Wisconsin Today

Microsoft is pulling out of a proposed data center in southeastern Wisconsin after local opposition. Brewers fans are still optimistic about the team's postseason chances despite yesterday's loss. And, recovery efforts are continuing after historic flooding in southeastern Wisconsin. We hear from one resident outside a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Milwaukee.

Wisconsin's attorney general says he's running for a third term. That means he's out of the race for governor. U.S. Senator Ron Johnson reacts to news that the FBI reviewed his phone records in relation to January 6. And, lawmakers and the DNR clashed over a proposal to address PFAS contamination.

A Wisconsin judge has ordered the state to cross-reference voter registrations against records that show voters' citizenship status.  A large-scale dairy farm in southern Wisconsin wants to add thousands of cows. And, Halloween is big business across the state. We went to a haunted house to prove it.

The site of the old Kenosha Chrysler plant is home to a new innovation center. Meanwhile, the city of Ashland is studying what to do with the site of the shuttered Northland College. And ,Wisconsin Life visits Nelson Dewey State Park to look at thousands of bats.

A judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a former teacher who was fired after a dispute over a Dolly Parton song. WPR's politics team checks in on 2026 races for Supreme Court and governor. And, the Brewers get ready for their first playoff game.

Wisconsin's Tammy Baldwin says the U.S. Senate could cut a deal to end the government shutdown, if the president and House would work with them. A conservative judge enters the race for Wisconsin Supreme Court. And, a discussion with the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra CEO about a residency that showcases string instruments played during the Holocaust. 

State regulators say a Rhinelander paper mill was responsible for PFAS contamination. Then, how a government shutdown could affect Wisconsin. And, a look at the state's closure of two homes to help veterans.

A plan for another Microsoft data center campus in Racine County took a step forward. State utility regulators approve Wisconsin's first large-scale wind farm in more than a decade. And, a look at what advocates say is lax regulation of manufactured homes.

Some Superior residents want the state to install air quality monitors near an oil refinery in the city. The former head of Wisconsin's economic development agency is joining the growing Democratic primary for governor. And, former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman could lose his law license for three years.

Planned Parenthood will stop providing abortions in Wisconsin, at least temporarily. Only about half of Wisconsin's third through eighth graders are performing at grade level in state tests on math and reading. And, our Capitol Bureau reporters catch us up on this week's news in state politics.

This year, Milwaukee Public Schools ended a program that hired international teachers because of uncertainty over visas. A small police department in Jefferson County has applied to work with ICE on immigration enforcement. And, Wisconsin lawmakers introduce a series of election-related bills.

Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany is entering the race to become Wisconsin's next governor. The mayor of the western Wisconsin city of Menomonie is putting the brakes on a data center plan in the community. And, a Racine-based manufacturer is expanding in the state.

A Canadian mining company says early test results of a site in Taylor County show promise for mining copper and gold. Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos talks about security at the State Capitol. And, Republican legislators want to change the way kids in Wisconsin are taught math.

The Trump administration has canceled a grant program that supported foreign language education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. That will cancel dozens of student fellowships.the American Civil Liberties Union is suing five Wisconsin sheriffs over immigration detentions. And, a national scenic trail gets new land in northern Wisconsin.

The next phase of Microsoft's data center development in southeastern Wisconsin will cost $4 billion and could eventually employ nearly 1,000 people. A health insurance provider drops out of Affordable Care Act exchanges in parts of Wisconsin. And, WPR's politics team looks at the week's news about next year's governor's race.

A state lawmaker says he's been targeted with death threats after false claims circulated online. He canceled a public hearing in Madison as a result. The city of Racine released information on water usage for a proposed data center after an environmental group sued. And, Wisconsin high schools are using a new technology to crack down on student vaping.

Hundreds of Wisconsinites gathered in Waukesha for a vigil in honor of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Republican Representative Derrick Van Orden says Eau Claire should lose all federal funds over social media posts from two city council members. And, Wisconsin health officials recommend COVID vaccine boosters for anyone over six months old.

Develops wants to want a 1-gigawatt natural gas power plant in Kenosha County. It comes as demand for energy is on the rise. A 19th century shipwreck is uncovered off the coast of Door County. And, the low-budget 1975 film "The Giant Spider Invasion" from Wisconsin gets new scenes and a new release.

Another Democrat is jumping into the governor's race. The new director of the Milwaukee Art Museum shares her vision on how the arts can unite people. And, a look at how Monarch butterflies are faring in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin wildlife officials say the state's wolf population has grown. President Donald Trump approves millions in federal flood assistance for Wisconsin. And, a story about family time on Wisconsin's waters.

Funding cuts will affect kids with vision and hearing loss. Then, a plan to build a new data center in Racine County is facing local opposition. And, a recall election in DeForest stems from efforts to remove fluoride from the village's water supply.

A Madison lawmaker is introducing a plan aimed at reducing suicide by gun in Wisconsin.enrollment is up among freshmen at University of Wisconsin campuses. And, a profile of a farm that invites visitors to pick what they need and pay what they can afford, no questions asked.

New testing data shows most high school seniors are unprepared for college math and reading. The latest in a dispute over ozone standards in Wisconsin. And, a look at Wisconsin's 1st and 3rd Congressional Districts, two of the seats that could decide control of the U-S House in next year's elections. 

Legal settlements from manufacturers of PFAS are meant to fund cleanup efforts. But they're falling far short of the actual costs. Lutheran churches in Milwaukee are suing the Trump administration.  And, we hear from the only Wisconsin high school student drafted this year by a Major League Baseball team.

Democratic lawmaker quits caucus, Data center proposed in western Wisconsin. western Wisconsin could get a new 1-point-6-billion-dollar data center. And, Milwaukee's school superintendent wants to rethink the grade levels sent to district schools.

A worker at a Manitowoc foundry is facing deportation order after he missed an asylum hearing. The company's CEO is speaking out. A Wisconsin scientist fired by the EPA says he has "no regrets." And, a federal judge says Wisconsin owes back pay to disabled workers barred from unemployment benefits for a decade.

As new data centers boom, a new report says Great Lakes states including Wisconsin should take steps to safeguard their water resources. Arts groups in Milwaukee County will have to wait months for funding the county previously allocated. And, a Madison church wants to build a new worship space with affordable housing above it.

A lawsuit by a Wisconsin tribe is targeting a company that claims to offer legal online betting in Wisconsin. A conservative justice on the state Supreme Court won't seek reelection. And, we hear from a former University of Wisconsin athlete who says she was psychologically abused by a coach.

Vice President JD Vance promoted President Donald Trump's tax cuts during a visit to La Crosse. Then, a new report suggests the state's economy may be slowing in 2025. And, the answer to a listener's WHYsconsin question about a particular type of toilet.

Vice President JD Vance returns to Wisconsin today to promote President Donald Trump's signature budget law.the state GOP's search for answers after a string of lopsided spring election losses. And, why the state's fish and wildlife account is running a shortfall.

A Wisconsin man who faked a drowning learned his fate. Then, a Sheyboygan health provider is replacing behavioral health beds with more surgery beds. And, a look at the impact of gun violence on today's Wisconsin Life.

Some Wisconsin researchers are sounding the alarm after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling ended some science and health grants. Then, recent disasters have underscored a need for more shelters in Milwaukee. And, Milwaukee's public schools looks to rebuild trust.

Prices for steak and ground beef are way up. In Wisconsin and nationwide, the population of beef cattle is down -- and continuing to decline. Then,  a Door County tour guide uncovers a 19th-century shipwreck. And, Wisconsin scientists are learning about our forests -- by listening to them.

Federal surveyors are on the ground in Milwaukee. It's a step toward unlocking aid for residents whose homes flooded in this month's historic storms. Wisconsin lawmakers debate a proposal to make some tips tax-exempt. And, from Wisconsin Life, a story about how a DIY skate park in Milwaukee went from an underground secret to a community asset.

Gov. Tony Evers has directed state agencies to clear a backlog of rules on everything from wolf management to professional licensing -- without taking them to the state Legislature. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders spoke to WPR ahead of a weekend event in Viroqua. And, we'll hear about clinical trials in Wisconsin testing whether psychedelic drugs can help treat mental health disorders.

Workers at a Monroe cheesemaker are striking after the company's new policy on undocumented workers. FEMA is headed to Milwaukee. And, from Wisconsin Life, a Wisconsin author's story about a family camping trip gone awry.

Milwaukee is still waiting on a federal emergency declaration. It's key to getting help to restore things after the floods. A clothing maker is suing Kohl's Corporation over an alleged 8-million-dollars in unpaid bills. And, exploratory drilling site in north central Wisconsin is stirring controversy. Our reporter visited the site of the drilling, which could lead to a mining operation.

Thousands of Milwaukee residents who lost personal items and saw their homes damaged in last week's floods. Most of them won't get help from insurance. Madison has been ordered to make changes in the way it administers elections. And, a conversation with a Wisconsin play-by-play announcer who's called more than 3-thousand games in a row.

The state Department of Natural Resources has seen hundreds of jobs cut in the last two decades. Officials say it's affecting services. Wisconsin's school report cards getting are getting an update. And, Brewers fans celebrate a winning streak with free burgers.

Some Ascension Wisconsin hospitals are developing plans to outsource their ICU doctors using a staffing agency based in Tennessee. Plus, supporters of redistricting reform in Wisconsin are calling partisan gerrymandering efforts a mistake. And, what do federal changes in rules for food dyes mean for Wisconsin's ice cream makers?

Lawmakers in Wisconsin are making a bipartisan push to save two veterans housing and recovery facilities. Environmentalists at a hearing in Ashland made the case against a rerouted oil and gas pipeline. And, a look at how meditation can help some people maintain their sobriety.

Milwaukeeans and others in southeastern Wisconsin are assessing the damage and beginning cleanup efforts after the weekend's historic floods. Wisconsin joins a new effort to limit robocalls. And, WPR director Sarah Ashworth speaks about federal budget cuts that targeted public media.