>> A PBS WISCONSIN ORIGINAL
PRODUCTION.
THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS PART OF
OUR "HERE AND NOW" 2020 ELECTION
COVERAGE.
>> I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
TONIGHT ON "HERE AND NOW,"
WISCONSIN U.S. SENATORS ON THE
IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.
THE STATUS AND PLANS FOR
CORONAVIRUS IN WISCONSIN.
WISCONSIN'S CHIEF MEDICAL
OFFICER IS HERE.
AND AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE FORM
DAMAGE IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN
THAT HAS THE GOVERNOR CALLING
FOR FEDERAL HELP.
IT'S "HERE AND NOW" FOR
JANUARY 31.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND PBS WISCONSIN.
>> THE VOTE IN THE U.S. SENATE
TO REJECT ADDITIONAL WITNESSES
IN THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL OF WITH
THE DONALD TRUMP MOVES THE
PROCESS TO THE NEXT STEP, A VOTE
ON THE VERDICT.
THAT VOTE, WHETHER TO ACQUIT OR
REMOVE THE PRESIDENT, IS
SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK
FOLLOWING CLOSING ARGUMENTS.
FOLLOWING THE 41-59 VOTE,
WISCONSIN U.S. SENATORS SPOKE TO
TODAY'S ACTION.
TAMMY BALDWIN SHAREDTH IN A
TWEET EARLIER THIS EVENING.
", EVERY SENATE IMPEACHMENT
TRIAL IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY
AND INCLUDED WITNESSES.
I VOTED FOR TESTIMONY FROM
RELEVANT WITNESSES WITH DIRECT
EVIDENCE ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S
CONDUCT.
SENATE REPUBLICANS VOTED TO KEEP
IT A SECRET."
RON JOHNSON SAID, QUOTE,
CONTRARY TO THE WARNINGS OF
PELOSI, SCHUMER AND NADLER, THE
HOUSE PROVIDED A TOTALLY
PARTISAN IMPEACHMENT, RUSHED,
VIOLATING DUE PROCESS AND
LACKING ANY IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE.
NOW HOUSE DEMOCRATS ARE
DEMANDING THE SENATE DO THEIR
INVESTIGATORY WORK FOR THEM.
CAVING TO THEIR DEMANDS WOULD
HAVE SET A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT
AND ALTERED THE CONSTITUTIONAL
ORDER, THEREBY WEAPONING
IMPEACHMENT AND ENCOURAGING MORE
OF THEM.
THAT IS WHY I VOTED NO ON THE
QUESTION OF CALLING WITNESSES.
>> NOW TO THE RAPIDLY-DEVELOPING
NEWS ON THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS.
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT DECLARED A
PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY AND
IMPOSED QUARANTINES FOR
AMERICANS RETURNING FROM THE
EPICENTER OF THE OUTBREAK.
IN WISCONSIN, OF THE NINE PEOPLE
WHYUNDER INVESTIGATION, TWO TEST
RESULTS HAVE COME BACK NEGATIVE
AND SEVEN ARE STILL PENDING.
IN A MOMENT, WE WILL FIND OUT
MORE ABOUT THE STATUS IN
WISCONSIN.
BUT FIRST, WE HEAR FROM EXPERT
PANELISTS ASSEMBLED AT THE UW
HOSPITAL IN MADISON THIS WEEK
WHO DESCRIBE SYMPTOMS AND
TREATMENT.
>> WE SEE COUGHING, FEVERS,
INITIAL SYMPTOMS.
THEN IT CAN DEVELOP INTO A VERY
SEVERE LUNG DISEASE, WITH
DIFFICULTY BREATHING AND THEN
PEOPLE OFTEN NEED TO BE
HOSPITALIZED AND GO ONTO
CRITICAL CARE AT THAT POINT IN
TIME.
THE VIRUSES ARE USUALLY
TRANSMITTED THROUGH COUGHING, AT
LEAST SARS AND MERS WE KNOW ARE
VIA COUGHING.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT DEEP LUNG
INFECTION.
SO IT'S REALLY COUGHS THAT ARE
TRANSMITTING THE VIRUS.
>> THERE IS NO SPECIFIC
TREATMENT, AS YOU KNOW, FOR THIS
NOVEL CORONAVIRUS, BUT THERE IS
A LOT OF SUPPORTIVE CARE THAT IS
AVAILABLE AND PATIENTS THAT HAVE
SYMPTOMS THAT NEED THAT CARE, WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE
CAPACITY AND MANPOWER TO
ACCOMMODATE THAT.
>> DR. RYAN WESTERGAARD IS
EPIDEMIOLOGIST FOR THE WISCONSIN
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES
AND IS COORDINATING THE RESPONSE
TO THE CORONAVIRUS IN WISCONSIN.
HE JOINS US NOW AND THANKS VERY
MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
ALONG WITH THE U.S., THE WORLD
HEALTH ORGANIZATION HAS DECLARED
A VIRUS A GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY.
WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF
THAT HERE IN WISCONSIN?
>> WELL, IN THE ERA OF GLOBAL
TRAVEL, THE IMPLICATIONS ARE
THAT NEW CASES OF THE NOVEL
CORONAVIRUS COULD ARISE ANYWHERE
WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN IN
CONTACT WITH EITHER EXISTING
CASES OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE
TRAVELED TO THE EPICENTER IN
MAINMAINLAND CHINA.
SO FAR IN WISCONSIN, WE'VE HAD
NO CASES.
WE'RE REMAINING VIGILANT AND ARE
PREPARED THAT WE MIGHT DEVELOP
CASES.
THERE ARE PEOPLE UNDER
INVESTIGATION.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE
PREPAREDNESS STAGE.
WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
PREPARE FOR THE EVENTUALITY THAT
WE MAY HAVE CASES.
>> AS YOU SAID, THERE ARE NINE
PEOPLE UNDER INVESTIGATION HERE
FOR THIS.
WHAT PUTS THEM IN THAT CATEGORY,
THAT THEY ARE UNDER
INVESTIGATION?
>> THERE ARE CRITERIA FOR PEOPLE
FOR WHOM WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
TO GET TESTING.
AND THE CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW IS
THAT THERE'S ONLY ONE LABORATORY
IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE THE
TESTING IS BEING DONE AND THAT'S
AT THE CDC IN ATLANTA.
SO IN ORDER TO HAVE A SYSTEMATIC
APPROACH TO GET PEOPLE TESTED,
THERE ARE CRITERIA FOR WHO MEETS
THE CONDITIONS THAT MAKES THE
TESTING INDICATED.
RIGHT NOW IT'S TRAVEL TO CHINA
PLUS SYMPTOMS SUGGESTIVE OF
CORONAVIRUS INFECTION.
WE HAVE HE HAD A TOTAL OF NINE.
TWO HAVE BEEN RULED OUT.
>> THESE TEST RESULTS ARE STILL
PENDING AND THERE'S JUST THIS
ONE LAB A CDC THAT IS
CURRENTLY DOING THOSE TESTS.
WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG?
IS THAT WHY?
BECAUSE THEY'RE KIND OF OVERRUN
WITH SPECIMENS TO TEST?
>> YES.
WE DO HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF
CASES.
IT'S ALWAYS A BRAND NEW TEST
BECAUSE IT'S A BRAND NEW VIRUS.
SO BEFORE THE DESCRIPTION AND
THE GENETIC SEQUENCING OF THE
VIRUS, THERE WAS NO WAY TEST
FOR THIS PARTICULAR VIRUS.
SO THERE'S -- I'M CERTAIN
THEY'RE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK
AND THEY ARE PREPARING AND
THEY'RE MANUFACTURING TEST KITS
TO DISSEMINATE TO OTHER
LABORATORIES AROUND THE COUNTRY
THAT CAN STREAMLINE THE PROCESS.
BUT THAT TAKES SOME TIME BECAUSE
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE TEST WORKS IN A
RELIABLE FASHION.
SO THERE'S IN ADDITION TO
MANUFACTURING THE TEST, THEY
HAVE TO DO THE VALIDATION.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE
GIVE PEOPLE INFORMATION, THAT
IT'S RELIABLE.
>> IT'S REPORTED THAT SIX
STUDENTS AT UW-PLATTEVILLE WHO
WERE RECENTLY IN WUHAN, CHINA
ARE BEING MONITORED BY THE CDC
AND THAT ANOTHER STUDENT IN
WAUWATOSA IS BEING ISOLATED.
WHAT ABOUT OTHER CAMPUSES ACROSS
THE STATE?
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?
>> WELL, WE AT THE STATE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT DON'T SPEAK ABOUT
INDIVIDUAL CASES OR COMMUNITIES,
PARTICULARLY IN THIS CURRENT
SITUATION WHERE WE DON'T HAVE
ACTIVE CASES.
SO WE DON'T HAVE A KNOWN THREAT
OF PERSON TO PERSON-TO-PERSON
TRANSMISSION.
WE SPEAK IN GENERAL TERMS TO
MAKE SURE EVERYONE GETS THE
MESSAGE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE
RETURNING FROM AREAS AND HAVE
HAD CONTACT KNOW HOW TO MONITOR
THEMSELVES FOR SYMPTOMS.
ON OUR WEBSITE WE ARE LINKED TO
WHAT ARE THE BEST PRACTICES FOR
MONITORING IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE
AFFECTED AREA IN TERMS OF WHAT
SYMPTOMS TO LOOK FOR AND WE'RE
TRYING TO HAVE THAT BE THE
STANDARD MESSAGE THAT WE SHARE
WITH ALL PARTNERS.
>> SHOULD THERE BE POSITIVE
CASES IN WISCONSIN OR THIS
DEVELOPS IN THAT KIND OF
DIRECTION, DO YOU EXPECT THAT
WISCONSIN WILL THEN ALSO COMPLY
WITH THESE QUARANTINE
REQUIREMENTS?
>> WELL, THOSE EFFORTS TO
CONTAIN AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE
ONCE IT'S BEEN DETECTED ARE DONE
ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.
QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION ARE
USED TO MAKE SURE SUSCEPTIBLE
PEOPLE DON'T COME IN CLOSE
CONTACT WITH PEOPLE THAT CAN
TRANSMIT THE VIRUS.
THERE ISN'T A BLANKET POLICY OF
HOW THIS WILL GO.
WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS USE THE
BEST INFORMATION WE HAVE AND IN
A VERY COLLABORATIVE PROCESS
WITH LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS
WHICH IN WISCONSINS WOULD HAVE
THE AUTHORITY TO DO THINGS LIKE
QUARANTINE ORDERS AND IN
COLLABORATION ON NATIONAL
ADVISORS AT THE C DC TO MAKE THE
RIGHT CALL IN A WAY THAT
PROTECTS PUBLIC HEALTH BUT ALSO
RESPECTS PRIVACY AND
CONFIDENTIALITY AT THE SAME
TIME.
>> WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT
HOW THIS VIRUS IS TRANSMITTED?
>> THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION
BECAUSE ALTHOUGH IT'S A NOVEL
VIRUS, IT'S IN THE FAMILY OF
VIRUSES CALLED RESPIRATORY
VIRUSES.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF
RESPIRATORY VIRUS SEASON AND THE
BIGGEST THREAT TO HEALTH IN
INFLUENZA.
BY AND LARGE THE MECHANISMS OF
TRANSMITTING CORONAVIRUS AND
INFLUENZA VIRUS AND OTHER THINGS
IN THAT SAME FAMILY OF VIRUSES
ARE SIMILAR.
IT'S RESPIRATORY DROPLETS,
SNEEZING OR COUGHING, SO
DROPLETS CAN COME IN CONTACT
WITH SOMEONE'S NOSE OR MOUTH OR
EYES.
HANDWASHING IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE
VIRUS CAN LIVE FOR A LIMITED
AMOUNT OF TIME ON A SURFACE.
SO REALLY IN THAT REGARD, THIS
IS NOT NEW TERRITORY.
WE KNOW A LOT OF THINGS ALREADY
ABOUT HOW TO PREVENT THE SPREAD
OF RESPIRATORY VIRUSES THAT
PEOPLE SHOULD BE DOING ALL THE
TIME.
>> YOU WERE SAYING IN GERMANY,
THOUGH, THERE'S THINGS ABOUT
THIS VIRUS.
IT'S NOVEL.
IT'S NEW.
THAT KIND OF HAVE PEOPLE P LIKE
YOURSELF WONDERING WHAT'S AROUND
THE NEXT CORNER.
>> THE THING THAT'S NOVEL OR
UNUSUAL OR UNIQUE ABOUT THE
SITUATION IS BECAUSE IT'S BRAND
NEW, WE'RE AT A POSITION WHERE
WE CAN ACTUALLY DO THINGS TO
PREVENT FROM HAVING AN EPIDEMIC
OF SUSTAINED PERSON-TO-PERSON
TRANSMISSION.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE PUTTING ENERGY
INTO THE RESPONSE AND THE
CONTAINMENT, BECAUSE INFLUENZA
AND OTHER VIRUSES, THEY'RE
ALREADY HERE.
WE CAN GIVE GENERAL
RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT WE KNOW
INFLUENZA IS GOING TO CONTINUE
TO CIRCULATE.
BY DOING PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE
INFECTION CONTROL THINGS WE'VE
SAID, WE HAVE A POSSIBILITY OF
PREVENTING A LARGE OUTBREAK.
>> WHAT DID YOU SAY HAPPENED IN
GERMANY THAT WAS UNUSUAL?
>> I WOULDN'T SAY IT WAS
UNUSUAL, BUT TODAY THERE WAS A
CASE REPORTED IN THE NEW ENGLAND
JOURNAL OF MEDICINE THAT THERE
WERE CASES OF INDIVIDUALS
CONTRACTING THE VIRUS FROM A
PERSON WHO WASN'T OBVIOUSLY
SICK.
THEY HAD A CHART WHICH SHOWED
THIS IS A DATE AT WHICH A PERSON
DEVELOPED SYMPTOMS.
THIS WAS THE DATE IN WHICH
PEOPLE THINK YOU HAD CONTACT
WITH WERE IN CONTACT WITH HIM
HAD.
IT WAS THE FIRST STRONG EVIDENCE
THAT SOMEONE COULD SPREAD THE
VIRUS BEFORE THEY HAD OVERT
SYMPTOMS.
WE KNOW THAT THAT'S ALSO TRUE
FOR INFLUENZA AND THE COMMON
COLD.
IT HADN'T BEEN DOCUMENTED IN A
SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATION BEFORE
TODAY.
SO IT WAS A NOTABLE DEVELOPMENT
IN THIS CURRENT EPIDEMIC, BUT
NOT SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM
OTHER RESPIRATORY VIE VIRUSES.
>> YOU SAID ANXIETY MANAGEMENT
IS KEY.
WHAT DO YOU SAY PEOPLE WHO
ARE OVERLY ANXIOUS ABOUT THIS?
>> I USE THE TERM ANXIETY
MANAGEMENT, BECAUSE IN SOME WAY
THAT DISCOMFORT WITH THE FACT
THAT THERE'S A NOVEL INFECTION
OUT THERE IS NOT MISPLACED.
IT CAN BE CONCERNING THAT
THERE'S NEW VIRUSES WE CAN COME
IN CONTACT WITH.
I THINK WE WANT THAT ANXIETY OR
INFECTION OR CONCERN TO BE USED
PRODUCTIVELY, WHICH IS
ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT THERE ARE
THINGS WE CAN DO, HAND HYGIENE
AND RESPIRATORY HYGIENE AND
STAYING HOME FROM WORK WHEN
YOU'RE SICK.
SO PAYING EXTRA ATTENTION OR
HAVING A NEW VIRUS IN THE PUBLIC
CONSCIOUSNESS CAN HAVE BENEFITS
BECAUSE THE MESSAGE IS THERE'S
THINGS WE ALREADY KNOW TO
PREVENT THE SPREAD OF VIRUSES
AND THIS IS A VIRUS MANY MANY
THAT WE KNOW HOW TO PREVENT THE
SPREAD OF.
>> WE SEE PEOPLE EVEN HERE
WEARING MASKS.
IS THAT SOMETHING DOCTORS
RECOMMEND?
>> THAT'S ALSO A GOOD QUESTION.
RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO GENERAL
RECOMMENDATION THAT PEOPLE
SHOULD WEAR MASKS OUT IN PUBLIC.
THE ROLE OF MASKS IN HEALTH CARE
IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE
SOMEONE PROVIDING CARE TO
SOMEONE WHO IS KNOWN TO HAVE AN
INFECTION, THEY'RE AT RISK.
RESPIRATORY VIRUSES LIKE THIS
ONE, THE STANDARD RECOMMENDATION
IS IF YOU'RE WITHIN THREE HE TO
SIX FEET OR WITHIN LITERALLY
SPITTING DISTANCE OF SOMEONE,
THAT'S THE HIGHEST RISK WHERE A
RESPIRATORY DROPLET COULD
SPREAD.
ANYTIME PEOPLE ARE IN THAT
PROXIMITY TO EACH OTHER WE WEAR
MASKS.
IF WE'RE AT HOME CARING FOR A
RELATIVE WHO HAS A RESPIRATORY
INFECTION, A MASK CAN REDUCE THE
RISK THAT DROPLETS WILL BE
EXPOSED TO A PERSON AS WELL.
AT THIS TIME THERE'S NO
RECOMMENDATION THAT WE DO THIS
WHEN WE'RE OUT IN THE PUBLIC.
>> SO OVERALL WHAT IS YOUR
MESSAGE TO PEOPLE IN WISCONSIN
AROUND THIS?
>> MY MESSAGE IS LET'S TAKE CARE
OF EACH OTHER AND THAT INVOLVES
OPEN COMMUNICATION, TRUSTING
HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND PUBLIC
HEALTH PROVIDERS TO KEEP
INFORMATION UP-TO-DATE AND WASH
YOUR HANDS AND PRACTICE GOOD
RESPIRATORY HYGIENE.
AND I THINK WE DO THESE THINGS
THAT WE ALREADY KNOW HOW TO DO.
THE RISK OF A LARGE EPIDEMIC OF
A NEW RESPIRATORY VIRUS IS NOT A
HIGH RISK, AND A COLLATERAL
BENEFIT MIGHT BE THAT WE CAN
REDUCE FLU AND COLDS AS WELL IF
WE MAY ATTENTION TO THESE
THINGS.
>> PEOPLE ARE SAYING THE RISK IS
LOW WHEN YOU COMPARE IT IN
CONTEXT WITH THE RISK OF THE
SEASONAL INFLUENZA AGAIN.
>> THAT'S TRUE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
DOCTOR, THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> HAPPY TO BE HERE.
>> GOOD LUCK.
>> IN THE MIDST OF THE
IMPEACHMENT TRIAL IN WASHINGTON,
VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE CAME
TO THE WISCONSIN STATE CAPITOL
ON TUESDAY TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL
SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK IN THE STATE,
WHERE THE SCHOOL CHOICE MOVEMENT
BEGAN.
MARISA WOJCIK HAS THE STORY.
>> I'M HERE IN WISCONSIN BECAUSE
THIS IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN.
30 YEARS AGO, GOVERNOR TOMMY
THOMPSON MADE HISTORY WHEN HE
CREATED THE FIRST SCHOOL CHOICE
PROGRAM IN AMERICA.
>> REPUBLICAN VICE PRESIDENT
MIKE PENCE AND U.S. EDUCATION
SECRETARY BETSY DEVOS BROUGHT
MESSAGES ABOUT SCHOOL CHOICE TO
THE WISCONSIN STATEHOUSE
TUESDAY.
>> WE HAVE A PRESIDENT AND A
VICE PRESIDENT WHO ARE CHAMPIONS
FOR STUDENTS, FOR PARENTS, FOR
EDUCATION FREEDOM.
>> THE EVENT, CONSIDERED TO BE
THE FIRST EVER IN THE CAPITOL
FOR A SITTING VICE PRESIDENT,
WAS AN OFFICIAL VISIT AND
PROMOTED A NEW EDUCATION PLAN
FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
>> AND AS WE SPEAK, THE
PRESIDENT AND I ARE NOW WORKING
WITH THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION
AND MANY OF THE GREAT CHAMPIONS
HERE TO CREATE A NEW PROGRAM TO
PROVIDE MORE THAN $5 BILLION IN
SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAMS ACROSS
AMERICA.
>> BUT WISCONSIN DEMOCRATS ARE
TRYING TO UNDO SCHOOL CHOICE IN
WISCONSIN.
STARTING WITH GOVERNOR TONY
EVERS' FAILED ATTEMPT TO PHASE
OUT VOUCHER PROGRAMS IN HIS
FIRST BUDGET.
>> I LEARNED ON THE WAY HERE
THAT THERE'S A BILL BEING
INTRODUCED IN THE WISCONSIN
LEGISLATURE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY
PHASE OUT SCHOOL CHOICE IN THIS
STATE.
>> STATE REPRESENTATIVE JONATHAN
BROSTOFF, A MILWAUKEE DEMOCRAT,
ANNOUNCED HIS PLAN IMMEDIATELY
FOLLOWING THE SPEECH FROM THE
VICE PRESIDENT.
>> WE WANT TO LINE OUR
CLASSROOMS WITH QUALIFIED
TEACHERS.
THEY WANT TO LINE THEIR POCKETS
WITH PUBLIC DOLLARS.
>> THERE ARE 317 VOUCHER
PROGRAMS IN THE STATE, PRIMARILY
FOR RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS.
LAST YEAR THEY RECEIVED $351
MILLION IN STATE FUNDING.
THE WISCONSIN BUDGET PROJECT
SAYS THAT SINCE 2012 THE TOTAL
COST OF REDIRECTED STATE AID
FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO VOUCHER
SCHOOLS HAS RISEN 68%.
EVEN SO, THE PROJECT SAYS $351
MILLION REPRESENTS A RELATIVELY
SMALL SHARE OF OVERALL STATE AID
FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
>> ALLOW ME TO BRING GREETINGS
FROM ANOTHER FRIEND OF MINE.
>> EVEN THOUGH VICE PRESIDENT
MIKE PENCE WAS VISITING UNDER
OFFICIAL DUTIES, IT WAS CLEAR
THAT POLICY AND POLITICS WERE
CLOSELY INTERTWINED.
>> I'M HERE TO TELL YOU
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP STANDS
FOR SCHOOL CHOICE.
>> AFTER A DONALD TRUMP CAMPAIGN
RALLY IN MILWAUKEE TWO WEEKS
AGO, IT'S CLEAR WISCONSIN WILL
MAINTAIN THE BATTLE GROUND
SPOTLIGHT.
FOR "HERE AND NOW," I'M MARISA
WOJCIK.
>> ACCORDING TO THE WISCONSIN
BUDGET PROJECT, DESPITE RECENT
INCREASES, WISCONSIN'S PUBLIC
K-12 SCHOOL DISTRICTS STILL
RECEIVE LESS IN STATE AID THAN A
DECADE AGO BECAUSE OF TAX CUTS
AND DIVERSION OF FUNDING GOING
TO PRIVATE AND INDEPENDENT
CHARTER SCHOOLS.
>> WISCONSIN IS PUTTING IN FOR A
FEMA DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OF LAKE
MICHIGAN SHORELINE DAMAGE IN THE
SOUTHEAST PART OF THE STATE.
IN TONIGHT'S INSIDE LOOK, WHY
GOVERNOR EVERS WANTS AN OFFICIAL
TALLY OF DAMAGE FROM MILWAUKEE,
RACINE AND KENOSHA COUNTIES.
THEY HAVE A COMBINED ESTIMATE OF
$30 MILLION IN DAMAGE THAT
OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF WINTER
STORMS AND LAKESHORE FLOODING
EARLIER THIS MONTH.
THE FEMA ASSESSMENT IS THE FIRST
STEP TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE
STATE WILL REQUEST A FEDERAL
DISASTER DECLARATION.
TONIGHT WE CHECK IN WITH THE
RACINE COUNTY EMERGENCY
COORDINATOR DAVID MAACK AND
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> DESCRIBE WHAT THE DAMAGE IS
IN YOUR COUNTY, IN RACINE
COUNTY, BECAUSE OF THOSE STORMS.
>> WE SAW A LOT OF DAMAGE ALONG
THE SHORELINE.
WE HAD A 2.5 MILE STRETCH ALL
THE WAY UP TO THE WIND POINT
LIGHTHOUSE THAT SUSTAINED DAMAGE
TO PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHAT I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT
MOST OF THIS ISN'T EROSION OR
BLUFF TYPE ISSUES, ALTHOUGH WE
DID HAVE ONE SLOPE OVER BY THE
ZOO BEACH WHERE WE HAVE A BIKE
PATH THAT A GOOD PORTION OF IT
FELL AWAY.
A LOT OF IT HAD TO DO
STORMWATER OUTFALLS, WITH ROCKS
ALONG THE SHORELINE, CLEAN-UP OF
DEBRIS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT FOR US, WE'RE LOOKING AT
PROBABLY OVER $6 MILLION WORTH
OF DAMAGES THAT NEED TO BE
REPAIRED.
AND THAT'S JUST RESTORATION,
RESTORING THINGS BACK TO THE WAY
THEY WERE.
THAT'S NOT INCLUDING ANY
IMPROVEMENTS OR MITIGATION
EFFORTS.
>> ALL RIGHT.
I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT IN
A MINUTE, BUT LAKE MICHIGAN
WATER LEVELS, I UNDERSTAND, ARE
REPORTED TO BE 37 INCHES HIGHER
THAN AVERAGE WATER LEVELS IN
JANUARY.
HOW DOES THAT COMBINE WITH THESE
KINDS OF WINTER STORMS LIKE THE
ONE EARLIER THIS MONTH THAT
CAUSED THAT DAMAGE?
>> YOU KNOW, I GUESS YOU COULD
CALL THIS THE PERFECT STORM.
THERE WERE 58-MILE-PER-HOUR
WINDS THAT WERE RECORDED IN THE
CITY OF RACINE.
YOU HAD THE HIGH, VERY HIGH,
LAKE LEVELS.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE SHORELINE
ICE THAT USUALLY HOLDS BACK THE
WAVES THIS TIME OF YEAR.
AND SO YOU JUST HAD A NUMBER OF
COMPOUNDING ISSUES.
BUT THOSE HIGH WINDS, COUPLED
WITH THE HIGH WATER LEVELS,
CAUSED A LOT OF DAMAGE ALONG THE
SHORELINE THERE.
>> THAT MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING
TO KIND OF BEHOLD IF YOU WERE
THERE ALONG THAT SHORELINE WHEN
THAT STORM CAME IN.
>> WE ENDED UP CLOSING DOWN
PERSHING DRIVE, BUT THERE WAS
SOME SOCIAL MEDIA PICTURES OUT
THIS THAT SHOWED WHAT THE WAVES
WERE DOING THAT DAY, AND THEY
WERE VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE TO
LOOK AT.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD
HAVE BEEN LIKE TO SEE THEM UP
FRONT AND CLOSE.
>> NOW, WE'VE DONE SOME
REPORTING ABOUT HOW FEMA FUNDS,
EVEN IF THEY DO COME, REQUIRE
REBUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE TO
CURRENT SPECS, NOT MAKING THEM
MORE RESILIENT TO RISING WATER
OR SUSTAINED STORM EVENTS.
FIRST OF ALL, IS THAT ACCURATE?
AND, IF SO, WHAT ABOUT THAT?
>> WELL, WE DO HAVE A HAZARD
MITIGATION PLAN, AND THERE ARE,
AFTER ANY DISASTER, THERE HAS
MITIGATION FUNDS THAT BECOME
AVAILABLE THAT MUNICIPALITIES
CAN APPLY FOR, SO THEY CAN LOOK
AT MITIGATION PROJECTS AT THAT
TIME.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS
TYPE OF ASSISTANCE, THE KEY IS
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PAY YOU
MORE THAN WHAT SOMETHING'S
WORTH.
IT'S AN EQUITY ISSUE.
AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO PAY YOU
TO RESTORE SOMETHING, NOT TO
IMPROVE IT.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO GIVEN
YOU WHAT IT'S WORTH.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE SAME THING
WITH INSURANCE.
YOU HAVE A CAR AND YOU'RE IN AN
ACCIDENT, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO
GIVE YOU MORE THAN WHAT THE CAR
IS WORTH.
>> BUT IS IT YOUR SENSE THAT
THESE KINDS OF PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE INSTALLATIONS
NEED SOMETHING MORE GOING
FORWARD BECAUSE OF CLIMATE
CHANGE?
>> WELL, I'M NOT AN ENGINEER,
AND I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT
SPECIFICALLY WHAT THE CITY HAS
IN PLACE RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S A QUESTION THAT REALLY
THE CITY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
AND THEIR ENGINEERS HAVE TO
ANSWER.
YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO TAKE
ENGINEERING STUDIES TO DETERMINE
WHETHER OR NOT WHAT THEY HAVE
ALONG THE SHORELINE IS ADEQUATE
FOR THIS OR IF IT NEEDS TO BE
REINFORCED.
AND SO I'M REALLY NOT IN A
POSITION WHERE I COULD GIVE YOU
A DEFINITIVE ANSWER.
YOU KNOW, I'LL ONLY SAY THAT I
UNDERSTAND WHERE FEMA WANTS TO
PAY TO RESTORE SOMETHING, AND
IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE
OVERSEEN A DECLARATION LIKE
THIS, SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE
CURRENT RULES ARE, BUT YOU WOULD
THINK IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO PAY
THE COST TO RESTORE, BUT ALLOW A
MUNICIPALITY IF THEY WANT TO
SPEND THE EXTRA DOLLARS TO MAKE
THE IMPROVEMENTS.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S ALLOWED
OR NOT AND THAT'S QUESTIONS THAT
WE'LL FIND OUT IF WE REACH THE
NEXT STEP.
>> NOW, GIVEN THE HIGH WATER
LEVELS OF THE LAKE AND THE
EROSION ALONG THE SHORELINE,
WE'RE WONDERING ABOUT PRIVATE
PROPERTY, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
THIS DAMAGE ASSESSMENT IS FOR
PUBLIC PROPERTY.
BUT WE'VE ALL SEEN THESE IMAGES
OF THESE LAKEFRONT HOMES EITHER
KIND OF TEETERING AT ERODED
EDGES OR FALLING TO THE SHORE.
IS THAT AN ISSUE IN YOUR COUNTY?
>> IT IS AN ISSUE IN OUR COUNTY,
AND THE MUNICIPALITIES AND THE
COUNTIES HAVE BEEN WORKING ON
THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE.
THE STATE'S BEEN INVOLVED.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S BEEN
INVOLVED IN IT.
IT'S NOT THE SCOPE OF THIS
EMERGENCY DECLARATION.
THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE.
AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC
SECTOR DAMAGE, PRIVATE SECTOR
DAMAGE, THE CRITERIA THAT FEMA
HAS HAS TO BE MET AND FROM THIS
PARTICULAR STORM THE CRITERIA
WASN'T THERE TO ASK FOR
INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE FOR
HOMEOWNERS.
>> IF RACINE COUNTY DOES NOT IN
FACT GET THIS FEMA ASSISTANCE,
CAN THE COUNTY AFFORD TO FIX
THIS DAMAGE WITHOUT FEDERAL AID?
>> WELL, IT'S THE MUNICIPALITIES
THAT WERE IMPACTED ON IT.
WHEN WE DID THE DAMAGE
ASSESSMENT, AT THIS TIME THE
COUNTY ITSELF HAS NOT INCURRED
ANY EXPENSES.
IT WAS THE CITY OF RACINE AND
THE VILLAGE OF WIND POINT.
AND SO THERE IS A SECONDARY
PROGRAM OUT THERE.
IT'S CALLED THE WISCONSIN
DISASTER FUND.
AND IF WE DON'T GET THE
PRESIDENTIAL DISASTER
DECLARATION, THEY MAY BE
ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT UNDER
THE WISCONSIN DISASTER FUND.
IT'S NOT AS ROBUST AS A
PRESIDENTIAL DISASTER
DECLARATION, WON'T COVER ALL THE
COSTS, BUT AT LEAST IT WOULD
OFFER SOME RELIEF.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WELL, DAVID MAACK, THANKS VERY
MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THIS WEEK, THE U.S. POSTAL
SERVICE ANNOUNCED THAT THE LATE
JOURNALIST GWEN IFILL WILL BE ON
A NEWLY-RELEASED FOREVER STAFF.
EYE FELLSHE IS REMEMBERED FOR BLAZING
TRAILS.
HER FOREVER STAMP IS PART OF AN
ONGOING BLACK HERITAGE STAMP
SERIES.
SHE WAS A MODERATOR OF THE PBS
PROGRAM "WASHINGTON WEEK.
" SHE PASSED AWAY AT 61 YEARS
OLD IN 2016 AFTER BATTLING
CANCER.
POSTAL OFFICIALS SAID SHE WAS
TRULY A NATIONAL TREASURE AND SO
RICHLY DESERVING OF THE ESTEEMED
HONOR.
>> AND THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR
TONIGHT.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.
>> FOR MORE "HERE AND NOW" 2020
ELECTION COVERAGE, GO TO PBS
WISCONSIN AND CLICK ON NEWS.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND FRIE