Tessera

Memorials and an encampment have transformed the intersection of Williamson and Baldwin streets into a space for mourning and protest after a Madison police officer fatally shot Corey Ruiz on July 22. A rainy-day look at what some have renamed "Corey Street."

What questions matter most to people? That's where our reporting starts. Here's how we're listening to residents, identifying information gaps and building journalism around the issues communities say matter most. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/nort...

How our journalists are filling information gaps in northeast Wisconsin

Residents say they value local news, according to the Local News Landscape Study, but pointed to areas where they feel uninformed.

Manufacturers are regaining momentum after years of decline, Scott Mayer argues in a guest opinion. Sustaining the comeback will require investing in technical education, apprenticeships and workforce development to address persistent labor shortages. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/wisc...

Guest opinion: Manufacturing’s comeback depends on Wisconsin’s workforce
The manufacturing sector is growing again, but sustaining momentum will require investing in skilled workers, technical education and apprenticeship programs, Scott Mayer writes.

Wisconsin Watch @wisconsinwatch.org · 5d ago

The fatal police shooting of Corey Ruiz has sparked protests, investigations and political debate across Wisconsin. As we continue our reporting, we've gathered essential coverage from Wisconsin Watch and partners across the state to help you catch up. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/08/wisc...

The Corey Ruiz shooting: essential reading
Investigations, protests and political debate continue after Madison police fatally shot Corey Ruiz. Read our guide to reporting that explains what happened, what’s next and why it matters.

A federal appeals court has cleared the way for some immigrants in ICE custody in Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana to seek bond hearings. The case concerned Jaciel Cirrus Rojas, who was apprehended in Racine during a search for someone else. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/wisc...

Wisconsin Watch @wisconsinwatch.org · 5d ago

Wisconsinites have a lot to say — and we're making room for more of those voices. Since January, we've published guest commentaries from a range of perspectives. Read a few recent columns and learn how to submit your own: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/wisc...

The WisConversation so far: Hear from your neighbors

Read opinions on criminal justice, health care and more — and learn how to join the WisConversation.

A group in Oshkosh saw an opportunity to build community...and nailed it. 🪚🔨 The Oshkosh Tool Library lets residents borrow everything from hand trucks to power tools for free — helping neighbors help neighbors. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/wisc...

Oshkosh Tool Library helps neighbors build together
Residents of Winnebago, Outagamie and Fond du Lac counties can join the tool library and check out equipment free of charge. The organization has seen a steady increase in loans since it opened in September 2025.

Top: A person points to a handwritten sign reading "Free use materials" above drawers and containers filled with hardware and fasteners.

Bottom: A person wearing a shirt that reads "OSAKA NIPPON47" smiles while standing in a workshop with workbenches, woodworking machines and a red tool chest.

Despite Oracle’s ongoing legal fight over Wisconsin’s new credit rating requirements for large data center operators, We Energies says the planned Port Washington campus remains on schedule. Read more from Paul Kiefer: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/wisc...

We Energies says Oracle dispute won’t derail Port Washington data center The utility told investors the project remains on schedule despite the tech giant’s legal challenge to Wisconsin’s new credit rating requirements for large data center operators.

Filing for unemployment in Wisconsin can be more complicated than many people expect. A labor and employment attorney shares some of the most common mistakes that can delay your benefits—or even jeopardize your claim—and how to avoid them. Read more: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/wisc...

Filing for unemployment in Wisconsin is tricky. Keep these tips in mind.
Many things that can derail your unemployment claim and even open you up to legal trouble. A labor attorney walked us through some of the common mistakes and how to avoid them.

Wisconsin Watch @wisconsinwatch.org · 7d ago

As early voting begins, a Marquette Law School poll shows state Rep. Francesca Hong widening her lead in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, with support among likely primary voters rising from 26% to 38%. Read more: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/wisc...

With less than two weeks to go, key indicators point to a Hong-Tiffany matchup for Wisconsin governor
A second Marquette Poll this month shows Hong building momentum in the closing weeks of the campaign for Democratic nominee.

An EF3 tornado tore through Appleton, Menasha and Neenah on Monday, leaving thousands without power and many recovering from devastating losses. Volunteers and business owners have stepped up to clear debris, distribute food and water and more. Read more: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/volu...

Volunteers mobilize across Fox Cities after tornado
Community members and business owners have stepped up to help survivors in any way they can.

A damaged house and collapsed garage sit beside a driveway strewn with debris. Broken trees and scattered building materials fill the surrounding yard.

A mean stands in front of a house and next to a table with a Milwaukee Bucks hat, charging phones and a sign that says "charge your phones."

A person wearing a shirt reading "Operation BBQ Relief" stands under a canopy beside food supplies, boxes, and a large cooler outside a building.

A Wisconsin appeals court has overturned a ruling that found Act 10 unconstitutional, leaving the landmark 2011 law in place as the legal fight continues. Read more from AP: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/wisc...

Wisconsin appeals court overturns ruling that had restored collective bargaining power. It’s a setback to unions and public workers. Unions are expected to appeal, likely sending the case to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Yes, the Milwaukee I-94 construction project is expected to take eight years. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/is-t...

Fact Brief
Is the Milwaukee I-94 construction project expected to take eight years?

Construction began on the I-94 East-West corridor in late 2025, meaning eight years will pass before utility and roadway construction are estimated to end in 2033.
Parts of the roughly $1.7 billion project will be completed earlier than 2033.

The Stadium Interchange reconstruction will take about four years, for example.

Whether an immigrant in ICE custody gets a chance to seek release on bond can depend on which federal judge hears the case. We examined how the Trump administration's mandatory detention policy has divided federal judges in Wisconsin: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/cour...

Wisconsin judges are split over Trump’s ICE detention policy

Where an immigrant’s case lands can determine whether they get a chance to seek release on bond.

📬 If you're voting by mail in Wisconsin this fall, don't wait until the last minute. State election officials are urging voters to return absentee ballots as early as possible, citing the potential for mail delivery delays ahead of the 2026 midterms. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/wisc...

Amid USPS delays, Wisconsin officials tell voters to mail their ballots ASAP as voters sue for more options Officials are encouraging voters to mail back absentee ballots as soon as possible or return them some other way.

Yaay Aden Yang was looking forward to graduating high school. Then his father was deported to Laos. Now he's preparing for college while helping care for his four younger brothers and supporting his mom. Read more from our partners at @sahanjournal.bsky.social: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/minn...

Madison is one of Wisconsin's largest police departments — and one of the few that still doesn't use body-worn cameras department-wide. After the fatal police shooting of Corey Ruiz, city leaders are revisiting the issue. Read more from our friends at WPR: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/madi...

Madison revisits police body cameras after years of debate

After years of stalled proposals, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway is backing a plan to equip the Madison Police Department with body-worn cameras following the fatal police shooting of Corey Ruiz.

Although the Milwaukee Police Dept. has acquired Flock technology "under the pretext of solving crime," Nickolas X. Doherty writes, "it indiscriminately monitors all Milwaukee residents’ whereabouts and online activities, and that does not make Milwaukee safer." wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/milw...

Guest opinion: We must oppose and ban the use of Flock technology

Nickolas X. Doherty contends that mass surveillance technology used by Milwaukee police and other law enforcement entities is dangerous to the community.

wisconsinwatch.org

About 500 before- and after-school programs across Wisconsin are losing child care stabilization funding, including roughly 90 at Milwaukee Public Schools. Leaders say the cuts could reduce enrichment opportunities, strain staffing and impact families. More: wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/wisc...

After-school programs lose thousands each month as child care stabilization funding ends
More than 500 before- and after-school programs statewide are losing monthly payments.

Wisconsin's Democratic primary for governor is entering its final stretch. With early voting starting Tuesday, five Democrats are making their final pitch to voters. Brittany Carloni caught up with each on the campaign trail. wisconsinwatch.org/2026/07/wisc... #wipolitics

Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor has changed a lot since January. Here’s the latest.
Wisconsin Watch checked in with the five remaining candidates as they made their pitch to voters across the state