Wisconsin News & Current Events | Public News Service

In addition to affecting hospice services, the new federal budget is estimated to significantly increase health care costs for more than 1 million low-income Medicare enrollees. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, July 7, 2025

Former WI mayor: Potential Medicare cuts would worsen aging crisis

A former Wisconsin mayor said the new federal budget will only worsen the current aging crisis families like hers have already been facing. Analysis …

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WI solar project invests in rural youth, community

A 100-megawatt solar project in rural Polk County set to begin operating this year has a unique focus on investments in youth. Developers said the …

In Wisconsin, 300 farmers participated in the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, which funded $4.2 million worth of food to more than 250 pantries. (Adobe Stock)

WI communities grapple to make up for fresh food grant cuts

By Olivia Herken for the Wisconsin Independent.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Wisconsin Indep…

Prairies once covered a significant portion of Wisconsin, but today less than 0.1% of original prairies remain, making them one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world. (Adobe Stock)

WI group empowers women to restore prairies, pollinators

June is National Pollinator Month and a local agricultural group which aims to empower women in conservation is bringing awareness to how prairie rest…

A parklet is an elevated public space, usually converted from a parking space and used to enhance community experience and support local businesses. (Adobe Stock)

AARP grant funds help enhance WI communities

Eight Wisconsin cities, including four rural communities, will receive improvements to help make their communities more livable. Eleven grantees …

Nutrient management planning has been around for more than 30 years, traditionally developed for farmers by private sector farm co-ops and agronomists. (Adobe Stock)

WI farmer education collab helps save money, environment

A joint effort is helping Wisconsin farmers protect water quality in their communities by learning more about how to prevent manure and fertilizer spi…

The Kickapoo River carries water to the Gulf of Mexico where contaminants like manure contribute to an oxygen-depleted area known as the

8-mile manure spill in Monroe County kills hundreds of fish

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service …

While Wisconsin ranked high overall in the areas of economic well-being and education, it ranked 17th and 25th in the categories of health, and family and community. (Adobe Stock)

WI leads nation in racial disparities, but ranks high in child well-being report

A national report found Wisconsin continues to lead the nation in racial disparities affecting children's well-being across the state. Wisconsin …

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is partnering with three area colleges to offer a free workshop series on energy costs and reduction through June. (Ameresco)

Southwest WI a hotbed for clean energy

Southwest Wisconsin is seeing a surge in clean energy, emerging as a hotbed for large-scale renewable projects proponents said are economically …

Wisconsin is estimated to reach the highest peak in its prison population by July. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Study: Incarceration costs U.S. families $350 billion a year

A new study highlights the high price of incarceration, and says the annual total cost to families of Americans behind bars is nearly $350 billion…

The average cost for a gallon of regular gas is about $3 in Wisconsin. (Adobe Stock)

Study: Blacks, Latinos disproportionately burdened by gas costs

As federal electric vehicle incentives face potential rollbacks, a new study is highlighting the burden of gasoline costs on Black and Latino drivers …

Only about 25% of the 1 million women in the United States experiencing a mental health crises during pregnancy or postpartum receive treatment. (Adobe Stock)

Postpartum depression rates, treatment higher among Medicaid recipients

Perinatal experts said postpartum depression is more common than most people think and those covered by Medicaid are at higher risk. Two of every …

The five-year average annual rate of excessive alcohol deaths per capita in Wisconsin increased by as much as 51.4% from 2015 to 2019. (Adobe Stock)

Experts say effects of alcohol greater on women than on men

As Women's Health Month comes to an end, public health officials are urging Wisconsin women to be aware of the increased risks they face from any …

Researchers found between 2010 and 2018, more than 60% of solar projects faced National Environmental Policy Act-related litigation. (Adobe Stock/AI)<br />

House budget bill would streamline environmental permitting in WI

The budget bill passed by the U.S. House and now under consideration in the Senate would reform environmental permitting in Wisconsin and nationwide…

Proponents of concentrated animal feeding operations said they are good for business and are an economic necessity to keep operating costs down and prices for milk, cheese and meat products affordable. (Adobe Stock)

Pierce County residents say fight against CAFO is a fight for their lives

A group of Pierce County residents is awaiting a response to a petition for a contested case hearing for the expansion of Ridge Breeze Dairy to grow f…

At the Rural Policy Action Summit, leaders like Julie Bomar, executive director of the Wisconsin Farmers Union, called for urgent federal action.

WI leaders join national call to protect rural services, shape policy

More than 60 rural leaders, including advocates from Wisconsin, met in Des Moines, Iowa, at the Rural Policy Action Summit to share solutions and …

Most cases of Lyme disease occur during June and July. However, it is possible to get Lyme disease whenever ticks are active in temperatures above freezing. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WI hotspots for Lyme disease spread as tick activity increases

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month and the latest state data show Wisconsin recently recorded the highest number of Lyme disease cases in state histo…

Nearly 100% of student leaders identified academic pressure as a chief stressor, according to a new report.

Report: WI youth mental health struggles at all-time high

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the latest state data show the number of Wisconsin youth who are struggling with their mental health has spik…

The Agriculture Enterprise Area Program, under the Farmland Preservation program, offers additional financial incentives for communities who commit to keeping land in agriculture use for a specified period. (Adobe Stock)

WI ag conservation program yields farmers' savings

Wisconsin's investment in preserving its agricultural land is offering some solace to farmers and landowners while helping them save money amid a clim…

Experts say scammers blast text messages out in hopes they reach someone who has a car and drives where there may be tolls, where the scenario of owing a fee could be believable. (Adobe Stock)

Unpaid toll text scams on the rise in WI

Scam text messages impersonating the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and toll authorities are on the rise, despite the fact Wisconsin does not …

A day before Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested, federal authorities apprehended a former New Mexico judge and his wife on charges related to harboring an undocumented immigrant. (Adobe Stock)

Legal experts call arrest of WI judge 'extreme and unnecessary'

Legal experts and advocates are outraged over the arrest of a Milwaukee judge last week who was charged with helping an undocumented defendant avoid a…

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupations at the low end of earning potential in Green Bay include physical and social science jobs, and arts, design, entertainment, sports and media professions. (Adobe Stock).

Smart money management helps WI residents weather uncertain economy

April is Financial Literary Awareness Month and Wisconsinites worried about housing, grocery and transportation costs, or watching their retirement …

About 500,000 children in the U.S. are exposed to lead, disproportionately on poor and Black and brown families. (Adobe Stock)

Experts say lead in Milwaukee schools is an environmental justice issue

As the city of Milwaukee continues to grapple with addressing unsafe levels of lead across public schools, experts are calling it an environmental …

Last year, Wisconsin exported nearly $30 billion worth of goods, down about $4.2 billion from its peak. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Tariffs could worsen WI’s ‘turbulent’ export economy

Exports are important to Wisconsin's economy but a new report found they are facing turbulence between a decade-long decline and the uncertainty of ne…

The U.S. has one of the highest maternal mortality and morbidity rates in the developed world, with more than 50,000 women experience life-threatening complications due to labor and delivery each year. (Adobe Stock)

Maternal death outcomes drop, except for Black women

Today marks the last day of Black Maternal Health Week, a nationally and internationally recognized observance that serves to build community …

There are 11 federally recognized Native American tribes in Wisconsin. Indigenous people make up about 1.5% of the state's population. (Adobe Stock)

Tribal communities see historic turnout at Wisconsin polls

Voter turnout from tribal communities in Wisconsin has increased in recent years, with historic numbers for the state Supreme Court election this …

The Honor Farmer Contracts Act would require the USDA to give a 60-day notice of any agency closures. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., is among those who introduced the bill last month. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed bill aims to pay farmers back for disrupted grants

A Wisconsin-based nonprofit hopes a new law can help some of its struggling farmers quickly recoup federal grant funds they are owed. The Honor …

Critics of cuts to the Social Security Administration predict they will further strain an already struggling system, possibly depriving some people of being able to access benefits. (Adobe Stock)

You won't be able to apply by phone for SSA starting next week

In less than a week, many Wisconsinites will be unable to apply for Social Security benefits over the phone, which could lead to potential …

Wisconsin was set to receive more than $11 million this year from the Local Food for Schools program and about $5.5 million from the Local Food Purchase Assistance program. (Adobe Stock)

WI schools cancel local farm partnerships due to federal cuts

By Josh Israel for the Wisconsin Independent.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Wisconsin Indepen…

The Uplift Wisconsin warmline offers emotional support for people experiencing distress but not in immediate danger, different from a hotline designed for immediate crisis intervention and urgent support. (Adobe Stock)

'Uplift Wisconsin' to end service this week due to federal cuts

"Uplift Wisconsin" is just one of the latest casualties from a $210 million cut in federal health funds to the state. The "warmline" operates seven …

In its 1976 Buckley v. Valeo decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled spending money for political purposes was protected by the First Amendment. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Blame SCOTUS for money buying elections

Tomorrow's Wisconsin Supreme Court election is now the most expensive judicial race in American history and a new report said ironically, one of the …

Voters in Wisconsin's April 1 election will also select a State Superintendent of Public Instruction, local judges and public officials at all levels across the state. (Adobe Stock)

WI’s Supreme Court race laced with cash, power, vast implications

Political maneuvers continue with the pivotal Wisconsin Supreme Court race less than a week away - the latest coming from the White House. In the …

WI nonprofit creates song to interest younger kids in soil science

A local nonprofit with a mission to advance regenerative agriculture is hoping its new video can open up an untapped world of science to a younger aud…

Among other efforts, NOAA has been leading the charge in mapping the bottom of the Great Lakes to improve navigation safety, understand the impact of climate change, locate pipelines and identify fisheries and shipwrecks. (Adobe Stock)

Potential NOAA cuts could put WI weather warnings on ice

One of many federal agencies facing cuts by the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adm…

Gregor Willms assists the Cedarburg High School team in the soil pit at Envirothon 2024. (Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association)

Competition prepares students for environmental science careers

A local event that brings students face-to-face with outdoor habitats is serving to ignite a lifelong passion in some that go on to pursue "green jobs…

There were more than 5,700 cases of missing or murdered Indigenous women and girls reported in 2016 in the U.S. Fewer than 200 were logged in the Department of Justice database. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Alarming violence rates continue against Indigenous women

Indigenous people have made great contributions to the state of Wisconsin yet the alarming rates of violence against them remains a public health cris…

According to Wisconsin's Judicial Code of Conduct, judges are not required to recuse themselves based on an endorsement or campaign contributions. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WI’s ‘nonpartisan’ Supreme Court race is anything but

Early voting for the Wisconsin Supreme Court race starts next week and, although the seat is technically nonpartisan, both candidates have clear …

Many fusion startups have their sights set on being able to power the electrical grid by the 2030s and 2040s.(Adobe Stock)

As its fusion research continues, WI firm manages to make a profit

By Eric Wesoff for Canary Media.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-P…

During the Great Depression, the U.S. enacted the

Research: Mass deportations don't create more U.S. jobs

As nationwide deportation efforts continue, new research examined the labor market of a past president to help forecast what could happen if …

Utilities across the U.S. are tasked with meeting various carbon-reduction goals, and with electricity demand soaring, they said natural gas has to be part of the solution, at least temporarily. Clean energy advocates suggested it is not necessary. (Adobe Stock)

As WI considers new gas plant, grid study suggests cleaner options

Wisconsin's largest utility provider is seeking approval for a new gas plant to help meet growing electricity demand, but a new report argues there …

About 1.2 million people in Wisconsin are covered by Medicaid, including nearly one-third of children in rural communities, and 12% of state residents receive SNAP benefits. (Adobe Stock)

WI group pitches in to help voters share views with reps in Congress

As new federal policies and proposed funding cuts spark confusion and chaos, Wisconsinites are looking to voice their concerns to their elected …

Even though Wisconsin is considered restrictive in its tuition and financial aid policies for undocumented students, more than 20% of the higher education student body is international, or first-or second-generation immigrants. (Adobe Stock)

WI colleges, universities get advice about ICE on campus

On President Donald Trump's second day in office, he rescinded a Biden-era rule barring Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from making …

Danny Akenson of the group Grassroots Organizing Western Wisconsin said the corporate consolidation from concentrated animal feeding operations has caused the shuttering of many small farms across the state. Dairy farms in Wisconsin with fewer than 100 cattle have decreased by more than 50% since 2012. (Adobe Stock)

WI group pushes back after controversial CAFO expansion OK'd

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has approved a permit to expand Ridge Breeze Dairy in Salem despite hundreds of local objections…

The Trump administration is mandating many federal employees work in the office full-time, which puts remote workers who live in rural Wisconsin, far from their office buildings, at risk. (Adobe Stock). <br />

As federal cuts hit Wisconsinites, one group pitches in to help

Communities in Wisconsin are feeling the widespread effects of federal cuts and some organizations are pitching in to help those who have experienced …

President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on imports from China earlier this month and the Chinese government imposed 15% counter tariffs on goods imported from the U.S. into China. (Adobe Stock)

WI farmer shares firsthand experience with Trump tariffs