Lake Effect Spotlight

The first land transfer between a Catholic organization and a Native American tribe took place in Wisconsin in October. The La Crosse-based Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration transferred land that housed their Marywood Spirituality Center to the Lac du Flambeau Tribe.   The transfer grew from conversations about the sisters’ role in Native American boarding schools. Those schools were used...

When you sell a home, the profit you make is taxed. It’s called the capital gains tax. You can exclude a portion of that profit from taxes – up to $250,000 for a single person or $500,000 for a married couple. Some housing experts and politicians think changing the capital gains tax on home sales could motivate more homeowners to sell, and open up homes amid a national housing shortage.  WUWM’s se...

Status Pending is a new podcast from WUWM about the pathways that immigrants take to live and work in the U.S.   In this week’s episode, WUWM’s Jimmy Gutierrez explores the refugee resettlement program – which has changed dramatically this year under President Trump. 

With the holidays around the corner, many Wisconsinites are purchasing a Christmas tree. But fewer trees are being grown. Statewide, Christmas tree harvests have dipped 60% in the last 20 years. This rate of decline in Wisconsin is about double the national average.  Possible reasons include the popularity of artificial trees , a dip in production after the Great Recession, and weather-related set...

This holiday season, many of us are looking for things to do with the family -- including trying out new restaurants. And if you’re looking for a great new place to try, Lori Fredrich has you covered.   Fredrich is the dining editor for On Milwaukee, and she regularly joins us to talk about new Milwaukee-area restaurants and reminisce about old favorites that have recently closed. She joins Lake E...

It’s difficult for many people to buy a home in Milwaukee, even if they have a stable job. WUWM is examining the systemic problems that contribute to this challenge – and some potential solutions – in our series called “Seeking Solutions: Keys to Homeownership.”  Today, we look at how redlining has created barriers to homeownership for people of color. Redlining was a discriminatory practice that...

On Wednesday morning, Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge Hannah Dugan will have her last hearing before her case potentially goes to trial. Dugan is accused of helping a defendant in her courtroom to evade immigration enforcement officers. The case against Dugan has become a flashpoint in President Donald Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown.  Federal prosecutors have said they’re offering Dug...

Despite community pushback, the Milwaukee Police Department has been considering expanding its use of facial recognition technology. Milwaukee’s Equal Rights Commission and the majority of the Milwaukee Common Council have come out in opposition to the use of facial recognition - citing concerns over misidentification, particularly of people of color.   Others, like Emilio De Torre from the Milwau...

Where are all of the city's street signs? WUWM's Jimmy Gutierrez finds out for Bubbler Talk.

Seeing a production of the Nutcracker is a holiday tradition for many Wisconsinites. For fans of the classical ballet – there's an opportunity to not just watch a performance of the Nutcracker but actually immerse yourself in the story.  You can do it on a visit to the Paine Art Center and Gardens in Oshkosh. That’s where we’re headed for this month’s Wandering Wisconsin. Lake Effect’s Becky Morte...

A massive data center campus is being constructed in Port Washington. Elected officials there say the project will be a boon for the community, but not all residents are on board. Some are concerned about the environmental impact, their bills and quality of life. WUWM has been exploring this data center debate, and today we look at buildings.  Vantage Data Centers is the company building this camp...

The rates of depression, anxiety and PTSD are higher among physicians compared to the general population. Unfortunately, this problem is not improving, as at least one physician in the U.S. dies by suicide every day. Despite the proven effectiveness of treating mental health conditions, most physicians don’t seek help. So why does this treatment gap exist - and what barriers are preventing it from...

For decades, racially restrictive covenants were a common part of deeds for Milwaukee-area homes. These were clauses that typically restricted properties from being sold to non-white people. Although these covenants have been illegal since the Fair Housing Act was passed in 1968 - their legacy remains in the high segregation we see throughout the Milwaukee-area.   An ongoing project headed by UW-M...

College instructors are facing quieter classrooms: few questions, little debate between students, not much feedback. Educators place some blame on the pandemic and virtual learning. Others point to social media. This class of college freshmen were born around 2006. So it’s safe to say they’ve seen their fair share of people fighting online.  Dr. Amelia Zurcher is trying to correct that. She launch...

For more than a century, an invasive species has been literally sucking the life out of the Great Lakes. They’re known as sea lampreys. After nearly decimating commercial fishing operations in the early 20th Century, a management program was created to keep the lampreys at bay.   It’s been successful: the number of sea lampreys has been reduced by 90% since the program first began. But the work ha...

Some local officials are calling to defund it. Others want to expand it. But they’re running into trouble doing that because of a 2023 state legislative package.  WUWM’s Maayan Silver jumped on the Hop with Jeremy Jannene, president of Urban Milwaukee, to learn how the Hop is funded and what’s on the table for the future. 

Wisconsin’s FoodShare is funded by SNAP, which was frozen November 1st, because of the longest federal government shutdown in history. Three federal judges have ordered funding to be restored, at least in part.   That led to Wisconsin and some other states issuing November FoodShare benefits. But the Trump administration says states shouldn't have done that. College students are among FoodShare us...

The gales of November are upon us. On this day fifty years ago, the cargo vessel SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior amidst an intense storm. All 29 crew members on board were lost. The sinking of the Fitzgerald remains one of the most mysterious and controversial shipwrecks of the Great Lakes. Decades later, the Gordon Lightfoot ballad continues to garner public interest in the shipwreck n...

Millions of Americans and thousands of people in Wisconsin are struggling to get food. Because of the federal government shutdown, funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP has run out. Two federal judges ordered the Trump Administration to use emergency funds to pay for the program. But SNAP beneficiaries will get half of the usual benefits and its unclear how long those funds...

This month’s issue of Milwaukee Magazine features the five winners of its 2025 Betty Awards. The awards honor extraordinary women doing remarkable work in Milwaukee. One of the recipients is Linda Edelstein, the CEO of the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra – or MYSO. She’s played instruments since her childhood and had an extensive career in music education and performance.   Edelstein has led MY...

Back in September, Lake Effect reported on the sudden cancellation of federal funding for MKE Roots. The program trains Milwaukee-area teachers on how to make social studies relevant to students by connecting them to local history.   Last month, MKE Roots was notified that it would again receive federal funding. But the money came with the stipulation that the program focus on commemorating the si...

A new state historical marker in Milwaukee honors the city’s Chinese Laundry Era. Beginning in the late 1800s, for over a century, Chinese immigrants owned dozens of laundries to provide for their families. The historical marker sits outside the YWCA on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. That’s where one of the last businesses, Fred Moy Laundry, operated from 1940 to 1976.  A short film, by Beijing...

The federal government shutdown has now stretched on for more than a month and money for some vital services is not being distributed. In Milwaukee County, 125-thousand children benefitted from food assistance at some point last year.   Two Head Start childcare programs in our state are now poised to close their doors this month due to the shutdown. Jennie Mauer is the executive director of Wiscon...

The average price of a home in Milwaukee County rose about 8-percent since last year . Even with a stable job, buying a home feels out of reach for many.  But why is housing so expensive and what can be done about it? WUWM’s series Seeking Solutions: Keys to Homeownership digs into systemic housing problems in Milwaukee and sheds light on solutions.  One emerging solution is the Milwaukee Communit...

Alice’s Garden Urban Farm has been growing on Milwaukee's northside for over 50 years. It’s built on land that marks the beginning of Wisconsin's underground railroad and named after Milwaukee’s first Black executive director of Milwaukee county extension. The farm is rooted in local Black culture and history.   WUWM’s Eric Von Fellow Maria Peralta-Arellano visited Alice’s Garden to speak with its...