Wisconsin Today

Wisconsin Senators Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin speak to WPR about their views on the Iran war more than 100 days in. Plus, an astrophotographer helps us explore the depths of space.

Horicon and Lomira are cleaning up after powerful storms destroyed apartment buildings, homes and downtown storefronts on Wednesday. And a Republican candidate for Congress in Wisconsin failed to get her GOP rivals tossed off the primary ballot.

Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad will not appear on the ballot in Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial primary after failing to get enough valid signatures in time. Plus, concerns over spread of the New World Screwworm in the U.S.

The Milwaukee Reading Coalition accuses the Department of Public Instruction of reneging on a deal to provide funding for the program. The entire project may now be in jeopardy. Plus an update on the leader of Wisconsin's largest mosque, who has been in immigration custody for months.

President Donald Trump visited Wisconsin on Friday where he promised relief for farmers in the state. Plus, an energy company is using Artificial Intelligence cameras to look for wildfires in Wisconsin.

A company whose firefighting foam contaminated groundwater in northeastern Wisconsin will pay $10 million in a new settlement with the state. President Trump makes his first visit to Wisconsin since being elected a second time. And, a conversation with the owner of the nation's oldest Chinese restaurant.

A Wisconsin company signs a new deal to supply generators to data centers. Its stock price is soaring. One of the Democratic candidates for governor may not make the ballot after falling short on valid signatures. And, officials say someone broke in and stole the beacon from a famous lighthouse on Lake Superior.

A proposed rule from the U.S. Postal Service could have major implications for who gets to vote by mail, including in Wisconsin. A former government building has been sold in the hopes of bringing Amtrak to Madison. And, we'll hear about new rules in effect for ATV and UTV riders in the state.

The field is set in the Wisconsin governor's race. It's a crowded one on the Democratic side. A Wisconsin mom who spent two months in ICE custody speaks out. And, meet the Wisconsin dance teacher whose crew will compete on national television tonight.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court will hear an appeal in a redistricting case that was previously dismissed by a panel of judges. UW-Madison is investigating whether a student club promoted a raid at an animal testing facility. And, we head to the zoo, to learn about a polar bear who may or may not be pregnant.

Wisconsin is unlikely to get new congressional voting maps ahead of this November’s elections after a lawsuit challenging the maps was thrown out. A troubled Green Bay nonprofit has abruptly closed […]

Early voting numbers ahead of next week's Supreme Court election are way down compared to 2025. Milwaukee is suing an out-of-state landlord the city says has hundreds of violations and owes thousands in taxes. And, dairy farmers have bred cows to produce milk with more fat. That excess fat is now causing problems for some Wisconsin cheesemakers.

Thousands of Wisconsin residents turned out at dozens of No Kings rallies around the state over the weekend. The chair of the state Elections Commission is warning that residents who bet on elections could risk having their ballots tossed.  And we'll hear about a new tool to help people who work with cattle get a cow's eye perspective on the world. 

Racist housing language remains on hundreds of deeds in Wisconsin despite laws against racial housing discrimination. Plus, an excerpt from the podcast Status Pending, where we take a look at the life of an undocumented immigrant in Wisconsin.

The only debate between candidates for Wisconsin Supreme Court has been postponed after one of the candidates fell ill. And the Milwaukee Brewers start their 2026 season at home on Thursday.

A Racine man has been convicted on two counts of voter fraud for ordering ballots that were not his. Plus, a big gap in voter enthusiasm heading into April's Supreme Court election.

Federal fundraising figures show Wisconsin's Democratic Party vastly out raised their Republican counterparts last month.  Gov. Tony Evers has proposed a constitutional amendment to ban partisan gerrymandering. Some experts say this proposal could stand a chance.  And, hear the second of WPR's two profiles of Wisconsin's state Supreme Court candidates - this one a look at liberal Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor.

A conservative group from out of state is spending big money supporting candidates in Wisconsin's upcoming school board elections. The Wisconsin Badgers are national champions in women's hockey after beating Ohio State in the championship game yesterday. Plus, in an era where Supreme Court races have become fiercely political, one candidate says she hopes her judicial record speaks for itself.

A Wisconsin family is calling for a woman's release from ICE after she was taken into custody last week.Cesar Chavez Day events planned for later this month in Wisconsin are being canceled following a New York Times investigation. And, a preview of Inside Wisconsin Politics, the new show from WPR and PBS Wisconsin.

A new law will soon let Wisconsin police conduct roadside saliva testing for marijuana and other illegal substances. The governor also signed a new law that will extend postpartum Medicaid coverage. And there's talk in Washington about bringing back a “Work Opportunity Tax Credit” for employers, even though data shows it failed to increase worker pay.

The state Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would legalize online sports betting in Wisconsin. And Republicans needed help from Democrats to do it. The Speaker of the state Assembly criticized his GOP counterparts in the Senate for not taking up a bill to regulate data centers. And, a story about an Appleton native whose business helps produce game broadcasts for Deaf people.

Thousands of Wisconsinites experienced whiteout conditions on Monday after a historic storm brought nearly 3 feet of snow to some parts of the state. The Wisconsin Senate could wrap up its business for the year Tuesday, with majority Republicans divided on big issues like legalizing online sports betting. And, hear about the WPR voter guide, focused on the open seat for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Wisconsin got walloped by a major snowstorm Sunday. That included record-breaking snow totals in some parts of the state. President Donald Trump says he'll target invasive carp to "save" the Great Lakes. But his administration is holding up funding for the project. In Racine, a group of citizens is involved in "participatory defense." They say they can make a difference in the criminal justice system.

A Wisconsin woman with no criminal record is being held in ICE detention after she was taken into custody at a routine immigration check-in. Wisconsin officials are fighting a federal lawsuit that's seeking voter information. And, here's snow on the way this weekend and forecasts say up to a foot and a half could fall in some parts of the state.

Three former students, now adults, from Oconto Falls High School are accusing the school district of overlooking sexual abuse by staff members over more than a decade. Wisconsin's Supreme Court justices heard oral arguments in a case pitting Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul against the Republican-controlled state Legislature. And, some legislators want to allow the sale of a state-owned wildlife area.

Former Republican Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel's temporary appointment as U.S. Attorney ends next week. Now, federal judges in Milwaukee say they will not extend his term. A survey of faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found fewer than 10 percent described themselves as conservative. And, a new postmark rule adopted by the U.S. Postal Service could affect Wisconsinites who register to vote by mail

Conservative State Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler will not run for a third term. She says she plans to retire in 2027. The number of Wisconsin toddlers receiving their recommended childhood vaccines is continuing to decline. And, Wisconsin's universities may soon begin offering three-year degree programs.

Another outbreak of avian flu hits two commercial poultry farms in Wisconsin. Meanwhile, state lawmakers consider a bill to deregulate what's known as cryptocurrency "staking." And, how one Madison family navigated the presidential order that ended gender-affirming care for minors at the state's largest pediatric hospitals.

Wisconsin's U.S. Senators sound off about the war in Iran. And they couldn't be further apart. Wisconsin has joined another multi-state lawsuit against the Trump administration's tariffs. And, how algae could be part of the solution to getting micro-plastics out of our water.

As the House prepares to vote on a war powers resolution, a Democrat from Wisconsin says the White House has no answers to what comes next with Iran. The Department of Natural Resources approves a major land purchase. And, some legal advocates are worried about a bill at the state Capitol that would let Wisconsin courts use AI interpreters.

Gov. Tony Evers is calling on lawmakers to pass a ban on political gerrymandering in state legislative races. Lawmakers already passed a law banning cell phone use during instructional time. Now they're looking to expand it. And leaders in Milwaukee are passing new rules to prepare for any future visits from federal immigration officials

Wisconsin National Guardsmen stationed in Middle East, Online gambling companies oppose Wisconsin bill.  why some of the biggest companies in online gambling oppose a bill that would legalize the industry in Wisconsin.And nearly half of Wisconsin's lowest-performing schools are all located in one part of the state. What's being done to change that?

Members of Wisconsin's congressional delegation reacted to U.S. and Israeli bombing in Iran. State regulators said a utility's application for special data center rates hid key information from the public And, former presidential candidate Kamala Harris was back in Wisconsin for a book event.

Vice President JD Vance told a crowd in central Wisconsin to re-elect Republican Derrick Van Orden. The state's 3rd Congressional District is a top target for Democrats. Wisconsin voters tell a pollster they're unlikely to support new school referendums.  And, Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says negotiations with the governor on a tax deal are still in the early stages. But he's optimistic.

A new vaccine introduced two years ago may be reducing childhood respiratory illnesses in Wisconsin. Health officials say they're optimistic. A new poll shows the Democratic primary for governor is wide open. And, a new state rule would ban people from adopting wild reptiles.

Parents in a new lawsuit say a lack of school funding by the state is a violation of the law. A Green Bay housing nonprofit faces an investigation into its CEO's spending. And, a GOP bill proposes to bring the death penalty back to Wisconsin.

Four candidates for a northern Wisconsin congressional district changed their voter registration in recent months. Two had been living out of state. The state Assembly ended its session about passing new public school funding. And, we hear from a Wisconsin Olympian who had a run-in with a leaf blower.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi may be getting involved in the dispute over road access on tribal land in Wisconsin. That's at the request of GOP Congressman Tom Tiffany. Plus, Wisconsin farmers have mixed reactions to the federal strike down of President Donald Trump's tariffs. And, businesses and sports that depend on wintry weather faces challenges with climate changes.

The longest-serving Speaker in the history of the Wisconsin Assembly says he's retiring from the Legislature. Robin Vos, the powerful Republican from Rochester, announced his plans during an emotional speech from the Assembly floor.

The Apostle Islands ice caves opened on Monday, but shut down after just one day. Meanwhile, a study is underway to find potential sites to build nuclear power plants in Wisconsin. And, the state Assembly plans to wrap up its work for the year. That includes votes on two high profile women's health bills that have been blocked for years.

In his final State of the State address, Gov. Tony Evers highlighted the accomplishments of the last eight years but said there is more work to be done. A Wisconsin bill would create a path for victims of sexual extortion to sue in state courts. And, the state's top GOP leaders have agreed on a plan to spend down the state's $2.5 billion dollar budget surplus. 

For the first time in more than a decade, the Ice Caves are open at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. And, a national study named Marquette University as one of 41 colleges with large percentages of low income students taking out high-interest loans. Then, we hear from two 70-plus athletes who have been skiing in the American Berkebeiner every year for decades.