AltWeeklies Wire
Election '08: Don't Let Your Vote be Stolennew
The pollsters and pundits seem to agree: Barack Obama has a huge lead over John McCain in the race for president. But that doesn't mean McCain won't win.
Hispanic Vote Seen as Critical in Wisconsinnew
Hispanics are a potential swing vote in the 2008 election -- in swing states like Wisconsin, a strong Hispanic turnout could prove decisive. And after the historic ties between Hispanics and the Democratic Party loosened earlier this decade, the pendulum seems to be swinging back.
Will the Election Be Fair in Wisconsin?new
Wisconsin voters are expected to turn out in unprecedented numbers for the Nov. 4 election. And that has created some concern about the integrity of such a high-stakes election in a state that has had razor-thin winning margins in recent presidential elections.
Shepherd Express |
Lisa Kaiser |
10-24-2008 |
Politics
Paper Mill Closing Leaves One Wisconsin Town Fighting for Its Lifenew
The struggle over the NewPage paper mill in Kimberly, Wisc., underscores the larger pattern of hurt in the heartland.
Isthmus |
Roger Bybee |
10-20-2008 |
Business & Labor
Barack Obama's Army of the Youngnew
Though they are too young to vote, Wisconsin high school students play a key role in campaign.
Heroin Use on the Rise in Wisconsinnew
Heroin has always had a presence in southeastern Wisconsin, and there have always been some hardcore users in the area. But things changed in the 1990s, when Colombian cocaine traffickers saw the profits that Asian producers were making on heroin, primarily China White.
Shepherd Express |
Lisa Kaiser |
09-26-2008 |
Drugs
McCain Campaign Co-Chair Tries to Disenfranchise Wisconsin Votersnew
In 2008, it looks like Republicans will once again do anything to win, but this time Wisconsinites may have a front-row seat to all of their shenanigans and attempts to suppress the vote, if a lawsuit filed by Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen is any indication.
Shepherd Express |
Cory Liebmann |
09-19-2008 |
Politics
Nukes in Wisconsin Still Not Likelynew
Nuclear supporters claimed that Gov. Jim Doyle, who's seeking to become a green governor, wants to end the 25-year-old moratorium on building nuclear power plants in Wisconsin. The problem, though, is that this simply isn't true.
Shepherd Express |
Lisa Kaiser |
08-15-2008 |
Environment
Wisconsin's Latinos Could Decide the Electionnew

State figures show that only 35 percent of about 100,000 eligible Latino voters in Wisconsin are registered to vote, and just 33 percent actually vote on Election Day. Voces de la Frontera is working to turn that around.
Shepherd Express |
Lisa Kaiser |
08-08-2008 |
Politics
Milwaukee: Great for Corporationsnew
But property taxpayers get squeezed.
Shepherd Express |
Lisa Kaiser |
08-08-2008 |
Business & Labor
Wisconsin Rep. Faces Little-Known Challenger This Fallnew
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) has an opponent this fall, though you may not have heard much about him. Peter Theron, a Republican from Madison, entered the race late.
WMC Already Collecting Dividends from Buying the State Courtnew

The state Supreme Court, state Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and the big business lobby Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) handed Wisconsin residents a $350 million tax hikeāand gave corporations a new tax break.
Shepherd Express |
Lisa Kaiser |
07-18-2008 |
Business & Labor
Wisconsin Fails Health Insurance Protectionsnew
Conservatives' solution to the health care crisis is to provide tax credits to allow individuals to buy their health insurance in a competitive marketplace. But in Wisconsin, as in many other states, the individual health insurance market does little to protect the consumers it is supposed to serve.
Shepherd Express |
Lisa Kaiser |
06-20-2008 |
Science
Sports Bloggers Don't Deserve the Indignation of Mainstream Commentatorsnew

Blogs are not the enemy. As with any medium, there are good actors and bad. Sports fans are supplementing their consumption of mainstream columnists with their favorite blogs, not choosing one over the other.
Racial Disparities Prevail in Wisconsin's Justice Systemnew
New studies from The Sentencing Project, Human Rights Watch, and a governor's commission show the state's justice system treats black and white drug offenders differently.
Shepherd Express |
Lisa Kaiser |
05-16-2008 |
Crime & Justice