Wisconsin became the 36th state to limit cellphones and other electronic devices in school when Gov. Tony Evers signed a bill requiring districts to prohibit phone use during class time.
Posted inbasic needs
Judges order Trump administration to use emergency reserves for SNAP payments during the shutdown
Two rulings came a day before the payments were due to be halted. SNAP is used by 1 in 8 Americans to buy groceries and is a major piece of the nation’s social safety net.
Posted inForward, Government
Wisconsin’s redistricting fight isn’t over, but will new maps be drawn in time for 2026 election?
Attorneys who filed redistricting lawsuits are staring down a short window before nomination papers are due in June.
Posted inForward, Government
New Madison clerk typifies movement to professionalize election administration
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
UPDATE: Trump administration says it will partially fund food benefits after court orders
The Trump administration agreed to tap contingency funds to distribute aid after funding lapsed at the start of November.
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%.