Reading Time: 2 minutes

Early voting has started, and Election Day will be here before you know it.  

The Northeast Wisconsin News Lab (NEW News Lab) reported and published 10 issues-focused stories since early September. 

Each member newsroom – Appleton Post-Crescent, Green Bay Press-Gazette, Green Bay Press Times, Wisconsin Public Radio and Wisconsin Watch – picked a topic readers said they cared a lot about but felt underinformed on. Then, we ran with them. 

Find links to all the stories here: 

The economy (WPR)

• Affordability is a top issue for Wisconsin voters. Here’s where governor candidates stand
• Wisconsin governor candidates offer opposing plans to address rising health care costs
• Housing costs have risen sharply in northeast Wisconsin over the last decade

Health care (Wisconsin Watch)

• Federal immigration policy may be worsening Wisconsin’s caregiver shortage, leaders say
• Despite bipartisan support, 988 Crisis Lifeline faces funding shortage
• Some states started Medicaid work requirements early. What can Wisconsin learn?

Education (Appleton Post-Crescent)

• Wisconsin schools face funding squeeze as voters pick Legislature

Public safety (Green Bay Press-Gazette)

• Judges warn that underfunded courts are falling behind

The environment (Green Bay Press Times)

• Concerned Wisconsinites push candidates on PFAS regulations
• Voters, scientists say candidates should dig into environmental issues

But that’s not all. 

We also sent questionnaires to the candidates. 

You can find their responses on their candidate profile pages in Wisconsin Watch’s interactive voter guide. 

Click the candidate’s name on the race page and scroll down to “NEW News Lab general election questions” to read their responses: 

• 6th Congressional District
• 8th Congressional District
• 1st Senate District
• 19th Senate District
• Assembly District 1
• Assembly District 2
• Assembly District 4
• Assembly District 6
• Assembly District 52
• Assembly District 53
• Assembly District 54
• Assembly District 55
• Assembly District 56
• Assembly District 88
• Assembly District 89
• Assembly District 90

Several candidates did not reply to the NEW News Lab’s election questionnaires, but I found debate coverage or questionnaires through other news outlets: 

• Answers from incumbent Rep. Glenn Grothman and independent Elizabeth Fitzgibbon are included in this Q&A for the 6th Congressional District from the Oshkosh Northwestern. 
• Mark Becker, an independent who is running against Republican Nic Cravillion in state Senate District 1, replied to the Peninsula Pulse’s candidate Q&A, as did Cravillion. 
• Senate District 19 incumbent Rachael Cabral-Guevara replied to a Q&A from the Oshkosh Northwestern, as did her opponent Emily Tseffos. 
• Coverage from the Green Bay Press-Gazette of the 2nd Assembly District debate between incumbent Shae Sortwell and challenger Alicia Saunders. 
• Incumbent Rep. Elijah Behnke of the 6th Assembly District answered questions from the Shawano Leader, as did challenger Shirley Hinze. 
• Tim Paterson, who is challenging incumbent Rep. Lori Palmeri in the 54th Assembly District, replied to the Oshkosh Northwestern’s candidate Q&A, as did Palmeri. 

Please note that we sent the questionnaire to all three candidates running for Assembly District 5 and none responded. 

And I have to plug the excellent reporting from our state team on races for Wisconsin attorney general, Wisconsin secretary of state and treasurer and the three constitutional amendment questions on the ballot. 

Take a look, share with friends and family and make sure to vote on Nov. 3!

Catch up on northeast Wisconsin election issues ahead of Nov. 3 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.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“I was wondering if, in a future edition, you might offer some insight into some of the process behind some of these city and town board meetings. For example, I have always wondered why boards are allowed to meet in a closed session.” — reader Sophie B. 

Great suggestion, Sophie. You’re not the first person to wonder about closed sessions. 

Generally speaking, most boards follow the rules we’ll dive into below. However, some don’t, and it’s important to know the rules so that if something seems fishy, you can report it. 

What is closed session? 

Closed session is when a board meets without members of the general public present. 

When can a board go into closed session?

Wisconsin’s Open Meetings Law is pretty clear on reasons why a board can go into closed session and on how to notify the public about closed session. 

First things first: Every governmental body “shall give at least 24 hours” notice that a meeting of any kind will take place. 

In the case of an emergency meeting, the public must be notified at least two hours before the meeting starts. That’s for any meeting, regardless of whether it includes a closed session. 

Do boards have to give notice of closed session?

You betcha! A board that plans to convene in closed session has to say so on its agenda and list the reason why. 

Furthermore, a board has to start a meeting in open session and a motion must be made, seconded and approved before closed session starts. 

When can a board go into closed session?

State law lists reasons a board can go into closed session, but this breakdown from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association lays them out without all the legal jargon: 

• To deliberate after any quasi-judicial trial or hearing.
• To consider specific personnel matters.
• To consider specific applications of probation or parole.
• To consider a strategy for crime detection or prevention.
• To deliberate or negotiate the purchase of public property, the investing of public money, or to conduct specific public business when competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed section.
• To deliberate unemployment insurance or worker’s compensation.
• To deliberate the location of a burial site if discussing it in public would likely result in disturbance of the burial site.
• To consider financial, medical, social or personal histories or disciplinary data of specific people, which if discussed in public would be likely to have a substantial adverse effect upon the reputation of any such person.
• To confer with legal counsel for a governmental body that is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy with respect to litigation.
• To consider requests for confidential written advice from the Government Accountability Board, which used to be called the State Ethics Board.
• To consider some matters related to acts by businesses, which if discussed in public could adversely affect the business, its employees or former employees, under the State Economic Adjustment Program.
• To consider financial information relating to the support of certain nonprofit corporations.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Open Meetings Guide goes into detail about each one, as well. 

Personnel issues and getting legal advice from attorneys are the common reasons I see on agendas. 

Can the board talk about anything in closed session?

No. The law is clear on this, too. The discussion can only focus on the reason why the board goes into closed session. This is why you might see a board list multiple reasons for closed session on its agenda – officials don’t want to go back and forth from open to closed session multiple times. 

Are minutes taken during closed session?

Yes: “The open meetings law requires a governmental body to create and preserve a record of all motions and roll-call votes at its meetings. This requirement applies to both open and closed sessions,” according to the DOJ’s Open Meetings Guide. 

Can boards vote in closed session?

The law isn’t super clear on this. The state DOJ advises government bodies to reconvene in open session to take a vote. 

Learn more

The DOJ’s Open Meetings Guide has a ton more information about open meetings generally, including what to do if you think a local government board violated open meetings law. 

Thanks for the question, Sophie! 

If you have a question about open meetings or open records, let me know: jzvandenhouten@wisconsinwatch.org.

How do closed sessions in government meetings work? 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.

Reading Time: < 1 minute

We’ve partnered with Open Campus, a nationwide nonprofit newsroom focused on higher education, to organize an event on how credentials impact Wisconsin’s workforce. 

And we’d love for you to join us on Oct. 6.

I enjoy editing the “pathways to success” beat because it’s where K-12, higher ed and workforce training stories intersect. I spent years covering K-12 and higher ed, and the stories I most loved reporting focused on how students took the skills they learned in the classroom into their careers. 

Credentials have expanded in recent years, and it feels like the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been for students, educators and employers. 

So we want to know:

• What credentials are employers actually hiring against? 
• Which community colleges are leading the shift — and which are stalling? 
• Where are students getting left behind by a system still designed around the four-year degree?

The event will feature a panel discussion moderated by Wisconsin Watch and Open Campus reporter Natalie Yahr. The panelists include: 

• Becky Kikkert, director of development, Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin
• Layla Merrifield, president, Wisconsin Technical College System
• Nathan Roberts, owner, G.D. Roberts

Then, we’ll hear how Wisconsin fits into the national landscape during a conversation between Wisconsin Watch and Open Campus reporter Miranda Dunlap and Kermit Kaleba, strategy director for credentials of value for the Lumina Foundation.

The event is free to attend. Here are the details: 

• When is it? 8-10:45 a.m. Oct. 6
• Where is it? TruStage, 5910 Mineral Point Road, Madison
• Will there be food? Yes, we’ll serve a complimentary continental breakfast. 
• What else is there to know? Registration is required. Attendees will be required to show a photo ID when they arrive at TruStage. Register here.

We hope to see you there!

Wisconsin Watch, Open Campus event focuses on workforce development 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.

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The first election issues story reported and produced by the Northeast Wisconsin News Lab (NEW News Lab for short) was published Wednesday. 

The consortium of newsrooms includes the Post-Crescent in Appleton, the Green Bay Press Gazette, the Green Bay Press Times, Wisconsin Public Radio and yours truly — Wisconsin Watch. 

The collaborative effort formed in 2021 to advance in-depth local reporting on important topics. Previous seasons of the NEW News Lab focused on racism as a public health crisis, lack of affordable housing, local school funding and coverage of local judicial systems.

This time around, leaders from the partner newsrooms used feedback from the Local News Landscape Study conducted by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay to decide which issues to cover. 

Reporters from the Post-Crescent and Press Gazette will focus on public safety and education. 

The Green Bay Press Times called dibs on the environment. 

WPR will tackle the economy. 

And here at Wisconsin Watch, we’re reporting on health care. 

One thing I appreciate about the NEW News Lab is the collaboration. Working with fellow journalists toward a common goal is part of why I love this work. 

We hope this coverage helps you make informed decisions when you head to the voting booth in November. 

And if there’s an issue the NEW News Lab is not focusing on that matters to you, reach out to Wisconsin Watch’s statehouse team. They’re covering a different set of issues ahead of the election.

Find stories on issues that matter ahead of the November election 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.

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Since Wisconsin Watch’s 2026 voter guide went live about a month ago, we’ve heard from readers how valuable it is. 

A librarian in northeast Wisconsin emailed me to offer thanks: “As a public librarian it is sometimes hard to find unbiased, nonpartisan information on elections and candidates that we can share with our patrons. I am glad that we will have your guide this year!”

While I wasn’t directly involved with creating the voter guide, I couldn’t be more proud of how it turned out — it’s a user-friendly, helpful tool. And one I’ll use to conduct research before I cast my ballot. 

So I’m asking you to do us a favor: Spread the word about the voter guide. Send the link to friends and family. Post it to social media. 

And if you’re really on a roll, download free flyers or bookmarks we designed to promote the voter guide. Print them out and share them in your community. Each resource includes a QR code that will take you directly to the voter guide webpage.

Spread the word about Wisconsin Watch’s voter guide 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.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Local news matters, but we journalists have work to do when it comes to delivering the information people value most, according to the northeast Wisconsin residents who took part in the Local News Landscape Study. 

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s Center for Civic Engagement spoke to 251 people who call Brown, Kewaunee, Oconto and Outagamie counties home. Community members shared what they think about local news, what topics they feel informed or uninformed about, where they get news, and more. 

The Greater Green Bay Community Foundation commissioned the study through the Press Forward Northeast Wisconsin chapter, of which Wisconsin Watch is a member. 

What people said

Study participants value local information. However, areas they consider top priorities, like health care (76%), public safety (70%), the local economy (54%) and education (49%), they don’t feel well informed about. 

While many people get their news from social media and digital outlets, television remains an important news source for many residents. 

Trust in local journalism is stronger than social-media-based sources. However, people shared concerns about bias, sensationalism and repetitive coverage with researchers. 

Some people reported feeling underrepresented and want more news coverage that reflects their lived experiences. 

Participants pointed out several barriers to accessing local news, like paywalls, limited coverage of certain communities or issues and relevance gaps. 

Local news has spurred civic engagement for nearly half of survey respondents, motivating them to vote, volunteer, attend events or donate to a cause. 

What comes next

I found the whole study fascinating. 

One area I keep going back to is section 3.2 (page 27 of the PDF), which presents key themes about “what matters most to residents.”

I hear so many of these same thoughts when I interact with people, from friends and family to community members. They share their frustrations about out-of-state stories on the local TV newscast. They wonder how the reporting process works and where journalists get the information we report. They want to watch or read the facts and make up their own minds – not be told what to think. 

I agree. Here’s how Wisconsin Watch plans to use the results of this media landscape study to shape our coverage in northeast Wisconsin. 

Astrid Code is our Scripps Howard Fund intern, and she’s reporting on issues affecting rural communities into the fall. Read her work so far here. 

The Northeast Wisconsin News Lab (NEW News Lab) – a consortium of newsrooms that collaborate around a given theme – is working on election stories about the topics people said matter most but they don’t feel well informed on. Wisconsin Watch is focusing on health care. 

Our weekly newsletter, Northeast News, aims to be an antidote to some of the negativity survey respondents said overwhelms them. Our rotating feature sections aim to spotlight community members and nonprofit organizations making a difference; shout out fantastic small towns and funky places off the beaten path; and offer community members a space to share their diverse, fact-checked opinion essays.

We’re brainstorming more ideas to fill the gaps highlighted by the study. In the meantime, let me know what stories you think deserve more coverage. Email me at jzvandenhouten@wisconsinwatch.org. 

Are you on Medicaid and concerned about losing your coverage? Reach out to Astrid to share your thoughts: acode@wisconsinwatch.org.

How our journalists will fill information gaps in northeast Wisconsin 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.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Nancy and Brian Breedlove visited the Oshkosh Tool Library in mid-July hoping to borrow a hand truck, also called a dolly. 

The Oshkosh couple needed to move heavy items out of their garage before workers installed an epoxy coating on the floor. 

A story in the Oshkosh Herald pointed the Breedloves to the Oshkosh Tool Library, 300 S. Koeller St., Suite R, in Oshkosh. Nancy Breedlove figured they would stop by before they rented or purchased the equipment they needed. 

“We’re grateful that the facility exists and to learn that there’s all kinds of stuff here,” she said. 

The Breedloves are among 140 people in the Oshkosh area who are members of the tool library, which opened in September 2025. And the effort is picking up steam: In the month of June, the tool library recorded 51 loans – its largest amount thus far, said volunteer Jacob Klaameyer. 

A year of planning

Organizers, including Klaameyer, met at a Repair Cafe in Oshkosh and voiced support for a tool library and makerspace in a community survey. They spent a year making their vision come to life. 

The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Klaameyer said its governance structure was intentionally established as an organizer cooperative. That means the volunteers who power the Oshkosh Tool Library have an equal say in the organization’s future, as do its members. 

If, for example, organizers found a new space and wanted to relocate the tool library, the decision would come up for a vote during a monthly meeting, Klaameyer said. Monthly meetings are open to the public, and organizers make the Oshkosh Tool Library’s financial records available on its website. 

“(For) options that are going to affect everybody, we would engage the membership,” Klaameyer said. 

Up and running

The tool library has more than 558 items available for community members to borrow. The most popular items include pressure washers, a wet vacuum and fans. Large pieces of equipment like a 3D printer, a CNC machine and a band saw are available for use, as well. 

One of Klaameyer’s favorite spots is the space’s “free materials” section. It’s a wall near the door with drawers of nails, screws, nuts, bolts, washers and all kinds of miscellaneous small parts people can take – free of charge – to complete a project. 

And people don’t have to have a project in mind to visit the tool library. The organization hosts free workshops led by volunteers, including sewing machine basics, intro to Linux, bat and butterfly house construction and bike maintenance. Community members can also reserve space at the tool library for meetings or gatherings free of charge. 

Volunteer Allegra Van Rossum, of Oshkosh, appreciates learning new skills directly from people at the tool library, rather than turning to the internet. 

“I think the best part about it is the social connections between people and the learning … Just having the knowledge of people like Jake or someone who will know ‘Oh you should use this tool’ – I think that’s underrated,” she said. 

Collaborative projects

Besides checking items off their own to-do lists, tool library volunteers collaborate on group projects. Their latest effort is called Make a Village. Klaameyer said they’re constructing a microshelter modeled after Conestoga huts used to house people in Eugene, Oregon. 

“We started this project because we want to not only have the tools accessible to our community, but also help these tools solve community issues,” he said. “And I just thought it was a great opportunity to both practice woodworking with others, but also have a tool for advocacy for that sort of change in our community.”

Once complete, the microshelter will hit the road on a trailer. Klaameyer wants to show the finished space to local elected officials to see if microshelters could be part of the community’s response to homelessness.  

That kind of collaboration makes the effort worthwhile for Klaameyer. 

“My favorite part is when people show up and we build things together,” he said. 

How to join

People have to be at least 18 years old to become a member of the tool library, and they must live in Winnebago, Outagamie or Fond du Lac counties. 

Loans typically run for seven days, though Klaameyer said they can be extended to 14 days. 

Members must sign a liability waiver and a tool use agreement. 

Tool library organizers maintain a calendar on the Oshkosh Tool Library website with workshop information and open hours for every month. Community members can drop in during open hours to set up an account, complete their registration paperwork and check out equipment. 

There’s no cost to join the tool library. However, they appreciate donations, Klaameyer said. 

Learn more

Visit the Oshkosh Tool Library during open hours at 300 S. Koeller St., Suite R, Oshkosh. It’s located behind Takiza Mexican Cuisine. 

Check https://oshkoshtoollibrary.neocities.org/calendar for a list of upcoming events and monthly hours. 

Community organizations in need of tools can contact the Oshkosh Tool Library by email at oshkoshtoollibrary@gmail.com. Klaameyer said the tool library has a surplus of basic tools community groups can take for free. 

Donate to the Oshkosh Tool Library online here. 

This story is part of Community at Work, an ongoing feature series focused on community organizations that make a difference in northeast Wisconsin. Who should we feature next? Email jzvandenhouten@wisconsinwatch.org. 

Oshkosh Tool Library helps neighbors build together 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.