Here & Now

Here and Now for July 15, 2016

ANNOUNCER:

THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS PART OF OUR “HERE AND NOW” 2016 WISCONSIN VOTE ELECTION COVERAGE. FUNDING FOR “HERE AND NOW” IS PROVIDED, IN PART, BY FRIENDS OF WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

I’M FREDERICA FREYBERG. TONIGHT ON “HERE AND NOW,” PEG LAUTENSCHLAGER, THE CHAIR OF THE NEW STATE ETHICS COMMISSION, IS HERE. FRESH MARQUETTE LAW SCHOOL POLL NUMBERS AS REPUBLICANS PREPARE TO GAVEL DOWN IN CLEVELAND. THE CITY OF MADISON DRAFTS A NEW HOMELESS ORDINANCE. AND A FIRST HAND LOOK AT THE STORM DEVASTATION IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN. BUT FIRST THE STATE’S NEW ETHICS COMMISSION IS AN APPOINTED PANEL MADE UP OF THREE DEMOCRATS AND THREE REPUBLICANS. THIS WEEK THE COMMISSION SELECTED ITS CHAIR, CHOOSING DEMOCRAT PEG LAUTENSCHLAGER, WHO SERVED AS STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL FROM 2003 UNTIL 2007. SHE JOINS US NOW FROM FOND DU LAC AND THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

PEG LAUTENSCHLAGER:

PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU, FREDERICA.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WELL, WE WANTED TO ASK YOU FIRST WHAT YOU BRING TO THE NEW ETHICS COMMISSION AS CHAIR.

PEG LAUTENSCHLAGER:

WELL, I’M NOT SURE THAT — FIRST OF ALL, SAY THIS. I VIEW THE NEW ETHICS COMMITTEE AS BEING A GROUP OF US, SO I’M NOT SURE THAT THE CHAIR POSITION HOLDS PARTICULAR SIGNIFICANCE OTHER THAN SIMPLY RUNNING THE MEETINGS. THAT BEING SAID, I THINK I WAS SELECTED BY SENATOR JEN SHILLING IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF MY EXPERIENCES WITHIN AND WITHOUT — AND OUTSIDE OF STATE GOVERNMENT. AS YOU PERHAPS RECALL, BACK IN THE 1980s I WAS ACTUALLY A MEMBER OF THE THEN STATE ELECTIONS BOARD, WHICH DEALT WITH SOME OF THE ISSUES WHICH ARE NOW DEALT WITH BY THE ETHICS COMMISSION. AS A STATE LEGISLATOR I WAS INVOLVED IN ISSUES INVOLVING — REGARDING THESE KINDS OF MATTERS. AND THEN AS A STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL, OBVIOUSLY OUR OFFICE WERE THE LAWYERS WHO WOULD REPRESENT THE ETHICS COMMISSION, THEN THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD AND BEFORE THAT THE ETHICS BOARD AND THE ELECTIONS BOARD IN COURTS OF LAW. SO I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THE GOINGS-ON OF A BOARD SUCH AS THIS, BOTH IN TERMS OF PROFESSIONALLY AS A STATE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE BUT ALSO AS A CANDIDATE, SOMEBODY WHO’S BEEN INVOLVED IN CAMPAIGNS AND ELECTIONS, WHO HAS DEALT WITH LOBBYING AND LOBBYISTS. AND SO I GUESS THAT’S MOST LIKELY THE REAL LIFE EXPERIENCES I HAVE TO BRING.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

NOW, I DON’T HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS, BUT IN PRESS ACCOUNTS OF THE VOTE ON THE ETHICS COMMISSION TO ELECT YOU AS THE CHAIR, THE SECOND SENTENCE IS ALWAYS HOW AS ATTORNEY GENERAL YOU HAD TO PAY A FINE TO THE PREVIOUS ETHICS BOARD FOLLOWING YOUR ARREST FOR DRUNK DRIVING IN 2004. HOW DOES THAT HELP OR HURT YOUR CREDIBILITY ON THIS COMMISSION AND AS ITS CHAIR?

PEG LAUTENSCHLAGER:

WELL, I THINK THERE’S SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE DOUBTFUL. YOU’VE SEEN THAT IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND CERTAIN PRESS SORTS OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON. I DO THINK, THOUGH, FROM A DIFFERENT STANDPOINT, HAVING VIEWED THE SYSTEM FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE TABLE, AS SUCH, GIVES ME I THINK A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAN ONE MIGHT OTHERWISE HAVE. YOU KNOW, WHAT I DID I DID 12 YEARS AGO. IT WAS A NON-INTENTIONAL VIOLATION. AND I PAID THE FINE. I WANTED TO GET IT OVER WITH, QUITE FRANKLY, AT THE TIME, WAS AMAZED THAT INDEED I HAD COMMITTED THE VIOLATION AT THE TIME BECAUSE OF A MISUNDERSTANDING I HAD WITH THE LAW, NOT THAT THAT’S ANY EXCUSE. BUT THE REALITY IS IS THAT I DO THINK IT GIVES ME A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAN A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT BRING TO THE COMMISSION.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

GIVEN THE EVENLY-SPLIT PARTISAN MAKEUP OF THE COMMISSIONS, WHAT’S TO PREVENT DEADLOCK?

PEG LAUTENSCHLAGER:

THERE’S NOTHING BUT THE GOODWILL OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND THEIR HOPEFULLY MUTUAL DESIRE TO HAVE GOOD ETHICS LAWS ENFORCED IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN. THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS IS REALLY WHAT AFFORDS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FORWARD. I’VE BEEN ENCOURAGED BY OUR FIRST SEVERAL MEETINGS. WE WERE ABLE TO REACH CONSENSUS IN TERMS OF SELECTION OF OFFICERS. WE WERE ABLE TO REACH CONSENSUS IN TERMS OF THE HIRING OF AN ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE COMMISSION. AND I THINK IT’S THE HOPE OF EVERY ONE OF US, REGARDLESS OF THE NATURE OF OUR APPOINTMENTS TO THE BOARD, THAT WE — THAT THIS COMMISSION OBTAIN CREDIBILITY WITH THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE BY DOING WHAT IT’S BEEN TASKED TO DO AND THAT IS ENFORCE ETHICS LAWS IN THE STATE, ENFORCE LOBBYING LAWS AND ALSO LOOKING AT CAMPAIGN FINANCE MATTERS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHEN THE SO-CALLED CAUCUS SCANDAL BROKE IN 2002, RESULTING IN CONVICTIONS OF LAWMAKERS, THE THEN ETHICS BOARD WAS THE REGULATORY AUTHORITY. BUT I RECALL AT THE TIME CRITICS MAINTAINED THAT THAT BOARD HAD NO TEETH, NO POWER AND NO MONEY TO INVESTIGATE. WILL YOUR COMMISSION?

PEG LAUTENSCHLAGER:

WE DO HAVE ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY IN TERMS OF RECOMMENDING CERTAIN THINGS. WE ALSO HAVE SOME AUTHORITY WHEN IT COMES TO ROUTINE VIOLATIONS AND SORT OF STANDARDS THAT ARE KEPT IN TERMS OF THE VARIOUS VIOLATIONS. SO YES, I THINK THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO. THERE IS A SUM SUFFICIENT BUDGET LINE INVOLVING INVESTIGATIONS. I DON’T SEE THAT WE’RE GOING TO NECESSARILY HAVE MANY OF THEM, BUT WE HAVE IN OUR BOARD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, FOUR OF US ARE ATTORNEYS, TWO HAVE BEEN JUDGES, SEVERAL OF US HAVE BEEN LOCAL OR STATE PROSECUTORS, FEDERAL PROSECUTORS. WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO’S WORKED IN THE CAPITOL AS A STAFF PERSON AS WELL AS IN WASHINGTON D.C. AND FINALLY WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO’S BEEN A LEGISLATOR. SO I THINK THAT ALL OF US COME INTO THIS WITH A DESIRE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE CAN SHOW THAT THE ETHICS COMMISSION IS GOING TO DO THE WORK WHICH IT HAS AT LEAST IN THEORY BEEN TASKED TO DO.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ALL RIGHT. PEG LAUTENSCHLAGER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

PEG LAUTENSCHLAGER:

ALWAYS A PLEASURE, FREDERICA. THANK YOU.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WITH THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION STARTING MONDAY IN CLEVELAND, HOW DO THE CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT AND FOR U.S. SENATE STACK UP IN WISCONSIN? WE CHECK IN NOW WITH DIRECTOR OF THE MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL POLL, CHARLES FRANKLIN. CHARLES, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

CHARLES FRANKLIN:

GREAT TO BE BACK.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO LEADING INTO CLEVELAND, TWO THINGS. THE NEVER TRUMP TENT FOLDED UP UNDER CONVENTION RULES AND DONALD TRUMP ANNOUNCES MIKE PENCE AS VP. IT SEEMS LIKE ANY ANTICIPATED FIREWORKS WITH THE CONVENTION ARE ALL BUT OFF THE TABLE. WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT?

CHARLES FRANKLIN:

IT CERTAINLY LOOKS THAT WAY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE RULES COMMITTEE WHERE WE THOUGHT THERE MIGHT BE FIREWORKS. I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THIS IS PRETTY MUCH THE END OF A FLOOR MOVEMENT FOR ANYONE ELSE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

STILL IN WISCONSIN IN YOUR VERY RECENT POLL VOTERS ARE ANYTHING BUT IN FULL ACCORD WITH THE NOMINEES. LET’S JUMP TO A POLL QUESTION THAT ACTUALLY WAS DEEPER IN YOUR SURVEY FIRST TONIGHT. ACCORDING TO YOUR STATEWIDE POLLING, LATE LAST WEEK AND THROUGH THE WEEKEND, AMONG REPUBLICANS AND INDEPENDENTS WHO LEAN REPUBLICAN, 59% SAY THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION SHOULD NOMINATE TRUMP, WHILE 39% SAY THEY’D LIKE TO SEE THE REPUBLICAN TO NOMINATE SOMEONE ELSE OTHER THAN TRUMP. BUT EVEN IN WISCONSIN, WHICH VOTED FOR CRUZ, DOES THAT 39% STAND OUT?

CHARLES FRANKLIN:

IT DOES. I THINK THE GOOD NEWS FOR TRUMP HE’S UP TO 59. HE’S AT A SOLID MAJORITY NOW OF REPUBLICANS IN THE STATE WHO WANT HIM WHEN HE DID LOSE THE PRIMARY HERE. SO THAT IS THE GOOD NEWS. THE PROBLEM IS OF THAT 39%, ONLY BETWEEN 41% AND 48% DEPENDING ON THE WAY YOU ASK THE QUESTION ARE SUPPORTING TRUMP AT THIS POINT. VERY FEW ARE GOING TO HILLARY CLINTON. THAT’S TRUE. BUT THEY MAY BE SUPPORTING THE LIBERTARIAN OR MORE COMMONLY THEY’RE SAYING I DON’T KNOW, I DON’T WANT ANY OF THESE, I MAY NOT VOTE. THAT’S WHERE THE CONVENTION COULD BRING THESE PEOPLE HOME TO TRUMP AND HELP UNIFY THE PARTY OR A CONVENTION THAT FAILS TO DO THAT LEAVES 39% OF THE ELECTORATE HERE STILL NOT RECONCILED TO HIM.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

LET’S LOOK AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE. AMONG DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS WHO LEAN DEMOCRATIC, 50% SAY THEY PREFER CLINTON TO BE THE PARTY’S NOMINEE, WHILE 47% PREFER SANDERS. AGAIN, EVEN IN A STATE THAT WENT FOR SANDERS, WHAT DOES THIS SHOW CONCERNING PARTY UNITY?

CHARLES FRANKLIN:

IT’S A LITTLE BIT OF THE SAME STORY. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME MORE PEOPLE SAID THEY PREFER CLINTON TO SANDERS SINCE THE MARCH POLL AND THE APRIL PRIMARY. SO AGAIN IT’S A BIT OF PROGRESS FOR CLINTON. BUT AMONG THOSE SANDERS’ VOTERS, CLINTON IS GETTING ABOUT 68% OF THE VOTE. SO JUST AS TRUMP IS NOT GETTING THE NEVER TRUMP FOLKS, CLINTON HAS NOT YET CLINCHED THE SANDERS FOLKS UP TO THE 85% TO 90% THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY EXPECT FROM DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY VOTERS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

LET’S LOOK AT THE NUMBERS FOR CLINTON AND TRUMP IN WISCONSIN. AMONG REGISTERED VOTERS, HILLARY CLINTON IS UP ON DONALD TRUMP 43% TO 37%. AMONG LIKELY VOTERS IT’S CLINTON 45% TO TRUMP 41%. WHICH ARE WE GOING WITH?

CHARLES FRANKLIN:

YOU KNOW, EITHER TELLS YOU SOMETHING. IS IT A SIX-POINT MARGIN WITH REGISTERED VOTERS OR FOUR-POINT WITH LIKELY VOTERS? FIRST OF ALL, IT’S JUST A TWO-POINT DIFFERENCE. IF YOU JUST SAY IT’S IN THE MIDDLE SINGLE DIGITS RIGHT NOW, YOU’D BE JUST RIGHT ABOUT WHERE THE RACE STANDS. WITH LIKELY VOTERS, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE SURE THEY’RE GOING TO VOTE IN NOVEMBER. THE PROBLEM IS THEY CAN CHANGE THEIR MIND. WE’VE SEEN FLUCTUATIONS IN LIKELY VOTERS BETWEEN MARCH TO JUNE AND THEN WE SAW MORE FLUCTUATION FROM JUNE TO JULY. SO I LIKE THE REGISTERED VOTER NUMBER BECAUSE IT’S A LITTLE MORE STABLE RIGHT NOW. WHEN WE GET INTO SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, VOTERS WILL HAVE A FIRMER OPINION ABOUT WHETHER THEY’RE GOING TO VOTE AND AT THAT POINT I’D PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THE LIKELY VOTER NUMBER.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ALL RIGHT. LET’S LOOK AT THE U.S. SENATE RACE. DEMOCRAT RUSS FEINGOLD REMAINS ON TOP IN YOUR POLLING. AMONG REGISTERED VOTERS HE HAS 48% TO REPUBLICAN INCUMBENT RON JOHNSON, 41%. AMONG LIKELY VOTERS, IT’S FEINGOLD 49% TO JOHNSON 44%. AND DOES THIS HOLD THE SAME AS WHAT YOU JUST TOLD US ABOUT —

CHARLES FRANKLIN:

EXACTLY. EVEN THE SAME DIFFERENCE. A SEVEN VERSUS A FIVE-POINT LEAD. IT’S A TWO-POINT DIFFERENCE. HERE AND THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE, IN 2015 AND EARLY ’16 WE SAW THE DEMOCRATS LEADING BY ABOUT 10 OR 11 POINTS IN BOTH THE PRESIDENTIAL AND SENATE RACE. FROM MARCH THROUGH JUNE TO JULY WE’VE SEEN THAT TIGHTEN TO THE MID SINGLE DIGITS. AND I THINK THAT REPRESENTS A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF BOTH RACES TIGHTENING A BIT, BUT BOTH CONTINUE TO SHOW A MODERATE OR MODEST ADVANTAGE FOR THE DEMOCRATS AT THIS POINT IN THE CAMPAIGN.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT YOU FOUND ABOUT FAVORABILITY IN THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES. TRUMP IS VIEWED UNFAVORABLY BY 63%, CLINTON BY 58%. BIG NUMBERS.

CHARLES FRANKLIN:

THOSE ARE JUST ENORMOUS NUMBERS. HISTORICALLY THEY’RE ENORMOUS, SINCE THE 1970s WHEN THIS QUESTION WAS FIRST ASKED DURING THE CARTER ADMINISTRATION. NO PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HAS BEEN VIEWED THIS NEGATIVELY, LET ALONE THE NOMINEES OF BOTH PARTIES. SO THIS IS REALLY STRIKING. HOWEVER I HAVE TO SAY IT’S PARTLY BECAUSE OF POLARIZATION. JUST 3% OF DEMOCRATS HAVE A POSITIVE VIEW OF TRUMP, 93% A NEGATIVE VIEW. AMONG REPUBLICANS, 1% FAVORABLE TO CLINTON, 98% UNFAVORABLE TO CLINTON. THOSE ENORMOUS GAPS ARE ALSO PULLING DOWN THEIR OVERALL NUMBERS, THOUGH BOTH OF THEM ARE NET FAVORABLE AND CLINTON QUITE FAVORABLE WITHIN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

I WANT TO JUMP TO OUR LAST SCREEN THAT WE HAVE, ACTUALLY, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH GOVERNOR WALKER’S APPROVAL RATING. IT NOW STANDS AT 38%, DISAPPROVAL AT 58%. SO THAT’S SLIPPED JUST A LITTLE BIT.

CHARLES FRANKLIN:

JUST A LITTLE BIT SINCE JUNE. HE WAS UP AT 43% IN MARCH. BUT THE 43% IN MARCH COINCIDED WITH THE RUN UP TO THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY. HE WAS OUT CAMPAIGNING AND INDEED CAMPAIGNING FOR THE WINNER. AND WE SAW IT MOVE UP. AND THE QUESTION THEN WAS WOULD IT STAY UP OR WOULD IT COME BACK DOWN. NOW WE HAVE TWO POLLS, 39% AND NOW 38%. I THINK THE POINT HERE IS AFTER BEING CONSISTENTLY BEING AT 49% OR 50% APPROVAL IN 2013 AND 2014, BEGINNING IN 2015 AND CONTINUING NOW HE’S FALLEN INTO THE UPPER 30s AND HAS BEEN VERY CONSISTENTLY BETWEEN 36% AND 39%, WITH THAT ONE EXCEPTION OF THIS MARCH. CLEARLY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A REAL RECONSIDERATION OF THE GOVERNOR SINCE HE STARTED RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT AND SINCE HE DELIVERED A BUDGET TWO YEARS AGO NOW THAT WAS WIDELY CRITICIZED WITHIN HIS OWN PARTY. THERE’S PLENTY OF TIME FOR THIS TO CHANGE, BUT IT IS A LONG STRETCH TO BE MIRED BELOW 40% IN ALL BUT THAT ONE MARCH POLL.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ALL RIGHT. WE LEAVE IT THERE. CHARLES FRANKLIN, THANKS VERY MUCH.

CHARLES FRANKLIN:

THANK YOU.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ONE POLITICIAN IN MADISON WANTS TO CLEAN UP HIS DOWNTOWN. MAYOR PAUL SOGLIN PROPOSES A NEW ORDINANCE THAT WOULD PROHIBIT PEOPLE FROM LYING DOWN OR SLEEPING ON A PUBLIC SIDEWALK IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT BETWEEN 7:00 IN THE MORNING AND 10:00 AT NIGHT. A FIRST-TIME VIOLATION WOULD RESULT IN A $10 FINE. SOGLIN IS TRYING TO GET AT THE HABITS OF SOME IN THE HOMELESS POPULATION IN HIS CITY AND MODELS THE NEW LAW ON SIMILAR ORDINANCES IN PORTLAND AND HONOLULU.

PAUL SOGLIN:

IN RECENT MONTHS, WE’VE GOT A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SLEEPING IN PUBLIC AREAS AND BY 8:00, 9:00 IN THE MORNING, WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE IS GOING TO WORK, GOING TO SCHOOL AND TRYING TO ENJOY THE PUBLIC SPACE, THEY’RE WALKING THROUGH AN AREA THAT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE’S DISHEVELED BEDROOM.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

MADISON MAYOR PAUL SOGLIN SAYS THERE ARE ABOUT 20 OR SO CHRONICALLY HOMELESS PEOPLE WHO HE WANTS TO, QUOTE, PICK UP THEIR SIDEWALK BEDROOMS DURING THE DAY.

PAUL SOGLIN:

WE’RE NOT SAYING YOU CAN’T SLEEP IN THAT SPOT. WE’RE NOT SAYING YOU CAN’T USE THE PUBLIC AREA TO SLEEP. WE’RE SIMPLY SAYING PICK UP YOUR STUFF.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

BUT ADVOCATES FOR THE HOMELESS SAY THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE MOVES MADISON IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

BRENDA KONKEL:

THESE TYPES OF PROPOSALS MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT ON US. WE SPEND LOTS OF HOURS IN MEETINGS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE HOMELESS PEOPLE INTO HOUSING AND PART OF THAT IS TRYING TO GET LANDLORDS TO RENT TO HOMELESS PEOPLE. WHEN THE MAYOR IS OUT THERE SAYING HOW TERRIBLE HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE FOR THE DOWNTOWN, IT JUST MAKES OUR JOBS A LOT HARDER.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT’S MOST RECENT COUNT IN 2015 FOUND ABOUT 6,000 HOMELESS HOUSEHOLDS IN WISCONSIN. NEARLY 800 IN MADISON. 1500 IN MILWAUKEE. AND CLOSER TO 170 IN RACINE. AND SO THE PROBLEM EXISTS ACROSS THE STATE, BUT ADVOCATES SAY AS A CITY MADISON HAS A PARTICULAR PROBLEM. THE RENTAL VACANCY RATE HOVERS AROUND 2%, WHILE WITH AN INFLUX OF HIGH-TECH WORKERS AND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS. THIS MEANS THE MARKET BEARS HIGHER RENTS, STRAINING LOWER-INCOME TENANTS.

BRENDA KONKEL:

IT’S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT FOR ANYBODY WHO’S LIVING IN MADISON TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE RENTS. SOME OF THE ONE-BEDROOMS ARE $1,000 NOW. PEOPLE ARE JUST REALLY STRUGGLING TO BE ABLE TO PAY THAT AMOUNT OF RENT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

BRENDA KONKEL SAYS AS OF LAST WEEK, ADVOCATES COUNTED 750 HOMELESS PEOPLE LOOKING FOR HOUSES IN MADISON. WAIT LISTS ARE LONG FOR AFFORDABLE UNITS. NOTWITHSTANDING THE DISPUTE OVER A NEW ORDINANCE ON DAYTIME SIDEWALK SLEEPING, THE CITY AND ITS MAYOR ARE BEING PRAISED FOR A VERY RECENT ADDITION TO ITS HOUSING STOCK, A BRAND NEW 60-UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING SPECIFICALLY FOR HOMELESS VETERANS AND THE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS.

JENNIFER SHIELDS:

THERE’S NEVER BEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. YOU COULD GO TO SALVATION ARMY AND SPEND THE NIGHT IN PLACES LIKE THAT, BUT THEY DON’T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WELCOME TO JENNIFER SHIELDS’ NEW APARTMENT. SHE MOVED IN THREE WEEKS AGO.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO WHAT IS THIS LIKE?

JENNIFER SHIELDS’:

GREAT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SHIELDS SAYS AT AGE 54 SHE’S BEEN HOMELESS AND ON THE STREET IN MADISON FOR 15 YEARS, A RESULT, SHE SAYS, OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, MENTAL ILLNESS, DIVORCE. NOW SHE’S ABLE TO DISPLAY FAMILY PHOTOS AND FAMILY HEIRLOOMS AND CAN KEEP HER THERAPY DOG.

JENNIFER SHIELDS’:

I’M MAKING SOME HOMEMADE MASHED POTATOES. I HAVE A ROAST COOKING, FRIED FISH, GREEN BEANS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

THE APARTMENT BUILDING IS PART OF A HOUSING FIRST PHILOSOPHY STARTED IN NEW YORK CITY.

SKYLER VAN DE WEERD:

HOUSING FIRST IS THE IDEA THAT EVERYBODY HAS PROBLEMS AND BARRIERS TO HOUSING, MENTAL HEALTHY, PHYSICAL HEALTH, DISABILITIES, SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS. SO YOU GET THEM IN HOUSING FIRST AND IT’S PROVEN TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAT THEY’LL BE ABLE TO HANDLE THOSE ISSUES PRODUCTIVELY WHEN THEY HAVE SOMEWHERE SAFE TO COME HOME TO AT NIGHT.

JENNIFER SHIELDS’:

ONCE YOU GET STABLE, YOU CAN TAKE A SHOWER IN THE MORNING, YOU CAN EAT BREAKFAST, YOU CAN GET DRESSED. YOU HAVE A PLACE TO KEEP EVERYTHING AND THEN YOU’RE ABLE TO MAINTAIN, GET ON THE BUS, GO TO YOUR MEETINGS. BUT WHEN YOU’RE JUST OUT THERE, THAT JUST DOESN’T HAPPEN.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHILE THE NEW HOUSING FIRST BUILDING IN MADISON CHIPS AWAY AT THE HOMELESS NUMBER WITH ITS 60 INDIVIDUAL UNITS, ADVOCATES SAY TO FILL THE NEED THE CITY NEEDS TEN TIMES AS MANY. MEANWHILE, THE PROPOSAL TO CLEAN UP THE STREETS IS WINDING ITS WAY THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AT CITY HALL.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

A HOUSING FIRST FAMILY APARTMENT BUILDING IS OPENING SOON IN MADISON. MILWAUKEE HAS SIMILAR HOUSING FOR THE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS. NEXT WEEK, A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO THIS COMPLEX PROBLEM. WE WILL TALK WITH ASHLEY THOMAS OF THE HOPE STREET MINISTRY IN MILWAUKEE. TODAY, GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER MET WITH CABINET MEMBERS IN ASHLAND TO CONTINUE EMERGENCY RELIEF EFFORTS FOR THOSE IMPACTED BY DEADLY STORMS IN THE AREA EARLIER THIS WEEK. THE GOVERNOR DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN EIGHT NORTHERN WISCONSIN COUNTIES AFTER HEAVY RAINS WASHED OUT BRIDGES AND ROADS KILLING THREE PEOPLE. THE BAD RIVER INDIAN RESERVATION WAS ESSENTIALLY DIVIDED IN TWO BY HIGH WATERS THAT SHUT DOWN ACCESS TO THE TRIBAL LODGE AND OTHER BUSINESSES. ON WEDNESDAY TRIBAL MEMBERS IN NEED OF DIALYSIS WERE MEDEVACED BY NATIONAL GUARD HELICOPTER FROM THE RESERVATION TO AN AREA CLINIC. MUCH OF THIS VIDEO FOOTAGE WAS TAKEN BY BAD RIVER STUDENTS WHO WERE ENROLLED IN A UW JOURNALISM WORKSHOP THIS WEEK. THE WEATHER EMERGENCY TURNED A CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE INTO ON-THE-JOB TRAINING.

DONOVAN O'CLAIRE:

I WAS HONESTLY EXPECTING JUST TO BE EDITING VIDEOS, CREATING MUSIC, STUFF LIKE THAT. BUT WHEN THE STORM HIT AND IT CAUSED A CAVE-IN DOWN BY THE ROAD, I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS TO BE ON THE NEWS, RECORDING FOR TWO STATIONS IN MADISON, ONE FOR DULUTH. IT’S DEFINITELY BEEN A WILD RIDE EVER SINCE THAT STORM HIT AND I’M KIND OF HAPPY IT DID.

ZACH OJS:

I WAS EXPECTING TO LEARN HOW TO CREATE PAGES AND EDIT STUFF AND THEN TUESDAY I GOT THE CHANCE TO RECORD FOR THE NEWS AND THAT WAS REALLY FUN TO DO.

WOMAN:

WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF SHOOTING VIDEO?

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

TALKING TO PEOPLE MOSTLY BECAUSE I’M NOT REALLY A TALKATIVE PERSON.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

UW LIFE SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSOR PATTY LOEW NEEDS THAT STUDENT JOURNALISM WORKSHOP AT BAD RIVER. SHE JOINS US NOW. THANKS A LOT FOR BEING HERE. WELCOME BACK.

PATTY LOEW:

DO YOU BELIEVE HOW CONFIDENT OUR TWO YOUNG JOURNALISTS WERE?

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

YOU LOOK VERY PROUD. TELL US ABOUT THIS JOURNALISM WORKSHOP. WHO TAKES PART?

PATTY LOEW:

WELL, WE GO UP TO BAD RIVER. WE’VE BEEN ON OTHER RESERVATIONS AS WELL, BUT THE LAST TWO YEARS AND THIS YEAR WE’RE AT BAD RIVER. IT’S A BALDWIN-FUNDED GRANT PROJECT, ALSO FUNDED BY THE MORGRIDGE CENTER. KIDS LEARN WED DESIGN AND VIDEO DESIGN, MUSIC COMPOSITION, EDITING. THIS YEAR WE WERE SUPPOSED TO FOCUS ON FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND GARDENING AND THEN 11 INCHES OF RAIN AND BRIDGES WASHED OUT AND COLLAPSED ROADS AND SUCH. SO WE PIVOTED AND THE KIDS STARTED SHOOTING FLOODING VIDEO.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO DESCRIBE HOW THEY JUMPED INTO THAT.

PATTY LOEW:

WELL, NORMALLY WE HAVE TEN STUDENTS WITH US FOR EACH OF THESE WEEKS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE FLOOD, THERE WERE ONLY TWO STUDENTS THAT WERE ABLE TO GET TO US.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

OKAY.

PATTY LOEW:

DONOVAN AND ZACH, WHO YOU MET EARLIER. AND THEY WERE REALLY INTERESTED IN JOINING US TO SHOOT FLOOD VIDEO. AND WE THOUGHT, WELL, HERE’S A GREAT LEARNING OPPORTUNITY. AND DONOVAN, WOW, WHAT A CONFIDENT YOUNG MAN. HE WAS DOING STAND-UPS AND — I GUESS HE DIDN’T KNOW ENOUGH TO BE — TO FEEL AWKWARD OR INTIMIDATED BECAUSE HE WAS ABSOLUTELY A NATURAL. AND ZAC WAS A QUICK LEARNER.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT WERE YOU EXPERIENCING IN THE MIDST OF THOSE STORMS?

PATTY LOEW:

YOU KNOW, IT’S DIFFICULT BECAUSE I’M A BAD RIVER TRIBAL MEMBER, TOO, AND SO THERE WAS PART OF ME THAT HAD THE JOURNALIST BRAIN THAT WAS KICKING IN THINKING ABOUT WHAT DO WE NEED TO SHOOT, WHERE SHOULD THIS INFORMATION GO, WHAT STATIONS CAN WE HELP BECAUSE AT ONE POINT BAD RIVER WAS REALLY AN ISLAND. YOU COULDN’T GO EAST OR WEST OR NORTH OR SOUTH FROM THE RESERVATION. AND WE DID HAVE INTERNET ACCESS FOR A WHILE. AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO UPLOAD VIDEO AND WE WERE TRYING TO HELP LOCAL TV STATIONS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

TELL ME ABOUT THE RESERVATION AND THE PEOPLE THERE AND WHAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING.

PATTY LOEW:

WELL, PEOPLE COULDN’T GET TO WORK, SO THAT MEANT THE CASINO AND THE LODGE COULDN’T OPEN. THERE WAS A GAS RUPTURE. THE SANITARY SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEM WAS MAXED OUT. AND HERE YOU SEE PEOPLE — THAT BRIDGE IS OUT OF COMMISSION. IT’S THE MAIN BRIDGE THAT CONNECTS THE RESERVATION TO ASHLAND. AND SO PEOPLE ARE COLLECTING SUPPLIES. THERE WERE A LOT OF AREA BUSINESSES THAT WERE COLLECTING SUPPLIES ON ONE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE AND WALKING THEM, BECAUSE IT WASN’T POSSIBLE TO GET A VEHICLE OVER THIS. THIS RIGHT HERE IS GOVERNMENT ROAD, AND THAT IS A MAIN ROAD INTO THE THIRD LARGEST NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE RESERVATION. THOSE PEOPLE NEEDED TO BE EVACUATED, AND THEY WERE, TO ASHLAND AREA HOTELS, WHERE THEY’RE BEING TEMPORARILY HOUSED.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

CLEARLY VERY DANGEROUS ALL OVER THAT REGION WITH THESE HIGHWAYS OUT AND BRIDGES OUT AND THIS HIGH WATER AND APPARENTLY THERE ARE STORMS FORECAST FOR THE WEEKEND.

PATTY LOEW:

THAT’S RIGHT. MORE RAIN PREDICTED FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. AS WITH ANY DISASTER, COMMUNITY PEOPLE WERE REALLY COMING TOGETHER. THERE’S SOME TREMENDOUS PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR BAD RIVER SOCIAL SERVICES WHO ARE ORGANIZING RELIEF EFFORTS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE STRANDED, ORGANIZED THE NATIONAL GUARD HELICOPTER TO MEDEVAC OUT THE DIALYSIS PATIENTS. THE CONSERVATION PEOPLE AND THE FIRST RESPONDERS WERE OUT REALLY MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO WERE IN FLOODED-OUT AREAS HAD BASIC SERVICES.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT’S THE WORD NOW? HAVE THE SERVICES BEEN RESTORED?

PATTY LOEW:

GAS HAS BEEN RESTORED AND ELECTRICITY IS NOW BACK UP. BUT THERE’S TREMENDOUS CLEAN-UP. AND A LOT OF THAT IS REALLY A HEALTH ISSUE. AND SO WHEN WE LEFT, THERE WERE MEETINGS WITH THE INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT MEDICAL ISSUES WITH TRIBAL PEOPLE WHO NEEDED MEDICAL HELP. THE STATE EMERGENCY SERVICES PEOPLE WERE THERE TRYING TO EXPLAIN THE FEMA PROCESS, BECAUSE THE NEXT STEP IS DOING ALL THAT PAPERWORK TO APPLY FOR DISASTER AID.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ALL RIGHT. WE LEAVE IT THERE. PATTY LOEW, THANKS VERY MUCH AND THANKS FOR TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION.

PATTY LOEW:

THANK YOU.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

MORE RAIN IS IN THE FORECAST FOR THE WEEKEND AS WE MENTIONED. FOR UPDATES ON STORM DAMAGE AND ROAD CLOSURES YOU CAN GO TO READY WISCONSIN-THAT WEB PAGE. FINALLY TONIGHT, A COUPLE OF PROGRAMS NOTES. IF YOU MISSED OUR DOCUMENTARY ON GUN VIOLENCE IN MILWAUKEE, TOO MANY CANDLES, YOU HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE TO SEE IT. THE ONE-HOUR SPECIAL WILL AIR ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, AT 10:00 P.M. AND TONIGHT THE TOPIC OF JUSTICE AND GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA WILL BE EXPLORED IN A NEW PBS DOCUMENTARY “AMERICA IN BLACK AND BLUE.” THIS SPECIAL PRESENTATION OF THE PBS NEWSHOUR AIRS NEXT HERE ON WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION. THAT IS ALL FOR TONIGHT’S PROGRAM. I’M FREDERICA FREYBERG. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

ANNOUNCER:

FUNDING FOR “HERE AND NOW” IS PROVIDED, IN PART, BY FRIENDS OF WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON “HERE AND NOW’S” 2016 ELECTION COVERAGE, GO TO wisconsinvote.org.