news Archives - Wisconsin Watch

People in raised bucket trucks work on utility poles and overhead power lines behind a chain-link fence, with snow on the ground and equipment vehicles parked nearby.

Data Centers Watch

Competition intensifies over who builds Wisconsin’s grid as data centers drive power demand

by Paul Kiefer / Wisconsin Watch March 24, 2026March 24, 2026 Why you can trust Wisconsin Watch

The Midwest’s grid operator reversed course on a key transmission project, marking a victory for Wisconsin’s largest transmission developer.

An aerial view of a large industrial complex next to a pond and surrounding construction areas at sunset, with orange light along the horizon under a cloudy sky.

Data Centers Watch, Economy, Environment

Local data center critics praise Microsoft’s pledge to stop using NDAs, but remain skeptical

by Tom Kertscher / Wisconsin Watch March 23, 2026March 23, 2026 Why you can trust Wisconsin Watch

Two people appear side by side; one stands with a hand on a chair in a dim room, while the other sits at a table in a wood-paneled room with a framed portrait behind

Two judges, two paths: Here’s what sets the Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates apart

by Brittany Carloni / Wisconsin Watch March 23, 2026March 23, 2026 Why you can trust Wisconsin Watch

A person speaks at a podium bearing a seal reading "Secretary of Transportation United States of America," raising one finger while addressing an audience.

Government, Money & Politics

Transportation lobbyists have donated thousands to Sean Duffy’s son-in-law as he runs for Congress

by Megan O'Matz / ProPublica March 22, 2026March 23, 2026 Why you can trust Wisconsin Watch

Community, Justice & Safety

A legacy reconsidered: Cesar Chavez allegations ripple across Milwaukee’s South Side

by Edgar Mendez / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and Jonathan Aguilar / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service / CatchLight Local March 20, 2026 Why you can trust Wisconsin Watch

Two rows of reclining chairs face each other in a room with medical equipment and a wall sign reading "Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin"

Health & Welfare

More people in Wisconsin are removing themselves from the organ donor registry; fewer are donating blood

by Chesnie Wardell / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service March 20, 2026 Why you can trust Wisconsin Watch

Two people stand in a workshop beside open electrical cabinets and wiring, with one person holding a tape measure, and tools and a ladder are nearby.

Data Centers Watch, Pathways to success

Here’s what the data center boom means for Wisconsin’s workforce

by Miranda Dunlap / Wisconsin Watch March 19, 2026March 23, 2026 Why you can trust Wisconsin Watch

People gather closely around cameras and microphones in a room while a person holds a notebook, pen and smartphone in the foreground.

Government, News about Wisconsin Watch

Let the sunshine in: How public records shape what Wisconsin knows

by Jim Malewitz / Wisconsin Watch March 18, 2026 Why you can trust Wisconsin Watch

Several people sit at wooden desks in a marble-columned room decorated with red, white and blue bunting.

Wisconsin Senate OKs $133 million package to combat ‘forever chemicals,’ sends bills to governor

by Todd Richmond / Associated Press March 17, 2026 Why you can trust Wisconsin Watch

A Capitol dome rises behind bare tree branches at dusk, with columns and a statue atop the dome silhouetted against a pale sky.

A loophole lets Wisconsin lawmakers delete public records

by Peter Cameron / The Badger Project and Gus Pirlot / The Badger Project March 17, 2026March 17, 2026 Why you can trust Wisconsin Watch

An aerial view shows a large construction site with cranes, heavy equipment and materials surrounded by snow-covered fields and intersecting roads.

Data Centers Watch, Economy

More than NDAs. Wisconsin communities face scrutiny over data center secrecy.

by Tom Kertscher / Wisconsin Watch March 16, 2026March 20, 2026 Why you can trust Wisconsin Watch

Several ice fishing shanties dot a frozen lake, with trucks and vehicles parked on the ice nearby and a wooded shoreline in the distance.

A Wisconsin whitefish refuge offers lessons for Michigan. But will it last?

by Kelly House / Bridge Michigan March 14, 2026March 15, 2026 Why you can trust Wisconsin Watch