All Recent Articles - PBS Wisconsin

A still image shows a brick road sign with red and black patterns in a bushy area, the sign reads 'Stockbridge-Munsee Health & Wellness Center' and 'Ella Besaw Center.'

How federal spending cuts risk tribal health services

Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians President Shannon Holsey says proposed changes to federal spending on Medicaid and the Indian Health Service could destabilize health care for Wisconsin's tribal communities.

June 27, 2025

A still image shows Anya van Wagtendonk seated in front of a television set, with a graphic at the bottom that reads 'State Capitol,' 'Anya van Wagtendonk' and 'Wisconsin Public Radio.'

Budgets

Anya van Wagtendonk on the Wisconsin state budget

WPR Capitol reporter Anya van Wagtendonk discusses what brought Wisconsin state lawmakers back to budget talks, what’s still on the table and how recent state Supreme Court rulings tie into the process.

June 27, 2025

A still image shows Michael Osterholm seated in front of five clocks showing different zones and two bookshelves, with a graphic at the bottom that reads 'Michael Osterholm' and 'Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.'

Health

Michael Osterholm on vaccinations in Wisconsin

Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy Director Dr. Michael Osterholm explains the Vaccine Integrity Project and responds to changes in vaccine guidance following the removal of CDC advisors by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

June 27, 2025

Stacked cardboard boxes labeled Tribal Elder Food Box from the Great Lakes Intertribal Food Coalition, with workers packing boxes in the background.

Indigenous

Wisconsin Tribal Elder Food Box program faces uncertain future

The Tribal Elder Food Box program expanded statewide in Wisconsin during the COVID-19 pandemic, but today it faces federal funding cuts that might endanger the program's future.

June 26, 2025

Ornate architectural entrance with red marble columns and gold-accented capitals, featuring the inscription SUPREME COURT.

Courts

Wisconsin Supreme Court refuses to hear challenges to the state’s congressional district boundaries

The decision, made without explanation from the liberal-controlled court, is a setback for Democrats who had hoped for new, friendlier district boundary lines in Wisconsin as they attempt to win back control of the House next year.

June 26, 2025

White-haired man in a navy suit and striped tie speaks at a podium in a formal wood-paneled government chamber, with officials seated behind him.

Budgets

Wisconsin Supreme Court sides with Republican Legislature in fight with governor

In a unanimous ruling, the court struck down Evers' partial veto of a Republican bill detailing spending on new literacy programs. The case tested the limits of veto powers and the Legislature's ability to exert influence by controlling funding.

June 25, 2025

Mark Copelovitch on parallels between today and the 1930s

Economy

Mark Copelovitch on parallels between today and the 1930s

Mark Copelovitch on how politics today mirror the 1930s backlash against globalization.

June 25, 2025

Budgets

Speaker Robin Vos on prison reform

Speaker Robin Vos on tackling prison reform as part of the state budget process.

June 25, 2025

Budgets

Speaker Robin Vos on childcare access

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, discusses different approaches to expanding access to childcare.

June 24, 2025

Speaker Robin Vos on balancing priorities in budget talks

Budgets

Speaker Robin Vos on balancing priorities in budget talks

Speaker Robin Vos on the balancing act between priorities when crafting the state budget.

June 24, 2025

Hand reaching for a Poland Spring water bottle among rows of identical plastic bottles with white caps on a table.

Environment

Wisconsin Supreme Court delivers win for environmentalists in fight over ‘forever chemicals’

The court ruled Tuesday that state regulators can force landowners to clean up emerging pollutants such as PFAS before they are officially designated as hazardous substances.

June 24, 2025

Young woman holding a protest sign reading “FREEDOM FOR MIGUEL. HE IS NOT A CRIMINAL. HE IS A HUSBAND, A SON AND BROTHER,” with family photos.

Courts

Wisconsin asylum seeker detained in unprecedented wave of courthouse arrests

Three years ago, a brother and sister crossed the border days apart and asked for asylum. Now she has a green card and he’s in an ICE prison.

June 24, 2025 • South Central Region

Two men in suits sit across from each other in a TV news studio, one gesturing broadly while speaking during a ‘Here & Now’ segment.

Politics

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Devin Remiker, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, Mike Pochowski, Mark Copelovitch

Here's what guests on the June 20, 2025 episode said about Democrats electing a new party chair, progress on the state budget, assisted living referrals and the impact of war and tariffs on the economy.

June 23, 2025

A still image shows Mark Copelovitch seated at the 'Here & Now' set featuring wood paneling, with a graphic at bottom reading 'Mark Copelovitch' and 'UW-Madison Dept. of Political Science.'

Economy

Mark Copelovitch on the high costs of political and economic uncertainty

UW-Madison political science professor Mark Copelovitch discusses how the unstable landscape of tariffs and war abroad disrupt both the overall global marketplace and the everyday lives of American consumers.

June 20, 2025

A still image shows Assembly Speaker Rep. Robin Vos seated on the assembly floor in front of an ornate wooden podium, with a graphic at the bottom reading 'Madison,' 'Repi. Robin Vos' and '(R) Assembly Speaker.'

Budgets

Speaker Robin Vos on the status of the state budget

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, discusses priorities for the state budget amidst negotiations with Gov. Tony Evers and Republican infighting between the state Assembly and Senate.

June 20, 2025

A still image shows Devin Remiker seated at the 'Here & Now' set featuring wood paneling, with a graphic at bottom reading 'Devin Remiker' and 'Democratic Pary of Wisconsin.'

Politics

Devin Remiker on charting a new course for Wisconsin Democrats

Chair-elect of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin Devin Remiker discusses his vision for the state party moving forward as he takes over for Ben Wikler. Remiker looks ahead to the 2026 election cycle and considers how he might help candidates through a hostile political environment that includes threats and violence.

June 20, 2025

A still image shows Mike Pochowski seated at the 'Here & Now' set featuring wood paneling, with a graphic at bottom reading 'Mike Pochowski' and 'Wisconsin Assisted Living Association.'

Social Issues

Mike Pochowski on improving transparency when shopping for assisted living

Wisconsin Assisted Living Association executive director and CEO Mike Pochowski discusses a bill in the Wisconsin Legislature that aims to shed light on assisted living referral agencies. Referral agencies offer to do the research to help seniors to find a facility, but the process remains opaque and not always in the best interest of the client.

June 20, 2025

A man in a blue suit and patterned tie speaks at a Department of Transportation podium, gesturing with one hand; U.S. flag in background.

Courts

Judge rules Trump administration can’t require states to help on immigration to get transport money

After twenty states — including Wisconsin — filed suit, a federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from withholding billions of dollars in transportation funds from states that don’t agree to participate in some immigration enforcement actions.

June 20, 2025

Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings of the Bad River Band speaking on video call.

Indigenous

Bizhiki’s Dylan Jennings on bringing Ojibwe language into their music

Dylan Jennings explains how Bizhiki's music celebrates Indigenous sounds.

June 19, 2025

Security personnel conduct a bag check and pat-down at a wood-paneled doorway with a sign reading “Phones, Electronics and Photography Strictly Prohibited.”

Politics

Lawmakers on edge as statehouse security tightens after Minnesota shootings

Anxious lawmakers are convening under heightened security in the Wisconsin State Capitol, one of the most publicly accessible statehouses in the country. The session day Wednesday came less than a week after a legislator in neighboring Minnesota was shot and killed and other lawmakers were targeted.

June 18, 2025

Heavily armed state troopers in camouflage tactical gear walk beside two armored vehicles.

Politics

Many lawmakers named in writings of suspected Minnesota shooter vow not to bow down

The suspected Minnesota gunman’s writings mentioned public officials ranging from Minneapolis legislators to U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin. Many targeted lawmakers say the violence has prompted them to double down on their legislative work.

June 18, 2025

Man in blue suit and red tie speaking at a podium with microphones, standing before a backdrop of multiple U.S. flags.

Courts

Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down Republican law weakening attorney general’s power

A unanimous Wisconsin Supreme Court has sided with the Democratic state attorney general in a long-running battle over a law passed by Republicans who wanted to weaken the office in a lame duck legislative session more than six years ago.

June 17, 2025

Blue “EMS” letters on a glass window reflecting a partly cloudy sky, green trees, and industrial buildings in the background.

Policy

Three bills before the Wisconsin Legislature seek to address EMS staffing shortfalls

A package of legislation aims to relieve stress on Wisconsin's EMS departments, including funding to bolster enrollment in training courses, incentives to develop regional emergency systems, and improved reimbursement for 911 calls that don't involve patient transportation.

June 17, 2025

Essence Wilks sits at a table with papers and two plastic beverage containers with straws on its surface as Paige Berg stands to one side, with a glass door and out-of-focus illuminated hanging lamps and exit signs in the background.

Social Issues

Three women build a ‘third space’ in Green Bay for community members who have felt left out

Launched in 2024, the nonprofit Third Space Green Bay aspires to create community for LGBTQ+ residents and people of color who live in and around the northeast Wisconsin city — making all feel welcome.

June 16, 2025 • Northeast Region

Politics

Friends say Minnesota assassination suspect is deeply religious and conservative

The man accused of assassinating the top Democrat in the Minnesota House of Representatives worked as a security contractor, a funeral service driver and a preacher, and was described by friends and former colleagues as holding deeply religious and politically conservative views.

June 16, 2025

Adam Faust stands in a room with his right arm holding an overhead brace for a milking system and his left hand holding a door handle, with a daylight illuminated window in the background and multiple digital gauges in a row in the foreground.

Courts

Wisconsin dairy farmer sues USDA claiming discrimination against white farmers

The conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture on behalf of dairy farmer Adam Faust alleging the Trump administration is illegally denying financial assistance to white farmers by continuing programs that favor minorities.

June 16, 2025

Politics

US Justice Department’s moves on elections signal a shift from protecting voter access

The Trump administration's Justice Department has begun targeting Democratic and presidential swing states with demands for election data or changes to voter registration procedures, suggesting the agency is moving away from its traditional stance of protecting access to the ballot box.

June 16, 2025

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

Politics

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Zac Schultz, State Sen. Jesse James, Tracy Vruwink, Jeanne Duffy

Here's what guests on the June 13, 2025 episode said about lawmakers writing the state budget, a pilot program for student mental health. Impacts of federal funding cuts in one community and the status of AmeriCorps projects in Wisconsin.

June 16, 2025

Vance Luther Boelter stands outdoors with a spotlight illuminating his face, with multiple law enforcement officers wearing camouflage uniforms and helmets with headphones and mounted scopes standing in the background with black areas redacting their faces, with foliage and a tree line on the horizon under a cloudy sky at dusk.

Politics

Man suspected of assassinating Minnesota lawmaker arrested

Vance Luther Boelter, the man suspected of shooting two state lawmakers and killing one of them, has been taken into custody in Minnesota, bringing an end to a massive, nearly two-day search that put the entire state on edge.

June 15, 2025

Melissa Hortman stands and speaks into a microphone mounted to the top of a wood podium with an out-of-focus wood gavel on its surface and a name plate reading Melissa Hortman on its front, with a wood-carved chair, framed painting and the then-Minnesota flag in the background.

Politics

Politically motivated gunman assassinates DFL leader of Minnesota House of Representatives, wounds another lawmaker

State Rep. Melissa Hortman, the Democratic-Farmer-Labor leader in the Minnesota House of Representatives, and her husband were shot and killed in a Minneapolis suburb early June 14, with state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife wounded in what authorities describe as targeted attacks.

June 14, 2025

A still image shows Zac Shultz standing in front of the main chamber at the state Capitol with two green marble pillars behind him, with a graphic in the bottom reading 'State capitol,' 'Zac Schultz' and 'Here & Now.'

Budgets

Zac Schultz on lawmakers writing Wisconsin’s 2025-27 budget

PBS Wisconsin senior political reporter Zac Schultz describes how the state Legislature's Republican-controlled Joint Committee on Finance is assembling portions of the 2025-27 biennial state budget.

June 13, 2025

A still image shows state Senator Jesse James seated in front of a U.S. flag and a Wisconsin flag, with a graphic in the bottom reading 'State capitol,' 'Sen. Jesse James' and '(R) Thorp.'

Policy

Sen. Jesse James on mental health services offered at school

State Sen. Jesse James, R-Thorp, discusses legislation to create a two-year pilot program to provide year-round school-centered mental health services for at-risk students at two schools in Wisconsin.

June 13, 2025

Jeanne Duffy on AmeriCorps funding and its work in Wisconsin

Budgets

Jeanne Duffy on AmeriCorps funding and its work in Wisconsin

Serve Wisconsin Executive Director Jeanne Duffy discusses the status of AmeriCorps community service projects in the state in the midst of a federal lawsuit over DOGE terminating the program's funds.

June 13, 2025

A still image shows Tracy Vruwink sat in front of a white brick walled decorated with lots of school administrative posters, with a graphic in the bottom reading 'Nekoosa,' 'Tracy Vruwink' and 'School district of Nekoosa.'

Budgets

Tracy Vruwink on impacts of federal funding cuts in Nekoosa

School District of Nekoosa child care director Tracy Vruwink describes how federal defunding of 21st Century Community Learning Centers and AmeriCorps can affect school programs and food pantries.

June 13, 2025 • West Central Region

Christine Neumann-Ortiz sits and speaks in a room with an out-of-focus print on the wall in the background.

Courts

A Milwaukee immigrant who was framed has been released on bond

Ramón Morales Reyes, an immigrant from Mexico living in Milwaukee who was framed for making threats in the form of a forged letter, was released from the Dodge Detention Center three weeks after federal authorities arrested him.

June 13, 2025

Indigenous

Sasha Maria Suarez on revitalizing Indigenous languages

UW-Madison history professor Sasha Maria Suarez describes programs by tribal nations, K-12 schools and higher education institutions to teach Wisconsin's Indigenous languages to learners of all ages.

June 12, 2025

Ron Corn Jr. on tribal elders sharing the Menominee language

Indigenous

Ron Corn Jr. on tribal elders sharing the Menominee language

Menomini yoU Director of Revitalization Ron Corn describes finding mentorship from tribal elders in Menominee Nation to better learn the Native language and improve fluency in speaking Menominee.

June 11, 2025

Nicholas Jacobs and Elon Musk stand and shake their right hands while their left hands hold an oversized paper check with the words America PAC, pay to the order of Nicholas Jacobs and $1,000,000, with an illuminated screen in the background.

Courts

Wisconsin lawsuit seeks to ban Musk from offering cash payments to voters

The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign filed a lawsuit seeking to prohibit billionaire Elon Musk from offering cash to voters in the state, saying that his offering $1 million checks to three voters and $100 to petition signers before the state's spring 2025 election violated vote bribery and lottery laws.

June 11, 2025

Sasha Maria Suarez on Indian boarding schools in Wisconsin

Indigenous

Sasha Maria Suarez on Indian boarding schools in Wisconsin

UW-Madison history professor Sasha Maria Suarez describes the history of religious schools and the federal Indian boarding schools system that Indigenous children attended for decades in Wisconsin.

June 10, 2025

Cain Oulahan sits and speaks in a room with an out-of-focus print on the wall in the background.

Courts

Milwaukee immigrant who was framed in a threat hoax can be released on bond

An immigration judge in Chicago ruled that Ramón Morales Reyes, a Milwaukee resident who was wrongly accused of making threats, is not a danger to the community and can be released from the Dodge Detention Center on bond.

June 10, 2025

Hannah Dugan walks away from an open door, with another person walking in front of her and another person holding the door open for her, in front of a stone masonry building and next to a metal light fixture.

Courts

Trump administration urges court not to dismiss case against Dugan

Attorneys for the U.S. Department of Justice urged a federal judge to reject a motion filed by Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan seeking to dismiss criminal charges against her over allegedly helping a man in the courthouse evade immigration agents.

June 9, 2025

Social Issues

Multiple Wisconsin hospital systems remove diversity language from their websites

After moves by President Donald Trump to halt federal funding for diversity, equity and inclusion programs, several health care systems operating hospitals and clinics in Wisconsin have quietly changed the language on their websites, including SSM Health, Aurora Health and UW Health.

June 9, 2025

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

Politics

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: US Sen. Ron Johnson, Alderman José Pérez

Here's what guests on the June 6, 2025 episode said about the federal reconciliation budget bill and high-profile immigration cases in Milwaukee.

June 9, 2025

A still image shows the Menomini yoU language campus, a wide arched gray building with floral designs on the sides of a large glass entrance with a Menominee Nation flag waving in front of it.

Indigenous

Wisconsin Native languages shift from silence to celebration

A movement to revitalize Indigenous languages is taking root across Wisconsin, as Native speakers teach new generations to speak and celebrate their culture in the wake of decades of forced silence.

June 6, 2025

US Sen. Ron Johnson on a 2025 tax bill and the federal debt

Politics

US Sen. Ron Johnson on a 2025 tax bill and the federal debt

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, discusses his objections to a 2025 reconciliation policy bill cutting federal taxes and spending due to its projected $2.4 trillion increase to the national debt.

June 6, 2025

A still image shows José Pérez seated in front of a wood paneled wall with lots of degrees and certificates with a graphic at the bottom reading 'Milwaukee,' 'José Pérez' and 'Milwaukee Common Council President.'

Politics

Alderman José Pérez on ICE arrests of Milwaukee immigrants

Milwaukee Common Council President José Pérez discusses community support for Ramón Morales Reyes and Yessenia Ruano, residents of the city who were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

June 6, 2025 • Southeast Region

A still image shows Kurt Kotenberg seated in front of a map of Wisconsin and a glowing packers lamp with a graphic at the bottom that reads 'Green Bay,' 'Kurt Kotenberg' and 'National Weather Service - Green Bay.'

Science

Kurt Kotenberg on tracking wildfire smoke across Wisconsin

National Weather Service Green Bay forecast office meteorologist Kurt Kotenberg considers wildfire smoke air quality alerts in Wisconsin and the potential for such conditions to return going forward.

June 6, 2025

A still image shows U.S. Representative Gwen Moore seated in front of an ornate wood desk with a graphic at the bottom that reads 'U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore' and '(D) Fourth Congressional District.'

Politics

Moore, Pocan seek to visit ICE detainees at Juneau facility

Democratic U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore and U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan visit an ICE detention facility in Juneau after federal agents arrested an immigrant living in Milwaukee who was framed for sending threats.

June 6, 2025 • Southeast Region

Multiple sit behind mounted microphones and paper printed name plates on top of a wood-paneled legislative dais with a TV monitor mounted overhead under a vaulted ceiling, with U.S. and Wisconsin flags in the background, with people seated in multiple rows of stacking chairs facing the dais in the foreground.

Elections

Trump administration accuses Wisconsin Elections Commission of violating federal law on complaints

The U.S. Department of Justice has sent a letter to the Wisconsin Elections Commission accusing it of violating federal law by failing to provide a state-based complaint process for voters bringing allegations against the commission itself.

June 5, 2025

Ann Zenk on efforts to grow Wisconsin’s workforce of nurses

Health

Ann Zenk on efforts to grow Wisconsin’s workforce of nurses

Wisconsin Hospital Association Senior Vice President of Workforce and Clinical Practice Ann Zenk discusses the state's ongoing shortage of nurses and an increase in applications to nursing schools.

June 5, 2025

Cain Oulahan, Kime Abduli and Christine Neumann-Ortiz sit at a table and speak into multiple microphones with the flags of different media organizations mounted on short tripods set on its surface along with a water bottle and paper name tents in a room with prints displayed on a wall in the background, with seated and standing people in the foreground with video cameras and cell phones mounted on tripods facing them in the foreground.

Courts

What to know about Ramón Morales Reyes, an immigrant who faced false accusations

Ramón Morales Reyes, an immigrant from Mexico living in Milwaukee, was thrust into the national spotlight when Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused him making threats, but another man in Wisconsin has been charged with forging a letter in an attempt to frame him.

June 5, 2025 • Southeast Region

Tony Evers gestures with his left hand while standing and speaking into a microphone, with two out-of-focus people seated in high-backed leather and wood chairs on a wood legislative dais in the background.

Budgets

Wisconsin’s 2025 budget negotiations stall — how could a breakdown affect the state’s 2026 race for governor?

A breakdown in negotiations over a tax cut and other spending measures in Wisconsin threatens to put the 2026 race for governor on hold, with Democratic incumbent Gov. Tony Evers saying he won't announce his decision on seeking a third term until after a budget deal is done.

June 5, 2025

A pedimental frieze showing statues of seven figures seated above the words Equal Justice Under Law is carved in a marble masonry building.

Courts

US Supreme Court rules Catholic Charities Bureau doesn’t have to pay state unemployment taxes

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Superior-based Catholic Charities Bureau doesn't have to pay unemployment taxes in Wisconsin, saying the state violated the First Amendment's religious freedom guarantee when it required the organization to pay while exempting other faith groups.

June 5, 2025

Politics

Rep. Dean Kaufert on money in politics and party leadership

State Rep. Dean Kaufert, R-Neenah, who returned to the Wisconsin Legislature in 2025 after serving from 1991 to 2014, discusses how campaign fundraising by leadership of parties has changed politics.

June 4, 2025

An electronic traffic message sign mounted on metal poles over a roadway reads Air Quality Alert Consider Reducing Trips, with trees, light poles and buildings in the background obscured by haze.

Health

Canadian wildfire smoke causes ‘very unhealthy’ air quality conditions into the upper Midwest

Smoke from wildfires in Canada that has reached the U.S. periodically in the spring of 2025 brought air quality conditions rated as "very unhealthy" into parts of Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan, with hospitals reporting more patients reporting aggravated respiratory symptoms.

June 4, 2025

Rep. Dean Kaufert on Act 10’s passage and political legacy

Politics

Rep. Dean Kaufert on Act 10’s passage and political legacy

State Rep. Dean Kaufert, R-Neenah, who voted against Act 10 in 2011, discusses his objections to police and firefighters union exemptions in the law and experience with its provisions as a city mayor.

June 3, 2025

Kime Abduli sits at a table and speak into multiple microphones with the flags of different media organizations mounted on short tripods set on its surface along with a water bottle and paper name tents in a room with prints displayed on a wall in the background, with out-of-focus video camera microphones and monitors in the foreground.

Courts

Man accused of trying to get immigrant witness against him deported by writing letters threatening Trump

A Wisconsin man is facing charges accusing him of forging letters threatening President Donald Trump's life in an effort to get another man who was a potential witness against him in a criminal case deported.

June 3, 2025 • Southeast Region

Christina Winch stands outdoors and speaks to Jamin Crapp, who holds both hands up in the air, with two other people standing on either side of them, with an out-of-focus wheel and chassis of a farm vehicle in the foreground.

Education

How Southwest Wisconsin Technical College raised the wages of its graduates

After nearly losing its accreditation, a rural community college in Grant County revamped its curriculum and counseling, cutting majors and adding training for industry certifications, changes that earned national recognition for student success as alumni find higher paying work.

June 2, 2025 • Southwest Region

Frederica Freyberg and Dr. Michael Siebers sit facing each other on the Here & Now set.

Politics

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Dr. Michael Siebers, Bill Hanna, State Rep. Dean Kaufert

Here's what guests on the May 30, 2025 episode said about federal cuts to the Veterans Affairs hospitals, cuts to social safety net programs, and prospects for bipartisanship in the Wisconsin Legislature.

June 2, 2025

Kime Abduli and Cain Oulahan sit at a table and speak into multiple microphones with the flags of different media organizations mounted on short tripods set on its surface along with a water bottle, in a room with two prints displayed on a wall in the background.

Courts

Claims about a Milwaukee immigrant and assassination threats quickly fall apart

Investigators believe an immigrant in Milwaukee who was accused of an assassination threat may have been framed so that he would get arrested and be deported from the U.S. before he got a chance to testify in a trial as a victim of assault.

June 1, 2025 • Southeast Region

Politics

Rep. Dean Kaufert hopes for consensus in Wisconsin politics

State Rep. Dean Kaufert, R-Neenah, a longtime lawmaker who returned to the Wisconsin Legislature in 2025, discusses money and hostility in politics as he seeks to build more bipartisanship on policy.

May 30, 2025

A still image shows Michael Siebers seated at the 'Here & Now' set featuring wood paneling, with a graphic at bottom reading 'Michael Siebers, M.D.' and 'Retired VA Physician'

Health

Dr. Michael Siebers on VA cuts and health care for veterans

Retired Veterans Health Administration physician Dr. Michael Siebers discusses how federal cuts to VA funding and plans to reduce staff are affecting both patient access to health care and providers.

May 30, 2025

Social Issues

Bill Hanna on impacts of cutting federal social safety nets

Wisconsin Department of Health Services Medicaid Director Bill Hanna explains what proposed changes in requirements for the federal health care program, the ACA and SNAP would mean for Wisconsinites.

May 30, 2025

A still image shows U.S. Senator Ron Johnson speaking at a podium in front of a banner of associations he supports, including three that read 'Medical College of Wisconsin,' 'University of Wisconsin Milwaukee' and 'Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association.'

Budgets

Both Wisconsin US senators oppose Trump federal budget bill

Wisconsin Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin both say they won't vote for President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" due to its effects on the federal deficit.

May 30, 2025

A still image shows a large group of nurses picketing in a line, wearing purple and holding signs that read 'you can't put patients first if you put nurses last.'

Economy

Meriter nurses strike for better working conditions and pay

Hundreds of nurses at Meriter Hospital in Madison who are organized in the Service Employees International Union went on strike to demand a raise, more job security and a lower patient-to-staff ratio.

May 30, 2025 • South Central Region

A still image shows a doctor in full scrubs operating medical machinery behind a glass door.

Economy

Wisconsin’s health care workforce conditions rebound in 2025

A 2025 report issued by the Wisconsin Hospital Association about the state's health care workforce found gains in some professions along with higher rates of violence against these workers.

May 30, 2025

A video still image shows Bob Spindell sitting in an office with sunlight and shadows visible on closed vertical blinds in the background, with a video graphic at bottom including the text Wisconsin Elections Commission and Special Meeting.

Elections

Wisconsin Elections Commission votes to let smaller communities hand count ballots

A decision by the Wisconsin Elections Commission would allow communities with fewer than 7,500 people can hand count ballots, but they must still comply with federal law and provide at least one electronic voting machine at a polling location to accommodate voters with disabilities.

May 30, 2025

Politics

Ron Johnson says Trump can’t bully him off his deficit-reducing demands for a federal budget bill

Wisconsin Republican U.S. Senator Ron Johnson said he will block the national debt-increasing "One Big Beautiful Bill" supported by President Donald Trump if it doesn't cut federal spending levels, and supports maintain "current tax law."

May 29, 2025

Economy

Annette Zimmermann on AI data centers, jobs and the economy

UW-Madison political philosophy professor Annette Zimmermann considers economic motivations for locating AI data centers in Wisconsin and political conflict over how this industry can impact jobs.

May 29, 2025

Amy Barrilleaux on Wisconsin’s water attracting data centers

Economy

Amy Barrilleaux on Wisconsin’s water attracting data centers

Clean Wisconsin communications director Amy Barrilleaux considers how fresh water is a factor in tech companies building AI data centers and the environmental questions related to using this resource.

May 28, 2025

Tim Peerenboom on seclusion, restraint in Wisconsin schools

Education

Tim Peerenboom on seclusion, restraint in Wisconsin schools

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction school psychology consultant Tim Peerenboom describes the standards governing when and how students can be secluded or restrained in educational settings.

May 27, 2025

A sign that reads in part County Courthouse and the bottom of a stylized flat, wire sculpture are mounted on the masonry wall of a Brutalist-style building.

Courts

Wisconsin Supreme Court suspends Dane County judge who left court to arrest a hospitalized defendant

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has suspended Dane County Circuit Court Judge Ellen Berz for a week starting in June in response to her leaving court to try to arrest a hospitalized defendant and getting into an argument with a different defendant in another case.

May 27, 2025

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

Politics

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Darryl Morin, State Sen. Patrick Testin, Jim Tuckwell and Kevin McDonell

Here's what guests on the May 23, 2025 episode said about escalating actions in federal immigration enforcement, licensing independent practices for advanced practices nurses, and an affordable housing development in northern Wisconsin.

May 27, 2025

How AI data centers are tapping into Wisconsin’s fresh water

Economy

How AI data centers are tapping into Wisconsin’s fresh water

Growing use of AI tools and cloud computing is motivating tech companies to expand construction of data centers — these operations are drawn to Wisconsin due to abundant water resources for cooling.

May 23, 2025

A still image from a video shows Darryl Morin seated in front of a blurred background with a graphic at the bottom reading 'Darryl Morin' and 'Forward Latino.'

Social Issues

Darryl Morin on federal immigration enforcement in Wisconsin

Latino Forward National President Darryl Morin discusses how legislation in Congress and actions by the Trump administration to fund and expand immigration enforcement is having impacts in Wisconsin.

May 23, 2025

A still image from a video shows Patrick Testing seated in front of a white brick fire place with a graphic at bottom reading 'Stevens Point,' 'Sen. Patrick Testin' and '(R) Stevens Point.'

Policy

Sen. Patrick Testin on licensing of advanced practice nurses

State Sen. Patrick Testin, R-Stevens Point, discusses legislation to create an advanced practice registered nurse license to allow trained specialized nurses to provide independent care in Wisconsin.

May 23, 2025

A still image shows Kevin McDonell seated at the 'Here & Now' set featuring wood paneling, with a graphic at bottom reading 'Kevin McDonell' and 'Lincoln Avenue Communities'

Economy

Jim Tuckwell, Kevin McDonell on housing in the North Woods

Vilas County Economic Development Corporation Board Chairman Jim Tuckwell and Lincoln Avenue Communities Vice President Kevin McDonell discuss work to build affordable housing in Lac du Flambeau.

May 23, 2025 • Northern Region

A still image shows a sign in front of a brown brick building, the sign read 'going places,' 'Madison Area Technical College' and 'madisoncollege.edu'

Education

Wisconsin technical college leaders decry federal aid cuts

Congress is moving to reduce financial aid for college students, and leaders from Wisconsin's technical colleges speak out about how such cuts and changes to Pell Grants could affect higher education.

May 23, 2025

The shoes of multiple children are standing on rubber backed carpet maps in a hallway with a brick floor.

Education

Wisconsin schools face a growing number of students being secluded and restrained

A report issued by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction shows that the number of children who were secluded from others or physically restrained in response to dangerous behavior spiked in the 2023-24 school year, with more incidents among elementary and special education students.

May 22, 2025

Sen. Chris Larson, Rep. Jessie Rodriguez on education policy

Politics

Sen. Chris Larson, Rep. Jessie Rodriguez on education policy

State Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, and state Rep. Jessie Rodriguez, R-Oak Creek, discuss why the politics of Wisconsin's education system and state funding for schools has long been contentious.

May 21, 2025

Elon Musk speaks with a wireless microphone in his right hand and gesturing with left hand, while hearing a Cheesehead hat and standing in front of a projection of the U.S. flag.

Politics

Musk’s plan to pull back from politics follows flop in Wisconsin court election

Elon Musk, the richest person in the world, said he would be spending less on political campaigns, an announcement that came just seven weeks after the candidate he backed in the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court race lost by 10 percentage points.

May 21, 2025

Sen. Chris Larson on special education and property taxes

Budgets

Sen. Chris Larson on special education and property taxes

State Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, discusses the amount of state funding for special education and the number of school district referendums in Wisconsin that seek to raise local property taxes.

May 20, 2025

Chris Taylor sits in a high-backed leather chair on a judicial dais, with U.S. and Wisconsin flags behind her flanking a wall-mounted metal Great Seal of the State of Wisconsin, in a room with wood-paneled walls.

Elections

Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor announces 2026 run for Wisconsin Supreme Court

Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor, who was an outspoken supporter of abortion rights as a state representative from Madison, announced that she is running in the 2026 race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court to challenge incumbent Justice Rebecca Bradley.

May 20, 2025

Rep. Jessie Rodriguez on 400 years of education funding

Budgets

Rep. Jessie Rodriguez on 400 years of education funding

State Rep. Jessie Rodriguez, R-Oak Creek, discusses how Republican budget writers may address a 400-year school revenue limit increase set by the governor and upheld by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

May 19, 2025

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

Politics

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, State Sen. Kelda Roys

Here's what guests on the May 16, 2025 episode said about the politics of wrangling budgets in Washington, D.C. and Madison.

May 19, 2025

Why special education is a focus of Wisconsin’s 2025 budget

Budgets

Why special education is a focus of Wisconsin’s 2025 budget

School districts in Wisconsin are struggling to keep up with special education costs, and parents of students with disabilities are pushing lawmakers to increase funding in the 2025-27 state budget.

May 16, 2025

US Rep. Gwen Moore on the Republican budget package for 2025

Budgets

US Rep. Gwen Moore on the Republican budget package for 2025

U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-4th Congressional District, discusses a 2025 federal budget bill advanced by Republicans that would extend the 2017 income tax cuts and reduce funds for Medicaid and food aid.

May 16, 2025

A still image from a video shows Kelda Roys seated in front of a black leather couch with a graphic at bottom reading 'State Capitol,' 'Sen. Kelda Roys' and '(D) Joint Finance Committee'

Budgets

Sen. Kelda Roys on priorities for Wisconsin’s 2025 budget

State Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, a member of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Finance, discusses work on the 2025-27 budget by Republican lawmakers and Democratic positioning in the process.

May 16, 2025

Dr. Ryan Spencer on what happens when obstetricians leave

Health

Dr. Ryan Spencer on what happens when obstetricians leave

University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health OB/GYN Dr. Ryan Spencer explains the difficulties that arise when fewer obstetric providers are available to serve mothers in a community.

May 15, 2025

Hannah Dugan walks away from an open door, with another person walking in front of her and multiple people behind her, in front of a stone masonry building and next to a metal light fixture.

Courts

Milwaukee judge pleads not guilty to federal charges over immigration enforcement

Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan entered a plea of not guilty to charges of obstruction and concealing an individual to prevent arrest after being accused of helping a man evade federal immigration agents as protesters gathered to support the judge outside the federal courthouse.

May 15, 2025

Health

Wendy Yuen on postpartum physical and mental health needs

Milwaukee resident Wendy Yuen describes different types of medical needs that a mother can require after having a baby and how availability of insurance coverage can affect pursuing postpartum care.

May 14, 2025

A ceiling-mounted brass enclosed sign with the words Judge Hannah C. Dugan and the number 615 stands outside the wood-paneled doors to another room.

Courts

Milwaukee judge argues federal prosecutors can’t file charges due to legal immunity

Attorneys for Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan argue in a motion that her actions alleged in federal charges amount to directing movement in and around her courtroom and that she enjoys judicial immunity for official acts, citing the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in "Trump v. United States."

May 14, 2025

Sunlight illuminates and casts shadows on a multi-story Richardsonian Romanesque-style masonry building with multiple turrets, gables and a central tower, with other buildings behind it and a portion of a traffic sign in the foreground.

Courts

Milwaukee County judge indicted on accusations she helped a man evade immigration agents

A federal grand jury has indicted Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan on charges she helped a man in the U.S. illegally evade immigration authorities looking to arrest him as he appeared before her in a local domestic abuse case.

May 14, 2025

Sean Duffy gestures with both hands while turning to his right and speaking while seated in a high-backed leather chair, with other people sitting on either side of him in a room with an out-of-focus bronze statue in the background.

Courts

20 Democratic attorneys general sue Trump administration over conditions placed on federal funds

Democratic attorneys general from 20 states including Wisconsin have filed two federal lawsuits arguing Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have threatened to cut funding unless states agree to certain immigration enforcement actions.

May 13, 2025

Justine Rufus on Wisconsin’s MMIW Task Force and cold cases

Indigenous

Justine Rufus on Wisconsin’s MMIW Task Force and cold cases

Wisconsin MMIW Task Force Chair Justine Rufus discusses the importance of communication among law enforcement agencies and how text alerts can help in cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people.

May 13, 2025

An unilluminated backlit sign with the words La Crosse Police and an arrow next to a police badge stands in front of a parking lot with multiple parked law enforcement vehicles next to a multi-story Brutalist-style building, light poles and other buildings in the background to one side.

Courts

La Crosse police were the only law enforcement officers in Wisconsin using an ‘unusual practice’ that cost taxpayers

After paying $450,000 to a man involved in a series of contacts with officers in 2020 that resulted in an arrest and strip search, the La Crosse Police Department has stopped using traffic stops to issue unrelated and outstanding citations.

May 12, 2025 • West Central Region

Zac Schultz and Josh Kaul sit facing each other on the Here & Now set.

Politics

‘Here & Now’ Highlights: Attorney General Josh Kaul, State Rep. Mark Born

Here's what guests on the May 9, 2025 episode said about Wisconsin joining more than a dozen multistate lawsuits against the Trump administration and the chances for compromise in the 2025-27 state budget.

May 12, 2025

Multiple industrial towers with scaffolding, pipes and other exterior elements are shadowed from behind by the sun, with heat shimmering the edges of its light.

Courts

15 states sue over Trump’s move to fast-track oil and gas projects via ‘national energy emergency’ order

A coalition of 15 states, including Wisconsin, is suing over President Donald Trump's executive order declaring a "national energy emergency" that urges expanded oil and gas production through eminent domain and the Defense Production Act, saying federal agencies are bypassing required reviews.

May 11, 2025

Attorney General Josh Kaul on suing the Trump administration

Courts

Attorney General Josh Kaul on suing the Trump administration

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, discusses why the state has joined more than a dozen lawsuits against the Trump administration and federal agencies over executive orders and actions.

May 9, 2025

A large group wearing red and black stand in front of the capital holding their fists and signs in the air

Indigenous

Seeking justice for missing and murdered Indigenous people

The number of missing and murdered Indigenous people in Wisconsin is unclear, and as families of victims seek solidarity, advocates seek funding for the state's MMIW Task Force to take on the problem.

May 9, 2025

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