‘The word is out’: Wisconsin families turn grief into action as sextortion cases rise
The number of sextortion cases in Wisconsin nearly tripled from 2024 to 2025. Families whose children died by suicide after being sextorted are not sitting on the sidelines: They’re speaking to schools, advocating for legislation to protect victims, and some are suing social media companies.
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Fact Briefs – bite-sized fact checks of trending claims
Did Wisconsin have more than 40,000 KKK members in the 1920s?
No. Researchers say the number of Klan members in Wisconsin was closer to 15,000.
Did Donald Trump’s signature 2025 legislation cut Medicaid spending by $1 trillion over a decade?
Yes. The estimated $1 trillion in cuts is based on work requirements and a cap on provider taxes.
public square
‘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
From empty pews to packed programs: A Driftless area church becomes a multigenerational community hub
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Opinion
Guest opinion: New federal funding guidelines fail to address root causes of homelessness
Josh Benti writes: “With direction from the HUD notice, (Continuums of Care) will need to meet a new set of requirements that are beyond the scope of nonprofit service providers in our community.”
Your Right to Know: Names of police should be public
If chiefs or sheriffs want to hire an officer with problems in the past, they should say so publicly and defend their decision. They just can’t make these decisions in secret.
Guest opinion: Going boating? Wear a life jacket. It could save your life.
A rescue on Beaver Dam Lake highlights the importance of life jackets. Most people who drown in boating incidents weren’t wearing one, Gail R. Kulp writes.