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Wisconsin Public Television Flood Coverage

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Watch individual original reports below:

Gays Mills among Wisconsin communities still hurt by floods
"Here and Now" Aug. 15, 2008
Watch segment (7:06)
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Flood waters across the state have begun to recede in many areas, but some Wisconsin communities are still feeling the effects of this summer’s storms. Gays Mills, a small village between La Crosse and Madison, is one such community. FEMA is planning to visit Gays Mills next week and Crawford County Independent Kickapoo Scout editor Charley Preusser joins us in the studio to discuss the effects of the flood on the Gays Mills community.

APT Flood APT Flood
"In Wisconsin" July 31, 2008
Watch segment video (6:00)
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While most floodwaters have receded in Wisconsin, a few homes in the Spring Green area remain underwater weeks after the flooding first occurred. One of them belongs to Sarah Day, a 23-year veteran of Spring Green’s famed American Players Theatre. At the time of the flood, Day was at work on perhaps her greatest role, the world premiere of a one-woman show, “The Desert Queen.” Her fellow company members and APT’s production crew stepped up to save her belongings from the rising waters, and provide her with shelter. Thanks to her supporting players and “the show must go on” spirit, Day has weathered this remarkable personal drama with grace and good humor.

Flood Recovery Still a FEMA Priority
"Here and Now" July 25, 2008
Watch segment (7:18)
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Standing flood waters continue to plague Wisconsin homes and the Federal Emergency Management Agency continues to offer assistance to affected families. FEMA will be available in 11 cities in the state this week to offer advice on recovery and information about assistance programs. In the studio, FEMA official Ed Edahl discusses the effects of the flooding and how government aid can help those affected.

Lake Delton Redesign Lake Delton Redesign
"In Wisconsin" July 17, 2008
Watch segment video (5:11)
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Floods in early June 2008 caused Lake Delton to overflow. The water cut through a sand embankment allowing the lake to drain. Five houses were swept away into the Wisconsin River. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation was tasked with rebuilding Sauk County Highway A, which crossed the embankment, and creating a levee which will dam up the Dell Creek basin and allow the lake to be refilled. Many tourism related business have been left without an attraction due to the disaster.

Flood Waters Continue to Plague Sauk County
"Here and Now" July 11, 2008
Watch segment (8:33)
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More than one month after initial flooding in Spring Green residents are still battling flood waters. On Thursday, Gov. Jim Doyle visited the area and assured citizens that federal and state assistance is on the way. Pastor Douglas Larson-Sell of Christ Lutheran Church in Spring Green has been holding community meetings for affected families called “respites.” We talk to him about the condition of his community.

FEMA team FEMA Team
"In Wisconsin" July 10, 2008
Watch segment video (5:18)
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In an effort to make sure Wisconsin residents hit by flooding register with FEMA for disaster assistance, FEMA Community Relations Teams, hit the streets in the counties declared as disasters. There are 82 such FEMA workers in Wisconsin, going door-to-door to encourage residents to register. Frederica Freyberg caught up with one such team in Sauk County, where residents of Rock Springs suffered severe damage and the village itself sustained more than $1 million in public infrastructure damage.

Flood Relief Continues
"Here and Now" June 27, 2008
Watch segment (4:26)
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Officials from FEMA continued to assess homes, businesses and infrastructure damaged by floodwaters this week. On Thursday, a FEMA crew visited Rock County where one community remains isolated by flood waters. We bring you video of that trip as well as an interview with one FEMA official who was there. Rebecca Morales of FEMA External Affairs has been working all over Wisconsin for more than two weeks, informing residents how to access flood relief. She joins us in the studio to talk more about FEMA's work in Wisconsin.

Contaminated Flood Waters
"Here and Now" June 27, 2008
Watch segment (3:06)
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We hear the latest on a case of E. coli contracted after one child played in contaminated floodwaters. Pediatrician Greg Demuri is one of the doctors at UW Children's Hospital treating the 6 year old boy. He joins us to talk about the child's condition as well as the threat posed by contaminated flood water.

Extra Footage from Rock County
Watch "In Wisconsin" video (1:30)
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Rising Trouble Rising Trouble
"In Wisconsin" June 26, 2008
Watch segment video (4:37)
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Reporter Frederica Freyberg returns to Southeastern Wisconsin this week to follow up on areas still inundated with flood water. Freyberg introduces us to a couple that has not only had to evacuate their flooded home but is at the same time coping with another life-changing problem: they both work at the GM plant in Janesville. GM has announced it is closing the plant due to slow sales of SUV’s. Dave and Laurie Jackowski talk with Freyberg about their uncertain future.

Lake Delton Lake Delton Reconstruction
"In Wisconsin" June 26, 2008
Watch segment video (6:12)
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Two and a half weeks after a flood-weakened embankment collapsed, sending the water from Lake Delton into the Wisconsin River, the process of reconstruction began this week. In Wisconsin Producer Art Hackett reports that although the project is on an expedited schedule, there are numerous engineering and legal issues that still must be resolved.

Rebuilding After the Storms
"Here and Now" June 20, 2008
Watch segment (8:08)
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Last week’s rains left many roads submerged, leading to closed highways and long detours across the state. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation took emergency action to reopen a stretch of Interstate 94 after rising rivers forced its closure. On Tuesday, DOT construction began on a $900,000 temporary crossover to span the submerged section of the interstate. We talk to DOT Secretary Frank Busalacchi about this project and the many other construction projects underway to repair the state’s roads.

Cleaning Up the State
"Here and Now" June 20, 2008
Watch segment (9:04)
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Officials at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources had their eye on several dams this week as they strained under the floodwaters. Dams in Pardeeville and Montello, as well as dams along the Kickapoo River, came under scrutiny. Hundreds of small dams throughout the state were damaged or stressed by flood waters. In addition, several state parks, recreation areas and trails remain closed due to flooding. We talk to DNR Secretary Matt Frank about efforts to secure dams and clean up state lands.

Coping With Disaster
"Here and Now" June 20, 2008
Watch segment (4:37)
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Three more Wisconsin counties were declared federal disaster areas Thursday after inspection from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Fond du Lac, Marquette and Iowa Counties joined a dozen other Wisconsin counties already eligible for federal relief dollars as designated disaster areas. As clean-up efforts continue across the state, the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services is offering mental health counseling and an emergency food program to residents of these affected counties. Department of Health Secretary Karen Timberlake is here to tell us about the FoodShare Program and other services available to those affected by flooding.

sandbags One Week Later
"In Wisconsin" June 19, 2008
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Two and a half weeks after a flood weakened embankment collapsed sending the water from Lake Delton into the Wisconsin River, the process of reconstruction began this week.

Rising rivers Rising Rivers
"In Wisconsin" June 19, 2008
Watch segment video (3:30)
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While the flood waters have receded in much of the state, people living along the Rock River are still battling rising water. Reporter Frederica Freyberg talks with residents from the Town of Milton who are both sandbagging and evacuating their homes, while waiting for the river to finally crest sometime this week.

Flooded fields Flooded Fields
"In Wisconsin" June 19, 2008
Watch segment video (9:55)
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Last August, organic farmers in south-western Wisconsin were especially hard hit by what some called a “100 year flood.” Not one year later, those same farmers have been wiped out again by flooding. Reporter Art Hackett first visited the Harmony Valley and Drift less Organics farms back when they originally flooded in August 2007. Hackett returned earlier this spring to witness how those farmers were rebuilding – and replanting - after last summer’s flood. Now, Hackett returns once again to the Vernon and Crawford County farms to see if these farmers can recover from the one-two punch of enduring two floods in two years.

The water The Water
"In Wisconsin" June 19, 2008
Watch segment video (0:40)
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An aerial look at the flood water that caused unprecedented havoc throughout Wisconsin.

Gays Mills Gays Mills
"In Wisconsin" June 19, 2008
Watch segment video (5:50)
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Most people have experienced packing up their possessions to move – but it’s not often that an entire town relocates. After two consecutive years of being overrun with flood waters, the town of Gays Mills is now faced with a decision – rebuild yet again… or pull up stakes. Reporter Frederica Freyberg attends a town hall meeting where residents of Gays Mills make their voices heard on this extremely difficult and emotional decision.

Flooding Hits Wisconsin Farms
"Here and Now" June 13, 2008
Watch segment video (4:44)
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Flooded fields will lead to ruined crops and a decreased harvest for some Wisconsin farmers, which could, in turn, lead to a hike in already-rising food prices for consumers, say agricultural experts. The flooding is an especially hard blow for farmers in southwestern Wisconsin, where floodwaters devastated crops and livestock last August. We talk to Joe Lauer, a corn specialist with UW-Extension about how the flooding will affect farmers.

State to Seek Flood Relief
"Here and Now" June 13, 2008
Watch segment video (10:43)
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Storms pounded the state this week, causing flooding, wash-outs, and mudslides that damaged homes and businesses. This week Governor Jim Doyle requested assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Administration to assess flooded areas of Wisconsin. FEMA inspectors, along with Governor Doyle, have been out all week surveying dams, bridges and roads affected by flood waters. From Monday to Thursday night the Wisconsin Department of Transportation designated nearly thirty roads closed or otherwise affected by flooding. Doyle joins us in the studio to talk about clean-up efforts and what possible federal disaster relief the state could receive.

Flooding Destroys Lake Delton
"Here and Now" June 13, 2008
Watch Lake Delton video (4:29)
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Watch Diehl video (4:37)
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Rising flood waters caused Lake Delton to break through its banks Monday, washing away several homes and severely damaging others. Lake Delton, situated in the Wisconsin Dells tourist area was the stage for the Tommy Bartlett “Ski and Ski” Show, a waterskiing exhibition. Producer Art Hackett traveled to Lake Delton on Monday to talk to residents and city officials about what the loss of the lake will mean for the resort town. We also speak to Tim Diehl, a Lake Delton village board member and president of Tommy Bartlett, Inc.

 
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