WORT Local News

Here's your local news for Thursday, April 16, 2026:We hear city staff's pitch to reduce speeding on major arterial roads,Discuss the power of nonviolence in violent times,Review three movies featured in this year's Wisconsin Film Festival,Explain why physical media still matters,Celebrate every color of the rainbow,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, April 15, 2026:We explain why the Department of Public Instruction's infamous Wisconsin Dells trip is once again under scrutiny,Explore the benefits of "right to charge" laws,Find out how many internal investigations at the Madison Police Department actually lead to discipline,Detail UW-Madison's efforts to meet new accessibility requirements,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1965,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, April 14, 2026:We detail the debate over plans to demolish a brutalist apartment building in downtown Madison,Explain why a special session to ban partisan gerrymandering is still open,Predict tough times ahead for American dairy farmers amid rising energy costs,Celebrate food media and friendship with the "Stomping Grounds" team,Get a baby season update from the Dane County Humane Society's Wildlife Rehabilitation Center,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, April 13, 2026:We detail the public's top concerns about data centers, according to a new survey from Wisconsin Conservation Voters,Find out how a scam victim turned her experience into state legislation,Sit down with WisDems Chair Devin Remiker for a postmortem on the spring election,Weigh the likelihood of a long-lasting ceasefire in the Middle East,Commemorate the founding of a student-led civil rights group,Teach you how to mix up an "Old Pal" cocktail,Review two new movies,And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, April 9, 2026:We find out why the UW System's Board of Regents decided to fire President Jay Rothman,Detail state level efforts to legalize medical aid in dying,Hear Madison's updated plan for a more walkable city,Share some tips on how to submit a successful open records request,Tell you the best spots to cast your fishing line,Sit down with a Forward Madison FC goalkeeper who's on a hot streak,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, April 8, 2026:We hear how Democratic hopefuls for governor plan to fix Wisconsin's health care system,Break down the results of Tuesday's nonpartisan election with four local labor leaders,Take a closer look at the ouster of UW System President Jay Rothman,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1962,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, April 7, 2026:We share the latest on today's nonpartisan spring election,Find out what's next for prison reform advocates after Governor Evers moved to restore Wisconsin's commutations process,Predict how the war in Iran could unsettle the global agriculture industry,Talk cold brew with a Madison food industry veteran,Examine why males in many bird species are so colorful,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, April 6, 2026:We learn how a multi-city initiative is helping reduce climate emissions and renters' energy bills in one go,Check in on efforts to create an intergenerational space for children and seniors in Walworth County,Find out why more Wisconsin prisons and jails are offering opioid addiction medication,Examine Wisconsin's voting policy and trends ahead of tomorrow's election,Look back on the Red Scare-era exile of Charlie Chaplin,Review some new content available for streaming,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, April 1, 2026:We get a progress update on Madison's housing development goals,Detail a new landmark verdict that holds tech giants accountable for childhood social media addiction,Find out why student leaders are demanding democratic input over the UW System's financial assets,Examine the cost of college with a pair of UW-Madison student journalists,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Share a retrospective on Madison's only liberal mayor of the 1960s,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, March 31, 2026:We find out what's at stake in next week's Wisconsin Supreme Court election,Detail a grassroots effort to increase Latino voter access in the state,Meet a Dane County Circuit Court candidate who says she'd bring integrity and transparency to the bench,Examine the dangers of a widely-used herbicide,Sit down with a pair of Epic baristas,Describe the best — and safest — types of bird feed,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, March 30, 2026:We head to downtown Madison for this weekend's rally against the Trump regime,Talk judicial philosophy with an incumbent Dane County judge,Answer all of your burning questions about data centers,Commemorate the enactment of the Fifteenth Amendment,Teach you how to mix up a Negroni cocktail,Review two new movies,And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, March 26, 2026:We detail county supervisors' misgivings amid contract negotiations with FPC Live,Find out why rural organizers are speaking out against data center development and CAFOs,Meet an incumbent county supervisor who wants to expand housing options in her community,Shed light on some stand-out reporting from this year's Sunshine Week,Tell you the best spots to cast your fishing line,Hear how Forward Madison FC's 2026 season is shaping up so far,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, March 25, 2026:We head to Bascom Hill for a rally sounding the alarm on UWPD's new surveillance tech,Learn how many Wisconsinites identify with Christian nationalism,Meet an incumbent supervisor who says the county needs to prioritize core services in the budget,Examine the low engagement in UW-Madison's student government,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1969,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, March 24, 2026:We check in on the partisan tug of war over Wisconsin's school funding system,Meet a county board candidate who's pledged to protect farmland and prevent urban sprawl,Predict how the war in Iran could impact food prices,Visit a local business that's bringing the art of tortilla-making to the Midwest,Track down an escaped snake at the Dane County Humane Society's Wildlife Rehabilitation Center,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, March 23, 2026:We find out why – and how – the city's independent police monitor used AI in their latest annual report,Meet a county board candidate who says infrastructure maintenance and emergency services should be first in line for funding,Continue our coverage of the "Embroidered with Pain" exhibit,Share the local government's calendar for the week ahead,Teach you how to mix up a "Black and Tan,"And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, March 19, 2026:We explain what changes under Wisconsin's new breast cancer screening law,Meet an incumbent county supervisor who says local municipalities should have the final say on local issues,Hear the mission behind the "Embroidered with Pain" exhibit,Preview some upcoming events in the experimental music scene,Sit down with a bona fide world-builder,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, March 18, 2026:We hear how a cohort of city staff are advancing Madison's sustainability plan,Explain the mission behind the Educational Support Professionals Bill of Rights,Learn how data center developers are using NDAs and heavy redactions to keep Wisconsinites in the dark,Find out why the city of Madison and the UW Police Department are locked in a jurisdictional dispute,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1961,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, March 17, 2026:We find out why concerned parents flooded the public comment session at Monday's Plan Commission meeting,Meet an incumbent supervisor who says Dane County should focus on internal hiring to save money,Explain what the war in the Middle East means for the average American farmer,Consider how wage disparities contribute to the affordability crisis,Share some fun facts about the common loon,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, March 16, 2026:We hear about some possible improvements coming soon to a west side golf course,Meet a county board candidate who says the Sheriff's Department should be first in line for funding,Share the local government's calendar for the week ahead,Celebrate the contributions of Irish immigrants ahead of Saint Patrick's Day,Review two new movies,And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, March 12, 2026:We hear how Senator Baldwin is fighting to stop the war in Iran,Meet a candidate who says her experience as an education leader would be an asset on the county board,Preview the winners, and sole loser, of this year's open government awards,Tell you the best spots to cast your fishing line,Check in with Forward Madison FC ahead of their season kickoff this weekend,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, March 11, 2026:We find out why the Madison Common Council is looking inwards as it prepares for two decades of significant population growth in the city,Learn how ICE fears are disrupting Wisconsin's workplaces,Meet a county board candidate who says local property taxes have gotten out of hand,Celebrate a hundred years of dance at UW-Madison,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1969,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, March 10, 2026:We find out why fewer Wisconsin children are getting vaccinated on schedule,Meet a candidate who says she'd prioritize sustainable growth and water quality on the county board,Explain the beef over imported Argentinian beef,Dig into Madison's culinary scene with a local food and culture editor,Celebrate turkey vultures, nature's "garbage disposals,"And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, March 9, 2026:We hear how Dane County's new ballot printing vendor is speeding up election prep,Explain the debate over a bill that would codify a controversial definition of antisemitism into state law,Meet an incumbent supervisor who says Dane County has a spending problem,Share the local government's calendar for the week ahead,Mark the anniversary of the 1952 coup in Cuba,Teach you how to mix up a Peach Bellini,Review two new movies on the small screen,And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, March 5, 2026:We hear city staff's pitch to alleviate the traffic and pedestrian problems on Regent Street,Meet an incumbent supervisor who says the environment can't take a back seat as the county prepares for future growth,Get a calendar update from Friends of Ukraine-Madison,Celebrate the power of protest songs,Discuss the commodification of children's toys,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, March 4, 2026:We learn how MMSD is fine-tuning its support for students with IEPs,Explain what would change if Wisconsin legislators finally agree to pass Erin's Law,Meet a county board candidate who wants to lower child care costs for working families,Hear a UW-Madison political scientist's predictions for the 2026 midterms,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1967,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, March 3, 2026:We hear the governor's pitch to make fair voting maps permanent in Wisconsin,Learn how the rush to build hyperscale data centers could set back clean energy efforts,Meet a county board candidate who says she'd take a needs-based approach to the budget,Simplify the data on cheddar cheese pricing,Visit Wildwood Cafe in Stoughton,Explain how prey animals fight back against predation and competition in the wild,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, March 2, 2026:We get the scoop on a new lawsuit challenging Wisconsin's school funding system,Consider the political benefits of backing universal child care,Discuss the data center boom with a power plant operator who's running for the county board,Find out how a Wisconsin-based regional airline is collaborating with ICE,Mark the anniversary of a women-led strike in 1860,Review two new movies,And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, February 26, 2026:We find out why construction on the jail consolidation project is running behind schedule,Meet an incumbent county supervisor who says NIMBYism should have consequences,Run through some transparency bills that are stuck in legislative limbo,Tell you the best spots to cast your fishing line,Get an update on Forward Madison FC's roster rebuild,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, February 25, 2026:We detail Attorney General Kaul's clash this morning with the GOP legislators leading an investigation of his department,Meet a county board candidate who's touting his firsthand knowledge of rural and urban issues,Check in on UW-Madison's search for a new provost,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1967,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, February 24, 2026:We'll learn how to tell the difference between Madison police officers and ICE,Detail a new course at UW Law School that's blending legal theory with lived experience in the criminal justice system,Meet a county board candidate who wants to provide housing and workforce services at a "veterans village,"Talk butter price gouging,Sit down with the editor-in-chief of TASTE – a WORT alum,Get ready for baby season at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, February 23, 2026:We join the Fire & Wonder Winter Gathering at San Damiano Park,Meet an incumbent supervisor who says the growing county needs more housing and better transit,Find out why rural Wisconsin is struggling to hire municipal clerks,Mark the anniversary of the 2018 West Virginia teachers strike,Teach you how to mix up a 'Singapore Sling' cocktail,Review two new movies,And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, February 19, 2026:We outline the Dane County Regional Airport's economic benefits and environmental drawbacks,Look forward to a software glow-up coming soon to the library system,Commemorate the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine,Explore the complex politics of so-called "rare earth" elements,Meet a pair of artists that are using their craft to memorialize their friendship,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, February 18, 2026:We share the key takeaways from Governor Evers' final State of the State address,Find out why a Wisconsin environmental group is suing the EPA,Detail student organizers' demands to limit ICE activity on the UW-Madison campus,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1965,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, February 17, 2026:We detail GOP leaders' latest pitch to spend down the surplus, after weeks of negotiations with Governor Evers,Share some tips for private well owners who want to protect their water from contaminants,Outline some potential changes to Madison's border with McFarland,Explain what dairy products could win out in the recent protein craze,Visit a decades-old staple in the Madison coffee scene,Get ready for spring at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, February 16, 2026:We head to Señor Machetes for a fundraiser supporting co-owner Noel Quintana, who was detained by ICE late last month,Find out why a grassroots group wants to combine child care and senior housing in Walworth County,Learn how the local public health department is working to stop the spread of measles,Check in with Madison's new city clerk ahead of tomorrow's spring primary,Commemorate the opening of King Tut's tomb in 1923,Teach you how to mix up a blackberry-based cocktail,Review two new onscreen offerings,And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, February 12, 2026:We head to the state Capitol for a rally demanding a statewide moratorium on data center development,Sit down with a West Allis nurse who was fired this week after leading a unionization effort at her workplace,Offer some open government story ideas to celebrate this year's Sunshine Week,Hear the mission behind the DNR's new "Be Well Informed" tool,Check in on Forward Madison's roster rebuild,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, February 11, 2026:We detail today's legal back and forth over a grant program that helps students of color attend college,Learn how some employers are filling the gaps in the health insurance marketplace,Meet an incumbent supervisor who says rural voters deserve an experienced representative on the county board,Reflect on the legacy of outgoing UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1969,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, February 10, 2026:We detail the goings-on today in the state Capitol, including key takeaways from this year's State of the Tribes Address and the Assembly's packed floor agenda,Meet a candidate who says rural communities deserve a stronger voice on the Dane County Board,Outline some policy issues that could drive rural voters to the polls this fall,Sit down with a local food reviewer,Explore the tough ethical questions that wildlife rehabilitators encounter on the job,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, February 9, 2026:We get an inside look at the city of Madison's routine election equipment test,Consider what's at stake if Wisconsin elects a Trump loyalist as governor this fall,Share the local government's calendar for the week ahead,Mark the anniversary of the Dawes Act in 1887,Review two more Oscar contenders,And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, February 5, 2026:We explain why a unanimous vote yesterday has sent local harm reduction efforts back to the drawing board,Meet a county board candidate who's calling for more workforce housing,Hear a journalist's firsthand account of the ICE invasion in Minneapolis,Learn what it takes to achieve fluency in Russian,Visit an open art space on the UW-Madison campus,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, February 4, 2026:We find out how a tweak to state law could generate millions for Wisconsin crypto investors,Detail the benefits of cover crop practices,Meet a county board candidate who wants to keep special interest groups out of local politics,Learn how the UW-Madison community participated in the nationwide ICE protest on Friday,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1966,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, February 3, 2026:We detail state Democrats' latest attempt to legalize cannabis - and the recent changes to federal policy that have added to their urgency this time around,Find out how the state's Department of Justice is using the court system to push back against federal intrusion,Share dire predictions from this year's Agricultural Outlook Forum,Learn how the changing climate is impacting Wisconsin's fish population,Look forward to some upcoming educational opportunities for animal lovers of all ages,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, February 2, 2026:We head to Library Mall for a rally in solidarity with the Iranian people, amid a national crackdown on protest in the country,Get Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul's take on the federal incursion in Minnesota,Share the local government's calendar for the week ahead,Mark the anniversary of the Philippine-American War,Teach you how to mix up a popular dessert cocktail,Review two Oscar-nominated films,And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, January 29, 2026:We explain what would change if Governor Evers approves an update to the state's drinking water standards,Learn what's behind the nationwide shortage of teachers for the visually impaired,Debunk state Republicans' claims that an annual crane hunt would reduce crop damage,Share an update on an open records lawsuit against the state's Department of Justice,Find out what's biting under the ice,Take a closer look at the Flamingos' roster turnover ahead of the 2026 season,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, January 28, 2026:We hear the Madison school board's plan to address salary compression,Explain what's at stake for Congressional Democrats if they allow a boost in funding for the Department of Homeland Security,Sit down with an incumbent county supervisor who's heading to a primary next month,Learn how some UW-Madison professors have adopted artificial intelligence into their coursework,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1969,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, January 27, 2026:We find out why the DeForest village board is changing its tune, less than a year after they voted to remove fluoride from the community's drinking water,Meet a county board candidate who wants to consolidate city and county housing services,Examine a dispute over manure digesters in Waupaca County,Talk about halal street food with a local restauranteur,Share some fun facts about America's most famous hibernator ahead of Groundhog Day,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, January 26, 2026:We hear messages of solidarity and resistance at a Madison rally protesting the latest ICE-related shooting in Minneapolis,Meet a local business owner who's running to represent Madison's north side on the Dane County Board of Supervisors,Get an environmental journalist's take on the recent data center frenzy,Mark the fifteenth anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution,Review two Oscar contenders,And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, January 22, 2026:We share an update on a new housing development in the city's Owl Creek neighborhood,Outline what's been predictable and surprising about the Trump regime's immigration crackdown,Celebrate Bob Weir's life and legacy with a local Grateful Dead tribute band,Learn how a local woodworker used his art to tackle a complicated subject,Look forward to the Russian Folk Orchestra's first rehearsal of the semester,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, January 21, 2026:We find out how a city initiative is defining Madison's "regional music brand,"Hear a Midwest professor's warning about the Trump regime's escalating authoritarian tactics,Check in with Dane4Dogs after their latest legal victory over Ridglan Farms,Examine UW-Madison's evolving anti-hazing policies,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1965,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, January 20, 2026:We get Congressman Mark Pocan's take on escalating ICE activity, the impending government shutdown, and efforts to redraw Wisconsin's congressional maps,Outline the partisan debate over rising energy costs,Share an excerpt from the keynote speech at Dane County and Madison's 41st Annual MLK Day Observance,Explain why most of the American ag industry is running in the red,Celebrate the legacy of Mother Fool's Coffeehouse,Offer a novel idea to support the Dane County Humane Society's Wildlife Rehabilitation Center,And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, January 15, 2026:We explain why city-county tensions boiled over at a public hearing on Wednesday,Get the details on MMSD's budget outlook for 2026-2027,Describe the transparency concerns that emerged after WisconsinEye went dark,Tell you the best spots to cast your fishing line,Meet the Flamingos' newest midfielder,And much more.