WORT Local News

How MMSD renamed three elementary schools at once

Today at 12:23 AM

Here's your local news for Thursday, October 15, 2026:

We explain how, and why, MMSD renamed three elementary schools at once this summer,Learn the history behind Polish Constitution Day,Detail the Wisconsin Supreme Court's recent back and forth over absentee ballot drop boxes,Discuss the commodification of children's toys,And much more.

Metro Transit seeks solution to fare evasion

Yesterday at 12:39 AM

Here's your local news for Wednesday, October 14, 2026:

We find out why Madison transit leaders are sounding the alarm on fare evasion,Get a progress update on the city's Vision Zero initiative,Meet a local artist who draws inspiration from graffiti culture,Hear how the UW-Madison community responded to a touring pro-life debater,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1962,And much more.

Madison’s interim police monitor seeks hefty budget increase

Last Wednesday at 12:26 AM

Here's your local news for Tuesday, October 13, 2026:

We find out why the city's independent police monitor wants nearly double the funding next year,Hear the legal arguments for and against the three constitutional amendments set to appear on the November ballot,Explain the safety concerns surrounding Trump's imported beef,Visit a recently reopened bakery just north of Madison,Share some fun facts about brown creepers,And much more.

Tom Tiffany’s appearance in Madison draws protesters

Last Tuesday at 12:16 AM

Here's your local news for Monday, October 12, 2026:

We head to UW-Madison's Grainger Hall for a protest against Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany,Learn how a Democratic candidate for state Senate plans to support public education and family farms,Share the local government's calendar for the week ahead,Celebrate the birthday of a lifelong activist,Teach you how to mix up a “Death in the Afternoon” cocktail,Review two new movies,And much more.

Mayor Rhodes-Conway unveils 2027 operating budget proposal

10/09/2026

Here's your local news for Thursday, October 8, 2026:

We dig into the mayor's proposed spending plan for next year,Meet a legislative candidate who says he puts people over party politics,Examine the struggle to obtain government records 'in medias res,'Tell you the best spots to cast your fishing line,Check in with the Flamingos as they battle to secure a home playoff match,And much more.

City council to consider canning contentious independent monitor

10/08/2026

Here's your local news for Wednesday, October 7, 2026:

We explain why Madison's interim independent police monitor could be out of a job several months ahead of schedule,Get a progress update from the city council's new workgroup on policing policies,Take a look at UWPD's latest security and fire safety report,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to the 1960s,And much more.

Madison weighs rebrand for Traffic Engineering Division

10/07/2026

Here's your local news for Tuesday, October 6, 2026:

We find out why a city agency could soon get a new name,Sit down with the Democratic candidate running for Wisconsin's 76th Assembly District,Hear how Wisconsin's dairy farmers are faring amid the trade war with Canada,Share ideas for good cooking while camping,Explore the unique challenges of treating birds with spinal trauma,And much more.

City seeks public feedback on Envision Downtown Madison

10/06/2026

Here's your local news for Monday, October 5, 2026:

We get a progress update on a strategic plan that aims to help downtown Madison reach its full potential,Hear how the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra is deepening their community engagement efforts,Share the local government's calendar for the week ahead,Mark the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street,Review two new movies,And much more.

Judge rules Salah Sarsour can be deported

10/02/2026

Here's your local news for Thursday, October 1, 2026:

We hear from Salah Sarsour's legal team, after this week's ruling that he can be deported on national security grounds,Find out why an independent running for Congress wants to abolish the Federal Reserve,Examine the first in a pair of active lawsuits challenging Wisconsin's congressional map,Talk world-building with a local playwright,Uncover the world of Soviet-era samizdat,And much more.

Madison plans for data center regulation as moratorium approaches expiration

10/01/2026

Here's your local news for Wednesday, September 30, 2026:

We hear city staff's plan to prevent the development of hyperscale data centers in Madison,Consider how Wisconsin's election policy could change if either party wins unified control of the state government in November,Take a closer look at last week's alleged hazing incident at UW-Madison,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1960,And much more.

Nurses at ten SSM clinics vote to unionize

09/30/2026

Here's your local news for Tuesday, September 29, 2026:

We get the scoop on the latest union election at SSM Health,Meet an independent candidate who's running for Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district,Look forward to this year's World Dairy Expo,Explore the many sides of food writing,Learn how wildlife rehabilitators are helping a baby bobcat recover from ringworm,And much more.

Three constitutional amendments head to a vote in November

09/29/2026

Here's your local news for Monday, September 28, 2026:

We hear what's on the agenda for Madison's new policing policy workgroup,Find out what issues matter most to older Wisconsin voters,Take a closer look at the three constitutional amendments on the November ballot,Share the local government's calendar for the week ahead,Mark the day in 1935 that fascist Italy invaded Ethiopia,Teach you how to mix up an "Alabama Slammer,"Review two documentaries,And much more.

Surprise grant fast-tracks Madison's body-worn camera program

09/25/2026

Here's your local news for Thursday, September 24, 2026:

We find out why Madison's citywide deployment of body-worn cameras could come earlier than expected,Hear the mission behind a new city council workgroup on policing policies,Assess the government transparency plans Wisconsin's gubernatorial candidates have presented on the campaign trail,Tell you the best spots to cast your fishing line,Check in with Forward Madison FC after their latest home-field victory,And much more.

Madison alders direct police chief to produce progress report on oversight recommendations

09/24/2026

Here's your local news for Wednesday, September 23, 2026:

We detail a resolution on police oversight and accountability that earned the city council's unanimous support Tuesday,Hear incumbent Wisconsin AG Josh Kaul's pitch to voters ahead of the November election,Talk ethical journalism with a pair of Daily Cardinal editors,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1967,And much more.

Police monitor may have exposed Madison to legal risk, city attorney says

09/23/2026

Here's your local news for Tuesday, September 22, 2026:

We hear David Crowley and Tom Tiffany's dueling visions for state-county coordination,Get the city attorney's take on possible rules violations in the Office of the Independent Police Monitor,Detail the mysterious case of a disappearing FDA warning letter,Tour an urban farm that grows microgreens,Learn about local efforts to prevent the spread of avian influenza,And much more.

Middleton-Cross Plains school referendum aims to avoid "draconian cuts"

09/22/2026

Here's your local news for Monday, September 21, 2026:

We hear what local leaders in police oversight had to say at a public forum last week,Attend a union action supporting prospective workers at a new hotel in downtown Madison,Learn what's at stake if Middleton area voters reject a school budget referendum on the November ballot,Share the local government's calendar for the week ahead,Celebrate the Art Lit Lab's tenth anniversary,And much more.

Breese Stevens Field expansion raises traffic concerns for neighbors

09/18/2026

Here's your local news for Thursday, September 17, 2026:

We detail a multimillion-dollar proposal to upgrade Breese Stevens Field,Learn how to spot bail scams,Get the scoop on UW-Madison's Polish language and culture program,Take a deep dive into Wisconsin's redistricting case law,Consider the artistic potential of found objects,And much more.

Planned Parenthood lawsuit takes aim at Wisconsin abortion restrictions

09/17/2026

Here's your local news for Wednesday, September 16, 2026:

We hear state lawmakers' plan to slow down approval of the MariBell and BECI transmission projects,Learn more about Planned Parenthood's new constitutional challenge to Wisconsin's abortion restrictions,Kick off the fall semester with the latest news from the UW-Madison campus,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1968,And much more.

Madison police chief proposes gradual rollout of body-worn cameras

09/16/2026

Here's your local news for Tuesday, September 15, 2026:

We find out how Madison's budget constraints have shaped a proposal to deploy body-worn cameras across the city,Look forward to this year's Cap Times Idea Fest,Examine how the US-Canada trade war affects dairy producers,Talk to a pair of baristas about coffee on the Epic campus,Get an update on the fall migration,And much more.

Dane County urges energy regulator to pump the brakes on high-voltage transmission project

09/15/2026

Here's your local news for Monday, September 14, 2026:

We hear the Dane County Board's pitch to delay approval of the BECI transmission project,Discuss the future of police oversight in Madison with interim Independent Monitor Aeiramique Glass,Revisit a 2022 gerrymandering decision that could resurface this week in the Wisconsin Supreme Court,Explain how a 1969 labor dispute launched Angela Davis into fame,Teach you how to mix up a "Cuba Libre" cocktail,Review a new comedy and a beloved classic film,And much more.

SSM Health violated federal labor law, nurses union alleges

09/11/2026

Here's your local news for Thursday, September 10, 2026:

We find out why St. Mary's nurses have filed a federal labor complaint against SSM Health,Get to know Devine Nzegwu, the newly-appointed interim alder for District 1,Question why copying court records comes with a price,Tell you the best spots to cast your fishing line,Check in with Forward Madison FC after their recent win in Corpus Christi,And much more.

Local businesses and police oversight snubbed in city council vote

09/10/2026

Here's your local news for Wednesday, September 9, 2026:

We detail Madison alders' debate Tuesday evening over a pair of ill-fated funding proposals,Examine the state of Wisconsin's property values and taxes,Learn about a new campaign to reform the state's wage theft law,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to the 1960s,And much more.

Dane County sees record high homelessness

09/09/2026

Here's your local news for Tuesday, September 8, 2026:

We detail the latest data on homelessness in Dane County,Find out why Senator Kelda Roys opposed the sale of two state office buildings in downtown Madison,Scrutinize the White House's beef imports,Visit a new Monroe Street eatery,Describe the dangers of bird-window strikes,And much more.

With looming budget deficit, county leaders ask the public to get involved

09/04/2026

Here's your local news for Thursday, September 3, 2026:

We head to Centro Hispano for a public engagement session on Dane County's next budget,Find out why student workers are sounding the alarm on a deceptively-named program at the Wisconsin Union,Detail a 2023 legal case that challenged how the state Legislature puts constitutional amendments on the ballot,Learn how a local artist discovered her passion for painting portraits,Look forward to the Russian Folk Orchestra's first rehearsal of the semester,And much more.

Madison leaders back downsized Willy Street relief fund

09/03/2026

Here's your local news for Wednesday, September 2, 2026:

We explain which proposals made the cut on Monday, when city leaders considered funding for Willy Street businesses and the independent police monitor,Detail the controversy over an exhibit coming to the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art later this month,Share an update as yet more SSM nurses join the unionization effort,Discuss the future of body-worn cameras in Madison with Police Chief John Patterson,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1969,And much more.

Mail-in voting to stay the same for November, despite Trump executive order

09/02/2026

Here's your local news for Tuesday, September 1, 2026:

We share key takeaways from Monday's special meeting of the Wisconsin Elections Commission,Learn about a new project at the University of Wisconsin Law School that aims to demystify tribal land acquisition,Examine the shrinking access to safe and affordable produce,Celebrate community-making with sourdough bread,Look forward to the fall migration of chimney swifts,And much more.

Madison's CARES program celebrates five years of service

09/01/2026

Here's your local news for Monday, August 31, 2026:

We check in with Madison's alternative emergency response program ahead of their fifth anniversary,Outline some of the hot-button issues that could be decided in the Wisconsin Supreme Court's next term,Learn about an initiative that's inviting folks to rethink their relationship with the natural world,Get the latest numbers on excessive CEO pay,And much more.

What Happens to Abandoned Cemeteries?

08/28/2026

Here's your local news for Thursday, August 27, 2026:

Hear about how the State Government considers reforming the laws around cemeteriesSouthern Wisconsin braces itself for rising food insecurityLearn how some municipalities pool their insurance needsWe’ll help you plan one last round of summer fishingHear whether Forward Madison continued their lossless streakAnd Much More.

Wisconsin's Involvement with the Biggest Tech Settlement in American History

08/27/2026

Here's your local news for Wednesday, August 26, 2026:

Check in on the heating-up Madison Mayor RaceLearn about a new Dane County Clerk’s Office Election Center on the east sideSee how Wisconsin is holding Meta accountable for the damaging effects of social media on kidsExamine how the budget cuts to the Affordable Care Act is causing Americans to become uninsuredWe’ll go back in time to State street during the Vietnam warAnd Much More

AFT-Wisconsin president calls for major overhaul of UW Board of Regents

08/21/2026

Here's your local news for Thursday, August 20, 2026:

We learn how the city of Green Bay is preparing for the midterms, after a headline-grabbing election snafu earlier this year,Hear a union leader's pitch to make UW regent positions elected rather than appointed,Look forward to Ukraine Fest 2026,Build community and reduce waste at the "Fat Clothing Swap,"And much more.

Energy use at Meta data center not a "trade secret," judge rules

08/20/2026

Here's your local news for Wednesday, August 19, 2026:

We find out why state finance leaders are opposed to deregulating crypto staking,Check in with Midwest Environmental Advocates after their latest victory in Dane County court,Hear how Wisconsin's ability to retain young educated professionals stacks up against other states,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1969,And much more.

Friday's commutations hearing Wisconsin's first in twenty-five years

08/19/2026

Here's your local news for Tuesday, August 18, 2026:

We hear how the Madison school board is planning for the next district budget,Talk carceral reform ahead of a history-making commutations hearing later this week,Examine a "shocking" decline in beef prices,Visit Wildwood Cafe in Stoughton,Share some fun facts about bat bugs,And much more.

MMSD prepares to implement new cellphone policy

08/18/2026

Here's your local news for Monday, August 17, 2026:

We share key takeaways from MMSD's back-to-school roundtable,Hear what consumer advocates are monitoring amid Wisconsin's chaotic data center build-out,Learn more about the nation's first law banning "nudification technology,"Mark the anniversary of a Palestinian cameraman's murder by U.S. soldiers,Teach you how to mix up the infamous "BORG" cocktail,Review two movies,And much more.

ACLU challenges Wisconsin birth certificate law

08/14/2026

Here's your local news for Thursday, August 13, 2026:

We detail the latest pitch to redevelop the downtown site that houses Essen Haus,Find out why ACLU is suing the state of Wisconsin,Examine the struggle to obtain additional records on police disciplinary investigations,Learn about a new lawsuit challenging the DNR's approach to data center development,Check in with Forward Madison FC after the end of their winning streak,And much more.

“Undecideds” key in David Crowley’s victory

08/13/2026

Here's your local news for Wednesday, August 12, 2026:

We detail the preliminary results in Tuesday's election,Consider why statewide polls missed the mark in the Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor,Hear what's at stake for Wisconsin kids amid the federal deregulation of Head Start,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1967,And much more.

A first look at Madison's new men's shelter

08/12/2026

Here's your local news for Tuesday, August 11, 2026:

We explain why an error more than fifty years ago has the city rushing to hand over "remnant lands" to the county,Tour the new Bartillon shelter ahead of opening day next month,Learn how a series of economic shifts have turned the dairy world upside down,Hear the mission behind the "Dane County Food System Action Plan,"Take a closer look at the invasive European starling,And much more.

Wisconsin sees less absentee voting in partisan primary

08/11/2026

Here's your local news for Monday, August 10, 2026:

We get an update from Wisconsin's top elections administrator ahead of Tuesday's partisan primary,Hear the community-building mission behind MadWorC's new "Willy Street Impacted Workers Fund,"Sit down with a storm damage surveyor at the National Weather Service,Analyze the latest campaign finance filings in the race for Wisconsin governor,And much more.

Disability advocate travels 125 miles by wheelchair to defend home care

08/07/2026

Here's your local news for Thursday, August 6, 2026:

We hear a disability advocate's warning about Medicaid cuts and a new opinion from the Justice Department,Explain how a conversation about public artworks at Tuesday's city council meeting devolved into accusations of "nativism,"Find out what Wisconsin DNR is doing to control an invasive species of fish,Look forward to this year's Ukraine Fest,Detail an ongoing lawsuit that could reshape Wisconsin's absentee voting process,Meet the co-founders of the "Fat Clothing Swap,"And much more.

Activists raise their voices at city council and on the streets

08/06/2026

Here's your local news for Wednesday, August 5, 2026:

We detail the past 24 hours of city meetings and protests, two weeks after the police killing of Corey Ruiz,Learn how the U.S. Small Business Administration is helping Wisconsin recover from this spring's severe storms,Hear strategies to counter the concentrated power of billionaires,Broadcast the most comprehensive weather report on the airwaves,Travel back in time to 1963,And much more.

Protesters arrested as Madison tears down Corey Ruiz memorial

08/05/2026

Here's your local news for Tuesday, August 4, 2026:

We detail what went down this morning when the city followed through on its threat to clear out the encampment on Willy and Baldwin Streets,Head to a downtown rally demanding accountability in the police killing of Corey Ruiz,Meet Douglas Alexander, a self-described independent who's challenging Congressman Mark Pocan in the Democratic primary,Find out how federal policies are weakening the agricultural economy,Stop by JBC Coffee Roasters,Learn how some of our region's tiniest mammals survive in the wild,And much more.