Lake Effect Spotlight

Engravings on bullet casings. Manifestos. Online profiles filled with hate. How deep does the rabbit hole go for mass shooters? Extremism experts warn that politicians and media outlets are getting the motivations of these young, isolated shooters all wrong.

For this edition of Books and Beyond, we're leaving the library and going out into the community with Milwaukee Public Library's Educational Outreach Services team.

Three Milwaukee residents have made the trip to the Palestinian territories to offer help where they could and check in on loved ones. WUWM's Jimmy Gutierrez brings us their stories as they recorded audio diaries of their journeys, documenting what they witnessed firsthand. 

Doors Open Milwaukee celebrates 15 years since its first event in 2011. Learn how the event got started, and what keeps people coming back. 

Jimmy Gutierrez interviews Elizabeth Ai on her new documentary, New Wave, which explores how Vietnamese immigrants influenced new wave music. See it at the Downer Theater at 7 p.m. on Sept. 24.

We'll explore the State of Working Wisconsin report and learn how federal policies are impacting workers.

The weather is getting a bit cooler, and summer is slowly coming to an end - but Milwaukee musicians are continuing to put out new music. As always, Matt Wild is listening.  Wild is the co-founder of Milwaukee Record and every month, he joins Lake Effect's Joy Powers to share some of the best new music from local artists. 

A 1000-year flood devastated the Milwaukee area in August. The flooding left at least two people dead and caused over 52-million-dollars in damages. Last week, the federal government approved FEMA assistance, which will provide financial relief to residents in three counties who were impacted by the flooding.  Erren Streeter is a FEMA media relations specialist. She joins WUWM's Jimmy Gutierrez to outline how residents can apply for assistance and what to expect from the process. 

As the weather becomes more unpredictable in Milwaukee — the Milwaukee County Zoo is adapting.  Tracey Dolphin is the zoo's Director of Animal Management and Health. She says the zoo has emergency plans they update and rehearse year-round. Dolphin speaks with Lake Effect's Xcaret Nuñez about how the Milwaukee County Zoo prepares for weather disasters — and how they handled the recent historic flooding. 

Last week, a national tour came to Milwaukee. Bay Area artist James Shields is on his third nationwide tour to interview Black farmers about Black agriculture and history.  Previous legs of the tour brought Shields across the South and Northeast. Now he's tracing the Midwest, stopping in Milwaukee to interview farmers at Alice's Garden. He conducts his interviews on a hand-made watermelon couch he tows with him across the country. Lake Effect's Sam Woods joins Shields on the couch in Alice's Garden to discuss the project, the commonalities he sees across regions, and what stands out about Milwaukee. 

Last year, Lake Effect reported on MKE Roots - a program from Marquette University that helps Milwaukee-area teachers incorporate local history into their lesson plans. The goal is to make social studies feel more relevant to students by focusing on local history.  But earlier this summer, MKE Roots' federal grant funding was abruptly cut, along with about 20 programs nationwide. In its place, the Trump administration is now funding civics education that commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.  Lake Effect's Sam Woods revisited members of the Milwaukee Roots program to discuss how the program has adapted, what the future holds, and how the Trump administration is redefining education.  

Last week, President Trump approved 30 million dollars in federal assistance for people impacted by devastating floods in August. That means residents in Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Washington counties whose homes or property were damaged by the floods, may get some relief. One of the homeowners trying to rebuild is Wauwatosa resident Jessica Young.  WUWM Eric Von Fellow Maria Peralta-Arellano spoke with Young the day after her home was flooded. She joins us once again, to explain what the last month has been like for her family.  

Songwriter Hillary Reynolds splits her time between her hometown of Appleton, Wisconsin and Los Angeles. Her songs have been recorded by Little Big Town and Dani Rose and can be heard on Yellowstone and Loudermilk. However, over the past five years Reynolds has been working on her debut album, “Changing Seasons,” which is full of songs that felt too personal to write for other musicians. They're meant to be a soothing companion to our morning routines to help ease us into a new day. Reynolds joins Audrey Nowakowski in the Lake Effect performance studio to discuss her album and give a brief performance.

Chimney Swifts are back in town and you could catch their spectacular show at a chimney near you! The small, fast-flying birds are known for the tornado-like dance they perform in the sky.   Brenna Marsicek is the Director of Outreach with the Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance. She says that at dusk, the birds will dive headfirst into a chimney to roost — sometimes by the thousands. Marsicek joins Lake Effect's Xcaret Nuñez for this month's Chirp Chat to learn more about swifts and what's being done to protect them. 

Every year, Milwaukee Magazine comes out with a feature highlighting the city's most beloved people and places. The Best of Milwaukee issue features dozens of categories readers voted on — like the best pizza and best Indian restaurant.  Chris Drosner is the executive editor of Milwaukee Magazine. He says the magazine's editors also got in on the fun and made their picks for the best custard in the city. Drosner joins Lake Effect's Xcaret Nuñez to talk more about this year's list. 

Turns out, Wisconsin is a great state for biking! With an average City Ratings score of 48, we're behind only New York and Alaska as the best statewide scores for biking. The People For Bikes report also breaks it down city by city, and to share more about how Milwaukee and other cities are doing to make biking safe and accessible Grace Stonecipher of People for Bikes joins Lake Effect's Audrey Nowakowski.

In a new Capitol Notes, we'll examine the waiting game around the presidential disaster declaration after flooding in Milwaukee.

There may be no more iconic sound on the south side of Milwaukee than the bells from a paletero's cart. Those are the street vendors who sell paletas, or popsicles. But have you ever wondered, what is the job like? And who does it?Paula Lovo is a Milwaukee artist and educator who grew up on the south side and documented a paletero's story. She also shares her love of paleteros and their connection to the community she grew up in.

Baraboo, Wisconsin has claimed the title of Circus Capital of the World for over 60 years. Today at Circus World, national historic landmarks, museums and circus archives occupy the original winter quarters of the Ringling Brothers circus. The site's new executive director, Julie Parkinson, has family ties to the museum. WUWM's Eddie Morales met Parkinson at Circus World, where they watched a live performance and discussed the museum's future. 

Earlier this summer, an invasive species called Japanese Stiltgrass was spotted in Rock County. Scientists are now asking the public to help prevent the invasive grass from spreading across the state.   Mark Renz is a professor, and an extension weed specialist at UW-Madison. He spoke with Lake Effect's Xcaret Nuñez about how to identify Stiltgrass and what to do if you find it. 

It's the first day of school for many Milwaukee-area students, and it was a long road to get here. Fifty elementary schools in the Milwaukee public school district were cleaned and painted this summer to cover and remove toxic lead paint. Then, just three weeks before the start of the school year, 24 campuses were damaged during historic rainfall and flooding.  Dr. Brenda Cassellius is the superintendent of MPS. She was featured in this month's issue of Milwaukee Magazine. Dr. Cassellius started the job in March and joins WUWM education reporter Katherine Kokal to talk about the start to her first full school year here in Milwaukee. 

There are countless reasons to visit Wisconsin's Driftless Region. The landscape of steep river valleys, exposed rock formations and forested ridges are ideal for any outdoor enthusiast. The area is full of meandering streams and rivers with cold, spring-fed water pushing through the rocks – making the Driftless Region one of the best trout-fishing habitats in the country.  Trout season runs through Oct. 15 with some of the best fishing conditions in the fall. So, to help you plan a fly-fishing trip to the Driftless, Lake Effect's Becky Mortensen is joined by Geri Meyer, the owner of the Driftless Angler and Logan Wroge with Travel Wisconsin. 

Did you know Milwaukee is a city for the birds? It's actually one of 82 official Bird Cities in Wisconsin. Bird City is a conservation program that brings folks together to create healthier communities for birds and people.  Bryan Lenz is the Bird City Network Director for the American Bird Conservancy. He says Bird City first started in Wisconsin and has expanded across the country and internationally. Lake Effect's Xcaret Nuñez spoke with Lenz for this month's Chirp Chat to learn more about the program. 

The local DIY and school project supply hub American Science and Surplus has started a GoFundMe for financial support. Owner Pat Meyer says the business, which has locations in Milwaukee and Illinois, is facing rising costs and needs to reduce inventory ahead of a move to a smaller warehouse. He tells WUWM's Eddie Morales how customers are showing support in a challenging economy. 

The Wisconsin DNR is looking for Wisconsinites to become community scientists by reporting any sightings of deer and game birds to track reproductive capacities.

This year's class of high school seniors was born in or around 2008. That's one year after the release of the first iPhone and four years after the launch of Facebook. While this generation of students grew up online, they're increasingly heading into schools looking to ban cell phones. At least 19 states have banned phones outright in schools, and sixteen more states are considering it – including Wisconsin. But setting boundaries for kids on technology and social media can be tricky. Enter Devorah Heitner. She's the author of the book “Growing Up in Public,” which guides parents on how to handle social media's impacts on childrens' mental health, geo-tracking, and awkward conversations.   Heitner joins WUWM education reporter Katherine Kokal to talk about how to navigate a world of technology that feels like it's changed in the blink of an eye.  

The ACLU of Wisconsin recently released a report detailing how local law enforcement cooperates with federal immigration authorities and is paid for that cooperation. Tim Muth is a senior staff attorney for the ACLU of Wisconsin and the primary author of the report. He joins Lake Effect's Sam Woods to share what they found. 

This month's Group Chat features two sisters born in Mexico who grew up in Milwaukee and were DACA recipients. They applied for Green Cards after marrying U-S citizens and they were just approved. They talk with each other, and their husbands, about the experience. They requested anonymity out of fear of retribution. 

It's been hot in Wisconsin this summer with nearly forty days of above average heat. That can be a serious health concern for people who work outdoors, but there aren't many protections for heat safety on the job. Kate McCoy directs the Occupational Health and Safety Surveillance program at the State Department of Health Services. She co-wrote a report last year that shows heat is a concern for workers in Wisconsin. Lake Effect's Xcaret Nuñez is joined by McCoy to talk about the dangers of high heat in the workplace and ways to stay safe. 

Did you know there's treasure hiding in plain sight at Milwaukee's beaches? Blythe Haney (p. HAY-knee) hunts for beach glass along the freshwater shorelines of Southeast Wisconsin. She spoke with Lake Effect's Xcaret Nuñez about beach glass and how to find it. 

Flood damage estimate exceeds $23M, officials hope for FEMA funding. Here's what types of personal insurance do, and do not, cover floods.

Rainn Wilson is coming to the Riverside Theatre this week for a celebration of Dwight Schrute, along with a screening of an "Office" episode. 

Jessica Young and her family are one of hundreds of families still facing challenges after an unprecedented storm hit southeastern Wisconsin.

"Have I heard this before?" is a question hip-hop aficionados are constantly asking themselves. Milwaukee musician Kiran Vedula explains why.

Wisconsin State Journal's "Beer Baron" columnist Chris Drosner joins Lake Effect's Joy Powers to discuss recent brewery closures and what they could mean for the industry.

Ryan Faurie is a business owner and mother living in Greendale, Wisconsin. Along with her husband Will, she's raising a 12-year-old daughter and looking toward the future. Ryan joins Lake Effect's Joy Powers to talk about how the economy is impacting her right now and how she's preparing for the future.

Brenda Cárdenas is Wisconsin's newest poet laureate. As the state's ambassador for poetry, the Milwaukee native hopes to inspire creativity through workshops, projects and meeting with young people.

Milwaukee Public Library's Timothy Rush talks about the Rare Books Room's collection of almost 200 gig posters.

The Fondy Farmers Market is the oldest farmers market in the city of Milwaukee. For more than a century, it's brought produce and other goods fresh from the makers who create them. We explore the market alongside Venice Williams, the executive director of the Fondy Food Center.

Athletes came to Hayward, Wisconsin this July from 16 states and seven countries, to chop, saw, throw axes, log roll, sprint across floating logs and speed climb poles.

Antoine Carter speaks about gardening, public art, philanthropy and his plan to build apartment buildings on vacant lots near Milwaukee's Moody Park.

Twenty-two-year-old Racine native, Willow Newell, is the first Black woman to be named Miss Wisconsin. In September, she'll compete for Miss America in Florida.