Wisconsin Watch
banner
wisconsinwatch.org
Wisconsin Watch
@wisconsinwatch.org
A nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom working to provide journalism that keeps Wisconsin's communities strong, informed and connected.

👉 Visit us at wisconsinwatch.org
💸 Support us at wisconsinwatch.org/support-wisconsin-watch/
Pinned
TODAY is #GivingTuesday. Most #LocalNews in Wisconsin is behind a PAYWALL. Ours is free because of people like you. If you aren't a supporter yet, please consider becoming one today. If you can't afford to give this year, help this message reach as many people as possible by reposting.
Tomorrow is #GivingTuesday. Free, independent local news supports every other worthy cause by helping communities stay informed and connected. Will you help us do more for Wisconsin in 2026? Thanks to matching funds, whatever you can afford to give will have twice as much impact. ❤️
Support Wisconsin Watch
Now more than ever, Wisconsin needs fearless, independent reporting. When you support Wisconsin Watch, you are fueling nonpartisan investigative journalism that holds power to account and connects …
wisconsinwatch.org
A charter high school in Appleton is working to prepare students for skilled trades through hands-on learning, but sustaining the effort has proven challenging.

Read story here:
wisconsinwatch.org/2025/12/wisc...

By Miranda Dunlap
Photo by Mike Roemer
January 5, 2026 at 9:00 PM
In 2025, Wisconsin Watch published dozens of fact briefs designed to answer simple yes or no questions with clarity, evidence and context.

Read the full roundup here:
wisconsinwatch.org/2025/12/wisc...

By Tom Kertscher
Photo by Joe Timmerman

#Wisconsin #FactChecking #CivicInformation
December 26, 2025 at 7:00 PM
In 2025, Wisconsin Watch experienced a year of visual firsts that reshaped how stories were told across the state.
December 23, 2025 at 3:00 PM
A new village being built in Sheboygan County is reimagining what life with dementia can look like in the United States.

Read the story here:
wisconsinwatch.org/2025/12/livi...

By Addie Costello
Photo by Angela Major WPR

#Wisconsin #HealthCare #Aging #Dementia #CommunityCare
December 22, 2025 at 9:30 PM
As energy hungry data centers loom, Wisconsin ratepayers are still paying nearly $1 billion for power plants that no longer produce electricity.
December 22, 2025 at 7:15 PM
As managing editor @jmalewitz.bsky.social notes, we've changed a lot as an organization over the past several years -- in response to evolving information needs across Wisconsin and shifting trends in how and where people find news online. So here's where you can find us. And please share! ❤️
Here’s how to keep up with Wisconsin Watch
As our newsrooms grow, it’s worth a reminder of all the places where you can find our free reporting every day.
wisconsinwatch.org
December 11, 2025 at 6:46 PM
UPDATE: If you’ve been following this story, Dailin Pacheco-Acosta will return to Madison once the immigration court approves her bond.
December 11, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Reposted by Wisconsin Watch
@wisconsinwatch.org checks just how much state funding of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has been reduced.
December 10, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Reposted by Wisconsin Watch
@wisconsinwatch.org fact-checks U.S. Rep. @markpocan.bsky.social on how many countries make homosexual acts illegal.
December 10, 2025 at 6:51 PM
An immigration court judge granted asylum to a Venezuelan couple whose story was previously reported by Wisconsin Watch. But they remain jailed hundreds of miles apart as Trump administration officials defend a policy blocking most in ICE custody from seeking bond. Read the latest from Paul Kiefer.
Madison couple who fled Venezuela win asylum, but ICE detention continues
An immigration court judge granted asylum to Dailin Pacheco-Acosta and Diego Ugarte-Arenas. But they remain jailed — hundreds of miles apart — as Trump administration officials defend a policy bloc…
wisconsinwatch.org
December 10, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Reposted by Wisconsin Watch
Students are flocking to public policy classes as polarization paralyzes legislative action. So UW-Madison is launching an undergrad major focused on civil dialogue and finding common ground. wisconsinwatch.org/2025/12/wisc... (@Wisconsinwatch.org)
New UW-Madison major will teach students to bridge partisan divides
Young people are flocking to public policy classes at a time when polarization and gridlock can paralyze legislative action. To meet the demand, the La Follette School of Public Affairs will launch…
wisconsinwatch.org
December 9, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Reposted by Wisconsin Watch
Here’s hoping folks will support their independent local media wherever they live. For Wisconsinites or the Wisconsin-curious, @wisconsinwatch.org, @milwaukeenns.org or @isthmusmadison.bsky.social are good options (and they add alphabet diversity)!
December 6, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Reposted by Wisconsin Watch
Sick of those Wisconsin Supreme Court campaign attack ads?
Nonpartisan commissions nominate top judges in 11 states. And 12 states use independent performance reviews by experts to help voters determine judges’ competence. Part 3 @wisconsinwatch.org wisconsinwatch.org/2025/12/wisc...
Sick of those state Supreme Court campaign ads, Wisconsin? Here’s how other states avoid them
Polls show Wisconsin prefers to elect justices, but the timing, term limits and vetting of candidates could be different.
wisconsinwatch.org
December 5, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Reposted by Wisconsin Watch
“Wisconsin is becoming the centerpiece for billionaires trying to influence elections,” Rivera-Wagner said. “This is just unacceptable.”

Thanks to @wisconsinwatch.org for covering this important story: wisconsinwatch.org/2025/12/wisc...
Unlimited donations, weak recusal rules led to record Wisconsin Supreme Court spending
Democrats seek to revive public financing of Supreme Court elections after previous attempts failed.
wisconsinwatch.org
December 5, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Reposted by Wisconsin Watch
Wisconsin's recusal rules are SO WEAK that they are essentially non-existent. This has led to the BIG spending that we are seeing in Wisconsin's Supreme Court races. 👎 Strong recusal rules are a must! #MoneyInPolitics

Thanks to @wisconsinwatch.org for reporting!
wisconsinwatch.org/2025/12/wisc...
Unlimited donations, weak recusal rules led to record Wisconsin Supreme Court spending
Democrats seek to revive public financing of Supreme Court elections after previous attempts failed.
wisconsinwatch.org
December 4, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Reposted by Wisconsin Watch
U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a candidate for Wisconsin governor, said he would ensure state government jobs go to Americans.
@wisconsinwatch.org looks at whether that's possible.
December 4, 2025 at 5:26 PM
A shift in recusal rules, a short-lived venture in public financing of high court races and the campaign finance laws that followed ... Larry Sandler looks at how these factors help explain how Wisconsin Supreme Court campaign spending exploded this spring to a national record of $114.2 million.
December 4, 2025 at 5:16 PM
ICYMI: Part one of a three-part series on how Wisconsin's supreme court elections have changed for the worse -- and how we could make them better. Don't miss the data visualizations on spending in this first piece. 📈📈📈 👇
Wisconsin Supreme Court elections have drawn an ‘obscene’ amount of spending. Here’s why and what can be done about it.
Loose campaign finance laws, lax recusal rules, a purple electorate and even the spring election cycle all help explain why high court races have become so expensive.
wisconsinwatch.org
December 4, 2025 at 2:38 PM
We fact-checked 7 claims about Former Lt. Gov. Barnes and his positions on defunding the police, immigration, abortion and more. Test your knowledge👇
Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes is running for governor. Here are 7 related claims we checked … and the facts
During his run for U.S. Senate in 2022, Wisconsin Watch checked claims about the Democrat’s position on defunding the police, immigration and abortion.
wisconsinwatch.org
December 4, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Reposted by Wisconsin Watch
How well are you keeping up with issues in the news? Take the @wisconsinwatch.org fact briefs quiz. gigafact.org/quiz/wiscons...
Wisconsin Watch Quiz - Gigafact
gigafact.org
December 3, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Wisconsin State Supreme Court races have become everything they were never meant to be. Larry Sandler looks at how we got here.
Wisconsin Supreme Court elections have drawn an ‘obscene’ amount of spending. Here’s why and what can be done about it.
Loose campaign finance laws, lax recusal rules, a purple electorate and even the spring election cycle all help explain why high court races have become so expensive.
wisconsinwatch.org
December 3, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Reposted by Wisconsin Watch
always a good idea to support fact based journalism like @wisconsinwatch.org:
TODAY is #GivingTuesday. Most #LocalNews in Wisconsin is behind a PAYWALL. Ours is free because of people like you. If you aren't a supporter yet, please consider becoming one today. If you can't afford to give this year, help this message reach as many people as possible by reposting.
Tomorrow is #GivingTuesday. Free, independent local news supports every other worthy cause by helping communities stay informed and connected. Will you help us do more for Wisconsin in 2026? Thanks to matching funds, whatever you can afford to give will have twice as much impact. ❤️
December 2, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Reposted by Wisconsin Watch
Wisconsin high schools want to offer more college classes to give students a jump start. However, teachers with the qualifications to teach college courses are in short supply. For busy teachers, grad school has been a hard sell, @wisconsinwatch.org wisconsinwatch.org/2025/12/wisc...
Wisconsin high schools want to offer more college classes. First, teachers must go back to school.
School officials statewide want to give more students a jump start on college with dual enrollment classes. But they say they lack qualified teachers, and for busy teachers, grad school is a hard s…
wisconsinwatch.org
December 2, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Reposted by Wisconsin Watch
This day — it’s giving…Tuesday.
December 2, 2025 at 8:56 PM