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Steven Potter
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What is Wisconsin’s ‘living wage’?
Economics researchers find that the amount of hourly pay earned by workers across the state, much less the minimum wage, fails to meet the threshold for what they've found is a livable level.
Wednesday October 18, 2023
Paul Ryan on America’s political landscape going into 2024
Former U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan discusses federal government shutdowns, budgetary and economic policy, the age of elected officials and the outlook for the Republican Party under Donald Trump.
Thursday September 28, 2023
Elizabeth Braatz on the prominence of bees as pollinators
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources insect ecologist Elizabeth Braatz explains how various species of native bees have bodies and behaviors that are adapted to pollinate crops and other plants.
Thursday September 28, 2023
Saving Wisconsin’s native bee population is a team effort
Declining populations of the state's native bee species are being tracked through participatory science projects — discovering nests of the endangered rusty patched bumble bee is one success story.
Friday September 22, 2023
Impressions of the first 2024 Republican presidential debate
Milwaukee played host to the first Republican presidential primary debate before the 2024 election, and observers share thoughts on the candidates, issues and importance of Wisconsin as a swing state.
Friday August 25, 2023
Mordecai Lee on evaluating candidates in campaign debates
UW-Milwaukee political science professor Mordecai Lee considers how to assess the performance of candidates participating in the first 2024 Republican presidential primary debate held in Milwaukee.
Thursday August 24, 2023
What is ‘abortion reversal’ and where do doctors stand on its practice?
Opponents of medication abortion promote the use of a prescription to interrupt the process and continue a pregnancy but scientific research into this practice is lacking.
Thursday August 17, 2023
Abortion and the mission of pregnancy resource centers
While political debate and litigation continue over the legal status of providing abortions in Wisconsin, Republican lawmakers are looking to provide funds for groups that discourage the practice.
Tuesday August 15, 2023
Voices of three Wisconsin women who have had an abortion
A trio of Wisconsinites share their abortion stories, describe why they chose to end a pregnancy, and explain why they are speaking up at a time when the practice is once again illegal in the state.
Tuesday August 8, 2023
Where did all the mosquitoes go?
A snowy winter in northern Wisconsin set the stage for a pesky mosquito season, but a dry summer has reduced standing water some species of this insect pest rely on to breed in southern parts of the state.
Thursday August 3, 2023
Wisconsin’s dry spell sparks concern about Fourth of July firework fires
With the entire state experiencing dry and drought conditions, the risk of wildfire started by errant fireworks — of any size — is heightened and extra caution is urged.
Friday June 30, 2023
Heavy wildfire smoke causes Wisconsin to have worst air quality in the US
The state Department of Natural Resources has issued an advisory warning of 'unhealthy' air across the state as a cloud of haze from wildfires in Canada creates health risks for people with heart and lung issues.
Tuesday June 27, 2023
‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Jay Rothman and Josh Kaul
This is what guests on the June 16, 2023 episode said about recent decisions by the Joint Finance Committee to cut funding for the state Office of School Safety and UW System.
Monday June 19, 2023
Nic Kelly, Heather DuBois Bourenane on how school is funded
School Choice Wisconsin Director Nic Kelly and Wisconsin Public Education Network Executive Director Heather DuBois Bourenane consider whether and how the state should fund public and private schools.
Tuesday June 13, 2023
Wisconsin boosts state funding for public, private schools
Advocates have sought more pay for teachers, higher special education reimbursement and an increase in school choice voucher funding as lawmakers draft the state's 2023-25 budget for K-12 schools.
Friday June 9, 2023
Debbie Moellendorf on mental health at Merrill High School
UW-Madison Extension professor Debbie Moellendorf describes the efforts of the Raise Your Voice club at Merrill High School as student participants learn about mental health and provide peer support.
Wednesday May 17, 2023
Liz Krubsack on mental health literacy for K-12 students
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction school mental health consultant Liz Krubsack considers how youth can benefit from educators offering a nurturing environment and teaching wellness skills.
Tuesday May 16, 2023
‘Our students are hurting’: Youth mental health in Wisconsin
The number of K-12 students around the state who report feelings of anxiety, hopelessness and self harm is surging, leaving educators in search of more financial support to offer counseling and care.
Friday May 12, 2023
Mary Kay Battaglia on children’s mental health in Wisconsin
National Alliance on Mental Illness Wisconsin Executive Director Mary Kay Battaglia considers factors that are causing a growing number of youth to have feelings of isolation, anxiety and depression.
Thursday May 11, 2023
Rent increases in Wisconsin cities among the steepest in the US
Data from multiple rental-listing aggregators underscore how much the price of renting a home is increasing in communities around the state in the midst of high demand.
Tuesday May 9, 2023
UW-Madison responds to video of student saying racist slurs
UW-Madison Black student activists and Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin respond to a social media video of a white student saying racist slurs and the demands raised in subsequent protests across campus.
Friday May 5, 2023
Blk Pwr Coalition responds to racism from UW-Madison student
Three members of the Blk Pwr Coalition student group at UW-Madison offer perspective on a white student using racial slurs on video and how the university is responding to calls for accountability.
Friday May 5, 2023
Bill expands eligibility for criminal record expungement
A bipartisan bill in the Wisconsin Legislature would change how people could have criminal records expunged for certain offenses — Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara, R-Appleton, reviews the proposal's goal.
Friday April 28, 2023
Paul Blount on EMS system staffing in rural Wisconsin
Cambridge Area EMS Chief Paul Blount explains why emergency medical service agencies in rural communities rely on full-time staff, part-time staff and on-call volunteers to provide ambulance coverage.
Thursday April 20, 2023
James Small on short staffing for emergency medical services
Wisconsin Office of Rural Health outreach manager James Small describes how a shortage of paramedics at EMS systems affects their ability to provide timely responses and appropriate care for patients.
Tuesday April 18, 2023
Wisconsin’s EMS agencies describe a system in crisis
Staffing shortages and funding gaps in Wisconsin have caused emergency medical services to become unreliable and some EMS operations have closed, putting communities at risk throughout the state.
Thursday April 13, 2023
Madison Krenz on the stresses of working in the EMS system
Cambridge Area Emergency Medical Service paramedic Madison Krenz describes growing strains faced by short-staffed first responders following the pandemic and amid mental health and addiction crises.
Tuesday April 11, 2023
Public calls for K-12 education funding in the 2023 budget
Many attendees who testified at a Wisconsin Joint Finance Committee public listening session held in Waukesha sought increased state funding for K-12 education in the 2023-25 biennial budget.
Friday April 7, 2023
City issues meet national politics in the 2023 race for mayor of Green Bay
Incumbent Eric Genrich and challenger Chad Weininger – a Democrat and a Republican — are facing off in a close contest for a nonpartisan office to lead Wisconsin's third-largest city.
Tuesday March 28, 2023
Peter and Ksenia Sokor on watching war in Ukraine from afar
Ukrainian refugees Peter and Ksenia Sokor, who fled from their home near Kyiv shortly after Russia's 2022 invasion and resettled in Stoughton, reflect upon the ongoing fighting and past year of war.
Monday February 20, 2023
Reneé Lushaj on challenges of resettling Ukrainian refugees
Stoughton Resettlement Assistance Program Co-Director Reneé Lushaj details difficulties related to work and language barriers families fleeing war in Ukraine face as they make new homes in Wisconsin.
Monday February 20, 2023
Ukrainian refugees in Wisconsin reflect on a year of war
A Stoughton-based volunteer group is helping families that have escaped Russia's invasion of Ukraine to find safety and stability as they start rebuilding their lives.
Friday February 17, 2023
Making sense of what a state flat tax on income means for Wisconsinites
The Republican majority in the Wisconsin Legislature is calling for a flat tax in response to an historic state budget surplus — a public affairs professor at UW-Madison explains how this approach to taxing income is implemented as policy and has worked in practice.
Thursday January 19, 2023
Fast Facts: What’s causing Wisconsin’s budget windfall?
Three major factors are contributing to the state's projected $6.5 billion budget surplus — more federal funds, spending controls and higher tax revenues — though economic uncertainties still loom.
Friday December 9, 2022
Wisconsin’s burgeoning surplus sets up a wealth of 2023 budget options
A report released by the Wisconsin Policy Forum details how the state government's tax collection revenues have increased so far in the 2020s and what that growth means for the politics of budget making.
Tuesday December 6, 2022
Why did so many Wisconsin towns have referendums about clerks in 2022?
A shrinking number of prospective candidates and the stresses of recent years are leading town governments to pursue appointing rather than electing their municipal clerks — residents in most of these communities agreed with this change.
Tuesday November 22, 2022
When is it OK to leave fallen leaves in yards?
The annual autumnal ritual of raking the lawn serves many purposes, but there are advantages in letting leaf litter lie on the ground to conserve nutrients and help beneficial insects.
Tuesday November 15, 2022
Wisconsin high schoolers share thoughts on the right to vote
Six high school students in Appleton, Black River Falls and Minocqua, including participants in PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs, share their thoughts on the election process and their right to vote.
Friday November 4, 2022
Wisconsin high schoolers share their school safety concerns
Seven high school students in Appleton, Black River Falls, Minocqua and Wauwatosa, including participants in PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs, share their views on school shootings and safety.
Friday October 28, 2022
Fast Facts: A supermajority in the Wisconsin Legislature?
Republicans are seeking to flip a handful of seats in the 2022 elections to give them the two-thirds majorities in the state Senate and Assembly needed to override vetoes by the governor.
Thursday October 27, 2022
Wisconsin high schoolers share 2022 issues important to them
Seven high school students in Appleton, Minocqua and Wauwatosa, including participants in PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs, share their thoughts on issues important to them in the 2022 elections.
Friday October 21, 2022
Boosters for COVID-19 are seeing a slow uptake in Wisconsin, nationwide
Awareness about an updated bivalent vaccine for Omicron coronavirus variants is limited and their uptake has been slow in the first month since their release, prompting health officials to warn about the potential for another winter wave of infections.
Thursday October 13, 2022
Ron Johnson, Mandela Barnes clash on issues, hit talking points in first 2022 debate
A month before the 2022 election, the Republican incumbent and Democratic challenger in Wisconsin's U.S. Senate election made their cases on a variety of matters — including abortion, immigration, crime and guns — in a fast-paced, hour-long exchange.
Saturday October 8, 2022
Mandela Barnes on inflation, abortion and running for Senate
Wisconsin's Democratic challenger for U.S. Senator discusses why he is seeking support from voters in the 2022 election, as well as the significance of rising prices and Roe v. Wade being overturned.
Tuesday October 4, 2022
Ron Johnson on inflation, abortion and running for Senate
Wisconsin's incumbent Republican U.S. Senator discusses why he is seeking support from voters in the 2022 election, as well as the significance of rising prices and Roe v. Wade being overturned.
Tuesday October 4, 2022
Ron Johnson, Mandela Barnes and Wisconsin’s 2022 Senate race
The two-term Republican incumbent and Democratic challenger are seeking to tout their candidacies and define each other amid a political landscape where inflation and abortion loom as major issues.
Thursday September 29, 2022
Paru Shah on recent Black voter turnout in Wisconsin
As the community organizing group BLOC works to mobilize Black voters in southeast Wisconsin, UW-Milwaukee political science professor Paru Shah explains their influence on the state's politics.
Tuesday September 20, 2022
Black votes matter: BLOC’s organizing in southeast Wisconsin
In advance of the 2022 midterm elections, a Milwaukee-based community outreach group is expanding its efforts to Racine and Kenosha to engage voters long overlooked by campaigns and politicians.
Thursday September 15, 2022
John Leiber, Aaron Richardson on their 2022 run for state treasurer of Wisconsin
A lawyer and mayor share why they're seeking an often overlooked statewide office that has responsibilities related to fiscal matters for public lands and investments, school funding and other financial assets.
Tuesday September 13, 2022
Sara Rodriguez, Roger Roth on their 2022 run for lieutenant governor of Wisconsin
Voters are choosing between a pair of state lawmakers for the second-in-command role under the governor — the Democrat from the Milwaukee suburbs and the Republican from the Fox Valley share why they're seeking the office.
Tuesday August 23, 2022
Meet the candidates running in Wisconsin’s 2022 lieutenant governor primaries
In the Aug. 9 partisan primaries for lieutenant governor of the state, David King, Will Martin, Roger Roth, Patrick Testin, David Varnam, Cindy Werner, Jonathan Wichmann and Kyle Yudes are seeking the Republican nomination while Peng Her and Sara Rodriguez are seeking the Democratic nomination – the winners in each will face off in the Nov. 8 election.
Tuesday August 2, 2022
Meet Wisconsin’s 2022 U.S. Senate primary candidates
Eight Democrats and one Republican explain why they're running for the U.S. Senate and taking on two-term incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson.
Wednesday July 13, 2022
Meet Wisconsin 2022 U.S. Senate candidate Mandela Barnes
Wisconsin Lieutenant Gov. Mandela Barnes explains the reasons he wants to be a U.S. senator, what his legislative priorities would be if elected and why he is running in the Democratic primary on Aug. 9, 2022. He also describes his stance on issues like inflation, abortion and gun violence.
Wednesday July 13, 2022
Meet Wisconsin 2022 U.S. Senate candidate Sarah Godlewski
Wisconsin Treasurer Sarah Godlewski explains the reasons she wants to be a U.S. senator, what her legislative priorities would be if elected and why she is running in the Democratic primary on Aug. 9, 2022. She also describes her stance on issues like inflation, abortion and gun violence.
Wednesday July 13, 2022
Meet Wisconsin 2022 U.S. Senate candidate Alex Lasry
Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry explains the reasons he wants to be a U.S. senator, what his legislative priorities would be if elected and why he is running in the Democratic primary on Aug. 9, 2022. He also describes his stance on issues like inflation, abortion and gun violence.
Wednesday July 13, 2022
Meet Wisconsin 2022 U.S. Senate candidate Kou Lee
Restaurant owner and entrepreneur Kou Lee explains the reasons he wants to be a U.S. senator, what his legislative priorities would be if elected and why he is running in the Democratic primary on Aug. 9, 2022. He also describes his stance on issues like inflation, abortion and gun violence.
Wednesday July 13, 2022
Meet Wisconsin 2022 U.S. Senate candidate Tom Nelson
Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson explains the reasons he wants to be a U.S. senator, what his legislative priorities would be if elected and why he is running in the Democratic primary on Aug. 9, 2022. He also describes his stance on issues like inflation, abortion and gun violence.
Wednesday July 13, 2022
Meet Wisconsin 2022 U.S. Senate candidate Steven Olikara
Political organizer Steven Olikara explains the reasons he wants to be a U.S. senator, what his legislative priorities would be if elected and why he is running in the Democratic primary on Aug. 9, 2022. He also describes his stance on issues like inflation, abortion and gun violence.
Wednesday July 13, 2022
Meet Wisconsin 2022 U.S. Senate candidate Peter Peckarsky
Intellectual property attorney Peter Peckarsky explains the reasons he wants to be a U.S. senator, what his legislative priorities would be if elected and why he is running in the Democratic primary on Aug. 9, 2022. He also describes his stance on issues like inflation, abortion and gun violence.
Wednesday July 13, 2022
Meet Wisconsin 2022 U.S. Senate candidate David Schroeder
Retired educator David Schroeder explains the reasons he wants to be a U.S. senator, what his legislative priorities would be if elected and why he is running in the Republican primary on Aug. 9, 2022. He also describes his stance on issues like inflation, abortion and gun violence.
Wednesday July 13, 2022
Meet Wisconsin 2022 U.S. Senate candidate Darrell Williams
Wisconsin Division of Emergency Management Administrator Darrell Williams explains the reasons he wants to be a U.S. senator, what his legislative priorities would be if elected and why he is running in the Democratic primary on Aug. 9, 2022. He also describes his stance on issues like inflation, abortion and gun violence.
Wednesday July 13, 2022
When COVID-19 is endemic, what’s the role of testing?
As the pandemic has shifted to a prolonged phase, the role of tests to measure the presence and breadth of infection is changing as well to keep up with a more complex situation.
Tuesday July 12, 2022
Fast Facts: The student debt debate and a looming decision
While tuition at UW System campuses has been frozen for years, public and private college tuition elsewhere has risen dramatically over the last two decades — with student loan debt ballooning, President Joe Biden is weighing whether and how much to forgive.
Thursday June 23, 2022
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