Kynala Phillips

email | @kynalap

Kynala Phillips is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison pursuing a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication and a certificate in Afro-American Studies. Phillips is a community journalist who ...

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Kynala's Recent Stories

Joe Hall (CC BY 2.0)

The Nationwide Legal Battleground Over Managing Voter Registrations

Wisconsin is not the only place where voter roll purges are sparking disputes.

Wednesday June 10, 2020


Illustration by WisContext; images via Wisconsin Elections Commission

Thousands Of Voters Are Caught In A Legal Battle Over Wisconsin’s Election Rolls

Multiple court cases filed in Wisconsin and across the U.S. ahead of the 2020 presidential election illustrate the tension between maintaining clean and accurate voter rolls and promoting accessibility for all.

Wednesday June 10, 2020


Unemployment Claims Soar as COVID-19 Continues to Threaten Wisconsin’s Economy

Economy

Unemployment Claims Soar as COVID-19 Continues to Threaten Wisconsin’s Economy

The Wisconsin Department for Workforce Development has swelled with requests for unemployment insurance as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep people from their jobs. The DWD has received more than 300,000 claims for unemployment in the last month and has filled more than half a million claims weekly. As of ...

Saturday April 18, 2020


Map: Wisconsin Spring 2020 Election Results

Here and Now 2020

Map: Wisconsin Spring 2020 Election Results

Dane County Judge Jill Karofsky beat incumbent Justice Dan Kelly for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Former Vice President Joe Biden won the state's Democratic presidential primary, beating Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders who won the state four years ago.

Tuesday April 14, 2020


Homeless woman on a bench near the state Capitol in Madison July 11, 2016.

Health

Wisconsin Bands Together to Address Homelessness and COVID-19

Advocacy groups in Wisconsin work to help the homeless amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saturday April 11, 2020


Milwaukee skyline

Health

COVID-19 Threatens Black Communities on Milwaukee’s North Side

"It's been tough to see such a concentration of the virus focusing on [the] African-American community," said state Rep. David Bowen. Milwaukee's African-American community faces the brunt of the COVID-19 disease.

Monday March 30, 2020


Public Service Commission

Health

Update: PSC Halts Disconnections for Public Health Emergency

On Sunday, March 22, Gov. Tony Evers suspended additional utility rules and laid out more consumer protections for Wisconsin residents and businesses. Evers directed the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to extend the orders released earlier this month to include more protective provisions. The announcement included six actions intended to ...

Monday March 23, 2020


Hmong tapestry

Politics

Wisconsin Reps Introduce Bill to Halt Hmong Deportation

The legislation would delay deportation by 72 months to allow individual cases to be reassessed.

Tuesday March 10, 2020


State Budgeting Committee Declines Plans for Youth Prisons

Budgets

State Budgeting Committee Declines Plans for Youth Prisons

Wednesday the Joint Finance Committee voted against funding two new juvenile prisons meant to replace the controversial Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Schools. The decision to decline funds to the project pushes back the state’s goal of closing the two facilities by 2021.

Saturday February 15, 2020


Gov. Evers Calls Special Session on Education Funding

Education

Gov. Evers Calls Special Session on Education Funding

Governor Tony Evers called a special session late this week to advocate for more state funding for K-12 education.

Monday February 10, 2020


Instructor from Elmbrook School District in the library with students

Education

The Department of Public Instruction Endorses ‘Explicit and Systemic’ Phonics Instruction

Last month, the Department of Public Instruction endorsed "explicit and systemic" phonics instruction in Wisconsin schools.  At the 2020 Wisconsin State Education Convention, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Carolyn Stanford Taylor announced that the agency will now endorse statewide phonics instruction to teach fundamental reading skills.   As the state of ...

Thursday February 6, 2020


Late Journalist Gwen Ifill on New USPS Forever Stamp

Social Issues

Late Journalist Gwen Ifill on New USPS Forever Stamp

Gwen Ifill is now featured as the newest addition to the USPS Black Heritage Stamp Series. Ifill is well-known for her role as a moderator for the PBS program Washington Week. Ifill is a trailblazer and inspired many of the journalists to come after her.

Friday January 31, 2020


Gov. Tony Evers Lights Holiday Tree

Politics

Gov. Tony Evers Lights Holiday Tree

The state Capitol’s holiday tree, as it’s called by Gov. Evers, is now on full display. The tree’s decorations “Celebrate Science” and were sent from school students around the state. The tree will be up until Jan. 2, 2020.

Friday December 6, 2019


Former Sec. Designee Pfaff Stays on Evers Administration

Politics

Former Sec. Designee Pfaff Stays on Evers Administration

Former DATCP Secretary Designee-Brad Pfaff found is back on the Evers administration. Pfaff will now serve as the Director of business and rural development in the Department of Administration. He will not need Senate confirmation in his new position.

Friday November 15, 2019


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