UP: Dane County. The federal Centers for Disease Control highlights the county's success in curbing higher rates of infant mortality among blacks. In 2001 more than three times as many African American babies, as compared to whites, died before their first birthday. Now the rates have leveled off, to about four deaths per 1,000 birth for whites, and about six deaths per 1,000 for blacks.
DOWN: Racial minorities in Madison. A Wisconsin State Journal review finds that Madison police are twice as likely to Taser minorities (especially African Americans) than Caucasians, although most of the people they arrest are white. Police Chief Noble Wray defends the department's Taser use, saying there have been "countless incidents" where it has "saved lives." Here's an idea: Give everyone who gets Tasered free "I survived infancy for this?" T-shirts.
