>> WELCOME TO "IN WISCONSIN."
I'M PATTY LOEW.
THIS WEEK SEE WHY 75 YEARS
LATER THIS PRAIRIE RESTORATION
HOLDS WORLDWIDE SIGNIFICANCE.
>> THIS IS A MICROCOSM OF
PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS GLOBALLY.
>> PLUS WATER IN WISCONSIN IS
DISAPPEARING FASTER THAN YOU
MIGHT THINK.
>> THIS AREA HERE WAS A
BUBBLING SPRING.
>> IT IS A CONTROVERSY WITH
DEEP UNDERCURRENTS.
THOUSANDS OF FORECLOSED HOMES
IN MILWAUKEE.
82-YEAR-OLD JULIUS HOLMES IS
ONE FACE OF FORCLOSURE.
>> I SAID I CAN'T PAY THAT.
I COULDN'T.
>> THOSE REPORTS NEXT ON "IN
WISCONSIN."
>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR "IN
WISCONSIN" IS PROVIDED BY THE
PEOPLE OF ALLIANT ENERGY WHO
BRING SAFE, RELIABLE AND
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ENERGY
TO KEEP HOMES, NEIGHBORHOODS
AND LIFE IN WISCONSIN RUNNING
SMOOTHLY.
ALLIANT ENERGY, WE'RE ON FOR
YOU.
AND THE A VETERINARY TEAM
WORKING WITH VETERINARIANS
THROUGHOUT WISCONSIN PROVIDING
FOR THE E OF SMALL COMPANION
ANIMALS WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING
PROVIDED BY BIKE WISCONSIN.
>> THIS WEEK WE BEGIN WITH A
REPORT OUT ON THE PRAIRIE.
DEEP IN THEART OF OUR
CAPITOL CITY.
THE 1260 ACRE UNIVERSITY OF
WISCONSIN ARBORETUM IS AN OASIS
OF NATURE IN AN URBAN SETTING.
NOT ONLY THE OLDEST BUT THE
MOST EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF
RESTORED ECOSYSTEMS IN THE
UNITED STATES.
"IN WISCONSIN" REPORTER LIZ
KOERNER SHOWS YOU HOW IT
STARTED 75 YEARS AGO AS AN
EXPERIMENT AND THE RESEARCH
CONTINUES TO THIS DAY IN
MADISON.
>> I WANT TO SEE IF YOU CAN
NOTICE THE SMELL THAT WE HAVE
COMING FROM HERE.
THAT NICE, PLEASANT KIND OF
SMELL.
KIND OF A BUTTERY SMELL.
>> THE SCENTS AND SIGHTS FOUND
HERE WERE NEARLY LOST TO
HISTORY.
CURTIS PRAIRIE STRETCHES OVER
60 ACRES IN MADISON.
IT HAS THE DISTINCTION OF BEING
THE OLDEST PRAIRIE RESTORATION
IN THE WORLD.
>> THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THINGS
ABOUT IT ARE VERY SMALL.
YOU HAVE TO COME CLOSE AND TAKE
A LOOK AT THE LITTLE FLOWERS.
THE HISTORY OF IT GOES BACK OF
COURSE THOUSANDS OF YEARS WHEN
IT USED TO BE AN OAK OPENING.
THEN IT WAS DISRUPTED BY HUMAN
ACTIVITY.
>> THIS LAND SOUTH OF LAKE
WINGRA WAS DISRUPTED BY FARMING
BEFORE THE UNIVERSITY BOUGHT IT
IN THE 1930s.
IT WAS HERE THAT THE ARBORETUM
FOUNDERS SET OUT ON AN
EXPERIMENT.
LEOPOLD WAS ONE OF THEM.
>> IT WAS ARTICULATED IN ALDO
LEOPOLD'S SPEECH IN 1934 AT
DEDICATION OF THE ARBORETUM
WHERE HE EXPRESSED THIS VISION
OF RECREATING REPRESENTATIVE
ECOSYSTEMS OF WISCONSIN IN ONE
PLACE AND SO THIS WASAIRLY
REVOLUTIONARY VISION.
>> IT WAS REVOLUTIONARY BECAUSE
THEY WANTED TO ROLL BACK TIME
ON THIS FORMER FARM, SOMETHING
THAT HAD NEVER BEEN ATTEMPTED
BEFORE.
IT WAS A TRIAL AND ERROR
PROCESS ANDTIMES THEY GOT
IT RIGHT ON THE FIRST TRY.
HEADS UP RESTORATION RESEARCH.
>> THE FIRST LESSON THAT
PLANTING ENTIRE SODS OF PRAIRIE
FROM SITES THAT WERE DESTINED
FOR DESTRUCTION WAS MORE
EFFECTIVE IN ESTABLISHING
NATIVE PLANTS THAN EITHER
BRINGING IN LET'S SAY HAY FROM
A MOWED NATURAL PRAIRIE OR
SEEDS THAT WERE COLLECTED.
>> THEY HAD TO SCAVENGESE
CLUMPS OF SOD FROUT OF THE
WAY PLACES LIKE RAILROAD RIGHT
OF WAYS AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF
THE YOUTHFUL ENERGY OF THE
CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS FOR
THE HEAVY LIFTING.
ANOTHER LESSON LERNDS OVER TIME
WAS HOW TO USE FIRE TO KEEP THE
PRAIRIE FROM LOSING OUT TO
ENCROACHING TREES.
>> IN THIS REGION IT'S FAIRLY
WELL UNDERSTOOD THAT NATIVE
AMERICANS WERE USING FIRE AND
THAT FIRE WAS AENT PART
OF THE NATURAL LANDSCAPE.
FIRE WAS AN OBVIOUS RESTORATION
TOOL TO FAVOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF PRAIRIE INSTEAD OF WOODLAND.
>> 75 YEARS AFTER SETTING OUT
ON THIS RESTORATION EXPERIMENT
RESEARCHERS ARE STILL CARRYING
OUT STUDIES IN CURTIS PRAIRIE
INVESTIGATING THINGS LIKE
CLIMATE CHANGE AND POLLINATING
INSECTS.
EVEN THE IMPACT OF ROAD SALT.
>> ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE --
HAVE MONETARY VALUE.
PEOPLE CARE ABOUT THOSE THINGS.
>> ONE STUDY IS TRYING TO
ANSWER THE QUESTION, WILL MORE
PLANT DIVERSITY PROVIDE MORE
BENEFITS TO HUMANS?
>> SO I THOUGHT CURTIS PRAIRIE
WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE TO TEST
THAT IDEA AND HAVE FOUND
WILLING STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE.
>> GRADUATE STUDENT JIM DOHERTY
IS ONE OF THEM.
>> I'M GOING TO PICK A SET AREA
TO JUST LAY DOWN A SAMPLE FRAME
AND WITHIN THT I'LL IDENTIFY
THE SPECIES, COUNT HOW MANY
THERE ARE AND THEN MAKE AN
ESTIMATE OF THEIR COVER.
THEN I WILL ANALYZE IT FROM
ABOUT 60 PLOTS WITHIN THIS
PRAIRIE AND TRY TO DISCERN SOME
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE
DIVERSITY AND THE PRODUCTIVITY.
>> ANOTHER RESEARCH PROJECT IS
AIMED AT ANSWERING QUESTIONS
ABOUT A GROWING PROBLEM IN
CURTIS PRAIRIE.
IT'S CALLED REED CANARY GLASS.
-- GRASS.
IT'S WISCONSIN'S WORST WETLAND
WEED BECAUSE OF THE EXTENT OF
THE AREA IT DOMTES.
SOME 500,000 ACRES OF WISCONSIN
WETLANDS ARE DOMINATED BY THIS
PLANT.
>> TO UNDERSTAND THIS ACREAGE,
TAKE LAKE WINNEBAGO AND
MULTIPLY THE SURFACE AREA BY
3.6.
THAT'S THE CURRENT ACREAGE OF
REED CANARY GRASS IN WISCONSIN.
>> SO IT IS A PLANT THAT IS
WORTHY OF CONTROL NOT BECAUSE
ONLY BECAUSE IT SPREADS RAPIDLY
BUT BECAUSE THE PLANTS THAT
LIVE WITH IT, THE NATIVE
SPECIES, ARE RAPIDLY ELIMINATED.
>> THEIR INITIAL RESEARCH
PROVED THAT REED CANARY GRASS
GROSS BETTER THAN NATIVE GRASS
GIVEN CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
SHALLOW FLOODING WITH WATER
THAT BRINGS ALONG TOPSOIL AND
OTHER NUTRIENTS LIKE STORM
WATER.
>> I'M STANDING IN A CREEK BED
FOR STORM WATER THAT HAS
DEVELOPED IN CURTIS PRAISHY.
>> STORM WATER THAT POURS INTO
THE ARBORETUM HAS INCREA
OVER TIME.
IT NOW AVERAGES ALMOST HALF A
BILLION GALLONS A YEAR.
TO ADDRESS THE INVASION OF REED
CANARY GRASS ZEDLER FIRST NEEDS
TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THAT WATER
FLOWS.
>> WE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND
HOW MUCH OF CURTIS PRAIRIE IS
WET EITHER HISTORICALLY OR AS
THE RESULT OF INFLOWING STORM
WATER.
MADELINE FISHER IS A RESEARCH
ASSOCIATE WITH US AND SHE IS
MAPPING THE CANARY GRASS AS ONE
INDICATOR OF WHERE WE HAVE
WETLANDS AND THREE
SPECIES AS WELL.
>> I'M LOOKING FOR PLACES WHERE
THESE PLANTS ARE 75% OF THE
COVERAGE OR GREATER SO THEY ARE
BASICALLY AREAS WHERE THESE
PLANTS DOMINATE AND I'M WALKING
ALONG THE EDGE TAKING A GPS
READING EVERY 15 FEET OR SO TO
BE TO MAP THEIR
DISTRIBUTION SO THE ARBORETUM
CAN SEE HOW THE DISTRIBUTION IS
CHANGING.
>> THERE ARE OTHER EXPERIMENTS
IN CURTIS PRAIRIE ATTEMPTING TO
LEARN HOW TO CONTROL REED
CANARY GRASS AND OTHER INVASIVE
SPECIES.
ALONG THE WAY IT'S CERTAIN THAT
LESS AGGRESSIVE NATIVE PLANTS
WILL BE LOST.
THE WORK TODAY IS NOT ABOUT
RETURNING TO THE PAST.
>> RATHER WE NEED TO TRY AND
THINK OF THE ECOSYSTEM
FUNCTIONS THAT WE CONSIDER
DESIRABLE FOR A HEALTHY URBAN
AND RURAL LANDSCAPE.
>> ZEDLER AND OTHERS CONTINUE
TO WORK TOWARD THAT GOAL
IMPROVIZING AND IMPROVING ON
THE EXPERIMENT KNOWN AS CURTIS
PRAIRIE.
>> WE SEE CURTIS PRAIRIE AS
UNIQUE.
IT IS A SPECIAL PLACE.
IT'S WHERE THE ARBORETUM BEGAN
AND LOOBACK NOW, NOT JUST
TO THE 1960s, BUT TO 1934, 1935
WHEN THE ARBORETUM WAS
DESIGNATED AS A RESEARCH AND
TEACHING AREA, I CAN SEE THAT
IT WAS WAY AHEAD OF ITS TIME.
>> RESE DONE OVER THE YEARS
IN CURTIS PRAIRIE IS APPLIED IN
MANY AREAS AROUND THE WORLD
THROUGHOUT WISCONSIN.
RUSS HEFTY IS THE DIRECTOR OF
MADISON'S CONSERVATION PARKS,
INCLUDING CHEROKEE MARSH.
HE TALKS ABOUT SOME OF THE
LESSONS LEARNED FROM ARUM
RESEARCH IN OUR WEB EXTRA.
TO VIEW IT LOG ONTO OUR WEBSITE
AT wpt.org AND CLICK ON IN
WISCONSIN FOR HIS COMMENTS AND
SOME BEAUTIFUL FOOTAGE OF THAT
PRAIRIE RESTORATION.
>> CONTINUING COVERAGE NOW ON A
FISH KILL PROBLEM IN CENTRAL
WISCONSIN ALONG THE BIG EAU
PLEINE RESERVOIR.
AS WE FIRST REPORTED LAST APRIL
THOUSANDS OF GAME FISH
SUFFOCATED IN THE
OXYGEN-STARVED WATER NEAR
MOSINEE.
A BROKER AERATOR CONTRIBUTED TO
THE DIEOFF.
A NEW AERATOR WILL BE INSTALLED
WHEN THE LAKE ICES OVER.
IT IS CONSIDERED A FIRST STEP
TO ADDRESS CHRONIC WATER
QUALITY PROBLEMS CAUSED BY FARM
RUNOFF AND RECENT DROUGHT
CONDITIONS.
80% OF THE GAME FISH THERE DIED.
THE HOPE IS TO EVENTUALLY
RESTOCK THE FISH.
WATER PROBLEMS IN CENTRAL
WISCONSIN ARE RESULTING IN A
LOT OF FINGER POINTING AS THE
STATE LEGISLATURE CONSIDERS NEW
RULES.
LAST WEEK WE SHOWED YOU HOW
SOME LAKES AND STREAMS IN
PORTAGE COUNTIES HAVE VANISHED.
THIS WEEK "IN WISCONSIN"
REPORTER ART HACKETT
INVESTIGATES WHETHER THE
PROBLEM IS DROUGHT-RELATED.
NEW IRRIGATION WELLS, OR BOTH.
EITHER WAY, FARMERS ARE
STANDING THEIR GROUND NEAR
STEVENS POINT.
>> THE LITTLE PLOVER IS A SMALL
TROUT STREAM RUNNING THROUGH
POTATOES AND RURAL SUBDIVISIONS
EAST OF STEVENS POINT.
FOR THE PAST THREE SUMMERS IT'S
GONE DRY.
>> THE DAY IT DRIED UP AND I
CAME OUT HERE THE BANKS WERE --
THERE WAS BLACK MUD USUALLY
UNDERNEATH THE WATER WERE
CRACKED AND DRIED.
>> ONE COUNTY TO THE SOUTH NEAR
PLAINFIELD, LONG LAKE HAS GONE
FROM A FISHING HOT SPOT TO A
PRAIRIE.
>> IT JUST KEPT GOING DOWN AND
DOWN AND DOWN AND IT WAS GONE,
COMPLETELY.
>> UNLIKE THE SUDDEN RUPTURE
THAT DRAINED LAKE DELTON IN THE
SUMMER O008, THE LOSS OF
LONG LAKE HAPPENED IN SLOW
MOTION.
IN 2000, UW STEVENS POINT
GROUNDWATER RESEARCH GEORGE
CRAFT WORRIED THERE WAS LITTLE
WATER IN THE LITTLE PLOVER.
AT THAT TIME HE WAS WORRIED
MAINLY ABOUT THE EFFECTS FROM A
NEW WELL DRILLED BY THE VILLAGE
OF PLOVER.
>> WE'VE DONE SOME PRELIMINARY
COMPUTER MODELING THAT SHOW IF
THE WELLS GET TO THEIR DESIGN
CAPACITY, THAT INDEED WILL BE
MISSING MAYBE AS MUCH AS 40% OF
THE FLOW OUT OF THE STREAM.
>> CRAFT WAS CONCERNED THE
AREA'S GROUNDWATER RESOURCES
WERE NEARING A BREAKING POINT.
NEARLY A DECADE LATER, CRAFT
SAYS THE RESOURCE IS BROKEN.
>> TEN YEARS AGO I THINK THIS
AREA HERE WAS A BUBBLING SPRING.
YOU COULD SEE THERE IS A SIDE
CHANNEL HERE THAT FLOWED IN THE
DAY AND OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE THE
FLOWS ARE LOW, WE HAVE JUST A
FEW INCHES OFER IN MOST
PLACES.
AND NOW WE CAN SEE THAT THE --
BECAUSE THE FLOWS HAVE BEEN LOW
FOR A SIGNI TIME, WE HAVE
MORE GRASS AND SUCH ENCROACHING
FROM THE SIDE.
>> THE CREEK'S SURVIVAL DEPENDS
ON PUMPED WATER ADDED BY
FARMERS AND CANNING COMPANIES.
BARB FELTZ WHO MONITORS THE
LITTLE PLOVER'S FLOW AT AN OLD
GAUGING STATION ON HER PROPERTY
SAYS THE REASON THE CREEK DRIED
UP IS ONE OF THE PUMPS KEEPING
IT ALIVE FAILED.
>> RIGHT NOW IT'S ALL
ARTIFICIAL.
AFTER THE DRY-UP WITH THE DEAD
FISH, VIRTUALLY IF THEY WO
SHUT IT OFF IT WOULD BE DRY.
>> BUT C SAYS THOSE PS
WHICH DRAW IRRIGATION WATER
FROM THE AQUIFER JUST BELOW THE
SURFACE AND OTHERS USED BY
LOCAL VILLAGES AND CITIES ARE
ALL PART OF THE PROBLEM.
>> THERE HAVE BENCH DRIER
PERIODS BEFORE AND WE DIDN'T
HAVE THESE KIND OF LOW WATER
LEVELS.
THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE
ATTRIBUTES ABOUT ONE FOURTH OF
THE MISSING WATER TO MUNICIPAL
PUMPING, ABOUT A QUARTER OR SO
THEN TO INDUSTRIAL PUMPING AND
ABOUT HALF TO IRRIGATION
PUMPING.
>> I BELIEVE IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT THAT YOU BEGIN TO
TAKE A LOOK AT THE CUMULATIVE
EFFECTS OF A WELL.
>> WATERFRONT PROPERTY OWNERS
AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
STATE'S AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES
ARE BOTH AT THE TABLE AS THE
STATE CONSIDERS CHANGES IN
WISCONSIN'S GROUNDWATER LAW.
>> MY FATHER BUILT THE FIRST
IRRIGATION WELL IN 1950.
>> JIM BURNS FAMILIES HAS BEEN
FARMING FOR OVER 100 YEARS.
HE AND OTHER VEGETABLE GROWERS
DISPUTE THEIR ROLE IN THE
PROBLEM.
HE SAID THE PROBLEM IS SIMPLE.
IT'S BEEN DRY THE LAST FEW
YEARS.
>> WELL, THAT'S TO MY MIND
NOTHING MORE THAN A CONSEQUENCE
OF THE CYCLES WE GO THROUGH.
IN THE PAST HUNDRED YEARS OF
HISTORY I HEAR ABOUT FROM OLD
PEOPLE, THOSE LAKES HAVN
DRY BEFORE AND I'VE SEEN THEM
ALREADY WHEN THE WATER WAS
RUNNING ACROSS THE ROADS AROUND
THEM.
THE PROBLEM ISHERE HASN'T
BEEN ENOUGH RUNOFF.
THE SNOW IN THE WINTERTIME
SOAKS RIGHT INTO THE GROUND AND
THE RAINS AREN'T HEAVY ENOUGH
TO EVER CAUSE A RUNOFF INTO
THOSE LAKES.
THERE HAS JUST BEEN NO RECHARGE
FROM THEIR NATURAL SOURCES OF
WATER.
>> BUT TIM ASPLUND, A WATER
RESOURCES SCIENTIST WITH THE
WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL
RESOURCES SAYS SOMETHING ELSE
IS AT WORK.
>> THERE IS AAIN
PROPORTION OF THE DROP THAT'S
REALLY NOT EXPLAINED VERY WELL
BY JUST LOOKING CLIMATE AND
PRECIPITATION PATTERNS.
THERE IS A ROLE OF PUMPING A
CERTAIN AMOUNT IS DUE TO
PUMPING.
AND IT'S A SIGNIAMOUNT I
WOULD SAY.
IN THE ORDER OF A FEW FEET,
MAYBE THREE FEET OR EVEN MORE.
>> BURNS, MEANWHILE, POINTS TO
HIS OWN WELLS SUCH AS THIS ONE
NEAR ALMOND.
IT'S BEEN THEREE 1959.
HE SAYS THE DEPTH OF THE
GROUNDWATER HAS REMAINED
UNCHANGED.
THE WELL HAS NEVER BEEN DRILLED
DEEPER.
>> IN SPITE OF ALL THAT'S
HAPPENED SINCE THEN, THE WATER
TABLE HERE IS RATHER STATIC.
>> BUT ASPLUND SAYS A BETTER
REFERENCE IS A U.S. GEOLOGICAL
SURVEY MONITORING WELL AT UW'S
EXPERIMENTAL STATION IN HANCOCK
ABOUT TEN MILES FROM LONG LAKE.
IF YOU GO TO THE USGS WEBSITE
IT'S AT AN ORANGE DOT MEANING
THE WATER HAS HIT AN ALL TIME
LOW.
THE GRAPHS SHOW UPS AND DOWNS.
>> THE MID 90s OR SO THERE HAS
BEEN A STEADY DECLINE IN THE
WATER TABLE HERE.
WE'RE SEEING THESE KIND OF
CONDITIONS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE
SAW IN THE LATE 50s AND 60s AND
THIS WAS AFTER THIS PERIOD OF
RECORD HERE WAS AFTER AN
EXTENDED TEN-YEAR DROUGHT,
WHEREAS THE DROUGHT CONDITIONS
HERE HAVE BEEN FAIRLY MINOR.
>> MATCH THAT AGAINST THESE
MAPS PREPARED BY UW STEVENS
POINT PROFESSOR GEORGE CRAFT.
THEY SHOW A STEADY INCREASE IN
THE NUMBER OF HIGH CAPACITY
WELLS OVER THAT VERY SAME TIME
PERIOD.
AT LAKE HURON, CRIS VAN HOUTEN
KEEPS MOVING HIS DOCK FURTHER
AND FURTHER FROM HIS HOUSE.
AT LONG LAKE TWO CANOES WAIT
LENDING A NEW MONEY TO THE TERM
DRY DOCKED.
>> I BELIEVE IT WILL RESULT IN
TAKING OUT SOME OF THE
IRRIGATORS.
>> THE IDEA OF JUST RESTRICTING
IRRIGATION, MUCH LESS PULLING
OUT WELLS, CONCERNS GROWERS
LIKE JIM BURNS.
>> CROPS HAVE BECOME MORE
VALUABLE AND THE DOLLAR VOLUME
IS QUITE SIGNIFICANT ON 100,
200 OR 1,000 ACRES OF A CERTAIN
CROP YEAR YOU'REKING
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND THAT
AFFECTS EVERYBODY IN THE AREA.
>> AND HE DOUBTS STOPPING
IRRIGATION WOULD BRING BACK THE
LAKES.
>> IT WOULDN'T AMOUNT TO NO
DIFFERENCE AT ALL.
YOU COULD QUIT IRRIGATING
TOMORROW IN THE WHOLE STATE AND
IT WOULDN'T CHANGE THE LAKES
ONE BIT.
>> THEY PUT IN MUCH BIGGER
IRRIGATION SYSTEMS.
ADDED NEW IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
THE LAST FEW YEARS AND THEY'VE
KILLED THE GOOSE THAT LAID THE
GOLDEN EGG AND T'RE TAKING
MORE WATER THAN CAN BE MADE UP.
>> WISCONSIN IS BLESSED WITH
PLENTY OF WATER.
OF ALL THE STA YOU COULDN'T
HARDLY FIND ONE EXCEPT MAYBE
MICHIGAN THAT HAS MORE WATER.
>> EXCEPT THAT WATER ABUNDANT
OR NOT, IS DEFINITELY NOT IN
LONG LAKE.
>> I HOPE IT COMES BACK.
IT WOULD BE NICE IF IT WOULD.
BUT YOU DON'T KNOW.
NOBODY KNOWS THAT.
>> THE WATER COULD COME BACK.
>> IT REALLY DOES DEPEND.
THIS IS WHERE IT'S NOT
INDEPENDENT OF CLIMATE.
>> MOTHER NATURE COULD WORK A
MIRACLE.
BUT THE RETURN OF THE WATERS
COULD FACE AN UPHILL CLIMB.
>> IF WE GO IN A A WET CYCLE
THE LAKES WOULD COME UP ON
THEIR OWN.
WHEN THERE IS DROUGHT IT WILL
CONTINUE TO GO FURTHER DOWN
THAN WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE
PAST.
>> EARLY NEXT MONTH THE CITY OF
WAUKESHA WILL FILE A FORMAL
REQUEST TO DIVERT WATER FROM
LAKE MICHIGAN TO REPLACE ITS
CONTAMINATED WELLS.
THE GREAT LAKES COMPACT ALLOWS
WAUKESHA TO PUMP WATER FROM
LAKE MICHIGAN AS AS THE
CITY HAS NO OTHER REASONABLE
ALTERNATIVE.
WHAT CONSTITUTES A REASONABLE
ALTERNATIVE?
NEXT WEEK "IN WISCONSIN"
REPORTER ART HACKETT
INVESTIGATES IF ALL THE OPTIONS
ARE BEING CONSIDERED IN
WAUKESHA.
WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US FOR THAT
REPORT NEXT THURSDAY AT 7:00 ON
"IN WISCONSIN."
>> IN OUR MONEY MATTERS REPORT
THIS WEEK HOME FORECLOSURES
DIPPED SLIGHTLY IN OCTOBER BUT
THE STATE HAS RECORDED 25,600
THIS YEAR AND ON PACE TO BEAT
LAST YEAR'S RECORD NUMBER OF
FORECLOSURES.
EXPERTS SAY THE SUB PRIME
MORTGAGE MELTDOWN IS COMPOUNDED
BY UNEMPLOYMENT AND THEY
PREDICT IT COULD GET EVEN WOR
"IN WISCONSIN'S" FREDERICA
FREYBERG REPORTS ON ONE MAN'S
FORECLOSURE PROBLEMS IN
MILWAUKEE.
>> A GUIDED TOUR OF VACANT
FORECLOSED HOMES IN MILWAUKEE'S
INNER CITY.
>> IT'S A SHAME TO SEE THESE
OLD HOUSES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE
FOREVER.
>> NICK GOT TO KNOW THESE
STREETS WHILE CONDUCTING A
SURVEY OF FORECLOSURES.
>> TORN DOWN BECAUSE MANY OF
THEM ARE TRASHED AND COPPER
PIPING STOLEN FOR RESALE.
>> THIS IS REMNANTS OF THE
AFTERMATH OF A FORECLOSED HOME
BASICALLY.
WHAT WAS LEFT BEHIND BY THE
HOMEOWNERS PRIOR.
>> CHRIS WEIFENBACH WORKS FOR A
FIRM THAT CLEANS OUT VACANT
FORECLOSED HOME IN MILWAUKEE.
THIS ONE HIT THE AUCTION BLOCK
WITH BIDS STARTING AT $1,000.
THE BANK MAKING A STAB AT
SELLING IT UNLIKE THIS HOME
KNOWN AS A WALKAWAY.
WHEN THE LENDER WALKS AWAY FROM
FORECLOSURE PROCEEDINGS EVEN
AFTER THE HOMEOWNER HAS LEFT.
ATTORNEY NICOLE SAYS WALKAWAYS
ARE ON THE RISE.
>> THE BANKS WILL SAY THEY
DON'T WANT THE PROPERTIES.
A LOT OF THE PROPERTIES ARE
WORTH A LOT LESS THAN WHAT IS
OWED ON THE LOAN.
>> THAT'S TRUE FOR JULIUS
HOLMES, THE 82-YEAR-OLD RETIRED
FACTORY WORKER AND MINISTER GOT
A CALL FROM A LOAN ORIGINATOR A
COUPLE YEARS AGO ASKING IF HE
NEEDED SOME MONEY OUT OF HIS
HOUSE.
>> I TOLD HIM I SAID I DON'T
THINK I CAN DO THAT.
I HAVE A LOAN ON THE HOUSE.
OH YEAH, WE CAN PAY THAT OFF.
>> AND SO HOLMES BIT
REFINANCING THE HOME HE'S OWNED
FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS.
>> I THINK A LOT OF BROKERS
WERE COLD CALLING AND LENDERS
WERE COLD CALLING PEOPLE
ENTICING THEM INTO EITHER LOWER
PAYMENTS OR THE PROMISE OF
GETTING CASH OUT OF THE EQUITY
IN THEIR HOME.
>> HOLMES NOW OWES $141,600 IN
PRINCIPAL PLUS AT LEAST $12,000
IN ACCRUED AND GROWING INTEREST
ON THE LOAN.
THE ASSESSED VALUE OF HIS HOME
IS JUST OVER $108,000.
>> HE TOLD ME THAT $745 A MONTH.
WHEN I GOT THE NOTE IT WAS $900
AND IT WAS NOT UNDER $1,000 A
MONTH.
>> THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST
LOANS THAT I'VE SEEN, WHICH
MEANS THAT IT SHOCKS THE
CONSCIENCE.
>> WHAT JULIUS HOLMES SIGNED
ONTO WAS A SO-CALLED EXOTIC
LOAN THAT INCLUDED A LOW TEASER
RATE THAT WENT UP JUST A MONTH
LATER.
HE ADMITS HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
THE TERMS.
>> BUT IT'SCOMPLICATED
AND VERY DIFFICULT TO
UNDERSTAND.
AND EVEN AS I READ THROUGH IT,
I HAVE READ THROUGH IT
SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE I CAN
UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW THE
INTEREST RATE GOING TO
CALCULATED AND WHEN IT IS GOING
TO ADJUST.
>> YOU'RE A LAWYER THAT DOES
THIS KIND OF WORK.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> ACCORDING TO THE LOAN PAPERS
THE MORTGAGE BROKERS GOT A
NEARLY $4,000 PREMIUM FROM THE
LENDER FOR MAKING THE LOAN.
HOLMES GOT $980 CASH BUT HAD TO
PAY A NEARLY $4500 PRE-PAYMENT
PENALTY ON HIS EXISTING
MORTGAGE.
HE ENDED UP WITH A LOAN HE
COULDN'T AFFORD.
>> I SAID I CAN'T PAY THAT.
I TRIED AS LONG AS I COULD BUT
I COULDN'T HANDLE IT.
>> COUNTRY WIDE HOME LOANS
FORECLOSED ON JULIUS HOLMES.
LAWYERS ARE ALLEGING THE LOAN
WAS DECEPTIVE.
UNFAIR AND NOT FULLY EXPLAINED.
>> HOLMES LAWYER'S ALLEGED THE
BROKER FALSIFIED HIS LOAN
APPLICATION MAKING HIS INCOME
LOOK HIGHER THAN IT IS.
>> SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME FROM
MR. HOLMES IS $890.
HERE IT SAYS $2500.
THE MENTION INCOME HE RECEIVED
IS $292 AND HERE IT STATES IT
TO BE $3,903.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY GOT
THOSE NUMBERS FROM.
>> WE SOUGHT COMMENT FROM THE
MORTGAGE BROKER BUT THE ADDRESS
HAD CHANGED.
A CALL TO THE COMPANY RESULTED
IN A NO COMMENT FROM THE
MANAGER EXCEPT THAT'S WHAT THEY
ALL SAY WHEN THEY CAN'T AFFORD
IT.
SET AGAINST THE SEA OF
FORECLOSURES IN MILWAUKEE AND
ELSEWHERE THE LEGISLATURE HELD
HEARINGS ON THE ISSUES AND
SEVERAL MEASURES TO BEEF UP
REGULATIONS TO HELP HOMEOWNERS.
HELP COULDN'T COME TOO SOON FOR
MILWAUKEE HOME LIKE
DOROTHY BUSH WHOSE HOME IS
SURROUNDED BY BOARDUPS.
>> NOBODY WANTS TO LIVE IN THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> I'M LIVING IN THE HOPE THAT
WE CAN MAKE IT.
>> JULIUS HOLMESY WELL BE
SPEAKING FOR HIMSELF AND
THOUSANDS OF HOMEOWNERS AND
RENTERS IN MILWAUKEE WHO FIND
THEMSELVES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
FORECLOSURE CRISIS.
>> SINCE THAT REPORT FIRST
AIRED IN APRIL THE HOMEOWNER,
JULIUS HOLMES AND HIS ATTORNEY
HAVE REACHED AND OUT COURT
SETTLEMENT WITH COUNTRY WIDE.
THE TERMS ARE CONFIDENTIAL BUT
HOLMES IS SATISFIED.
THE STATE ASSEMBLY PASSED THREE
BILLS AIMED AT MITIGATING
FORECLOSURES INCLUDING ONE THAT
REQUIRES MORTGAGE BROKERS TO
PUT A CLIENT'S FINANCIAL
INTERESTS ABOVE THEIR OWN.
THE BILLS HAVE YET TO PASS THE
STATE SENATE.
NOW A LOOK AT SOME OF THE
REPORTS IN THE WORKS FOR THE
NEXT EDITION OF "IN WISCONSIN."
>> I'M HACKETT.
AS THE CITY OF WAUKESHA
PREPARES TO PIPE IN LAKE
MICHIGAN WATER ANOTHER CONCEPT
IS UNDER REVIEW.
HOW ABOUT DRILLING WELLS NEXT
TO OR EVEN UNDER THE FOX RIVER?
FOOTBALL PRIDE RUNS DEEP AT
THIS PERENNIAL POWERHOUSE.
IT'S THE LITTLE CHURCH SCHOOL
THAT COULD IN CROSS PLAINS.
>> THIS IS JO GARRETT.
I'LL SHOW YOU AN AMAZING AERIAL
DISPLAY.
>> THIS MORNING WE SAW 250 AT
ONCE.
>> WOW.
>> IT'S SWARMS OF TURKEY
VULTURES GATHERED BEFORE THEIR
ANNUAL MIGRATION.
>> THOSE REPORTS THANKSGIVING
NIGHT AT 7:00 ON OUR STATEWIDE
NEWS MAGAZINE PROGRAM "IN
WISCONSIN" RIGHT HERE ON
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
>> THIS WEEK WE LEAVE YOU WITH
A PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE PENOKEE
RANGE, PRISTINE PROPERTY IN
ASHLAND COUNTY.
IT STRETCHES 80 MILES ACROSS
NORTHERN WISCONSIN AND INTO
MICHIGAN AND WHERE RESEARCHERS
ARE TRY TO REINTRODUCE PINE
MARTENS.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK "IN
WISCONSIN."
>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR "IN
WISCONSIN" IS PROVIDED BY THE
PEOPLE OF ALLIANT ENERGY WHO
BRING SAFE, RELIABLE AND
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ENERGY
TO KEEP HOMES, NEIGHBORHOODS
AND LIFE IN WISCONSIN RUNNING
SMOOTHLY.
ALLIANT ENERGY, WE'RE ON FOR
YOU.
AND THE ANIMAL DENNIS
ADVERTISERY AND ORAL SURGERY
SPECIALISTS OF MILWAUKEE AND
OSHKOSH WORKING WITH PET OWNERS
AND FAMILY VETS THROUGHOUT
WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR ORAL
DISEASE AND DENTAL PROBLEMS OF
SMALL COMPANION ANIMALS AND
ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY
BIKE WISCONSIN.
>> ON THE NEXT EOF "IN
WISCONSIN."
WAUKESHA WANTS WATER BUT WHERE
WILL IT COME FROM?
LAKE MICHIGAN MIGHT NOT BE THE
ONLY OPTION.
WE'LL TRAVEL TO DEVILS LAKE
STATE PARK FORAN AMAZING
DISPLAY OF TURKEY VULTURES.
FOOTBALL PRIDE RUNS DEEP AT
THIS PERENNIAL POWERHOUSE.
THE LITTLE CHURCH SCHOOL THAT
COULD.
THANKSGIVING NIGHT AT 7:00 ON
"IN WISCONSIN."
>> ON THE NEXT EDITION OF "IN
WISCONSIN," WAUKESHA WANTS
WATER BUT WHERE WILL IT COME
FROM?
LAKE MICHIGAN MIGHT NOT BE THE
ONLY OPTION.
WE'LL TRAVEL TO DEVIL'S LAKE
STATE PARK FOR AN AMAZING
AERIAL DISPLAY OF TURKEY
VULTURES.
PLUS FOOTBALL PRIDE RUNS DEEP
AT THIS PERENNIAL POWERHOUSE.
IT IS THE LITTLE CHURCH SCHOOL
THAT COULD.
TONIGHT AT 7:00 ON WISCONSIN
PUBLIC TELEVISION.
>> I'M ART HACKETT.
AS THE CITY OF WAUKESHA
PREPARES TO PI IN LAKE
MICHIGAN WATER, ANOTHER CONCEPT
IS UNDER REVIEW.
HOW ABOUT DRILLING WELLS NEXT
TO OR EVEN UNDER THE FOX RIVER?
>> THURSDAY NIGHT AT 7:00 ON
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
>> FOOTBALL PRIDE RUNS DEEP AT
THIS PERENNIAL POWERHOUSE.
IT'S THE LITTLE CHURCH SCHOOL
THAT COULD IN CROSS PLAINS.
>> "IN WISCONSIN" THURSDAY
NIGHT AT 7:00 ON WISCONSIN
PUBLIC TELEVISION.
>> THIS IS JO GARRETT.
I'LL SHOW YOU AN AMAZING AERIAL
DISPLAY.
>> LOOK AT ALL OF THEM.
>> THIS MORNING WE SAW 250 AT
ONCE.
>> WOW.
>> SWARMS OF TURKEY VULTURES
GATHER BEFORE THEIR ANNUAL
MIGRATION.
>> "IN WISCONSIN" THURSDAY
NIGHT AT 7:00 ON WISCONSIN
PUBLIC TELEVISION.