Lake Effect

The monarch butterfly is one of the most recognizable species of butterfly found in Wisconsin. Right now, the monarch population is peaking in the state and soon large groups of them will migrate back to Mexico. 

North American monarch butterflies are on the decline, facing threats like climate change, pesticide use and habitat loss. So, people are stepping up to help. Retired English professor and butterfly caretaker, Beth Lueck, shares her essay on the joys of helping raise monarch butterflies.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, more films have accepted their fate of digital-only releases.

The protests across the United States over racial inequity have been seen as a historic turning point in our national consciousness. Political, business and cultural leaders have lent their support to the movement for equity. But beyond the recognition of the issue and the apparent desire for change, the path forward remains unclear. 

Election officials are encouraging people to vote by mail, saying it's the safest voting option during the coronavirus pandemic. But President Donald Trump and other Republicans are making unfounded claims that mail-in ballots are a set-up for fraud.

Some voters are also worried about mail-in ballots getting lost or not delivered based on the April 7 election, when Wisconsin held an election in the chaos of a new pandemic and a series of last-minute legal changes.

The coronavirus pandemic has restricted travel in the U.S. and around the world. The cancellation or postponement of trips has had a massive impact on the travel industry and leaves the future of travel itself uncertain.

So, what do you do if you make your living cruising around the world? Rick Steves is a PBS travel host, guidebook author and owner of a tour company that employs a hundred people and typically sends thousands of people across Europe each year. 

TV and film can be powerful mediums — especially for connecting people to lives or worlds different from their own. Historically, these representations have been mostly damaging for transgender people and experiences.

As we near next week’s primary election and the November general election, there has been an even greater focus on U.S. politics. But these conversations can become stilted by our own knowledge gaps about how government works in our country.

Students who attend Milwaukee Public Schools will begin the school year with virtual learning with a plan to gradually transition to in-person learning. It’s part of a $90 million plan the MPS school board approved.

But since the plan was approved, the board hasn’t given clear instructions on how teaching should be done online. Since the pandemic hit the U.S. at the end of the last school year, many schools and teachers had to improvise.

After the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in May, there's been an emergence of local activist groups in and around Milwaukee.

El Pueblo MKE was founded to galvanize the Hispanic and Latino community on the south side to reflect upon racial justice. The group is dedicated to igniting community-based change to create a more socially just future.

In another timeline, Thursday would have been the opening day of the Wisconsin State Fair. But earlier this year, the fair was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Most county fairs followed suit.

Research at UW-Milwaukee is helping us learn how E. Coli can impact beaches. Just last week, South Shore Beach was closed because of elevated levels of bacteria in the water that could make people sick.

E. coli is a bacteria found in the gut of humans and animals, which can end up in fecal matter. If a lot of that fecal matter makes its way to beaches, it becomes a public health issue. People can get sick with an upset stomach and fever.

The 2020 Census has faced a lot of hurdles. Aside from the coronavirus pandemic, widespread unrest, and economic turmoil, it was recently announced that the census will be ending all counting efforts a month early. 

The impact could be devastating for communities with low-response rates. Among other things, an inaccurate census count can lead to less federal aid and less political representation.

After the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in May, there's been an emergence of local activist groups in and around Milwaukee.

For Jordan Davis, the frontman of Milwaukee-band Space Raft, this time in relative lockdown has been an opportunity to finish up a project he’s been working on for two and a half years. The band just released two albums: Positively Space Raft, and its alter ego, Approximately Space Raft.

Updated on Thursday at 10:50 a.m. CT

Joe Biden will not travel to Milwaukee to accept the Democratic presidential nomination because of concerns over the coronavirus, party officials said Wednesday, signaling a move to a convention that essentially has become entirely virtual.