Wisconsin

Transgender and Nonbinary Candidates for State Legislature are Poised to Gain Ground This Year

Prompted to run by a wave of anti-transgender legislation, they are running for statehouse seats in at least eight states, but remain underrepresented in legislative chambers around the country.

Interactive Overdose Map Visualizes Evolving Public Health Crisis

Fentanyl remains driving force behind waves of death in Wisconsin communities.

Two States to Seek Nearly $900M in Federal Funds for Bridge Project

They’re looking to tap money from the bipartisan infrastructure law approved last year. “This project is a perfect candidate for this funding,” says the governor of one of the states.

How to Run for Reelection With a Blocked Agenda

After Democratic governors in Kansas, Michigan and Wisconsin rode a blue wave into office four years ago, their priorities hit a red wall in their GOP-controlled legislatures. But experts say they still have a shot at winning second terms. Here’s why.

The Rise of the Trump Agenda in This Year's Governors Races

Republicans in a number of key gubernatorial contests want to pursue priorities in state government aligned with the former president's platform. Will the strategy work to win over voters?

An Invasive 'Jumping' Worm Spreads in the US, Threatening Forests

The worm is now showing up in multiple states. Its voracious eating habits could harm native wildlife and plants. Scientists say there isn't a way to combat the pest on a widespread scale.

What Increasingly Partisan and Venomous School Board Races Reveal About Elections

As traditionally nonpartisan school board campaigns become polarized battlegrounds, voters in next week’s Wisconsin races may set the tone for how contentious races across the country will become this year.

How Cities and Counties Are Using $18B in Federal Funds

A new tracker includes information on more than 2,300 projects that 150 big cities and counties are directing American Rescue Plan Act dollars toward.

Surgeons Sometimes Deny Organ Transplants for Disabled Patients. State Lawmakers Are Changing That.

Twenty-nine states prevent doctors from considering a person's disability when determining eligibility for an organ transplant. Wisconsin could join them.

SUV Tragedy in Wisconsin Shows How Vehicles Can Be Used as a Weapon of Mass Killing

Six people were killed and many more were injured after an SUV crashed into a Christmas parade. A terrorism expert explains how vehicles have been weaponized.

5 Midwest States Form Electric Vehicle Pact

They plan to work together building out charging infrastructure and on other issues. The agreement comes after Ford unveiled plans for big electric vehicle investments in another region.

Voters Have No Clue How Much Money State Lawmakers Make

Registered voters overshot their lawmakers’ annual pay by large margins in a recent survey. When given the correct salaries, respondents were more likely to support pay increases for legislators.

Wisconsin Doesn’t Have a State Cheese, and Some Lawmakers Think That’s No Gouda

Colby, a cheese created in Wisconsin, could be the state’s first official cheese under a proposal under consideration in the legislature. But some lawmakers have reservations.

A 50-year-old Unemployment System (Finally) Nears an Overhaul

Wisconsin officials have said the outdated computer technology contributed to problems processing claims during the pandemic. Now they’re looking for bids to revamp it.

In Wisconsin, Residents Bear the Impacts of ‘Forever Chemicals’

Four years after a facility disclosed water contamination, locals are using bottled water to cook and battling cancer.

As States Ease Covid-19 Mandates, (Some) Legislative Buildings Reopen

State capitols and legislative chambers are beginning to reopen their doors to the public amid increasing vaccination rates and shifting health guidelines.

How One State Will Work With the Feds On a Major Tech Overhaul

Wisconsin has turned to a federal team of tech experts as the state seeks to revamp its antiquated unemployment computer system.

The Mayor on a Mission to Bring a RoboCop Statue to His City

Mike Wiza, mayor of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, wants to score an 11-foot-tall replica of the cyborg police officer from the 1980s action film. But if that effort fails, the city might see about making its own—possibly bigger—version.

Farmers Can be Isolated and Unsure How to Seek Support. One State is Trying to Help.

Farmers in Wisconsin can access a 24-hour hotline, free counseling and, soon, virtual support groups. It's all part of a state-funded wellness program focused on the agricultural community.

Electric Cargo Bikes Are Debuting in City Fleets

Under a pilot program, parks employees in Portland, Oregon will conduct trail maintenance using zero-emission bikes that were specifically designed for municipal employees.