WORT Local News

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.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, January 14, 2026:We head to the state Capitol for a student walkout protesting the ICE shooting last week in Minneapolis,Hear what city alders had to say ahead of yesterday's unanimous vote approving a one-year moratorium on new data center construction,Sit down with Senator Melissa Ratcliff to dissect the GOP's latest spate of anti-trans proposals,Predict what could be on the agenda if Democrats retake the state Legislature in November,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1968,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, January 13, 2026:We get the details on a proposal that would temporarily ban new data center construction in Madison,Hear the mission behind a city council newsletter that's slated to launch this week,Explain why the feds set legal definitions for dairy products,Talk gut health with a local dietician,Check on a pair of red-tailed hawks receiving treatment at the Dane County Humane Society's Wildlife Rehabilitation Center,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, January 12, 2026:We hear messages of mourning and resistance at a Madison vigil for Renee Nicole Good,Outline the latest charges in a child sexual abuse investigation at Sun Prairie West High School,Find out why a much-debated state law is taking center stage in the missing ballot lawsuit against the city of Madison and its former clerk,Share the local government's calendar for the week ahead,Mark the anniversary of a deadly earthquake in Haiti,Teach you how to mix up a "Dark N' Stormy" cocktail,Review two movies,And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, January 8, 2026:We detail the mixed reactions at a city meeting yesterday reviewing WisDOT's plan to expand the beltline,Find out how much Wisconsin's ballooning school voucher program is costing taxpayers,Spotlight some upcoming events celebrating eastern European culture,Meet a Madisonian who's using social media to highlight the local music scene,Consider the balance between function and beauty with a local woodworker,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, January 7, 2026:We find out why the DeForest village board decided not to take action Tuesday on a petition that would give voters the final say on a proposed data center,Learn how data centers could change Wisconsin's utility landscape,Answer some winter gardening FAQs,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, January 6, 2026:We find out how a new federal grant could help MMSD expand mental health services for students in need,Get the details on a local project that uses art to help older Black women fight Alzheimer's disease,Consider the potential pitfalls if private interests win out in the county's renovation of the Coliseum,Forecast another difficult year in the dairy business,Stop by JBC Coffee Roasters,Describe how winter ice can be dangerous for animals, too,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, January 5, 2026:We share an update on embattled Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan,Outline the tough choices ahead for the estimated 110,000 Wisconsinites that rely on ACA tax credits,Head to a rally in downtown Madison protesting the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro,Take a closer look at this weekend's military action with help from an expert in international law,Celebrate the birthday of a civil rights and anti-war activist,Teach you how to make Mexico's national cocktail,Review two new movies on the big screen,And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, December 18, 2025:We detail the interim independent monitor's priority list for police oversight efforts in Madison,Hear Rep. Ryan Clancy's plan to overhaul Wisconsin's tax system,Consider the sometimes-unexpected cost of open records requests,Tell you some of the best ice fishing spots,Learn how Forward Madison FC is reshaping their roster ahead of the 2026 season,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, December 17, 2025:We outline the key takeaways from the city of Madison's "Love Our Lakes" discussion on Tuesday,Find out why environmental advocates are challenging a Trenton dairy farm's newly-issued state permit,Learn how local jails are facilitating the Trump regime's mass deportation agenda,Hear a UW-Madison frat's pitch to save their annual hockey tournament and fundraiser,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, December 16, 2025:We share the latest updates on Madison's Southwest and Southeast area plans,Consider the long road ahead for a lawsuit that claims Wisconsin's congressional maps are an anti-competitive gerrymander,Explain why American beef prices are in flux,Learn how to achieve that signature bagel chewiness,Mark the start of hibernation season,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, December 15, 2025:We outline the recent back and forth over a proposal to build a new harm reduction clinic on Madison's far east side,Explain how Trump's $12 billion federal aid package leaves small, specialty crop farmers in the lurch,Find out why Wisconsin lawmakers may soon reconsider a policy that diverts federal benefits away from foster children,Celebrate WORT's fiftieth birthday and look to the future, in a conversation with Madison's next generation of radio leaders,Teach you how to mix up a sweeter variant of a World War II-era cocktail,And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, December 11, 2025:We hear state Democrats' pitch to support Wisconsin farmers and protect agricultural lands from development,Outline some of the most pressing challenges in the state's rural school districts,Get an update on MMSD's Behavior Education Plan,Check in with the Russian Folk Orchestra ahead of their busy concert season,Discuss the imminent passage of the National Defense Authorization Act,Share some advice on how to find a bona fide "space tree,"And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, December 10, 2025:We share the details on a pair of housing-focused ordinances approved at Tuesday's city council meeting,Find out why Midwest Environmental Advocates has filed an open records lawsuit against the state's utility regulator,Learn how a local newsroom uses hands-on learning to improve children's literacy skills,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, December 9, 2025:We get the details on a bill that would guarantee Wisconsin workers up to 14 weeks of paid family and medical leave,Outline key findings in UWPD records obtained by Tone Madison, nearly two years after a multi-jurisdiction raid of the student protest encampment on Library Mall,Share a news roundup on Roundup,Consider the intersection between kitchen skills and early childhood education,Learn how to help local wildlife this holiday season,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, December 8, 2025:We head to a local food pantry for a conversation about the rising cost of living,Find out why senior advocates want to preserve county-owned nursing homes,Check in with the director of Madison's Civil Rights Department, after an investigation cleared him of workplace discrimination claims,Explain what's next for two lawsuits challenging Wisconsin's congressional map,Celebrate Noam Chomsky's birthday,Teach you how to make a bright cocktail with ties to World War II,Review Ken Burns' new docuseries on the American Revolution,And much more.