Back in 2017, Madison leaders adopted an ambitious goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions community-wide by 2050. But to make it happen, they’ll need buy-in from property owners. That’s because buildings account for 65 percent of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Madison’s Building Energy Savings Program aims to reduce those emissions – and lower property owners’ utility bills. Participating buildings share their energy data with the city to find out how their usage stacks up compared to their peers. Property owners can then use that benchmark to improve their buildings’ energy efficiency.

Gregg May is a sustainability program coordinator with the city of Madison. He joined our News Producer Faye Parks, two years after the program got started, to share what they’ve accomplished so far.

Image courtesy: danielhast via Flickr.

AI data centers have been popping up across the nation, and Wisconsin is no exception. Just north of Madison, QTS Data Centers has proposed a 12 billion dollar project to build one of the largest centers in the midwest. Critics have raised concerns not only about energy usage and climate impacts, but also the lack of transparency from the government agencies that approve these projects.

This week on “Transparency Talk”, hosts Bill Lueders and Tom Kamenick discuss what happens when government officials refuse to release records about these projects… at the request of the companies they contract with.

But before we turn it over to Tom and Bill, our standard reminder that this conversation is not intended to be specific legal advice but rather a discussion of general legal issues. If you have a particular legal issue, please consult an attorney.

On today’s show, host Allen Ruff is joined by Peter Kornbluh, senior analyst at the independent nongovernmental National Security Archive. He discusses the historic 1975 expose of the CIA, “Alleged Assassination Plots Involving Foreign Leaders,” a report made public fifty years ago by the special investigative US Senate Committee led by Idaho Senator Frank Church, the now little remembered “Church Committee.”

Featured image of Senator Frank Church who chaired the 1975 Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities, known as the Church Committee via Wikimedia Commons.

MCP More Perfect Union Dec 2025 by WORT 89.9FM Madison

WORT OG 1975 by WORT 89.9FM Madison

WORT OG 1975 by WORT 89.9FM Madison

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Forecast From Wednesday 12-3-25 by WORT 89.9FM Madison

Spending on last spring’s state Supreme Court election clocked in at just over 114 million dollars – almost 14 million more than what was spent on all state court contests nationwide in 2021 and 2022 combined.

That’s according to a new article from Wisconsin Watch, the first part in a series examining how partisan dollars have invaded our state’s judicial elections.

Freelance writer Larry Sandler joined our News Producer Faye Parks to explain why Wisconsin keeps breaking the national campaign spending records.

Image courtesy: Richard Hurd via Flickr.

This week host Amellia Fowler speaks to Staff Writer Jane Dardik about her story “VOCES talks immigrant rights at ‘know your rights’ panel.” in a discussion of current immigration laws, and how that has been affecting the state of Wisconsin.

Articles in this week’s “campus news in brief” segment:

‘Drag Race’ star Trixie Mattel talks chasing dreams at UW event - Alexa Cattouse

Public Defenders Project to continue after uncertain future due to UW budget cuts - Alaina Walsh

‘ICE off campus’ rally held at Library Mall - Alexa Cattouse