Wisconsin News & Current Events | Public News Service

According to city documents, Madison's new electric bus fleet will cost about $70 million. In its 2022 budget, the city set aside roughly $26 million in local funding for the project. (Jonah Chester)

WI Communities Prepare to Receive Federal Infrastructure Funding

Six months ago this week, President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan infrastructure law, and Wisconsin's towns and cities are planning how best to …

The planned reroute of Line 5 around the Bad River reservation will cost Enbridge, Inc. about $450 million, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. (Adobe Stock)

WI Tribal Advocates: Pipeline Threatens Agricultural Traditions

Enbridge is seeking to reroute a portion of its Line 5 around the Bad River Band's territory in northern Wisconsin. The rerouting falls within the …

Thursday's march fell on the birthday of Florence Nightingale, who is widely considered to be the founder of modern nursing. (Adobe Stock)

WI Nurses Rally for Fairer Wages, Safe Staffing Ratios

Nurses from across Wisconsin converged on the state Capitol building Thursday, as part of a rally demanding fairer wages and safer staffing ratios as …

In an April 2021 Pew Research Center poll, more than 40% of parents said they thought their child was "spending too much time" on their phone, up from 28% in April 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Education Leaders, Kids' Health Advocates Want Social-Media Reform

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and some education leaders and medical experts are urging parents to take a more active role in monitoring …

The Cardinal-Hickory Creek power line is a nearly $500 million project. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental Groups Raise Concerns Over Cardinal-Hickory Creek Line

Earlier this year, a federal court struck down plans to drive the Cardinal-Hickory Creek power line through the Upper Mississippi River National …

An abortion ban was enacted in 1849 in Wisconsin, the year after it was granted statehood. (Adobe Stock)

WI Law Would Criminalize Abortions if SCOTUS Overturns Roe v. Wade

Wisconsin has a 173-year-old abortion ban that hasn't been enforced in decades. But if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the decision in Roe v…

The report defines an "extremely low-income" household as one which either falls below the federal poverty guideline or 30% of their area median income. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Many WI Renters Struggle to Meet Housing Costs

Despite two years of government initiatives designed to provide financial aid and support to housing insecure residents, Wisconsin is still facing a …

According to the Department of Justice, drugs should never be flushed or poured down the drain, as they can contaminate rivers and lakes. (Adobe Stock)

Drug Take Back Day Offers Safe Path for Prescription Disposal

Saturday is National Drug Take Back Day, and there will be more than 135 events across Wisconsin where folks can dispose of both controlled and …

A Marquette University Law School poll finds that those who expressed the greatest doubt about the accuracy of the November 2020 election are also the most excited to cast a ballot this year. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: Strong Majority of WI Voters Confident in Spring Election Accuracy

The debate over election integrity has been at the center of the battle for the ballot in Wisconsin since 2020. But new polling of Wisconsin voters …

The Office of Environmental Justice was one of dozens of recommendations made by the Governor's Task Force on Climate Change, a group Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers established in 2019. (Adobe Stock)

Evers Touts New WI Office of Environmental Justice

Wisconsin has a new Office of Environmental Justice, which is tasked with centering equity and fairness as the state proceeds with a new clean-energy …

The Biden administration has set a goal of achieving a fifty percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2030. (Adobe Stock)

Elected Officials to Feds: Accelerate Clean Energy Transition

As folks across America celebrate Earth Day, nearly 500 lawmakers have signed a petition calling on the President and Congress to develop a Climate …

Sen. Mary Felzkowski, R-Irma, said the hearing falling on "420 Day" was a coincidence. (Adobe Stock)

WI GOP, Dem Lawmakers Split on Path to Marijuana Legalization

Yesterday, April 20, was an unofficial holiday for marijuana enthusiasts across the country, and here in Wisconsin, lawmakers marked the day by …

The Wisconsin Supreme Court's decision to select GOP-drawn voting maps come as political candidates begin picking up signatures to get on the ballot for the August primary. (Adobe Stock)

WI Proceeds with GOP Redistricting Plan

Wisconsin is pushing ahead with a Republican-drawn legislative redistricting plan, after a ruling Friday by the state Supreme Court held the GOP maps …

A new report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum finds Wisconsin spends about $541 per undergraduate student in financial aid, nearly half the national average of $980. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Financial Aid Lags Cost of Higher Ed for WI Students

Wisconsin offers dozens of financial aid programs for students looking to attend college, but a new report finds funding for those programs has …

An analysis by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel found there were more than 500 absentee ballot drop boxes available to Wisconsin voters during the November 2020 election. (Adobe Stock)

WI Supreme Court Weighs Future of Ballot Drop Boxes, Absentee Mail Voting

After a lower court held they were not a valid way to cast a vote, Wisconsin's Supreme Court on Wednesday considered whether absentee ballot drop …

Doctors, judges, juries and law enforcement have rejected a dozen child abuse diagnoses made by former University of Wisconsin pediatrician Dr. Barbara Knox, a joint investigation by Wisconsin Watch and the Anchorage Daily News revealed. (Claire DeRosa/Wisconsin Watch and University of Wisconsin)

Investigation Reveals Numerous Wrongful Child-Abuse Allegations by WI Expert

By Brenda Wintrode for Wisconsin Watch.Broadcast version by Jonah Chester for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for Wisconsin Watch-Public News Serv…

According to a report from the University of California at Berkeley, 168,000 people are employed in Wisconsin's construction industry. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Wage Theft, Payroll Fraud Hurting WI Construction Workers

A new report finds declining wages in the construction industry, fueled by wage theft and payroll fraud, are pushing more construction workers into …

This week, Michael Gableman, the leader of Wisconsin's partisan election investigation, was among those invited to an event at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. (Adobe Stock)

WI Assembly Speaker Turns Over Emails to Independent Watchdog Group

After a court order, Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has handed over more than 10,000 emails related to the partisan review of the state's …

Per Wisconsin Department of Corrections data, as of June 2021, about one-fifth of the people on community supervision in Wisconsin live in and around Milwaukee. (Adobe Stock)

WI Groups Push for Voting Rights for Formerly Incarcerated

Wisconsin's spring election is next week, but thousands of residents will be barred from casting their ballots. Wisconsin does not allow anyone …

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision will not affect who's on the ballot or how folks cast their vote in next week's spring election. (Adobe Stock)

WI Advocates: SCOTUS Decision to Have Major Impact on Black Communities

The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Wisconsin's legislative redistricting plan, a move advocates said will have long-lasting impacts for the …

According to AARP Wisconsin, prescription drug prices have outpaced inflation in recent years. (Adobe Stock)

Petition Pushes Congress to Lower Prescription Drug Prices

More than 126,000 Wisconsinites have signed an AARP petition urging Congress to lower prescription drug prices. According to GoodRx, an American …

Wednesday's press conference commemorating the 12th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act was hosted by Opportunity Wisconsin, Protect Our Care Wisconsin, the Committee to Protect Health Care and For Our Future Wisconsin. (Adobe Stock)

On 12-Year Anniversary of ACA, Wisconsinites Discuss its Impacts

Wednesday marked the twelve-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which currently extends health insurance coverage to roughly 224,000 …

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake youth prisons, located in Irma, will be repurposed into a new adult facility. (Adobe Stock)

Closure of Controversial WI Youth Prisons on Horizon

Wisconsin legislators passed a bipartisan agreement this month to build a replacement for the controversial Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake youth prison…

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Wisconsin is one of ten states with full-time legislatures. Despite taking home an average annual salary of more than $50,000, Wisconsin's lawmakers are not scheduled to meet again until next year. (Adobe Stock)

WI Lawmakers Reintroduce 'Economic Justice Bill of Rights'

Wisconsin's legislative session has concluded, but Democrats still are pushing for a so-called "Economic Justice Bill of Rights." Among other things…

The Midwest GRIT program is a joint project between the Wisconsin-based Michael Fields Agricultural Institute and the Artisan Grain Collaborative, which aims to diversify the Midwestern grainshed. (Michael Fields Agricultural Institute)

WI Program Seeks to Create Resilient Grainshed

A new program is seeking to help Wisconsin's grain farmers build more environmentally and economically resilient operations. The Midwest Grains …

Enbridge says its Line 5 pipeline currently transports more than a half-million barrels of oil daily. (Adobe Stock)

Line 5 Drilling Method Raises Environmental Concerns

Enbridge's plan to relocate a portion of its Line 5 pipeline in northern Wisconsin could involve a drilling method even the company admits will like…

A poll by Compassion & Choices found 68% of self-identified Republican respondents and 70% of Democratic respondents support medical aid in dying. (Adobe Stock)

As Legislative Session Ends, WI Medical Aid-in-Dying Bill Stalls Again

Wisconsin's legislative session has drawn to a close, and a measure to permit medical aid in dying for terminally ill patients was one of many bills …

Redistricting is done once every ten years, after states receive returns from the U.S. census. (Adobe Stock)

WI GOP Seeks to Push Redistricting Battle to U.S. Supreme Court

Wisconsin's Republican lawmakers are seeking to push the state's decennial redistricting battle before the U.S. Supreme Court, after the Wisconsin …

Candidate Joe Biden won Wisconsin's presidential election in November 2020 by a margin of more than 20,000 votes, which was reaffirmed by partial recounts in Dane and Milwaukee counties. (Adobe Stock)

Special Counsel: WI Partisan Election Review Not Over Yet

The leader of a partisan probe into Wisconsin's November 2020 election says lawmakers should consider decertifying the state's presidential election r…

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has previously opposed other measures to alter the U.S. Tax Code, including the expanded Child Tax Credit, which he referred to as "economic or social engineering" in a tweet last year. (Jonah Chester)

Groups Push for Greater Accountability for WI Senator

Members of social-justice organizations gathered outside the Wisconsin State Capitol on Tuesday in an effort to draw attention to allegations of uneth…

In written comments, a spokesperson from the University of Wisconsin said the system has procedures in place allowing students to bring forward complaints if they feel their right to free speech was violated. (Adobe Stock)

WI Bill Would Penalize University Administrators for Free-Speech Violations

Last week, the Wisconsin Assembly passed a bill which would strip university and college administrators of their qualified legal immunity in cases …

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the PFAS family includes more than 4,700 distinct chemicals, which are used in everything from firefighting foam to non-stick cookware. (Adobe Stock)

WI Natural Resources Board Approves New Standards for 'Forever Chemicals'

Wisconsin's Natural Resources Board has approved new contamination standards for Perfluorinated and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS), a family of …

Wisconsin has 11 federally recognized tribes, which are collectively represented by the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council. (Adobe Stock)

WI "State of the Tribes" Address Covers Environmental, Voting Issues

From environmental issues to voting rights, Wisconsin's 2022 State of the Tribes address tackled a number of issues the state faces this year…

Last August, Gov. Tony Evers vetoed six bills that would have restricted absentee voting. He's predicted to almost certainly veto a new round of election legislation as well. (Adobe Stock)

WI Legislature Poised to Pass New Election, Voting Bills

The Wisconsin Legislature is poised to approve more than a dozen voting and election-related bills this week, over objections from Democrats and …

According to Feeding America, more than 530,000 Wisconsinites are facing hunger. (Adobe Stock)

WI Lawmakers Eye Repealing Pandemic Food-Aid Waivers

At the beginning of the pandemic, Wisconsin's Department of Health Services (DHS) waived numerous requirements to participate in the state's food-aid …

Gray wolves were removed from the federal endangered species list last January, following an order from former President Donald Trump issued in October 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Experts Propose New Methods for Managing WI Wildlife

A federal judge has restored endangered species protections to gray wolves across much of the Lower 48, including Wisconsin. While conservation …

Ros Pilarz and Anna Markowitz presented their research to lawmakers Tuesday, as part of UW-Madison's Family Impact Seminar program, which connects researchers and lawmakers to tackle pressing public policy issues. (Adobe Stock)

Experts Mull How to Meet WI's Child-Care Issues

The pandemic has exacerbated long-standing issues in Wisconsin's child care infrastructure, and experts are weighing how to restructure the system to …

The bill (SB 941) would also set new reporting categories for municipal clerks, including how many people voted absentee by mail, the total number of voters who cast ballots at the polling place and the number of registered voters in a municipality on Election Day. (Adobe Stock)

Bill Would Give WI Legislature Oversight of Election Funds

Wisconsin's Republican lawmakers are backing a series of bills to set new election administration policies, one of which would give a Republican-…

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Line 5 rerouting was issued in December. (Adobe Stock)

Public Weighs In on Reroute of Controversial Line 5 Project

On Wednesday night, Wisconsinites had a chance to weigh in on Enbridge's controversial Line 5 project, which skirts around tribal territories in the …

According to the Gun Violence Archive, more than 19,400 Americans died from gun violence in 2020. (Adobe Stock)

WI Lawmakers Introduce Gun Control Legislation

Democratic lawmakers are seeking to reinstate Wisconsin's 48-hour handgun purchase waiting period, a proposal facing long odds in the Republican-held …

Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois have all legalized marijuana in some form, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Both Iowa and Wisconsin have legalized low-THC CBD programs. (Adobe Stock)

WI Republicans Float Proposal to Legalize Medical Marijuana

Wisconsin is a Midwestern island of marijuana prohibition. Most of its neighboring states have legalized the drug in some form. It may soon change…

According to data from Wisconsin's Department of Health Services, COVID-19 cases peaked on Jan. 16 with more than 38,500 confirmed cases. (Adobe Stock)

AARP: During Omicron Surge, Ensure Nursing Home Residents are Safe

As Wisconsin pushes through the Omicron surge, AARP is urging people to ensure their loved ones in assisted living facilities are protected. …

A separate bill considered by the Wisconsin Assembly on Tuesday would make it a felony to damage state property with historical significance. It was drafted in response to the destruction of two statues on State Capitol property during protests in June, 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Protest or Riot? WI Bill Cracks Down on 'Unlawful' Assemblies

What is a riot, and what's a protest? That was the question before the Wisconsin Legislature on Tuesday, as lawmakers debated and passed a bill to …

The federal voting-rights legislation failed 52-48, as Democrats on Capitol Hill failed to carve out an exception to the Senate filibuster. (Adobe Stock)

WI Group Sees New Path Forward for Voting Rights

After a defeat on Wednesday, Democrats in the U.S. Senate say they'll keep trying to pass voting-rights legislation, and one Wisconsin group wants …

Gov. Tony Evers vetoed the Legislature's proposed legislative and congressional maps in November, setting up a legal showdown in the state's Supreme Court. (Adobe Stock)

WI Supreme Court Kicks off Final Stage of Redistricting

The Wisconsin Supreme Court is expected to issue a final decision on the state's redistricting process in the coming weeks. The court's seven …

Excessive exposure to screens and the blue light they emit can impact kids' sleeping patterns. Per Wisconsin's Office of Children's Mental Health, kids aged 6-12 should sleep nine to 12 hours a night, and teens should get at least eight hours. (Adobe Stock)

As WI Schools Integrate New Tech, Experts Advise Managing Screen Time

The pandemic has compelled many teachers to integrate new technology into their lesson plans, increasing the risks excessive screen time can pose to …

According to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, more than 40% of voters cast their ballots by mail in November 2020, up roughly 5% in the 2016 presidential election. (Adobe Stock)

Judge: WI Ballot Drop Boxes Not Permitted Under State Law

During Wisconsin's pandemic elections, absentee ballot drop boxes offered a different route for people to cast their votes, but a new decision in …

At least four other states and several tribal nations have transitioned their hemp industries to federal management in recent years. (Adobe Stock)

New Federal Management Removes Barriers for WI Hemp Farmers

Wisconsin handed over management of its hemp industry to the federal government on Jan. 1, and farmers and researchers say the new system will reduce …

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