Wisconsin Public Radio

Conservative national group tapping into Wisconsin school boards

School Boards for Academic Excellence was created in 2023 as the “reform-minded alternative to the National School Board Association.”

Wisconsin’s restraining order process has moved to an online portal. Advocates says it will reduce barriers for domestic violence survivors.

The goal of the online portal is to make it easier for domestic violence survivors to ask for emergency protections, court officials say.

Railroads are charging more to ship grain. US farmers may have to pick up the tab

Harvest season is nearing for many farmers. But the railroads that transport their harvested grain have raised their shipping costs with record-high diesel prices. That could mean lower grain prices for growers.

Year-round gardening is within reach

Leslie F. Halleck's book, “Home Greenhouse Revival: Growing Year-Round Foliage, Flowers & Food,” offers practical advice on how to plan your greenhouse — from deciding on appropriate placement to setting up a temperature sensor.

GOP outspending Democrats in battle for Wisconsin Legislature

Groups defending Republican majorities in the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate have outraised and outspent their Democratic opponents thanks to nearly $8 million in donations from billionaire Diane Hendricks.

9 wolves killed by federal officials in northern Wisconsin after threatening behavior to humans

Nine wolves were killed by federal officials in northern Wisconsin in late August and early September, following “a series of verified threats to human health and safety," according to the state Department of Natural Resources.

2 Wisconsin sheriff races test the future of local ICE cooperation

Voters in Sauk and Winnebago counties will choose between sheriff candidates with competing visions for local law enforcement’s relationship with ICE.

What the Protect College Sports Act would mean for Wisconsin schools and athletes

The Protect College Sports Act would reshape how college sports are governed under the NCAA in the NIL era.

Drought conditions in northern half of Wisconsin ease in some areas and expand in others

More than half of Wisconsin continues to struggle with drought, affecting more than a million residents.

Wisconsin theater groups are making shows more accessible for people with disabilities

Audio devices, captioning and sensory kits are helping more people with disabilities enjoy Wisconsin theater performances.

Iron ore, steel shipments decline at Great Lakes ports due in part to Trump tariffs

Great Lakes ports are seeing declines in iron ore and steel shipments that are tied in part to the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada.

Dragon Days festival highlights Lake Geneva’s Dungeons & Dragons connection

This weekend, Lake Geneva hosts the Dragon Days Fall Fantasy Festival. Started in 2023, the annual event celebrates the city’s role in the creation of the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons — and the co-creator of the game, Gary Gygax.

Wisconsin governor candidates offer opposing plans to address rising healthcare costs

Health insurance was the third highest ranking issue among voters, and outranked data centers, abortion, schools or crime.

Trump funding halt means more children in ICE detention in Wisconsin won’t have a lawyer

Children in ICE detention from Wisconsin may have to go without a lawyer in court after President Donald Trump halted millions in appropriated federal funds.

Wisconsin among states suing Trump administration over rollback of power plant rules

Wisconsin is among a coalition of 25 states, cities and counties suing the Trump administration for rolling back rules that limit heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions from coal and gas-fired power plants.

Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich will not seek reelection in 2027

Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich will not seek a third term as the city government’s top executive.

Statewide test scores show Milwaukee Public Schools making gains with new literacy plan

Milwaukee Public Schools is seeing early gains under the district’s new literacy plan with 23 schools up five or more percentage points on the Wisconsin Forward Exam.

Funds from 3 billionaires give Tom Tiffany huge fundraising lead in race for governor

Republican Tom Tiffany's campaign for governor raised more than $26 million in less than three months, dominating Democratic challenger David Crowley's figures, but early all of Tiffany's latest haul came from three billionaires funneling money through the Republican Party of Wisconsin.

Cooke campaign sends cease-and-desist to Congressman Van Orden over AI deepfakes

Democrat Rebecca Cooke is challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden in a closely-watched race for Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District.

Madison’s police monitor is unique in Wisconsin. But the office has been dogged by controversies

Madison's police monitor position is unique in Wisconsin. But, since its start, the office has weathered controversy after controversy.

Diver discovers 1,000-year-old dugout canoe in southeastern Wisconsin lake

An ancient dugout canoe found in Pewaukee Lake in southeastern Wisconsin is estimated to be around 1,000 years old.

‘Good fire’ comes to life in Ojibwe picture book set on Wisconsin Point

“Ishkode: A Story of Fire” weaves Ojibwe language, cultural knowledge and richly detailed illustrations into a story for readers of all ages, following last year’s return of the prescribed burn.

WPR Music Album of the Week: ‘Life is a Dream’

Screen legend Anthony Hopkins releases latest collection of classical music.

Trade ministers gather in Milwaukee ahead of G20 summit

Hosted by U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the ministerial comes at a time when President Donald Trump's tariffs, a trade war with Canada and high fuel prices sparked by the war in Iran have left Americans uneasy about the economy.

The 2026 youth vote and where Gen Z Wisconsinites stand

Democrats and Republicans are in a fierce competition to earn the support of young voters.

Can’t afford a home in Wisconsin? Here’s why.

Home affordability is at record lows in Wisconsin and home sales have taken a hit, according to an August report from the Wisconsin Realtor’s Association. A UW-Madison housing expert says inventory is to blame.

Wisconsin’s municipalities feeling the pinch of high fuel costs

With diesel and gasoline roughly doubling in cost since last year, many Wisconsin municipalities are over budget and facing tough choices for their 2027 budgets.

Milwaukee program that uses music to foster community, culture turns 25

Dinorah Márquez founded the Latino Arts Strings Program to help Latino children in Milwaukee access musical education that teaches the music of various Latino cultures. Márquez and an alum of the program explain why the program has such staying power.

Crowley narrowly leads Tiffany in latest Marquette poll

The latest Marquette University poll of Wisconsin's race for governor shows Democratic Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley narrowly leading Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany.

Judge rules leader of Wisconsin’s largest mosque can be deported

An immigration judge has ruled that the leader of Wisconsin’s largest mosque can be deported, his legal team announced Wednesday.

New UW project hopes to lower high smoking rates among low-income adults

Researchers will partner with eight of Wisconsin's 17 Community Health Centers, or CHCs, to develop, test and sustain improved treatments for tobacco use.

States are lifting gas taxes to ease pain at the pump, but not Wisconsin

A growing number of states are taking action to respond to spiking gas and diesel prices. But Wisconsin isn't one of them.

Construction industry drives Wisconsin job growth amid data center developments

The construction industry accounted for around half of the non-farm job growth in Wisconsin over the last year, as a few high-profile data center projects moved forward in the state.

Viral disease infecting thousands of Wisconsin deer found in Waukesha County dairy cows

A viral disease infecting thousands of deer across Wisconsin has been found in dairy cows in Waukesha County, according to state officials.

Great Lakes lawmakers say delays on invasive carp barrier threaten ecosystems, economy

U.S. Senate Democrats are urging the Trump administration to end delays on a key project to keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes, warning the fish could gain a foothold and threaten the regional economy.

Microsoft to ‘redirect’ data center incentive back to Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant is getting back financial incentives that were originally set to go to Microsoft for its massive data center campus in the village.

Milwaukee Art Museum returns enslaved artist’s works to his descendants

Two stoneware vessels on display at the Milwaukee Art Museum will be returned to the trust of the artist’s living descendants.

Report: Wisconsin could make up taxes lost to data center incentives

Data centers may provide a major economic development opportunity for local communities in Wisconsin, but concerns around water and energy use and potential costs to residents have made them increasingly controversial.

In Wisconsin elections, write-ins are frequently wrong

Sometimes voters who are dissatisfied with their choices write in candidates. But in Wisconsin, write-in candidates must typically be registered with the state for the votes to count.

Country music star Lauren Alaina on ‘Stages,’ why Wisconsin feels like a second home

Country singer Lauren Alaina talks about her new album, “Stages,” motherhood and the longtime family ties that have made northern Wisconsin feel like home.

An email about anti-data center signs could cost a Wisconsin Rapids politician his job

Wisconsin Rapids Alder Michael Timm will have to campaign to keep his job after residents forced a recall election over an email he sent a local business.

Wisconsin seeks to protect around 1.8K acres of forest in Langlade County

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is one step closer to securing a conservation easement on almost 1,800 acres in Langlade County that would benefit timber production and the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.

Sudden closure of community pool fuels conflict in Antigo over school spending

Residents in Antigo are fighting to keep their local pool open after school district leaders said they didn’t have the funds for it.

A Wisconsin tree will decorate the White House blue room this holiday season

A fir tree from Wisconsin will be towering in the center of the White House Blue Room this holiday season.

Wisconsin’s first certified forest bathing trail helps residents reset and find balance

This summer, Wisconsin opened its first certified forest bathing trail in Vilas County. Forest bathing is the practice of getting immersed in nature to improve well-being, and one group took in the trail's restorative effects last month.

Madison art museum debuts new exhibition using generative AI amidst pushback

A new exhibition in the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art uses generative artificial intelligence to allow viewers to manipulate digital artwork. More than 900 people have signed an open letter calling to shut down the project due to the project’s AI use.

Doors Open Milwaukee invites visitors to explore local history hidden in plain sight

This year’s event takes place Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 26-27, at nearly 200 locations around the city.

‘This may just be the end’: Wisconsin farmers struggle to afford diesel during harvest season

In the last month, the average price of diesel in Wisconsin has climbed from around $5.30 per gallon to more than $6.50 per gallon.

Democrats hope data center opposition will help flip Assembly district held by GOP since 1970s

Democrats trying to flip a Wisconsin Assembly seat long held by Republicans are hoping anti-data center sentiment will help them oust a GOP incumbent they call the "architect" of tax breaks spurring a data center building boom in Wisconsin.

Watertown Superintendent blocks ‘Flashdance’ musical calling production ‘X-rated’

The Watertown Unified School District gained national attention this spring when it banned an instrumental piece of music tied to LGBTQ+ history. Now the district has decided to replace the 2027 spring musical.

Hazing investigation ongoing into unaffiliated frat at UW-Madison

Police have arrested at least two men amid an investigation into alleged hazing in the basement of an unrecognized fraternity near the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.

Enbridge estimates gas leak on Line 5 in northern Wisconsin will cost $15M

A report filed with federal regulators estimates an August gas leak on Enbridge’s Line 5 oil and gas pipeline in northern Wisconsin will cost at least $15.1 million.

4 chicks from Wisconsin join the eastern migratory whooping crane population

Whooping cranes --- creeping back from the brink of extinction through intensive conservation efforts --- only produce one to two eggs per year.

Tom Tiffany’s campaign blocks reporter from Milwaukee event

The campaign for U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, the Republican candidate for governor, blocked a veteran reporter from one of his events Thursday, a move that came days after President Donald Trump took a similar step at the White House.

Francesca Hong to campaign for David Crowley, Democratic candidates

Madison mayor: City cops will get body cams sooner than expected

Tenants of Milwaukee apartment buildings ordered to vacate due to ‘severe life safety issues’

Superintendent Underly calls on Legislature to change funding formula for public schools

Special bag and size limits approved to aid struggling walleye populations in Wisconsin

Enjoy fall weather? So do ticks, scientists warn

Milwaukee Public School students head to American Family Field to celebrate federal grant

Wisconsin municipalities face rising borrowing costs

WPR Music Album of the Week: ‘Beethoven and the Italians’

New dark money GOP group dominates Wisconsin political spending

Foxconn says it plans to add 700 jobs in Mount Pleasant by mid-2027

Wisconsin land trusts continue preservation efforts, even without Knowles-Nelson funding

Housing planned for site of closed UW-Milwaukee campus in Waukesha

Federal immigration policy may be worsening Wisconsin’s caregiver shortage, leaders say

FBI leads probe into fire at Enbridge drill site on Line 5 reroute in northern Wisconsin

Invisible fences are helping farmers more easily move grazing cows

‘Farming with flair’: Tractor ballet turns hay baling into art

American hemp sellers prepare for a looming ban on most of their products: ‘This is devastating’

Racine wants to build 34 homes on vacant school lot and help city and school employees buy them

Judge dismisses lawsuit challenging Port Washington data center TID

Wisconsin DNR updates hunters on deer diseases as reports in EHD outbreak grow

As farm bill advances, SNAP cuts worry Wisconsin farmers’ market vendor

Central Wisconsin educator’s memoir connects childhood trauma, career in schools

This Milwaukee movie theatre will be showcased on Turner Classic Movies

UW-Whitewater education majors use AI-powered ‘student’ to learn to teach math

Volunteers help scoop out bugs to assess quality of Lake Superior watershed

Wisconsin consumers, state to receive more than $11M from auto finance settlement

A children’s novel about a boy and his pet raccoon brings Japan’s ambassador to Wisconsin

Baldwin calls for investigation into Tomah VA after hospice nurse faces patient abuse charges

USDA restricts spending on dairy marketing after lawsuit from Wisconsin producers

UW-Milwaukee sees highest enrollment in nearly 2 decades despite 20 percent drop in international students

Tiffany promises more state agency audits if elected governor

Inmates at Redgranite prison prepare monarch butterflies for their long journey south

Proposed transmission lines unite some Republicans and Democrats in opposition

‘Best of the Wurst’ shares the past, present and future of Wisconsin sausage

UW-Milwaukee could offer teachers a 3-year degree to help MPS teacher shortage

Wisconsin mayor seeks removal of police chief after city investigation found ‘highly concerning actions’

Wisconsin health officials hopeful encouraging measles vaccination can stop growing outbreak

ATC reapplies to build a more than $2B transmission project serving Port Washington data center

Can purple corn replace some synthetic food dyes? Midwest scientists see potential

Law license of attorney who spit on Black teen during 2020 protest suspended

Wisconsin theater groups are making shows more accessible for people with disabilities

Audio devices, captioning and sensory kits are helping more people with disabilities enjoy Wisconsin theater performances.