Lake Effect Spotlight

One year ago, student-led protesters started an encampment at UW-Milwaukee, protesting the war in Gaza. It was one of many such encampments on college campuses across the country. What can be learned from that time and what's changed in the last year?

Warblers are small songbirds that are among the most celebrated by birders for their flashy colors and sweet songs. But most warblers only spend a few weeks in Milwaukee.

This month's Group Chat features two Susans of film: Susan Kerns, executive director of Milwaukee Film and legendary filmmaker Susan Seidelman. They have a conversation about everything from being the first to cast Madonna for the film "Desperately Seeking Susan" to the power of film festivals.

BlueGreen Alliance's Richard Diaz discusses the relationship between environmental justice and infrastructure issues in Milwaukee.

From the famous to the little-known, Robbins hopes readers can appreciate how Wisconsin has been a crossroad for people who have changed the world.

Over the past few weeks, two people have been detained and arrested by ICE agents at Milwaukee's county courthouse. Here's what happened and what residents should know moving forward.

Wisconsin has one of the lowest vaccination rates for measles in the nation — much lower than any of the states with active outbreaks.

A report released by the Wisconsin Policy Forum takes lessons from other major city school systems to help support changes in Milwaukee.

Lake Effect's Audrey Nowakowski speaks with arts advocates about the work they're doing to increase state funding for the arts.

Have you ever wondered what might be hidden underground? A metal detectorist can help with that!

Dr. Brenda Cassellius is Milwaukee Public Schools' new superintendent. What are her priorities for her first year on the job?

The Milwaukee Wine Academy offers a place where people of color of all levels of wine expertise are comfortable trying, talking and tasting wine. Learn more at the upcoming Milwaukee Wine Weekend.

Uncertainty reigns as President Trump threatens to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. Federal funding accounts for about 8% of school funding in Wisconsin.

For this month's Group Chat, we hear from a Wisconsin doctor who provides abortion care and a community harm reduction worker who serves high-risk populations.

Spring is in the air — which means nest-making season is upon us! For this month's Chirp Chat, Lake Effect's Xcaret Nuñez spoke with Holly Walz, a park naturalist with the Wehr Nature Center, about the role nests play and the different types of nests that birds in Wisconsin make.

On April 1, 2025, voters will decide on a proposal to amend Wisconsin's constitution to require photo ID to participate in elections.

One Milwaukee-based animator with Guerrillamation Films is working with UW-Milwaukee to help people network and learn skills in the field.

CCAP. Four letters. One site. And an oversized impact on Wisconsin. The state's most popular open record database lets you look up court records of anyone you'd like. And many people do. Sometimes, they learn more than they were expecting.

Wisconsin's top K-12 education official, Jill Underly, is facing a challenge from Brittany Kinser on April 1.

Tell me if you've heard this one before: a volcano scientist who does her work in the middle of the Pacific Ocean—at the ocean floor. That's where you can find one UWM professor.

The Wisconsin Historical Society's 'Voices & Votes' offers a civics lesson and highlights citizens who spoke up for change.

Felicia Clayborne is a mover and a shaker. She also navigates the world with multiple disabilities, receiving care and support through Medicaid. Kathryn Florence Burish also receives Medicaid coverage and long-term care for her Down Syndrome. Both women weigh in on attempts to cut funding to the federal program that serves low-income Americans and individuals with disabilities.

The Climate Accountability Act is proposing cutting Wisconsin's greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030.

Project RETURN is an organization that helps formerly incarcerated people return to the community. For the first time in its 45-year history, the organization is providing housing.

Milwaukee County's district attorney has long sought to keep its "Brady List" secret. The list has the names of law enforcement officers with histories of credibility concerns or past crimes. A months-long, collaborative report examines what was being hidden from public view for so long.

This month's Group Chat hears from young, local organizers who are pushing for immigrant rights and protections. They share how safety is only found together.

Joining a local birding club or meeting other people at birding events can bring you a sense of belonging and teach you things you didn't know. No matter how experienced you are.

Black and brown moms, and birthing people in Milwaukee, have some of the worst birthing outcomes in the nation. Even being pregnant can come with danger. But there are an abundance of birth workers that cater their services directly to these demographics.

A jazz-trained cantor at a local synagogue likes to go up on the building's roof and think. One day, it occurred to him to reimagine and perform Fiddler on the Roof up there.

The executive director of RENEW Wisconsin offers predictions for 2025.

Milwaukee Public Schools recently approved Brian Litzsey as the new senior director of Milwaukee Recreation. He is the 11th director in the department's 114-year history.

Milwaukee's Housing Authority is facing financial woes after illegally using millions of dollars in federal funds to pay staff. The agency also is faced with thousands of complaints about living conditions.

A mixtape of love songs curated by WUWM Staff for Valentine's Day 2025.

Bad Bunny wanted to share the history of Puerto Rico on his latest album. So his team made a call to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. That's where a professor was ready to share the island's history of colonization and radical politics.

Librarians clipped recipes from the "Milwaukee Journal" over the course of 20 years. Today, it's a digitized collection called the "Historic Recipe File."

The Bronzeville event "Cheers to Pearls Who Cook" brought together teen girls and local chefs for more than appetizers. It was a master class in mentorship.

Every year, Milwaukee welcomes refugees from across the globe, including two brothers who made a harrowing journey from Afghanistan during the Taliban takeover in 2021. Now, funding for resettling refugees in the United States is in limbo.

A lecture series highlighting Black stories missing from American history books returns to Marquette University in honor of Black History Month.

Milwaukee native Ira Madison III is a cultural critic, TV writer and host of the podcast “Keep It.” His book “Pure Innocent Fun" explores media that inspired his career and impacted his life growing up as a Black gay man in Milwaukee.

In part two of our interview with Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, we compare his approach to housing, budgets, public works, and crime in 2025 with that of Mayor John Norquist in 1999.

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson outlines how the city welcomes immigrants, but stops short of calling Milwaukee a sanctuary city fearing repercussions from the Trump administration.

January is the month where most of our New Year's resolutions start, and end. That includes money goals. Author, financial educator, and self-proclaimed 'rich auntie in training,' Berna Anat shares tips to help get you started on your road to financial success in 2025.