WUWM News

The Menomonee Falls School Board will decide on Monday whether to get rid of Menomonee Falls High School’s "Indians" nickname.

Over the years, Wisconsin politicians have gone back and forth over whether schools should be forced to remove Native American nicknames and mascots. It was a resolution from the Wausau School District that re-ignited a conversation to retire Native American mascots, nicknames, and the like, in Wisconsin schools.

The executive director of Milwaukee's Fire and Police Commission has come under fire in recent weeks for personnel and policy decisions. So, a Common Council committee hastily took up the issue on Thursday.

This week, a new collaboration between two UW-Milwaukee programs is taking the stage. Students in UWM's unique American Sign Language program are providing live interpretation at a UWM student theater production — a first for the school.

Now that Strauss Brands has dropped its plan to build a slaughterhouse, some Milwaukeeans are wondering what's next for Century City. That's the former Tower Automotive property on Milwaukee's north side that the city has been redeveloping.

At a luncheon held by the Wisconsin Policy Forum on Wednesday at the Potawatomi Casino and Hotel in Menomonee Valley, Mayor Tom Barrett said that Strauss isn't entirely out of the question.

The Trump administration is moving ahead with an effort to help more military veterans receive health care services away from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Milwaukee labor and vets groups have been arguing against the change for months, even holding a snowy protest on Veterans Day outside the VA hospital in West Milwaukee. VA Secretary Robert Wilkie weighed in on the dispute Wednesday from Washington.

i.c. stars is a program trying to address a major problem in tech: the lack of diversity in talent. In part one of this series, we spoke with Onom Boye, an intern who went through the rigorous four-month program. On Thursday, Boye will walk across the stage with her colleagues to receive her certificate of completion.

For years, Wauwatosa residents and visitors have gravitated to the hush of 50-plus acres of greenspace fondly called Sanctuary Woods. It falls within the Milwaukee County Grounds, the largest remaining open space in the county.

Over recent years, sections, especially along its southern and western stretches, have given way to development.

As Wauwatosa leaders began drafting a master plan for the district, some residents worried Sanctuary Woods might be swallowed by development.

We haven’t heard much from former Republican Gov. Scott Walker since he narrowly lost to Democrat Tony Evers more than a year ago. But on Tuesday, Walker answered questions on a variety of topics in downtown Milwaukee.

Walker spoke to a small crowd of about 40 people at the Milwaukee Press Club luncheon. He updated the gathering on what he’s been doing these days, which includes leading a national effort for a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The tech industry is known for its innovation and progressive solutions to modern day problems. However, one issue that it hasn’t been able to solve is the lack of diversity in the industry, says venture capitalist Freada Kapor Klein.

"Lack of diversity is an enormous problem in the tech industry. And because tech now is part of every business, it means it is a problem throughout the country," she says.

South Shore Park in Bay View overlooks Lake Michigan. But while its greenspace and pavilion may be Milwaukee County Park gems, South Shore's beach has consistently ranked among the worst in the nation because of poor water quality. After years of discussion, a plan is inching forward to move the beach south where the water more naturally circulates.

Residents gathered Monday evening at the park pavilion above the beach to learn more about the plan.

A national advocacy group for recreation trails says the trails' net economic value continues to go up. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy says Wisconsin trails generate as much as $1.5 billion in spending or health care savings every year.

Wisconsin has a long history of converting former railroad corridors to recreation trails. The 32-mile Elroy-Sparta State Trail may be the nation's oldest. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy President Ryan Chao says the state picture remains very good. 

The topic of recycling evokes a variety of reactions. For some people, their practice is a passion. For others, it's sheer confusion.

We want to help you feel confident that what you throw away lands where it belongs. That's why we recently reached out to you, our listeners, asking for your questions about recycling, reusing or garbage.

Beats Me: What Questions Do You Have For WUWM's Beats Reporters?

In this tech-heavy world, it’s a new landscape when it comes to election security. Nation states like Russia could be poised to hack voting machines or systems. And Wisconsin clerks in small towns and municipalities — often with no information technology department — must make sure elections are secure.

Wisconsin has seen reports for sex trafficking across the state. Milwaukee's neighborhood Walnut Hill is a high source of sex trafficking and prostitution, according to Franciscan Peacemakers. The religious organization opened a shop that aims at helping women and victims of sexual abuse find housing and employment.