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It’s Wednesday, August 5 and here’s what’s happening across the region.
Crowley gains late support as Hong confronts social media controversy: Crowley is campaigning across Wisconsin this week with Gov. Tony Evers after gaining late endorsements and a fundraising edge, while state Rep. Francesca Hong faces renewed scrutiny over years-old social media posts.(Baylor Spears, Wisconsin Examiner)
Cooke makes final pitch to Chippewa Valley voters before primary: Democratic congressional candidate Rebecca Cooke made her final pitch to Chippewa Valley voters Tuesday during a press conference in downtown Eau Claire ahead of the primary. (James Kelly, Civic Media)
Q&A: What the Corey Ruiz shooting reveals about police training — and who shapes policing rules: University of Wisconsin-Madison law professor Ion Meyn has interviewed police officers and reviewed hours of police training videos to study how officers make deadly force decisions. He spoke with Wisconsin Watch about what he has learned. (Natalie Yahr, Wisconsin Watch)
El-Sayed declares victory in Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary: Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary remained too close to call as former Wayne County health official Abdul El-Sayed and U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens ran neck and neck, with absentee ballots from Wayne County still being counted. (Ben Solis, Michigan Advance)
More news
Madison clears encampment at police shooting site, arrests 7 (WPR Staff)
OPINION: Paid leave is helping workers — and businesses like mine (Sarah Piepenburg, Minnesota Reformer)
A new 53206 garden tended by Milwaukee youths becomes a safe haven for self-reflection (Chesnie Wardell, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service)
John James wins Republican primary for Michigan governor over Perry Johnson (Simon D. Schuster, Bridge Michigan)
How a rural NE MN district could shape control of the state Senate (Matthew Blake, MinnPost)
A $10 billion data center proposal in central Wisconsin quietly went away after a local official told the developer the process would have to be public (Tom Kertscher, Wisconsin Watch)
7th Circuit rejects Trump administration’s mandatory immigration detention policy (Paul Kiefer, Wisconsin Watch)
Former NYC Mayor Eric Adams is now pitching data centers to residents in rural Wisconsin (Drake Bentley, Milwaukee Courier)
Can a federal lifeline keep rural hospitals open? (Sarah Jane Tribble, Tony Leys, KFF Health News)
Find daily news roundups from your community here.
In “Five Questions, One Place,” Joel Brennan, a Democratic candidate for Wisconsin governor, sat down with Frank Gargano at Discovery World in Milwaukee — a setting he chose — to talk about growing up as one of 11 kids, running Discovery World for 11 years through the 2008 downturn, what his grandmother taught him, and why he says humility belongs in leadership.
Frank Gargano and Jamie Martinson asked every candidate for Wisconsin governor the same five questions in a place of their choosing. Four candidates accepted the invitation: David Crowley, Joel Brennan, Kelda Roys, and Andy Manske.
When a district is drawn so that one party is guaranteed to win, something happens to the politics. The general election stops mattering. The only election that counts is the primary, and primaries are dominated by a small number of the most dedicated party voters.
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“Civic Minute” is a series of 60-second radio segments that help make sense of the systems shaping everyday life. No jargon, no spin — just clear, useful context on what’s happening and why it matters.
Election 2026
WISCONSIN
Sen. Hesselbein calls on Magadance Skinner to drop Senate bid (James Kelly, Civic Media)
Legislative primaries to watch in upcoming August elections (Baylor Spears, Wisconsin Examiner)
Wisconsin farmers push rural priorities ahead of primaries (Judith Ruiz-Branch, Public News Service)
New Marquette Law School poll shows Hong ahead following shakeup in Democratic primary race (Baylor Spears, Wisconsin Examiner)
Wisconsin Democratic candidates for governor debate, mostly hold back direct attacks (Baylor Spears, Wisconsin Examiner)
Democratic candidates for Wisconsin governor on the use of Flock cameras and police surveillance (Drake Bentley, Milwaukee Courier)
VIDEO: Small Towns & Rural Seniors of Wisconsin hosts governor candidates at Baraboo town hall
MINNESOTA
OPINION: State of the race for U.S. Senate in Minnesota (Conrad Zbikowski, Minnesota Reformer)
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Civic Media is a pro-democracy digital media and radio network based in Wisconsin, featuring local news, thoughtful commentary, and more.
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