An Intensifying Danger
Long under threat, Latin American journalists confront a new era of risk as they increasingly become the targets of violence and surveillance.
For Damages Done
Discrimination was long baked into housing policy and practice in Evanston, Illinois. Now the city is the nation’s first to officially compensate African Americans for what systemic racism has done to their community.
Block The Vote
Hundreds of proposed local voting laws threaten the votes of Latinos and others, a new lawsuit charges. The bills are competing against a federal effort to expand mail-in voting and other measures that fueled record turnout last November.
In Colombia, companies race to create hempseed suited for tropical climates
Geneticists worldwide are racing to breed a cannabis seed not yet in existence: One that thrives in climates with only 12 hours of daylight all year but remains low in THC. Long the province of illicit criminals and smugglers, cannabis genetics now draw top botanists as a growing number of countries authorize cannabis production, whether for adult recreational or medicinal use, or for low-THC industrial hemp use.
Military interested in hemp fiber; Wisconsin university looking into it
The U.S. military and researchers at a Wisconsin university are discussing making hemp fiber to replace imported polyester and polymer in Army vehicles – a potential partnership that would return the state to the days it was the epicenter of fiber production during both World Wars.
Mexico’s legalization of hemp, marijuana could be ‘quite significant’ for US markets
Mexico is poised to become the world’s most-populous country with legal marijuana and hemp next month – and, unlike its northern neighbor, Mexico is setting nationwide regulations to cover all forms of cannabis, no matter the THC content, instead of having a patchwork of laws for the two plants.
Experts: Travel bans, business closures could hurt economy
Travel restrictions and business closures aimed at stopping the spread of a new virus that has killed more than 300 people in China could end up causing ripple effects that harm the global economy, experts say.
Arrest in 43-year-old murder case stuns Wisconsin town
Investigators say they used genetic genealogy to connect an 82-year-old Wisconsin widower with five grown children to the 1976 killing of a young couple at a campsite.
Milwaukee hopes to shed 'Rust Belt' label as DNC's host city
When the Democratic National Convention comes to Milwaukee next summer, the city on the shores of Lake Michigan will have its long-awaited opportunity to show the world it’s shedding its Rust Belt image.
Police confront 2 men, 1 white, 1 black: Only 1 is shot
In the course of 15 months and in the space of one city block, Milwaukee police twice encountered two suspects they believed were armed.
One was black; one was white.
One was in fact unarmed; one had a gun.
One was shot; one was not.
In Milwaukee, Yelich’s success stirs Serbian pride
When Brewers slugger Christian Yelich takes the field against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he’ll have one group of Milwaukee fans rooting especially loud for his success: Serbian-Americans.
Cities grappling with how to deal with electric scooters
Overnight in dozens of cities across the U.S., the electric scooters arrive, often without warning to public officials, parked along sidewalks and ready to be taken for a spin with a few taps on a smartphone.
Illinois murder case challenges longstanding ballistic tests
When Illinois jurors convicted Patrick Pursley of murder, they relied on an expert’s assurance that the scratches and dents on bullets and shell casings from the crime scene proved they could only have come from Pursley’s gun. More than two decades later, technological advances have eroded confidence in ballistic experts, and the analyst who testified against Pursley is no longer so sure of his findings.
In Milwaukee, Prosecutors Hit Neighborhoods, Not Just Court
Prosecutors in Milwaukee are hitting the streets in an effort that connects prosecutors and police to stop crime and not just send people to prison.
Long after riots, Milwaukee neighborhood sees little change
The scars of the violence that erupted in a Milwaukee neighborhood after a police officer killed a 23-year-old black man remain visible nearly a year later, reminders of how little things have changed. A few blocks from where Sylville Smith was fatally shot Aug. 13, the gas station that protesters torched is still closed, surrounded by chain-link fence to protect the damaged gas pumps that are the only things left. The BMO Harris bank branch that went up in flames hasn’t reopened either, nor has the O’Reilly Auto Parts store that was also burned.
As Milwaukee sheriff’s star rises, he remains polarizing
With a brash, unapologetic personality reminiscent of President Donald Trump, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke is positioning himself as an in-your-face conservative firebrand who has some Republicans swooning over his prospects for higher office. The tough-talking, cowboy-hat wearing lawman is also one of the most polarizing figures in Wisconsin politics, frequently dishing out eyebrow-raising comments that make even his one-time supporters blanch.
Who inherits a selfie?
When a loved one dies, laws cover how their houses, cars, and other property are passed on to relatives. But the rules are murkier — and currently far more restrictive — when it comes to pictures on Facebook, emails to friends or relatives and even financial records stored in online cloud accounts.
With backing of wealthy governor, Illinois GOP spending big
For the first time in recent history, Illinois Republicans are vastly outspending Democrats in fall legislative races with the help of a wealthy governor determined to curtail a traditionally blue political landscape that has thwarted his agenda for two years.
Illinois seeks to limit use of solitary confinement
Brian Nelson’s years in solitary confinement left him terrified of other people, and he says he can still taste the concrete dust from his cell, even though he’s been free since 2010.
Illinois late license-plate fees top $5 million without reminders
Thanks to the cash-strapped state’s decision to stop mailing renewal reminders, Illinois motorists have paid nearly $5 million this year for failing to renew vehicle license plates on time, more than double the amount collected in the same three-month span last year.