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Author: knutson4

Monarch population dwindling with second lowest numbers on record

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Wisconsin Public Radio

Karen Oberhauser is the founder and director of the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project and former director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum. To put 2.2 acres in perspective, she said that’s less than two football fields.

“So that means that all of the monarchs from this huge area in the northern part of the United States — imagine the northeastern quarter of the United States — all of those butterflies are in an area in Mexico right now smaller than two football fields,” Oberhauser told WPR’s “The Morning Show.”

Is Bryan Steil correct that households are spending $11,400 more per year because of Biden?

Posted on
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Menzie Chinn, a professor of public affairs and economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said the GOP calculations seem to be right, except for one aspect:

“They calculate numbers for ‘a household’ when it’s unclear how many people are in a household,” Chinn said in an email. Chinn previously analyzed the report for a Wisconsin Watch fact-check of an ad that said Wisconsinites are spending $10,000 more per year compared to 2021.

Wisconsin high school students ranked in top 5% of class guaranteed UW-Madison spot under new law

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

If you’re a Wisconsin high school student ranked in the top 5% of your class, you’re now guaranteed a seat at the University of Wisconsin-Madison if you want it.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed the Republican-authored bill into law Tuesday. It was part of a broader deal the UW System struck with the GOP-controlled Legislature about diversity programming, pay raises and building projects.

Physical therapy: How to improve your sense of balance

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Wisconsin Public Radio

Several systems govern our body’s sense of balance: the muscles, joints, inner ears and more. Our physical therapists are back. They’ll share the exercises you can do to bolster your balance and decrease your risk of falling. Interview with Jill Thein-Nissenbaum, a professor in the Physical Therapy Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Lori Thein Brody, a physical therapist at UW Health Spine Physical Therapy Clinic.

University of Wisconsin extends May 1 commitment deadline, citing FAFSA delays

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

May 1 has long been the traditional decision deadline for high school seniors to commit to college. But the federal government’s delays with a new financial aid form are prompting some institutions to extend the registration deadline. The University of Wisconsin-Madison joined the growing list Monday, moving their admitted student deposit and on-campus housing contract deadlines to May 15.

Deceptive AI campaign ads could target Wisconsin. Lawmakers have a plan to fight them.

Posted on
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“There has not been a line in terms of what modifications are okay,” said Dietram Scheufele, who studies misinformation and social media at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Public opinion about what’s acceptable in altering content has changed, such as editing photos of ourselves on Instagram or LinkedIn, he said.

“If some deepfake comes out of Biden falling down repeatedly right before the election in key states, and it all turns out to be fake five days later, that’s completely irrelevant,” Scheufele said. “We don’t have video-assisted review like we have in in football, which means the game will have ended and the result will stand.”

A game-changing moment for Wisconsin Democrats. New maps put legislative majorities within reach

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Michigan and Minnesota — two Midwestern states where Democrats took control in 2022 for the first time in many years — could serve as examples of what Wisconsin Democrats would do with a legislative majority, said Barry Burden, a political science professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison and director of the university’s Elections Research Center.

Democrats in those states have “eagerly legislated in new directions on issues such as criminal justice and environmental protection,” Burden said. Given the chance, Wisconsin Democrats would likely pursue a variety of policy changes unavailable to them under GOP control, he said.

Wisconsin’s nursing home industry could struggle with new federal staffing requirements

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Wisconsin Public Radio

Barbara Bowers, a professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Nursing who has studied the long-term care industry, also said innovation is needed. Bowers said her research has found that the majority of resident concerns center around the lack of staff at facilities. On top of being short-staffed, she said the typical nursing home model is “stuck in the past,” with nurses and aides working separately instead of utilizing a team approach to patient care.

“If we had more staffing just by itself and didn’t do anything else, I don’t think we’d see the improvements we’re looking for,” she said.

JJ Watt is still having fun with the haircut that broke the internet during the Super Bowl

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

JJ Watt had an eventful Super Bowl broadcast, and it wasn’t for anything the CBS commentator said.

The Pewaukee native, former University of Wisconsin star and future NFL Hall of Famer debuted a hairstyle that seized control of the internet discourse during parts of Sunday’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. His spiky … 90s inspired? … look was met with some major curiosity. And comparisons.

What’s going on at the US-Mexico border, and what are asylum and parole? Here are answers to key questions

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“If you say, ‘I have a fear of return,’ it triggers a protection under our laws that ensures that a government official will review your case to see if you are likely to be successful with qualifying for asylum in the U.S.,” said Erin Barbato, director of the Immigrant Justice Clinic at the University of Wisconsin.

Fox Bros.’ head sausage-maker, now a Master Meat Crafter, talks about making the Wisconsin staple

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Sausage-making and bratwurst are part of history and tradition in Wisconsin, yet there is always something new to learn. That’s the view of Nathan Broker, the head sausage-maker at Fox Bros. Piggly Wiggly. After working his way through a two-year program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Broker earned the title of Master Meat Crafter in December.

Wisconsin on track to have warmest winter ever recorded

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Wisconsin Public Radio

Steve Vavrus, a senior scientist at UW-Madison and the state’s climatologist, said the weather is already causing economic impact, especially on the tourism industry in northern Wisconsin.

“They depend on snow and ice for skiing and skating and ice fishing and so forth,” Vavrus said.  “There’s been closed snowmobile trails. There’s been winter festivals that have been canceled, unsafe ice conditions for fishing and so on.”

Experts believe negligence contributed to a baby’s death. Wisconsin laws don’t make it worth it for anyone to take the case.

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Wisconsin’s medical malpractice laws include: $250,000 cap in malpractice lawsuits involving doctors employed by the state, a category that includes the more than 1,670 faculty physicians employed by UW–Madison. The cap applies even if a doctor’s negligence results in a lifetime injury that will require millions of dollars of future treatment.

Wisconsin lost 10% of farms, 30% of dairies in 5 years, U.S. agriculture census shows

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Slightly more Wisconsin farmers reported taking steps to protect soil and water quality in 2022. They planted nearly 754,000 acres of cover crops — plants that protect the soil and keep it in place during the offseason — about a 23% increase from 2017. The number of acres that were not tilled also increased, from about 2.2 million in 2017 to about 2.4 million in 2022. No-till practices reduce soil disturbance.

Those acres are still just a small portion of Wisconsin’s total farmed acres. “I would have hoped to see that pick up a bit faster,” said Erin Silva, a professor of organic and sustainable agriculture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Valentines for your dog? It’s one way we treat pets like family

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Valentine’s Day reminds us to show our love to the important people in our lives. We usually declare our romantic love, but sometimes all the hearts and flowers remind us to express our love to others who are important in our lives as well. For a lot of us, this could mean our dogs. About half of U.S. households keep dogs as pets. Not only in word, but also in deed, many people express their love for their dogs not merely as pets, but as family.

Written by David L. Weimer is the Edwin E. Witte Professor of Political Economy at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is coauthor with Aidan R. Vining of “Dog Economics: Perspectives on Our Canine Relationships” (Cambridge University Press 2024).

Madison’s Picnic Point is getting a $14.3 million sustainable visitors center and a makeover

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Lakeshore Nature Preserve’s Picnic Point, hiking trails and small Lake Mendota beaches provide an easy-to-access natural oasis just steps from downtown Madison and the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.

And soon, the thousands of students, Madisonians and others who visit the spot each year will be welcomed by a new “front door” when they arrive at the 300-acre natural area.

Parts of Wisconsin will be a lot louder this summer. The culprit? Cicadas

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Wisconsin Public Radio

The sounds of summer could be a lot louder this year depending on where you live in Wisconsin.

That’s because for the first time since Thomas Jefferson was president, two rare broods of cicadas will emerge at the same time. PJ Liesch, an extension entomologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said this event only occurs once every 221 years. “It’s something that is really unique and special for us,” Liesch said.

The Wisconsin I know never gives up on its kids. Life prison sentences do that.

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

In fact, my great-grandfather’s tenacity for Wisconsin’s youth inspired his daughter, my grandmother, to help set up a research center and scholarship program at UW-Madison to focus on neuroscientific research regarding child development and well-being. The center, named after my great-grandfather Willis Jones, recognizes that “adolescence is a period when the brain is more sensitive” and prepares young people in leadership, including in conflict resolution.

For jobs paying at least $50K a year in Wisconsin, about two-thirds require a college degree, according to a new report

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

An analysis by the University of Wisconsin-Madison found Wisconsin’s student loan debt is low compared to most other states. Federal student loans still directly affect more than a half-million Wisconsin residents — an estimated 715,800 people — for an average of $32,230 in loans each; that’s nearly one in four people in the labor force, according to 2020 data.

UW professor is on a mission to grow a better-tasting beet

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Whether you love beets or hate them, you probably haven’t given them as much thought as Irwin Goldman.

A professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Goldman is also former chair of the department of horticulture. The Goldman Lab there is even named after him. He and colleague Nick Breitbach spent decades trying to breed a better beet. Now the Badger Flame Beet is getting attention nationwide from growers and chefs as it becomes increasingly available.

Inequity in higher education funding, A Republican conflict on border measures and Ukraine funding, The significance of Pitchfork

Posted on
Wisconsin Public Radio

Earlier this month, UW-Madison’s Student Success Through Applied Research (SSTAR) Lab released a new report revealing how, in higher education, students and schools with the least financial need often receive the most government funding. We talk to Nick Hillman, a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis and director of SSTAR, about the causes of funding disparities and how “equity-based” funding models could address them.

Democratic proposal would prohibit firearms on Wisconsin college campuses

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Wisconsin Public Radio

State Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, and state Rep. Deb Andraca, D-Whitefish Bay, were approached by a group of University of Wisconsin-Madison professors and asked to strengthen campus firearm laws.

Jack O’Meara represents the Public Representation Organization of the Faculty Senate, or PROFS,  a nonprofit advocacy organization of UW-Madison faculty. He said there was increased concern after the Feb. 13, 2023, mass shooting at Michigan State University. In that incident, three students were killed and five others were injured when a gunman entered a building on the East Lansing campus.

Wildlife Update: All about groundhogs in Wisconsin

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Wisconsin Public Radio

Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, are one of the few true hibernators that reside in Wisconsin. Their heart beats five times per minute while they sleep through the winter months, and their body temperature drops to 37 degrees Fahrenheit. We learn more about the fabled animal, plus cover wildlife news from around the state. Interview with David Drake, extension wildlife specialist and professor in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, and Jamie Nack, extension senior wildlife outreach specialist, both from UW-Madison.

Confused by Wisconsin redistricting terms? Here’s what they mean.

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel talked to Marquette University research fellow John Johnson and University of Wisconsin-Madison political science professor Barry Burden about what common redistricting concepts mean and how they apply to the case.

“Wards are usually viewed as the building blocks of districts, so that gets done first,” Burden said. Because there are only 72 counties, “some of them are going to have to be sliced in order to make districts. Especially the more populous ones, like Dane, Milwaukee and Brown are going to have multiple districts in them.”

Cheapest car insurance in Wisconsin

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WalletHub

“I do not think this is about fairness – premiums are set based on accident rates and risks associated with different demographic groups and would be higher if the groups are involved in higher rates of accidents or other damages,” said Nancy Wong, Kohl’s Chair in Retail Innovation, Professor of Consumer Science, Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs, School of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Sad tomatoes in space: Wisconsin scientists develop TASTIE experiment to grow plants without gravity

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Wisconsin Public Radio

From the care of Wisconsin researchers to the International Space Station, a group of tomato plants rode on a rocket last week with the goal of brightening astronauts’ days — and their diets. But first the tomatoes are trying to find their own joy.

Growing without gravity is stressful to tomatoes, said Simon Gilroy, a University of Wisconsin-Madison botanist who runs a lab that studies plant development.

Milwaukee officials urge ambulance policy changes following woman’s death

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Wisconsin Public Radio

Laura Albert, an industrial and systems engineering professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said although the initial response time of four minutes was quick, she questioned why it was labeled a low priority call. “Maybe some information wasn’t really conveyed clearly along the way,” Albert said.

Albert also said it’s common for people not to be found when they call 911, mainly because they leave before an ambulance gets to them. Baker also said false alarms are common, especially at bus stops. He said callers sometimes call for an ambulance at a bus stop and get on a bus if it arrives before the ambulance does.

A special milestone: UW-Madison celebrates 175 years on Founders’ Day

Posted on
Spectrum News

Founders’ Day celebrates the first day of classes at UW-Madison. On Feb. 5, 1849 twenty students gathered at UW’s temporary quarters near the Wisconsin State Capitol for the university’s first classes.

Now, Wisconsin Alumni Association chapters around the world host special Founders’ Day celebrations every year to commemorate this milestone.

Democrats propose ways of bolstering local news

Posted on
Wisconsin Examiner

The journalism fellowship program would be administered by the University of Wisconsin System. Under the program, a panel of UW journalism professors and industry experts would choose 25 fellows to match to participating newsrooms for a one-year fellowship.

Participants, who would be required to hold a two- or four-year degree in journalism, media, communications or a similar program, would receive a $40,000 salary.