Open Record

Health care workers on the front lines of fighting COVID-19 are not supposed to talk to the press, but they want you to know what's really happening. Nurses in Wisconsin say their limited access to paid leave is putting you in danger. In this special edition of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Amanda St. Hilaire and Bryan Polcyn hear from health care workers who say they can't keep us safe if no one is keeping them safe during this pandemic. You'll also learn the two main issues that kept popping up as dozens of health care workers reached out to FOX6. Typically, Open Record is a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of FOX6 Investigative reports. But we’re changing things up a bit for the time being: We’re bringing you the latest on our coverage of COVID-19 here in Wisconsin. We’ll bring you more frequent episodes over the next few weeks as we navigate this.

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Hundreds of thousands of Wisconsin workers have filed for unemployment since COVID-19 surged here. With so many struggling to make ends meet, Governor Evers issued a temporary order banning evictions in Wisconsin. But some tenants at one Milwaukee building say they got a letter from their landlord asking them to vacate their units as soon as possible. In this special edition of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda St. Hilaire dig into what that landlord had to say -- to both tenants and FOX6 -- about the letter seemingly sent to tenants after the eviction ban was put in place. Was it all a misunderstanding? Typically, Open Record is a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of FOX6 Investigative reports. But we’re changing things up a bit for the time being: We’re bringing you the latest on our coverage of COVID-19 here in Wisconsin. We’ll bring you more frequent episodes over the next few weeks as we navigate this.

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It's the day after Wisconsin's historic spring election. Some voters waited hours to cast their ballot in person, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there were many more who didn't wait in line at all. A record 1.2 million voters requested absentee ballots. But dozens and dozens of FOX6 viewers say their ballots never came in the mail. In this special edition of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda St. Hilaire talk about the difficult decision those voters were left with on election day. We hear from several of those voters who are wondering what happened to their absentee ballots despite the State Elections Commission website stating their ballots were marked as 'sent.' Typically, Open Record is a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of FOX6 Investigative reports. But we’re changing things up a bit for the time being: We’re bringing you the latest on our coverage of COVID-19 here in Wisconsin. We’ll bring you more frequent episodes over the next few weeks as we navigate this.

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It's Election Day in Wisconsin, a day that will go down in history. It was on, then it was off, now it's on again. Wisconsin's spring election has been wrapped in confusion, court decisions, and public health concerns. This, as COVID-19 prompted several states to delay their April elections. Wisconsin is the only one that did not reschedule, despite Governor Evers' reversal and last-ditch effort to do so. In this special edition of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Amanda St. Hilaire and Bryan Polcyn invite FOX6 political reporter Jason Calvi to the episode to talk about the election. Calvi talks about the court decisions, how absentee ballots work and concerns many won't be counted. The team also digs into health concerns, and what people need to know to make sure their vote counts. Typically, Open Record is a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of FOX6 Investigative reports. But we’re changing things up a bit for the time being: We’re bringing you the latest on our coverage of COVID-19 here in Wisconsin. We’ll bring you more frequent episodes over the next few weeks as we navigate this.

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COVID-19 has shut nearly everything down and that means a lot of people are out of work. Now, Wisconsin's unemployment system is overwhelmed and despite many qualifying for unemployment benefits, dozens of people are unable to get them. That's because the website crashes or phone lines are busy for hours. In this special episode of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Amanda St. Hilaire and Bryan Polcyn dig into why so many have been unable to file for unemployment and why our state's unemployment system is about to get even busier. Plus, hear what the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development is doing to adjust its system. Typically, Open Record is a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of FOX6 Investigative reports. But we’re changing things up a bit for the time being: We’re bringing you the latest on our coverage of COVID-19 here in Wisconsin. We’ll bring you more frequent episodes over the next few weeks as we navigate this.

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During this pandemic, transparency is what allows us to hold leaders accountable and get context for the other information we have and make decisions about our own health. So, why can't some families in southeast Wisconsin get basic COVID-19 information from their loved ones' long-term care facilities? In this special edition of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda St. Hilaire welcome FOX6's Suzanne Spencer to the episode to talk about this issue. Spencer did some digging into why health facilities, counties, and the state are allowed to withhold information that directly affects you and the people you love. The team talks about why facilities aren't required to report coronavirus outbreaks, what other states do, and what other pieces of information you can't get in Wisconsin. Typically, Open Record is a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of FOX6 Investigative reports. But we’re changing things up a bit for the time being: We’re bringing you the latest on our coverage of COVID-19 here in Wisconsin. We’ll bring you more frequent episodes over the next few weeks as we navigate this.

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It was roughly a year ago when Milwaukee was announced as the home of the Democratic National Convention. Then the coronavirus pandemic hit. Before you have a convention, you need an election. During this public health crisis, should people even be voting? Why hasn't Wisconsin rescheduled the April 7 primaries? In this special edition of Open Record, FOX6 Investigator Amanda St. Hilaire talks with FOX6 political reporters Jason Calvi and Amy DuPont about where things stand right now with the election and what it all means for Wisconsin moving forward. Typically, Open Record is a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of FOX6 Investigative reports. But we’re changing things up a bit for the time being: We’re bringing you the latest on our coverage of COVID-19 here in Wisconsin. We’ll bring you more frequent episodes over the next few weeks as we navigate this.

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Dozens of inmates at a southeast Wisconsin jail wrote letters to the judges who sentenced them and asked one basic question: 'Your Honor, can I please get out now?' The Waukesha Huber facility was on lockdown March 27 over concerns about the spread of COVID-19. Inmates once allowed to come and go for work, school, or medical appointments would no longer be able to leave. But now, judges are allowing some inmates to leave the jail and go home. In this special edition of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda St. Hilaire talk about what kind of criminals are being released, what the release means for those inmates, and how prosecutors are reacting to what's happening. Typically, Open Record is a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of FOX6 Investigative reports. But we’re changing things up a bit for the time being: We’re bringing you the latest on our coverage of COVID-19 here in Wisconsin. We’ll bring you more frequent episodes over the next few weeks as we navigate this.

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It's a pandemic many say is going to get worse before it gets better and at the front lines of the coronavirus: Health care workers. More than a dozen local health care workers sent emails and social media messages to FOX6; A few agreed to do recorded phone interviews on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the press. In this special edition of Open Record, nurses in southeast Wisconsin talk to FOX6 about the battle against COVID-19 and were brutally honest with FOX6 Investigator Amanda St. Hilaire. They warned of supply challenges and mental health minefields as they navigate this pandemic. Typically, Open Record is a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of FOX6 Investigative reports. But we’re changing things up a bit for the time being: We’re bringing you the latest on our coverage of COVID-19 here in Wisconsin. We’ll bring you more frequent episodes over the next few weeks as we navigate this.

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Courthouses in Milwaukee County are postponing jury trials by at least 60 days to protect the public and staff from the threat of COVID-19. That doesn't mean the wheels of justice have stopped turning entirely, though. On a normal day, thousands of people are in and out of the Milwaukee County Courthouse. But right now, nothing is normal. In this special edition of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Amanda St. Hilaire and Bryan Polcyn talk with Contact 6's Jenna Sachs about the big changes at the courthouse and what they mean for you. Typically, Open Record is a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of FOX6 Investigative reports. But we’re changing things up a bit for the time being: We’re bringing you the latest on our coverage of COVID-19 here in Wisconsin. We’ll bring you more frequent episodes over the next few weeks as we navigate this.

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