Money

How Can Wisconsin's Rural Hospitals Keep Their Doors Open Amid A Wider Crisis?

The Cap Times

Trapped under antiquated policies and infrastructure in communities with dwindling populations, some rural hospitals cannot afford to adapt to a rapidly evolving health care system.

Controversy In The Air: The Future Of F-35 Fighter Jets In Madison

Video:

Frederica Freyberg

PBS Wisconsin

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WPT

The U.S. Air Force is determining whether or not to base F-35 fighter jets at Truax Field Air National Guard Base in Madison. State Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, and Badger Air Community Council executive director Chris Arenz discuss the potential health and economic impacts of this decision.

Series: Challenges To Wisconsin's Rural Schools

Series: Disparities And Equity In Wisconsin

Why Did Wisconsin Students' Standardized Test Scores Slip In 2019?

Video:

Frederica Freyberg

PBS Wisconsin

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WPT

Statewide standardized test stores dropped slightly in Wisconsin in 2019. State Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor discusses this decline, and elaborates on the variety of factors that affect the achievement of students and resources of teachers.

Series: The Dairy State Economy

Wisconsin's Cheese Industry Helped Grow Its Dairy Goat Business

Audio:

Kate Archer Kent

Wisconsin Public Radio

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WPR

Wisconsin has the highest number of dairy goats in the United States. WisContext associate editor Will Cushman discusses these numbers and explains how the dairy goat industry took shape and expanded in America's Dairyland.

What Will Dozens More County Prosecutors Mean For Wisconsin's Justice System?

Video:

Frederica Freyberg

PBS Wisconsin

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Wisconsin is funding more than 60 assistant district attorneys in 56 counties around the state. Wisconsin District Attorneys Association president Louis Molepske, who is the DA for Portage County, speaks to the effects of additional prosecutors in the criminal justice system.

Series: Health Insurance And The ACA

Why Do Wisconsinites Owe Billions In Unpaid Medical Bills?

Video:

Frederica Freyberg

PBS Wisconsin

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WPT

According to the Wisconsin Hospital Association, there are about $1.2 billion in unpaid medical bills in the state in 2019. ABC for Health executive director Bobby Peterson discusses the complexities of medical debt in Wisconsin.

Untangling How Minimum Markup Affects Gas Prices In Eau Claire

Audio:

Rob Ferrett

Wisconsin Public Radio

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WPR

Wisconsin's so-called "minimum markup law" was debated this year, when Gov. Tony Evers proposed eliminating it as part of his road and infrastructure budget. UW-Eau Claire geographer Ryan Weichelt explains how this Depression-era law affects gas prices in the Eau Claire area.

Noon Wednesday: Why Do Wisconsin Jail Inmates Pay-To-Stay?

Video:

Marisa Wojcik

PBS Wisconsin

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WPT

There's a price to pay when someone is sent to jail in Wisconsin — literally. Wisconsin Watch managing editor Dee Hall discusses the widespread practice of of Wisconsin counties charging inmates for their stay in jail. Are these fees necessary, or do they violate the rights of those incarcerated?

The Stubborn Similarity Of Gas Prices Across Eau Claire

Ryan Weichelt

UW-Eau Claire

Laura Middlesworth

Confusion over what drives differences in gas prices between gas stations in the same town ⁠— or even at the same intersection ⁠— can be a constant source of frustration for drivers.

What Wisconsin Jails Charge Inmates, By The Numbers

Izabela Zaluska

Wisconsin Watch

In late May 2019, Wisconsin Watch sent a survey to all 72 county jails asking for information about their incarceration fees.