The old GM Assembly plant on the south side of Janesville is just 240 acres of rubble now. But the old GM worker’s bar, Zoxx Social Club, is still there — and it’s thriving. As city redevelopment plans are threatening its survival, WPR’s Nick Rommel met the bar’s owners and regulars during open mic night to talk about why this bar matters to them.

A lot of deer hunting consists of sitting around, waiting patiently in the woods for the perfect moment. As writer Ron Weber tells us, he takes the down time to admire the natural world around him, the perfect moment omnipresent without a deer in sight. His story comes just as gun deer season begins Saturday, November 23, 2024 in Wisconsin.

Thousands of Ojibwe horses once roamed in the northern United States and Canada in the early 20th century. But, the rare breed almost disappeared entirely by the late 1970s. Last year, a descendant of the White Earth Nation raised money to rescue six Ojibwe horses and give them a home in northwestern Wisconsin. WPR’s Danielle Kaeding brings us this audio postcard about Emily Loerzel, who founded a nonprofit organization called the Humble Horse, which aims to keep the rare breed alive.

Many people preserve their genealogy through family trees, mapping the branches and roots out on paper. Heewone Lim brings us the story of a unique genealogical work of art: a Norwegian genealogical plaque. It’s part of the Wisconsin 101 project, which tells the history of the state through objects.

When serving in World War II, 101-year-old Tom Sitter of Madison, Wisconsin didn’t expect to fight his own countrymen. Though there were tussles with a tank division during his training days, he came to learn that differences were put aside with his fellow soldiers when the going got tough.

The following story was told on May 8, 2017 at The Moth during an open-mic StorySLAM in Madison where the theme of the night was “Karma.” Here’s Tom Sitter live at The Moth. As a warning, this story contains strong language.

For some the thought of descending into the depths of a dark, tight cave is the stuff of nightmares. For Robert Root of Waukesha, the challenge of facing that fear was a journey he needed to take in Chilton, Wisconsin. This story has been turning into an animation in the newest season of PBS Wisconsin’s “Wisconsin Life.”

When you think about a cocktail that embodies Wisconsin, what comes to mind? We posed that question to a few bartenders across Wisconsin and these were their responses.

Dia de los Muertos is a day for people to come together and remember their loved ones who have passed. They may set up ofrendas, or altars, with photos, flowers and food. Poet and Milwaukee native Karl Michael Iglesias explores how Latinos manage their grief during this season through his poem, “The Altar.” It’s part of his forthcoming collection of poems called, “The Bounce.”

Spooky tales around Halloween have made their way into listeners’ ears across the country since, almost, the birth of radio. In the spirit of this long tradition, we bring you, “Emily and the Haunting of the Orpheum Theater,”  created by WPR’s senior spooky correspondent  A. Emily Ralph.

We received a WHYsconsin question from an audience member about a legendary Wisconsin athlete. They asked, “Can you give an update on Wisconsin native and former New York Yankees shortstop and NBC baseball announcer Tony Kubek?” You bet we can!