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First Lady recognizes correctional educators

July 20, 2009 By

Wisconsin's First Lady recognizes certain educators nationwide for their dedication to teaching in a correctional setting.

From jails, to juvenile detention centers, and a federal prison … First Lady Jessica Doyle says it takes a special kind of person to teach at such facilities.

"They cover everything. They cover maximum security prisons and they cover juvenile jails. And I think it's really important that we not forget about our correctional educators."

In good economic times and bad, Doyle says educators find a way to connect with their students. She says she's had the chance to observe their teaching methods.

"I've observed these teachers. I've observed these teachers in all kinds of facilities in Wisconsin and they find a way to connect each and every learner with learning."

With the idea that there's a correlation between education and reduced recidivism, the Correctional Education Association (CEA) supports correctional educators with quality educational programs, preparing students to reintegrate back into society, and increasing community awareness of correctional education.

"We forget about that. And I think that within the teaching profession there's kind of a really great feeling that after you get to be a real expert and after you're seasoned a bit, then the next challenge is correctional education."

Chapters throughout the county gather in Madison to attend workshops and share with others what they've learned. Doyle says it's informative to hear other teachers' success stories as well as their challenges. Among other things, educators use manipulatives to teach GED writing skills, and help at-risk youth make sense out of math. In 1985 Wisconsin became first in the nation to form a state chapter of the CEA.

First Lady Jessica Doyle spoke at the 64th annual Correctional Education Association Conference Monday in Madison. The event runs from July 19-22nd.

AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report (1:50 MP3)

Filed Under: Education

Wisconsin records sixth H1N1 death

July 20, 2009 By

A Portage County resident has become the sixth person to die from H1N1 or "Swine Flu" virus.

Health officer Faye Tetzloff says the victim was an adult who had an underlying health condition. She says the person was hospitalized in Marshfield at the time of death.

Officials are not releasing the victim's age, gender, hometown, or what underlying condition they were suffering from. Tetzloff says it's due to confidentiality laws and a request from the family.

Tetzloff says what's important isn't that the victim had an underlying condition, but that other people with such conditions should follow the doctor's orders.
Tetzloff says the death is unfortunate but not unexpected, based on the thousands of people who die each year due to complications with the regular flu.

Wisconsin has more than 6,000 confirmed cases of swine flu, the most in the nation. Health officials say that's largely due to to the state being able to conduct it's own testing for the virus, rather than waiting for the CDC to confirm results.

AUDIO: Matt Lehman reports (MP3 :35)

Filed Under: Health & Medicine, Sports

Walker off to strong fundraising start

July 20, 2009 By

Republican political donors are throwing their support behind Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's campaign for governor. Since the beginning of the year, the GOP hopeful raised over $1.1 million in campaign contributions.

UW Political Scientist Charles Franklin says being able to raise so much this early in the campaign shows Walker can get the support needed to compete. Franklin says it was important for Walker to get off to a strong start early on, so he can prove he will be a serious contender this time around. Walker dropped out of a contested primary race against Republican Mark Green during the last gubernatorial election.

Franklin says Walker is showing he can still raise money, in what's shaping up to be a contested primary for the Republican nomination. Former Congressman Mark Neumann recently announced his intention to run, which has raised questions about whether Walker is the "odds on favorite" to earn the nomination. Neumann will not need to report fundraising totals until the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Walker was able to out raise current Governor Jim Doyle during the first six months of the year. Doyle's campaign collected only about $900,000. The Democratic governor has still not confirmed he plans to seek a third term in office.

AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (MP3 1:08)

Filed Under: Elections, Politics & Government Tagged With:

DOT's budget fixed – for now

July 20, 2009 By

A state budget fix keeps transportation moving in Wisconsin – at least for the next two years. "It keeps the DOT afloat," says Craig Thompson of the Transportation Development Association of the recently-adopted state budget.

"It does keep things moving for the next two years, and that, coupled with the stimulus dollars that are on the road right now, will keep people employed in Wisconsin, will keep projects moving for now," says Thompson. "It doesn't address the question of where we're headed, and how we're going to fund transportation in the future."

The budget uses bonding to pay for road projects in the coming two years, but Thompson says the governor and Legislature need to address long-term funding issues for the DOT. "There was no money that came out of the transportation fund to help balance the general fund, and that's significant," he says. "Some of those raids in the past have hurt the confidence of people, that their user fee dollars – registration fee and gas tax – have been going to what they're supposed to go to, and that's caused other problems."

 

AUDIO: John Colbert reports (:40 MP3)

Filed Under: Politics & Government

Federal funds aid evacuation planning

July 20, 2009 By

A Homeland Security grant will help the state plan for evacuations. Ryan Sugden with the state Office of Justice Assistance says the federal grant money will better prepare Wisconsin in the event of a disaster that requires mass evacuations. "In Madison in particular, one population they'll be looking at is special needs populations," explains Sugden. "A template will be developed, specific to Dane County and Rock County, for those populations. That template will be added to a state template that get's distributed to all of the counties."

The planning will not only be concerned with evacuations within Wisconsin: Sugden says it will include what needs to happen here in the event of a major evacuation outside the state, for example in Chicago or the Twin Cities. "What facilities would we have, what would be our transportation routes, to house a large number of evacuees from out of state," he says.

The federal grant money – $80,000 in the case of Dane County – will fund three limited term positions to improve the mass evacuation plans for the 12 largest metropolitan areas in Wisconsin.  

AUDIO: Bob Hague reports (:60 MP3)

Filed Under: Politics & Government, Top Story
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