UpNorthNews Radio with Pat Kreitlow

We’ll talk to Mark Jacob about his new column for Courier Newsroom, “A New Idea in Political Interviews: Ban the Liars,” which makes the case that media sites don’t mind booking known liars on their airwaves so long as it brings them big ratings. And state superintendent Jill Underly fires back at DEI critics in […]Guests: Mark Jacob, Dan Schumacher

Not content with talking about impeaching a president or a state Supreme Court justice, now a few Republicans are passing around a note asking if they should impeach the administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Their resolution is 23 pages full of recycled misinformation about 2020—because some people are still working publicly to undermine American […]Guest: Keya Vakil

To the surprise of many, Republicans did not bring a quick end to Gov. Tony Evers’ request for a special session to focus on the child care crisis and a middle class tax cut. We’ll talk to Joe Zepecki about that and the role of Wisconsin members of Congress in the fight to avoid (or […]Guests: Joe Zepecki, Kristin Lyerly

National Voter Registration Day was marked this week with activities designed to support one of the most non-partisan acts of civic engagement out there: Register to vote. We’ll talk to people from two groups that are spending this week helping people check their status, get registered, and save themselves from confusion or chaos in 2024.Guests: Todd Allbaugh, Sam Liebert, Hannah Fried, Funmilola Olorunfemi

Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson is in the center of the push by right-wing extremists to force a government shutdown—by single-handedly blocking essential spending measures so that it’s easier to demand significant budget cuts that would hurt Americans who don’t share his multi-millionaire status. We’ll have the latest. And our Climate Check segment looks at […]Guests: Melissa Baldauff, Melissa Kaye

It’s that time of year—to see if a responsible fella can get a flu shot and a COVID booster, and lift his arms the next morning! Also: Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes Conway talks about the jobs and improvements that are coming to Wisconsin because of President Biden’s emphasis on American infrastructure. And Hans Breitenmoser reviews […]Guests: Hans Breitenmoser, Satya Rhodes-Conway

After months of delays, Republicans have released a plan to pay for much-needed renovations to American Family Field. But there are lessons to be learned—or relearned—before we can feel comfortable that the Brewers will stay in Wiscosin. Also: Christina Lorey has The UpLift, our weekly look at the uplifting stories found in our daily newsletter. Guest: Christina Lorey

We’ll visit with Scot Ross about the need for progressives to rise to the challenge of calling out misinformation and insisting on better coverage that doesn’t let assaults on democracy sound like “business as usual.” Guests: Kristin Lyerly, Scot Ross, Terry Bell, Salina Heller

Once seen as an institution of public affairs journalism, NBC’s “Meet the Press” passes the torch to a new host—only to see it give a virtually-unchecked platform to a four-times indicted, twice-impeached, former president who tried to overturn an American election. Guests: Kristin Lyerly, Cherita Booker

This week on UpNorthNews Radio, we hear from several guests on multiple topics including youth gun violence prevention, the ongoing situation with Wisconsin Elections Chair Megan Wolfe, and an update on sports.Guests: Kristin Lyerly, Dan Schumacher, Kate Duffy, Danielle Linn

After a judge determined that the arcane language in an 1849 law is not about abortion, Planned Parenthood announced Thursday it would resume abortion care services at two Wisconsin clinics. Dr. Kristin Lyerly is a party in that lawsuit and warns that there is still much to be done before women are not treated as […]Guests: Kristin Lyerly, Mark Jacob, Dan Schumacher

Republican state senators believe they fired state Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe on Thursday, but she said she’s not going anywhere as Attorney General Josh Kaul files a lawsuit so that a court can note that the Senate just made everything up in order to appease 2020 conspiracy theorists.Guests: Kristin Lyerly, Keya Vakil

This week’s Hometown Health guest is a radio personality in the Fox Valley who’s very open about his struggles with depression. By baring his soul, he’s hoping others will avoid bottling up their troubles and frustrations—because talking out what’s bringing you down is the first step toward lifting yourself up.Guests: Kristin Lyerly, Luke Mathers, Dan "Huggie" Amsden

A Republican leader changes course and embraces a reform to the political process. In some instances that would garner praise and applause. But not for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who today will try to fast-track a half-hearted proposal to change how legislative maps are drawn in order to stop any real reform that could come […]Guests: Joe Zepecki, Kristin Lyerly

T We’ll visit with Tara Johnson, the latest Democrat to throw her hat in the ring for the 3rd Congressional District seat in western and central Wisconsin.   Also: Legislative Republicans move closer to passing warmed-over versions of their previously rejected plans for childcare and taxes.Guests: Todd Allbaugh, Tara Johnson

For 12 years Republicans have drawn their own legislative districts and rejected every suggestion to reform the process that leads to gerrymandered maps. Now, facing a state Supreme Court under liberal control, GOP leaders say they’re ready to allow a nonpartisan group to draw maps for 2024. Also: House Republicans move closer to impeaching President […]Guests: Melissa Baldauff, Melissa Kaye

The Rural Democracy Institute is a coalition of dozens of groups working to lay out a roadmap of policies that could renew America’s rural communities and help the country with some of its big challenges. We’ll talk to two Wisconsin individuals who played a part in the new 2023 report about improving the rural economy […]Guests: Shawn Phetteplace, Chad Holmes, Colleen Bies

Leave it to Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature to take a vote on September 11 designed to undermine democracy. Their renomination of the state’s top election official before the Wisconsin State Senate is imaginary. The legal drama is real—and will probably get real expensive.Guest: Christina Lorey

Wisconsin lawmakers are about to begin their fall session with so much potential—including the ability to pass gun safety legislation that could save the lives of children, law enforcement officers, and more. We’ll talk to a pediatric critical care physician, the kind of doctors who see far too many children whose lives have been lost […]Guests: Terry Bell, Kate Duffy, Danielle Scampini, Salina Heller, Kellie Snooks

Whatever history writes of the Jordan Love Era, at least it will have started with a win against the Chicago Bears. We’ll also recap disappointing results from the Badgers and Brewers—10-plus innings of no-hit baseball and they still lose? Plus a review of Wisconsin news headlines to start the week.Guests: Kristin Lyerly, Cherita Booker

We’ll talk to state Assembly Rep. Mike Bare (D-Verona) about Democrats offering alternatives to the Republican tax cuts for the very rich—expand the Homestead and the Earned Income Tax Credits so that working middle class families benefit from the state’s record budget surplus.Guests: Mark Jacob, Dan Schumacher, Mike Bare

It is not necessary for a politician to openly call for support from members of hate groups. But when people in those groups start openly supporting the politician, he might have a problem. We’ll also talk to Courier Newsroom national correspondent Keya Vakil about the national attention being put on Wisconsin Republicans for even considering […]Guest: Keya Vakil

We never know when something will happen that upends our lives, but sometimes that burden turns out to be a blessing. We’ll talk to a cultural anthropologist at UW-Stout about how his daughter’s disabilities are helping him remind all of us of the value of every person—and the benefits that come with being more inclusive.Guests: Kristin Lyerly, Luke Mathers, Salina Heller, Thomas Pearson

For a party that has tried nullifying past election results, even this move would be drastic—trying to impeach a newly-elected state Supreme Court justice. We’ll talk to Joe Zepecki about whether Republicans are bluffing in their threat to try to undo the will of the voters who overwhelmingly elected Janet Protasiewicz less than six months […]Guests: Joe Zepecki, Kristin Lyerly, Salina Heller, Tara Johnson

Over the years, what started as a small, experimental program in Milwaukee has metastasized to the point where Wisconsin taxpayers are funding two parallel school systems. We’ll examine the real cost of the voucher schools program—not only from the standpoint of dollars, but of dignity.Guests: Todd Allbaugh, Julie Underwood, Martha Siravo

There is a childcare crisis in Wisconsin. Good providers can’t afford to stay open. Parents can’t afford rising rates. Employers keep losing good workers who have to quit and stay home because they’ve lost a good childcare provider. There are possible solutions that could be very helpful. And then there’s the proposal from Republicans in […]Guests: Melissa Baldauff, Melissa Kaye

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul is among 31 attorneys general helping the US Dept. of Agriculture examine ways where companies are trying to remove competitive pressures from the marketplace in the agriculture and food industries. We’ll talk to Hans Breitenmoser about the things that aren’t blatant monopolies but still hurt capitalism and consumers. Also: Heather […]Guests: Chad Holmes, Hans Breitenmoser, Heather Heil

It’s early, but we’ll raise a metaphorical “boat drink” to Jimmy Buffett as Pat talks about losing a favorite artist. Also, Christina Lorey has The UpLift, a review of the uplifting stories she adds to our weekday newsletter. And in the new blackout battle between Spectrum and Disney, is there even a good guy to […]Guest: Christina Lorey

It shouldn’t be this hard to recognize that not every American, whose life, liberty and pursuit of happiness is a product of our democracy, would protect and defend our democracy. Some Americans do want to overthrow free elections, and some of those people are in powerful positions. So why do newsrooms cover them as just […]Guests: Mark Jacob, Dan Schumacher

So-called “fiscal conservatives” love the idea of creating dashboards that help show how tax dollars are used—up to a point. When it was suggested recently that a dashboard for school spending should include the real expense of the vouchers that benefit private, usually religious schools, conservatives changed their tune faster than any dashboard could measure. […]Guest: Keya Vakil

Yes, there’s a lot of ugly pushback out there these days over notions of inclusivity, diversity, and acceptance—but it’s only because something stronger is doing some pushing of its own: the right to be yourself. Sometimes people need some guidance in getting to where they think they belong versus what they were assigned at birth. […]Guests: Kristin Lyerly, Luke Mathers, Melissa Hidde

First we have Republican proposals to get more kids into the workforce—can’t get ‘em out of the classroom and into serving liquor in bars fast enough, right? Now, instead of using a record surplus to address the childcare shortage, there’s a new GOP proposal to pack more kids into each classroom and reduce the age […]Guest: Kristin Lyerly

Part of our mission at UpNorthNews is to overcome the default level of cynicism about civics—and show what happens when government at any level is operated responsibly by public servants who make good use of our tax dollars. On Tuesday, we listed many positive advancements in care for our veterans. Today we look at the […]Guests: Todd Allbaugh, Julie Lassa

We already knew Republican legislators were going to spend Tuesday talking about an imaginary nomination to the state Elections Commission, so imagine our surprise when the committee also busted out its Greatest Hits album of imaginary claims about the 2020 election—with live performances from many of the conspiracy theorists you thought had returned to the […]Guest: Melissa Kaye

We’ll talk to veteran and former candidate Ben Murray about recent actions by the Biden administration to help veterans—and get his take on what else needs to be done at both the federal and state levels.Guests: Chad Holmes, Ben Murray

Legislative Republicans will take action Tuesday on a job appointment that doesn’t exist. In their quest to fire the head of the state Elections Commission, they’ll pretend she’s up for renomination—when she’s not. Also, the right-wing Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court continues her very public meltdown about losing control to a new liberal […]Guest: Christina Lorey

Our “Motherhood Monday” segment looks at what can happen when a quality school district becomes infected with politics. Some things are eye-catching—like rejecting free school lunches for kids. Some things are odd—like banning a song about rainbows. But the more troubling “canaries in the coal mine” take the form of teachers leaving the district because […]Guests: Kate Duffy, Salina Heller, Danielle Linn, Rusty Edlund

For all the talk about Republicans doing more to reach young voters, their actions sure seem to get in the way. Taking away healthcare rights, doing nothing about school shootings, making it harder to vote, opposing broadband expansion—and now a major presidential candidate wants to raise the retirement age, but just for young workers.Guests: Kristin Lyerly, Cherita Booker

Voters in Ohio recently turned back a right-wing attempt to rig the way their state Constitution gets amended. Now they’ll be going back to the polls this November to once again protect women’s healthcare. Dr. Kristin Lyerly introduces us to a fellow obstetrician/gynecologist in that state about the need to never take basic rights for […]Guests: Kristin Lyerly, Cherita Booker, Amy Burkett

Republicans in Madison and Washington, DC are working overtime to interfere in elections that have been—and continue to be—safe, secure, and accurate. Wisconsin state senators are pushing ahead with an illegal effort to fire the administrator of the state Elections Commission. And House Republicans have announced an investigation into the Atlanta district attorney investigating Trump’s […]Guests: Mark Jacob, Dan Schumacher, Henry Redman