WORT Local News

Here's your local news for Thursday, July 25, 2024:We hear Madison's latest crime stats,Take a closer look at the August 13 voter referendums,Preview a historic moment happening at the state Capitol this weekend,Assess the pros and cons of learning how to build,Learn how a horse can churn ice cream,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, July 24, 2024:We ask Madisonians what they think about Biden's history-making announcement on Sunday,Find out why a local artist is declaring "I'm with her,"Honor the memory of two local activists,Broadcast the most in-depth weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1962,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, July 23, 2024:We check in on Wisconsin's Democratic Party after this weekend's historic shake-up,Find out why young environmentalists gathered outside the Capitol yesterday,Get the details on last Friday's CrowdStrike outage,Take a closer look at Kamala Harris' campaign,Explain why drivers should keep an eye out for turtle crossings,And much more.

Last month, our Summer News Collaborative kicked off. The pilot project from WORT is intended to train people the basics of journalism, storytelling, and audio production. In a rare move for community radio, it also aims to give people a paycheck to learn these skills.Our first cohort of Fellows are Shy Aikens, César Gonzalez Paz, Jeliel Peña de First, Faleshuh Walker, and Ze Yang. Today, we take the first listen to audio pieces they've been working on over the last month, in a news special hosted by WORT producer and journalist Jade Iseri-Ramos, who is managing the program.We also hear the first episode from a regular voice: Marcus Slaton, Thursday co-host of the 6pm Local News, who's launching a podcast full of good news.

Welcome to the final day of the RNC, slated to culminate with a lengthy speech from former President Trump focused on "unity." The RNC theme tonight is "Make America Great Once Again."Other speakers are slated to include Tucker Carlson, Franklin Graham (son of Billy Graham), Hulk Hogan and Dana White (CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship).Also speaking tonight is Wisconsin billionaire and GOP megadonor Diane Hendricks, who is appearing tonight as one of the QUOTE "everyday Americans" invited to speak during the convention.Reporters Sara Gabler and Peter Donalds give updates from the floor.We catch up with Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson about the economics of the RNC and what he says is the potential to "put Milwaukee on the map," along a slate of other questions.And we hear from the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, which says they've been warning Milwaukee officials that bringing 4,000 more police officers to Milwaukee would risk the safety of residents.We speak with New York City defense lawyer Ron Kuby about whether much has changed in police accountability since 2020. Then we speak with Gloria Browne-Marshall, professor of constitutional law at John Jay College of Criminal Justice at CUNY, about Trump's ongoing election legal issues.For more on the psychology of voters attracted to Trump, we speak with Dan P. McAdams, professor of Psychology and Professor of Human Development and Social Policy at Northwestern University and the author of “The Strange Case of Donald J. Trump: A Psychological Reckoning.” WORT reporter Sara Gabler dissects the expansion of oil and gas drilling and rolling back of federal environmental protections that would happen under another Trump presidency. WORT news director Chali Pittman examines the personal responsibility claim of child care. And Bob Hennelly speaks with Dr. Steve Auerbach, Physicians for a National Health Program, about the deepening healthcare crisis.

Take a listen to our coverage of Day 3 of the Republican National Convention from Riverwest Radio in Milwaukee. The Pacifica Radio Network’s national coverage is supported by sustaining sponsorships from unions representing close to two million rank and file members. Yesterday on the second night of the RNC the theme of the night was "Make America Safe Once Again," where Republican speakers took to the stage to paint a picture of the country plagued by violent crime. They linked crime with immigration, driving home some of the GOP's top priorities in their party platform, to seal the border and to deport undocumented immigrants in record numbers.Meanwhile, more details have emerged about the fatal police shooting of Samuel Sharpe, Jr, an unhoused Black veteran who was killed yesterday, at the hands of five out-of-state police officers. They are five of roughly 4,000 who are in Milwaukee to provide security for the RNC. Samuel Sharpe, Jr was shot and killed by officers from Columbus, Ohio, at the intersection of 14th and Vliet streets in western downtown Milwaukee, about a mile from the RNC perimeter.Community members held a vigil for Sharpe yesterday evening, where they condemned the city of Milwaukee for hosting the RNC and providing the circumstances that led to Sharpe's death. A mile away, in central downtown Milwaukee's Deer District, Republican Party officials and elected leaders continued their third day of sessions and networking surrounded by thousands of law enforcement officials.The RNC was promised to bring approximately $200 million in direct and indirect economic benefit to the city of Milwaukee. Russ Klisch, owner of Lakefront Brewery here in Milwaukee, hosted the Washington State delegation for the RNC earlier today and joins us on the phone.Then we speak with Peter Rickman, president of the Milwaukee Area Service Workers Organization, which represents 1,100 service workers. MASH, an independent union, successfully secured a landmark union contract in 2019 for service workers at the Fiserv Forum, the site of the RNC gathering.Then we dive more into the history of Milwaukee and its "Sewer Socialist" history. We're joined by journalist John Nichols, national affairs correspondent for The Nation where he's just published a new article titled “Welcome Republicans, to America’s Great Socialist City.” To talk about the potential for alternative, non-corporate parties in America we bring into the conversation Howie Hawkins, 2020 Green Party candidate for President and retired Teamster.Yesterday on the second night of the RNC the theme of the night was "Make America Safe Once Again," where Republican speakers took to the stage to paint a picture of the country plagued by violent crime. They linked crime with immigration, driving home some of the GOP's top themes in their platform, to seal the border and to deport undocumented immigrants in record numbers. The party offered a lineup of Senate candidates and Americans who said President Joe Biden’s immigration policy fueled has fueled the infusion of fentanyl, offering narratives of drug cartels, human trafficking and criminal gangs threatening the safety of people in the US. Anne Fundner of Southern California, whose 15-year-old son Weston died from fentanyl poisoning in 2022, blamed the Biden administration for her son's overdose death from fentanyl. For more, we're joined by Armando Ibarra, Distinguished Achievement Professor in the School for Workers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he holds a joint appointment in Chican@ and Latin@ Studies. His research has focused on, among other things, life narratives of low-wage workers in Milwaukee. He's the co-author of The Latino Question: Politics, Labouring Classes and the Next Left.Then we turn to WXRW reporter Keith Gaustad, who yesterday attended an event held by the Black Republican Mayors Association, hearing from a veritable who's who of Black Republicans. We catch up with Minnesota State Representative Walter Hudson, who joins us in the studio.Turning back to economic justice, one of the more surreal moments of the first night of the RNC was Teamster President Sean O’Brien’s blasting Amazon, which is valued at over $2 trillion, for being the 14th largest economy in the world, adding that it was sickening that Amazon had abandoned any national allegiance.With us to talk about the status of global multinationals and the impact on workers and the environment is James Henry, lawyer, economist, investigative journalist, and a Yale Global Justice Fellow.Lastly, as JD Vance prepares to deliver his keynote remarks, we're joined by Jeff Sharlet, an award-winning journalist and professor of English and creative writing at Dartmouth College. His recent book is The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War.

Take a listen to our live coverage of Day 2 of the Republican National Convention, live from Riverwest Radio in Milwaukee.It's a perfect day to have veteran journalist Bob Hennelly, as Senator Bob Menendez is found guilty of all corruption charges. Bob talks with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.In this episode, reporter Sara Gabler travels to an info session on Moms for Liberty, and debriefs with Mother Jones senior editor Kiera Butler.Then we turn our attention to abortion. The Republican party platform on abortion, officially adopted yesterday, is just one paragraph and makes reference to states rights. It also says, quote "We will oppose Late Term Abortion, while supporting mothers and policies that advance Prenatal Care, access to Birth Control, and IVF (fertility treatments)."Wisconsin Watch reporter Phoebe Petrovic joins us to talk about her latest article about militant anti-abortion activist Pastor Matthew Trewhella.And, Jennifer Holland has been studying conservative anti-abortion organizing through the decades. She's the author of Tiny You: A Western History of the Anti-Abortion Movement, and joins us to analyze the contradiction between the platform and more hardline efforts like Project 2025.Ali Muldrow, executive director of the Wisconsin Women's Fund, tells us the current status of abortion in Wisconsin, and unpacks specific claims made yesterday by Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance about "tax-payer funded abortion. "We go to the intersection of North 14th and West Vliet Streets, less than a mile from the perimeter, where a Milwaukee man is dead after being shot by five police officers from Columbus, Ohio — who were sent to assist at the RNC. Reporter Peter Donalds was there to speak with some of the family and neighbors.Then we turn our attention to some of the super-rich of the Republican Party, including the Ricketts family and Wisconsin's own billionaire Diane Hendricks, who's here in Milwaukee.Dr. Everett Kelley rounds out the show. He's the national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which is the largest union representing federal and D.C. government employees. 

From the home of Harley-Davidson and the sewer Socialists, broadcasting from the studios of Riverwest Radio in Milwaukee, join Bob Hennelly and Chali Pittman for Day One coverage of the Republican National Convention.We hear from activists marching with the Coalition to March on the RNC. Then, we hear from a coalition of faith leaders holding a long rally against white Christian nationalism. Then, we talk about the thousands of law enforcement officers along with private security in the city, where just two weeks earlier, a Milwaukee man died at the hands of private security at the Milwaukee Hyatt Regency hotel. We're joined by Will Sulton, Executive Director of ACLU of Wisconsin representing the family of D'Vontaye Mitchell. Then, Wisconsin Examiner reporter Isiah Holmes on the long lead-up and millions of federal dollars that have poured into developing Milwaukee's policing capabilities for this convention — and the 2020 DNC. Transport Workers Union International President John Samuelsen joins us to talk about the decision from Teamsters president Sean O'Brien to speak at the RNC — and how that decision has caused backlash within the union. Michael Rosen, retired economics professor at Milwaukee Area Technical College and former president of their faculty union AFT Local 212 joins us to talk about Milwaukee's labor history.And after the announcement that JD Vance is the Vice Presidential pick, we dig into the history and complexities of the junior senator from Ohio and his 2016 memoir, Hillbilly Elegy. This broadcast is produced by the Pacifica Radio Network, and supported by sustaining sponsorships from unions representing close to two million rank and file members. Credits to: Moe Thomas, Kelly Meyer, Xav LePlae, Keziah Glow, Reggie Johnson, Keith Gaustad, Peter Donalds, Faye Parks, Sara Gabler, Liam Beran, Chali Pittman, and Bob Hennelly. Join us tomorrow for our Day 2 broadcast, and stay up-to-date on WORT's live blog in between broadcasts.

Here's your local news for Thursday, July 11, 2024:We'll get the details on last week's Act 10 ruling,Find out why a high school student is protesting on Library Mall,Hear more about life as a doula,Share some deck safety advice,Explore the wacky world of coloring books,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, July 10, 2024:We find how Lake Monona's PFAS contamination compares to the rest of the state,Hear what older voters think about the upcoming election,Interview the last two Democratic candidates in the race for Assembly District 48,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1968,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, July 9, 2024:We share an update on ACLU's lawsuit against the city of Milwaukee,Find out why Wisconsin Eye is reiterating their nonpartisan values,Interview two more Democratic candidates in the race for Assembly District 48,Get to know some well-traveled birds,Learn more about what books are getting banned in Wisconsin libraries,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, July 8, 2024:We attend President Biden's rally in Madison,Interview one of the five Democrats running for an open seat in the state Assembly,Find out why everything's better with butter,Mark an important anniversary in the anti-nuclear testing movement,Take a closer look at a popular cocktail,Review two new offerings on the small screen,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, July 3, 2024:We find out why the city is reevaluating their "natural lawn" program,Learn how to keep our pets safe during tomorrow's fireworks,Get the rundown on yesterday's special primary election in Milwaukee,Share an arts and culture compilation,Broadcast the most in-depth weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1964,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, July 2, 2024:We find out why a staple celebration in Monona may have reached its end,Hear why some Milwaukee business owners say they're "underwhelmed" ahead of the RNC,Head to Lake Wingra for the Midwest Log Rolling Championships,Demystify a tiny superfood,Learn what it takes to rehabilitate a blue jay,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, July 1, 2024:We find out why some Madisonians are opening up their yards to strangers' dogs,Check in with GOP leadership in Dane County ahead of the RNC,Get the details on dairy consumption trends,Mark an important anniversary in Wisconsin politics,Take a closer look at a popular cocktail,Review two new movies,And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, June 27, 2024:We check out Metro Transit's new public outreach program,Attend the groundbreaking ceremony for two apartment buildings on the city's north side,Get the scoop on Milwaukee's extensive - and secretive - surveillance system,Sit down with a local doula,Fight drafty windows,Explore the history of food guidelines,And much more.

Here's your local news for Wednesday, June 26, 2024:We get the scoop on an anti-war rally outside Monona Terrace,Find out why critics say a new state law makes it more difficult for the public to access police body-cam footage,Hear more about life as a Solar Installer,Broadcast the most in-depth weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1963,And much more.

Here's your local news for Tuesday, June 25, 2024:We get the details on a call to action from three dozen local food pantries,Hear how the feds could intervene in the state's prison system,Take a closer look at two budget questions headed for November's ballot,Learn about the downsides to glue traps,Find out what happens when the state’s voting lists aren’t up to date,And much more.

Here's your local news for Monday, June 24, 2024:We get the latest on a redevelopment project on Madison's south side,Find out why demonstrators aren't happy with Milwaukee's official RNC protest routes,Learn how Wisconsin became the dairy state,Mark an important anniversary in climate change history,Take a closer look at a popular cocktail,Review two new movies,And much more.

Here's your local news for Thursday, June 20, 2024:We witness a real spectacle in downtown Madison,Ask a U.S. congressman how he'll respond to PM Netanyahu's address next month,Get the details on Tuesday's marathon Common Council meeting,Take a closer look at open records law,Air the latest fishing report,Check in on Madison's Flamingos,And much more.