Mornings with Pat Kreitlow

Is Big Oil about to go the way of Big Tobacco and face an overdue courtroom reckoning for its role in putting our climate and human health in danger? If so, there’s no shortage of courtrooms where that might happen. Former US Attorney Jim Santelle joins Melissa Baldauff in this week’s Climate Check to discuss a World Court ruling as well as landmark lawsuits making progress recently in Hawaii, New...

We’ll talk to a guest from Chippewa Falls, the school district business manager, about the problems being faced in communities with declining school enrollment. Whether because of demographics or (increasingly) the threat from taxpayer-funded private school vouchers, each kid who leaves means state aid goes down a little. But expenses don’t. The lights still go on and the school bus gets fueled wh...

Today Medicare and Medicaid turn 60 years old. It should be a cause for celebration, for the untold number of lives made better through healthcare security for the retired, the disabled, and other at-risk populations. Instead, those recipients are being called lazy, told to “get off the couch,” and being lumped in with a miniscule number of cheats as an excuse for conservatives to reach their long...

Now that Gov. Evers has made his retirement official, we’ll ask Dan Shafer from The Recombobulation Area and the way Democratic dominoes could start to line up—with incumbents considering a run for new seats, which opens up other seats for newcomers. We’ll also get an update on Wausau headlines with Chad Holmes from 98.9 WXCO Radio. Mornings with Pat Kreitlow is powered by UpNorthNews, and it airs...

Lincoln County dairy farmer Hans Breitenmoser and Sheila Everhart of the Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association will fill us in on upcoming fairs, festivals, and farm shows—and they’ll take on the more serious issues of how laws need to be changed to assist farmers who want to diversify their businesses to welcome more visitors and events. Check this link to read a letter of support for overha...

Once upon a time, it was rare for someone to run for a higher office with no experience serving in some other capacity. Chief executive is a heck of a place for on-the-job training, whether it’s at a factory or running a state — or a country, right? In a two-and-a-half minute interview segment, a candidate for Wisconsin governor showed his inexperience in talking about President Trump, reproductiv...

Author Laura Bird has some book recommendations that celebrate and promote a connection to nature—covering different genres and ages through books written by Wisconsinites and other Midwesterners. We’ll also check in with Civic Media friends John & Gordy, and Jane Matenaer. Laura Bird recommends fiction novels by Andrew J. Graff "Raft of Stars" and "True North." For nonfiction she suggests "Se...

With so much that divides the parties in Washington, Sen. Tammy Baldwin has a bipartisan proposal any rational member of Congress should feel comfortable supporting: better testing for contaminated drinking water in rural communities. And UpNorthNews reporter Salina Heller tells us about the stories she’s been following recently. Mornings with Pat Kreitlow is powered by UpNorthNews, and it airs on...

If Republicans want to start winning more statewide elections in Wisconsin, a good first step would be to stop trying to rig elections. It’s a process that began in 2015 when they dismantled the nationally-acclaimed Government Accountability Board and created a commission intentionally designed for gridlock. Now one of the GOP candidates for governor wants to get rid of even the commission and con...

Our visit to the Fox Valley concludes with a visit from Rep. Lee Snodgrass (D-Appleton), who will share her local priorities for this legislative session and her reasons for voting no on the new state budget. And Mike Clemens has been busy straddling the two big sports seasons in Wisconsin—with the Brewers enjoying a hot streak while the Packers open up training camp. Mornings with Pat Kreitlow is...

Here in Oshkosh, we’ll talk to Winnebago County Executive Gordon Hintz, a former legislator, about his first 100 days in office and the role of county governments across Wisconsin. Hintz is having a better week than the nation’s chief executive, who continues flailing in several directions to create distractions from speculation about his role in Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal escapades. We’ll talk to...

We bring the show back to Oshkosh, just in time to react to the news that Gov. Tony Evers will not run for a third term in 2026. We’ll get reaction from Sen. Tammy Baldwin and others to the announcement, which triggers wide-open primaries in both parties for next year’s crucial elections. We’ll also find out what’s new at UW-Oshkosh with Provost Ed Martini. And Greg Bach joins us for Friday’s Hist...

A Democratic state senator is collecting names of fellow lawmakers and other leaders on a petition that calls for next year’s gubernatorial nominee to commit to a series of promises—from guaranteed childcare to a minimum $20 hourly wage and more. Are these bold promises that will inspire voters tired of squeamish politicians? Or will these commitments cause candidates to paint themselves into a co...

If you haven’t seen cryptocurrency-friendly ATMs yet, chances are you will soon. Tens of thousands of them are springing up—increasing the temptation for everyday Americans to dip a toe into a pool being advertised as opportunity, but it’s not without its perils and pitfalls. Two state legislators outline their bill designed to put some guardrails for consumers on these crypto boxes in our state....

Wisconsin’s senior senator, a reliable repeater of Russia-friendly rhetoric, is again feeling emboldened to share disinformation about Moscow’s work to support Donald Trump’s 2016 election. Ron Johnson’s remarks come as part of an effort by Trump allies to distract attention from a new report about him being mentioned in the Epstein files. Trump’s director of national intelligence, another sympath...

It’s been five years since the passing of Civil Rights leader and former congressman John Lewis, and his spirit still calls us to get into what he called “good trouble” in the fight for voting rights, dignity, and justice for all. Earl Ingram’s new Civic Media podcast asks how we carry that legacy forward—from civic engagement to mobilizing for change, in order to ensure Wisconsin stands on the ri...

Since this show is hosted by a former legislator who’s seen all of the tricks, we’ll explain why Congressman Tom Tiffany’s name is being bandied about as a potential candidate for governor despite his lack of statewide appeal or a substantive legislative record. And in our Homeroom segment, Pat and Jimmie Kaska talk about the problem of declining enrollment, which leads to a reduction in state aid...

One of the two announced Republican candidates for governor is already running ads in an effort to boost his name recognition across Wisconsin for the 2026 election. But even as he introduces himself, it’s fair to ask, “Who is this guy?” There are some gaps in his timeline that one investigative reporter is still trying to uncover. Also: The Speaker of the House chooses to send members of Congress...

Wisconsin politics is in a holding pattern this week. From legislators to political journalists like Dan Shafer, everyone is waiting on Gov. Tony Evers to announce whether he will seek a third term in 2026 or retire and open up a sprawling Democratic primary to potentially succeed him. Mornings with Pat Kreitlow is powered by UpNorthNews, and it airs on several stations across the Civic Media radi...

When you don’t have power, at least you can draw attention to those who do. For critics of what Republicans are doing in the federal and state budgets, that includes food drives to call attention to cuts in family nutrition programs—and setting a world record that calls attention to a potentially dangerous oil and gas pipeline across northern Wisconsin. Mornings with Pat Kreitlow is powered by UpN...

We’ll visit with COURIER’s Cam Stevenson in a preview of his new role covering Congress. Formerly the editor of our Arizona sister outlet, the Copper Courier, Cam is moving to Washington, DC and has already started a new daily newsletter, “Below the Beltway.” We’ll discuss the ongoing efforts to sanewash Trump’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and we’ll show how residents in some communities are t...

We hear a lot from the political right about “groomers,” people who are preying upon the young and vulnerable in order to recruit them into a harmful lifestyle. As is often the case with the political right, this is another case of projection. We’ll talk about a Courier Newsroom series that examines how vulnerable young men are being targeted to push hyper-masculine MAGA agendas and young women ar...

Here’s an example where “the least they could do” is far from complimentary. Childcare provider and advocate Corrine Hendrickson explains how the new state budget comes nowhere near the investment needed to help parents with rising childcare costs, or businesses who lose workers when a parent has to stay home, or providers who can’t get the bare minimum for offering safe and educational childcare...

Sweeping the LA Dodgers right before the All Star break was a pretty big deal for the Milwaukee Brewers. Sweeping them again right after the All Star break is even better—especially as it continues a 10-game winning streak. And in a reminder that Donald Trump can even ruin our escape into sports, he’s threatening to unleash his army of trolls on two sports teams unless they restore the racist nick...