Life near a frac sand mine in rural Wisconsin
Gloria Schultz has been living near a frac sand mine in Western Wisconsin for over a year. She claims that mine activity is destroying her property and threatening her long-term health. Frac sand mines sprung up in Western Wisconsin in the early 2000s to feed demand for oil fracking operations–which require large volumes of sand to drill for fossil fuels.
Homeless and Dying
Brad Schwaegerl, a homeless veteran with heart failure, plans for his death in his hometown of Stoddard, Wis. Schwaegerl has been living outside in La Crosse with his dog Zenn for the last nine years. After suffering a heart attack in January 2024, Schwaegerl’s health has been in rapid decline.
How two people and a van became a lifeline for La Crosse homeless
When COVID-19 broke out, and many local shelters were closed, Sue Graf and Brian Holiday threw supplies in their trunk and headed outside to provide basic necessities to unsheltered people in La Crosse, Wis. Five years later, they have upgraded to a yellow van, and continue to provide direct support to those living outside, now under the nonprofit What I Need Now (WINN).
Joe Gow and wife defend porn videos in federal lawsuit
Joe Gow and Carmen Wilson, who made international news when Gow was fired from his role as University of Wisconsin-La Crosse chancellor for making pornography, speak up about the federal lawsuit they filed against the university on Monday, Jan. 27. In September 2024, Gow was fired from his tenured faculty position after a lengthy public hearing held by university officials. The couple is arguing that the move violates Gow’s free speech right as a tenured professor.
La Crosse Pizza Ranch is a "safe space" for formerly incarcerated people
After being incarcerated and struggling with addiction, Tristen Landers found a job at Pizza Ranch in La Crosse and worked her way up to becoming an owner-operator. Now she provides opportunities for those in recovery to turn their lives around.