Open Record

Does or mean and? Or does or mean... well, or? That was the crux of a legal battle between FOX6 News and Governor Tony Evers over our request for the Governor's emails. In this episode of Open Record, why a Dane County Circuit Court judge said 'or' means 'or' -- and the potentially powerful implications for government transparency in Wisconsin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoice...

The problem of reckless driving is nothing new in Milwaukee. Unfortunately, it only seems to be getting worse. Despite all the meetings and task force recommendations, it appears little has been done to actually talk to the young people who are engaging in this deadly behavior -- until now. In this episode of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda St. Hilaire talk about a story Br...

The coronavirus is back in court in Wisconsin. Once again, there's a battle over what Governor Evers can and can not mandate during a pandemic. The latest arguments in Wisconsin's Supreme Court center around a statewide mask mandate. That move came after the governor's original public health emergency related to the pandemic had expired, a move opponents said was illegal. In this episode of Open R...

We've been living in a COVID-19 world now for eight months and it appears our way back to normal is a vaccine. However, developing that vaccine is only the beginning. Why is the process so complicated? Once the vaccine is released, who gets it first? In this episode of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda St. Hilaire invite Contact 6's Jenna Sachs on to talk about the COVID-19 v...

It's been a wild ride, but the 2020 election isn't over just yet. We're still waiting on results from several battleground states. Wisconsin made its pick for the White House by half a percentage point. In this episode of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda St. Hilaire invite FOX6 political reporter Jason Calvi on to talk about all things elections. Jason helps break down where...

Months of campaigning, political rallies, and informing voters has come down to today. Election Day 2020 is here. We could, however, be a long way from knowing the next President of the United States. Due to the pandemic, an unprecedented number of mail-in and absentee ballots still have to be counted. It's something election clerks warn could make for a very long night. In this episode of Open Re...

The COVID-19 outbreak at Waupun Correctional Institution is now so large that prison workers can no longer isolate sick inmates from those who are healthy. That's according to an internal memo obtained by FOX6 Investigator Bryan Polcyn. It's the second outbreak at that prison and one of at least 11 in Wisconsin with ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks. In this episode of Open Record, FOX6 Investigator Brya...

As people spend more time at home amid the pandemic, the number of projects homeowners tackle increase. With some of those jobs come problems. Contact 6 continues to get flooded with complaints from FOX6 viewers about jobs gone bad, unreliable contractors, and other problems homeowners face. In this episode of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda St. Hilaire invite Contact 6's J...

Of the more than 36,000 teenagers of driving age in Milwaukee County, only half actually have a driver's license. While no one knows just how many, it is clear a significant number are driving anyway. They're behind the wheel with no education, training, or legal right to be on the road. In today's episode of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda St. Hilaire explain why community...

It's the most-received call and email into the FOX6 newsroom: Unemployment issues. Since the pandemic hit more than seven months ago, FOX6 viewers have reached out to us, hoping we can help them get unemployment benefits. The viewers who contact us say there are a number of problems with the system, from having trouble filing an initial claim to not receiving benefits months after that first filin...

It's been seven months since COVID-19 shutdowns began and sent people scrambling. Since March, we've all changed the ways we get our information. Now, we know some of those changes might be here to stay. In this edition of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda St. Hilaire dive into the changes they've seen to freedom of information. Hear how public meetings have made a shift and...

There's a growing economic pressure in Wisconsin for parents to find affordable child care options. But does hiring an unlicensed provider put your child's care at risk? A Waukesha child care provider is facing a criminal charge for lying to police about her identity and some of her clients say she lied to them, too. In this episode of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda St. Hi...

The city of Wauwatosa braced for unrest as word came down Wednesday the District Attorney would not file charges against Wauwatosa police officer Joseph Mensah for the shooting death of Alvin Cole. People protested and as night fell, those protests turned to damage and looting. In this episode of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda St. Hilaire explain how we got here, what happ...

There are mask mandates, requests to social distance, and new ways of doing everyday things. Yet, Wisconsin continues to grapple with one of the country's worst COVID-19 outbreaks. Hospitals in northeast Wisconsin say they're near-capacity, even delaying other surgeries and procedures to make room for new COVID-19 patients. In this episode of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda...

People are putting children on day care wait lists before they're even pregnant. That's how tough it is to find quality care in Wisconsin and that was before the pandemic. Now, the problem is getting worse and fast. If child care is the key to reopening the economy, what happens when that key starts to disappear? In this edition of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda St. Hilair...

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo traveled to Wisconsin, a battleground state, just 41 days before the election. In a rare visit, Sec. Pompeo went where no sitting secretary has gone before -- the Wisconsin Capitol. Sec. Pompeo says it was official business, to warn Wisconsin officials about the CCP, the Chinese Communist Party. Critics called his visit a thinly-veiled campaign stop. In this edi...

We are just 42 days away from the election. While we may not have a winner announced the night of November 3rd, we do know the days leading up to the election will be filled with plenty of headlines here in Wisconsin. What's the latest political news and what do you need to know to make sure your vote counts? In this edition of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda St. Hilaire in...

We're in a year dominated by the coronavirus pandemic, calls for police reform, and a presidential election. All of this is happening while the city of Milwaukee is seeing another surge in reckless driving deaths. It's one of the most vexing issues still facing Milwaukee. The Milwaukee Police Department recently renewed efforts to target reckless driving in the city with extra traffic patrols. Whe...

Many parents and health experts are keeping a close eye on the area elementary schools doing in-person learning or a hybrid because of the coronavirus. But as the school year gets underway, the focus of concern has shifted to local college campuses. Those colleges and universities are trying to figure out how to keep students safe and learning. However, COVID-19 cases are on the rise in Wisconsin...

If you've gone to any store or searched online since March, you know finding disinfecting wipes is nearly impossible. Why can't we find them? Demand for emergency shelter is up, approaching pre-COVID-19 levels, despite resources like rental assistance meant to keep people in their homes. How are Milwaukee shelters handling the influx of those who need housing? Plus, since the police shooting of Ja...

Vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris spent Labor Day in Milwaukee, her first visit on the ticket. During her visit, Harris spoke with the family of Jacob Blake, who was recently shot by a Kenosha police officer. Harris also toured an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers facility and later met with Black business leaders for a roundtable discussion. Part of her visit also included a 1...

In the days following the Kenosha police shooting of Jacob Blake, there were protests, violence, finger pointing, and a community looking to heal. Also in the spotlight: The politics of police shootings. In this episode of Open Record, the FOX6 Investigators invite FOX6 political reporter Jason Calvi on to talk about everything from a package of police reform bills proposed by Governor Evers to th...

While many students in southeast Wisconsin begin the school year virtually, others are headed into the classroom to learn in a face-to-face setting. Safety is big concern for both students and staff, but Wisconsin health officials have told teachers to not wear N95 face masks to school this fall. In this episode of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda St. Hilaire explain why som...

As we enter into the final day of the Democratic National Convention, what does all of it mean for November? Despite the DNC taking center stage, the GOP isn't silent this week. Trump's campaign is blitzing across the battleground state of Wisconsin. In this edition of Open Record, we invited FOX6 reporters Jason Calvi and Amy DuPont on the episode to talk about the reporting they've done this wee...

A surge in Milwaukee homicides has prompted the return of a nationally-renowned approach to reducing violent crime. But what originally derailed the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission? In this edition of Open Record, FOX6 Investigators Bryan Polcyn and Amanda St. Hilaire explain how a pair of college professors are bringing the MHRC back. You'll learn more about the job of the review commission...