Renovations at the popular northern Wisconsin roadside art park known as Fred Smith's Wisconsin Concrete Park were completed just ahead of America’s 250th anniversary.

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Three children died and seven other people are injured after a boat capsized Friday in rough weather on Geneva Lake, according to local and state authorities.

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Leaders in Wisconsin communities say they hope new federal grants aimed at cleaning up contamination can pave the way for redevelopment.

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A developer is hoping to build a large-scale wind farm project in Marathon County, but locals are concerned about potential effects on health, homes and property values.

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A number of small communities in the Midwest are part of the program. Fond du Lac is offering a $5,500 stipend and the rest in potential perks for childcare, community events and more.

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Residents of Marathon County will have the opportunity to sound off on a proposed wind farm project proposed that could include as many as 38 turbines.

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Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource staff say they will continue to monitor a fertilizer spill that resulted in a fish kill on the Sheboygan River.

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Wisconsinites looking to renew their vehicle registration now have the option to buy a state parks admissions pass at the same time.

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Five new statutes dot the streets, paths and tribal lands of the Northwoods, thanks to a sculpture-sharing agreement with communities across Wisconsin.

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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.

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.

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.

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Businesses up north are seeing mixed signals, with some reporting slow Memorial day weekends and others seeing an increase in visitors. However, some business owners believe the high prices will cause Wisconsinites to drop long-distance vacations in favor of staying within the state.

The post Northwoods tourism businesses brace for effects of high gas prices, but have hope appeared first on WPR.

The new rules, which went into effect on June 1, include updated seatbelt requirements, as well as tinting and towing restrictions.

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A new grant will help the Portage Community School District create an in-house clinic offering mental health support to students at school.

The post With new grant, Portage schools hopes to put mental health experts right beside classrooms appeared first on WPR.

Anyone hunting for a Wisconsin elk license is quickly running out of time — and with only 16 tags — applications need to be turned in before May 31.

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After 86 years, Army Cpl. John “Jack” Ginzl is finally home in Rhinelander. He was buried on Sunday in a public ceremony at Forest Home Cemetery. Ginzl had previously been interred in a military cemetery in Hawaii, in a grave for unidentified soldiers.

The post After 86 years, Rhinelander soldier ID’d and buried at home appeared first on WPR.

Dry conditions, warm temperatures and gusty winds are combing to create dangerous wildfire conditions across much of northern Wisconsin Friday.

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A new grant is aimed at getting rural Wisconsinites into teaching jobs, as rural school districts face challenges getting trained educators into their classrooms.

The post Grant will help Madison College prepare rural residents to become teachers appeared first on WPR.