New horror flick has Wisconsin origin (OSHKOSH)
An upcoming horror movie has Wisconsin ties. “Backrooms” dates to an eerie 2002 photo of an empty room with dated yellow wallpaper taken from a renovation project at the Oshkosh Hobby Town store, formerly owned by Bob Mazza. That eventually sparked an online phenomenon which Youtuber Kane Parsons turned into a viral series. He’s also director of the new A24 movie. Backrooms hype is something Mazza has grown to embrace, and he’s looking forward to seeing the film. Mazza says he hasn’t been in contact with anyone from the production and it doesn’t sound like he’s getting any credit or compensation, but he’s okay with that. Backrooms arrives in theatres nationwide on May 29.
Village residents voice data center concerns (WRIGHTSTOWN)
Another Wisconsin community pushes back against data center development. During a Tuesday night listening session in the Village of Wrightstown outside Green Bay, most residents opposed the idea of a data center, citing noise, water usage, loss of farmland and power consumption. People in attendance at Tuesday’s discussion also said they think the village isn’t being fully transparent. Community members believe Cloverleaf Infrastructure is eyeing land behind Wrightstown High School, but village leaders says there are no proposals on the table, and that the meeting was a response to rumors on social media. The village also plans to hold two more open house listening sessions on May 26 and May 31.
Evers appoints members to Wild Rice Stewardship Council (MADISON)
A new effort to protect a historic Wisconsin natural resource. Wild rice is known as manoomin by the Ojibwe people who harvest on northern Wisconsin waterways. Governor Tony Evers has appointed 24 people to the Wild Rice Stewardship Council, which he established through an Executive Order on Indigenous Peoples’ Day last October. The group is charged with preserving wild rice stewardship and supporting Tribal treaty rights. Council members include representatives from Wisconsin’s 11 federally recognized Tribes, the DNR, DATCP, the Office of Environmental Justice and Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. The executive order designates the first week of September as “Wild Rice Week” to raise awareness for and appreciation of wild rice.
AFL-CIO report shows slight decline in Wisconsin workplace deaths (UNDATED)
Worker deaths in Wisconsin have decreased slightly over the last three years, but remain above the national average. That’s according to the AFL-CIO’s annual Death on the Job report cited by Wisconsin’s construction news source The Daily Reporter. The union federation report uses U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data which shows 109 workers died on the job in Wisconsin in 2024 with Black and Latino workers dying at a higher rate than the national average. The latest figure is lower than the 112 deaths in 2023 and 125 in 2022. The AFL-CIO also argues it would take the 30 OSHA inspectors assigned to Wisconsin roughly 131 years to inspect every workplace in the state.
Study finds over 51% of deer ticks in Wisconsin carry Lyme disease bacteria (MARSHFIELD)
New study finds more than half of Wisconsin’s deer ticks carry Lyme disease bacteria. Researchers at the Marshfield Clinic found 51% of deer ticks tested were infected with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Staff Scientist Dr. Alexandra Linz says while that number is higher than expected, it does not mean your risk of getting sick after a bite is the same. She says the actual risk is much lower. Experts recommend avoiding tall grass and brush, wearing long clothing, and using repellents. They also say do a full tick check and shower after spending time outdoors.
Some high school seniors may see changes to ACT scores (UNDATED)
Some Wisconsin high school students could see a change in their spring ACT scores. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that ACT found a scoring problem affecting students who took the online exam during school-day testing. The company began pulling affected scores May 13th and plans to reissue updated results by June second. Officials say scores will either stay the same or increase slightly — but won’t go down. Milwaukee Public Schools has notified students and families, and ACT will resend corrected scores to colleges and scholarship programs. State Superintendent Jill Underly says the test still plays a key role in college admissions and school accountability.
Wisconsin joining multistate lawsuit over federal limits on student loans (UNDATED)
Wisconsin is joining a multistate lawsuit against new federal limits on student loans for health care workers. Attorney General Josh Kaul and 24 other attorneys general filed the suit against the U.S. Education Department, challenging a rule set to take effect in July. The policy would cap borrowing for many graduate students, including those training to be nurses and physician assistants. Kaul says the move could make it harder to build the health care workforce. The lawsuit argues the rule unfairly narrows which degrees qualify for higher loan limits and asks a federal court to block it.