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Navy decompression experiments at UW-Madison come to an end
U.S. Navy experiments on animals have been canceled at UW-Madison following pressure from animal rights activists. The canceled experiments subjected sheep to conditions meant to induce decompression sickness. Two years before their scheduled completion, the experiments exposed test subjects to pressure in hyperbaric chambers, according to a letter sent by the animal rights group People […]
Opioid settlement funds come through as overdose numbers keep climbing
As the federal government begins to divvy up millions of dollars in opioid settlement funds and states face decisions on how to best use the one-time payouts, deaths from opioid drugs are continuing to increase, according to state and local authorities. More than 1,400 people died of an opioid overdose in 2021 across the state […]
Brieon Green’s family unsatisfied with video, transparency of Milwaukee sheriff
Calls for more transparent policies and the release of video after officer-involved deaths grew louder after a group of activists and the family of Brieon Green, who died in the custody at the Milwaukee County jail, met with the Milwaukee County sheriff last week. Following the death of 21-year-old Brieon Green at the Milwaukee County […]
Brookfield alder in hot seat after comments against affordable housing project
Tension is building on the city of Brookfield’s common council over an affordable housing project. In late November, the Flats at Bishop Woods housing development earned final approvals from the council. The 203-unit project, the ambition of a California-based developer, would offer affordable rents in the wealthy suburb. The housing project, a development of Lincoln […]
Forever chemicals found in fish across Dane, Marathon, Portage waterways
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has issued fish consumption advisories for several water systems. Fish species in Marathon County’s Lake Wausau and the Stevens Point Flowage in Portage County were found to have high levels of PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), man-made compounds linked to chronic disease like cancers, […]
Questions about Racine, Kenosha shooting investigation
Details continue to emerge regarding a vehicle chase and officer-involved shooting Monday in Kenosha. The incident involved sheriff’s deputies from Kenosha and Racine counties, as well as Wisconsin State Patrol troopers, and ended near the Great Lakes Dragaway. At around 3:30 p.m. a Racine County deputy initiated a car chase which crossed into Kenosha County. […]
Bail amendment speeds through committee votes
A proposal to create stricter bail laws by amending the Wisconsin Constitution is quickly making its way through legislative committees. Following an hours-long joint public hearing on Tuesday, the proposal passed the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety in a 5-3 vote and the Assembly Committee on Judiciary 6-1. If adopted, the amendment would […]
Republicans seek to crack down on bail, set new standards for violent crime
“The average citizen believes that a judge is looking at your past criminal convictions, that they are taking into account the safety of the community, and that they’re looking at the seriousness of your crime,” said Rep. Cindi Duchow (R-Delafield) during a public hearing on Tuesday. “That’s what the average citizen thinks is going on. […]
Lower Fox River PCB cleanup project officially complete
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced that it has finished the Lower Fox River PCB clean-up project. The clean-up focused on polychlorinated biphenyl compounds (PCBs). Although the clean-up itself was completed in 2020, a final stage known as a state closure was only recently approved. State closures can only be issued once […]
Evictions in Milwaukee rise, tenants under pressure
Evictions in the Milwaukee area were 51% above average for the region in the first 10 days of December, according to Eviction Lab at Princeton University, which has published the first ever dataset of evictions across the U.S. since 2000. The December data for Milwaukee represents the largest surge in eviction filings in recent months. […]
PFAS plume found in Green Bay, Lake Michigan waters
A plume of per- and polyfluroalkyl substances (PFAS) has made its way into Green Bay, Lake Michigan, according to a new study. The study, conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, tracked the movement of the so-called “forever chemicals” through Wisconsin’s groundwater and found chemical evidence linking it to a […]
High costs for making holiday calls home from prison and jail
Wisconsin is entering the holiday season, and that goes for residents who are incarcerated across the state, too. People spending the holidays behind bars who have loved ones to reach out to face high costs for making calls. A new Prison Policy Initiative report took a look at the average costs to make a call […]