Selle Anatomica saddles are available in shops around the world — stamped and developed in Elkhorn.

The post Made in Wisconsin: Selle Anatomica leather bike saddles  appeared first on WPR.

There comes a time when maintaining a bed of annuals feels less like a hobby and more like a chore. But that doesn’t mean you need to abandon a lifelong hobby. It just means you need to change the way you curate your garden.

The post Growing old with your garden appeared first on WPR.

From a field on an Illinois university campus, to rare, untouched land in Texas, here are some efforts to replant once-abundant prairie in the Midwest and Great Plains.

The post Most American prairies are gone. These people are working to bring them back. appeared first on WPR.

The Silent Book Club movement kicked off in 2015 in California. According to the organization’s web site, there are more than 2,000 clubs around the world, including more than 30 in Wisconsin.

The post Silent Book Clubs bring people together for reading and community appeared first on WPR.

At least 2.5 million low-income people quickly lost help affording groceries under a Republican-passed law that added new requirements for the nation’s largest nutrition program and shifted hundreds of millions of dollars in costs from the federal government to states, according to a study the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities published Wednesday.

Some 6% of the 41 million Americans enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, when President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 4, 2025, were no longer receiving benefits by the end of the year. 

The left-leaning think tank’s report was based on U.S. Department of Agriculture and state agency data from July to December 2025. 

Arizona was the largest outlier in the data, with a whopping 47% of people in the program — about 424,000 Arizonans — losing benefits in 2025, according to the think tank, which cited more recent state agency data in addition to last year’s USDA numbers.

Full-year 2025 data from the USDA, which operates the federal side of SNAP, shows an even bigger drop of 3.4 million people, or roughly 8% of the program’s total, CBPP said. SNAP is federally funded and administered by states, though that cost-share will change under the law.

In a late Wednesday email, a USDA spokesperson applauded the drop in SNAP participation, noting the program’s rolls had fallen below 40 million for the first time since the pandemic. The spokesperson said the program would continue “to serve those with the greatest need while also strengthening program integrity.”

“This change reflects several factors, including the most comprehensive work requirement reform since 1996, the One Big Beautiful Bill of 2025, as well as USDA initiatives that expand access to employment services, career and technical education, and case‑management support through USDA’s More Than a Job campaign,” the spokesperson wrote.

Incentives for states

The study did not intend to find a cause for the decline, co-author Joseph Llobrera, CBPP’s senior director of research for food assistance, said in an interview. But he noted the law created incentives for states to limit participation in the program. 

Under a provision of the law that is not yet in force, the share of the program’s cost that states must shoulder is tied to the state’s “error rate” — payments a state makes that were either more or less than the beneficiary should have received.

That motivates states to restrict access to the program, without providing a corresponding reward for expanding access, Llobrera said.

“So the incentive structure that’s in place, it really pushes states to make it harder to get onto the program for people who need that assistance,” he said.

The drop in participation happened without improving economic conditions, such as a decline in the unemployment rate, the researchers said. 

That indicates people are moving off the rolls due to changes in the program, not because their circumstances have improved to the point they no longer need food assistance, the study said.

Many provisions of the law have not yet gone into effect. The error rate penalties, for example, start in fiscal year 2028.

Design, not a bug

In part, though, that restriction is by design, as the law’s supporters intended to cut SNAP benefits for recipients who met certain criteria and to control what they portrayed as fraud and waste at the state level. 

The cuts in the federal share of SNAP funding helped pay for massive tax cuts and a boost to military spending in other parts of the megabill, which Republicans passed without any Democratic support through a process known as budget reconciliation.

The proponents of the agriculture section of the megabill championed provisions to make beneficiaries report their eligibility more often, boost work requirements, disqualify certain categories of legal immigrants, raise the age of children at which parenting would cease to qualify as work and otherwise tighten the availability of the program.

The provisions would help ensure only those who truly needed the federal assistance would get it, advocates said. 

It would also create an incentive for states to control erroneous payments, which was not the case when the federal government took on the entire cost of the program before the bill’s enactment.

“It is a disservice to the truly needy to rely on SNAP,” House Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, a Pennsylvania Republican, said as the committee marked up the bill last year. “Clearly, SNAP is not working as Congress intended. We must ensure the proper incentives are in place for states to administer the program more effectively for those it serves.”

Llobrera said he understood members of both parties would engage in rhetoric about restrictions on SNAP, but that the center at the time was “raising the alarm that the bill was going to hurt people.”

A spokesperson for Thompson did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Arizona

The CBPP report included a breakout section on Arizona, where the SNAP enrollment dropped much further than any other state.

As in other states, economic gains did not explain the changes in Arizona, the case study said.

“This dramatic drop cannot be explained by a rapid improvement in people’s economic well-being or reduced need for help affording food,” the report said, noting that Arizona’s unemployment rate rose over the period of the study, while the cost of groceries rose about 4% in 2025.

The state’s Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs, and state agency spokespeople have blamed the GOP law for the drastic reduction in benefits, the study said, but the decline goes beyond what would be expected based on the law’s provisions. 

That suggests that state administrators — even under Democratic leaders — are going beyond the minimum requirements of the law to restrict access, the authors said.

“Thus, it appears that a combination of factors, including the megabill and the state’s response to it, are contributing to the sharp decline in the number of Arizona families getting SNAP,” they wrote.

Because the law also raises the costs to states of administering the program, in addition to requiring states pay for some portion of benefits, some, including Arizona, cut staff ahead of the law’s enactment, Llobrera said. 

“With the cuts to the administrative funding for states due to that megabill, those are only just going to accelerate,” he said.

Shutdown

Such changes to SNAP rules added to an already tumultuous period for the program’s recipients. Over the course of a then-record-long partial government shutdown last year, benefits were constantly turned off and on as the Trump administration said it could not spend SNAP funds during a shutdown and federal courts held that benefits must be paid.

Spokespeople for the White House did not return messages seeking comment Wednesday.

“Winter Hymns” is a feature film about a palliative care doctor’s day as she meets with dying patients. Debuting at the Wisconsin Film Festival in April, its director and writer hopes the movie showcases the breadth of acting talent in the state

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The new mobile model is designed to make those experiences more accessible to communities around the state.

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A union leader representing Forest Service employees in Wisconsin says workers may have to move as part of the Trump administration’s plan to shift its headquarters out west and shutter regional offices.

The post Forest Service workers in Wisconsin may have to move after reorganization, union leader says appeared first on WPR.

Director Michael Sajbel’s 20th high school class reunion was the push he needed to reconnect with his Wisconsin roots.

The post Wausau-native movie director reconnects with his Wisconsin roots in new memoir appeared first on WPR.

Prior to 1972 girls didn’t always have the opportunity to play sports at school. But the passage of Title IX changed that. It paved the way for Manitowoc’s Roncalli High […]

The post “The stars lined up”: Reflecting on Wisconsin’s first high school girls basketball championship appeared first on WPR.

Traditional diets can be ineffective. But as a UW-Madison researcher recently told Larry Meiller that an eco-friendly diet can bring about long-lasting benefits for both individual and planetary health.

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A free 5K along the shore of Lake Mendota is part of a global community running movement.

The post A global movement, a local morning: A community run that brings the world together  appeared first on WPR.

"[Beethoven's] First Symphony sounds like a very late symphony of Haydn, had he lived a few years longer. The Second could have been a late Mozart work. But the Third is something entirely new."

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In between the bloody brawls and shootouts, Madison native and ‘John Wick’ creator Derek Kolstad likes to throw a bit of his Midwestern roots into his movies.

The post Wisconsin creator of ‘John Wick’ brings international crime to small-town Midwest in ‘Normal’ appeared first on WPR.

CONCORD, N.C. — Jim Knight started his keynote address at STN EXPO East like a concert, highlighting that culture isn’t something you talk about. It’s something people feel. And attendees felt that energy as they walked into the room and heard the music playing over the speakers.

His message Monday was clear: If you want a culture that rocks, you have to create experiences people won’t forget. A feeling of culture starts with moments.

Knight, the former head of global training and development for Hard Rock International’s hotels, casinos, dining and entertainment, quickly moved past traditional definitions of culture. Instead, he grounded the concept in something far more tangible: human behavior.

“Fantastic, awesome, world-beating cultures—they only exist because of human behaviors,” he said.

To illustrate, he shared a story about witnessing a fast-food employee near Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida, interact with a young girl dressed as a princess. Rather than simply take her order, the employee bowed and declared, “All hail the princess,” prompting the entire staff to follow suit.

The moment lasted seconds but its impact, Knight said, is probably something the girl’s family still talks about. “That’s culture,” he said, adding that culture is not heritage, legacy or the past. “Culture is what’s happening right now.”

The ride to and from school may be routine. The interaction is not. “The student experience has to rock,” he continued. “And that starts with the relationship. How the driver made me feel, that’s what matters.”

At its core, he defined culture simply as “a collection of people,” each bringing their own behaviors into the organization. That definition carries weight in an industry facing persistent driver shortages and turnover.

Side Bar: Jim Knights’ 10 Takeaways

 

1. Fantastic cultures only exist because of human behaviors

2. Celebrate heritage (past), but focus on the present (people)

3. Be Like U2 – Everyone signing off the same sheet of music

4. To avoid four-letter words, don’t provide/endorse mediocrity

5. People crave differentiation – deliver personalized experiences

6. In a world of darkness, be a bright light in each student’s day

7. Treat each person special – Like it’s your first day of work

8. Authentic student obsession creates lifelong raving fans

a. Create generational fans (you have the parents & the kids on your bus)

9. The true path to cultural Nirvana’s through 3C rock stars – YOU ARE THE AMPLIFIER
10. Change your mindset from transportation to creating experiences

BONUS: Position the Job to be Tattoo-Worthy

“Every time somebody joins or leaves [an organization], culture changes,” Knight said, adding that the student transportation industry faces a retention challenge. “If you could hold on to the right people, you’d have exactly what you want.”

Knight used a simple exercise. He asked attendees to close their eyes and point in the direction of true north, to demonstrate how easily organizations drift without alignment. “If everybody’s guessing, you get confusion,” he said. “If everybody’s aligned, you get productivity.”

He compared it to a band, using U2 as an example. While Bono and The Edge may draw the spotlight as lead singer and lead guitarist, respectively, the rhythm section of drummer Adam Clayton and bassist Larry Mullins, Jr., keep the band on the same page.

“Everybody has a role to play,” Knight said. “But you’ve got to be singing off the same sheet of music.”

In transportation, that means consistent communication from leaders to the school bus drivers. Everyone needs to be in tune about expectations, priorities and purpose.

“If you don’t share it, people will make it up,” he added.

One of Knight’s most pointed observations centered on what he called “acceptable mediocrity,” and four-letter words that he hates. Words like “fine,” “good” and “okay” may sound harmless, but he argued they signal something deeper.

“They scream mediocrity,” he said, adding that over time, organizations begin to accept these outcomes as success.

Differentiation Happens One Interaction at a Time

Knight emphasized that creating a standout culture doesn’t require sweeping changes. It starts with small, intentional actions.

“Read the person. Seize the moment. Personalize the experience,” he said, recalling his time at Hard Rock, where he made it a point to engage each guest in a unique way—whether through humor, conversation or simple recognition.

“You do that, you create loyalty,” he said. “You create stories.”

The same principle applies to student transportation. “People crave differentiation,” Knight said. “Deliver personalized experiences, and you build comfort, safety and trust.”

He played a video each Chick-Fil-A location shows to all new employees. The video highlights different people eating at the chain fast-fodd restaurant, with captions about what’s each person has going on in their lives. Everyone is dealing or navigating something. Every life has a story if we bother to read it, he said.

As a result, Chick-Fil-A immediately communicates the culture of caring they want from their employees.

“In a world of darkness, be a bright light in each student’s day,” Knight continued.

For many students, the bus ride is more than transportation. It’s a transition point, and sometimes the first interaction students have of the day. It puts drivers in a uniquely influential position.

Related: Security Expert Shares Key Indicators of Violence for School Transportation Safety
Related: Transportation Directors Receive Rock Star Training on Driver Retention
Related: Multi-Modal Transportation Gains Momentum as Districts Seek Flexible, Cost-Effective Solutions
Related: Gallery: STN EXPO East Tech Demos and Ride & Drive at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Jim Ellis, director of transportation at Henrico County Public Schools in Virginia, noted that culture and the driver shortage tie hand and hand. “If you don’t want to be here, then I really don’t want you,” he said, underscoring the importance of cultural fit in a role that involves transporting children. He pointed to the driver shortage as a complicating factor, making it harder to be selective, but stressed that long-term success depends on building a team committed to more than just driving.

“You’ve got to be the one that fits that culture… making sure that you are that first thing they see.”

Britton Overton, director of transportation for Pender County School District in North Carolina, added that staffing challenges also impact morale, which in turn shapes culture. “It definitely affects culture, but also morale—and morale helps to build that culture or tear it down,” he said, noting that supporting drivers and maintaining positivity are critical to sustaining both.

Knight also challenged attendees to reflect on their own mindset. Think back to the first day on the job, he said, a time when employees arrived early, paid attention and took pride in every detail.

“Somewhere along the way, we lose that,” he said, adding that employees start cutting corners by focusing on their own gain the longer they stay in an organization.

Reclaiming that “day one attitude” is essential to sustaining culture over time, he commented.

Tisha Hergert, transportation director for Onsted Community Schools in Michigan, said Knight was very enthusiastic. “Everything that he mentioned to us, it was so easy to break down and will be very easy to implement. When I go back to my district, I feel like I can fire my crew up.”

Ultimately, Knight reinforced that culture is amplified, or diminished, by the people delivering the experience. He outlined what he called the “three C’s” of high-performing teams: Competence, Character and Culture fit.

“The true path to cultural nirvana is through 3C rock stars,” he said, adding that in student transportation, those rock stars are the drivers.

Knight closed with a mindset shift that tied the session together. “Stop thinking about transportation,” he said. “Start thinking about creating experiences.”

Because while routes, schedules and safety protocols are essential, they are only part of the equation. What students and families remember and what defines culture, is the human interaction.

“Don’t just think about this stuff,” Knight said in his final remarks. “Act on it.”

Overton told School Transportation News that Knight’s keynote was “very inspirational.” He noted that culture has become “a big word in discussion nowadays,” adding that Knight offered practical takeaways that he plans to implement back home. “

“[Knight] gave me some good insight and broadened my thinking of how I can make our transportation better in our district,” Overton added, emphasizing that sessions like the Monday keynote are about learning what works and adapting it locally.

The post Culture That Rocks: Turning Everyday Moments into Unforgettable Experiences appeared first on School Transportation News.

How do you think about the future when you have no clear path to citizenship in the country you call home? Hear from a young undocumented woman who has lived in the U.S. since she was a child.

The post Life without a clear path to citizenship: An undocumented student’s story appeared first on WPR.

Ship captains of the time surely avoided the famed pirate “Roaring” Dan Seavey. At nightfall, Seavey and his small team of men would loot ports and sail the stolen goods to Chicago. Today, Seavey’s complex character and storied life are the subject of a one-man show titled “Dan Seavey: Confessions of a Great Lakes Pirate.” The show will be at the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison on Saturday, March 28. 

The post ‘Dan Seavey: Confessions of a Great Lakes Pirate’ captures life of Midwest maritime legend  appeared first on WPR.

A bipartisan pair of U.S. senators from the Midwest on Thursday asked the Commerce Department to investigate major agricultural machinery manufacturers, saying they paid shareholders handsomely while offshoring jobs.

Sens. Tammy Baldwin, a Wisconsin Democrat, and Bernie Moreno, an Ohio Republican, asked Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to open an investigation under a law that allows tariffs to be used for national security purposes.

John Deere, Caterpillar and the Wisconsin-based Case New Holland had all laid off U.S. workers in recent years while moving manufacturing jobs to Mexico. The moves hollowed out Midwest industrial towns but made the companies enormous profits, Baldwin and Moreno wrote. 

“These companies should not be allowed to eliminate American jobs, pay Mexican workers poverty wages, and then ship products back to the U.S. for additional profit on the backs of our communities,” they wrote. “They argue that offshoring is necessary to remain competitive, but when it comes time to pay executives or shareholders, they are never short of money.”

The companies have all delivered generous payments to shareholders in recent years, the senators said. John Deere has paid $8.4 billion, CNH has paid $1.7 billion and Caterpillar has paid $18.2 billion through dividends and stock buybacks, they wrote.

But payouts for investors came at the expense of their blue-collar workforce, Baldwin and Moreno wrote.

CNH laid off 220 workers from its Racine, Wisconsin, facility in 2024 and moved production to Mexico. All of the roughly 200 CNH workers in a Burlington, Iowa, facility are set to lose their jobs after the company announced in January it would close the plant. And John Deere laid off more than 3,600 union employees after moving production from Iowa to Mexico, the senators said.

Representatives for the companies did not immediately return messages seeking comment Thursday. 

Section 232

The lawmakers asked Lutnick to open an investigation that could result in so-called Section 232 tariffs to deter the companies from moving production to Mexico. 

“These companies and their executives should not be rewarded for destroying American jobs or permitted to import their products without facing a penalty,” they wrote.

The tariffs, named for the section of the 1962 law that created them, permits the administration to levy tariffs for national security purposes. Though created in 1962, no administration used them until President Donald Trump’s first term, when he imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum.

The administration now “has a unique opportunity,” the senators said, to prevent heavy equipment manufacturers from moving more jobs out of the country.

However, they added that any Section 232 investigation would be limited by a free trade agreement with Canada and Mexico that Trump approved in his first term. They called for the administration to “address … issues” created by the agreement, known as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.

The agreement “has incentivized major heavy equipment manufacturers to locate production in Mexico,” they wrote. “Any efforts that the Administration takes solely on Section 232 will be weakened by the shortcomings that currently exist in USMCA.”

Spokespeople for the Commerce Department and White House did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

MAGA appeal

The senators’ letter appeals to key parts of Trump’s political coalition. 

Throughout his decade in politics, he has focused messaging on protecting farming and reviving domestic manufacturing industries. 

In both his victorious presidential elections, the Republican won unusually large slices of union workers in swing states with legacy manufacturing industries while running up a major advantage with rural voters.

Trump has aggressively — and controversially — employed tariffs to encourage domestic production.

He is scheduled to host nearly 1,000 farmers at the White House on Friday. 

The conflict has not only affected oil and gas prices, but has dramatically slowed shipments of nitrogen fertilizers from Gulf countries.

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Rosendale’s reputation for ticketing motorists is so profound that a local convenience store sells shirts making light of it. 

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