Lake Effect Spotlight

You don’t have to fly to Italy to see Olympic-level skiers. They’re coming to Wisconsin this weekend.  As the largest ski marathon in North America, the American Birkebeiner promises to attract over 10,000 people to Hayward Wisconsin for a celebration of cross country skiing. Starting tomorrow and running through Sunday, there are several races for kids, dogs, and yes, Olympic-level skiers. But th...

The library is more than just books, and our Books and Beyond series with Milwaukee Public Library showcases just that. We share resources, book recommendations, and some cool stuff you might not know about. For this edition of Books and Beyond, we’re learning about an early literacy program called ABC Academy offered at the Central Library Branch.  This program hopes to help fill Milwaukee’s lite...

Milwaukee native Malik Johnson is a grammy-nominated cellist, composer and music producer. He recently added the title of Artist in Residence at Milwaukee’s Betty Brinn Children’s Museum.   Johnson became the museum’s first artist-in-residence last year and returns to the role this year to continue connecting with children and families through music. He spoke with Lake Effect’s Xcaret Nuñez about...

'Group Chat' is when we hand over the mic to community members and let them share their stories and experiences.  This Group Chat is all about falling in love. And while that might conjure up images of young couples making wrinkle-less eyes at each – this conversation is about loving later in life. As people get older, they can lose their friends, family and partners. But some seniors still want t...

Data centers serve as the foundation of the internet. With tech companies like Microsoft investing billions of dollars in artificial intelligence, even larger data centers are being built and proposed around world.  In Wisconsin, projects like the Vantage data center in Port Washington have stirred controversy. In Mount Pleasant, Microsoft is building what it calls “the most advanced data center i...

There are many ways to observe and celebrate Black History Month, including a trip to the movie theater. Milwaukee Film curated a month-long lineup to recognize Black History Month.  Ty Williams is the Black Lens Programmer for Milwaukee Film, and he handpicked a variety of films you can see on the big screen that reflect Black icons in fiction. They’re all a part of the series “Afrofuturism: Fate...

In case you missed it, Bad Bunny put on a halftime show that doubled as a love letter to Puerto Rico during last weekend’s Super Bowl. Here in Milwaukee, Puerto Rican businesses have been taking inspiration from the artist’s ascent to the big stage.   Last month, West Allis coffee shop Aroma Cafe began serving Bad Bunny lattes. The drink is inspired by coquito , the coconut cocktail usually made w...

In this special episode of Lake Effect Spotlight, we bring you a recent episode of Uniquely Milwaukee from our public radio friends at Radio Milwaukee.

In this week's Bubbler Talk, we investigate how the oldest building in the western hemisphere journeyed from medieval France to modern Milwaukee.

Wisconsin’s population grew by 3.6% in the last census - but that data also shed light on another reality: the state’s youth population is continuing to decline. It’s been a trend that’s played out slowly over the last two decades, but now that trend is accelerating - especially here in Milwaukee.   John Johnson is a research fellow at the Marquette Law School Lubar Center and he recently publishe...

Companies around the nation are waiting on the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the legality of President Donald Trump’s tariff war. The president has been using tariffs as both a threat and punishment against nations that he believes have slighted him and the U.S.    The implementation of these tariffs has been haphazard, leaving many businesses unsure about how to handle them. That’s been especiall...

According to Point-in-Time data, Milwaukee has been uniquely successful in preventing homelessness. Whereas rates of homelessness have increased nationwide over the last decade, they’ve declined in Milwaukee.  Krystina Kohler is the impact manager for the Safe and Stable Homes Initiative at United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County. United Way is the lead agency applying for federal fund...

Shorewood resident Paul Florsheim was ticketed for trespassing for walking along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Florsheim was walking north of the public Atwater Beach where residential homes meet the shore.  Florsheim took the case to court, arguing it’s everyone’s right under Wisconsin’s public trust doctrine to walk along the lakeshore. But last week a municipal judge found Florsheim guilty. He p...

When it comes to the housing challenges in Milwaukee, a lot of it comes down to cost. People may want to buy but can’t afford to. WUWM is examining systemic housing problems – and solutions – for more affordable housing.  Today, we’re looking into community organizations that are creating their own paths to homeownership. And hearing from people who’ve been waiting their whole lives for a home to...

Dee Anderson was a pastor at West Granville Presbyterian Church for forty years. He retired in 2025, but for years he helped oversee the resettlement of international teachers coming to teach in Milwaukee Public Schools.    You heard from two of those teachers in a previous Status Pending episode - Chigozie Okonkwo and Chioma Mba, from Nigeria. They’re part of Dee’s congregation, and that’s how WU...

Milwaukee Public Schools recently approved Annie Kubes as the new senior director of Milwaukee Recreation.  Milwaukee Rec runs hundreds of programs in the city – from afterschool care to youth sports and cooking classes.    Kubes has worked for the department since she was sixteen years old. Throughout her career, she’s overseen various Milwaukee Rec programs — from Special Olympics to driver educ...

One of the country’s most fundamental environmental laws is under threat. President Trump is rolling back the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA. NEPA requires federal agencies to consider a project’s potential environmental impacts before deciding whether to approve it. The Trump administration says scaling back NEPA would bring infrastructure and energy projects to life without unnecessa...

For weeks, Minnesota has been targeted by an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign. Federal immigration agents have surged through the Twin Cities, going door-to-door, arresting immigrants, and U.S. citizens alike. One woman, Renee Nicole Good, was killed by an ICE agent. So, how do you report on something like this?  Katelyn Vue is an immigration reporter at the Sahan Journal, an outlet in...

A bitter cold snap is gripping southeast Wisconsin. Many of us are under an extreme cold warning or watch with temperatures creeping into the negative teens. Weather-related emergencies can happen at any time. That’s why it’s especially important to be prepared.  Katie Rousonelos is the public information officer with Wisconsin Emergency Management. She joins Lake Effect ’s Sam Woods to share how...

We now have a snapshot of the health and well-being of Milwaukee residents.  The Milwaukee Health Department has released its 2025 Community Health Assessment, the first since 2022 when the pandemic was still looming large as a public health concern. This new report finds that violence, drug abuse and housing all play a role in whether we can live healthy lives.   Ali Tahler-Reed and Dominique Hya...

Milwaukee Public School leaders learned last week that the state was releasing the final portion of money it withheld in 2024. The money has been held up after the district missed financial reporting deadlines. The financial woes led to the resignation of former Superintendent Keith Posely.  Now, Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction has released eight million dollars to the district after...

This month, WUWM has been looking at ways that schools are addressing low literacy rates among Milwaukee children. But what about our city’s adults?  One in four adults in Milwaukee reads at or below a third grade level. Thousands of adults have sought help through free programs offered by Literacy Services of Wisconsin. WUWM education reporter Katherine Kokal met with Literacy Services executive...

The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games are coming up in February. Athletes from across the globe will be performing together on the highest platform their sport can reach. It’s an exciting time not just for the athletes who have trained incredibly hard to qualify, but for all of us watching from home.  In this Winter Olympic Games we have a fellow Wisconsinite to cheer on – Staff Sargent Dee...

Every year, Woodland Pattern selects a Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate through a competition. Last summer, the local non-profit crowned Angela Wang with the literary honor. She's a senior at the University School of Milwaukee and wraps up her service this upcoming May.   As Youth Poet Laureate, Wang shares her poetry across the city and helps guide other young poets through writing workshops. Lake E...

Starting this week, some bus riders across Milwaukee County will need to wait longer for their rides. Especially on the weekends. That’s because the Milwaukee County Transit System reduced service to some routes to help deal with a multimillion dollar budget deficit.     Regular fares also went up by 75 cents at the beginning of this year. To learn more about the changes, WUWM education reporter K...