Meet FOX6's newest reporter, Ben Hanson

See if we can get, um, our newest reporter. Oh my gosh. What a lovely shot. Ben Hanson joining us now from we'll tell us where you are. That looks gorgeous. I'm so jealous. It looks so nice outside. I know Maddie spending some time out here on the lake today. I'm in downtown Kenosha right now, as you can see right behind me right there, if I can get it right, uh, that's downtown Kenosha right there. And we've got some of the beaches right behind me right here. And, uh, what I'm really doing today, I'm getting out in the Kenosha and Racine communities in those counties. Uh, getting to know some people meeting with some public officials, just really letting people know that I'm going to be here for a while and that, uh, I just want to do great things, covering stories in their communities, covering what's important to them, because really why I wanted this job in the first place and why I'm so happy to be here now as the Racine Kenosha County reporter is because I love telling stories. So that's really going to be my focus. Uh, whether it's enterprise stories, breaking news, uh, I want to do whatever's important for these counties. So yeah, I'm very, very excited to get started. And as you can see, if I get to do stuff like this every day, it's going to be amazing. Oh my gosh. Yeah. Perfect a day to have this assignment to just kind of explore and get around. This is like the best time I feel like to be in Southeast Wisconsin. Ben, I want to ask for people who might be meeting you for the first time. Uh, give us some of your background. Where are you from all that jazz, which I'm sure you've been a broken record with for the past few weeks. Yes, of course. So I'm originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. That was where that's where I was born and raised. And then I went to school at Marquette university in Milwaukee, just North of here. And that's where I really learned about my freshman year was that I really wanted to pursue storytelling. I was part of the market. Why are the student media organization at Marquette? I did sports reporting for them for four years. I even dabbled a little bit in social media content creation for the wire. Uh, but mainly it was just a print focus, but then, uh, also with the wire, they have what they call MUTV. So they have golden Eagle sports report versus their sports show. And I got really involved into that. I love the anchor side of things. I love being a reporter that they would talk to for analytics, for analysis, for certain games and such. That's where I really fell in love with a TV broadcast and doing news for that. I felt like being on camera and just looking through this and talking to the viewer, right at home is what I have really fallen in love with. So I've been wanting to do something like this since my freshman year at Marquette. So I'm finally, um, I'm glad to say I'm, I'm doing it. Super exciting. And we're so happy to have you here, Ben. I want to ask you, so you went to Marquette, have you been down or did you get down to like the Racine Kenosha area or is this kind of new territory for Yeah, it's a little bit of new territory. Uh, I've been down here a couple of times. One of my really good friends went to, uh, Carthage college just north of here in Kenosha near Alfred park. And so I got down here a little bit. I got to go to the beaches a couple of times actually, which is something I've been taking advantage of a lot in the past couple of weeks since I've moved here. So it's been absolutely amazing. Uh, I've been driving around, uh, really figuring out what's what a bunch of restaurant places I would love to try out. Bars that have bingo on Tuesday nights. There's so much to love here in these counties. I'm excited to be here. Yeah. Kenosha is gorgeous. And I feel like not a lot of people get down there enough just because of like the distance, but it really isn't too far. I want to ask because you've been there all day, any highlights. I know you had mentioned some restaurants. What's on your kind of Kenosha Racine bucket list. Yeah. Uh, I mean, I could, I could go on and on about all the, uh, bars here in Kenosha that have bingo night, which I'm absolutely in love with. I want to go to all of those that they have here in Kenosha and right behind me. Uh, you can see on right over here, uh, they have the trolley that runs through downtown Kenosha. And I've been down here before, but never gotten the opportunity to take it around town and see the views and the sites. So also that's something I'm very much looking forward to, and I'm hoping this warm weather as it probably will is going to hold out for a really long time so I can take as much advantage as I can of these beautiful beaches that they have here in Kenosha and Racine. It's just absolutely gorgeous. And while the water's a little bit cold, you get used to it pretty quick because I've been in it before and it's absolutely amazing. So I could go on and on about what I'm excited for. Yeah. You mentioned the trolley Ben Handelman. You need to talk to loves that thing so much. Um, he actually took me, uh, when I first started here as a producer to Kenosha to kind of give us a lay of the land and everything. And first thing we did was go on that trolley. So definitely get on that. Let like, you can open, like stick your hat out the window. There's the funniest photo of him, but that's so exciting. Ben, I want to ask you one more thing, a little bit of trivia for you about Kenosha. Do you know something that they just started up? I believe it's only the second year that they've done it. It's a St. Patrick's day tradition in Kenosha. Do you know what it is? You're going to have to enlighten me. I'm not that one Maddie. Okay. It's okay. I wouldn't have known this either unless I was working here when it first started. Um, they dye the Harbor green. Like they do in Chicago, like the river. So who needs the Chicago river when you've got the Kenosha Harbor? Am I right? Yeah, it's absolutely amazing here. And it's probably not as crowded, which I'm going to love too. But I've talked to a couple of the people in this city so far and everyone's so kind, so nice. You get that kind of small town feel, uh, while also just like the kindness and enthusiasm and energy of a big place like Milwaukee. So that's something I'm definitely going to have to do. Yeah. We're so excited for you, Ben. So happy to have you here. Um, we know you made your, your debut yesterday and it's such a great job with your coverage. So excited to see everything that you do here at Fox six and please enjoy the nice weather for me. The selfie stick is doing wonders for your view. I'm so jealous. Uh, but thanks so much for joining us. Uh, first of many appearances on the Wisconsin live desk. I hope. Yes. I'm very excited to be a part of the Fox group here. All right. Thanks, Ben. That's awesome. So great to hear from men, our brand new Kenosha County reporter and Racine. So great to have some Marquette alum roots. I know we Duke it out here in the newsroom between all the impressive and amazing schools that people have come from.