Lydia McComas, 28, decided in college that she wanted to be in the field. Veteran officials are looking to people like her as turnover accelerates.
Posted inJustice & Safety
ICE arrests of asylum seekers in Milwaukee show shifting tactics
A Venezuelan couple arrested during a routine immigration check will try to continue their asylum cases while detained hundreds of miles away from each other.
Posted inEnvironment, Government
A tool tracking billion-dollar disasters is back after the Trump administration retired it
Wisconsin saw $1.1 billion in severe storm damage in early 2025 — part of the more than $5 billion in such damage since 2021.
Posted inForward, Government
Wisconsin joins bipartisan coalition of states suing Trump administration over SNAP
The coalition of state officials is requesting that a court intervene immediately and release contingency funds to protect SNAP programs.
Posted inNews about Wisconsin Watch, Pathways to success
How reader ideas fuel Wisconsin Watch reporting
As time goes on, you’ll continue to see more stories from the northeast region of Wisconsin. So what stories should be told? We’re listening.
Posted inCommunity, Justice & Safety
How three Milwaukee organizations help residents ‘grind’ through grief
Three organizations collaborated on the Grinding & Grieving Bootcamp, which brought together resources to help participants navigate grief.
Posted inFact briefs
Does immigration help fill shortages in the supply of caregiving workers?
Yes. Studies have identified a caregiver shortfall in the U.S., and higher immigration has been empirically linked to alleviating this.
Posted inGovernment, Justice & Safety
Wisconsin moving ahead with prison overhaul plan despite Republican objections
The bipartisan state building commission unanimously approved spending $15 million to proceed with planning for Gov. Tony Evers’ sweeping plan to overhaul Wisconsin’s aging prison system. Republicans objected but voted for it in the hopes it could be changed later.
Posted inFact briefs
Have Obamacare premiums increased three times the rate of inflation?
Yes. Since 2014, inflation has increased 39% while Affordable Care Act premiums have increased 118%.
Posted inEnvironment
Erosion from ravines threatens Lake Pepin — and Wisconsin communities that depend on it
Lake Pepin, the largest naturally occurring lake on the Mississippi River, is a beloved resource. But it’s got a big problem: Massive amounts of sediment are eroding from stream banks, bluffs and agricultural fields upstream and settling in the lake.
Posted inGovernment, Health & Welfare
Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin resumes offering abortions after a nearly monthlong pause
Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin resumed scheduling abortions after a nearly monthlong pause due to federal Medicaid funding cuts in President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill that took effect at the beginning of October.
Posted inForward, Justice & Safety
Wisconsin Republicans mum on prison plans heading into key vote on moving projects forward
The GOP rejected Gov. Tony Evers’ $325 million budget proposal, but Republicans have yet to detail their own vision for fixing a broken system.