEP
YOUR SOCIAL CIRCLES SMALL, AND
GET VACCINATED JUST AS FAST AS
YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO
THAT.
>> WHAT IS THE SITUATION IN
TERMS OF NUMBERS WITH THE SPREAD
OF THESE VARIANTS IN WISCONSIN?
>> SO WE ARE SEQUENCING A
NUMBERS OF CASES EVERY WEEK.
WE OBVIOUSLY CAN'T TAKE A LOOK
AT EVERY SINGLE POSITIVE TEST
THAT WE GET, BUT WHAT WE'RE
SEEING ABOUT HALF OF THE SAMPLES
THAT WE ARE TESTING ARE THESE
NEWVATORS.
AND -- NEW VARIANTS.
SO THAT TELLS US THE VARIANTS
ARE SPREADING VERY WIDELY AND
VERY QUICKLY, BUT AGAIN, THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR PEOPLE
TO KNOW IS IT'S STILL
CORONAVIRUS, WE STILL KNOW MASKS
WORK.
WE STILL KNOW THAT IT'S
IMPORTANT TO GET TESTED WHEN YOU
HAVE SYMPTOMS.
AND WE KNOW THAT THE VACCINE IS
THE BEST WAY TO BEAT THOSE
VARIANTS.
>> SO HAS IT BEEN THE CASE HERE
THAT THE U.K. VARIANT IS TAKING
HOLD IN CHILD CARE SETTINGS AS
WE SAW IN DANE COUNTY AND IN
YOUTH SPORTS ACTIVITIES?
>> IT'S A LITTLE EARLY TO SAY
THAT.
WE CERTAINLY REALLY FOLLOWING
THOSE KINDS OF REPORTS OF
OUTBREAK.
AND THAT'S ALSO WHY IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE CONTINUE
TO GET TESTED, SO THAT WE CAN
START TO BETTER ISOLATE AND
UNDERSTAND THE SPREAD OF THE
VARIANT.
BUT I THINK REALLY THE KEY
TAKEAWAY FOR PEOPLE IS THAT
COVID CONTINUES TO BE EVERYWHERE
IN OUR STATE.
IT DOES CONTINUE TO SPREAD.
AND WE HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH OUR
GOOD PREVENTIVE MEASURES.
>> DESCRIBE FOR US IF YOU WOULD
THE LATEST VACCINE AVAILABILITY
AND NUMBERS OF PEOPLE VACCINATED
IN WISCONSIN.
>> THIS IS REALLY A GOOD NEWS
STORY.
JUST SINCE THE MIDDLE OF
DECEMBER, WE HAVE GIVEN MORE
THAN 3.4 MILLION DOSES OF COVID
VACCINE ACROSS OUR STATE.
SO WE'RE NOW AT A PLACE WHERE
ABOUT 36% OF EVERYONE IN THE
STATE OF WISCONSIN HAS HAD AT
LEAST ONE DOSE OF THEIR COVID
VACCINE.
ABOUT ONE IN FIVE PEOPLE, A
LITTLE BETTER THAN ONE IN FIVE
PEOPLE, ARE FULLY VACCINATED.
77% OF OUR SENIORS HAVE GOTTEN
AT LEAST ONE DOSE.
MORE THAN 65% OF OUR SENIORS ARE
FULLY VACCINATED.
AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO OPEN
MORE AVAILABILITY TO VACCINES SO
THIS WEEK WE ANNOUNCED A
PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FEDERAL
PARTNERS AT FEMA, WHICH WILL BE
ADDING ADDITIONAL STAFF CAPACITY
HERE IN DANE COUNTY.
AROUND THE STATE WE HAVE
COMMUNITY CLINICS IN ROUTE
COUNTY, IN LA CROSSE,
EAU CLAIRE, MARATHON.
SO WE'RE REALLY WORKING HARD IN
ADDITION TO HOSPITALS, CLINICS,
PHARMACIES, ET CETERA, TO MAKE
VACCINE VERY AVAILABLE FOR
FOLKS.
>> SO SOUNDS LIKE WISCONSIN
OBVIOUSLY HAS THE INFRASTRUCTURE
TO GET THOSE, QUOTE, SHOTS IN
ARMS.
WHAT ABOUT THE SUPPLY COMING IN
FROM THE FEDS?
HAS THAT REMAINED STEADY AND
INCREASED?
>> GREAT QUESTION.
SO THE ANSWER IS IT HAS
CERTAINLY INCREASED IN THE LAST
TWO MONTHS OR SO.
WHEN I STARTED BACK AT THE
DEPARTMENT AT THE END OF
JANUARY, WE WERE LOOKING AT
70,000 FIRST DOSES A WEEK.
THIS WEEK WE'RE UP IN THE 180 TO
220,000 FIRST DOSES.
THE CHALLENGE WE'RE ABOUT TO
HAVE, SO FOLKS ARE AWARE, IS
WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE SUPPLY
OF JOHNSON & JOHNSON WAS GOING
TO BE A LITTLE VARIABLE.
AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE A
DECREASE IN JOHNSON & JOHNSON
NEXT WEEK AND PERHAPS THE REST
OF APRIL.
BUT PFIZER AND MODERNA ARE
STAYING CONSISTENT AND SO PEOPLE
NEED TO BE PATIENT AND
PERSISTENT.
SO CALLING OUR TOLL-FREE NUMBER,
CHECKING OUT THE VACCINE FINDER
RESOURCES ON OUR WEBSITE, THOSE
ARE ALL GOOD WAYS TO FIND A
VACCINE.
>> WITH LESS THAN A MINUTE LEFT,
THE CDC JUST ORDERED WISCONSIN I
UNDERSTAND MORE THAN 50 MILLION
DOLLARS TO VAX UNDERSERVED
POPULATIONS.
HOW WILL THAT MONEY BE DEPLOYED
AND WHEN?
>> SO WHAT WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE
SURE WE CAN DO IS GET RESOURCES
OUT INTO COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS
THE STATE TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYONE WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR A
VACCINE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO
GET ONE.
WE'LL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
OUR LOCAL PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE CAN LIFT UP AVAILABILITY
AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE,
BOTH OF THE FACT THAT THEY'RE
ELIGIBLE TO GET A VACCINE AND
WHERE THEY CAN FIND THOSE
VACCINE RESOURCES.
>> ALL RIGHT.
GREAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND THANKS
FOR YOUR WORK.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> U.S. STORM TOMMY BALDWIN MET
WITH A MADE RESEARCH TEAM THIS
WEEK.
SCIENTISTS AT THE AIDS VACCINE
RESEARCH LABORATORY, THE TEAM
LED BY DR. THOMAS FRIEDRICH, IS
WORKING TO IDENTIFY AND
COUNTERATTACK THE RISE OF NEW
CORONAVIRUS VARIANTS.
SINCE MARCH OF 2020 THE FREE
KICK LAB HAS IDENTIFIED OR
SEQUENCED MORE THAN 6,000
VARIETIES -- VIRUSES FROM DANE
AND MILWAUKEE COUNTIES.
WE SPEAK THOUSAND TO A PRIMARY
MEMBER OF THE RESEARCH TEAM, LAB
SCIENTIST CAT WERE AINA BRAUN.
-- KATARINA BRAUN.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO
SEQUENCE THE COVID VIRUSES?
>> YEAH, SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IN
OUR SEQUENCING IS DISORT OF
BREAK -- SORT OF BREAKING THAT
VIRUS APART AND TAKING A LOOK AT
THE GENETIC FINGERPRINT INSIDE
THE VIRUS.
AND WE CAN SORT OF IDENTIFY
SLIGHT GENETIC VARIATIONS THAT
DIFFER FROM ONE VIRUS THAT'S
INFECTING ME VERSUS ONE THAT'S
INFECTING YOU.
IT'S IMPORTANT SO WE CAN TRACK
THE VIRUS AS IT MOVES THROUGH
SPACE AND TIME, WHICH ALLOWS US
TO TARGET PUBLIC HEALTH
GUIDANCE.
BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO
IDENTIFY THOSE PARTICULAR
VARIANTS WHICH YOU'VE SEEN IN
THE NEWS RECENTLY, THE VARIANTS
OF CONCERN.
>> YEAH, SO WHEN DID YOU START
SEEING THOSE?
IF YOU'VE BEEN SEQUENCING SINCE
MARCH OF LAST YEAR, WHEN DID YOU
START SEEING THE VARIANTS POP
UP?
>> SURE.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A TOUGH
QUESTION TO ANSWER, BECAUSE THE
VIRUS ITSELF, EVERY VIRUS IS
SLIGHTLY -- IS A VARIANCE OF THE
LAST VERSION.
SO THERE'S QUITE A FEW GENETIC
VARIATIONS THAT WE NOTICED.
SO WE'VE BEEN NOTICING THEM OVER
THE PAST YEAR.
THE ONES THAT ARE OF PARTICULAR
INTEREST AND THAT WE JUST
STARTED SEEING POP UP IN
WISCONSIN OVER THE PAST FEW
MONTHS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE
CONFER INCREASED
TRANSMISSIBILITY.
SO MAKE THE VIRUS EASIER TO
SPREAD AND IN SOME CASES MAY
MAKE THE VACCINE A LITTLE BIT
LESS EFFECTIVE.
>> SO IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU'VE
FOUND CIRCULATING IN
WISCONSIN,WHAT ARE THE VARIANTS
OF CONCERN THAT YOU FOUND AND
ARE YOU ABLE TO PINPOINT, YOU
KNOW, CLUSTERS OF THEM IN PARTS
OF THE STATE?
>> SURE.
SO WE'RE WORKING REALLY CLOSELY
WITH PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE STATE
OF WISCONSIN TO IDENTIFY IN
PARTICULAR TRAVEL-ASSOCIATED
CASES, INTO THE STATE THAT MAY
BE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE
VARIANTS OF CONCERN.
SO USING THAT APPROACH, WE HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY A FEW SORT
OF OUTBREAKS ASSOCIATED WITH
TRAVEL.
BUT THE VARIANT THAT SEEMS TO BE
POPPING UP MOST COMMON IS THE --
CALLED B.1.1.7 AND THAT'S THE
VARIANT THAT WAS FIRST
IDENTIFIED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
THIS PAST FALL.
SO THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S STILL
PRETTY RARE IN OUR STATE.
BUT IT'S DEFINITELY ON THE RISE.
>> SO IS IT YOUR EXPECTATION
THAT THE SPREAD OF THIS U.K.
VARIANT IN PARTICULAR WILL
CONTINUE TO INCREASE HERE AS IS
THE CONCERN OF PUBLIC HEALTH
OFFICIALS?
>> THAT'S DEFINITELY THE CURRENT
CONCERN.
IT'S STILL EARLY.
THERE'S ONLY, YOU KNOW, LESS
THAN A FEW HUNDRED CASES IN THE
STATE CURRENTLY.
BUT OUR SURROUNDING STATES HAVE
SEEN A RISE AND WE'RE ALSO
SEEING A RISE -- IT'S ALSO MORE
TRANSMISSIBLE.
SO IT'S PARTICULARLY GOOD AT
SPREADING.
SO WE DO EXPECT TO SEE
INCREASING NUMBER OF CASES OF
THIS PARTICULAR VARIANT.
>> IT ALSO SEEMS LIKE KIND OF AN
OBVIOUS QUESTION BUT IS THIS WHY
WE ARE NOW SEEING AN UPTICK IN
OVERALL CASES?
>> IT'S HARD TO SAY.
LIKE I SAID, THERE ARE
RELATIVELY NEW OF THESE
PARTICULAR VARIANTS, THE B.1.1.7
IN WISCONSIN.
IT COULD BE CONTRIBUTING.
I ALSO THINK PUBLIC HEALTH DATA
POINTS TOWARDS PEOPLE BECOMING A
LITTLE BIT MORE RELAXED WITH
THEIR MASK WEARING, THE WEATHER
IS GETTING WARMER AND PEOPLE ARE
WANTING TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER.
AND YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE
RELAXATIONS ARE ALLOWING THE
VIRUS TO SPREAD.
>> I KNOW THAT MICHIGAN AND
MINNESOTA, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE
LARGE NUMBERS OF THESE VARIANTS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO WAY TO PUT
UP A BORDER FENCE AT STATE
LINES, BUT WHAT IS THE BEST WAY
TO SUPPRESS THE SPREAD OF THESE
VARIANTS IN WISCONSIN IN YOUR
MIND?
>> UH-HUH.
IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND I THINK IT'S THE QUESTION
THAT PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE
CURRENTLY TACKLING.
ONE THING TO DO IS TO TRACK AND
LIMIT TRAVEL INTO AND OUT OF THE
STATE OF WISCONSIN.
THAT'S INCREASINGLY HARD AS
PEOPLE WANT TO TRAVEL.
AND THE OTHER THING IS TO JUST
GET PEOPLE VACCINATED AS QUICKLY
AS POSSIBLE.
WE KNOW THE VACCINE PREVENTS --
DOES A GOOD JOB AT PROTECTING
AGAINST THIS PARTICULAR VARIANT
THAT'S ON THE RISE IN WISCONSIN.
SO AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN GET
PEOPLE VACCINATED IS DEFINITELY
ONE OF THE PRIMARY MEASURES WE
CAN DO TO REDUCE THE SPREAD.
>> KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT
THE SPREAD AND THE
INFECTIOUSNESS OF SOME OF THESE
VARIANTS, WOULD WE OR SHOULD WE
REVERT TO SAFETY PRACTICES LIKE
MANDATES IF A SURGE KIND OF
TAKES HOLD AGAIN?
>> YEAH.
I THINK IT'S A HARD QUESTION.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE IN THE
PUBLIC'S BEST INTEREST IN TERMS
OF PROTECTING THE MOST NUMBER OF
PEOPLE.
IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SUPPORT, I
DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE
THERE.
I KNOW THAT SCIENTISTS AND
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS AND
PHYSICIANS YOU'LL KNOW THAT THE
BEST WAY TO -- ALL KNOW THAT THE
BEST WAY TO PROTECT OUR ENTIRE
COMMUNITY IS TO GET EVERYONE,
INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO ARE
DISPROPORTIONATELY SORT OF
LIMITED IN TERMS OF THEIR ACCESS
TO THE VACCINE, TO GET EVERYONE
VACCINATED AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE AND ALSO NOT JUST IN
WISCONSIN, BUT AS YOU MENTIONED,
THE VIRUS DOESN'T CARE ABOUT
STATE OR GEOGRAPHIC BORDERS.
SO GETTING PEOPLE VACCINATED
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND
ACROSS THE WORLD IS REALLY
IMPORTANT HERE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>> LAST WEEK THE WISCONSIN
SUPREME COURT RULED THAT
GOVERNOR TONY EVERS ACTED
OUTSIDE OF THE LAW WHEN HE
EXTENDED EMERGENCY ORDERS PASSED
THE -- PAST THE 60-DAY LIMIT.
THE STATE COULD END UP LOSING
$69 MILLION IN MONTHLY FEDERAL
FOOD ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE
FUNDS ARE CONTINGENT ON STATES
HAVING A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY
DECLARATION DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.
MARISSA SPOKE WITH MATT KING OF
HUNGER TASK FORCE TO LEARN HOW
MANY PEOPLE WOULD BE AFFECTED
AND WHAT STATE OFFICIALS CAN DO
TO ENSURE THE FOOD ASSISTANCE IS
NOT LOST.
>> WE'VE SEEN A HUGE INCREASE IN
NEED FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE.
SO IN A TYPICAL MONTH, WE WOULD
SERVE 50,000 PEOPLE THROUGHOUT
CHARITABLE NETWORK.
HALF OF THOSE BEING KIDS.
10,000 LOW-INCOME SENIORS, AND
SO IT -- ACROSS THE STATE, HAS
NEARED THAT AT A REALLY HIGH
LEVEL.
>> AND ARE THESE VERY LOW-INCOME
FOLKS, ARE THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE
JUST HITTING HARD TIMES BECAUSE
OF THE PANDEMIC?
WHAT -- WHAT DOES THIS
DEMOGRAPHIC LOOK LIKE?
>> IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD.
BUT IT'S PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST
JOBS AS A RESULT OF THE
PANDEMIC.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT HAD TO SEEK
ASSISTANCE BEFORE.
AND SO IT'S BEEN -- IT'S BEEN
REALLY TOUGH FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE
TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND ASK FOR
HELP FOR THE FIRST TIME.
>> AND SO IS THIS 69 MILLION
DOLLARS PER MONTH, IS NO LONGER
AVAILABLE TO THE STATE, HOW MANY
HOUSEHOLDS AND HOW MANY PEOPLE
ACROSS WISCONSIN WOULD BE
IMPACTED?
>> RIGHT.
SO ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE
TOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN
EXCITING -- FIGHTING HUNGER IS
THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITIOUS
SYSTEM PROGRAM IN SNAP, WHICH IN
WISCONSIN IS KNOWN AS FOOD
SHARE.
OVER 407,000 HOUSEHOLDS ARE
CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THE
PROGRAM IN THE STATE OF
WISCONSIN.
AND THAT EQUATES TO OVER 770,000
INDIVIDUALS.
SO THERE'S 407 HOURS HOLDS THAT
ARE CURRENTLY -- 407,000
HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY
ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM WHO HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO HAVE AN INCREASE AS
A RESULT OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY, HAVING RECEIVED AN
INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF SNAP
THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING.
>> AND AS YOU SAID, BECAUSE OF
THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY, SO
TO BE HERE -- CLEAR, THIS ISN'T
NORMAL FOOD SHARE.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF
THE PANDEMIC, RIGHT?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
SO IN THE MONTH OF MARCH,
BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, THIS
EMERGENCY FOOD SHARE WAS
55.6 MILLION DOLLARS COMING INTO
WISCONSIN.
ON APRIL 1st, THE USDA
APPROVED AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT,
AND SO THAT IS AN ADDITIONAL
THERE ARE 13.4 MILLION --
$13.4 MILLION.
SO $69 MILLION A MONTH IN
EMERGENCY FOOD SHARE IS NOW AT
STAKE.
AND WITHOUT A PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY DECLARATION IN
WISCONSIN, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO
ACCESS THOSE FUNDS AND WE'LL
MISSION OUT ON THAT $69 MILLION
A MONTH IN ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO
HELP POOR FOLKS IN WISCONSIN.
>> IF WE WERE TO BREAK THIS DOWN
A LITTLE BIT, WHAT DOES THAT
LOOK LIKE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL
PERSON?
>> AS AN EXAMPLE, A SENIOR WHO
IS LIVING IN SUBSIDIZED HOUSING,
SO POOR SENIORS IN OUR
COMMUNITY, PRE-PANDEMIC, THEY
WOULD HAVE RECEIVED $16 A MONTH
IN FOOD SHARE.
NOW AS A RESULT, ABOUT EMERGENCY
FOOD SHARE AND THIS ADDITIONAL
ALLOTMENT AND INCREASE, THEY'RE
RECEIVING $234 A MONTH.
SO GOING FROM $16 A MONTH IN
ASSISTANCE TO $234 A MONTH IN
ASSISTANCE AS AN EXAMPLE.
SO THAT'S AN INCREASE IN FUNDING
THAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR THAT
SENIOR TO NOT HAVE TO VISIT A
FOOD PANTRY BUT RATHER TO GO TO
THE STORE AND BUY THE GROCERIES
AND -- POINT BEING THAT THESE
ARE 100% FEDERAL BENEFITS THAT
AID OUR FOOD ECONOMY.
SO THESE ARE FUNDS THAT ARE
HELPING GROWERS, FARMERS, FOOD
PRODUCERS, GROCERS, TRUCKERS.
SO THIS IS MONEY THAT'S COMING
INTO OUR STATE ECONOMY DURING
THIS DIFFICULT TIME, CREATING
AND SUSTAINING JOBS.
>> AND SO WHAT ARE WISCONSIN'S
OPTIONS TO REINSTATE THIS
FUNDING IF THIS EMERGENCY ORDER
THAT ORIGINALLY CAME FROM THE
GOVERNOR IS NO LONGER IS NO
LONGER -- A POSSIBILITY.
>> THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE THAT
WISCONSIN IS ALONE IN.
AS EMERGENCY DECK RAR CASES --
DECLARATIONS EXPIRE, THERE'S
GOING TO BE ADDITIONAL STATES
THAT ARE ENCOUNTERING THIS
ISSUE.
SO WE ARE LOOKING CURRENTLY AT
MICHIGAN, WHERE THE DEPARTMENT
OF PUBLIC SERVICES IN THE STATE
OF MICHIGAN MADE A DECLARATION
OF THE EMERGENCY THAT ALLOWED
THEM TO CONTINUE TO ACCESS
RESOURCES.
IT DOES NOT TAKE THE GOVERNOR OR
THE LEGISLATURE TO CREATE A
STATE OF EMERGENCY OR A PUBLIC
HEALTH EMERGENCY TO BE ELIGIBLE
FOR THE FEDERAL AID.
IF WE HAD A -- A DECLARATION OF
THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY
ISSUED BY THE WISCONSIN
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THEN WE
WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO
ACCESS THESE RESOURCES AND HELP
PEOPLE.
>> YOU CAN SEE THE COMPLETE
INTERVIEW WITH MATT KING OF THE
HUNGER TASK FORCE BY GORING TO
PBSWISCONSIN.ORG AND CLICKING ON
THE NEWS TAB.
>>> IN ELECTION NEWS, THE
WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT TODAY
RULED 5-2 THAT THE STATE NEED
NOT REMOVE OR PURGE SOME 70,000
PEOPLE FROM VOTER ROLLS WHO ARE
IDENTIFIED AS HAVING CHANGED
ADDRESS.
THE RULING FOUND STATE LAW GIVES
LOCAL OFFICIALS AUTHORITY TO
PURGE VOTER ROLLS, NOT THE
ELECTIONS COMMISSION.
THE HIGH COURT ALSO RULED THE
LOWER COURT'S CONTEMPT ORDER
AGAINST THE COMMISSION MUST BE
REVERSED.
THE COMMISSION SAYS NONE OF THE
70,000 NAMES STILL ON THE LIST
VOTED IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
>>> FOLLOWING TUESDAY'S
ELECTION, WISCONSIN HAS A NEW
INCOMING SUPERINTENDENT OF
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.
JILL UNDERLY WON THE LEAKS OVER
DEB KERR BY 57% TO 42% OF THE
VOTE AND WILL TAKE OFFICE IN
JULY.
TONIGHT WE'RE JOINED BY JILL
UNDERLY TO TALK ABOUT HER
MISSION GOING FORWARD AND SHE
JOINS US FROM HOLLENDALE.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> FIRST, CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO GET TO
WORK AND GET STARTED.
>> I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT
THIS ELECTION WAS CONTENTIOUS.
AND RIGHT OUT OF THE CHUTES,
REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY SPEAKER ROB
VOSS TWEETED THIS.
YECTLY STATED HE SAID THAT THE
TEACHERS' UNION OWNS THE TPI.
HE SAYS COUNT ME AS SOMEONE WHO
ISN'T GOING TO SUPPORT PUTTING
ANOTHER NICKEL INTO THIS
UNACCOUNTABLE STATE BUREAUCRACY.
WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT
MESSAGE FROM SPEAKER VOSS,
PARTICULARLY THAT PART ABOUT THE
TEACHERS UNION OWNING IT?
>> YEAH.
MY INITIAL REACTION WAS THAT WAS
REALLY SAD.
HONESTLY, MY SADNESS.
I THINK IT'S CLEAR FROM
TUESDAY'S RESULT THAT'S
SUPPORT -- THAT SUPPORTING OUR
LOCAL SCHOOLS AND CHILDREN ISN'T
A PARTISAN ISSUE.
I HAVE NO INTEREST IN BEING
PARTISAN ABOUT PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR
ABOUT OUR KIDS.
AND OUR KIDS AND OUR SCHOOL
STAFF, THEY DESERVE -- YOU KNOW,
THEY NEED HELP, I SHOULD SAY,
RECOVERING FROM THE PANDEMIC AND
GETTING BACK ON TRACK.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH THE LEGISLATURE AND THE
GOVERNOR TO HELP ALL KIDS NO
MATTER HOW THEIR PARENTS VOTED.
>> AS TO SUPPORTING AND PUTTING
MONEY INTO THE DPI AND AS THE
BUDGET PROCESS GETS UNDERWAY,
WHAT CONCERNS DO YOU HAVE THAT
THE LEGISLATURE WILL OR WON'T
OPEN THE PURSEVINGS TO FUND
PRIORITIES THAT YOU HAVE?
>> WELL, I THINK INITIALLY,
THERE'S A LOT OF COMMON GROUND,
RIGHT?
WE'VE GOT -- WE'VE GOT THREE
SOURCES AND CERTAINLY WE NEED TO
PUT THOSE RESOURCES INTO THE
SCHOOLS AND FLOW THAT MONEY
THROUGH OUR SCHOOLS TO HELP WITH
MENTAL HEALTH, CREDIT RECOVERY
STAFFING, AND MORE.
YOU KNOW, THE STATE LEGISLATURE
NEEDS TO FUND OUR PUBLIC
SCHOOLS.
I MEAN, THAT'S TRULY REALLY THE
BASIS OF OUR FUNDING, IS THE
EQUALIZATION AID.
AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL MONEY,
YOU KNOW, FROM THE FEDERAL
MONEY, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT SHOULD
BE HELPING US COME OUT OF THIS
PANDEMIC PIECE.
BUT WE STILL NEED TO OPERATE.
SO I GUESS MY HOPE IS THAT WE
CAN WORK TOGETHER, YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY,
IT'S NOT ABOUT ROBIN VOSS AND
IT'S NOT ABOUT ME.
IT'S ABOUT FUNDING OR EXCUSE --
OUR SCHOOLS AND CERTAINLY IT'S
ABOUT THE KIDS AND THE FUTURE OF
THE STATE.
SO MY DESIRE IS TO WORK TOGETHER
TO SET UP ALL OUR KIDS FOR
SUCCESS.
>> WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES?
STARTING DAY ONE?
>> WELL, I MEAN, OPENING AND
MAKING SURE OUR SCHOOLS ARE
OPEN.
THAT'S NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
RIGHT?
BUT YOU KNOW, ASSUMING THAT WE
GET THROUGH THAT, GETTING OUR
KIDS CAUGHT UP IS CERTAINLY THE
OTHER PIECE OF THAT.
HIGH-QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION, ADEQUATE AND FAIR
FUNDING FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
MENTAL HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL
WELLNESS SUPPORT.
TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION.
AND DISRESULTING THOSE
SYSTEMS -- DISRUPTING THOSE
SYSTEMS OF INEQUITY THAT I'VE
BEEN TALKING ABOUT, THAT
CERTAINLY PLAGUING OUR PUBLIC
SCHOOL SYSTEMS.
>> AS TO THE MORE THAN
$2 BILLION IN FELD COVID RELIEVE
FUNDING THAT YOU -- RELIEF
FUNDING THAT YOU SPOKE OF, CAN
OR SHOULD THAT BE USED TO
REPLACE STATE FUNDING IN THE
BUDGET?
>> IT SHOULD NOT BE USED TO
REPLACE STATE FUNDING IN THE
BUDGET.
THE REASON FOR THAT FUND NAME,
IT'S -- FEDERAL FUNDING IS A
ONE-TIME THING.
AND THE INTENTION IS TO HELP
WITH INFRASTRUCTURE AND TO HELP
GETTING OUR SCHOOLS OPEN AND
STAYING OPEN, AS WELL AS
PROVIDING THE RESOURCES THAT OUR
KIDS NEED TO RECOVER FROM THE
PANDEMIC.
SUCH AS MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT,
FOR EXAMPLE.
THE LEGISLATURE AND THE -- IN
THE STATE OF WISCONSIN STILL
NEEDS TO MAKE GOOD ON ITS
PROMISE OF FUNDING OUR PUB
SCHOOLS FEDERAL MONEY ASIDE.
>> SO HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING WITH
OR TALKING WITH GOVERNOR EVERS
AROUND THESE ISSUES?
>> I HAVE NOT SPOKEN RECENTLY
ABOUT THE BUDGET, FOR EXAMPLE.
BUT HE KNOWS AND I -- WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT I'M
VERY SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT HE'S
RECOMMENDING IN HIS BUDGET, SUCH
AS HIGHER REIMBURSEMENT FOR
SPECIAL EDUCATION, POVERTY AID,
AS WELL AS THE BROADBAND, THE
TECHNOLOGY WIRELESS ACCESS AND
AFFORDABILITY, TOO.
SO WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
>> I KNOW YOU SAID YOU WANT TO
WORK WITH THE REPUBLICAN
LEGISLATURE.
AROUND THESE ISSUES.
BUT WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO
THEM, THE REPUBLICAN BUDGET
WRITERS IN PARTICULAR, AS THEY
CONSIDER THE SCHOOL FUNDING
PACKAGE?
>> YEAH.
YOU KNOW, I THINK AT THE END OF
THE DAY, IT'S JUST ABOUT OUR
KIDS.
HONESTLY.
AND IT'S ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR
STATE HERE THIS WISCONSIN.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE FUNDING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ADEQUATELY SO THAT WE CAN NO
LONGER HAVE THESE INEQUITIES.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF GAPS.
WE TALK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES.
WE TALK ABOUT ACHIEVEMENT.
BUT REALLY, IN ORDER TO GET
THROUGH ALL THAT, WE CERTAINLY
NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
FUNDING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND RIGHT NOW AS WE'RE COMING
OUT OF A PANDEMIC AND OUT OF THE
HARDEST YEAR OF OUR LIVES, WE
HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE KIDS AND
THE SITUATION, TOO.
AND THE KIDS DESERVE AT
QUADLY -- ADEQUATELY FUNDED
SCHOOLS.
>> JILL UNDERLY, THANKS VERY
MUCH.
>> YOU BET.
THANK YOU.
>>> HAS OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT.
FOR CONTINUED COVERAGE ON THE
TOPICS WE'VE PRESENTED TONIGHT,
GO TO PBSWISCONSIN PEOPLE
ORGANIZE -- PBSWISCONSIN.ORG.
HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.