Wildfire smoke brings hazardous air quality in Wisconsin. Here’s how to stay safe
A statewide air quality advisory due to fine particulate matter from smoke will last until noon on Friday, July 17, with the potential of being extended in some areas.
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Track how Wisconsin governments are spending opioid settlement dollars
See how Wisconsin counties and municipalities are spending opioid settlement funds — and where millions remain unspent.
Track Wisconsin’s prison population
Explore weekly prison population and capacity data for Wisconsin’s correctional system and each facility dating back to 2006.
Track statewide layoffs across Wisconsin
Search layoffs reported to the Department of Workforce Development by county, industry and year.
Fact Briefs – bite-sized fact checks of trending claims
Did more Democrats run for Wisconsin governor in 2018 than in 2026?
Yes. There were 10 Democrats on the 2018 ballot and seven on the 2026 ballot.
In most states, including Wisconsin, is it legal to record a conversation without the other person’s consent?
Yes. In 38 states people can record a conversation between themselves and another person without notifying the other person.
Stories from our partners
public square
Laurie Doxtator faces recovery’s next test
‘It felt so nice … to know what I did mattered’: Public Square subjects reflect on the power of community storytelling
‘Language lost. Culture lost’: In Milwaukee, a race to keep Rohingya language alive in exile
Videos from Wisconsin Watch
Opinion
Guest opinion: Celebrate Wisconsin’s overdose decline, but demand accountability for opioid settlement spending
Wisconsin has spent only a fraction of its opioid settlement funds, raising questions about whether the money caused the state’s decline in overdose deaths, Jiyue Wang writes.
Guest opinion: Wisconsin should make polluters pay
Wisconsin should follow Vermont and New York by creating a climate superfund that requires major fossil fuel companies to help pay for climate-related damage and resilience projects, Leo Rain writes.
Guest opinion: open letters on justice and public safety as Wisconsin weighs commutations
As Wisconsin embarks on a new commutation process, Shannon Ross calls on elected leaders to put data, accountability and public safety ahead of politics.
