Wisconsin Today

A 14-year-old from Milwaukee is a new host of a Beatles show on satellite radio. He's a non-speaker who learned to communicate through adaptive technology. And, as we continue to look back at some of our favorite stories of the year, we'll take you to the site of what could become a gold mine.

Some of the biggest construction projects announced in Wisconsin this year were for data centers. We hear from WPR's business and economy reporter about the year in data centers. And, as we revisit some of our favorite stories of the year, we'll go to a school district in southwestern Wisconsin that excels at teaching math.

From a Supreme Court race to deep cuts to federal government, it's been a big year for Wisconsin politics. Today, our politics team looks back at the stories of the year.  we'll hear that discussion of the year in politics. And, from Wisconsin Life, a story about a groundbreaking feminist artist in Wisconsin in the 1970s.

A pair of northern Wisconsin choirs help those with dementia and other progressive diseases to find joy and reclaim their voices. We hear from the director of these "memory choirs." We're revisiting some of our favorite stories of the year. Today, we've got a story about skateboarding friends in Milwaukee who buit their own skate park.

For book lovers, there's not much that beats a warehouse of new, used and rare books, and there are signs independent bookstores are growing in the Midwest. Today, we've got a story about Wisconsin bookstores and one from a Milwaukee Area street that's decked out in holiday cheer.

A utility in northern Minnesota says it no longer plans to buy power from a proposed new natural gas plant in Wisconsin. The project's future is now in doubt. More than 100,000 Wisconsinites are being hit with increases in their student loan payments. And, a Wisconsin program that treats veterans for brain injuries is expanding.

The Trump administration last week moved to ban physicians and hospitals from providing gender-affirming care to minors. Wisconsin advocates say it would have harmful effects. A 90-year-old bridge comes down in southwestern Wisconsin. And, Sheboygan County residents are pioneering a new way to care for people with dementia.

Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan has been found guilty of impeding the work of federal officers seeking to arrest a man in the country illegally. And the House passed a bill to take the gray wolf off the endangered species list.

Port Washington residents who oppose a massive data center development say they're launching an effort to recall the city's mayor. And Wisconsin's Attorney General announces that Menards will pay a settlement over misleading rebate claims

School property taxes are up across Wisconsin. A new study finds December saw the largest increase in decades. And Tuesday saw striking testimony in the trial of Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan.

Witnesses took the stand on the first day of the trial of Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan. She's charged with helping a man evade federal immigration officers. Wisconsin's attorney general says the Trump administration has defied the law dozens of times. And, it's been one year since the shooting at Madison's Abundant Life Christian School.

The state of Texas has sued Verona-based Epic Systems alleging it runs an illegal monopoly and restricts parents' access to medical records. the jury trial starts today for the Milwaukee County judge charged with interfering with ICE. And, another case involving an alleged architect of Wisconsin's false electors scheme is heating up.

A jury has been chosen for the trial of Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan next week.

A new lawsuit seeks energy numbers for a Beaver Dam data center planned by the social media giant, Meta. Another Democrat enters the race for governor. And, Wisconsin's free clinics are gearing up for more patients if Congress can't agree on a way to subsidize health insurance costs. Plus, you can help us close 2025 successfully by making a gift right now at wpr.org/donate.

A growing share of teacher pay is being spent on health care costs. Then, GOP lawmakers consider a bill that would ban local governments from passing so-called "rights of nature" ordinances. And, there's community pushback in Milwaukee to the proposed use of facial recognition by law enforcement. Plus, you can can join more than 40,000 members to support WPR at wpr.org/donate.

A new law aims to crack down on a growing online threat known as sextortion.  State lawmakers are considering a tax break to encourage nuclear energy. Plus, a story from Eau Claire, where the city has its hands full with a flock of aggressive turkeys. And, don't forget to take a minute to support the news you value by making a donation at wpr.org/donate.

Wisconsin health leaders are concerned about changes to the federal guidance on hepatitis B vaccinations for  newborns. The shift changes a policy in place for 30 years. Wisconsin immigration attorneys say they're struggling to keep up with Trump's policy changes. And, a small but increasing number of people are buying Christmas trees that can live on after the holiday.

The Trump administration's reaction to the shooting of two members of the National Guard by an Afghan refugee has left Afghans in Wisconsin facing an uncertain future.a settlement is pending in the state's case against a Marinette manufacturer of firefighting foam over PFAS contamination. And, the University of Wisconsin-Madison is launching a new college focused on Artificial Intelligence.

Members of Wisconsin's Somali community are speaking out after President Trump called them "garbage." The state Supreme Court will hear a legal challenge to sheriffs who hold suspected illegal immigrants in jail at the behest of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. And, Wisconsin's winter sports industry is rejoicing after early snowfalls blanketed the state.

With more data center developments coming to Wisconsin, a Milwaukee event focused on the potential benefits of the projects, while protesters called for limits. Fewer deer were killed by hunters during the nine-day gun season this year. And, in some communities, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers wants to create a new regulatory system for hemp products.

A familiar name is entering Wisconsin's governor race. Wisconsin's public schools will be getting less money from the state than they anticipated for special education services. And in some communities, people who call non-emergency lines may be answered by AI rather than police dispatchers.

Two lawsuits seeking to redraw Wisconsin's congressional maps involve new legal questions that could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court. The state wants to encourage a PFAS-free foam for firefighters. And, we hear from a Wisconsin veteran whose story is told in a new podcast from NPR.

A museum in Two Rivers is facing a backlash after it canceled artist residencies with little notice.  State agencies are working to prevent a tree-killing invasive pest from gaining a foothold in Wisconsin. And, we'll visit the oldest Lionel railroad club in the world. It's just outside of Milwaukee.

A decades-old theater in the Northwoods is shutting its doors. It's not the only Wisconsin cinema facing hard times. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is launching a new major in public policy. And, we'll hear from a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter from Appleton who is out with her first solo album.

Two lawsuits aiming to force Wisconsin to redraw its congressional maps will be heard by panels of three judges. Their decision could reshape the state’s political representation. Hear why your […]

The woman who as a sixth-grader stabbed a classmate to please the fictional "Slender Man" is likely headed back to Wisconsin after police say she cut off her ankle monitor and fled to Illinois. The Trump administration is investigating claims that a Milwaukee insurance company discriminated against a white man. And, scientists say this could be a severe flu season. Only one-quarter of Wisconsinites have gotten flu shots.

The Trump administration has downgraded nurses and nurse practitioners from "professional" status when it comes to student loans. They'll face new caps on federal student loans. The Wisconsin Democratic Party is way ahead in the fundraising race. And, a new proposal would raise fees for hikers and bikers on Wisconsin trails.

A Madison-based biotech company that employs thousands will have a new owner. It's a deal worth $23 billion. And, archaeologists say fragments of a canoe found in Lake Mendota are the oldest ever found in the Great Lakes region.

Emotions ran hot at a hearing about a bill that would institute a sandhill crane hunt in Wisconsin. Farmers say the birds deliver millions in crop damage every year. A proposal to expand sports betting in Wisconsin won't move forward. And, we hear from a man whose memoir tells the story of his time in prison and how he changed his life.

The U.S. stopped minting pennies last week. But Wisconsin banks and retailers aren't all on the same page about what comes next. The Menominee Nation buried the remains of dozens of ancestors taken from a burial site. And, Wisconsin Republicans took aim at a partial veto by the governor that funded schools for 400 years.

Wisconsin's groundwater can have upwards of 20 different pesticide compounds in it. State regulators say they don't fully understand the risks. Then, WPR's politics team looks at the lingering effects of the shutdown. And, a story about two Appleton sisters and their love of reading.

The deal signed into law Wednesday night to end the government shutdown could have devastating effects on Wisconsin's hemp and THC industries. Meta announces plans for a massive data center campus in Wisconsin. And, how some farmers are finding advantages in growing food under solar panels.

New state report cards show the vast majority of Wisconsin schools meet or exceed expectations. But critics say the grades leave parents guessing. A Republican bill to clean up PFAS could cost the state billions. And, a story about a new children's book about the SS Edmund Fitzgerald.

President Donald Trump pardoned more than 75 people involved in the effort to overturn his 2020 election loss. That includes some attorneys and false electors from Wisconsin. Republican Senator Ron Johnson says another government shutdown could be only months away. And, we hear from a former state archaeologist about Wisconsin's ancient effigy mounds.

Elections last week showed strong showings for Democrats in races around the country. What does that mean for Wisconsin? Gov. Tony Evers says Wisconsin will not claw back food assistance benefits despite a demand from the Trump administration over the weekend. And, a proposal from a Democratic state legislator aims to protect consumers from rising utility bills as data center development booms in the state.

Open enrollment is now underway for coverage under the Affordable Care Act, and Wisconsin residents using the program are getting a first look at their higher premiums. A farm family […]

Wisconsin's Ron Johnson says he's onboard with the idea of killed the Senate filibuster rule after President Donald Trump pushed for the idea. That's a change in course from Johnson's opposition when Democrats held the majority. We Energies is looking to add a nearly 3 gigawatts of new power generation in Wisconsin to meet the demands of data centers. Then, we hear insight on where to venture into fall recreation.

Wisconsin State Superintendent Jill Underly told legislators her office plans to create an online database so the public can see teacher licenses that have been revoked or surrendered. A Wisconsin family is suing Tesla over a fiery crash that left five people dead in suburban Madison last year. And, Republicans have revived a bill aimed at banning absentee ballot drop boxes.

The Trump administration says it will partially fund the SNAP program this month. Governor Tony Evers vetoed a bill that would have required state employees to work from the office most of the time. And, Wisconsin farmers say they are happy about a soybean trade agreement with China. But they say it's too late to help this year.

The U.S. Supreme Court found Wisconsin was wrong to charge Catholic Charities for unemployment insurance.Then, in northern Wisconsin the Catholic Church has signed over some of its land to the Lac du Flambeau trip. And, a look at how Republicans' Big Beautiful Bill changed the abortion landscape in Wisconsin, again.

Microsoft hopes a new collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Madison will help give the company an edge in artificial intelligence. Then, how partisanship and partisan media is affecting our perceptions of reality. And, our politics team looks at Wisconsin's response to the government shutdown.

The 2026 governor's race a year away, and Wisconsin's next Supreme Court race is even closer. A new poll finds most voters in Wisconsin haven't made up their minds. We talked to people who rely on federal food assistance. And, industrial and municipal sludge has spread on fields around the state.