As energy-hungry data centers loom, Wisconsin ratepayers owe $1 billion on shuttered power plants
Obsolete power plants continue to cost ratepayers. Now, the push to generate unprecedented amounts of electricity for data centers risks creating another $1 billion in “stranded assets.”
Our mission:
Using journalism to make Wisconsin communities strong, informed and connected.

Fact Briefs – bite-sized fact checks of trending claims
Are toxic heavy metals from solar panels posing a threat to human health?
No. Toxic heavy metals in solar panels are locked in stable compounds and sealed behind tough glass, preventing escape into air, water or soil at harmful levels.
Are homosexual acts criminalized in 65 countries?
Yes. Most bans are in Africa. Seven countries including Saudi Arabia impose the death penalty.
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public square
‘I came from nothing and built a community’: After years of healing, woman takes next step in sobriety
Meet the teens keeping this northeast Wisconsin village from becoming a news desert
Three women build a ‘third space’ for Green Bay residents who have felt left out
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Opinion
Your Right to Know: The problem with the will to secrecy
A Wisconsin agency that oversees administrative hearings for several state departments has taken to posting only heavily redacted records on its website.
A double legacy: Reflections on my grandfathers’ service and sacrifice
The Vietnam War is a reminder that misinformation, when left unchallenged, can alter the course of a nation and define generations.
Your Right to Know: Data center secrecy is unacceptable
All too often, secrecy and confidentiality carry the day in proceedings of state and local government.




