Wisconsin Today: Morning News

An apparent tornado on Monday caused catastrophic damage in the Fox Valley. The city of Menasha was especially hard-hit. 

The city of Madison has been an outlier in its decision to not equip most police officers with body cameras. Now, there's a chance that could change.

Madison officials have identified the man who police shot and killed after a skirmish on a city street Wednesday. And, Democrats have filed a lawsuit challenging a state policy that prevents people from changing their absentee ballots in the race for governor. And Lake Invanhoe celebrates its centennial.

Police shot and killed a man in Madison yesterday after they say he injured officers with a knife. Hundreds of people turned out to protest.

With the help of a few megadonors, Wisconsin's Republican Party is way ahead of its fundraising pace from four years ago. And Democrats are running behind.

Tens of thousands of people voted in the August 11 primary election before the field of candidates for governor got shuffled.

Democrat David Crowley is relaunching his campaign for governor. This time with an endorsement from Governor Tony Evers.

A new ad attacking state Rep. Francesca Hong in the race for governor is drawing a response. Plus, fundraising totals from candidates in the primary. And, from Wisconsin Life, take a bike ride with a group who want to pedal the old-fashioned way.

Wildfire smoke is blanketing the state -- and causing severe health hazards in parts of northern Wisconsin.

A Madison startup that works on nuclear fusion is making a big announcement about its future. Democratic candidates for governor try to capitalize after Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez stumbles. Plus, in a bipartisan vote, Wisconsin elections officials say Elon Musk likely broke state laws in the 2025 Supreme Court election.

Wisconsin's lieutenant governor says her campaign is hundreds of thousands of dollars short after a former campaign manager double-counted some donations. Plus, the state is seeing more tornadoes than usual. And, WPR published its voter guide ahead of next month's primaries

Several Democratic gubernatorial candidates are making big ad buys. The DNR is being sued by an environmental group who says the agency failed to properly review a data center site. Plus, after her grandfather built hundreds of silos around the Midwest, an Illinois woman hopes to find them all.

The Green Bay city clerk has been placed on leave after duplicate ballots were issued in two elections this year. Thousands of Wisconsin residents faced higher student loan payments this month. Plus, members of Madison’s Mexican-American community join together for an annual basketball tournament that celebrates their indigenous roots.

Former fellow judge Hannah Dugan will not have to spend any time in prison for her felony conviction. Vice President JD Vance touts a crackdown on fraud in social service programs while in Milwaukee. Plus, a look at how opioid treatment and harm reduction programs in the state may be fueling a sharp drop in overdose deaths.

Milwaukee's murder rate fell by double digits in the first six months of the year. The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled against a conservative activist who wanted access to guardianship records determining voter eligibility.  Plus, a story about the magic of childhood baseball fields.

A Wisconsin man was fired by the Environmental Protection Agency for signing a letter opposing the Trump administration's rollbacks of environmental regulations. Dozens of animal rights activists are charged after storming a beagle breeding facility twice. Plus, one of Wisconsin's biggest cities tackles housing by converting old farmland.

Storms swept through Lake Geneva over the holiday weekend, killing three children. Hundreds are still without power as of Monday morning. And state aid will decrease for half of Wisconsin […]

To mark the 250th anniversary of the country's independence, a special holiday episode. Wisconsin was not a state when the Declaration of Independence was signed 250 years ago. So, who was here? And, a Wisconsin community honors a founding father with a new work of theater.

A new Athletic Director has been named at UW Madison. And once again, he's got some deep ties to the state of Wisconsin. Plus, the year has been getting hotter lately and you're not alone. And all 50 states contributed to a time capsule for America's 250th birthday. Hear about Wisconsin's items.

Cleanup is underway after nearly 2,000 gallons of drilling fluid spilled at Enbridge’s Line 5 reroute site in northern Wisconsin. Plus, there's a surge of ICE activity in Milwaukee. And, some buildings at the state's flagship campus are closing because of broken air conditioning units.

For the second time this year, the city of Green Bay may have issued duplicate absentee ballots for an election. The Democratic campaign for governor turns negative. And, accusers speak out against a small school district that they allege mishandled sexual misconduct by staff.

A lawsuit by the U.S. Department of Justice seeking Wisconsin's voter rolls has hit a setback. A heat wave hits Wisconsin this week, hear a preview of how high temperatures will reach. And, a federal ban on hemp products could wipe out a booming market for low-dose THC drinks.

A proposed wind farm in Marathon County is facing fierce pushback from people who live there. Plus, the wolf population in Wisconsin has declined for the second consecutive year.

A tech giant wants Wisconsin regulators to roll back some financial requirements for data centers. And Fond du Lac is offering is offering $9,500 to workers willing to move there.

A massive data center being built by Microsoft in Racine County is now complete. A closed hospital in Eau Claire will now host a company that's turning skin cells into beating heart muscles. And, fans reflect on Giannis Antetokounmpo as he leaves Milwaukee for Miami.

The Kenosha School District faces the prospect of massive cuts, including possibly its sports program.

Employers in one of Wisconsin's top tourist destinations are struggling to hire staff. Some northern Wisconsin communities could lose ambulance service. And, hear from a climate specialist about the severe weather we've had so far this year and the summer outlook.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court found that a college grant program for students of color is unconstitutional. A Muslim leader in Milwaukee has been released from immigration detention as his case proceeds. And, some cities in Wisconsin are looking at new regulations on electric scooters.

Wisconsin's U.S. Senators held starkly different views on the Iran war. They don't like it. And, Beloit schools are facing a budget crunch as a billionaire-funded charter school expands. Plus, a native berry has fans who forage for it across the Midwest -- even as most people have never tried one.

A coalition of people opposing a massive transmission line project in the Driftless region have sued to stop it from being constructed.  Trump allies plead not guilty to charges related to the 2020 election. And, we hear from the Senate's Democratic leader about the November election.

The Trump administration wants access to Wisconsin's voter rolls ahead of November's elections. A Dane County facility that raised beagles used for lab tests will close for good. And, almost a dozen Wisconsin breweries closed last year. Is craft beer on the decline?

Wisconsin Democrats held their annual convention over the weekend and affordability was front and center. U.S. Senate Republicans amended a wildfire bill that would impact national forest land, including in Wisconsin. And, We Energies and a pair of data center developers are asking state regulators to loosen financial rules intended to protect local ratepayers.

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.

Home prices in places like Milwaukee and Madison are rising to five-times the median household income in those areas. And the Wisconsin Elections Commission asks the U.S. Postal Service for "extraordinary measures" to speed up absentee ballot deliveries.

Seven major Democratic candidates are running for governor in Wisconsin and some outside groups are spending big money to promote favorites. Plus, anglers may soon see smaller bag limits on walleyes in some lakes under a new rule.And, hunters have until Sunday to apply for the limited elk hunting season in Wisconsin.

A new poll of Wisconsin residents shows rare bipartisan agreement on a political issue, 80 percent thought a $1.8 billion deal on tax cuts and education funding should have passed.  Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany is the leading Republican candidate in Wisconsin's race for governor. And, we visit to a historic lighthouse on Lake Michigan's shore.  

A new report shows Wisconsin farming needs major changes to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The National Park Service recently purchased a portion of the one of country’s longest national scenic trail that runs through Wisconsin. And, gardeners across the state, beware, the jumping worm is here.

The bipartisan tax rebate and school spending bill announced this week by Governor Tony Evers failed last night in the state Senate. The Watertown School Board told its band students they can't play a composition dedicated to a transgender activist. And, a Republican primary in the Northwoods will test whether President Trump's endorsement is still a golden ticket.

The tax rebate and school spending deal announced by Governor Tony Evers and legislative Republicans will get a vote today. In Superior, the mother of a man shot and killed by police confronts the city's police chief. And, a new school report card rankings find Wisconsin behind most states in math and reading.

A massive bipartisan deal will include income tax rebates for millions of Wisconsinites and a boost in spending for schools. A Madison restaurant owner is out of immigration detention. Federal officials say they're still trying to deport him. And, a former military police officer in the Iraq War talks about veterans' mental health.

For Mother's Day, a group of activists formed a headlight caravan outside a Wisconsin prison. And, the water level on Lake Michigan jumped by more than a foot in April. Then, we hear from a WPR reporter who explored the work of a La Crosse-based YouTube channel. The channel's operator has used police body cam recordings to build a business with millions of subscribers.