WISCONSIN ELECTIONS COMMISSION
REPLACING DEAN KNUDSEN.
NOW WE TURN TO A REPORTING
PROJECT FUNDED IN PART BY THE
OTTO BREMER TRUST WHERE WE'VE
BEEN WORKING TO EXAMINE A MIX
OF RURAL ISSUES.
AS PART OF THIS PROJECT WE HAVE
GOTTEN HELP FROM THE STUDENTS
FROM THE PBS NEWS HOUR STUDENT
REPORTING LAB AT BLACK RIVER
FALLS HIGH SCHOOL.
ONE OF THE ISSUES WE'RE
INVESTIGATING IS THE POPULATION
DECLINE IN WISCONSIN'S RURAL
COUNTIES.
LAST WEEK WE HEARD FROM FIVE
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DECIDING
WHETHER THEY WANTED TO STAY IN
RURAL WISCONSIN AFTER HIGH
SCHOOL.
TONIGHT WE HAVE THE STORY OF
YOUNG ADULTS WHO FACED A
SIMILAR CHOICE.
>> CRANBERRY VINE IS SUPER
RESILIENT.
>> JACKSON COUNTY IS CRANBERRY
COUNTRY AND JACK WAS BORN INTO
THE BUSINESS.
>> IT GOES BACK TO MY GREAT
GRANDPA.
EVER SINCE I WAS A KID I ALWAYS
WANTED TO OWN THE MARSH FOR
MYSELF AND RUN IT MYSELF AND DO
ALL THE THINGS THAT MY DAD GOT
TO DO.
I THOUGHT THEY WERE THE COOLEST
THINGS EVER.
>> GROWING UP OUT IN THE
COUNTRY IT TOOK A WHILE FOR
JACK TO REALIZE THE NEARBY CITY
OF BLACK RIVER FALLS WAS STILL
A SMALL TOWN.
>> I THOUGHT BLACK RIVER WAS A
BIG CITY.
EAU CLAIRE WAS GUY MOREOUS
ABOUT THE SIZE OF NEW YORK AND
WHOA.
>> HE MADE IT TO NEW YORK CITY
AND IMMEDIATELY MISSED THE
OPENNESS OF THE MARSH.
>> I WENT ON A NEW YORK TRIP IN
HIGH SCHOOL AND I ABSOLUTELY
HATED IT.
I THOUGHT THERE WERE WAY TOO
MANY PEOPLE AROUND.
>> JACK'S FIRST STOP AFTER HIGH
SCHOOL WAS TO MOVE TO APPLETON
TO ATTEND FOX VALLEY TECHNICAL
COLLEGE AND HE LIKES IT.
>> I REALLY LIKE THE APPLETON
AREA.
THERE IS ENOUGH PEOPLE TO GET
ENOUGH BUSINESSES WHERE YOU
DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL, YOU KNOW,
YOU WANT TO GO SHOPPING YOU
DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE 45 MINUTES
TO A MALL.
BUT EVERYONE GOES TO BED AROUND
9:00.
>> JACK HAS NO PLANS TO MOVE TO
THE CITY FULL-TIME.
HE IS LEARNING TO BE AN
ELECTRICIAN AS BOTH A BACKUP
CAREER AND A USEFUL SKILL ON
THE FARM.
>> IF THE MARSH GOES DOWN I
STILL HAVE SOMETHING.
ALSO ON THE MARSH WE DO A LOT
OF STUFF.
>> JACK SAYS A MEMORY FROM FIVE
YEARS AGO CEMENTED HIS FAITH IN
RURAL WISCONSIN.
ONE NOVEMBER MORNING HIS SCHOOL
BUS ROLLED OVER.
>> EVERYBODY WHO WAS ON THE
HIGHWAY STOPPED, PULLED OVER,
MADE SURE ALL THE KIDS WERE
OKAY.
DO YOU WANT TO GET IN OUR CARS
AND WARM UP?
IT WAS COLD.
I THINK THAT'S A BIG THING
ABOUT THAT YOU WON'T FIND IN A
BIG CITY.
THAT'S A BIG PART OF RURAL,
BLACK RIVER FALLS EVERYONE IS
LIKE LET'S HELP EACH OTHER.
>> I WAS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF
THE BUS AND IT FLIPPED TO THE
RIGHT SIDE.
WHEN I LIFTED UP MY HEAD I WAS
ON THE WINDOWS ON THE GROUND.
>> JENNA WAS ON THE BUS THAT
MORNING BUT THE CRASH MADE A
DIFFERENT IMPRESSION ON HER.
>> I WAS STILL CALM.
I DIDN'T CRY.
I JUST HEARD LIKE THE YOUNGER
CHILDREN WERE CRYING AND I
HELPED THEM GET OFF THE BUS.
>> SHE SAYS THE CRASH CHANGED
HER LIFE.
>> I REALIZED AFTER THAT I
REALLY LIKED HELPING PEOPLE.
>> SOON AFTER SHE STARTED
TAKING CLASSES TO BE AN
EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN
AND FOUND HERSELF WORKING FOR
THE BLACK RIVER FALLS FIRE
DEPARTMENT.
>> IT WAS EXCITING.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT CALL WILL
BE A BIG CALL.
I'M GOING TO TELL YOU GUYS THAT
YOU ARE DISPATCHED TO A PATIENT
WHO HAS OVERDOSED ON AN UNKNOWN
MEDICATION.
>> HAVE YOU EVER HAD THIS
HAPPEN TO YOU BEFORE?
>> FOR THE MOMENT SHE HAS AN
APARTMENT IN LA CROSSE WHILE
SHE ATTENDS WESTERN TECHNICAL
COLLEGE TO BECOME A PARAMEDIC.
CITY LIFE IS AN ADJUSTMENT
COMPARED TO GROWING UP IN THE
WOODS.
>> I LIKE RURAL WISCONSIN
BECAUSE I LIKE TO BE ABLE TO
HAVE MY WINDOWS OPEN AND NOT
FEEL LIKE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING IN.
LA CROSSE, I CLOSE THE BLINDS
AT NIGHT BUT HERE I LIKE HAVING
SPACE.
>> SHE SAYS EMERGENCY CALLS IN
HER HOMETOWN ACTUALLY FEEL
DIFFERENT.
>> I THINK IN A CITY IT'S MORE
FAST PACED.
EVERYONE IS TRYING TO MOVE
REALLY FAST AND I'M SURE IF YOU
HAVE CALLS BACKED UP YOU WILL
TRY TO MOVE THROUGH THINGS
FASTER BUT HERE WE CAN KIND OF
TAKE OUR TIME.
IT IS ALMOST MORE HOMEY IN A
WAY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO
EXPLAIN IT.
BUT JUST PEOPLE FEEL MORE
HEARTFELT.
>> DID YOU GRADUATE?
>> I LOVE BEING PART OF A SMALL
TOWN BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF
PEOPLE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW
ME.
>> KELLY IS ON A FIRST NAME
BASIS WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE IN
BLACK RIVER FALLS.
>> SHE HAS TWO LITTLE BOYS,
RIGHT SF HOW OLD ARE THEY NOW?
>> 10 MONTHS.
>> AS THE OWNER OF STUDIO 107
SHE GETS EVERYONE LOOKING THEIR
BEST.
>> I LIKE PEOPLE WALKING IN THE
DOOR AND HI CAROL, BYE, SUE,
HAVE A GOOD DAY.
>> AFTER HIGH SCHOOL SHE MOVED
TO EAU CLAIRE FOR COLLEGE BUT
SOON SWITCHED TO COST
MONTHTOLOGY SCHOOL TO GET BACK
HOME A COUPLE YEARS EARLIER.
>> I NEVER WANTED TO GO
ANYWHERE ELSE.
I WANTED TO GET MY EDUCATION
AND COME BACK HERE AND WORK AND
LIVE LIFE IN BLACK RIVER.
>> NOW SHE OWNS THE SALON WHERE
SHE STARTED AS A RECEPTIONIST.
IF SHE EVER THINKS BLACK RIVER
DOESN'T OFFER ENOUGH THE DRIVE
TO MINNEAPOLIS WILL CHANGE HER
MIND.
>> EVERY YEAR THAT I GO THERE,
I GET NERVOUS DRIVING.
SWEATY PALMS, GRIPPING THE
STEERING WHEEL HOPING THE SIX
LANES OF TRAFFIC YOU CAN HANDLE.
BUT I HAVE NO DESIRE TO MOVE TO
A BIG CITY.
>> SHE SAYS THE DRAW OF FAMILY
ALWAYS PULLED HER BACK TO BLACK
RIVER.
>> MY ROOTS ARE DEEP HERE.
>> ONCE IN A WHILE KELLY SEES
AN EMPTY STORE FRONT IN EAU
CLAIRE AND THINKS WHAT IF?
>> I THINK ABOUT THAT SOMETIMES
LIKE HOW MY LIFE MIGHT HAVE
BEEN DIFFERENTLY.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT WOULD
HAVE TAKEN ME, YOU KNOW, IF I
COULDN'T GET A JOB IN BLACK
RIVER RIGHT AWAY AND LIVING IN
EAU CLAIRE FOR FOUR YEARS MAYBE
I WOULD HAVE DECIDED I LIKED
EAU CLAIRE AND STAYED THERE.
I'M NOT SURE.
IT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED.
>> YOU DON'T WANT TO LIVE LIFE
SECOND GUESSING OR ALWAYS
SAYING WHAT IFS.
>> MAX HART ALMOST DIDN'T COME
BACK HOME.
>> MY DAD DIDN'T WANT ME TO
FARM.
IF HE KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING HE
MIGHT NOT BE HAPPY.
>> HE GREW UP ON A SMALL DAIRY
FARM.
HIS PARENTS PUSHED HIM TO GO TO
COLLEGE.
>> I'M THE FIRST GENERATION IN
MY FAMILY TO GO TO COLLEGE AND
MY DAD, HE INSTILLED IN ME THAT
YOU CAN ALWAYS COME HOME AND
FARM BUT WANTED ME TO GO TO
COLLEGE.
>> AT THE END OF HIS JUNIOR
YEAR OF COLLEGE MAX'S DAD DIED
IN A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT.
>> IT WAS A TOUGH SUMMER
MILKING COWS.
>> THAT FALL HE WENT BACK TO
SCHOOL AND THE COWS WENT TO
MARKET.
>> TOUGH TO SEE THE LIVELIHOOD
OF MY PARENTS' FARM GO DOWN THE
ROAD IN A COUPLE OF CATTLE
TRAILERS.
I WENT BACK TO SCHOOL AND I
NEVER DREAMED I WOULD BE COMING
BACK HERE.
>> EVENTUALLY MAX AND HIS
MOTHER BOUGHT SOME CATTLE.
THERE WAS NO MILKING BUT THE
FARM WAS ALIVE AGAIN.
>> I FELT PRIDE.
>> HE GOT A JOB AS AN
AGRICULTURAL LOAN OFFICER AT A
BANK AND LIVES JUST DOWN THE
ROAD FROM HIS MOM.
>> I LIVE HALFWAY BETWEEN THE
TWO HOUSES I GREW UP IN.
I HAVEN'T MOVED VERY FAR.
>> MAX IS CARRYING ON ANOTHER
FAMILY TRADITION BY SERVING ON
THE COUNTY BOARD.
>> PUBLIC SERVICE HAS BEEN
INGRAINED IN MY FAMILY FOR A
LONG TIME.
MY DAD WAS A TOWN CHAIRMAN AND
SOOUFER VICEOR AND MY MOM A
CLERK AND TREASURER.
MY SISTER IS A TREASURER IN HER
TOWNSHIP.
>> HE REPRESENTS THE LOCALS WHO
DECIDE TO STAY IN RURAL
WISCONSIN.
HE HAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO
KEEP MORE PEOPLE FROM MOVING
AWAY.
>> A LOT OF MY FRIENDS WENT TO
COLLEGE AND NEVER COME BACK
HOME.
>> JACK SAYS HE KNEW EARLY ON A
LOT OF HIS FRIENDS FROM HIGH
SCHOOL WOULDN'T BE STICKING
AROUND.
>> I WILL SEE YOU WHEN I COME
HOME TO VISIT MY PARENTS.
>> JENNA SAID CAREER CHOICES
LED MANY OF HER CLASSMATES TO
THE CITIES.
>> THEY THINK KNEE NEED TO MOVE
TO A BIGGER CITY.
>> HALF OF HER GRADUATING CLASS
LEFT TOWN.
>> 50, 50.
I FEEL LIKE HALF OF OUR CLASS
ISN'T HERE AND HALF OF THEM ARE
HERE.
>> THIS IS EASY TO MOVE TO THE
CITIES.
IT IS CONVENIENT.
5 TO 10 MINUTES AT A LOCAL
GROCERY STORE AND SO MANY
AMENITIES IN THE URBAN AREAS.
SO WHAT BRINGS THEM BACK TO THE
RURAL?
>> THE ANSWER FOR EACH HAS TO
DO WITH FAMILY.
>> IT'S MORE MY FAMILY HERE.
I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.
I GET TO VISIT THEM ALL THE
TIME.
IT DRAWS ME BACK TO HERE.
>> A LOT OF FACTORS ABOUT
PEOPLE LEAVING AND IF THEY COME
BACK OR NOT.
MINE WAS THE MARSH.
THAT'S THE REASON I'M COMING
BACK.
>> ONE THING LIVING AND GROWING
UP AND LIVING AROUND HERE YOU
HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES AND
CONTACTS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEARN NEW
PEOPLE OR PLACES OR NEW TRAITS.
SO IT'S CONVENIENT.
NOT SAYING I WOULDN'T WANT TO
LIVE ANYWHERE ELSE BUT I REALLY
ENJOY LIVING AROUND HERE AND I
REALLY ENJOY THE FARM.
>> WHEN I THINK OF THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE HERE IT'S MORE OF A
CHOICE, THE ONES I KNOW AND
INTERACT WITH, ANYWAY.
I'M PRETTY SURE THEY FEEL
SIMILAR TO ME.
THEIR FAMILY IS HERE AND THEY
LIKE IT HERE AND SO THEY STAY
HERE.
>> I'M ZAC SCHULTZ FOR "HERE
AND NOW."
>> FOR MORE ON THIS AND OTHER
ISSUES FACING WISCONSIN, VISIT