Watching CNN news this morning and at the bottom of the screen they always flash news briefs. One of the briefs stated: "Wisconsin computer glitch halts child support payments to thousands." I have been to CNN's web page but could not find that story. Did anybody else see this? Can anybody from Wisconsin find out more?

-- John Callon (jcallon@gate.net), December 04, 1998

Answers

John,

I'm from Wisconsin, but I don't have a clue where to start looking. Any suggestions?

hull

-- Hull Stetson (stetson.hull@usa.net), December 04, 1998.

I attempted to look up local news papers but not knowing the lay of the land I did not get very far. See if your state capitals paper rna anything. Good luck

-- John Callon (jcallon@gate.net), December 04, 1998.

The reports on the breakdown of the Wisconsin child payment support computer system called "KIDS" (Kids Information Data System) .. are correct. According to Wisconsin news, child support payments will be delayed "a few days" due to an unspecified "computer glitch". This story aired on WEAU Channel 13 news (the NBC affiliate) this date (Dec 04, 1998). WEAU covers the entire western part of Wisconsin. In all fairness .. it should be noted that the "KIDS" system has suffered from serious glitches even before it went on line. Subsequently, it's virtually impossible at this juncture to establish whether or not this latest problem is Y2K related. The story also appears in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal at: http ://www.jsonline.com/WI/981204childsupportcheckssta.asp
  For those who can't access the Journal-Sentinal site .. and also because stories like this live and die quickly on the 'net .. I'm posting the context of the story below .. (c) 1998 The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal:

"Child Support Checks Stall" MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Child support payments for thousands of Wisconsin families may be delayed a few days because of computer problems, state labor department officials say. The Kids Information Data System cost more than $51 million to install and about $25 million to run in the last fiscal year, handling information on court-ordered child support payments for all 72 counties. KIDS was down Thursday because of software problems, said Jean Rogers, economic support administrator for the state Department of Workforce Development. Parents anticipating the checks would have to wait at least an extra day or two, the department said. KIDS monitors about 200,000 Wisconsin child-support cases, keeping track of how much someone owes and who receives the money. It refused Thursday to accept numbers, officials said. "We're totally dependent on the KIDS system being available and it's not," said John Hayes, director of the Milwaukee County child support enforcement office. "The major factor is that this problem is really causing problems getting money to people." KIDS has had problems since it was installed in 1996, Hayes said. It stalled or halted on 15 out of the working days last month, he said. "I'm not an expert but I'm not sure you should have a problem 15 out of 20 days," he said. The state Legislative Audit Bureau reported problems a year ago with KIDS. Conditions are much better now and not as severe as Hayes suggests, Rogers said. There were two days in late November when there were difficulties printing checks but the system technically was not down, Rogers said. [End of quoted text]

I hope this clears the air on this one.

-- Dan (DanTCC@Yahoo.com), December 04, 1998.

Jeesh... once bold is on gang ... you gotta turn it off in the *next* posting... oh well... am learning the hard way ... sorry.


My apologies to all for the excessive bold text in the preceding TWO posts.


-- Dan (DanTCC@Yahoo.com), December 04, 1998.

That's okay - I think the "kids" in MN are findinf out that "uncle government" can't type either ---- Aw, their pwetty wittle 'puter cat broke.

It's starting folks.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 04, 1998.

Wisconsin, darn it. I can't type either.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 04, 1998.

Dan,

Thanks for the full article. I find they disappear into cyper-heaven too, so, for the thread record, I post the whole story.

Those Y2K kittens are starting to have a fine time messin in the 'puter litter boxes of the world. *Sigh*

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 04, 1998.

Dan..Hi!..Not to worry, for those of us 'senior citizens' who must rely on no/bi/tri focals to peruse these posts, all bold makes for much easier reading.....=NOW= if you had posted in ALL CAPS, bold, =that's= a different story!!!!LOL

\/\/illis in OKC, OK

-- Willis Thomason (BANDIT1@ontheroad.com), December 04, 1998.

"No-focals"?

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 07, 1998.

Hi Robert!...LOL..the reference to 'no' focals was for those who have some vision problems, but refuse to wear 'specs'..."..see, I can read those bold text posts just fine, so I don't need no stinkin' glasses!" I was just trying to cover all the bases........

\/\/illis in OKC, OK 12/07/98

Remembering Pearl Harbor and those who died 58 years ago

-- Willis (BANDIT1@ontheroad.com), December 07, 1998.

Brain Glitch strikes!!!! re: Pearl harbor was =57= years ago...must be the 'fat finger' syndrome.....why do they put the keys so close together anyway?

\/\/illis on 12/07/98

-- Willis (BANDIT1@ontheroad.com), December 07, 1998.

Concur in your thoughts - also those Yank's and Filipino's abandoned by MacArthur and Roosevelt in Battan 6 months later. And the Brit's and Dutch left behind in Singapore and the East Indies.

Because they didn't prepare for what they were warned about. They didn't want to believe the Japanese could fight, would fight, and were very good when they did fight.

-- Robert A. Cook, P.E. (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), December 07, 1998.