Lake Effect Spotlight

Beyond Our Senses is a new nature documentary that gives you a bird’s-eye view of the world of Bank Swallows. The 30-minute film follows thousands of Bank Swallows as they migrate to Lake Michigan’s bluffs in the spring. It explores how the small birds navigate the breeding season with their unique vision and flight abilities.   David Busse is the director behind the film and a Milwaukee native. H...

Nicholas Hune-Brown is an editor at a nonprofit online magazine called The Local. It covers health and social issues in Toronto, Canada. Nick has shared how, as an editor, he loves to give new writers a platform. But everything changed when he received a suspicious pitch from a writer named Victoria Goldiee.    As Nick took a closer look, it turns out the writer wasn’t who she seemed. Nick joins L...

From our 'AI in the workplace' episode on Tuesday: we look at how artificial intelligence is impacting education. WUWM education reporter Katherine Kokal takes us on a trip to Ronald Reagan High School on the city’s far south side.  

For the past 13 years, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been synonymous with the Bucks and the city of Milwaukee. Sadly, last week, he was traded. But even though the Giannis era has come to an end, his impact on the city won’t be forgotten.  WUWM’s Jimmy Gutierrez shares this essay about the global superstar who put Milwaukee back on the map. 

We look at the tenure of Milwaukee’s last Socialist mayor, Frank Zeidler, and his aggressive campaign to expand the size of the city. We also explore what socialism looks like in Milwaukee today.

Milwaukee Mayor Daniel Hoan became the longest-serving socialist mayor in U.S. history, and redefined life in the city by creating parks, publicly-funded housing and the first modern sewage treatment facility. But it was a tumultuous time for the socialists, who faced local and global pressure over their ideology. 

Milwaukee is known for its deep ties to Socialism. It was the first city to elect a Socialist mayor and was the first place to elect a Socialist to Congress. But their rise to power was rocky and their status as a third party often made progress an uphill battle.   We’re exploring the accomplishments of the Milwaukee's three Socialist mayors, where we see their legacy today, and how the party has...

The legacy of the Milwaukee Socialists looms large in the city. But the rise of the Social Democratic Party was anything but inevitable. It was a struggle against monied interests, powerful political parties, and a fight for the rights of those whose labor had made others rich.

Milwaukee is known for its summer festivals but none is as anticipated as the Big Gig. Crowds will flock to the lakefront as Summerfest gets underway tomorrow.  To help you plan your first weekend of Summerfest, our friends at Radio Milwaukee are here to share their recommendations. They’ll be joining us throughout the run of the festival to talk about the music and what sets Summerfest apart from...

June 19th, or Juneteenth, commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas learned they had been freed from bondage. It was two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.  Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, and a city of Milwaukee holiday one year later.  But Milwaukee has been celebrating Juneteenth for much longer -- 55 years. It’s thanks, in la...

American Science & Surplus is a Milwaukee staple for many science enthusiasts and DIYers. While its online store has closed, its brick-and-mortar locations in Milwaukee and Illinois, remain open under new employee ownership.  The previous owner, Pat Meyer, started a GoFundMe last year to try and keep the stores open. But when efforts failed to reduce inventory and relocate its warehouse, Meyer...

Recent reporting from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel looked into Walgreens leases throughout the city.   The reporting found that leases contain terms that restrict pharmacies and other businesses from moving into the stores – even if it has closed. And those leases can last for decades – so long as the company continues to pay rent.   One of the closed down Walgreens locations on North King Drive...

If you’re a frequent listener to WUWM, chances are you’re familiar with the voice of Paula Poundstone. She’s a regular panelist on NPR’s Wait! Wait!...Don’t Tell Me , and also hosts the podcast, “Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone."  Poundstone’s career spans stand-up comedy, radio and voice acting. She’ll be performing her stand-up in Lake Geneva this weekend. Lake Effect’s Audrey Noawkowski talk...

As the midterms approach both Republicans and Democrats are trying to court prospective voters. But a new book by Glendale Mayor Bryan Kennedy argues that both parties have become disconnected from the communities they hope to represent.  His book called It’s All Local explores how independent political candidates have attempted to redirect politics in favor of what voters need, and how political...

Earlier this month the Wisconsin Humane Society welcomed the first beagles rescued from Ridglan Farms. That’s a dog breeding facility in Blue Mound, Wisconsin that gained national attention after activists broke in. So far, the WHS has taken in 132 beagles from the rescue, which is one of the largest efforts for them in the last decade.      Most of these dogs have gone to foster homes since they’...

You may have heard that one of Milwaukee’s largest landlords is in big legal trouble.  David Tomblin, founder of Highgrove Holdings Management LLC, owns over 200 rental properties in Milwaukee. But lawsuits brought by the city and major lenders could ultimately take those properties away.  These lawsuits are not the beginning of this story. They follow a years-long campaign by Common Ground, a non...

In part one, we learned about David Tomblin, who owns over 200 rental properties in Milwaukee. But lawsuits brought by the city and major lenders could ultimately take those properties away.  These lawsuits follow a long campaign by Common Ground, a nonpartisan advocacy organization, that united Tomblin’s tenants against him. Today, we look at how Common Ground organized Tomblin’s tenants, and how...

In parts one and two, we learned about out-of-state landlord David Tomblin. He owns over 200 rental properties in Milwaukee and is fighting lawsuits that threaten to cut him off from rental income. We also learned about how his tenants united against him, and the city’s case for declaring his business model a public nuisance.  Today, we examine how the city has tried similar strategies for dealing...

If you’re trying to live a more plastic-free life, Milwaukee’s new “refillery” might be for you. At ECO MKE Refillery, you can bring in a reusable container, like a mason jar or glass jug, and buy refills of dish soap, detergent, body wash and more.   Kayla Bouma is the owner and founder of ECO MKE. She says her new brick-and-mortar in the Third Ward also sells sustainable home goods like bamboo u...

Earlier this spring, conservationists marked the return of sturgeon to the Milwaukee River for the first time in more than one hundred years. This past weekend, people gathered to celebrate that return and acknowledge the significance of the restoration for the Indigenous community.  A traditional game of lacrosse was held at Kletzsch Park – one of the most important sturgeon restoration sites. Th...

An eviction can follow a person for years. Even if the case is dismissed or if the renter was not at fault – experts say it can have a long-lasting impact.   A record of eviction can prevent someone from finding stable housing and deepen barriers to ever becoming a homeowner.  WUWM Eric Von Fellow Maria Peralta-Arellano explores a possible way to remove that blemish from someone’s record...as part...

Last month, Milwaukee’s Common Council passed a curfew for food trucks operating downtown.   Alderman Robert Bauman says a 10 P-M closing time will curb violence and loitering, especially around Water Street. The curfew would affect a two-square mile area encompassing downtown.    One food truck owner has filed a lawsuit against the city, and a judge has put the curfew on pause at least until June...

When you think of maritime music, you might imagine pirates or sailors exploring the ocean on an old, masted ship.   But what if I told you the Maritime Music Directory International is not based in a sea-faring, fishing village - but on the shores of Lake Michigan, in Racine, Wisconsin?   That’s where founder Dean Calin manages the directory of international musicians and festivals with a singula...

Tom Oberhaus is the co-operator of Cozy Nook Farm in Waukesha County. Cozy Nook is primarily a dairy farm, and it supplements its business with seasonal pumpkin and Christmas tree sales.  When Lake Effect’s Sam Woods spoke with Oberhaus in January, Christmas tree sales were down, and the farm was planning for 2026. Sam checked back in with Oberhaus to see how things are going on the farm ahead of...

Since the dawn of the internet, online spaces have been rapidly changing and eating up more of our time. Social media and attention-driven apps are shaping how young people think and feel and how they learn.  A new documentary, “Your Attention Please,” highlights the real-world consequences of social media and how it reshapes all of us. It also shows how a new generation of parents and teens are f...