The runoff stems from manure spread by Oak Ridge Dairy.

The post Wisconsin DNR monitors manure spill in Trempealeau County appeared first on WPR.

Canadian energy firm Enbridge will reimburse Ashland County for the cost of policing protests that are anticipated with construction of its Line 5 reroute under a deal arranged by the Wisconsin Counties Association.

The post Ashland County approves deal to get paid for policing protests of Enbridge’s Line 5 reroute appeared first on WPR.

A new utility-backed study finds it may cost the city of Superior around $300 million to move ahead with a contested takeover of electric, water and gas utilities run by a privately-owned company.

The post Superior wants to take over a private utility’s assets. One study puts the price around $300M appeared first on WPR.

Wisconsin feels more like winter than it has in years. The weather has been colder than normal so far, and big storms dumped a lot of snow on the state. That’s boosted winter businesses and events that have struggled with recent warm winters.

The post Snowy season boosts northern Wisconsin tourism, but winters are becoming unreliable appeared first on WPR.

A northern Wisconsin tribe wants a court to halt construction of Enbridge’s $450 million plan to reroute an oil and gas pipeline around its reservation after an administrative law judge upheld state permits for the project.

The post Bad River tribe wants court to halt construction of Enbridge’s Line 5 reroute appeared first on WPR.

On Monday, visitors walked across the frozen surface of Lake Superior to see the ice caves at the Apostle Island National Lakeshore. By Wednesday morning, any chance of getting another glimpse at that fairytale seemed to be over. At least for this winter.

The post Here today, gone tomorrow: Open water where visitors thronged Apostle Islands ice caves days ago appeared first on WPR.

Thousands of people flocked to northern Wisconsin to get a glimpse of the ice caves within the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore on Monday, which officials have closed to the public after a single day.

The post Apostle Islands ice caves close after thousands flock to see the rare winter phenomena appeared first on WPR.

For the first time in over a decade, visitors may be able to access the ice caves within the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore on Lake Superior as soon as Monday.

The post For the first time in more than a decade, Apostle Islands ice caves may open Monday appeared first on WPR.

An administrative law judge has upheld key state permits for Enbridge’s $450 million plan to reroute an oil and gas pipeline around the reservation of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

The post Judge rules in favor of Enbridge’s Line 5 reroute in Wisconsin, upholding state permits appeared first on WPR.

President Donald Trump and the EPA announced Thursday that they’re eliminating the scientific basis for controlling pollution that’s warming the planet, posing widespread effects for the nation and Wisconsin.

The post Trump’s move ending power to control climate pollution could cost Wisconsin billions appeared first on WPR.

Last fall, Greenfield gave up going to the grocery store. Now, the Wisconsin native is only eating what he can forage from the land for an entire year. He began harvesting and storing foods last summer and kicked off his year-long quest on Oct. 9.

The post Wisconsin native has embarked on a yearlong journey to forage for his food appeared first on WPR.

A Superior police officer violated the constitutional rights of a DoorDash delivery driver and used excessive force when she used a Taser on him during a traffic stop nearly two years ago, a federal judge ruled Monday.

The post Federal judge finds Superior cop wrongly fired Taser at man during traffic stop appeared first on WPR.

A new study shows PFAS levels in Great Lakes fish are on the decline as manufacturers have phased out some chemicals in recent decades.

The post PFAS levels in Great Lakes fish are dropping, study finds appeared first on WPR.

The state wants residents to cut their food waste in half as more than 900,000 tons of wasted food and scraps ended up in Wisconsin landfills in 2024, making up 20 percent of all trash.

The post More than 900K tons of food waste ends up in Wisconsin landfills, report finds appeared first on WPR.

On Thursday, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources granted approval to mining company GreenLight Wisconsin’s plans to drill up to 20 holes across 15 sites as it explores the Bend deposit in Taylor County near Medford.

The post Mining company receives state approval to conduct more drilling in northern Wisconsin appeared first on WPR.

Cargo shipments at the Port of Duluth-Superior slumped last year due to headwinds driven by unfavorable market trends, shifting trade lanes and President Donald Trump’s trade war.

The post Trump’s trade war took a toll on shipments in the Twin Ports last year appeared first on WPR.

Wisconsin hunters will have a better chance to harvest black bears this fall due to a record number of licenses and higher quota approved Wednesday by the state’s Natural Resources Board.

The post Wisconsin will issue the most licenses ever recorded for this fall’s bear hunt appeared first on WPR.

The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board advanced PFAS limits that mirror federal standards, which the EPA is planning to weaken.

The post Wisconsin moves forward with PFAS limits that Trump EPA is rolling back appeared first on WPR.

Wisconsin and tribes would have less power to protect waterways under the Clean Water Act if the Environmental Protection Agency adopts proposed changes to how it treats energy and infrastructure projects.

The post Wisconsin, tribes would have less power to review projects under proposed water rule appeared first on WPR.

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Protesters across the state gathered Sunday to speak out against the fatal shooting of a former Wisconsin man by federal immigration officials in Minneapolis.

Alex Pretti, 37, was an ICU nurse at a Veterans Administration hospital. He was killed as he protested the presence of thousands of agents with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol in the Twin Cities. His death Saturday morning came just weeks after federal agents shot and killed Renee Macklin Good.

Pretti was a graduate of Preble High School in Green Bay. At a rally on the steps of the state Capitol on Sunday, Pepe Barros of Madison told the crowd of about 400 people that he had been on a bicycle racing team with Pretti.

“Until yesterday, I was choosing to think that what ICE and the current administration was incorrect, but I was … thinking that was not my problem,” Barros said. “Until it became my problem. Until it was so close that I couldn’t dodge it anymore.” 

In addition to direct ties to Pretti, many in Wisconsin have close ties to neighboring Minnesota. Libby Meister of Madison said she attended the protest to show support for loved ones.

“I have friends and family that live there,” she said. “I’m scared. I’m scared for them and for me.”

Amanda Husk of Madison carried a sign that read “Nurses against ICE.” For her, the fact that Pretti was also a nurse made his death resonate.

“As nurses we do everything we can to care for our patients and Alex was absolutely out there caring for the woman that fell,” she said. “He was trying to care for her and his life was taken in a very criminal and inhumane way.”

In videos that circulated on social media, federal agents surrounded Pretti after he checked on a woman who had been pushed to the ground by an agent. Pretti was legally carrying a handgun, which an agent appeared to take from him before two other agents shot Pretti while he was facedown on the ground.

Trump administration officials said agents acted in self-defense and called Pretti a “domestic terrorist” who intended to “massacre” officers. Videos and eyewitness accounts contradict these claims.

For Husk, the goal of the protest is to tell the Trump administration that its approach to immigration enforcement is wrong.

“It is bringing terror; it is harming communities,” she said. “People are being killed. They need to hear that this is not OK, and it has to stop now.” 

In Oshkosh, protesters gathered at the Opera House Square. A woman wearing a pink bikini stood along the street, holding a sign that read “It Was Murder.” Other signs read “No ICE” and “ICE = Murderers.”

Emily Tseffos, chair of the Outagamie County Democratic Party, estimated at least 500 people also turned out to protest in Appleton.

In Superior, around 150 protesters gathered at the Douglas County Courthouse. Cars honked their horns as people rang cowbells and held up signs that read “ICE out of Minneapolis” and “Immigrants Belong.”

Ron Petite, who lives on the south shore of Lake Superior, held a sign that read “In Honor of Pretti and Good, Killed By ICE!” His voice shook as he described his reaction to Saturday’s shooting.

“Pretti … was trying to help a lady, for crying out loud. I don’t understand,” he said. “I’m just very upset that our country has come to this.”

Other protests took place Saturday in Green Bay, La Crosse and West Allis. Wyatt Molling, chair of the La Crosse County Democratic Party, said on social media that what’s happening in Minnesota is scary.

More demonstrations are set to be held this week. Earlier this month, hundreds of Wisconsinites in Madison, Milwaukee, Ashland, Green Bay and La Crosse joined thousands in Minneapolis to protest the fatal shooting of Good.

High school classmates remember Alex Pretti as kind, charismatic

In a statement to CNN, Pretti’s family said they were “heartbroken but also very angry” and called the Trump administration’s statements about Pretti “reprehensible and disgusting.” 

“Please get the truth out about our son,” they wrote. “He was a good man.”

Several people who knew Pretti told WPR on Sunday they remembered him as a kind person who cared about helping others.

Michael Waak, 37, was a year behind Pretti at Preble High School. Waak, a civil engineer who immgrated to Norway in 2018, said he was a lab partner with Pretti in a biology class.

“He was a very charismatic guy, and also just a very genuine and positive person,” Waak said. 

They dissected a frog together and joked around in class. They weren’t close friends, Waak said. But he felt that Pretti, who was older and more popular, showed him kindness in multiple ways — including after Waak came out as gay.

“Alex never changed his behavior to me, he never stopped saying hi, never stopped being friendly,” Waak said. “This popular, well-known person kept on acknowledging me and being friendly to me. It was a small thing, but it’s something that’s always stuck with me.”

This story was originally published by WPR.

‘It has to stop now’: Wisconsin communities protest Border Patrol killing of Alex Pretti 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.