The Census Bureau is looking for people to be census takers for the 2020 census. Here, a man looks at information about the census on Oct. 28, 2019 at Journey House in Milwaukee. Sue Vliet / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
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Census, voter purge, hunting decline, journalist threat


Of note: This week we highlight a story by Ana Martinez-Ortiz of Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, published in collaboration with Wisconsin Watch. Martinez-Ortiz explains the census’ high stakes for Wisconsin and how civic groups are appealing to hard-to-count populations in hopes of getting an accurate count. A George Washington University study found that Wisconsin received about $12.6 billion through 55 federal spending programs that are guided by 2010 census data. The state will lose dollars for folks who are not counted. The story includes a map of hard-to-count census tracts in Wisconsin, including some in Milwaukee County that are among the hardest to count in the country.

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The Census Bureau is looking for people to be census takers for the 2020 census. Here, a man looks at information about the census on Oct. 28, 2019 at Journey House in Milwaukee. Sue Vliet / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Counting Wisconsin: What you should know about the 2020 Census

Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service/Wisconsin Watch — February 4, 2020

With political power and a share of $675 billion in federal funding on the line, civic groups are trying to make sure that Wisconsinites get counted. Here’s what else you should know about the census and its importance.

Wisconsin law says kids must be taught Native American issues, but teachers say they don’t know how

Appleton Post-Crescent — January 30, 2020

Despite a state law on the books that mandates indigenous education for Wisconsin kids, a cycle of avoidance makes it hard for teachers and students alike to learn, according to a story by former Wisconsin Watch intern Madeline Heim.

A voter sign is seen outside the polling place at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wis., on Feb. 20, 2018. Coburn Dukehart / Wisconsin Watch

Who received the voter purge letter? State lawmakers, a cabinet secretary and a former UW chancellor

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel — January 31, 2020

Among the thousands of voters flagged to be possibly removed from Wisconsin’s voter rolls are two state lawmakers, a cabinet secretary, a Milwaukee County supervisor and a former University of Wisconsin chancellor. Election officials in October asked more than 230,000 people to update their voter registrations because they believed they had moved.

Bucks are seen in one of the pens at the Wilderness Whitetails breeding farm in Rosholt, Wis. on Sept. 19, 2018. Rich Kremer / WPR

Hunting is ‘slowly dying off,’ and that has created a crisis for the nation’s many endangered species

The Washington Post — February 2, 2020

Americans’ interest in hunting is on the decline, cutting into funding for conservation, which stems largely from hunting licenses, permits and taxes on firearms, bows and other equipment. In Wisconsin, a $4 million to $6 million annual deficit forced the Department of Natural Resources to reduce warden patrols and invasive species control.

Governor Tony Evers greets legislators prior to his second State of the State address in Madison, Wis., at the State Capitol building on Jan. 22, 2020. Coburn Dukehart / Wisconsin Watch

Tony Evers stands by warning journalist of prosecution over reporting

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel — February 4, 2020

Gov. Tony Evers said the Department of Children and Families acted appropriately by sending an NBC News reporter — who wrote this expose — a cease and desist letter threatening legal action if he reported information from a confidential child abuse investigation. Media law experts say the threat was likely unconstitutional. 

The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (wisconsinwatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.

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