Lake Effect Spotlight

In this week's Bubbler Talk, we investigate how the oldest building in the western hemisphere journeyed from medieval France to modern Milwaukee.

Wisconsin’s population grew by 3.6% in the last census - but that data also shed light on another reality: the state’s youth population is continuing to decline. It’s been a trend that’s played out slowly over the last two decades, but now that trend is accelerating - especially here in Milwaukee.  

John Johnson is a research fellow at the Marquette Law School Lubar Center and he recently published data on Milwaukee’s so-called “Baby Bust.” He joins Lake Effect’s Joy Powers to talk about it and what the baby bust could mean for the city’s future.   

Companies around the nation are waiting on the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the legality of President Donald Trump’s tariff war. The president has been using tariffs as both a threat and punishment against nations that he believes have slighted him and the U.S.   

The implementation of these tariffs has been haphazard, leaving many businesses unsure about how to handle them. That’s been especially true for small businesses importing foods - like coffee, chocolate, or wine - many of which can’t be made in the U.S.  

Journalist Drew Dawson chatted with some local businesses for this month’s Milwaukee Magazine to see how these tariffs are impacting them. 

According to Point-in-Time data, Milwaukee has been uniquely successful in preventing homelessness. Whereas rates of homelessness have increased nationwide over the last decade, they’ve declined in Milwaukee. 

Krystina Kohler is the impact manager for the Safe and Stable Homes Initiative at United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County. United Way is the lead agency applying for federal funding for homeless services. Kohler joins Lake Effect’s Sam Woods to discuss Milwaukee’s approach to homeless services, success in getting people housed, and how new priorities in federal funding threaten to undermine that success.  

Shorewood resident Paul Florsheim was ticketed for trespassing for walking along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Florsheim was walking north of the public Atwater Beach where residential homes meet the shore. 

Florsheim took the case to court, arguing it’s everyone’s right under Wisconsin’s public trust doctrine to walk along the lakeshore. But last week a municipal judge found Florsheim guilty. He plans to appeal.  

Rob Lee is a staff attorney at Midwest Environmental Advocates. He says his team is following the case because it could go to the court of appeals or the state supreme court. Lee joins WUWM’s environmental reporter Susan Bence to talk about the ruling and the implications.

When it comes to the housing challenges in Milwaukee, a lot of it comes down to cost. People may want to buy but can’t afford to. WUWM is examining systemic housing problems – and solutions – for more affordable housing. 

Today, we’re looking into community organizations that are creating their own paths to homeownership. And hearing from people who’ve been waiting their whole lives for a home to call their own. WUWM’s Jimmy Gutierrez brings us the story. 

Dee Anderson was a pastor at West Granville Presbyterian Church for forty years. He retired in 2025, but for years he helped oversee the resettlement of international teachers coming to teach in Milwaukee Public Schools.   

You heard from two of those teachers in a previous Status Pending episode - Chigozie Okonkwo and Chioma Mba, from Nigeria. They’re part of Dee’s congregation, and that’s how WUWM’s Audrey Nowakowski and Katherine Kokal met him.  

Here’s Pastor Dee talking about why his church stepped up to meet the moment, and how it’s changed them for the better. 

Milwaukee Public Schools recently approved Annie Kubes as the new senior director of Milwaukee Recreation.  Milwaukee Rec runs hundreds of programs in the city – from afterschool care to youth sports and cooking classes.   

Kubes has worked for the department since she was sixteen years old. Throughout her career, she’s overseen various Milwaukee Rec programs — from Special Olympics to driver education and aquatics. She was most recently working part-time as Milwaukee Rec’s special projects coordinator. 

Lake Effect’s Xcaret Nuñez speaks with Kubes about her job experience and the goals she has for this role. 

One of the country’s most fundamental environmental laws is under threat. President Trump is rolling back the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA.

NEPA requires federal agencies to consider a project’s potential environmental impacts before deciding whether to approve it. The Trump administration says scaling back NEPA would bring infrastructure and energy projects to life without unnecessary delays.  

Ron Eckstein is very familiar with NEPA. He's a retired state DNR wildlife biologist who spent his career in northern Wisconsin. He saw firsthand how NEPA helped with management of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Eckstein is also a founding member of Wisconsin's Green Fire, a group that promotes science-based management of our state’s natural resources. He joins WUWM environmental reporter Susan Bence.  

For weeks, Minnesota has been targeted by an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign. Federal immigration agents have surged through the Twin Cities, going door-to-door, arresting immigrants, and U.S. citizens alike. One woman, Renee Nicole Good, was killed by an ICE agent. So, how do you report on something like this? 

Katelyn Vue is an immigration reporter at the Sahan Journal, an outlet in the Twin Cities that covers immigrant communities. She spoke with WUWM’s Jimmy Gutierrez last week. During their interview, you’ll hear clips from news reports about what’s happening in Minneapolis and Saint Paul.