As diesel prices hit record highs, costs will likely be passed on to consumers.

The post Record high diesel prices likely to drive up cost of groceries, other goods appeared first on WPR.

A program that provides unrestricted financial support to new mothers is expanding in Milwaukee.

The post Expanded cash program will help low-income, pregnant Milwaukee mothers appeared first on WPR.

Director of Harley-Davidson Experience Centers Megan Suardini said this gives Midwesterners a look at a 9/11 history they don’t have to travel far to see.

The post Motorcycle from iconic 9/11 photograph becomes part of Harley-Davidson Museum collection appeared first on WPR.

For the first time, researchers in Wisconsin are placing tiny solar-powered radio tags onto monarchs.

The post Wisconsin using new tracking technology to better understand monarch butterfly migration  appeared first on WPR.

After a year of late frosts, drought and hail damage in some areas, many apple orchards are not expecting a large yield this fall.

The post Warmer temperatures, spring frosts cause challenges for Wisconsin apple growers appeared first on WPR.

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The family of a Milwaukee man falsely accused last year of threatening to kill President Donald Trump plans to sue the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for $5.5 million for emotional pain and suffering.

Ramón Morales Reyes, 56, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on May 22, 2025. Six days later, then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem issued a press release accusing him of sending a handwritten letter to ICE stating he would self-deport after using a hunting rifle to “shoot your precious president in his head.”

The letter was fake and didn’t come from Morales Reyes. Milwaukee resident Demetric Scott later admitted writing it to frame Morales Reyes to prevent him from testifying against Scott in an upcoming trial. Scott was convicted of identity theft and witness intimidation and sentenced in February to more than 16 years in prison.

At a press conference Friday in Milwaukee, attorneys representing Morales Reyes said DHS knew the threat was fake but still told the nation their client intended to assassinate Trump.

His children said the lie hurt their family and they just want things to go back to normal.

“Seeing my dad being framed for something he did not do was very heartbreaking,” said Ana Morales, the 25-year-old daughter of Morales Reyes. “He’s been going through depression, anxiety, he doesn’t like going out anymore because he feels like everyone knows him due to what he was framed as, and ever since it has taken a lot from us.”

Milwaukee immigration attorney Caine Oulahan, who represents Morales Reyes, said local law enforcement and the U.S. Secret Service had determined he didn’t write the letter days before issuing their release.

“And after they determined it was likely not him, it was still published,” Oulahan said.  

An affidavit from a Milwaukee Police Department officer who also works with the FBI states that they interviewed Morales Reyes on May 22, 2025. The officer said he didn’t believe Morales Reyes sent the threatening letter. A search warrant of Scott’s calls from jail also produced recordings in which Scott coordinated with someone to send packets to several law enforcement officials. Scott said his plan was to have Morales Reyes arrested so the criminal case against him would be dropped.

“And the judge will agree ’cause if he gets picked up by ICE, there won’t be a jury trial so they will probably dismiss it that day,” Scott said. “That’s my plan.”

That DHS press release is still online. A small disclaimer was added at the bottom stating Morales Reyes “is no longer under investigation for threats against the President” but he still faces deportation proceedings

The Morales Reyes family has notified DHS it intends to sue the agency for $5.5 million for emotional pain and suffering caused by the federal government’s false claim. According to the legal claim, DHS also posted that day on X thanking ICE officers for detaining Morales Reyes for threatening to assassinate Trump.

The White House Instagram account later posted Morales Reyes’ face alongside the letter used to frame him.

Antonio Morales, the 20-year-old son of Morales Reyes, said he was scared when he saw negative comments about his father online. He said he believes DHS knew the posts contained false information at the time. 

“It was hard seeing your dad all over social media posted as some sort of assassin almost, and that’s just not who my father is,” Antonio Morales said. “I really think that they knew what they were doing. They wanted to do this to more immigrants, and they really want to keep terrorizing the community going forward.” 

Attorney Mark Thomsen, who also sits on the Wisconsin Elections Commission, said the case is about more than compensation for the family. 

“They knew it was a lie, and they still haven’t taken it down,” Thomsen said. “They haven’t thought for a second about apologizing. This is the most powerful government in the world, and here they are out to crush us, each of us, like bugs, like gnats on a rhinoceros.”

Thomsen said it’s up to everyone in America to stop tolerating a federal government willing to lie in pursuit of the Trump’s aggressive deportation efforts.

DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the family’s claim.

The deportation proceedings against Morales Reyes come amid reporting that ICE arrests and detentions in Wisconsin have hit new highs this summer, with 220 arrests in June — up from 119 in May, according to a Wisconsin Watch analysis.

Voces de la Frontera Executive Director Christine Neumann-Ortiz said the most recent surge occurred mostly in Milwaukee from late June through the July 4 holiday weekend. She said immigration agents used excessive force in several alleged cases, and that the group’s statewide network of ICE observers must continue.

A version of this story was originally published by WPR.

Family of Milwaukee man falsely accused of threatening Trump plans to sue DHS 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.

The family of a Milwaukee man wrongly accused last year by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security of threatening to kill President Donald Trump plans to sue the agency for $5.5 million for emotional pain and suffering.

The post Milwaukee family to sue ICE for father’s detention over fake threat against Trump appeared first on WPR.

King Arthur’s sword has been missing from the Spirit of Service monument in Juneau Park since at least 1947.

The post After decades, Milwaukee Sword in the Stone monument will see its sword replaced appeared first on WPR.

Tyrell Whiting is the spokesperson for the Jehovah’s Witness international convention. He said they are expecting over 21,000 people, including 5,000 international guests, for the event that runs through Sunday.

The post Over 21K people expected to be in Milwaukee for international Jehovah’s Witness convention  appeared first on WPR.

A near total lunar eclipse will cast an orange glow showing off the moon’s craters and details. At its peak --- which is expected at 11:12 p.m. Thursday --- 96 percent of the moon will be covered by the Earth’s shadow. The event known as the blood moon will be visible throughout Wisconsin, as long as the skies stay clear.

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Wisconsin’s homeless population has been rising in recent years, but the state continues to outperform its Midwest neighbors in addressing homelessness.

The post Wisconsin’s homeless population may be increasing due to rising housing prices and declining economy appeared first on WPR.

Yellow-billed loons are native to Arctic waters and have occasionally wandered to other Midwest states. They are rarely spotted outside of the Arctic at this time of year.

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The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is trying to make textbooks more accessible through the Open Textbooks and Open Educational Resources project which eliminates the cost of some textbooks and course materials for students. 

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Kevin Braun, owner of the OneStopWonders shop, bought a box from a man who stopped in about two years earlier looking to sell. The box, which had been sitting in storage for the past two years, contained 97 untouched cartridges of Super Mario Brothers Duck Hunt.

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Leaders of Wisconsin nursing schools are optimistic a new emergency rule allowing RNs with bachelor's degrees to teach hands-on courses will help ease a faculty shortage.

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One of Wisconsin's largest music festivals is set to begin Thursday in Appleton, and organizers say they'll offer attendees ways to help the community recover after a devastating tornado struck the Fox Valley.

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