Monthly Archives: November 2024

Lance Allen joins WDJT-TV as sports director

Sportscaster Lance Allan is joining WDJT-CBS 58 in Milwaukee as sports director, starting Dec. 1.

With more than three decades of experience, Allan brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for Wisconsin sports to CBS 58.

Allan grew up in Rice Lake and is a 1992 graduate of UW-Madison. He has spent 32 years in the industry, including 28 years in Milwaukee. His dedication to sports journalism has earned him recognition as a two-time NSSA Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year (2005 and 2012).

“I am excited to join CBS 58 and continue to share my passion for Wisconsin sports with our community, since this is home, where the community is engrained into my soul and means so much to me,” Allan said. “I’ve covered everything from high school athletics to the pros, and I look forward to bringing that experience to our viewers.”

News Director Jessie Garcia expressed her enthusiasm about his hiring.

“I’m thrilled to have Lance leading our sports department. His deep understanding of Wisconsin sports and his commitment to storytelling will continue to make the Hometown Sports Team a standout in the market.

Allan’s impressive career highlights include interviewing Brett Favre during his induction into the Packers Hall of Fame in front of 66,000 fans at Lambeau Field, as well as serving as co-host for popular shows such as the Mike McCarthy Show and the Shaka Smart Show. His extensive background spans the Packers TV Network, the Badgers Radio Network, and IndyCar, allowing him to cover major events such as the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, Final Four, and the Ryder Cup.

Lance lives in the Milwaukee area with his wife Amy, and together they have three children.

Column: A fund to fight government secrecy

In 2022, the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council created a designated fund to help cover legal costs associated with fighting to pry records into the public domain. Called simply the WFOIC Legal Fund, it has never had more than $4,000 in its coffers. But the Council, of which I am a member, has put what money that is there to good use.

The Council last year awarded a grant to The Badger Project, which together with a watchdog group known as the Invisible Institute is the state Department of Justice for refusing to release records about police officers. That remains pending.

The Legal Fund also helped cover some expenses in journalist Daniel Libit’s against the University of Wisconsin-Madison and UW Foundation over access to records about publicity deals for student athletes. A Dane County circuit judge the lawsuit in September on technical grounds, and Libit did not appeal. But the suit ultimately prompted disclosure of the requested information.

And the Council in 2022 provided funds to an individual who successfully sued the La Crosse Police Department and the Holmen Police Department for records related to criminal investigations.

The Council’s goal in establishing this fund, which began with a $1,700 contribution from a citizens group grateful for the Council’s guidance, is to help individuals and journalists who are confronting improper government secrecy. We are focused on funding lawsuits that are likely to succeed, could help clarify and strengthen the public’s right of access to government meetings or records, or that involve clear or egregious violations of law. We also consider the financial need of the applicant.

There are some strings attached. Cases must involve Wisconsin’s public records or open meetings laws, and the requester must be represented by an attorney with a valid license to practice law in the state. Expenses eligible for grant funding include fees for filing, process service, depositions and expert witnesses. At present, attorney’s fees are not covered, and in cases where the plaintiff prevails and wins recovery of litigation costs, the money contributed by the Council must be returned.

Down the line, the Council hopes the fund can be substantial enough to cover at least some attorney fees in cases that do not lead to successful outcomes or for actions in which no financial restitution is possible, such as letters from attorneys contesting denials. We’re not there yet.

The Legal Fund is a new dimension to the Council’s existing efforts to advocate for access to government information. In addition to public education and legislative engagement, we have long been a voice for the public’s right to know in Wisconsin courts by filing friend-of-the-court briefs. 

This year, the Council joined the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty in a in Wisconsin Voter Alliance v. Secord at the Wisconsin Supreme Court involving the public records law. The Council also joined the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, and the Society of Professional Journalists in a to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals in Oitzinger v. City of Marinette involving the open meetings law.

If you are interested in applying for a grant, visit . To contribute to the fund, visit .

Your Right to Know is a monthly column distributed by the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council (), a group dedicated to open government. Council Treasurer Jonathan Anderson is a former Wisconsin journalist and current Ph.D. candidate at the University of Minnesota.