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Wisconsin Life "Wisconsin Life" celebrates the people, places, history and culture of the state. Come with us as we kayak the Mississippi River, interview musicians in Milwaukee, and bake pasties in Rhinelander. We connect you with diverse people and ideas through short stories updated twice a week.
Wisconsin Life

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Wisconsin Life

Wisconsin Life

From Wisconsin Public Radio

"Wisconsin Life" celebrates the people, places, history and culture of the state. Come with us as we kayak the Mississippi River, interview musicians in Milwaukee, and bake pasties in Rhinelander. We connect you with diverse people and ideas through short stories updated twice a week.

Most Recent Episodes

An awkward first date and a second chance: Falling in love with The Lakatos

Though Steve and Emily Lakatos of Green Bay, Wisconsin met in their 30s, they both found out that it's near impossible to escape the awkwardness of a first date. And though it didn't go as well as they hoped, the one who set them up had the feeling that sometimes you just need a second chance. The couple talked with one another about that experience as part of a StoryCorps Mobile Tour stop in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

An awkward first date and a second chance: Falling in love with The Lakatos

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Former WNBA star Janel McCarville returns to central Wisconsin high school to coach basketball

Janel McCarville's WNBA career included plenty of highlights, including a championship in 2013. The 6-foot-2 center also played internationally in Italy, China and Sweden. Her playing career came to an end in early 2022. But then, she returned to her hometown in Wisconsin. She wound up coaching high school girls basketball in Stevens Point – and is living in the same house she grew up in. WPR's Rob Mentzer talked with McCarville about her life as a pro athlete.

Former WNBA star Janel McCarville returns to central Wisconsin high school to coach basketball

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Preserving a memory: A meditation on home and memorial benches

When someone is diagnosed with a terminal illness, how do we choose to preserve the memory of that person? Radio producer Alexandra Salmon and her mother-in-law Chris Thomas of Madison, Wisconsin have always been close. When Chris was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, Alexandra started recording some of their conversations. And on a perfect fall day, the two of them talked about Chris's lifelong connection to Wisconsin and what she hopes to leave behind.

Preserving a memory: A meditation on home and memorial benches

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Tubas in Wisconsin: Getting down to brass tacks

We recently received a WHYsconsin question from Elizabeth Renner of Madison. She asked us, "Why are tubas such a prominent part of the UW-Madison band? And why are they so popular in the state of Wisconsin?" WPR's Tim Peterson marched right down to the Madison campus to get some answers.

Tubas in Wisconsin: Getting down to brass tacks

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Come opening day: A hunter's reflection from the woods

Deer hunters across the state are gearing up for another gun season opener, with hopes of getting that big buck. For writer Ron Weber, it's not about the catch, but the opportunity the day provides.

Come opening day: A hunter's reflection from the woods

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Rebellious readers: Sisters reflect on their love of books

Beth Lo grew up spending most of her free time immersed in books. Now living with her sister Mai J.Lo Lee in Appleton, Wisconsin, she has come to find that her love for reading has had a positive influence on her family, despite how her parents felt about it. The sisters talked with one another about that experience as part of a StoryCorps mobile tour stop in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Rebellious readers: Sisters reflect on their love of books

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Get lost: A motorcyclist's guide to adventure

There's the old saying "Not all who wander are lost." This is certainly a motto that writer Ron Davis of Eau Claire lives by, especially if he's out on the road on his motorcycle.

Get lost: A motorcyclist's guide to adventure

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Protecting the bats of the Kickapoo Caverns

Bats are an important part of Wisconsin's wildlife. But over the last decade, a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome has devastated bat populations in the state and across the country. In rural Crawford County, a cave that once was a tourist attraction is now protected by the Mississippi Valley Conservancy. It's a safe haven for the bats to hibernate and help scientists develop ways to stop the disease. Most of these bats have settled in for the winter. But before they returned, WPR's Hope Kirwan traveled underground to learn more about Kickapoo Caverns.

Protecting the bats of the Kickapoo Caverns

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'This is big, big stuff': Cuban exile from La Crosse finally becomes US citizen

Ernesto Rodriguez of La Crosse, Wisconsin came to the state in the summer of 1980. That's after making a treacherous journey on a fishing boat from Cuba to the United States during the mass exodus known as the Mariel boatlift. Forty years later, he's finally achieving a goal he's had since arriving: becoming a U.S. citizen. Erne's story was originally featured on the podcast, "WPR Reports: Uprooted."

'This is big, big stuff': Cuban exile from La Crosse finally becomes US citizen

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Women behind the bar: A brief history of Wisconsin's bartenders

Wisconsin has one of the highest concentrations of bartenders in the country, employing more than 24,000 bartenders. A good percentage of them are women. But as writer Patti See tells us, that hasn't always been the case. She introduces us to some of her favorite female bartenders throughout her life.

Women behind the bar: A brief history of Wisconsin's bartenders

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Wisconsin Life

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