Electricity Price Hikes, Getting A Haircut Was Never So Hard, This Week In Wisconsin

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Getting a haircut can seem like a pretty routine experience, but we speak with two women of color who have had to go to great lengths to keep up their hair, because of a lack of salons that cater to them. Then we go behind the headlines to explore what an 80 percent increase in utility bills for customers northeastern and north-central Wisconsin mean for the poor and for efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. After that, we roundup the week in Wisconsin politics.

Featured in this Show

  • Weekly News Roundup: Republicans Win Big In Election

    Capitol

    Photo: WisPolitics(CC-BY-SA)

    Scott Walker Elected As Governor For Third Time In Four Years

    Gov. Scott Walker was re-elected as governor on Tuesday, defeating Democrat Mary Burke by about a 6-point margint.

    The Republican tide that swept the nation in the midterm elections seemed helped Walker, given the numbers show he’s no more popular than he was when he took office in 2010. Low Democratic turnout also worked in the governor’s favor.

    Capitol

    Photo: Wisconsin State Legislature.

    Election Night Yields Major Wins For GOP

    In addition to Walker’s re-election, Republicans made other gains across the state on Tuesday.

    Republican Brad Schimel defeated Democrat Susan Happ in a the hotly contested race for attorney general. State Sen. Glenn Grothman won his race for Congress against Winnebago County Executive Mark Harris.

    Moreover, key wins in open districts allowed Republicans to expand the majorities they hold in both chambers of the Legislature.

    Capitol

    Photo: Wisconsin State Legislature.

    Fitzgerald Re-Elected As Senate Majority Leader

    On Thursday, Republicans in the state Senate re-elected Scott Fitzgerald as their majority leader.

    Fitzgerald said that in the upcoming legislative session he’d like to increase the cap on voucher students, currently set at 1,000, to somewhere around 9,000. Republicans, including Fitzgerald, are also taking a close look at the Government Accountability Board, a possible property tax cut, worker’s compensation, and drunken driving laws.

    Since the Senate now has a more conservative make up, Republican agenda items could get passed more readily.

    Capitol

    Photo: Shawn Johnson/WPR News

    Assembly Speaker Vos Discusses Republican Agenda For Next Session

    Assembly Speak Robin Vos on Wednesday discussed his caucus’s agenda for the next legislative session. He said he heard a lot about property taxes on the campaign trail, and he’d like to cut them.

    He’d also like to make sure professors at the University of Wisconsin focus more on the classroom and less on research. Campaign finance laws are another area he’d like to focus on this session, and he’d like to increase the amount of money people can donate to political candidates.

  • Finding Black Hair Care Can Be A Challenge In Wisconsin

    For a lot of people, getting a hair cut is a pretty routine experience. And when it comes to upkeep, the local pharmacy usually has the shampoo and conditioner you need. That’s not so for many black women living outside of larger metropolitan areas.

    Two women of color share the challenges of up-keeping their hair after moving to Madison, Wisconsin – ranging from finding the right hair products to finding someone who can actually style black hair.
  • State Regulators Approve 80 Percent Electric Rate Hike

    State regulators yesterday approved a $9-dollar fixed-price increase in electric bills for customers in the Green Bay area. Other utilities, like Madison Gas & Electric may do the same. How will this affect the poor, those who try to conserve energy and efforts to develop renewable energy sources?

  • State News Round-Up For November 7th, 2014

    WPR’s assistant news director joins us for a look at what’s making headlines in Wisconsin, including a look at what happens next, now that midterm elections are decided.

Episode Credits

  • Rob Ferrett Host
  • Veronica Rueckert Host
  • Veronica Rueckert Producer
  • Galen Druke Producer
  • Marika Suval Producer
  • Noah Ovshinsky Guest
  • Catasha Davis Guest
  • Camille Rogers Guest
  • Michael Vickerman Guest
  • Galen Druke Interviewer