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South Central Region
Wisconsin counties include: Adams, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, Jefferson, Juneau, Marquette, Rock, Sauk
South Central Region
Latest Stories
Harris, Democrats urge supporters speak through their votes
In the last week before Election Day, Vice President Kamala Harris made multiple campaign stops around swing-state Wisconsin, including a second large rally in Madison to build enthusiasm for voting.
November 1, 2024
Harris returns to Madison for a rally to rouse voters before Election Day
Vice President Kamala Harris held rallies in a trio of swing states in the closing week before the 2024 election culminates on Nov. 5, making campaign stops in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
October 31, 2024
Obama rallies Democrats to cast their ballots early in 2024
As Wisconsin's early voting period started, former President Barack Obama and 2024 vice presidential candidate Tim Walz spoke in Madison to rally support and votes for Vice President Kamala Harris.
October 25, 2024
La Movida gives ‘a way of life’ to Latino community in Madison
Luis and Lupita Montoto, the co-founders of Madison's Spanish-speaking radio station La Movida, stress the importance of bipartisanship and community connection on air.
October 24, 2024
Elena Hilby on politicization of absentee ballot drop boxes
Sun Prairie City Clerk Elena Hilby, president of the Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association, discusses absentee ballot drop boxes protocols as their use has become a focus of political controversy.
October 23, 2024
Obama joins Walz at Madison rally to urge Harris supporters in Wisconsin to vote early in 2024
Former President Barack Obama and Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz urged supporters in Wisconsin's liberal capital city of Madison to cast their ballots for Vice President Kamala Harris early as Republicans also spread across the state to get voters out for former President Donald Trump.
October 22, 2024
Trump, Harris campaign in unexpected Wisconsin communities
Former President Donald Trump campaigned in Waunakee and Vice President Kamala Harris rallied in Ripon, stopping in strongholds of their opponent's party with the 2024 election barely a month away.
October 4, 2024
Trump campaigns in Waunakee, Milwaukee before the vice presidential debate
Former President Donald Trump spent the hours ahead of the 2024 vice presidential debate campaigning in Wisconsin, stopping first in a suburb in Dane County, a critical Democratic stronghold where hadn't previously visited, before holding another event in Milwaukee.
October 1, 2024
Madison’s mailing of duplicate absentee ballots raises confusion, fuels accusations over elections
When the elections clerk in Wisconsin's heavily Democratic capital city of Madison announced that duplicate absentee ballots had mistakenly been sent to around 2,000 voters, it ignited concerns about election integrity from a Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany and other conservatives.
September 27, 2024
Three utility companies complete Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line
American Transmission Company, Dairyland Power Cooperative and ITC Midwest announced that work is done on the Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line — which runs over 100 miles between Iowa's Dubuque County and Wisconsin's Dane County — and the line is fully energized.
September 27, 2024
Tiffany falsely suggests Madison city clerk was lying about duplicate absentee ballots
U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, falsely suggested that Madison Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl was lying about the presence of barcodes on absentee ballots after the mailing of about 2,200 duplicate absentee ballots in Wisconsin's heavily Democratic capital city.
September 26, 2024
City of Madison sends up to 2,000 duplicate absentee ballots in error, prompting Republican concerns
Up to 2,000 voters in Wisconsin’s heavily Democratic capital of Madison were sent duplicate absentee ballots, but a city spokesperson said none had been returned, all affected voters were being contacted and there are multiple safeguards in place to ensure only one ballot is counted.
September 24, 2024
Harris draws large crowd in Madison at her fourth 2024 campaign rally in Wisconsin
Vice President Kamala Harris held a rally in the Democratic stronghold of Madison that continues a long tradition of that party's candidates for president drawing tens of thousands of people in the capital city of the swing state.
September 20, 2024
Amy Kloppenburg on challenges of finding child care options
Amy Kloppenburg, a resident of Madison and parent of two children, describes her family's economic need for child care and experiences when trying to locate a provider when moving into the area.
August 29, 2024
The population of deep blue Dane County — anchored by the state capital of Madison and a fast growing region with liberal voters in droves — has increased substantially in the years following Donald Trump's narrow 2016 victory in Wisconsin, and Republicans have lost most statewide elections since.
August 29, 2024
Proposed changes have led to divisions between some residents who don't want to see their neighborhoods change.
August 15, 2024
Harris gives Democratic voters a jolt of energy in Dane County
Excitement among loyal Democrats lit by Vice President Kamala Harris replacing President Joe Biden on their 2024 presidential ticket has enlivened the party's base in Wisconsin, particularly in Madison, where the party must run up big margins to carry the swing state.
July 31, 2024
Scott McDonell on using absentee ballot drop boxes in 2024
Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell describes planning to once again deploy unstaffed absentee ballot drop boxes in the Madison metro area after the Wisconsin Supreme Court reversed a ban on their use.
July 12, 2024
Motivating diverse religious voters in Milwaukee and Madison
Churches, temples and other faith-based groups in Milwaukee and Madison are encouraging people to vote and engage with public officials, extending a longstanding historical connection with the ballot.
June 28, 2024
Watch parties react to Biden’s and Trump’s first 2024 debate
Supporters of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump gathered at a pair of watch parties in Madison to witness the candidates in the first of two 2024 presidential debates.
June 28, 2024
Center for Black Excellence marks groundbreaking in Madison
Hundreds of people attended a groundbreaking celebration in Madison for the Center for Black Excellence and Culture, a $33 million project and vision of Rev. Alex Gee scheduled to be built by 2025.
June 21, 2024
Black youth find solace in mental health therapy with a focus on race and belonging
Therapists at New Beginnings Counseling Center in Madison provide one-on-one and group sessions for Black and multiracial children to nurture their identity and feelings of community while confronting challenges of racism in their lives.
June 13, 2024
Voting in Harmony: A Wisconsin town has a knack for picking presidential winners
Residents in the 24-square-mile town of Harmony, spread out on rich farmland and residential subdivisions near Janesville in southern Wisconsin, seemingly embody the political leanings of the divided and volatile swing state.
June 11, 2024
Ellen Voss on protecting mussels in rivers during a drought
River Alliance of Wisconsin climate resilience director Ellen Voss describes efforts to move freshwater mussels in the Wisconsin River to deeper water as drought imperiled multiple endangered species.
June 5, 2024
Lisie Kitchel on sensitivity of mussels in rivers to drought
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources conservation biologist Lisie Kitchel explains how freshwater mussels are able to respond to changing river levels and can be stranded outside deeper waters.
June 4, 2024
How drought and dams strand mussels on the Wisconsin River
Severe drought and a series of dams on the Wisconsin River caused thousands of mussels to die in 2023, but a wide-ranging group of people are trying to find solutions so it doesn't happen again.
May 30, 2024
Mental health, race and how Black therapists work to help more Black patients in Madison
Anesis Center for Marriage & Family Therapy and New Beginnings Counseling Center seek to build trust and community as they provide mental health services for Black patients struggling to overcome racism and generational traumas.
May 29, 2024
Madison CARES strives to provide relief to people in mental health crises
Over nearly three years, a Madison-based program that offers aid to people experiencing mental health crises while reducing fraught encounters with law enforcement expands its reach and impact.
May 23, 2024
Steve Vavrus on Madison as a climate migrant destination
Wisconsin State Climatology Office Director Steve Vavrus details conditions in Madison and around Wisconsin that may attract and deter migration to the region by people fleeing climate change impacts.
May 21, 2024
Why is Madison considered a climate haven going forward?
Madison, Wisconsin and the Great Lakes region are increasingly touted as a refuge from impacts of climate change, but extreme weather, housing shortages and other issues loom as more people move.
May 17, 2024
Ian Robertson on goals of UW-Madison engineering education
UW-Madison College of Engineering Dean Ian Robertson considers the school's high-profile moment in Wisconsin politics as its efforts continue to train more students in high demand among employers.
May 17, 2024
Utilities start work on transmission line crossing in Mississippi River wildlife refuge
ITC Midwest and Dairyland Power Cooperative have started construction on the final mile of the contentious Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line where it crosses the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge near Cassville.
May 14, 2024
Douglas McLeod on impacts of pro-Palestinian campus protests
UW-Madison journalism professor Douglas McLeod considers media coverage about and political implications of demonstrations that demand the university divest from companies and institutions in Israel.
May 10, 2024
Abbie Klein on Gaza protesters negotiating with UW-Madison
UW-Madison graduate student and Students for Justice in Palestine spokesperson Abbie Klein discusses demands campus protesters are making of the university and negotiations with its administration.
May 9, 2024
Federal appeals court halts injunction against power line through Mississippi River refuge
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated an injunction that stopped work on a transmission line linking Iowa's Dubuque County and Wisconsin's Dane County, allowing utilities to finish construction as a lawsuit proceeds.
May 8, 2024
Investigators say student killed by police outside Mount Horeb school had pointed pellet rifle
The Wisconsin Department of Justice announced a student who was killed by police outside Mount Horeb Middle School had pointed a pellet rifle at officers and refused to drop the weapon.
May 5, 2024
Ben Newman on antisemitism and Gaza protests at UW-Madison
UW-Madison student Ben Newman discusses interactions between members of the Jewish campus organization Hillel and participants in campus demonstrations seeking the university to divest from Israel.
May 2, 2024
Police killed armed student outside Mount Horeb Middle School as district went on lockdown for hours
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said police shot and killed a student outside Mount Horeb Middle School after a report of someone with a weapon sent children fleeing and prompted a lockdown, adding no one else was hurt and the student didn't get inside.
May 1, 2024
Dahlia Saba on Gaza solidarity demonstrations at UW-Madison
UW-Madison graduate student and Students for Justice in Palestine spokesperson Dahlia Saba discusses why protestors continued to assemble on campus after police officers moved to end an encampment.
May 1, 2024
Police remove Gaza encampment at UW-Madison, make multiple arrests
Nearly 60 law enforcement officers gathered at Library Mall on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus early in the morning of May 1 and proceeded to remove tents and other items from a Palestinian solidarity protest encampment, arresting multiple people in the process.
May 1, 2024
Audit examines emergency response time for Wisconsin Capitol Police
A report released by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau found police who are responsible for security in the Wisconsin Capitol responded faster to emergency alarms in legislative offices than they did to other building alarms.
April 30, 2024
Ananth Seshadri on UW-Madison’s rankings and research funds
UW-Madison economics professor Ananth Seshadri, co-director of the Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy, describes its analysis of the university's global rankings and research funding levels.
April 26, 2024
Rob Abbott on Fort Atkinson’s school district and defeasance
School District of Fort Atkinson Superintendent Rob Abbott discusses its Board of Education's decision to prepay debt, called defeasance, to save interest costs while holding its tax levy rate level.
April 24, 2024
Rob Abbott on school funding and the politics of referendums
School District of Fort Atkinson Superintendent Rob Abbott describes the political balancing acts involved with asking voters for their support in referendums to increase local taxes for education.
April 2, 2024
Brandi Grayson on housing for young adults after foster care
Urban Triage CEO Brandi Grayson describes the group's Unhoused Youth Initiative and providing a transitional living space on Madison's north side for young adults who have aged out of foster care.
March 22, 2024
American Transmission Company, ITC Midwest and Dairyland Power Cooperative are building a transmission line linking Iowa's Dubuque County and Wisconsin's Dane County — a federal judge has temporarily blocked those plans after conservation groups filed a lawsuit.
March 22, 2024
A coalition of conservation groups filed a federal lawsuit seeking to stop a 102-mile high-voltage transmission line from crossing the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge near Cassville.
March 7, 2024
Wisconsin cities see a nearly 60-degree temperature swing in under 24 hours
A review of National Weather Service data shows the swing between high and low temperatures from Feb. 27 to Feb. 28 tied a record for Madison and may have set a record for Milwaukee.
February 28, 2024
In Focus with Rev. Alex Gee: A decade of Justified Anger
Murv Seymour talks with Rev. Alex Gee at Fountain of Life Church about the journey of the Justified Anger course teaching Black history and how he hopes it is making impacts on Wisconsin.
February 27, 2024
Diversity in Wisconsin’s high schools and the future of DEI in higher education
As political battles churn over funding for diversity, equity and inclusion at the Universities of Wisconsin, changing demographics influence how K-12 educators prepare new generations of college students.
February 22, 2024
Warm conditions lead to first Wisconsin tornado recorded in February
The first tornadoes ever recorded in Wisconsin in the usually frigid month of February came on a day that broke records for warmth — at least one tornado was confirmed south of Madison and the National Weather Service is investigating reports of more.
February 9, 2024
UW-Madison launches program to pay full costs for Indigenous students
University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin announced the Wisconsin Tribal Educational Promise program will begin covering Indigenous students' costs — including tuition, fees and housing — in the fall 2024 semester.
December 18, 2023
Wisconsin Senate Minority Leader Agard plans 2024 run for Dane County Executive
Wisconsin Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard, D-Madison, announced that she will leave the legislature in order to run to replace retiring Dane County Executive Joe Parisi in 2024.
November 30, 2023
Kim Neuschel on safety and outcomes for children in school
Former public health nurse Kim Neuschel describes an effort to help elementary students in Madison feel safer by improving lighting and painting a mural in a tunnel on a walking route to a school.
October 26, 2023
Helping build Black and Brown homeownership in Wisconsin
The Men of Color Initiative in Milwaukee and Own It: Building Black Wealth in Madison are working to educate and provide assistance to expand the ranks of people who can purchase their own homes.
October 20, 2023
Planned Parenthood to resume offering abortions in Wisconsin, citing court ruling
A resumption of abortions at clinics in Milwaukee and Madison comes as a lawsuit challenging state law continues in county court, and is expected to eventually reach the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
September 14, 2023
Brodhead gets shared revenue boost but continues to pursue budget relief
An increase in funding directed from the state government to local municipalities is helping a small community in southern Wisconsin maintain its services, but struggles continue to keep up with higher costs amid slower growth in new development.
September 7, 2023
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway on the housing shortage in Madison
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway discusses what state funding for affordable housing could mean for the city as rapid population growth makes renting or buying a home out of reach for more residents.
July 7, 2023
Farmers struggle to manage crops with widespread drought
Severe and extreme drought conditions in southern Wisconsin are testing farmers trying to grow crops, who are relying on new hybrids and management practices to withstand the mostly dry weather.
July 7, 2023
Stan Turner on the economic risks of farming commodity crops
Green County farmer Stan Turner, who grows corn, soybeans and hay, describes balancing risks related to variable weather, rising costs of new seed varieties and uncertain prices on the global market.
June 29, 2023
What the shared revenue battle means for Brodhead’s budget
The level of financial support the state provides to local governments is a priority for the mayor of a small city in rural southern Wisconsin who must make difficult decisions about cutting services.
May 19, 2023
Eric Wilcots on racism and protests by UW-Madison students
University of Wisconsin-Madison Interim Provost Eric Wilcots responds to outcry on campus over a viral video of a student saying racist slurs as the university continues to struggle with diversity.
May 5, 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.
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.
May 5, 2023
Mount Horeb students, Jill Underly on K-12 school funding
Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction Jill Underly presented her 2023-25 K-12 education budget priorities to a panel of students at Mount Horeb High School.
April 21, 2023
Central, west-central Wisconsin experiences severe wildfires
Warm temperatures and gusty winds in central and west-central Wisconsin leads Gov. Tony Evers to declare a state of emergency in response to extreme fire danger.
April 14, 2023
Dane County election review finds dozens of ineligible voters who cast ballots
A small number of cases shows why election officials say Wisconsin's disorganized system for tracking those adjudicated 'incompetent' to vote needs a legislative fix.
March 27, 2023
The death of Jefferson Rodríguez on a Dane County dairy farm
When an 8-year-old Nicaraguan boy was run over on a Wisconsin dairy farm, authorities blamed his father and closed the case — meanwhile, the community of immigrant workers knows a completely different story.
March 1, 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.
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.
February 20, 2023
Rebecca Blank, who led University of Wisconsin, dies at 67
Rebecca Blank, the former chancellor of UW-Madison, has died less than a year after announcing she had an aggressive form of cancer.
February 19, 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.
February 17, 2023
Meet the candidates running in Madison’s 2023 mayoral primary
Challengers Daniel Howell Jr., Scott Kerr, Gloria Reyes and incumbent Satya Rhodes-Conway are running in the Feb. 21 primary, with the top two vote-getters moving on to the 2023 spring election for Madison mayor.
February 14, 2023
President Joe Biden speaks in DeForest about economic policy
A day after his 2023 State of the Union address, President Joe Biden visited a labor union training facility in Wisconsin to highlight legislation he signed and rally support for his political agenda.
February 9, 2023
Visiting Wisconsin after 2023 State of the Union, Biden emphasizes economic themes
In a visit to DeForest, President Joe Biden reiterated economic themes from his 2023 State of the Union address, saying his policies helped create 800,000 good-paying manufacturing jobs since he took office.
February 8, 2023
Biden heads to Wisconsin after 2023 State of the Union
President Joe Biden is visiting a training center run by the Laborers' International Union of North America near Madison to press the economic message and other themes in his State of the Union address.
February 8, 2023
Shining a light on the growing problem of antisemitism in Wisconsin
Political conflict, the pandemic and the casual malice prevalent in social media are all factors contributing to the rise in statements and acts of bigotry and hatred toward Jewish communities — groups in Milwaukee and Madison are working to emphasize the extent of this trend around the state.
December 20, 2022
Poll workers get active shooter training before Election Day
A few weeks ahead of the 2022 midterms, city staff and election workers in Stoughton participated in active shooter training with law enforcement officers to prepare for potential violence on Nov. 8.
October 21, 2022
Large-scale food-scrap composting in Madison challenged by technology, logistics
The University of Wisconsin and the city of Madison have struggled to turn tons of cast-off food into soil — three local companies are trying to fill some of the gap.
October 17, 2022
Food recovery programs in Madison seek to reduce waste and hunger
Charities in Wisconsin disagree on whether restaurant and grocery store food that was headed toward the landfill should be diverted and instead served to people in need.
October 10, 2022
Redeveloping Madison’s Bayview community with design justice
A long-time center of cultural diversity in Wisconsin's capital city, the Triangle neighborhood is home to a low-income housing development that seeks out the perspectives of people who live there.
September 22, 2022
Colin Gillis on UW Health nurses issuing a strike notice
UW Health nurse Colin Gillis describes why hundreds of nurses are prepared to strike as the Madison health system refuses to recognize their union and the working conditions that led to this decision.
September 2, 2022
Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin on the future of UW-Madison
Dr. Jennifer Mnookin, the incoming chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, discusses her intentions to address challenges facing the institution, including the cost of attendance, student diversity and relationship with state government.
August 5, 2022
Brown County halts partnership with embattled Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office
Officials in Brown County call the changes long-planned and unrelated to alleged bullying by Dane County Medical Examiner's Office supervisors.
July 26, 2022
Shock, despair after the Highland Park shooting
Noble Wray, a national policing consultant and former police chief, discusses the Highland Park mass shooting, the suspect's travel to the Madison area and the availability of military-grade guns.
July 8, 2022
Highland Park suspect contemplated another mass shooting around Madison
According to police, the man charged in an Independence Day gun attack in a Chicago suburb fled to the Madison area but turned back to Illinois, where he was later arrested after deciding he was not prepared to pull off a shooting in Wisconsin.
July 7, 2022
Protesters gather at Wisconsin Capitol after U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade
Following the Dobbs v. Jackson decision by the nation's high court, Wisconsin now bans abortion except when deemed necessary to save a mother's life under an 1849 law.
June 25, 2022
Wisconsin DOJ confirms retired Judge John Roemer killed in targeted attack
The suspect in a June 3 shooting in Juneau County has been identified as Douglas K. Uhde, whom Judge John Roemer sentenced to six years in prison in 2005.
June 5, 2022
Wisconsin DOJ investigating targeted shooting related to judicial system
A Juneau County shooting that left one dead and another hospitalized was a targeted act that the state Attorney General noted was related to court cases.
June 3, 2022
‘Toxic work environment’ in Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office pushes employees to the brink
Staffers say the county refused action as yelling, insults and unrelenting demands damaged their mental health, while the alleged behavior causes other counties to cut ties.
May 26, 2022
A growing Wisconsin brewery faces high demand, tight supply
The pandemic and international conflict have wreaked havoc with supply chains around the world – Octopi Brewing is adjusting to these increasingly uncertain business conditions, trying to keep raw materials flowing and machinery running as interest in its canned beverages grows.
May 25, 2022
Jeff Fitzgerald, a Republican lawmaker who held office in the Wisconsin Assembly from 2001 to 2013 and served as Speaker for one session, lives in Horicon — following court battles, the municipality was redistricted into the 5th Congressional District, represented by his brother Scott Fitzgerald, also a Republican.
May 24, 2022
Nass denounces, Mnookin responds on critical race theory
State Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, who is vice-chair of the senate's universities committee, criticized the appointment of incoming UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, who commented on her new position and critical race theory.
May 20, 2022
New UW-Madison chancellor Mnookin talks diplomacy, diversity and academic freedom
Jennifer L. Mnookin responded to criticisms from multiple Republican lawmakers following her appointment as chancellor of the state's flagship university, emphasizing her work as a "connector" who builds bridges.
May 17, 2022
Democrats anticipate the end of Roe v. Wade
State Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, discusses abortion law and what responses Wisconsin's Democratic lawmakers may be considering in anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
May 13, 2022
Nurses rally at Wisconsin Capitol
Nurses rallied at the Wisconsin State Capitol, calling for safer staffing levels, higher wages and more affordable education.
May 13, 2022
Chancellor Rebecca Blank bids farewell to UW-Madison
Outgoing UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank shares her final remarks for the university as she leaves the position.
May 13, 2022
The state Supreme Court chose the governor's congressional maps, which might make the 1st District competitive.
May 4, 2022
Wisconsin’s tourism jobs see rebounding interest by international workers in 2022
Hospitality businesses around the state struggled through the pandemic, first with a drop in demand and subsequently with filling open positions, but hopes are high in the Wisconsin Dells area that the number of students getting J-1 work visas will address seasonal labor needs.
April 28, 2022
Inflation hits Wisconsin food pantries and the families they support
Even as economic indicators improve two years after the pandemic started, many lower income households continue to struggle with food insecurity as consumer prices rise.
April 26, 2022
Ukrainian seeks shelter in Wisconsin
A Ukrainian mother is staying in Wisconsin with her daughter after fleeing from the war in Ukraine.
April 22, 2022
US Rep. Mark Pocan on lifting pandemic immigration policy
U.S. Rep Mark Pocan, D-Town of Vermont, discusses his support for ending Title 42, a policy that curtailed immigration during the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 22, 2022
Wisconsin’s roller coaster housing market for millennials
A Madison couple seeking to purchase their first home face the difficulties of a competitive and expensive housing market.
April 15, 2022
Despite staffing and supply woes, Madison restaurants find hope as covid recedes
After two years of weathering reduced demand and public health rules during a pandemic, restaurant owners and workers in a city that prides itself on its dining scene are optimistic about their prospects as another spring begins.
March 3, 2022
Wisconsin demonstrators express solidarity with Ukrainians, outrage at Russian invasion
Led by members of the Ukrainian diaspora, a rally at the Capitol in Madison was among several held across the state denouncing Russia's military aggression against the independent nation and showing support for those threatened by violence.
February 28, 2022
Noon Wednesday: Another murky police shooting in Madison
Questions about how police use force have been renewed after an officer shot a Black man in Madison during a "multi-jurisdictional arrest effort" in February 2022, with the Dane County Sheriff's Office offering few details about the "officer-involved shooting" where "shots were fired." Wisconsin State Journal reporter Emily Hamer discusses what she has learned about the incident.
February 9, 2022
Public Health Madison Dane County extends mask mandate
Public Health Madison Dane County has extended its mask mandate through March 1 as COVID-19 levels remain high at the local level and around the state.
January 28, 2022
UW prepares for a new semester amid omicron
Jake Baggott, executive director of University Health Services at UW-Madison, describes campus preparations for students starting the spring 2022 semester as COVID-19's omicron surge continues.
January 21, 2022
Boys & Girls Club of Dane County distributes masks
As the omicron variant causes unprecedented COVID-19 infections, the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County distributed N95 and KN95 masks to community members at the Allied Family Center in Fitchburg.
January 14, 2022
Major promise, big questions flow from a PFAS cleanup study in Madison
A Canadian company has launched a bioremediation effort around the Dane County airport and National Guard air base that deploys soil microbes to consume the vexing chemicals — within weeks, early results showed positive outcomes, but the science behind this work remains unclear.
January 13, 2022
Milwaukee, Madison health officials roll out response to omicron wave
In a pair of news conferences, the health departments for Wisconsin's two largest counties by population shared how they're deploying increased testing availability, higher-quality masks and vaccination clinics to fight the surging omicron variant of COVID-19.
January 11, 2022
Wisconsin hospitals reach capacity in the New Year
Dr. Jeffrey Pothof, chief quality and safety officer for UW Health, discusses the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin as cases and hospitalizations rise dramatically in the first week of 2022.
January 7, 2022
Some schools remain closed after break as covid cases rise
Multiple large school districts in Wisconsin, including the Madison and Milwaukee districts, temporarily moved back to virtual instruction after winter break due to record spread of COVID-19 and staffing shortages.
January 7, 2022
International covid vaccine recipients in Wisconsin get guidance on boosters
After months of confusion and frustration for people who received COVID-19 vaccines that aren't approved for use in the U.S., including thousands of students at UW-Madison, federal guidelines outline what booster doses they should seek and when.
December 14, 2021
Madison shifts homelessness strategy with the season
Unhoused people in Madison living in a park on the city's east side are being moved to a new private shelter and into hotel rooms as colder winter weather arrives.
December 10, 2021
Madison mayor on election probe subpoena threat
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway is being targeted by former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman in a 2020 election probe subpoena. Rhodes-Conway responds to this threat of jailing.
December 10, 2021
A report on Madison police use of force during protests
The Madison Police Department commissioned the Quattrone Center at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School to investigate the use of force by its officers during 2020 protests — the ensuing stakeholder report offers dozens of recommendations.
November 19, 2021
UW-Madison Chancellor to Be Northwestern President
UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank announced her resignation from the university at the end of the 2021-22 academic year. Blank has accepted a position as the president of Northwestern University. PBS Wisconsin is a part of UW-Madison.
October 15, 2021
Rock County Clerk Urges Gableman to Give Her a Call
The former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice appointed to review how the state's 2020 presidential vote was conducted has stated multiple times that he doesn't understand what happens after a ballot is cast — Lisa Tollefson says she's happy to help explain the process.
October 14, 2021
Among the contaminants of concern in a creek draining the east side of Madison is PFAS, a hazardous chemicals that's being flagged in locations across Wisconsin.
October 7, 2021
Special projects reporter Murv Seymour shares the story of a Madison man who was convicted of drug-related offenses in 1999 and after serving time in prison would go on to become a community leader focused on reducing violence sought and received a pardon from Gov. Tony Evers, who has granted more than 250 in an effort to promote second chances and reduce prison populations
October 4, 2021
‘This Feeling of Impending Doom’: A Teacher’s View of Covid in a Madison School
With students getting sick and heading home for quarantine right after in-person instruction started in the Madison school district, the potential for a growing outbreak is hanging over a new school year.
September 22, 2021
COVID-19 Hits the UW Marching Band as 2021 Badgers Football Season Begins
Practices for the iconic UW-Madison musical troupe were halted for two days after several members tested positive for the coronavirus following its first two performances at Camp Randall.
September 16, 2021
UW-Madison Students Gauge the Scope of Campus COVID-19 Planning
Here & Now extra: Required coronavirus testing for unvaccinated individuals and indoor masking are central to the university's pandemic safety plans for the fall 2021 semester, with maintaining in-person instruction an institutional priority.
September 7, 2021
Hospitals Take on the Delta Wave of COVID-19
Angelia Foster, the chief administrative officer for Marshfield Medical Center Beaver Dam describes how a wave of cases by the Delta variant of COVID-19 are stressing the hospital.
September 3, 2021
Noon Wednesday: Unarmed First Responders in Madison
Emergency responses to mental health crisis calls are primarily answered by police. As one-quarter of people killed in police shootings have a mental illness, cities are looking to change their approach by deploying unarmed first responders instead of law enforcement officers. Ché Stedman, assistant chief of medical affairs at the Madison Fire Department, explains how its new program works.
September 1, 2021
UW-Madison’s Strategy on Delta Variant of COVID-19 for Fall
UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank details the university's plan to combat a likely increase in COVID-19 cases on campus due to the highly contagious Delta variant with in-person classes starting in September. PBS Wisconsin is a part of UW-Madison.
August 26, 2021
Noon Wednesday: Wisconsin Prepares for Afghan Refugees
As Afghans who worked with the U.S. flee their home under Taliban rule, the military is preparing to temporarily house some at Fort McCoy. Dawn Berney, executive director of resettlement nonprofit Jewish Social Services of Madison, explains how local agencies are preparing for a potential influx of refugees.
August 18, 2021
What’s Next for Wisconsin’s Most Vaccinated Locales as Delta Variant Spreads
Health officials in Dane and Door counties are trying to push local vaccinations even higher as employers are left to set their own vaccine and mask rules in the face of another highly contagious coronavirus wave.
August 9, 2021
A Wisconsin Tribute to Negro Leagues Baseball
Special projects reporter Murv Seymour goes to the ballpark to explore a tribute to the Negro Leagues and their deep ties to Wisconsin as the Madison Mallards collegiate team took the field in unique uniforms evoking a special era of baseball.
August 6, 2021
Technical Colleges in Madison, Milwaukee Deploy Aid to Erase Debt, Boost Enrollment
About $10 million in federal assistance is being deployed to help upwards of 13,000 students at two Wisconsin technical colleges cover unpaid tuition, fees and fines to be able to reenroll in classes.
August 2, 2021
Previewing a Statue of Vel Phillips
A cardboard cutout of Wisconsin's Black political trailblazer Vel Phillips was placed on the south corner of the Capitol Square in Madison, offering a preview at a new statue that's in the works.
July 16, 2021
March from Milwaukee to Madison Draws Attention to Immigrant Rights
Voces de la Frontera is leading a walk across Wisconsin for access to driver licenses and citizenship for migrant workers.
June 22, 2021
An Unconventional Form of Preventive Healthcare
PBS Wisconsin reporter Marisa Wojcik investigates a new and unconventional way of thinking about where to go for preventive healthcare — a barbershop.
June 18, 2021
Southern Wisconsin’s Deepening Drought
UW-Madison agronomy and environmental studies professor Chris Kucharik details how limited rain and hot weather are contributing to drought conditions across southern Wisconsin.
June 11, 2021
A Wet Decade Shifts To Drought In Southern Wisconsin
Following the state's wettest decade on record, lower-than-normal precipitation in the spring of 2021 is leading drought conditions to emerge in agricultural areas reliant on steady rains.
June 7, 2021
Convictions Bar Wisconsinites From Many Jobs, Making Re-entry ‘A Real Struggle’
People of color in Wisconsin have higher incarceration rates than whites, which means many jobs and opportunities remain out of reach for them.
June 3, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccination Inequalities in Wisconsin
PBS Wisconsin special projects reporter Murv Seymour explores COVID-19 vaccination disparities in Wisconsin, with a closer look at efforts by the Urban League of Madison to bring vaccine opportunities deeper into communities of color.
May 28, 2021
What’s Pushing Record Lumber Prices and Who in Wisconsin Is Benefiting?
The coronavirus pandemic has fueled a home construction boom around the nation, but loggers and builders want to know where the profits are flowing as demand for wood products spikes.
May 6, 2021
Refugee Agencies in Wisconsin Anxious for Action to Expand Resettlement
With their clients and families stuck in limbo, advocates for refugees are calling on Biden to follow through on promises to raise the federal cap on new arrivals.
April 27, 2021
Anticipating the Chauvin Verdict, Madison Officials and Local Leaders Urge Restraint
In the hope of avoiding clashes that echo 2020 unrest, the city's new police chief prepares for potential demonstrations as the trial over the killing of George Floyd concludes.
April 19, 2021
What to Do When A Coronavirus Vaccinator Doesn’t Offer a Second Dose
After having an appointment for a second shot canceled, a Madison resident had to go on the hunt to complete her vaccination — the Wisconsin Department of Health Services notes this type of lapse is happening but shouldn't be, and encourages people to sign up via the state's registry.
April 8, 2021
Research on Coronavirus Variants at UW Lab Buoyed by CDC Funding
Sen. Tammy Baldwin touts federal funding for genomic research at UW-Madison, where scientists are studying how COVID-19 cases are distributed around Wisconsin.
April 6, 2021
Jumping Worms Are Eating — And Altering — Wisconsin’s Forest and Garden Soils
Scientists are studying how a subsurface invasive species is changing local ecosystems and are reaching out to gardeners to share methods for stopping their spread.
April 1, 2021
What An Expanded Child Tax Credit Means For Two Madison Mothers
Here & Now Extra: One element of the American Rescue Plan will provide additional financial support to families in an effort to reduce poverty rates among children.
March 17, 2021
Dane County Plans COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic for Teachers
Vaccine Rollout Expands for New Recipient Groups as UW-Madison Sees Spike in Coronavirus Cases
February 19, 2021
Madison Schools to Open in March
The district will start with kindergarteners, before phasing in first- and second-graders a week later.
February 10, 2021
Shon Barnes Takes Over as Madison’s Police Chief
On Monday, Shon Barnes was sworn in as Madison’s new Chief of Police, following the immediate departure of Mike Koval last year. Barnes shares his confidence about the new position as Madison and the U.S. are fighting the coronavirus and historically challenging issues of race relations.
February 5, 2021
UW-Madison Ups the COVID Testing for Students and Faculty
As students begin returning to campus for the spring semester UW-Madison implements new COVID testing protocols for faculty and students to lessen the degree of COVID that was experienced on campus during the fall semester.
January 22, 2021
Another Day of Anticipated Protest Remains Quiet
The event Monday at McPike Park on Madison’s near-east side, dubbed “Justice for Jacob Blake” and “antifascist mutual aid action,” was originally planned for Sunday on the square of the state Capitol but was changed over safety concerns.
January 18, 2021
Local Officials Push Back on GOP COVID Proposal
“It undermines the ability of public health officers to keep us safe, and it politicizes health care,” says Dane County Exec. Joe Parisi.
December 2, 2020
Dane County Clerk Outlines Election Recount Plan
Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell detailed plans to begin recounting 345,000 ballots Friday at the Monona Terrace Convention Center.
November 19, 2020
Dane County Shifts to Contact Tracing ‘Crisis Model’ Amid Another Record-Setting Day
The state has seen two consecutive days of more than 4,000 new COVID-19 cases, as new deaths hit an all-time high.
October 21, 2020
Trump Highlights Law Enforcement at Janesville Rally
President Donald Trump spoke to a crowd of thousands during a campaign stop in Janesville Saturday, two weeks after an Oct. 3 rally in the same city that was cancelled when the president tested positive for COVID-19. “Seventeen days from now, we're going to win the state of Wisconsin,” he ...
October 17, 2020
Voting Event Collected Nearly 11,000 Absentee Ballots
The Saturday event called "Democracy in the Park" was put on by the City of Madison and will repeat this coming Saturday, Oct. 3.
September 28, 2020
Big Ten Announces Football Season Return
Plans to move forward with the football season will require daily antigen testing of student-athletes, coaches, trainers and anyone else present during practices or games.
September 16, 2020
Still Believes the Decision to Open Was Right
September 14, 2020
Pence Touts Law and Order During Janesville Stop
The vice president held his campaign rally exactly a week after his last stop in Wisconsin, visiting La Crosse on Labor Day.
September 14, 2020
UW Madison Goes Virtual After One Week
Here & Now reporter Will Kenneally asks UW Madison students how they are dealing with the drastic changes ordered by university administration amid a large spike in student COVID-19 cases.
September 11, 2020
UW Madison Transitions to Virtual and Two-Week Quarantine
With students back on campus, coronavirus cases are spiking. UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank talks about moving classes online, quarantining selected dorms for two weeks and the future of university life for students.
September 11, 2020
UW-Madison Goes Virtual, Quarantines Two Dorms
The decision comes amid high testing rates among university students. UW System Interim President Tommy Thompson says the other 12 UW campuses are continuing to operate as expected.
September 9, 2020
UW Health’s Dr. Jeff Pothof Discusses COVID-19 Vaccine
This is an interview with UW Health's Chief Quality Officer, Dr. Jeff Pothof. Dr. Pothof was the first among an expected 1,600 volunteers to take an experimental COVID-19 vaccine at a study run jointly by UW Health and the UW School of Medicine. He joins the program from Madison.
September 4, 2020
UW Madison Adjusts to “Smart Restart” Plan
The UW Madison starts school in a week where hundreds of students are reported positive for COVID-19 and fraternities are placed in quarantine.
September 4, 2020
UW-Madison, Dane County Quarantine Hundreds in Fraternities and Sororities
Public Health Madison and Dane County and UW-Madison on Friday directed 420 members of nine campus fraternities and sororities who live in off-campus chapter houses to quarantine for 14 days because of positive COVID-19 cases among their members. Public health officials reported that as of Wednesday, Sept. 2, 38 of ...
September 4, 2020
U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D) on Next Coronavirus Relief Bill
Democrat U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan talks about what to expect in a federal coronavirus aid package. He says the goals of the aid package should be unemployment assistance, helping small businesses, funding state and local government, shoring up testing and contract tracing and protecting front line workers. He also weighs in on the state's recent mask mandate.
July 31, 2020
Boys & Girls Club of Dane Co. Distribute 15,000+ Free Masks
150 teens receiving resources as they work distributing masks as part of effort by Boys and Girls Club to support the unemployed, children and families and provide PPE during the pandemic as Dane County's mask mandate goes into effect. Michael Johnson, CEO of Boys and Girls Club of Dane County, advocating for representation of people of color at the Capitol in the form of a Vel Phillips statue.
July 17, 2020
Despite Pandemic Wisconsin Dells Busy Over July 4th Weekend
An estimated 100,000 people ventured into the Wisconsin Dells during the Fourth of July weekend, even with Coronavirus concerns. There were crowds at Noah’s Ark Water Park, despite keeping attendance to 35% capacity. Guests were "asked" to wear masks inside the park, but were "not required" to wear them.
July 10, 2020
Dane County to Implement Face Mask Requirement, Milwaukee Takes Similar Steps
The Dane County order will go into effect July 13, requiring anyone five years and older to wear masks in indoor spaces outside of their homes.
July 7, 2020
Racine Co. Rule is On-Off-On, Dane Co. Tightens Restrictions
A civil suit filed by a Racine business owner alleging 'Safer Racine" order would lead to business closings and significant loss of revenue resulted in ruling by Racine Co. judge to end order earlier this week. At 3pm July 3, Wisconsin Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Racine. Ordinance remains in effect while city’s appeal is argued in court. Madison and Dane Co. enacted stricter COVID-19 rules.
July 3, 2020
No Police Officers in Madison High Schools Starting in Fall
The Madison School Board voted this week to remove police officers – also known as SROs (School Resource Officers) - from the city’s four main high schools. School Board President Gloria Reyes, a former police officer herself, discusses the board’s vote and what the district plans to do ahead of the fall semester.
July 3, 2020
Dane County Adds Restrictions to Bars and Restaurants
The move comes after a recent spike in COVID-19 cases among residents in their 20s, which contact tracers linked to bar attendance.
July 1, 2020
Madison School District Removes Police from Schools
The board's vote Monday ends the contract with Madison police immediately. The Madison city council is expected to pass a similar measure during a meeting next month.
June 29, 2020
Students Push to Remove UW-Madison’s Lincoln Statue
Students say the 16th president's past, which includes racism toward Black Americans and ordering the execution of 38 Dakota men, warrants the removal of his statue on UW-Madison's Bascom Hill.
June 29, 2020
FBI Joins Investigation Into Possible Madison Hate Crime
Althea Bernstein was attacked when lighter fluid was thrown and ignited on her face last week. The FBI and Madison police are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.
June 29, 2020
Gov. Evers Again Deploys National Guard to Protect Property
In the wake of this week's violence, Gov. Evers once again deployed the Wisconsin National Guard to protect state property and to support law enforcement. He said, “The Wisconsin National Guard will serve in a limited authorization meant to make sure people can exercise their First Amendment rights while ensuring the safety of members of the public and state buildings and infrastructure."
June 26, 2020
Closer Look at Tuesday Night’s Turmoil in Madison
The arrest of Devonere Johnson, a Black activist in Madison sparked a protest that turned violent. State and city-county buildings were targeted, statues toppled and a democratic state senator attacked. Republican leadership called for the Madison Mayor and Governor Evers to take more forceful action against violent protestors. Evers authorized the National Guard to support law enforcement.
June 26, 2020
UW-Madison to Resume In-Person Classes in Fall
Chancellor Rebecca Blank proposes a hybrid model that strikes balance of providing safety for faculty, staff and students while allowing for some in-person discussions, small class experience, and maintaining experiences of a college campus. The in-person classes will switch to virtual classes after Thanksgiving, for the final nine days of instruction plus exams.
June 19, 2020
UW-Madison Releases Plan to Reopen Campus in Fall
The University of Wisconsin-Madison announced plans Wednesday to reopen campus to students and staff for the Fall 2020 semester. Under the plan called “Smart Restart,” officials say instruction taking place under a hybrid model of in-person and virtual sessions, increased guidelines around gatherings, and multiple forms of testing for COVID-19 ...
June 17, 2020
Youth Demonstrate for Racial Equality
A few months ago, Noah Anderson was leading a city-wide black student movement after his father Marlon was fired from Madison West High School for repeating a student’s use of a racial slur during an altercation. He now reflects on the current movement, and what role the youth voice has in creating change.
June 12, 2020
Boarded-Up Storefronts Provide Canvas for Change
Artists take to boarded-up storefronts on Madison's State Street to spread messages.
June 10, 2020
Wisconsin Responds to George Floyd
The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked protests around Wisconsin, advocating change in police practices. Here & Now's Will Kenneally shows how Wisconsinites expressed their frustration with another black man dying in police custody.
June 5, 2020
Protesters Say They Are Ready for Long Haul
Organizers of the Madison protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death say they are prepared to keep going for the foreseeable future. “People are going to rebel until they are not going to rebel,” said M. Adams, a co-executive director of the Madison-based Freedom Inc. “It’s simple, you stop ...
June 1, 2020
Protesters Clash with Police Over Community Policing Concerns
Protests erupt in Wisconsin in the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis, causing clashes with police.
June 1, 2020
Wisconsin Dells Opens for Memorial Day
Businesses in the Wisconsin Dells would normally be gearing up for a busy tourism season, but now face a slow reopening due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Buffalo Phil's General Manager James Schmitz talks about what it was like to weather the early days of the pandemic and how the restaurant is moving forward to ensure customer confidence.
May 29, 2020
Wisconsin Dells Opens for Memorial Day
Businesses in the Wisconsin Dells would normally be gearing up for a busy tourism season, but now face a slow reopening due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Buffalo Phil's General Manager James Schmitz talks about what it was like to weather the early days of the pandemic and how the restaurant is moving forward to ensure customer confidence. (Videography by Lina Soblytė)
May 27, 2020
Wisconsinites Celebrate Memorial Day Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Health officials urge social distancing as parts of the state are largely open, while business owners work to provide a clean experience and build customers' confidence.
May 26, 2020
Dane County Loosens Restrictions as Counties Face Legal Challenge
Dane County announced Friday it would move to a "Phase 1" of reopening, allowing businesses to operate at 25% capacity and gatherings of up to 50 people outdoors.
May 22, 2020
UW Leaders Work to Weather COVID-19 Pandemic
Among the sectors affected by the economic turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic is the state’s university system, prompting UW System President Ray Cross to release a scaling-down plan late last week. “The University of Wisconsin System must refine the missions of its comprehensive universities to provide greater institutional distinctiveness and ...
May 11, 2020
UW-Madison Chancellor Blank Addresses Impact of COVID-19
Rebecca Blank, University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor, discusses the impact COVID-19 is having on campus, furloughs, budget cuts, online classes, freshman enrollment, and what the situation might be like in the fall when classes resume.
May 8, 2020
UW’s Frontline Braces for the State to Reopen
A report on how workers on the front lines are continuing to save lives as the state prepares to reopen the economy. Healthcare workers in UW’s Hospital’s COVID-19 unit say the long hours and hard work are beginning to add up.
May 1, 2020
UW-Madison orders Furloughs to Cut Costs
Eleven UW System schools including LaCrosse, Oshkosh and Milwaukee announced furlough plans last week. The University of Wisconsin-Madison ordered furloughs for nearly 16,000 employees this week in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 1, 2020
Congregations Find New Ways to Celebrate Faith
The outbreak of COVID-19 has made gathering together hard for many religious congregations, at a time when many need religion the most. Here & Now’s Zac Schultz reports on how religious communities across the state are creating innovative ways to remain connected.
May 1, 2020
1,500 Rally at the State Capitol to Reopen Wisconsin
Protesters gathered at the state capitol demanding Wisconsin be reopened despite the governor’s extended stay-at-home order. They are calling for Gov. Evers to open the state to allow economic activity to continue. As protesters rally at the capitol, Republican state legislators fight a similar battle in the state's Supreme Court to limit Evers' Safer at Home order.
April 24, 2020
Recovered COVID-19 Patients Donate Plasma
Here & Now’s Marisa Wojcik reports on how UW Hospital is using donor plasma to treat other seriously ill patients. Gary Dalgaard of Sun Prairie survived COVID-19 and is one of the first to offer his plasma in hopes of saving lives.
April 17, 2020
Nonprofit Sector to Be Challenged and Changed by COVID-19
Non-profit organizations face new challenges as the COVID-19 outbreak affects their daily operations and bottom line.
April 14, 2020
Wisconsin Bands Together to Address Homelessness and COVID-19
Advocacy groups in Wisconsin work to help the homeless amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 11, 2020
America’s Longest-Serving Legislator, Fred Risser, Retires
Wisconsin’s, and the nation’s, longest-serving legislator Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, announced Thursday he will retire after serving 64 years in the state legislature. The 92-year-old was first elected to the Assembly in 1956, and won a Senate seat in 1962. According to a release from his office, Risser served under ...
March 26, 2020
Wisconsinites Stuck in Peru During Coronavirus Lockdown
With Peru on a coronavirus lockdown, Wisconsinites struggle to return home.
March 24, 2020
Workers Feel Pressure from Coronavirus
It’s something you’d never expect to find in a city, the sound of silence. A surreal scene that played out across Wisconsin this week: bars, museums, performance venues, all closed. Savannah Bierma works part-time for the Pabst Theater Group in Milwaukee. They have cancelled all events through May 15. That ...
March 20, 2020
Absentee Requests Rise Amid Coronavirus Concerns
The covid-19 emergency has Republican and Democratic leaders asking for election rules to be changed. Here & Now's Zac Schultz reports on how the clerks are doing their best to make it all work.
March 19, 2020
New Dane County Restrictions, Fond du Lac Numbers, Voting in Milwaukee
With new state numbers, Wisconsin has 33 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus. In response, Dane County announces new restrictions on public gatherings.
March 15, 2020
Census 2020: How Do Communities Get Accurate Counts?
By mid-March, households across the U.S. and here in Wisconsin will start getting 2020 Census bureau information in the mail. Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes Conway discusses Census 2020 application and efforts to get people more involved.
February 21, 2020
Microsoft Tests New Voting Software in Wisconsin
Fulton, a town in Rock County, tested new software this week to help ensure the accuracy of votes that get counted. When voters fill out a ballot, they receive an encrypted code that shows how they voted. Voters can later check a list to see that their unique code was counted and that the vote did not change. Officials say they will return to regular voting practices for the rest of 2020.
February 21, 2020
UW Researchers Work to Understand Novel Coronavirus
Scientists at the university have been working to get ahead of the virus and recently received a sample from Wisconsin's first confirmed case last week. Tom Friedrich, a researcher with the UW School of Vet Science, talks about his lab’s approach to virus studies as related to the Coronavirus outbreak.
February 15, 2020
DHS Monitors 14 people for Coronavirus in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Epidemiologist Ryan Westergaard discusses the first case of the novel coronavirus in Dane County. Westergaard also talks about new pending investigations and if the virus could potentially spread in the region.
February 10, 2020
WisContext: The Novel Coronavirus and How Isolation and Quarantine Authority Works in Wisconsin
In the arsenal of weapons available to public health officials for combating outbreaks of infectious disease, quarantines are among their most serious options. As a result, quarantines are usually reserved for the most serious — or potentially serious — public health threats.
February 5, 2020
Health Officials Confirm First Case of Novel Coronavirus in Wisconsin
The first Wisconsin case of novel coronavirus was confirmed by health officials Wednesday, while two cases remain pending. Local officials confirmed that the infected person was a resident of Dane County but that risk of contracting the virus remained low for the general population. “The overall risk is low,” Dane ...
February 5, 2020
New Fish Advisory Warns of PFAS Contamination
The Departments of Natural Resources and Health Services are issuing an advisory for fish consumption in Madison’s Starkweather Creek and Lake Monona. The agencies recommend limiting carp, bass, pike, walleye and perch to no more than one meal per month and Bluegill to no more than once per week.
January 17, 2020
African American Alliance Fosters Upward Mobility
According to studies, there are significant disparities between black and white people in the way of income, unemployment and homeownership in Wisconsin. The African American Leadership Alliance In Milwaukee (AALAM) actively seeks solutions, including developing and supporting African American leaders. Former State Assemblymember Antonio Riley talks about the newly formed alliance.
December 4, 2019
Noon Wednesday: Wisconsin Project Aims To Raise Middle Class
Bridgit Van Bellegham talks about DreamUp Wisconsin setting a goal of raising the net income of 10,000 households by 10 percent by the end of 2022. The project has solicited requests for proposals aimed at achieving that goal, which could be funded up to $1 million, and include ideas centered around childcare, health, transportation, legal services, transportation, student loan debt and more.
December 4, 2019
Injured birds can heal without the fear of predators under the care of Marge Gibson, the founder and director of the Raptor Education Group, Inc. in Antigo.
December 4, 2019
Breakthrough Drug Gives Hope to Cystic Fibrosis Patients
UW Health Pulmonary Care physician and Director of the UW Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program Andrew Braun talks about a promising new drug therapy for cystic fibrosis patients. Over 30,000 people nationwide are living with the disease. One patient from Eau Claire said that the new drug therapy has given her her life back.
December 4, 2019
Wisconsin Hunters on Chronic Wasting Disease
A look at Marquette poll numbers on the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in the state. Four hunters explain differing reasons why some get their deer tested for CWD and the overwhelming reason why most do not. The poll shows that of the people who have heard of CWD, 64% feel it represents a threat to the future of deer hunting in Wisconsin.
November 22, 2019
Noon Wednesday: Controversial Video Sparks Change
Last month, a UW-Madison homecoming video sparked national outcry over the lack of diversity and representation of the student body. Since then, the Student Inclusion Coalition has formed, and they’ve presented a list of demands to the university. Today we speak with Kingsley-Reigne Pissang of the Student Inclusion Coalition about how they hope to help the campus move forward.
October 30, 2019
Supreme Court Hears More Lame Duck Challenges
The Wisconsin Supreme Court hears another challenge to last year’s lame duck session and Ray Cross announces his retirement as UW System president.
October 25, 2019
New WEDC CEO Talks Foxconn, Agency Priorities
With new leadership at the head of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, the agency’s new CEO Missy Hughes discusses the future of projects like Foxconn and other top priorities.
October 25, 2019
What’s Next for Gun Control Special Session
With Gov. Tony Evers calling for a special session on gun control and Republican legislative leaders pushing back on any change, WPR’s Laurel White shares insight into the political debate on the issue.
October 25, 2019
Impeachment, Dem. Pres. Candidates in Newest Poll
With impeachment hearings, U.S. foreign policy, presidential horse-race numbers and the governor's approval all permeating the national discourse, Marquette Law School Poll Director Charles Franklin checks in on Wisconsinites’ views with his latest poll.
October 25, 2019
Noon Wednesday: Wisconsin’s Right-To-Farm
Wisconsin has a law on its books making it difficult to bring nuisance lawsuits against farmers. But as farms expand in size, the conflicts amongst neighbors grow as well. We’re talking to Will Cushman from WisContext about Wisconsin’s “right-to-farm” laws and debates over how to regulate these growing farms.
October 23, 2019
UWM Professor Emeritus on National and State Politics
UW-Milwaukee Professor Emeritus Mordecai Lee discusses this week’s Democratic presidential candidate debate and some state politics, including the 5th congressional race. In both state and national elections, Lee says he sees many politicians employing a strategy that always keeps their base in mind, “that’s how you win elections,” he said.
October 18, 2019
Noon Wednesday: How We Got Off-Track
Building a high-speed rail line between Madison and Milwaukee was a proposal that reached the end of its line but the topic still divides people. Special projects reporter Bridgit Bowden is talking to us about “Derailed,” a new podcast from Wisconsin Public Radio that goes full-steam into the history of the line and what it says about our state.
October 16, 2019
Secretary Designee Update, PFAS and F35 Jets in East Madison
The state Senate confirmed the first of Gov. Evers’ cabinet members this week. A report from the DNR found high-levels of unsafe chemicals known as PFAS in Madison's Starkweather Creek near the Truax national guard air-base. The Truax Field is also facing controversy due to a resolution passed by the state Senate in support of bringing new F-35 fighter jets to Madison.
October 11, 2019
Gov. Evers’ Pardon Advisory Board Explained
Pardon Advisory Board member and former Madison Police Chief Noble Wray discusses the work of the Gov. Evers’ pardon board. Former Gov. Walker previously disbanded the board and refused to issue any pardons. This week Gov. Evers’ signed the first four pardons since 2010. The board is responsible for reviewing for making recommendations to the Governor on who to grant pardons to.
October 11, 2019
UW Political Scientist on US role in Turkish Conflict
UW-Madison Political Scientist, Professor Andrew Kydd, explains U.S. foreign policy and the Kurdish-Turkish border crisis. Many are waiting to see how President Trump decides to intervene considering that the Kurds are U.S. allies. Kydd warns that abandoning the Kurds during this crisis may undermine America’s credibility with other international allies.
October 11, 2019
Noon Wednesday: Where’s the Disconnect?
A lack of internet connection still impacts more than 17% of households across Wisconsin, creating digital inequities that impact students and communities as a whole. Bill Herman, a broadband consultant for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction joins us to discuss these gaps and where schools are finding solutions.
October 9, 2019
The Role of Electability and Identity in 2020 Election
FiveThirtyEight Senior Political writer Clare Malone examines the intersection of identity and electability in the upcoming Presidential election. Malone describes ‘electability’ (in the context of this election) as a shorthand for the ability to win over Obama-Trump voters that surprised the nation in 2016. Understanding those voters will be necessary for “electorally key states like Wisconsin,
October 4, 2019
U.S. and State Department of Agriculture Secretaries Sonny Perdue and Brad Pfaff both give their perspectives on the state of small dairy farmers and the industry as a whole. With extreme weather, low prices and uncertainty in foreign trade, Pfaff explains that Wisconsin farmers have been hit with a “triple whammy” of unfortunate events.
October 4, 2019
U.S. Senator Ron Johnson Doubles Down
Wisconsin U.S. Senator Ron Johnson weighs in on recent activities in Washington. Johnson says he’s once again looking at Hillary Clinton’s emails and remarks about whether people should trust what the President tweeted about a potential civil war.
October 4, 2019
Noon Wednesday: Is a Healthy Climate a Human Right?
The head of Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources is calling climate change “one of the defining issues of our time” and urging a return to researching it. As farmers struggle to protect their crops, communities find themselves under water and livelihoods impacted, our guest Sumudu Atapattu says we should be looking at climate change as a human rights issue.
October 2, 2019
State Superintendent on Decline in State Test Scores
State Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor elaborates on the State of Education in Wisconsin. The superintendent speaks to the decline in statewide achievement scores and other factors that impact students across the state.
September 27, 2019
Political Panelists Touch on Washington politics
Political panelists, Republican Political Strategist Bill McCoshen and Democratic Political Strategist Scot Ross, respond to the current whirlwind in Washington politics surrounding the recent whistle blower complaint. The two also touch on Wisconsin election news involving an upcoming special election for the 7th Congressional District.
September 27, 2019
Controversy In The Air: Military F-35 May Land in Madison
In tonight’s closer look, the U.S. Air Force is deciding whether to choose Madison’s Truax Field as a location for its F-35 fighter jets. Truax is home to the Air National Guard’s 115th Fighter Wing and its current complement of F-16 aircraft.
September 27, 2019
UW Political Scientist on the Process of Impeachment
In light of the recent whistle blower complaint and House Speaker Pelosi’s decision to launch a formal impeachment inquiry, UW-Madison Political Scientist, Professor David Canon breaks down how exactly the impeachment process works. Canon explains that impeachment proceedings can occur when “there is a violation of public trust.”
September 27, 2019
U.S. Rep. Pocan on Impeachment Inquiry into President Trump
U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D) responds to recent developments involving a whistle blower complaint that led House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) to call for an Impeachment inquiry into President Trump.
September 27, 2019
Noon Wednesday: Setting The Record Straight
Heightened debate over immigration policy can translate to the humanity of migrants themselves getting lost in the narrative. Our guest, Nissa Rhee, is working to break the traditional news cycle around reporting on refugees, asylum seekers and immigration by challenging how these stories are gathered.
September 25, 2019
Wisconsinites Owe Billions in Unpaid Medical Bills
ABC for Health Executive Director Bobby Peterson talks about the complexities of medical debt in Wisconsin. Currently there are $1.2 billion in unpaid medical bills, according to figures released by the Wisconsin Hospital Association.
September 20, 2019
Wisconsin Doctors at the Forefront of Vaping Investigation
Dr. Michael Meyer, the head of the pediatric intensive care unit at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, describes the impact of vaping. Wisconsin has seen 48 lung disease cases in 21 counties, according to the Department of Health Services. The Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin were among the first to connect the deadly lung disease to vaping.
September 20, 2019
Noon Wednesday: Should Wisconsin Inmates Pay-To-Stay?
There’s a price to pay when someone is sent to jail in Wisconsin, literally. We spoke with Dee Hall from the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism about their recent analysis increasing practice of charging inmates for their stay in jail. Are these fees necessary to pay to for the facilities that house inmates? Or, do they violate the rights of the incarcerated?
September 18, 2019
Kaul Weighs In on Lame Duck Laws
The lame duck laws passed last year continue to create friction between Attorney General Josh Kaul and the state legislature over the sharing of information regarding lawsuits the state might be interested in joining. Kaul discusses his concerns, talking about how the need for legislators to sign nondisclosure agreements impacts Wisconsin’s status on legal cases.
September 13, 2019
Wisconsin at the ‘Center of the Political Universe’
Wisconsin is sure to be in the spotlight for national campaigns in 2020, and in the wake of the fourth Democratic presidential debate, UW-Milwaukee professor emeritus Mordecai Lee breaks down the candidates' performances and predicts what may be in store for the state. "It feels like we're in New Hampshire," Lee says. "I never thought Wisconsin would be at the center of the political universe."
September 13, 2019
Noon Wednesday: Keeping Public Records Public
Open records requests allow citizens to see what politicians are doing and saying out of the public eye. Bill Lueders, president of the Freedom of Information Council, joins us to talk about how this tool of transparency can turn murky.
September 11, 2019
Latest Marquette Law School Poll Show Trump Trailing Behind
Marquette Law School Poll Director Charles Franklin shares new statewide survey results. The results show President Trump lagging slightly behind Democratic front runners in 2020 match-ups. Respondents favored Vice President Joe Biden 51 percent compared to Trump’s 42 percent. Sen. Bernie Sanders is also ahead at 48 percent to 44 percent.
September 6, 2019
Health Sec. Designee Palm on Strategies For Medicaid
Health Sec. Designee Andrea Palm discusses future Medicaid strategy for Wisconsin. The secretary says Medicaid expansion could bring the state federal money. She also breaks down immunization rates around the state as students head back to school for the year.
September 6, 2019
Noon Wednesday: Is Wisconsin At Risk Of An Outbreak?
Rates of unvaccinated children are on the rise in Wisconsin as more parents seek personal waivers for their children. We’re speak with pediatric professor and infectious disease specialist Dr. James Conway about the risks this may pose and our chances of an outbreak.
September 4, 2019
Noon Wednesday: Emerging Water Contaminant Raising Alarms
The City of Madison put a target on it's water quality manager, Joe Grande, voluntarily tested for chemicals in public water wells that aren't even regulated. Grande discusses what is known and still unknown about PFAS chemicals in water, air and food, as well as where the science still needs to catch up.
June 5, 2019
Homelessness Funding Works through Legislature
The legislature is proposing $3.75 million to help prevent homelessness in the state. Here & Now shares the story of Jivonte Davis who experienced homelessness in Madison, and Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, breaks down the legislative proposal.
April 26, 2019
Mike Leckrone’s storied 50-year career at the helm of the UW-Madison bands will come to an end in May. Here’s a look back at his tenure, and a preview to his final concerts this weekend.
April 12, 2019
Madison’s ‘Mayor for Life’ Loses Reelection
On Tuesday, former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Paul Soglin lost his reelection bid for Madison’s mayor. Here & Now looks back at his more than 20 years of service in the office.
April 5, 2019
Trump’s Budget May Affect McCoy, Truax
President Donald Trump’s budget includes a list of military construction projects, with some implications for Wisconsin.
March 22, 2019
UW Set to Resume Controversial Flu Research
UW-Madison is at the center of controversial biomedical research in their study of avian flu that involves making the virus more dangerous for humans. WisContext reporter Will Cushman has been following the research and discusses what it would mean for the university to have the research resume.
March 15, 2019
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