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A sidewalk sign reading COVID-19 Vaccine Enter Here stands in front of a building entrance.

Wisconsin’s Covid Condition: The Delta Outbreak Declines Slowly, More Booster Shots Are Recommended

The state's numbers of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are starting to drop slowly from their early autumn highs, with more protection from the disease imminent as the FDA and CDC recommend more options for fully vaccinated people to get an additional dose and mix-and-match vaccine types.

October 22, 2021

Smoke flows out of of a masonry chimney on a snow-covered roof.

WisContext

What Wisconsinites Can Do to Lower Heating Bills as Fuel Prices Spike

Households across the state have multiple options for reducing the cost of keeping their homes warm in winter, including direct assistance and incentives for weatherization and efficiency upgrades, depending on income levels.

October 21, 2021

Ramiah Whiteside wears an American flag mask and holds a protest sign in front of a wrought iron fence.

Social Issues

Wisconsin Imprisons 1 in 36 Black Adults, the Highest Rate in the US

A 2021 Sentencing Project report confirms the state's deep racial disparities in incarceration, which one advocate calls a "slap in the face."

October 19, 2021

Dr. Greg Vanichkachorn sits in an office front of a screen.

Politics

‘Here & Now’ Recap: Peter David, Dr. Greg Vanichkachorn and Will Kenneally

Here's what guests on the Oct. 15, 2021 episode had to say about the wolf hunt, long-haul covid and the Gableman election probe.

October 18, 2021

A COVID-19 vaccination record card with stickers noting two doses sits on a white surface.

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s Covid Condition: Hospitals Require Vaccines for Staff, More Evidence Shots Work Well

A new round of state data show hospitalizations and deaths are far higher among people who haven't had COVID-19 vaccinations than those who have, one reason health care systems are requiring their staff to get vaccinated.

October 15, 2021

A microscopic image shows round virus particles inside cellular structures.

WisContext

Why Wisconsin’s Covid Breakthrough Numbers Show the Power of Vaccination

When the state health department compiles figures about people vaccinated for COVID-19 who become infected with the virus, the role of age is paramount in understanding differing impacts across the state's entire population.

October 12, 2021

Michael Gableman stands in front of an image of a law library.

Politics

Gableman Extends Messaging Effort in New Video as Subpoena Plans Remain Unclear

What's next for local officials from five Wisconsin cities in a Republican probe into the state's 2020 vote is uncertain, even as the former state Supreme Court Justice leading it raises the rhetorical stakes in a second video message.

October 11, 2021

Two people wear medical gowns, gloves, masks and goggles as they prepare to enter a room inside a hallway filled with medical equipment

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s Covid Condition: Delta Maintains Its Grip as Hospitalizations Remain High

While a wave caused by a coronavirus variant is waning in other parts of the U.S., new cases and hospitalizations are hanging at higher levels in the state as the total death toll passes 8,000.

October 8, 2021

Four children stand on a concrete culvert mouth with a metal grille covered with plastic garbage on the edge of a creek.

Environment

‘Something Has to Be Done’: Life Along Madison’s Starkweather Creek, One of Wisconsin’s Most Polluted Waterways

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 • South Central Region

A trailer-style bus with signage stating Milwaukee Justice Center Mobile Legal Clinic is parked in front of a building.

Policy

Wisconsin Turns Back Toward an Active Pardon Policy

In less than three years, Gov. Tony Evers has granted more pardons than the previous three governors combined, and an updated policy will open the door to more applications from people with certain felony convictions to seek a new start.

October 4, 2021

Jason Alston sprinkles seasoning on meat in a to-go container behind a counter.

Policy

With governor’s race on horizon, future of pardons uncertain in Wisconsin

Pardons after 2022 could hinge on Gov. Tony Evers' reelection.

October 4, 2021

Claire Woodall-Vogg sits at a desk with an office phone resting betweeen her ear and shoulder.

Elections

Gableman Subpoenas Election Documents in 5 Wisconsin Cities Receiving Facebook-Related Election Funding

No widespread fraud was reported in Wisconsin's 2020 election, but a Republican-backed investigation is seeking to spotlight the role of a Facebook-linked group that helped cities fund changes to their elections during the COVID-19 pandemic.

October 1, 2021

An illustration showing a photo of two women holding hands superimposed on legal documentation about spousal abuse.

Social Issues

He Beat Her Repeatedly. Family Court Tried to Give Him Joint Custody of Their Children.

Wisconsin is considered a leader in the movement to treat fathers as equal caregivers when parents separate. Shared parenting is usually better for children — but the model fails for many women forced to co-parent with their abusers.

September 30, 2021

Politics

Republican Lawmakers Push Bill That’s a Proxy in Fight Against ‘Critical Race Theory’

Along a party-line vote, the Wisconsin Assembly passed legislation that would set new requirements for how issues related to anti-racism and anti-sexism are taught in schools.

September 28, 2021

Illustration of a police officer in a vest and a shadow looming over a square building with a flagpole and sign reading SCHOOL.

Education

Wisconsin Schools Called Police on Students at Twice the National Rate — for Native Students, It Was the Highest

Across the United States, school officials refer thousands of children to the police each year, and in Wisconsin, children with disabilities or who are Black, Hispanic or Native bear the brunt of it.

September 27, 2021

Three hospital workers put on personal protective equipment including gowns, masks and face shields in the hallway of an intensive care unit.

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s Covid Condition: Hospitals Increasingly Strained as Delta Cases Multiply

More Wisconsinites are receiving intensive care for COVID-19 than at any point since December 2020, while health officials hope newly approved Pfizer vaccine booster shots will cut breakthrough illnesses.

September 24, 2021

A view of the Madison Metropolitan School District administrative office building with a flag pole flying the USA and Wisconsin flags

Coronavirus

‘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 • South Central Region

Michael Gableman stands in front of an image of the Wisconsin Capitol building.

Elections

Gableman Releases Video Promising ‘Full Investigation,’ Possible Subpoenas

The former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice released a video giving an outline but few details on his investigation into the 2020 election.

September 21, 2021

Staff members check IDs and proof of vaccine cards of concert-goers outside a venue in downtown Madison, Wisconsin.

Economy

Why More Wisconsin Venues Require Covid Vaccinations to Withstand the Delta Wave

In response to artist requests, in the hope of bolstering safety and in the interest of keeping their doors open, larger performance spaces in Milwaukee, Madison and Eau Claire are requiring their audiences to offer proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a recent negative test in order to attend shows.

September 20, 2021

A door to the Tomahawk schools complex with a sign stating Attention Face Masks Recommended and a painted Welcome Back message.

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s Covid Condition: 18 Months Later, the Pandemic Drags On

Schools once again wrestle with masking rules, public health departments return to crisis modes for contact tracing and efforts continue to push vaccination rates higher through incentives and mandates as the Delta variant of COVID-19 advances across the state.

September 17, 2021

A red conductor's podium overlooks the green turf of the UW Marching Band's practice field on the UW-Madison campus.

Coronavirus

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 • South Central Region

Devin Hart raises arms at a demonstration with other protestors in the background.

Coronavirus

Despite Risks, Many Long-Term Care Workers in Wisconsin Reject COVID-19 Vaccine

Suspicions about side effects and health care decision-making authority create a clash between some staff of long-term care facilities and coronavirus vaccine mandates to protect the vulnerable residents they serve.

September 14, 2021

A stone gate marks the entrance to the U.S. Army installation Fort McCoy.

Politics

Wisconsin Lawmakers Visit Fort McCoy, Focus on the Vetting of Afghan Refugees

Over the course of two weeks, Republican and Democratic lawmakers from Wisconsin stopped by a U.S. Army base near La Crosse to check out how thousands of new immigrants from Afghanistan are being housed before resettlement around the country.

September 13, 2021 • West Central Region

A yard sign stating COVID testing with an arrow pointing left stands in front of a canopy with a table underneath and a queue of people in front of a table.

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s Covid Condition: Vaccine Mandates and a Booster Debate

Hospitalizations related to COVID-19 have hit their highest levels in the state since the start of 2021 with even more demand for intensive care, with national and local vaccination requirements growing in response to the pandemic's Delta wave.

September 10, 2021

Nazir and Shu'aib Al-Mujaahid sit on steps in front of a house.

Health

What to Know If You’re Worried About Lead Poisoning in Wisconsin

Testing and finding sources of lead exposure are top priorities in assessing the risk of poisoning from lead in paint and water.

September 9, 2021

Workers hold a blue replacement water pipe surrounded by metal netting.

Health

Spurred by Flint Crisis, Eau Claire Aims to Eliminate Lead Pipelines

Eau Claire homeowners typically pay nothing under a grant-funded program to replace lead service lines, and the city is finding success in canvassing neighborhoods to identify homes where work is needed.

September 9, 2021 • West Central Region

Nazir Al-Mujaahid fills a water bottle from a water system as seen in a mirror above a kitchen sink.

Health

‘It’s Criminal’: Milwaukeeans Call for Speedier Lead Pipeline Removal to Cut Childhood Poisoning

Wisconsin home lead investigations rarely test water amid focus on paint, while replacing all lead service lines in Milwaukee would take 70 years at the current pace.

September 9, 2021 • Southeast Region

A crowd sits at tables on a sunny day at the Memorial Union Terrace.

Education

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 • South Central Region

A nurse prepares a syringe in a storage room with theater costumes hanging in the background.

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s Covid Condition: The Delta Variant Prompts Fears of Pandemic Deja Vu

Health care professionals and officials are bracing for COVID-19 patient numbers to continue rising in the state’s largest wave of infections in nearly a year as students return to classes.

September 3, 2021

Reggie Jackson looks at a display at America's Black Holocaust Museum.

Social Issues

The Idea of Reparations Is Not New, But Big Questions Remain

As Evanston, Illinois compensates victims of housing discrimination, broader conversation continues about whether and how government compensation over slavery and racism should be implemented.

September 2, 2021

An illustration showing silhouettes of four figures walking toward an moon-style outline of Wisconsin.

Social Issues

The Resettlement Story for Afghan Refugees in Wisconsin Is Just Beginning

Here & Now extra: Thousands of Afghans seeking to make a new home in the United States are being temporarily housed at Fort McCoy, which played a similar role four decades earlier.

August 31, 2021

A wolf stands in forest undergrowth with light snow covering.

Environment

How Wisconsin’s Wolf Hunt Quotas May Prompt Federal Review

Whether or not wolves remain off the federal endangered species list or receive renewed protections is based on their numbers in the upper Midwest, and DNR policies are set to cut deep into the state's population of the species.

August 30, 2021

Nurses and doctors wearing personal protective equipment walk through a hallway.

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s Covid Condition: State Sees Highest Number of ICU Patients Since 2020

Vaccinations are also rising, albeit slowly, as the Pfizer shot receives full FDA approval and political fights over masking and vaccines drag on.

August 27, 2021

A photo collage showing, left to right, a portrait of Officer Riley Schmidt, Officer Jacob Ungerer holding a letter, and a portrait of Officer Ben Dolnick.

Policy

Nearly 200 Wisconsin Officers Back on the Job After Being Fired or Forced Out

Of more than 1,000 officers ousted in the past five years, some returned to police work after allegations including sexual harassment and drunken fights.

August 24, 2021

A map of Chippewa County supervisory districts sits on a table.

Elections

How Could the Delta Surge Affect Wisconsin’s Redistricting Process?

Facing a November deadline to complete the mapping of county-level wards, local clerks are confident that another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic won't derail their work.

August 23, 2021 • West Central Region

Staff applaud a student wearing a face mask walking into a school with a sandwich board sign noting mask required.

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s Covid Condition: The Delta Surge Disrupts a Third School Year

With the continuing spread of a more dangerous coronavirus variant among the unvaccinated and rise in breakthrough cases, schools around the state are determining what course to take as classrooms take center stage in the political fight over public health policies.

August 20, 2021

A La Crosse MTU bus sits parked in behind a water truck.

Policy

Wisconsin’s Federal Lawmakers Are Split on $1 Trillion Infrastructure Package

Here & Now extra: Under a proposal passed by the U.S. Senate and to be taken up by the House, the state is slated to receive more than $7.2 billion in funding for transportation improvements and other investments.

August 17, 2021

An illustration shows three individuals — Black, white and Hispanic — standing on stacks of coins of varying heights.

Economy

Wisconsin Cities Look to Basic Income to Close Racial, Other Wealth Gaps

Following the lead of presidential candidate Andrew Yang, cities in Wisconsin and elsewhere are providing residents a basic income — will the trend grow?

August 16, 2021

A sign on a door reads Mask Policy: We strongly recomment that all customers wear a mask, regardless of vacciation status.

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s Covid Condition: Hospitalizations Skyrocket with Delta

A nationwide surge of infections driven by an extremely contagious coronavirus variant is prompting hospitals around the state to care for a new wave of patients, nearly all of whom aren't vaccinated.

August 13, 2021

Protestors gather in front of the State Street entrance of th Wisconsin Capitol, with one holding a sign reading Forensic Audit.

Politics

Calls for ‘Forensic’ Audits of 2020 Vote Splits Wisconsin Republicans

Pushing back against the pace and scope of an investigation launched by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, state Rep. Janel Brandtjen is pursuing her own effort to scrutinize how the presidential election between Biden and Trump was conducted in the state.

August 10, 2021

A Public Health Madison & Dane County vaccinator administers an injection.

WisContext

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 • South Central Region

Donald Greengrass Jr. sits on a chair at a restaurant counter

Economy

How Could ‘Baby Bonds’ Address Wisconsin’s Racial Wealth Gap?

Setting aside government money at birth for all children has been tried both inside and outside of the United States — and even in Wisconsin. Not everyone is a fan.

August 5, 2021 • West Central Region

Paul Burke sits at a raised judge's bench and speaks in an eviction proceeding

Social Issues

Evictions in Wisconsin Dipped During a Federal Moratorium — What’s Next for Renters and Landlords?

Here & Now extra: A nationwide halt on evicting tenants during the pandemic simultaneously slowed down and uncovered deeper fissures in a housing crisis faced by lower-income renters.

August 3, 2021 • Northeast Region

Madison Area Technical College sign on stone wall with blue sky and clouds in background

Education

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 • South Central Region

A window reads Face coverins recommended unless you're fully vaccinated for COVID-19 — Face coverings are still required where mandated by state or local regulations.

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s Covid Condition: CDC Calls for Universal Masking in Schools, Hotspots as Delta Variant Fuels Spike in Cases

New COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising quickly in Wisconsin as recently gathered data about the Delta variant prompts anxiety among public health officials while school districts and universities consider safety measures.

July 30, 2021

Narcan kit with medication, gloves and other supplies in bag on table

WisContext

Overdose Deaths in Wisconsin Soared in 2020 as Pandemic Intensified Opioid Crisis

While fatalities caused by overdoses of opioids and other drugs have been growing for years in the state, numbers surged in 2020 as the coronavirus struck and disrupted social services, prompting emergency response agencies to pursue more harm reduction strategies.

July 29, 2021

Economy

Milwaukee’s Pandemic Aid Plan Seeks to Address Persistent Urban Woes

City leaders are proposing priorities for spending a historic infusion of federal support that they hope will improve racial equity in Wisconsin's largest and most diverse city.

July 27, 2021 • Southeast Region

Economy

Set at $7.25 Since 2009, Raising Wisconsin’s Minimum Wage Would Cut Poverty

Thousands of residents in Wisconsin — many of them people of color — would see a higher standard of living if politicians raised the long-stalled minimum wage.

July 26, 2021

A yard sign next to bushes reads Schedule your free COVID-19 vaccine today with a Walgreens URL.

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s COVID Condition: Variants Fuel Rise in Cases, Hospitalizations as Half of State Remains Unvaccinated

State health officials pushed vaccines for eligible kids before school starts and expressed concern about the massive crowds that gathered to celebrate the Milwaukee Bucks' championship amid rapid spread of the Delta variant.

July 23, 2021

Entrance to building with a sidewalk cafe

Economy

Northeast Wisconsin Businesses Hard-Pressed for Workers in the Pandemic

Natalie Brophy, Appleton Post-Crescent Patrick Neph is limiting reservations at his Green Bay steakhouse because he doesn’t have enough staff to serve a full house. Neph owns Republic Chophouse and the soon-to-open Mangiare, an Italian restaurant just down the street. Between the two eateries, he needs to hire 10 ...

July 22, 2021 • Northeast Region

Christopher Kartsounes sitting on a bed in his room at an inn in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Policy

‘Why Do You Keep Harassing Me?’: An Outagamie County Judge Controls Defendants After Sentencing

A Wisconsin Watch and WPR analysis shows Judge Vincent Biskupic is the top user of this ‘de facto’ probation, which raises questions of judicial authority — and fairness.

July 20, 2021 • Northeast Region

Education

Republicans Voted To Give This Minocqua School Extra Funding, But Evers Said No

Why are Republicans in the Legislature repeatedly adding a budget line for Lakeland STAR, a charter school focusing on children with autism, and why is the governor repeatedly cutting this funding even as he advocates more state support for public education?

July 19, 2021 • Northern Region

A For Rent sign in front the porch and entrance to a house

Economy

Long Waits for Federal Rental Aid Leave Milwaukee-Area Residents Fearing Eviction

Some renters say they waited months to find out whether they qualified for thousands of dollars in emergency help to pay past-due rent. Some are still waiting.

July 16, 2021 • Southeast Region

Peter Barca standing at podium in school library surrounded by Tony Evers and other members of the governor's administration

Budgets

Why Did Evers Veto An Update to Withholding Tables After a Tax Cut?

The governor approved income tax cuts included in the state's 2021-23 budget but vetoed a provision that would have required the Department of Revenue to immediately adjust tax withholding levels, raising questions about the rationale behind this action.

July 15, 2021

Underwater photo of divers looking down at a shipwreck

Policy

How the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast Emerged From a Sharp Political Squall

A National Marine Sanctuary established off the shores of Lake Michigan to protect and promote dozens of sites where historic sunken ships sit at the bottom followed a years-long saga of local disputes and whiplash in support at the state and federal levels.

July 13, 2021 • Southeast Region

Six gray wolves stand on snow-covered and frozen wetlands

Science

The Swelling Scientific Fallout From Wisconsin’s Wolf Hunt

Five months after hunters blew past the DNR's harvest quota, a population study by UW-Madison researchers highlights an additional estimated impact of poaching the species after it lost federal protections.

July 12, 2021

Human cells (in gray) infected and covered with SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (in red)

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s Covid Condition: The Delta Variant Looms for Unvaccinated People

A more contagious coronavirus strain is rapidly spreading in the U.S., primarily among people who haven't gotten a COVID-19 vaccine, which still includes nearly half of Wisconsinites.

July 9, 2021

Tony Evers sitting at table in a classroom holding budget document surrounded by state officials and school children

Budgets

Evers Signs Wisconsin’s 2021-23 Budget with 50 Partial Vetoes

In a press conference in Whitefish Bay, the governor outlined his decision to approve the budgetary plan passed by the state Legislature, emphasizing education spending and tax cuts, the latter of which Republican lawmakers said was their doing.

July 8, 2021

Shenora Staten-Jordan holds funeral notice for Gary Lee Staten

Coronavirus

FEMA Offers Generous Funeral Aid for COVID-19 Deaths, But Getting Help Isn’t Easy

Applicants for federal pandemic aid to help pay final expenses complain of confusing bureaucracy and long waits as the Federal Emergency Management Agency handles thousands of applications by phone — a Milwaukee woman details her struggle to connect.

July 8, 2021

A dozen pills sit at the bottom of an orange prescription medication container.

Policy

Wisconsin’s Opioid Settlement Law Cuts Off Cities from Suing for Damages

Signed by Gov. Tony Evers despite his statement that it is unconstitutional, a framework is in place to distribute hundreds of millions of dollars to the state and municipalities, but also set a deadline for filing new lawsuits.

July 6, 2021

Economy

A Tourism Boom Has Wisconsin’s Northern Destinations Scrambling to Keep Up

Businesses in busy summer communities like Minocqua, Bayfield and Door County are racing to serve more customers while also struggling with maintaining enough employees as travel swells in the wake of the pandemic.

July 2, 2021 • Northern Region

Screenshot of Robin Vos speaking from the dais of the Wisconsin Assembly chambers

Budgets

Wisconsin Republicans Proceed with their 2021 Budget, Setting Up Evers Veto Decision

By a mostly party-line vote, the Assembly passed a biennial budget that removed most priorities previously promoted by the governor, who pending its passage in the state Senate, must decide to approve it, veto it entirely or make strategic line-item vetoes.

June 30, 2021

Coronavirus

Johnson’s Vaccine Side Effects Event Prompts A New Round of Condemnations

Continuing a pattern of questioning the safety of coronavirus vaccinations, Wisconsin's Republican U.S. Senator shared several stories about adverse reactions, while doctors warn his message undermines efforts to curb the pandemic.

June 29, 2021

Person standing in snowbank and collects water sample from flooded yard.

Science

Cow Manure Predicted to Cause Most Sickness from Contaminated Wells in Kewaunee County

A study predicts the incidence of gastrointestinal illness in private drinking wells among residents of Kewaunee County, identifying manure as the main cause of contamination.

June 28, 2021 • Northeast Region

Gloved hands holding syringe inject a COVID-19 vaccine into an upper arm.

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s Covid Condition: The Pandemic Recedes in its Second Summer

New COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are all hitting their lowest reported levels in the state, but with only about half of Wisconsinites vaccinated for the coronavirus, public health authorities are urging more people to do so as the Delta variant looms.

June 25, 2021

Social Issues

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 • Southeast Region

Illustration showing hands reaching up from a pile of medical bills

Health

Report: During Pandemic, Wisconsin Hospital Sought $3 Million from Patients in Medical Debt Litigation

Hospitals' use of court actions to collect patient debt dropped sharply during the pandemic. But some of the nation's largest health care systems kept suing — and most were nonprofits.

June 21, 2021

Juneteenth flag flies over Wisconsin Capitol dome

Social Issues

Wisconsin Celebrates Juneteenth as Congress Approves Federal Holiday

"Juneteenth is a day of freedom. Juneteenth is a day of liberation and emancipation," said Rep. Shelia Stubbs, D-Madison, reflecting on the history of the June 19 holiday and her groundbreaking role as the first Black legislator to be elected from Dane County. Stubbs kicked off Juneteenth celebrations at the ...

June 18, 2021

A digital traffic sign over a highway reads Slow Your Roll.

WisContext

Where Traffic Deaths Surged In Wisconsin During the Pandemic

State transportation data from 2020 shows that even while traffic volume fell, crash fatalities spiked as more drivers engaged in speeding and reckless driving, particularly in Milwaukee.

June 17, 2021 • Southeast Region

Rep. Janel Brandtjen at table at Wisconsin Capitol

Politics

Republican Bill Would Limit How Ballot Drop Boxes Could Be Deployed in Wisconsin

The Assembly elections committee heard testimony on legislation that would narrow the time and places local clerks could receive absentee ballots, part of a series of bills introduced in the wake of the 2020 vote.

June 15, 2021

Front entrances of houses along street with lawns and trees in the front yards.

Economy

Homeownership Gap for People of Color in Wisconsin Is Wide — Communities, Nonprofits Try to Close It

Historical redlining, racial covenants and modern-day barriers including lower incomes keep most residents of color in Wisconsin from owning homes.

June 14, 2021 • Southeast Region

An illustration with two figures from the Wisconsin coat of arms leaning on a shield with a button reading COVID-19 vaccinated.

WisContext

The Peculiar Divergence In COVID Vaccinations Around Milwaukee’s Republican Hinterland

A link between partisan politics and coronavirus vaccinations at the national level has become increasingly recognized, but a slew of additional factors are playing a role in Wisconsin's largest metro area.

June 10, 2021 • Southeast Region

Cracks in dry soil on footpath surrounded by green grass and weeds

Coronavirus

Wisconsin Health Officials Launch New COVID Vaccination Push As Backlash Churns

Here & Now Extra: Breaking through pandemic-era divisions and extreme rhetoric by Republican lawmakers poses an ongoing challenge for efforts to vaccinate as many Wisconsinites as possible.

June 8, 2021

WisContext

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 • Southeast Region

Arrow-shaped sign reading Free COVID-19 Vaccine points toward doors

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s COVID Condition: Pandemic Metrics Plunge, The Last Local Rules Expire

The number of new cases and hospitalizations around the state are dropping to their lowest levels since COVID-19 first emerged, as people once again start gathering in large numbers with an end to public health restrictions.

June 4, 2021

Janie Ocejo sits under a JustDane office sign

Social Issues

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 • South Central Region

Collage of photos of front facade of six county courthouses in Wisconsin: Waukesha, Milwaukee, Kenosha, Walworth, Racine and Jefferson

WisContext

District Attorney Races In Wisconsin Are Often Uncontested

Why do few DAs in the state face challengers, and what doe that means for the justice system?

June 1, 2021

Illustration based on Lady Justice sculpture on wall of Dane County Courthouse in Madison

WisContext

Gatekeepers of the Criminal Justice System: District Attorney Candidates Dwindle in Wisconsin, Even As Office Grows in Scrutiny

Responsible for pursuing cases in court, DAs are becoming more prominent as policing policy becomes more politically controversial, but at the same time, fewer people are running for the office due to reasons that include lower pay and higher stress.

June 1, 2021

Coronavirus

How Much Higher Are COVID-19 Rates Among Unvaccinated Wisconsinites?

Examining new cases and vaccination levels in all 72 counties around the state reveals how the coronavirus continues to circulate and infect residents who haven't gotten a shot.

May 28, 2021

Environment

The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board — Plus One — Talks Wolves, Elk and PFAS

Wildlife and water issues were the focus of an unusual meeting of a state policy setting group in which the Republican-appointed chairperson is refusing to step down as a six-year term ends, blocking the participation of a new Democratic appointee.

May 27, 2021

Park bench overlooking lakeshore and eroding sand beach with exposed roots

Social Issues

Ancient Human Remains Unearthed at Proposed Kohler Golf Course Site

The rapidly eroding Lake Michigan shoreline is raising questions about the future of the controversial project adjacent to Kohler-Andrae State Park.

May 24, 2021 • Southeast Region

A sign instructs on safety protocols near the entrance to the Milwaukee Art Museum

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s COVID Condition: Mask Orders Ending as Youth Vaccinations Rise

More than 1 in 10 newly-eligible children 12-15 have gotten a Pfizer shot as the state's two largest municipalities plan to drop mask requirements by early June.

May 21, 2021

Northland Pines Home of the Eagles banner in high school hallway

Coronavirus

Masking and Other Protocols Helped Keep Wisconsin Kids in the Classroom

Rules put in place to cut transmission of COVID-19 kept the common cold and seasonal flu at a minimum during a unique pandemic school year.

May 20, 2021 • Northern Region

Health

Dane County, Milwaukee Ending Local Mask Orders in Early June

Public health officials in Dane County and Milwaukee are also lifting pandemic-related capacity limits next month, following new CDC guidance for vaccinated individuals. This comes as Republicans introduce a bill to end the $300 federal unemployment supplement.

May 18, 2021

Economy

Drop Out or Drown in Debt? Many Black Students in Wisconsin Face Stark Choices in Paying for College

Cutting or eliminating student loan debt would "change everything," says one Black University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee alum struggling with a six-figure debt.

May 17, 2021

A plastic box filled with orange buttons that read I Got My COVID-19 Vaccine!

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s COVID Condition: Youth Vaccinations, New Mask Recommendations

Approval of the Pfizer vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds comes as school boards around the state debate whether to maintain pandemic protocols, while the CDC says fully vaccinated people can stop masking in most settings.

May 14, 2021

Electronic micrope image of novel coronavirus particles covering an infected cell

WisContext

The Difference Between Wisconsin’s ‘Confirmed’ and ‘Probable’ COVID-19 Data

Efforts to count coronavirus cases and deaths around the state indicate the varying degrees of certainty that can be attributed to individual circumstances as public health agencies keep up with day-to-day rhythms of the pandemic.

May 13, 2021

A screenshot of John Johnson, Sr. giving the 2021 State of the Tribes address in the Wisconsin Assembly chambers

Politics

History Is at the Heart of Wisconsin’s 2021 State of the Tribes Address

In a speech to the state Legislature, Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa President John D. Johnson, Sr. connects the principles of tribal sovereignty to contemporary issues important to Native communities.

May 11, 2021

Components of computer server motherboard

Economy

Foxconn Plans to Make ‘Digital Infrastructure Hardware’ in Wisconsin — What’s That?

Here & Now Extra: Under its revised tax incentives contract with the state, the global electronics giant proposes to manufacture products essential to conducting business and living life in "the cloud."

May 10, 2021 • Southeast Region

Nurse wearing mask holds a syringe with a COVID-19 vaccine

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s COVID Condition: A New Vaccination Strategy, Border County Cases

The state health department is shifting its vaccine distribution system to an on-demand basis as enthusiasm for shots ebbs and new infections remain stubbornly high in some areas.

May 7, 2021

Stack of lumber in focus in foreground with stacks of lumber and timber in blurred background

WisContext

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 • Northern Region

Sign warning of possible chemical exposure hazard above ditch and culvert with houses in background

Health

‘The Middle of a Massive Contamination’: Marinette and Peshtigo Residents Struggle with Aftereffects of PFAS

Four years after a facility disclosed water contamination in the region, residents in the northeast corner of Wisconsin deal with the impact of dangerous "forever chemicals."

May 4, 2021 • Northeast Region

Scorched vegetation from a prescribed burn surrounded by unburned areas

Environment

Wisconsin’s ‘Roller Coaster’ Wildfire Season in 2021 Is Still Going

Lighter snowpack and drier spring conditions have fueled a widespread spate of fires across the state, with the Department of Natural Resources issuing warnings about high risk conditions.

May 3, 2021

A vaccinator wearing gloves and mask gives a shot to another person wearing a mask.

Coronavirus

Wisconsin’s COVID Condition: Diverging Geographies of Vaccinations and Variants

In St. Croix County, a jump in cases among teenagers and a plateauing of demand for the coronavirus vaccine illustrates how the second year of the pandemic is shifting in different places around the state.

April 30, 2021 • West Central Region

Temporary fencing and tear gas in front of a line of police officers

Policy

How Far Will Wisconsin’s Effort to Reform Policing Policies Go?

Here & Now Extra: Advocates for greater accountability standards for law enforcement officers point to the Speaker's Task Force recommendations on training and policies as only the beginning of efforts toward change.

April 29, 2021

A hug between a father and young daughter

Policy

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 • South Central Region

Social Issues

In Wake of Wisconsin’s Racial Justice Protests, Curfew Tickets Raise Equity and Speech Questions

In Milwaukee, Black residents accounted for about two-thirds of curfew citations. Kenosha and Wauwatosa defend curfew arrests in federal court.

April 26, 2021 • Southeast Region

COVID VACCINE sign with arrow and people standing in line outside buidling

Coronavirus

How Does Hesitancy Fit Into Wisconsin’s COVID-19 Vaccination Trends?

Here & Now Extra: Differences by age, race, gender and politics in terms of who is getting coronavirus vaccines around the state align with national trends and polling, while pointing toward potential gaps going forward.

April 23, 2021

Front entrance doors and facade of Foxconn factory building in Mount Pleasant

Economy

How Much Smaller is the New Contract Between Wisconsin and Foxconn?

The state's economic development agency has announced a new tax incentive package with the Taiwan-based tech giant that is an order of magnitude smaller than the original signed in 2017.

April 21, 2021 • Southeast Region

Derek Chauvin wears a face mask in a courtroom as verdicts are read.

Social Issues

As Jury Issues Guilty Verdicts in Chauvin Trial, Lawmakers Debate ‘Use of Force’

On the same day a former police officer was convicted of murdering George Floyd, the Speaker's Task Force on Racial Disparities deliberated over how Wisconsin law enforcement officers should be allowed to apply force.

April 20, 2021