Voting hurdles; pandemic as ‘Groundhog’s Day;’ Kanye West on Wisconsin ballot; utility regulator seeks job with utility; indigenous leaders want mascots retired
Of note: This week we draw your attention to a story by Wisconsin Watch reporter Enjoyiana Nururdin, who profiles a visually impaired voter who ran out of options to vote on April 7. Don Natzke of Shorewood tried everything he could think of, but in the end, chose his health over exercising his right to vote. The piece was produced in collaboration with The Guardian on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.
More stories of disenfranchisement can be seen at The Guardian’s The Fight to Vote series.
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A Wisconsin man with visual impairment tried to vote. The coronavirus got in his way
Wisconsin Watch — August 6, 2020
Don Natzke, 69, has lived nearly his entire life with visual impairment. Natzke previously served as the executive director of the Milwaukee County Office for Persons with Disabilities, where he promoted accessible governmental policies to include people with disabilities. But when it came time to vote on April 7, Natzke felt he ran out of options.
Is Wisconsin GOP behind Kanye’s campaign?
WISN 12 — August 4, 2020
An attorney who represents the Republican Party of Wisconsin and the Republican National Committee was seen dropping off Kanye West’s presidential nomination papers Tuesday at the state Elections Commission building in Madison.
Former Wisconsin regulator sought job as utility CEO months after voting to approve its projects
Wisconsin State Journal — August 4, 2020
A former Wisconsin regulator sought to lead one of the state’s largest utilities just months after voting to approve two of the company’s projects. Mike Huebsch, who resigned from the Public Service Commission in February, later applied for the job of chief executive officer of Dairyland Power Cooperative, according to documents obtained by a group suing the agency over approval of a controversial power line through southwestern Wisconsin.
Indigenous leaders call for Wisconsin schools to retire Native American mascots, logos
Green Bay Press Gazette — August 4, 2020
The retiring of the Washington NFL team name last month has renewed calls for school sports teams in Wisconsin to do the same and drop all mascots, logos and names depicting Native Americans.
‘It does feel a little bit like ‘Groundhog’s Day’ ’ — Dairy farmer Bryan Voegeli fears what an outbreak could mean for his farm
Wisconsin Watch/WPR — August 6, 2020
Dairy farmer Bryan Voegeli feels lucky that none of his workers has tested positive for COVID-19. But as the pandemic stretches on, he thinks it may be inevitable.
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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