After eight years fostering 10 children, McKenna and Celia Olson have closed their foster care license — and begun a new chapter. The Milwaukee couple adopted four children, all of whom have been with them since birth. Read more from @milwaukeenns.org wisconsinwatch.org/2026/09/a-ne...

After bouncing between jobs, Conner Scott says he finally found a workplace where he wants to stay until retirement. The difference, he writes in this guest opinion, is employee ownership. Read more: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/09/gues...

The family of a Milwaukee man falsely accused of threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump plans to sue the Department of Homeland Security for $5.5 million. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/09/fami...

As Wisconsin’s prison population soars to new records, GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany backs expanding prison capacity. Democratic candidate David Crowley favors reducing prison time for nonviolent offenders and investing in rehabilitation. Read more: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/09/repu...

A Milwaukee County judge has tossed out a trespassing citation a Shorewood man received last year for walking past a public beach along Lake Michigan’s shoreline, saying the action was protected by the public trust doctrine. Read more from WPR: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/09/milw...

Wisconsin has one of the nation’s worst Black infant mortality rates, with nearly 850 Black infants dying statewide between 2015 and 2024. Improving outcomes means supporting families before, during and beyond pregnancy, experts say. More from @captimes.com: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/09/wisc...

Milwaukee police say new safeguards for automatic license plate readers will apply to all three systems the department uses — Flock, Genetec & Axon. That follows Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s announcement of restrictions intended to prevent misuse and protect privacy: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/09/new-...

A UW-Madison police officer was reprimanded for how he communicated with students about potential underage-drinking bar checks. The internal investigation included no student interviews, despite earlier concerns raised with Greek life officials. Read more: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/09/wisc...

Bryn Schraven thinks we need to talk about death more — and plan for it. That’s why they started Silver Glass Deathcare to help others through the experience of loss. They’re part of a movement of ‘death doulas’ across the country. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/09/wisc...

Court records are public. So why can’t people use their phones to copy them? Dane County lets people inspect records for free but charges $1.25 per page for staff-made copies. Bill Lueders argues self-scanning would reduce barriers to access. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/09/wisc...

About 200,000 Wisconsinites will have to prove they work to receive Medicaid coverage next year. But states like Nebraska and Montana began federal work requirements months ago. How their process is going could provide key lessons for states like Wisconsin. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/09/wisc...

ICE arrests in Wisconsin reached a new peak in June, with 220 arrests — up from 119 the month before. We traced more than 2,100 arrests since President Trump returned to office, along with the detentions and deportations that followed. Explore the data: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/09/ice-...

Gov. Tony Evers high-fives kindergarten students at Stoner Prairie Elementary School in Fitchburg after the first day of school. Evers visited four schools on his final first day of school as governor. “I’m gonna miss it,” he said.

Nearly 9 in 10 Wrightstown residents said “Yeah, no” to AI data centers on Aug. 11. Juliana Keeping argues the village "just wrote the playbook" for communities confronted by data centers — and that lawmakers should pay attention. Read her guest opinion: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/wisc...

The state Supreme Court begins oral arguments in September under a 5-2 liberal majority. The term could feature politically charged cases, including those challenging congressional maps and seeking to restore collective bargaining rights for many public unions. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/wisc...

Does Milwaukee County have the highest sales tax in Wisconsin? You betcha. Read more in our latest Fact Brief. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/milw... #Wisconsin #Milwaukee #taxes #affordability

Sheboygan officials have covered the city’s 15 Flock Safety cameras in plastic and could soon end the police department’s contract with the license plate reader company. More from WPR: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/wisc...

Wisconsin’s prison population broke records this week with 23,854 behind bars. It’s a new milestone for a system that has been thousands of people over capacity for decades. Read more: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/wisc... #Wisconsin #WisconsinNews #Prisons #CriminalJustice

You may have seen viral posts about stalled efforts to ban child marriage in Wisconsin. Here’s a closer look at the facts. Republicans haven’t voted against legislation to ban child marriage in the state. But that’s because Republican leaders in the Legislature haven’t brought the bills to a vote.

🧵 A Wisconsin Rapids data center proposal is drawing more than the usual scrutiny about water and electricity use, noise and pollution. Residents are questioning the developers’ business backgrounds and Russian connections. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/wisc...

An eyewitness says Milwaukee County Jail officials ignored repeated pleas for help before a 45-year-old man died in custody last week. The death is at least the 10th in Sheriff’s Office custody since June 2022. More from @Milwaukeennns.org: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/milw...

Wisconsin could receive up to $313 million from the 47-state Meta settlement. AG Josh Kaul says the money could support school mental health grants, youth crisis intervention, after-school programs, digital wellness instruction and medical provider training. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/wisc...

What do you want Wisconsin’s candidates to answer before Election Day? Wisconsin Watch reporters are preparing to question candidates about the issues that matter most to voters — and we want to hear from you. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/wisc...

Could Wisconsin ratepayers help foot the bill for $500M+ in upgrades tied to Microsoft’s Mount Pleasant data center? Microsoft and advocates say ATC’s plan leaves gaps. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/wisc...

1/ Elon Musk won’t face criminal charges for promising $1 million checks to Wisconsin voters during the 2025 state Supreme Court election. The Wisconsin Elections Commission previously found that Musk likely broke state law.🧵 wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/wisc...

💵 $4K rent? $7 gas? Pricier than NYC? TikTok and Instagram creators are making outlandish claims about Wisconsin’s cost of living — sometimes using fake names or posing as locals. The videos highlight a growing trend: undisclosed paid political content. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/wisc...

How should families make sense of shifting federal guidance on vaccination as measles cases surge? Rob Gundermann of the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging & Health Groups encourages families and state leaders to follow the evidence — and trusted medical expertise. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/wisc...

1/ Wildfire smoke blanketed Wisconsin again this summer, intensifying long-running air pollution concerns in Rock County — where asthma-related hospitalizations were 39% above the statewide average from 2022 to 2024. Emergency visits were 23% higher. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/wisc...

Ten years after the Sherman Park unrest, the Sherman Phoenix Marketplace in Milwaukee stands as a reminder of how the neighborhood chose to rebuild. The marketplace has helped dozens of small businesses grow while becoming a gathering place for the community. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/milw...

Most of the 29 people killed in ATV/UTV crashes so far had never completed an off-highway vehicle safety course, according to Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources data. Read more from WPR: wisconsinwatch.org?p=1320000