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Wisconsin Watch
Do Republican presidential candidates participating in the Milwaukee debate have to pledge not to participate in debates the GOP doesn’t sanction?
Wisconsin Watch partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims. Republican 2024 presidential candidates seeking to participate in the Milwaukee debate must pledge not to take part in any debate during the 2024 election cycle that is not sanctioned by the GOP.
Has Milwaukee Public Schools enrollment dropped 10% in three years?
Wisconsin Watch partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims. Milwaukee Public Schools enrollment was 67,500 in the 2022-23 school year — 9.6% less than the 2019-20 enrollment of 74,683. That’s according to...
Are Republican presidential candidates offering financial incentives to campaign donors in order to qualify for the Milwaukee debate?
Wisconsin Watch partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims. At least three Republican presidential candidates have offered financial incentives to supporters in an attempt to qualify for the Milwaukee debate. The debate, the...
Election disinformation campaigns targeted voters of color in 2020. Experts expect 2024 to be worse
As the 2024 election approaches, community organizations are preparing for what they expect to be a worsening onslaught of disinformation targeting communities of color and immigrant communities. Election disinformation campaigns targeted voters of color in 2020. Experts expect 2024 to be worse is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.
Most of the Midwest is in drought – and there’s no simple way to get out of it
Recent rainfall across parts of the Midwest helps, but it may not alleviate a serious drought in the region. Most of the Midwest is in drought – and there’s no simple way to get out of it is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.
Wisconsin judge dismisses lawsuit over military voting lists
A Wisconsin judge has dismissed a lawsuit that came in response to the actions of a top Milwaukee elections official who falsely requested military absentee ballots. Wisconsin judge dismisses lawsuit over military voting lists is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.
A year with 988: What worked? What challenges lie ahead?
The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s 988 hotline marked its one-year milestone this month. A year with 988: What worked? What challenges lie ahead? is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.
Senators rebuke Wisconsin congressman who yelled vulgarities at high school-age pages
A freshman Republican congressman from Wisconsin yelled and cursed at high school-aged pages for the U.S. Senate during a late night tour of the Capitol, action that elicited a bipartisan rebuke from Senate leaders. Senators rebuke Wisconsin congressman who yelled vulgarities at high school-age pages is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.
Wisconsin Weekly: Sales tax in Milwaukee upped to 7.9%
Wisconsin Weekly is a roundup of the week’s top stories from around the state by Wisconsin Watch and trusted news outlets. Access to some stories may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing, and sign up to get our free newsletters here.
AI is starting to affect our elections. Wisconsin has yet to take action.
Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit and nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our newsletter to get our investigative stories and Friday news roundup. Heading into the 2024 election, Wisconsin faces a new challenge state lawmakers here have so far failed to address: generative artificial intelligence. AI can draft a fundraising email or...
Milwaukee County approves sales tax increase as part of plan to avoid bankruptcy
Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit and nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our newsletter to get our investigative stories and Friday news roundup. The Milwaukee County board voted Thursday to nearly double the county’s sales tax, two weeks after the city of Milwaukee approved a local sales tax increase as part of a bipartisan plan to avoid bankruptcy.
JusticePoint offers incarceration alternatives in Milwaukee. Two judges tried to cancel its contract.
This story is part of a collaboration between Wisconsin Watch, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and The Appeal. Four decades ago, a newspaper investigation described Milwaukee’s municipal legal system as “cash register justice.” Thousands of impoverished residents with mental health or substance use issues languished in county jails due to unpaid civil violation fines, costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
FDA Head Robert Califf battles misinformation — sometimes with fuzzy facts
Occasionally, Robert Califf and the FDA have added to the cacophony of misinformation. Sometimes their misinformation is about misinformation. FDA Head Robert Califf battles misinformation — sometimes with fuzzy facts is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.
Can’t find child care for your infant in Wisconsin? You’re not alone. Industry experts break down why it’s so difficult.
In Outagamie County, there are over 1,200 children younger than 2 on regulated child care waitlists. Can’t find child care for your infant in Wisconsin? You’re not alone. Industry experts break down why it’s so difficult. is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.
Do all state laws allow people to travel to get abortion access?
MinnPost is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. No state currently outlaws traveling for an abortion. However, some states, including Texas, Missouri and Tennessee have made efforts to restrict residents from helping others obtain out-of-state abortions. An Idaho law being challenged...
Is teaching the Bible in public school unconstitutional?
MinnPost is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. It is not unconstitutional to teach about the Bible in public schools. This extends to all religions and religious texts. The education must be done in a secular manner, not endorsing or promoting any one belief.
Democrats eye Wisconsin high court’s new liberal majority to win abortion and redistricting rulings
Wisconsin’s Supreme Court will flip from majority conservative to liberal control next month and Democrats have high hopes the change will lead to the state’s abortion ban being overturned and maps redrawn to weaken GOP control of the Legislature and congressional districts. Democrats eye Wisconsin high court’s new liberal majority to win abortion and redistricting rulings is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.
Did the US debt increase by $7.8 trillion during Donald Trump’s presidency?
Wisconsin Watch partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims. The national debt on Jan. 19, 2017, the day before Donald Trump was inaugurated president, was $19,944,429,217,107. On Jan. 19, 2021, the day before...
Did a national poll find that 70% of adults favor laws requiring transgender athletes to compete on teams matching their biological sex as assigned at birth?
Wisconsin Watch partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims. A Marquette Law School Poll found that 71% of U.S. adults favor requiring that transgender athletes compete on teams that match the sex they were assigned at birth, not the gender with which they identify, and 28% were opposed.
Did a national poll find that 86% of transgender and nonbinary youth reported negative mental health effects from anti-trans legislation?
Wisconsin Watch partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims. A national poll asked lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning people age 13 to 24, “How have recent debates about state laws restricting the rights of LGBTQ young people impacted your mental health?”
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