Lake Effect Spotlight

Chimney Swifts are back in town and you could catch their spectacular show at a chimney near you! The small, fast-flying birds are known for the tornado-like dance they perform in the sky.   

Brenna Marsicek is the Director of Outreach with the Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance. She says that at dusk, the birds will dive headfirst into a chimney to roost — sometimes by the thousands. Marsicek joins Lake Effect’s Xcaret Nuñez for this month’s Chirp Chat to learn more about swifts and what’s being done to protect them. 

Every year, Milwaukee Magazine comes out with a feature highlighting the city’s most beloved people and places. The Best of Milwaukee issue features dozens of categories readers voted on — like the best pizza and best Indian restaurant.  

Chris Drosner is the executive editor of Milwaukee Magazine. He says the magazine’s editors also got in on the fun and made their picks for the best custard in the city. Drosner joins Lake Effect’s Xcaret Nuñez to talk more about this year’s list. 

Turns out, Wisconsin is a great state for biking! With an average City Ratings score of 48, we’re behind only New York and Alaska as the best statewide scores for biking. 

The People For Bikes report also breaks it down city by city, and to share more about how Milwaukee and other cities are doing to make biking safe and accessible Grace Stonecipher of People for Bikes joins Lake Effect's Audrey Nowakowski.

In a new Capitol Notes, we’ll examine the waiting game around the presidential disaster declaration after flooding in Milwaukee.

There may be no more iconic sound on the south side of Milwaukee than the bells from a paletero’s cart. Those are the street vendors who sell paletas, or popsicles. But have you ever wondered, what is the job like? And who does it?

Paula Lovo is a Milwaukee artist and educator who grew up on the south side and documented a paletero's story. She also shares her love of paleteros and their connection to the community she grew up in.

Baraboo, Wisconsin has claimed the title of Circus Capital of the World for over 60 years. Today at Circus World, national historic landmarks, museums and circus archives occupy the original winter quarters of the Ringling Brothers circus. The site’s new executive director, Julie Parkinson, has family ties to the museum. WUWM’s Eddie Morales met Parkinson at Circus World, where they watched a live performance and discussed the museum’s future. 

Earlier this summer, an invasive species called Japanese Stiltgrass was spotted in Rock County. Scientists are now asking the public to help prevent the invasive grass from spreading across the state.  

Mark Renz is a professor, and an extension weed specialist at UW-Madison. He spoke with Lake Effect’s Xcaret Nuñez about how to identify Stiltgrass and what to do if you find it. 

It’s the first day of school for many Milwaukee-area students, and it was a long road to get here. Fifty elementary schools in the Milwaukee public school district were cleaned and painted this summer to cover and remove toxic lead paint. Then, just three weeks before the start of the school year, 24 campuses were damaged during historic rainfall and flooding.  

Dr. Brenda Cassellius is the superintendent of MPS. She was featured in this month’s issue of Milwaukee Magazine. Dr. Cassellius started the job in March and joins WUWM education reporter Katherine Kokal to talk about the start to her first full school year here in Milwaukee. 

There are countless reasons to visit Wisconsin’s Driftless Region. The landscape of steep river valleys, exposed rock formations and forested ridges are ideal for any outdoor enthusiast. The area is full of meandering streams and rivers with cold, spring-fed water pushing through the rocks – making the Driftless Region one of the best trout-fishing habitats in the country.  

Trout season runs through Oct. 15 with some of the best fishing conditions in the fall. So, to help you plan a fly-fishing trip to the Driftless, Lake Effect’s Becky Mortensen is joined by Geri Meyer, the owner of the Driftless Angler and Logan Wroge with Travel Wisconsin. 

Did you know Milwaukee is a city for the birds? It's actually one of 82 official Bird Cities in Wisconsin. Bird City is a conservation program that brings folks together to create healthier communities for birds and people.  

Bryan Lenz is the Bird City Network Director for the American Bird Conservancy. He says Bird City first started in Wisconsin and has expanded across the country and internationally. Lake Effect’s Xcaret Nuñez spoke with Lenz for this month’s Chirp Chat to learn more about the program.