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Yesterday — 9 June 2026Regional

The Democratic field for Wisconsin governor has been static for months. That could all change this week.

Seven people sit in a row of chairs on a stage; a person near the center holds a microphone and speaks while others look on
Reading Time: 4 minutes

The state’s most devoted Democrats are scheduled to gather in Madison this weekend for the party’s annual convention where the seven-way race for the Democratic nomination for governor is likely to take center stage. 

Democratic caucus and county party leaders told Wisconsin Watch they are hopeful the convention could be a clarifying moment in the primary campaign on who has enough support to make it to the August primary. None of the main contenders dropped out ahead of last week’s filing deadline, so seven names will appear on the Aug. 11 Democratic primary ballot.

When Democrats convene at the Monona Terrace Convention Center on Saturday, there will be less than 45 days until early voting starts in late July.

“If their message does not ring true to the delegates at the convention, they better listen to the applause because people will be honest with them,” said Susan Chandler, the 1st Congressional District chair and vice chair of the Walworth County Democrats. “Everybody who goes to the convention is a highly engaged Democrat, and for every one of those highly engaged, we all know 10 people who are not. We’re bringing a lot of background to that convention and critically listening to these candidates.” 

After Democratic Gov. Tony Evers decided not to run for a third term, seven Democratic candidates submitted the signatures to make the ballot. They include former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, former Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Madison state Rep. Francesca Hong, former Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Secretary Missy Hughes, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez and Madison Sen. Kelda Roys. 

Meanwhile, Wisconsin Republicans have coalesced around U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who received the Republican Party of Wisconsin’s endorsement at their annual convention in May and was endorsed by President Donald Trump in January. Tiffany has just one primary opponent, Andy Manske, a 27-year-old medical service technician.

“We want to know who is best situated to make bold sweeping change here in Wisconsin to provide a better life for Wisconsinites, and who is best situated to beat Tom Tiffany in a head-to-head,” said Brett Timmerman, the chair of the Milwaukee County Democratic Party. “I think that people are going to the convention looking for somebody to stand out in a meaningful way to deliver that message of why they think they are the best person to carry the torch forward.”

The closest comparison to this year’s field is the 2018 Democratic gubernatorial primary when 10 candidates ran for the opportunity to unseat then-Republican Gov. Scott Walker. Two dropped out in June before the primary that year. 

Evers, who had statewide election experience as the superintendent of public instruction, won the Democratic primary that year with 42% of the vote and later defeated Walker in the general election. Evers didn’t win a majority of primary voters, but his closest opponent only mustered 16.4% of the vote. 

A large primary, like the one in 2018, forces candidates to explain why voters should support their campaign, said Martha Laning, who served as the chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin during the 2018 election cycle.

At the 2018 state Democratic convention, the candidates all had the opportunity to make a three-minute pitch to party die-hards on what they would do for Wisconsin, Laning said. A spokesperson for the state party said all seven of the Democrats who made the ballot will also have a chance to speak this weekend. 

“I think it’s great to put all of the candidates up there and to just let people know what their options are,” Laning said. “Again, any of them will be better than Tom Tiffany, so the more people talking about how they would do things and how they would improve people’s lives in Wisconsin is a good thing for us.”

Negativity and consolidation

It’s been a quiet primary among the slew of Democratic candidates over the last six months, with few events that set the campaigns apart. Hong led the field with 14% in the most recent Marquette University Law School Poll in March. The poll also found that 65% of voters were undecided on who to vote for in the primary.

It’s worth watching if the convention is a place where candidates take negative swipes at each other with the August primary on the horizon, said Anthony Chergosky, an associate professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. 

“This has been a remarkably chill campaign, and I’m wondering if we’re going to see things heat up a little bit,” Chergosky said. 

Hints of discord are emerging in the primary. Hughes last month was the only candidate to publicly support the failed $1.8 billion bipartisan surplus deal negotiated between Evers and Republican legislative leaders. After the deal failed in the Senate, Hughes posted unnamed criticism of “certain self-serving Democratic candidates for governor who would rather boost their own personal political ambitions than serve our kids and taxpayers.” 

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last week reported that Hong was sued in May by Capital One for nearly $30,000 in credit card debt, which her campaign said had already been paid. Hong in a video posted on social media said the story showed her “opponents are scrambling.” 

“They are scared of what we’ve built, our platform that’s resonating with working class people all across the state who feel left behind, our organizing infrastructure that’s being built stronger every day,” Hong said. “They want to pull me off track and how dare they.” 

The convention could also serve as a milestone for consolidation in the race in the coming weeks, Chergosky said. A fractured field means one of the candidates could win with just 30% of the vote, but the math changes if someone drops out, he noted. 

For Gloria Hochstein, the chair of the party’s Rural Caucus, the circumstances of a large field of candidates make her wish ranked-choice voting was an option for this primary.

“The problem is that there are some really good people running, and the thoughtful voter is really going to have to decide where his or her vote should be,” Hochstein said. 

But the convention could “turn the tide” for some candidates who might drop out if they see they don’t have the statewide reach among the party’s most faithful, she said. 

“I think that’s the realization, some of the candidates, I hope they come to sooner rather than later,” Hochstein said.

Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our newsletters for original stories and our Friday news roundup.

The Democratic field for Wisconsin governor has been static for months. That could all change this week. 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.

Report: Wisconsin’s shrinking working-age population reduces projected housing need

9 June 2026 at 10:00

A projected decline in Wisconsin’s working-age population means the state needs to build fewer housing units than previously expected, according to a new report.

The post Report: Wisconsin’s shrinking working-age population reduces projected housing need appeared first on WPR.

Door2Dreams aims to build independence, connection in central Wisconsin

9 June 2026 at 10:00

For families, Medo said, the larger hope is that adults with intellectual disabilities are able to make more of their own choices — where they live, who they live near, how they spend their time and how they participate in the community around them.

The post Door2Dreams aims to build independence, connection in central Wisconsin appeared first on WPR.

LOON’s ‘A Little Night Music’ bridges generations across the Twin Ports

9 June 2026 at 10:00

Vicki Fingalson and fellow cast member Linda Kelsey, well-known for her multiple-Emmy-nominated role of newspaper reporter Billie Newman in the TV series “Lou Grant,” spoke with WPR’s Robin Washington on “Morning Edition” in between rehearsals for their June 12 and 14 performances of Stephen Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music."

The post LOON’s ‘A Little Night Music’ bridges generations across the Twin Ports appeared first on WPR.

A Trump administration policy could force retailers to stop accepting SNAP benefits

9 June 2026 at 10:00

Beginning in November, SNAP retailers across the U.S. will be required to stock more healthy foods. But experts say the change will ultimately leave federal food aid users with fewer options — especially in rural areas.

The post A Trump administration policy could force retailers to stop accepting SNAP benefits appeared first on WPR.

Wisconsin doctors say HPV vaccine has cut cancer rates. Only half of teens get the shots.

8 June 2026 at 22:22

Wisconsin pediatricians are celebrating two decades of a cancer-preventing vaccine. But state data shows nearly half of the state's teenagers aren't getting the shots.

The post Wisconsin doctors say HPV vaccine has cut cancer rates. Only half of teens get the shots. appeared first on WPR.

Milwaukee education leaders frustrated with DPI over funding for reading initiative

8 June 2026 at 20:56

The Milwaukee Reading Coalition claims the DPI indicated there was a pathway to obtain funding for training educators, but abruptly changed course. DPI says it is following the law.

The post Milwaukee education leaders frustrated with DPI over funding for reading initiative appeared first on WPR.

Before yesterdayRegional

Riding an ATV/UTV in Wisconsin? Buckle up, with updated laws

7 June 2026 at 11:00
A seat belt is fastened across a person wearing blue jeans and seated in a vehicle, with the buckle and latch visible.
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Riders of all-terrain vehicles in Wisconsin have some new requirements after new rules took effect at the start of this month.

Changed rules include include prohibitions against towing objects with people onboard, restrictions on window tinting — and a seat belt requirement.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said under the new law “ALL occupants of a UTV including the driver and passengers have to wear a seat belt.”

These regulations were approved by a unanimous vote of the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board, which updated the administrative codes.

Wisconsin has seen a surge in ATV and UTV activity in the past few years and an accompanying increase in fatal crashes.

As of January, the DNR reported more than 528,000 registrations for the trail-ready vehicles. The Wisconsin ATV/UTV Association says it has more than 40,000 members and about 130 local chapters across the state.

Randy Harden, the group’s president, said the association was included in talks with lawmakers about the regulation updates. The old ATV/UTV regulations were inconsistent, and behavior seen on trails was also part of the reason for the updated regulations.

A previous version of the law required seat belts, and Harden says its intention was always for it to apply to everyone in a vehicle. But when a rider in southwest Wisconsin challenged a ticket in court, it revealed an inconsistency in the way the policy was worded.

“The judge looked at the wording that was drafted, and it said all passengers must wear a seat belt, (but) didn’t say the driver,” Harden said. “This (new rule) corrects that and says all passengers and the driver must wear a seat belt.”

Last year, there were at least 300 ATV or UTV crashes reported to the DNR, resulting in 277 reported injuries.

“The majority of our serious injury and fatal crashes occur because of occupants choosing to not wear a seat belt or helmet,” said Lt. Jacob Holsclaw, DNR off-highway vehicle administrator.

In 2025 alone, the DNR reported a total of 41 deaths. In 32 of those fatal crashes, the people involved were not wearing seat belts. Only four of those deaths were in vehicles other than a UTV, DNR data shows.

It was the second-deadliest year for Wisconsin UTVs and ATVs on record.

A red and black off-road utility vehicle drives through mud on a dirt trail, with mud spraying from the tires and leafless trees in the background.
With changes on June 1, 2026, UTV/ATV riders have new requirements on eye protection, towing and window tints. (Courtesy of DNR)

While the new seat belt requirement is clear, advocates are realistic about its use.

“Will everybody do it? Absolutely not,” Harden said. “Does everybody wear their seat belts in the car? No, but that doesn’t mean you stop trying, and that’s really what this effort is.”

The DNR says enforcement will be handled through normal patrols by conservation wardens, sheriff’s offices and police in some areas.

“Officers will often use education and even citations if operators are found in violation of the new laws,” the DNR said in an email with WPR.

 DNR data for 2024 shows 115 citations for operators not wearing seat belts.

Towing, tinting rules among other requirements

Under the new restrictions, it is now illegal for a UTV/ATV to tow people on a roadway or trail. The restriction has exceptions for private lands and on ice while going under 10 miles per hour, the DNR says.

“It excludes if your machine breaks down,” Harden said. “That’s a common sense exclusion,” he said.

Other changes include making it mandatory for riders younger than 18 to have a DOT-approved helmet and requiring eye protection if the machine does not have a windshield. The new law also limits window tinting.

The DNR says there are now fines for causing intentional damage to an ATV/UTV, which could be up to three times as much as the cost to repair it.

This story was originally published by WPR.

Riding an ATV/UTV in Wisconsin? Buckle up, with updated laws 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.

New La Crosse statue celebrates Ho-Chunk healer, replacing controversial sculpture

8 June 2026 at 10:00

The bronze sculpture of Betsy Thunder was installed in May as part of a new section of the Riverside International Friendship Gardens in La Crosse's Riverside Park.

The post New La Crosse statue celebrates Ho-Chunk healer, replacing controversial sculpture appeared first on WPR.

Nealita Nelson is building community one Lego brick at a time

A person with long curly hair and glasses sits in a classroom beside tables displaying model cars, with an American flag , a door and a chalkboard on the wall in the background.
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Inside a classroom at Milwaukee Marshall High School, the sound of Lego bricks clicking together filled the room as children leaned over tables covered with colorful pieces and half-finished builds.

As they pieced together their creations, Nealita Nelson, the instructor behind the popular Milwaukee Recreation Lego classes, moved from desk to desk encouraging students to keep building. 

Nelson, a Milwaukee native known online as “Builds by Nene,” began teaching Lego-building classes through MKE Rec after appearing on Season 4 of Fox’s “LEGO Masters” in 2023 alongside her brother, Paul Wellington.

A small yellow toy head with a smiling face sits on a wooden table, with containers of building blocks blurred in the background.
A Lego minifigure head sits on a table with several containers of bricks before Nealita Nelson’s MKE Rec class.

Jeff McAvoy, whose 7-year-old son has been attending Nelson’s classes since they began two years ago, expressed his admiration for her teaching style. 

“It comes down to a simple shared interest in Lego and building, but she approaches it with such care and interest in what each of the kids are doing,” McAvoy said.

A person carries three clear storage bins filled with building blocks in a classroom, with additional bins lined up on tables.
Nealita Nelson sets down containers full of Lego bricks while setting up for her MKE Rec class.
A clear plastic bin holds red building blocks and pieces, with a few blue connector pieces visible among them.
A container full of Lego bricks sits on a table.
A white box decorated with colorful drawings and the text "Drop your Legos here" sits beside two yellow bags displaying the LEGO logo.
Several Lego bags and a box of blocks sit on a counter.

Nelson’s classes are typically divided by age groups, welcoming everyone from young children to adult builders:

  • LEGO Open Build (Designed for ages 3+): Focuses on beginner basics, open building zones and simple challenges.
  • LEGO Adventures: Encourages participants to step outside their comfort zones with complex, guided builds.
  • Learning LEGO (Designed for ages 13 to adults): Covers the history of Lego, advanced building techniques and creative design.
A person's hand holds brown and tan building blocks above a bin filled with similar pieces.
Nealita Nelson picks through a container full of Lego bricks.
A person with long curly hair and glasses places a building piece on a table covered with assembled models and loose blocks in a room with a door and a clock partially visible.
Nealita Nelson builds a Lego set.

For Nelson, Lego-building classes are about much more than play or building toys.

“I see the need for help, and I see the need to get these kids out from in front of screens,” Nelson said. “I feel like it was my duty to give back to my community that helped me when I was younger.”

A person with long curly hair and glasses sits in a classroom behind a row of model cars and other assembled figures displayed on tables.
Nealita Nelson poses for a portrait with some of her Lego collection before her class at MKE Rec.

Raised on Milwaukee’s North Side, Nelson and Wellington spent a lot of their childhood building together, before their almost 10-year age gap inevitably drew them apart.

Two people wearing glasses and yellow shirts stand among large building blocks in a promotional graphic with text reading "MEET PAUL AND NEALITA" and "LEGO MASTERS THURSDAY SEPT 28."
Paul Wellington and Nealita Nelson on the set of “LEGO Masters” Season 4. (Courtesy of Nealita Nelson)

Their close relationship became an advantage on “LEGO Masters,” where the siblings advanced in the competition, becoming third-place finalists.

“We’re both very different people. It helps bring out our best qualities and we’re able to work together well,” said Wellington, a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee alum. “I’m very timid. She pushed me to believe in myself and that led us to succeed.”

The siblings competed again, this time internationally, on “LEGO Masters: Grand Masters of the Galaxy” in Australia in 2025. They also were the first all-Black team in the U.S. version of “LEGO Masters” to win a challenge.

Nelson said they intentionally incorporated a few references to the city and state into their builds throughout the competitions.

“When we were doing the TV shows, we tried to incorporate something from Milwaukee or something that symbolizes Wisconsin as a whole,” Nelson said. “In the first episode, we did the dairy boat.”

A person holds building blocks at a table with an instruction sheet and more pieces spread across the surface.
Nealita Nelson puts away Lego bricks during her class.
A cardboard box contains colorful building blocks, toy vehicle parts, wheels and base plates piled together.
A container full of Lego pieces sits on a table.

While Nelson currently works in health care, she continues to build her public identity through her social media presence and Lego-building classes with MKE Rec.

“I felt like this was my calling, this is my passion. I love Lego,” Nelson said.

Registration for Nelson’s summer Lego-building sessions are open now until the first week of classes on June 22. You can register here.

A person with long curly hair leans over a table displaying model cars while two children look at and point toward the models in a classroom.
Arlo Martin, left, 6, and his sister Nell, 3, play with Nealita Nelson during her class at MKE Rec.

Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.

Nealita Nelson is building community one Lego brick at a time 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.

Former Madison deputy clerk removed from election tasks after misplacing 23 Supreme Court race ballots

A person holds a pen over a ballot at a table covered with voting instructions, forms and other materials.
Reading Time: 5 minutes

This article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access.

The former Madison deputy clerk who claimed responsibility for the 23 late-arriving ballots in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election has been reassigned within the clerk’s office to non-election tasks.

Jim Verbick — the election office’s former second-in-command who was previously scrutinized and sued for the clerk’s office losing 200 ballots in the 2024 election — admitted to losing track of the absentee ballots that didn’t end up arriving at several polling places until after 8 p.m. on Election Day in April, according to public records obtained by Votebeat.

He told Votebeat that he’s only partially to blame, that understaffing and a lack of communication led to the mistake and that it’s unfair that he got reassigned away from elections. Verbick is now the city clerk’s office’s lead worker for licensing.

“I do admit that I had forgotten about the ballots I secured when I left the post office,” he said, adding that he said the error was exacerbated by unexpected absences and mistakes made by others.

The issue went to court after the Wisconsin Elections Commission ordered Madison not to count the ballots because they arrived after the 8 p.m. deadline in Wisconsin law. A court reversed the commission’s decision, and the ballots were counted in the final canvass.

Verbick’s reassignment was part of a set of personnel changes designed to improve how the clerk’s office manages “the many logistical tasks of administering elections,” Madison Clerk Lydia McComas said in a statement. The city is also hiring two new deputy clerks and a lead employee for absentee voting. But this move doesn’t amount to a net gain of three election positions because one election staff member recently left the office and Verbick was reassigned.

Madison officials said after the election that the clerk’s office — not voters — was responsible for the ballots’ late arrival. Election officials had received and sorted the ballots in time to be delivered: They arrived on the Monday before Election Day and were sorted that same evening, then put on a shelf to be delivered in the afternoon of the following day, records show.

Emails, spreadsheets and Microsoft Teams messages obtained by Votebeat show that Verbick was in charge of absentee ballots and accepted some blame for their late arrival.

Around 4 p.m., Verbick sent a message on Microsoft Teams that he realized he sent out officials to deliver ballots that afternoon without the batch of absentee ballots including the 23 votes that would end up arriving late, former clerk’s office staff member Bonnie Chang said in an email to McComas.

Per that same email, Chang said that about an hour later, she scanned a spreadsheet that showed polling sites were still missing absentee ballots. She then contacted Verbick to find out how many ballots were in the late-discovered bin and whether he needed help delivering them. She wrote that he wouldn’t say how many ballots were found or whether more staff were needed to deliver ballots.

At around 6 p.m., Chang said, the clerk’s office sent additional staff to help deliver the ballots as early as possible. She said most got reassigned to other tasks.

By the time that additional help arrived, Verbick told Votebeat, the ballots had already been sent out for delivery. He said he didn’t think the couriers who were already dispatched to deliver the ballots would have trouble delivering them on-time.

In hindsight, Verbick said, he would have used those additional staff to lighten their load. But he also said he could have planned for the additional staff better had anybody told them that they were en route to help him out.

That night, Verbick sent an email to McComas taking blame for not putting the batch containing the 23 ballots on the planned afternoon drop-offs to polling places.

“Missing the bin of envelopes with the initial afternoon route is my fault,” he emailed McComas at about 10:45 p.m. on Election Day. “I had all of them reviewed this morning and ready to be run with the mail delivery.”

Verbick told Votebeat he forgot about the ballots because election workers in the clerk’s office hadn’t told him about a planned USPS delivery around noon that Tuesday. Believing the delivery had not happened, he went to the post office to investigate.

Before leaving, he said, he moved the batch of ballots that later arrived late into a secure area because there were no other full-time clerk’s office staffers available to watch them while he was gone. It was there that he forgot the ballots.

The error, Verbick told Votebeat, reflected chronic understaffing in the clerk’s office — a problem exacerbated by the increase in absentee voting since the 2020 election.

In an email to McComas, Verbick said he didn’t get additional staff that he thought would help process ballots and that he didn’t intentionally ignore messages from office staff.

Relying on hourly and temporary workers to fill those gaps is not enough, he told Votebeat.

In an email to Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway sent the night of the incident, McComas said that she would “firmly address the lack of communication” and would have more staff in August and November, including the new deputy to oversee absentee ballots.

Wisconsin Elections Commission chair Ann Jacobs called the latest error “absurd” at a commission meeting in late April. The commission voted to investigate Madison over the error, meaning the agency’s first two authorized investigations in its history both center on Madison: one for the 2024 ballot snafu and one for the latest one.

Ultimately, the votes affected by this year’s error were counted. Officials said these 23 ballots were correctly, legally cast, counted and checked into the pollbooks just like any other valid absentee ballots — the only problem was that they were delivered and counted after polls formally closed. The Wisconsin Elections Commission voted that the city and county erred in counting the ballots since state law held that ballots must be delivered to polling places “no later than 8 p.m. on election day.”

A Dane County judge, however, reversed that order, ruling that the ballots should be counted because they were properly cast, and precedent held that voters shouldn’t be disenfranchised because of clerk errors.

Verbick scrutinized for 2024 election snafu

This was the second time in about two years that Verbick has faced scrutiny over allegations that he failed to act decisively when absentee ballots were at risk of being left uncounted.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission previously scrutinized Verbick for his inaction after the 2024 presidential election, when nearly 200 voters were disenfranchised.

When Maribeth Witzel-Behl, the clerk at the time, was on vacation after the election, Verbick was in charge of the office, Witzel-Behl told the commission in a deposition.

Verbick, on the other hand, “testified that he is generally in charge when Clerk Witzel-Behl is not in the office, but that he is ‘not always the point person on everything in the office’” and wasn’t sure who the point person would have been, according to the commission investigation.

The commission stated that Verbick’s involvement was “minimal” by his own account and that nobody took responsibility for those ballots: “It was always someone else’s job.”

After learning about the ballots, the commission stated, Verbick “did not instruct anyone to determine how to get the ballots counted.”

Verbick was sued in his personal capacity for his role in the error and declined to comment about the 2024 snafu. The case is ongoing, and the plaintiffs are demanding financial damages for being disenfranchised.

Alexander Shur is a reporter for Votebeat based in Wisconsin. Contact Shur at ashur@votebeat.org.

Votebeat is a nonprofit news organization reporting on voting access and election administration across the U.S. Sign up for Votebeat Wisconsin’s free newsletter here.

Former Madison deputy clerk removed from election tasks after misplacing 23 Supreme Court race ballots 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.

Milwaukee’s We Black We Golf is changing who feels welcome on the course

Two people stand on a golf green holding putters beside a flagstick, with trees and bright green foliage in the background.
Reading Time: 4 minutes

One Milwaukee organization is working to remove barriers that keep Black children and adults, especially beginners, from experiencing golf. 

We Black We Golf was created after one of its founders was stared down by a white guy and responded with, “Yes, we Black and we golf!”

“Golf is not just a game of exclusivity,” said Richard Badger, director and golf mentor of We Black We Golf, a social organization that introduces Black individuals to golfing through clinics, community outings and mentorship without competition.

“We are open to everyone, but we’re intentional about serving our primary demographic.”

Experiencing a typical session

During its clinics, We Black We Golf invites individuals to a golf course and provides them with equipment to learn the basics, like how to hold and swing a golf club before introducing the ball.

After people determine if it’s a sport they would enjoy and like to continue with, We Black We Golf helps them find their first set of affordable golf clubs. 

“Most clubs aren’t made the same, and most beginners buy the wrong ones from the wrong places,” Badger said.

Changing the perception of golf

According to Badger, the organization consists mainly of individuals who are 45 and up, but for the past two years, the organization has tried to attract younger people to the game. 

“We need to tap into the 20 to 35 age range, and Black women are the fastest-growing demographic coming into the game of recreational golf,” he said. 

Badger said fewer young people golf because of common misconceptions like it being a slow sport or too expensive and made for wealthy white men. 

He said he notices more celebrities participating in golf and is concerned about that misleading young people by making the sport look more expensive and inaccessible than it really is. 

“Many of the celebrities are being endorsed by companies,” he said. “DJ Khaled has a golf bag over $30k, which is not realistic for somebody in your demographic and does a disservice to the game.”

However, Badger is glad to see that younger people in Milwaukee are being drawn to local places like Luxe Golf Bays and Topgolf Swing Suite. 

Another thing that hinders new golfers and keeps them from travel opportunities, he said, is that they feel they’re not competent enough for the game. 

Badger wants individuals to know that golf is all about celebrating your victories.

“In other sports, like basketball, you talk about the errors and shots you missed, but in golf you talk about your makes,” he said.

Creating exposure for younger generations

Among the participants of We Black We Golf is Ti-mara Minefee-Tribble, a 53208 resident who got involved by attending a clinic with her husband in 2021.

“I’m not very athletically inclined and I didn’t want something where I had to run or join a league,” she said. “When golfing, we got to sit, play music, enjoy drinks and have a dope experience.” 

A person stands on a golf green and holds a putter near a red flagstick, with trees and an incline of the green in the background.
Chandler Tribble stays focused after putting a golf ball into the hole. (Courtesy of Ti-mara Minefee-Tribble)

Eventually, Minefee-Tribble got her son Chandler Tribble, 21, involved with the organization. 

“He took to the game like a fish to water,” Badger said.

Minefee-Tribble said her son enjoyed golf so much he bought his own clubs with allowance money.

“He was so interested in the sport that he joined the golf team at his school, too,” she said. 

Chandler Tribble did additional things like take golf trips with his friends, assist Badger with mentoring and was a caddy driver. 

“My son has done the traditional things like football, basketball and playing the cello in orchestra, but to see him encounter something new and be comfortable with it touches my heart,” Minefee-Tribble said. 

She said parents should take more time and opportunities to expose their children to other things, including golf. 

Badger said he would love to see more Black children play golf, particularly Black girls because of opportunities for scholarships.

“About $50 million in scholarships are returned in the golf space because they don’t have enough minority girls to reward those scholarships to,” he said. 

Badger believes many Black children don’t play golf because they’re not exposed to it enough. 

“Many of their parents and grandparents don’t watch or play golf, so the child isn’t introduced to it,” he said. 

Others might try but not continue if they struggle at first.  He wants them to keep trying.

More than just a sport

Badger emphasizes that golfing is a good networking space to build relationships and gain opportunities that would be harder to achieve in traditional settings like offices. 

“Golfing is not just a leisure activity, it can be a professional skill and become your extended office,” he said. “People get country club memberships to host staff meetings there, too.”

A year ago, We Black We Golf partnered with Kwabena Antoine Nixon, an author and community activist, to host a business networking event called “The Build Up.”

A person stands on a small green mat holding a golf club near a golf ball, with a net, a golf bag and residential buildings in the background.
Kwabena Antoine Nixon practices a few swings at a business networking event called “The Build Up” he hosted with We Black We Golf last year. (Courtesy of Kwabena Antoine Nixon)

Residents gathered for the event at Garfield’s 502, a restaurant and tavern in the Halyard Park neighborhood, to enjoy golf games, live music, food and more. 

Nixon said although he isn’t an avid golfer, the conversations held around him during the event stood out the most. 

“In a golf setting you can make deals with people and talk about things that elevate you as a person within that group,” he said. 

Nixon said he appreciated how We Black We Golf created a safe space for the Black community in the sport while preserving Black culture. 

“I love when Black folks get into something and we turn it into something,” he said. “That event became a gathering congregation spot where people were golfing but building, too.”

With over 20 years of golf experience, Badger has always kept his confidence and hopes that other generations will do the same. 

“I own every room I walk in when it comes to golf,” Badger said. 


For more information

We Black We Golf hosts various clinics throughout the year.

The children’s golf clinic is free and consists of learning basic techniques.

It’s generally held at Noyes Park Golf Course, 8235 Good Hope Road, in late July, and equipment is provided.  

Sunday Fundays are free monthly golf clinics held at 9 a.m. at Lincoln Park Golf Course, 1000 W. Hampton Ave., for all skill levels. 

The next clinic is scheduled for June 14. Click here to view dates for other upcoming clinics. 

During winter, We Black We Golf hosts an eight-week clinic that includes 16 hours of instruction and three virtual classes.

The cost for this clinic is $450 but can be paid in installments. 

If you are interested in becoming a part of We Black We Golf, click here to fill out an application.

Milwaukee’s We Black We Golf is changing who feels welcome on the course 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.

Private property signs go up along shoreline past popular nature preserve in Ozaukee County

5 June 2026 at 22:32

The signs and rope can be seen just to the left of the park trail that leads to the beach. One sign reads "private property, no trespassing, violators will be prosecuted."

The post Private property signs go up along shoreline past popular nature preserve in Ozaukee County appeared first on WPR.

Trump administration announces $19M in funding to southcentral Wisconsin coal plant

5 June 2026 at 19:57

A coal plant in southcentral Wisconsin is expected to receive $19 million in federal funding for a modernization project after the plant was originally scheduled to retire almost two years ago.

The post Trump administration announces $19M in funding to southcentral Wisconsin coal plant appeared first on WPR.

Trump visit to Chippewa Falls highlights rural agenda in nationally watched swing district

5 June 2026 at 15:55

Trump spoke for about an hour at the event, billed as a roundtable discussion, covering topics ranging from border security to manufacturing and his project to repaint the bottom of Washington D.C.'s Reflecting Pool.

The post Trump visit to Chippewa Falls highlights rural agenda in nationally watched swing district appeared first on WPR.

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