News

Transportation lobbyists have donated thousands to Sean Duffy’s son-in-law as he runs for Congress

Industry money has been pouring into the congressional campaign of Michael Alfonso, a 26-year-old political unknown who is running for Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District seat in the 2026 election — the candidate's father-in-law is U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy.

March 20, 2026 • Northern Region

Inside Wisconsin Politics

Lawmaker retirements, online sports betting and data centers

The state Senate ends a session with lawmakers announcing retirements and weighing bills addressing online sports betting, UW athletes and data centers — Inside Wisconsin Politics breaks it down.

March 19, 2026

Devin LeMahieu holds his left hand's index and middle fingers to the left side of his face while seating at a desk, with a high-backed leather chair to his side and other people seated on either side in a room with marble masonry.

Republican Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu to retire from office

Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu announced he would not seek a fourth term in the 2026 election, another sign of a seismic shift in politics in the state as the two highest-ranking Republicans in the Legislature are retiring along with the Democratic governor.

March 19, 2026

Brad Schimel speaks into a microphone mounted on a stand while standing in front of an out-of-focus U.S. flag.

Bondi appoints Schimel to different US attorney title

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has appointed Brad Schimel, a former state attorney general and state Supreme Court candidate, as first assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Wisconsin as his 120-day term as its U.S. attorney expires.

March 19, 2026

Maria Lazar, Chris Taylor on Wisconsin’s abortion ban ruling

Maria Lazar, Chris Taylor on Wisconsin’s abortion ban ruling

Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates Maria Lazar and Chris Taylor discuss their perspectives on the high court's 4-3 decision in 2025 that overturned an 1849 state law that had banned abortions.

March 18, 2026

Stephen Webster on white corn cuisine and barters for trade

Stephen Webster on white corn cuisine and barters for trade

Ukwakhwa Director of Farm & Culinary Operations Stephen Webster describes how white corn grown by the project is used to prepare multiple Indigenous recipes and is distributed through a barter system.

March 18, 2026

A screen shows multiple lines for the Pro Football Championship between the Chiefs and Eagles, with an adjacent screen showing a sports broadcast on the FOX network, with the silhouettes of standing people in the foreground.

Wisconsin lawmakers approve measure to allow tribes to offer online sports betting

The Wisconsin Legislature gave final approval to a bill that would allow tribal gambling casinos to offer online sports betting to people anywhere in the state, but the measure is contingent on the support of Gov. Tony Evers and would take effect only after updated deals with tribal governments.

March 18, 2026

Zara Fakhri on anti-war protests against US strikes on Iran

Zara Fakhri on anti-war protests against US strikes on Iran

Milwaukee resident Zara Fakhri, who has family in Iran, describes the importance of considering complex feelings among Iranian people over the war between their ruling regime and the United States.

March 17, 2026

State senators sit at wood desks arranged in a semi-circle while other staff sit and stand at a wooden legislative dais, in a room with marble masonry and pillars, large paintings, and a second-story observation gallery.

Wisconsin Senate passes $133 million package to address PFAS contamination

The Wisconsin Senate has passed a $133 million bipartisan package to combat contamination by PFAS "forever chemicals" after the February passage of corresponding bills in the state Assembly, which will go to Gov. Tony Evers for an expected signature.

March 17, 2026

Stephen Webster on cultivating Ukwakhwa from the ground up

Stephen Webster on cultivating Ukwakhwa from the ground up

Ukwakhwa Director of Farm & Culinary Operations Stephen Webster describes how a program that promotes and serves Indigenous foods in the Oneida Nation was inspired by growing white corn in a garden.

March 17, 2026

Side-by-side images show Maria Lazar and Chris Taylor posing for portraits.

The fundraising fight in the 2026 Wisconsin Supreme Court race is comparatively calm

The 2026 election matchup between Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates Maria Lazar and Chris Taylor is a quieter affair than the state's high court race in 2025, without the spectacle of Elon Musk's involvement, lower levels of interest from other billionaires, and ideological balance not at stake.

March 17, 2026

Thor Turra points toward a piece of carved wood in the shape of a gear on the surface of a table while standing next to Jill Underly, with other people standing in the background of a room with high-ceilings, exposed HVAC ducts and water pipes and overhead fluorescent lighting.

Nearly every state funds hands-on job training in high schools, but Wisconsin is not one of them

Whether students in Wisconsin have access to career and technical education courses largely depends on if their school district pays for them, and that's because the state is one of just five that doesn't dedicate funding to these programs in public schools.

March 16, 2026

Ali Soltani on military action and resistance groups in Iran

Ali Soltani on military action and resistance groups in Iran

Mequon resident Ali Soltani, who fled Iran in the 1970s, considers prospects for United States forces to conduct a ground invasion of Iran and notes internal armed groups opposing the Iranian regime.

March 16, 2026 • Southeast Region

Lawmakers sit in multiple rows of wood desks with microphones, telephones, laptop computers and papers on their surfaces, in a room with marble masonry and pillars supporting second-level seating galleries.

Milwaukee lawmaker pleads no contest to disorderly conduct in Assembly feud

Democratic state Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez has pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct in Milwaukee County Circuit Court in connection with a bitter feud with her caucus over resolutions honoring Hispanic Heritage Month and Hispanic veterans.

March 16, 2026 • Southeast Region

Frederica Freyberg sits at a desk on the Here & Now set and faces a video monitor showing an image of Jim Paine.

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Mayor Jim Paine

Here's what guests on the March 13, 2026 episode said about funding for the Blatnik Bridge spanning Wisconsin and Minnesota.

March 16, 2026

A still image shows a chef stirring a large pot.

How Ukwakhwa’s seed-to-table effort celebrates Native food

Reviving Indigenous foodways, fighting health disparities and serving healthy meals is the focus of Ukwakhwa, a program in the Oneida Nation that uses Indigenous foods to support local communities.

March 13, 2026 • Northeast Region

A still image shows a pile of Iranian flag pins inside small plastic bags on a wooden table.

Iranians in Wisconsin share worries on the Middle East war

U.S. airstrikes on Iran are continuing, and Iranians living in Wisconsin share their perspectives on worrying about their families and friends as well as their hopes for the future of their homeland.

March 13, 2026

Mayor Jim Paine on funds for the Blatnik Bridge in Superior

Mayor Jim Paine on funds for the Blatnik Bridge in Superior

Superior Mayor Jim Paine discusses calling for the federal government to release more than $1 billion in funds approved for the reconstruction of the Blatnik Bridge connecting the city with Minnesota.

March 13, 2026 • Northern Region

Maria Lazar, Chris Taylor on Wisconsin’s 2020 vote lawsuit

Maria Lazar, Chris Taylor on Wisconsin’s 2020 vote lawsuit

Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates Maria Lazar and Chris Taylor discuss the high court's 4-3 decision to reject "Trump v. Biden," a lawsuit to throw out some 220,000 ballots cast in the 2020 election.

March 12, 2026

Light illuminates a plastic hexagonal button with the text PLAY on its surface that is surrounded by illuminated piping on the interface of a slot machine.

Tribal governments champion Wisconsin proposal to regulate online gaming

The Wisconsin Legislature is considering legislation that would implement a system for 11 federally recognized tribes to control online gambling within the state's borders, addressing a federal regulatory structure that allows prediction markets to skirt state gaming rules.

March 12, 2026

What Wisconsin’s 2026 governor candidates say about mining

What Wisconsin’s 2026 governor candidates say about mining

Republican and Democratic candidates in the 2026 race for governor of Wisconsin describe their stance on potential changes to state laws that regulate mining as exploratory drilling is conducted.

March 11, 2026

Chris Taylor on issues for Wisconsin Supreme Court justices

Chris Taylor on issues for Wisconsin Supreme Court justices

Wisconsin Court of Appeals District IV Judge Chris Taylor, a liberal running for the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2026, discusses campaign donations, recusal and the roles of precedent and standing.

March 10, 2026

Sunlight illuminates and casts shadows on a multi-story Richardsonian Romanesque-style masonry building with multiple turrets, gables and a central tower, with two U.S. flags flying on flagpoles next to leafless trees at its central entrance and with other buildings behind it.

Federal judges decline to extend appointment for the interim US attorney based in Milwaukee

Federal judges in Milwaukee announced they have declined to extend the appointment of Brad Schimel as the interim chief federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and waiting for President Donald Trump and the U.S. Senate to nominate and confirm a full-time U.S. attorney.

March 10, 2026 • Southeast Region

Dave Blouin on the past and present of mining in Wisconsin

Dave Blouin on the past and present of mining in Wisconsin

Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter state mining chair Dave Blouin describes differences between how mining was historically conducted in the state and the contemporary practice of metallic sulfide mining.

March 10, 2026

Wisconsin and other states reject federal antitrust settlement with Live Nation

The U.S. Department of Justice says it's reached a settlement in its antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation Entertainment, but Wisconsin and about two dozen other states aren't joining the deal and say they'll continue pursuing a trial in federal court.

March 10, 2026

Maria Lazar on issues for Wisconsin Supreme Court iustices

Maria Lazar on issues for Wisconsin Supreme Court iustices

Wisconsin Court of Appeals District II Judge Maria Lazar, a conservative running for the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2026, discusses campaign donations, recusal and the roles of precedent and standing.

March 9, 2026

Steve Donohue on the geology of minerals in the Bend Deposit

Science

Steve Donohue on the geology of minerals in the Bend Deposit

GreenLight Metals independent director and mining consultant Steve Donohue describes the geological history of the Bend Deposit in northern Wisconsin and metals being sought in exploratory drilling.

March 9, 2026 • Northern Region

Annette Ziegler listens while sitting in a high-backed leather chair and facing a microphone mounted to a judicial dais with an open binder filled with papers on its surface, with other high-backed wood chairs in the background.

Ziegler announces she will not run in the 2027 Wisconsin Supreme Court election

Conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler, who was first elected in 2007, will not seek a third 10-year term in the 2027 election, giving liberals another chance to expand a majority on the high court.

March 9, 2026

Side-by-side images show Frederica Freyberg sitting at a desk on the Here & Now set and facing a video monitor showing images of Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson.

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: US Sen. Tammy Baldwin, US Sen. Ron Johnson

Here's what guests on the March 6, 2026 episode said about a congressional resolution about the war in Iran.

March 9, 2026

Wisconsin study finds tax credit meant to help workers mostly helps big companies

Federal lawmakers want to expand the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, which for three decades has rewarded companies that hire people with barriers to employment, but research from UW-Madison shows it doesn't increase hiring among people who often struggle to find jobs.

March 6, 2026

Side-by-side images show Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson looking into the camera.

Wisconsin’s US senators split on war powers resolution over further attacks on Iran

Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin voted in favor of a resolution to block further attacks on Iran while Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson voted against the motion — both senators described their stances on the war and the Trump administration's aims in "Here & Now" interviews.

March 6, 2026

A semi-truck drives on a lane between a row of semi-trailers and numerous stacks of shipping containers positioned around multiple cranes.

Wisconsin and more than 20 other states sue Trump administration over global tariffs imposed after US Supreme Court decision

Wisconsin and more than 20 other states are challenging President Donald Trump's new global tariffs in court, filing a lawsuit over import taxes he imposed after a stinging loss at the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing Trump is overstepping his power with planned 15% tariffs on much of the world.

March 5, 2026

US Sen. Ron Johnson on the war with Iran and its mission

US Sen. Ron Johnson on the war with Iran and its mission

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, discusses the Trump administration launching strikes on Iran, the powers of Congress in waging war, and the military and political objectives of these actions.

March 5, 2026

US Sen. Tammy Baldwin on the war with Iran and its mission

US Sen. Tammy Baldwin on the war with Iran and its mission

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, discusses the Trump administration launching strikes on Iran, the powers of Congress in waging war, and the military and political objectives of these actions.

March 5, 2026

Angie From on her enthusiasm for teaching about mathematics

Angie From on her enthusiasm for teaching about mathematics

Notre Dame School of Milwaukee teacher Angie From describes how experiences in teaching at different grade levels and at multiple schools influences her approach to promoting student interest in math.

March 4, 2026 • Southeast Region

Patrick Landry on fundamentals of teaching math in school

Patrick Landry on fundamentals of teaching math in school

Notre Dame School of Milwaukee President Patrick Landry discusses focusing on providing stable environments at school and within classrooms when seeking to effectively teach mathematics to students.

March 4, 2026 • Southeast Region

Erik Thompson stands and holds his right hand up in the air pointed toward a shelf filled with switchboards encased in transparent plastic wrapping, with more wrapped stacks of packaged items in rows behind him and a row of wood crates, in a room with a metal ceiling.

Data centers have fueled at least $1 billion in growth for Wisconsin-based businesses

Wisconsin companies are doing big business in data centers even though none of the hyperscale facilities are yet operating in the state, but the long-term economic impact of these developments remains unclear.

March 4, 2026

The Bend Deposit and mining prospects for northern Wisconsin

The Bend Deposit and mining prospects for northern Wisconsin

GreenLight Metals is conducting exploratory drilling in Taylor County to assess whether the levels of copper and other minerals in the Bend Deposit would make mining profitable as global demand grows.

March 3, 2026 • Northern Region

Erika Bullock on considering factors that influence learning

Erika Bullock on considering factors that influence learning

UW-Madison School of Education professor Erika Bullock describes how the daily necessities of life — from family and food to housing and health — can impact how children learn in classroom settings.

March 3, 2026

Mellisa Edwards holds multiple sheets of different colors of tissue paper in both hands over a cardboard box while standing behind a metal bench, with a wood pallet on the top of a metal bench behind her and another person standing next to a piece of industrial equipment in the background, in a room with metal shutters along two walls.

Work, recovery and second chances on a manufacturing floor in Appleton

Those recovering from addiction have a difficult time finding stable employment and keeping it – Apricity Contract Packaging in Appleton offers "a safe environment" where every person working at the operation is pursuing sobriety.

March 2, 2026 • Northeast Region

Frederica Freyberg and Jeff Wright sit facing each other on the Here & Now set.

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Jeff Wright, Charles Franklin

Here's what guests on the Feb. 27, 2026 episode said about 2026 spring and fall elections polling and urgent calls from school districts for relief.

March 2, 2026

Charles Franklin on an early 2026 poll of Wisconsin voters

Charles Franklin on an early 2026 poll of Wisconsin voters

Marquette Law School Poll Director Charles Franklin describes results of polling voters about the 2026 candidates for Wisconsin Supreme Court and governor along with high-profile issues in the state.

February 27, 2026

A still image shows Jeff Wright seated at the 'Here & Now' set featuring wood paneling, with a graphic at bottom reading 'Jeff Wright' and 'Sauk Prairie Schools Superintendent.'

Jeff Wright on school referendums causing property tax hikes

Sauk Prairie School District Superintendent Jeff Wright discusses how referendums for education funding are causing property taxes to rise and the changes districts are seeking from state government.

February 27, 2026

Everyday life plus constant decisions equals a need for math

Everyday life plus constant decisions equals a need for math

Many Wisconsin students struggle to learn mathematics, as educators emphasize the importance of numeracy in daily life and point to examples of schools and teachers that find success with numbers.

February 26, 2026

A lawmaker stands and speaks into a microphone mounted to a wood podium at the center of a legislative dais, with multiple people seated in high-backed wood and leather chairs beside and behind him on the dais, faced by more people seated in multiple rows of wood desks, in a room with a large painting and taxidermy eagle on the rear wall, an electronic vote register on an adjacent wall, and marble pillars supporting a second-level seating gallery.

Prosecutors charge Milwaukee lawmaker with misdemeanor after dispute over Assembly resolutions

Milwaukee County prosecutors have charged Democratic state Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez with disorderly conduct in connection with a 2025 feud among lawmakers over proposals for Wisconsin Assembly resolutions to honor Hispanic veterans and observe Hispanic Heritage Month.

February 26, 2026

After years of legal disputes, Enbridge starts Line 5 reroute around Bad River reservation

Energy company Enbridge began clearing trees to begin construction on a new 41-mile segment of the Line 5 oil and gas pipeline to circumvent the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa reservation in northern Wisconsin following years of litigation in federal court.

February 25, 2026 • Northern Region

Tamara Thomsen on researching Lake Mendota’s ancient canoes

Science

Tamara Thomsen on researching Lake Mendota’s ancient canoes

Wisconsin Historical Society maritime archaeologist Tamara Thomsen details how researchers determined the age of multiple ancient Native canoes found in Lake Mendota and how two are being preserved.

February 25, 2026 • South Central Region

Wisconsin’s 2026 governor candidates consider state prisons

Wisconsin’s 2026 governor candidates consider state prisons

Democratic and Republican candidates in the 2026 race for governor of Wisconsin respond to a plan by Gov. Tony Evers to overhaul the state's corrections system and how they would approach the issue.

February 25, 2026

The pillars of a dome of a Beaux-Arts-style building are illuminated by lighting at night, with the leafless branches of different trees in silhouette in the foreground.

A group of schools, teachers, parents and students file lawsuit over how the state of Wisconsin funds education

A coalition of Wisconsin school districts, teachers' unions, advocacy groups, parents, students and others has filed a lawsuit asking the courts to adopt a new education funding system that meets the needs of local districts unless the Legislature and governor enact one "in a timely fashion."

February 24, 2026

Lawrence Plucinski on Lake Mendota’s fleet of ancient canoes

Lawrence Plucinski on Lake Mendota’s fleet of ancient canoes

Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa tribal historic preservation officer Lawrence Plucinski describes how ancient Indigenous peoples made use of the numerous dugout canoes found in Lake Mendota.

February 24, 2026 • South Central Region

A circular seal showing a stylized Lady Justice surrounded by two sets of three five-pointed stars and the words Wisconsin Court of Appeals is displayed on a frosted window in a wood frame.

A 2026 Wisconsin Appeals Court election was on track to break records until a candidate got kicked off the ballot

Races for state Court of Appeals judges in Wisconsin have gotten more expensive as conservatives and liberals clash in the Milwaukee suburbs, and a spring 2026 race for an open seat in District II was shaping up to exceed previous spending records until one candidate was disqualified.

February 24, 2026 • Southeast Region

Tamara Thomsen on spotting ancient canoes in Lake Mendota

Science

Tamara Thomsen on spotting ancient canoes in Lake Mendota

Wisconsin Historical Society maritime archaeologist Tamara Thomsen explains how more than a dozen ancient Native canoes were identified in Lake Mendota and the possibility there are more to be found.

February 23, 2026 • South Central Region

Frederica Freyberg sits at a desk on the Here & Now set and faces a video monitor showing an image of Zac Schultz.

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Zac Schultz, Grant Sovern

Here's what guests on the Feb. 20, 2026 episode said about Assembly Speaker Robin Vos not seeking reelection and an immigration system in turmoil.

February 23, 2026

A still image shows Zac Schultz standing in the state Capitol building with two large green stone pillars on either side.

Zac Schultz on Speaker Robin Vos retiring from the Assembly

PBS Wisconsin senior political reporter Zac Schultz discusses the significance of Republican Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos announcing that he will not run for another term in the 2026 election.

February 20, 2026

A still image shows Grant Sovern seated at the 'Here & Now' set featuring wood paneling, with a graphic at bottom reading 'Grant Sovern' and 'Community Immigration Law Center.'

Social Issues

Grant Sovern on changes to the US immigration system’s rules

Community Immigration Law Center Board President and attorney Grant Sovern considers broad changes in how the U.S. immigration system operates and what that means for people applying for citizenship.

February 20, 2026

A still image shows Gov. Tony Evers standing at a podium in the legislature.

Evers, LeMahieu address schools, taxes at State of the State

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Republican Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu speak to K-12 school funding and property taxes in Wisconsin's 2026 State of the State Address and official response.

February 20, 2026

A still image shows a map of the Bad River reservation, the existing Line 5 route and the proposed reroute.

Judge upholds permit to reroute Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline

A judge rejected a challenge by the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to permits for rerouting the Line 5 oil and gas pipeline around their reservation over fears about water quality impacts.

February 20, 2026 • Northern Region

A still image shows archival footage of Rev. Jesse Jackson standing in front of a podium

The political legacy of Rev. Jesse Jackson in Wisconsin

Civil rights leader and presidential candidate Rev. Jesse Jackson died at 84 years old, and is remembered in Wisconsin for his 1988 run and advocacy for social and economic justice.

February 20, 2026

Several people stand on steps flanked by statues of two seated individuals outside an entrance to a multi-wing stone masonry building with a portico of columns upholding a pediment with sculptures of figures, with a street lamp, tree branches and grounds plants in the foreground.

US Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s sweeping global tariffs

The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down President Donald Trump's far-reaching global tariffs in a 6-3 decision that centers on those he unilaterally imposed under an emergency powers law, including the sweeping "reciprocal" tariffs levied on nearly every other country.

February 20, 2026

Greta Neubauer stands and speaks into multiple microphones with the flags of different media organizations mounted to the top of a wood podium, with multiple people standing behind her and to her side, in a room with a carved fireplace lintel, a lower portion of a painting, the U.S. and Wisconsin flags, electric wall sconces and toile wallpaper.

Wisconsin moves to expand postpartum Medicaid coverage

Republican state lawmakers who long blocked a bipartisan measure to expand postpartum Medicaid coverage for mothers in Wisconsin plan to pass the measure following pressure from Democratic lawmakers, with Gov. Tony Evers expected to sign it into law.

February 19, 2026

The epic history of ancient Native canoes in Lake Mendota

The epic history of ancient Native canoes in Lake Mendota

More than a dozen ancient canoes have been identified in the waters of Lake Mendota in southern Wisconsin, inspiring collaboration between scientists and Native nations to preserve Indigenous history.

February 19, 2026 • South Central Region

Robin Vos stands and listens while standing in front of multiple microphones with the flags of different media organizations, with a podium, multiple computer monitors and people standing on a legislative dais in the background.

Republican Wisconsin Speaker Robin Vos leaving office after reshaping the state

Republican lawmaker Robin Vos, who has served as the longest-serving Assembly speaker in Wisconsin's history and acted as a block on Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, announced he isn't running in the 2026 election.

February 19, 2026

Data centers and Wisconsin’s 2026 candidates for governor

Data centers and Wisconsin’s 2026 candidates for governor

Republican and Democratic candidates in the 2026 race for governor of Wisconsin share their perspective on the state's role in regulating the development of data centers and their demand for energy.

February 18, 2026

Ahlstrom launches free water program for Stella residents affected by PFAS

Residents of the town of Stella in Oneida County are eligible to sign up for a free bottled water program that is being offered by Ahlstrom, the company that owns a paper mill identified as a source of PFAS contamination in the area's groundwater.

February 18, 2026 • Northern Region

Chairwoman Nicole Boyd on tribal nations working with Evers

Chairwoman Nicole Boyd on tribal nations working with Evers

Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Chairwoman Nicole Boyd discusses the relationship between tribal governments in Wisconsin and Gov. Tony Evers, who is completing his final year in office.

February 18, 2026

US Rep. Scott Fitzgerald on ICE activity and Wisconsin farms

US Rep. Scott Fitzgerald on ICE activity and Wisconsin farms

U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-5th Congressional District, discusses the prospect of ICE enforcement actions at farms in Wisconsin and the system agricultural industries use to track immigrant workers.

February 17, 2026

Chairwoman Nicole Boyd on tribal responses to funding cuts

Chairwoman Nicole Boyd on tribal responses to funding cuts

Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Chairwoman Nicole Boyd discusses actions by tribal nations responding to moves by the federal government to cut funds for health, nutrition and other services.

February 17, 2026

The U.S. and Wisconsin flags fly from the top of a flagpole in front of a single-story building with brick and glass walls and a letter sign reading Dane County Job Center beneath Black Lives Matter and the rainbow Pride flag banners, with multiple vehicles parked in a parking lot in front of the building, and with snowbanks, leafless trees and evergreen landscape plants in the foreground, and the tops of leafless trees behind the building in the background.

Looking for work? Here’s how Wisconsin’s job centers seek to offer help

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development runs dozens of job centers across the state, each staffed with people trained to help jobseekers in their quest for employment — here's how they work.

February 16, 2026

Frederica Freyberg sits at a desk on the Here & Now set and faces a video monitor showing an image of Scott Fitzgerald.

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, Chris Taylor

Here's what guests on the Feb. 13, 2026 episode said about a partial government shutdown over Homeland Security funding and the judicial philosophy of one candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

February 16, 2026

A still image shows a procession of people carrying various Tribal flags walking down the aisle of the State legislature.

Wisconsin’s tribal nations assert reciprocity and resiliency

Chairwoman Nicole Boyd of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa delivers the 2026 State of the Tribes Address, emphasizing how Indigenous voices can contribute to policymaking in Wisconsin.

February 13, 2026

US Rep. Scott Fitzgerald on de-escalation and funds for ICE

US Rep. Scott Fitzgerald on de-escalation and funds for ICE

U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-5th Congressional District, discusses debate in Congress over de-escalation practices by law enforcement officers and funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

February 13, 2026

A photo shows a website displayed on a Google Chrome browser with a URL bar reading medicaid.gov above lines of text reading An official website of the United States government, Medicaid.gov, Keeping America Healthy, Federal Policy Guidance and other partial phrases.

Can immigration officials access Medicaid data? What it means for Wisconsin patients

Wisconsin is suing to block federal immigration officials from accessing Medicaid records of patients in the state, and the dispute has sparked concerns over privacy and health care avoidance.

February 12, 2026

Chris Taylor on the 2026 Wisconsin Supreme Court race

Chris Taylor on the 2026 Wisconsin Supreme Court race

Wisconsin Court of Appeals District IV Judge Chris Taylor, a liberal running for an open Wisconsin Supreme Court seat, discusses her perspectives on law and the politics of judicial elections.

February 11, 2026

An aerial photo shows a riverfront parking lot with two docks in between a wooded area and open fields with an electrical substation connected to power lines spanning water, with two railroad lines and a landscape of roads and houses at the foot of wooded bluffs and more fields and wooded areas leading to the horizon.

Another billion-dollar Wisconsin data center is eyed for Cassville in Grant County

An unnamed company is scouting sites for what would be a $1 billion data center in the town of Cassville in southwestern Wisconsin, but Grant County officials aren't divulging the developer interested the site.

February 11, 2026 • Southwest Region

Passengers sit in multiple seats on either side of an aisle in a train car with an industrial carpet and two lines of overhead lighting.

Amtrak might open a station in Madison, but not until 2032

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, or Amtrak, was granted federal funding for a station in Wisconsin's capital and second largest city, but even with rail lines already in place, it could take until the early 2030s for trains to start operating.

February 10, 2026 • South Central Region

Rep. Angela Stroud on expansion of data centers in Wisconsin

Rep. Angela Stroud on expansion of data centers in Wisconsin

State Rep. Angela Stroud, D-Ashland, discusses concerns about the economics of the artificial intelligence industry and how the increasing energy use of data centers can affect costs for ratepayers.

February 10, 2026

Rep. Mark Born on expansion of data centers in Wisconsin

Rep. Mark Born on expansion of data centers in Wisconsin

State Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, discusses seeking more information about Meta's construction of a hyperscale data center in his district and changes that come with adoption of new technologies.

February 10, 2026 • South Central Region

Sasha Druzhyna, Varya Mykhailova and Anna Mykhailova sit next to and face each other on a couch.

A pair of doctors who fled Ukraine for Wisconsin still try to pursue their careers

An anesthesiologist and a cardiologist gave up prestigious careers to save their daughter from the invasion of Ukraine by Russia — nearly four years after resettling in Wisconsin, they're still on the long road to practicing their professions.

February 9, 2026 • South Central Region

Tricia Braun on a push to build more and larger data centers

Tricia Braun on a push to build more and larger data centers

Wisconsin Data Center Coalition Executive Director Tricia Braun discusses motivations to build more data centers and how the tech industry is driving growth within the state and around the nation.

February 9, 2026

Frederica Freyberg sits at a desk on the Here & Now set and faces a video monitor showing an image of Gwen Moore.

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, Maria Lazar

Here's what guests on the Feb. 6, 2026 episode said about demands from Democrats for new accountability measures for federal immigration agents, and the judicial philosophy of one candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

February 9, 2026

Multiple masked men wearing plate carrier vests with different removable patches reading Police ICE, Police Federal Officer and Police on top of different types and colors of apparel walk in a an uneven line down the middle of a street, with out-of-focus parked and driving vehicles in the background.

Hard hats and dummy plates: Reports of ICE deceptions add to fears in Minnesota

Legal observers and officials say they have received a growing number of reports of federal agents impersonating construction workers, delivery drivers and other methods to avoid detection in Minnesota, including an apparently made-up Wisconsin-based electrician business.

February 8, 2026

The local battles over data center developments in Wisconsin

The local battles over data center developments in Wisconsin

The rise and fall of a data center proposal in DeForest was one of many local-level debates around the state over these energy-intensive developments that are a backbone of AI and tech-based business.

February 6, 2026 • South Central Region

US Rep. Gwen Moore on ICE and funding for Homeland Security

US Rep. Gwen Moore on ICE and funding for Homeland Security

U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-4th Congressional District, discusses debate in Congress on funding the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and stronger conduct requirements for ICE and other federal agents.

February 6, 2026

Kimberly Solberg on due process in immigration enforcement

Kimberly Solberg on due process in immigration enforcement

Kimberly Solberg, a resident of Baldwin, discusses the manner in which federal agents are conducting immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota and seeking consistent application of the law.

February 5, 2026 • West Central Region

Howard Schweber on political pushback in Minnesota to ICE

Howard Schweber on political pushback in Minnesota to ICE

UW-Madison political science professor emeritus Howard Schweber considers responses from local elected officials and law enforcement officers to large-scale Homeland Security deployments in Minnesota.

February 5, 2026

Maria Lazar, Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate, speaking during an interview, with on-screen text “MARIA LAZAR” and “WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT CANDIDATE.

Maria Lazar on the 2026 Wisconsin Supreme Court race

Wisconsin Court of Appeals District II Judge Maria Lazar, a conservative running for an open Wisconsin Supreme Court seat, discusses her perspectives on law and the politics of judicial elections.

February 4, 2026

Anita Kirschling, Theresa Reiter, Judy Rogers and Linda Chapman knit while sitting on rolling office chairs around three sides of tables arranged in a square, with other chairs facing the tables and in the background in a room with an industrial carpet and an open wood door.

UW-Green Bay courts more older learners as student enrollment numbers shrink

Leaders of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay hope efforts to attract older learners will bolster enrollment and keep the northeast Wisconsin's growing retirement-age population mentally sharp and socially engaged — and potentially in the workforce for longer.

February 3, 2026 • Northeast Region

Kimberly Solberg on the pace of ICE raids around Baldwin

Kimberly Solberg on the pace of ICE raids around Baldwin

Kimberly Solberg, a resident of Baldwin, discusses learning about Homeland Security agents conducting sweeps in the western Wisconsin community and the level of involvement by local law enforcement.

February 3, 2026 • West Central Region

Howard Schweber on training for and protocols of ICE agents

Howard Schweber on training for and protocols of ICE agents

UW-Madison political science professor emeritus Howard Schweber considers differences among immigration officers and other federal law enforcement in terms of their training and operational practices.

February 3, 2026

A sign with the title Advisory and lines reading This Water Contains PFAS, Keep Water Out of Mouth, Choose Lower Exposure Activities, Wash Skin and Follow Fish Consumption Advisories along with graphics, additional text and QR codes is attached to a post in a split-rail fence, with fallen leaves on the ground a building obscured by thick growth of trees in the background.

Takeaways from the AP’s reporting on PFAS pollution in private drinking water wells

While water utilities can typically treat contamination of PFAS "forever chemicals" in one place, restoring a safe supply for well owners must be done at the household level, which leaves some owners out as regulators, lawyers and companies strike deals over who gets help.

February 2, 2026

A blurred pickup truck drives on a snow-covered road past a metal-sided building with an door at an entry vestibule, two garage doors and other doors along with a wood sign reading Stella Town Hall and a Smokey the Bear fire danger sign standing in snow-covered ground, with another tuck and trees in the background under an overcast sky.

A crisis emerges across the US as PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ quietly contaminate drinking water wells

The roughly 40 million Americans who get drinking water from wells are at particular risk when harmful PFAS "forever chemicals" contaminate the supply — when a well is found to be tainted, it can take years to find a new source of clean water.

February 2, 2026

Frederica Freyberg and Howard Schweber sit facing each other on the Here & Now set.

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Howard Schweber

Here's what the guest on the Jan. 30, 2026 episode said about the intersection of the First and Second Amendments in protests against ICE in Minnesota.

February 2, 2026

Marble pillars with Composite order capitals frame a doorway in a marble masonry wall with a carved sign reading Supreme Court above a metal filigree door, with additional doors on either side, a pediment above, and an illuminated brass pillar electric light fixture in the foreground.

Lazar and Taylor differ on role of state courts when it comes to federal agents

Following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, the two 2026 candidates for a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat — conservative Judge Maria Lazar and liberal Judge Chris Taylor — take different positions on whether state courts have a role in legal disputes over the actions of federal agents.

February 2, 2026

Fearing ICE, Native Americans rush to acquire tribal IDs and prove their right to belong in the US

Many of the people whose ancestors lived in the U.S. thousands of years before Europeans are carrying tribal identification for protection against the Trump administration's anti-immigration agenda, with the ID cards being widely used as proof of U.S. citizenship.

February 1, 2026

A still image shows a bridge over the St. Croix river, which forms the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Social Issues

Witnessing — and fearing — ICE actions in St. Croix County

Immigration raids, protests and the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minnesota are weighing upon communities in western Wisconsin, where federal agents are active as well.

January 30, 2026 • West Central Region

Howard Schweber on protesting ICE and constitutional rights

Howard Schweber on protesting ICE and constitutional rights

UW-Madison political science professor emeritus Howard Schweber considers what Homeland Security operations and the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis mean for the Bill of Rights.

January 30, 2026

A still image shows a a portrait of Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson next to a statement he made regarding calls to defund ICE.

Baldwin, Johnson react to Homeland Security funding fight

Wisconsin Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson respond to Congress debating Homeland Security funding given actions in Minneapolis after another protestor is killed.

January 30, 2026

A still image shows an elementary school math book opened on a desk and in front of the desk are children sitting in a classroom.

Wisconsin’s 2026 governor candidates consider school funding

Democratic and Republican candidates in the 2026 race for governor of Wisconsin offer their thoughts on how public schools in the state are funded and their plans for the school choice voucher system.

January 30, 2026

A letter sign reading Milwaukee County Courthouse is affixed to the façade of a building with granite masonry, exterior metal light fixtures, and a door and metal-framed windows set with in arches, with a street light with no parking signs on a sidewalk in front of the entrance.