Tom Kertscher
@tomkertschernews.bsky.social
Wisconsin Watch reporter. Former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Freelancer for Associated Press Sports and Milwaukee Magazine. Author of Al McGuire and Brett Favre sports books. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ohio State University.
"I really do believe that anxiety and joy can coexist. That’s kind of the hope I’m clinging to."--Julia Steiner of Chicago's @ratboysband.bsky.social, 11/17/25 @radiomilwaukee.bsky.social. I asked her afterward if she could elaborate. She said it was spontaneous and suggested we both think about it.
November 21, 2025 at 2:59 AM
"I really do believe that anxiety and joy can coexist. That’s kind of the hope I’m clinging to."--Julia Steiner of Chicago's @ratboysband.bsky.social, 11/17/25 @radiomilwaukee.bsky.social. I asked her afterward if she could elaborate. She said it was spontaneous and suggested we both think about it.
.@rebeccafinlay.bsky.social of @partnershipai.bsky.social to me on training AI systems: “If someone is developing a system and not attending to the data and the biases that sit within that data, that’s where it can move to potential harms.”
November 20, 2025 at 5:10 PM
.@rebeccafinlay.bsky.social of @partnershipai.bsky.social to me on training AI systems: “If someone is developing a system and not attending to the data and the biases that sit within that data, that’s where it can move to potential harms.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders said premiums will double for 20 million Obamacare recipients. Sen. Ron Johnson said Sanders is wrong. We sort it out.
November 14, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Sen. Bernie Sanders said premiums will double for 20 million Obamacare recipients. Sen. Ron Johnson said Sanders is wrong. We sort it out.
Our look at which constitutional rights are extended to all persons, including unauthorized immigrants.
November 11, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Our look at which constitutional rights are extended to all persons, including unauthorized immigrants.
There’s extra juice in the room when a new band plays its second-ever show, as Howl Owl Howl (Hootie’s Darius Rucker, R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, Black Crowes’ Steve Gorman) did 11/4/25 at Metro Chicago.
November 5, 2025 at 6:48 PM
There’s extra juice in the room when a new band plays its second-ever show, as Howl Owl Howl (Hootie’s Darius Rucker, R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, Black Crowes’ Steve Gorman) did 11/4/25 at Metro Chicago.
Wisconsin is one of 9 states that does not have a law on whether minors can get birth control without parental consent. Here's how that works in practice.
November 3, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Wisconsin is one of 9 states that does not have a law on whether minors can get birth control without parental consent. Here's how that works in practice.
Yes, using a benchmark, Obamacare premiums have increased 3 times the rate of inflation since coverage began in 2014. Newer premium subsidies are due to expire Dec. 31.
October 29, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Yes, using a benchmark, Obamacare premiums have increased 3 times the rate of inflation since coverage began in 2014. Newer premium subsidies are due to expire Dec. 31.
Are more than 18% of Americans atheists, as U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman said? No. But he's close, according to one poll, on the percentage of Americans who don't believe in God, @wisconsinwatch.org finds.
October 20, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Are more than 18% of Americans atheists, as U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman said? No. But he's close, according to one poll, on the percentage of Americans who don't believe in God, @wisconsinwatch.org finds.
A legal fight is underway in swing-state Wisconsin on citizenship and voting. @wisconsinwatch.org looks at one question on proving citizenship.
October 15, 2025 at 1:35 PM
A legal fight is underway in swing-state Wisconsin on citizenship and voting. @wisconsinwatch.org looks at one question on proving citizenship.
Fact-checking U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson: Fraud has occurred in Affordable Care Act coverage. But No, there isn't documentation that 6 million people got Obamacare coverage unknowingly, @wisconsinwatch.org finds.
October 8, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Fact-checking U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson: Fraud has occurred in Affordable Care Act coverage. But No, there isn't documentation that 6 million people got Obamacare coverage unknowingly, @wisconsinwatch.org finds.
New from @wisconsinwatch.org: Courts approve 11% of petitions for compassionate release from prison. Some inmates must first present evidence indicating they will die within a year, then get a committee's unanimous recommendation.
October 8, 2025 at 2:20 PM
New from @wisconsinwatch.org: Courts approve 11% of petitions for compassionate release from prison. Some inmates must first present evidence indicating they will die within a year, then get a committee's unanimous recommendation.
How right has Wisconsin's Tom Tiffany, the GOP frontrunner for governor, been in making claims? @wisconsinwatch.org reviewed 11 of his statements on tariffs, transgender women in sports, Ukraine, the terrorist watchlist and more.
October 6, 2025 at 11:13 PM
How right has Wisconsin's Tom Tiffany, the GOP frontrunner for governor, been in making claims? @wisconsinwatch.org reviewed 11 of his statements on tariffs, transgender women in sports, Ukraine, the terrorist watchlist and more.
Power can be expensive in Wisconsin. Electricity rates -- residential, commercial and industrial -- have exceeded the Midwest average for two decades. Many residential bills have doubled.
September 30, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Power can be expensive in Wisconsin. Electricity rates -- residential, commercial and industrial -- have exceeded the Midwest average for two decades. Many residential bills have doubled.
Fact-checking new Wisconsin governor candidate Tom Tiffany on whether Wisconsin is among the lowest states in business rankings.
September 26, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Fact-checking new Wisconsin governor candidate Tom Tiffany on whether Wisconsin is among the lowest states in business rankings.
Latest fact briefs from @wisconsinwatch.org: Yes, Wisconsin is among the bottom 10 states in some business rankings; Yes, the federal National Institutes of Health has distributed $5 billion less in grants in 2025.
September 26, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Latest fact briefs from @wisconsinwatch.org: Yes, Wisconsin is among the bottom 10 states in some business rankings; Yes, the federal National Institutes of Health has distributed $5 billion less in grants in 2025.
“Daddy, what is my life?”...“Dad, you’re definitely not going to get married — not with those toenails!”...And more of my daughter's childhood quotes, voiced by the two of us for Wisconsin Public Radio, ahead of National Daughters Day on Sept. 25.
September 23, 2025 at 7:00 PM
“Daddy, what is my life?”...“Dad, you’re definitely not going to get married — not with those toenails!”...And more of my daughter's childhood quotes, voiced by the two of us for Wisconsin Public Radio, ahead of National Daughters Day on Sept. 25.
In the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination, @wisconsinwatch.org fact-checks Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos on how many Americans are OK with violence against leaders.
September 17, 2025 at 7:41 PM
In the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination, @wisconsinwatch.org fact-checks Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos on how many Americans are OK with violence against leaders.
In the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination, Wisconsin radio talker Joe Giganti calls on Congress
to enforce the Communist Control Act. The 1954 law bans the @communistsusa.bsky.social
. It's still on the books, but has been rarely used,
@wisconsinwatch.org
finds.
to enforce the Communist Control Act. The 1954 law bans the @communistsusa.bsky.social
. It's still on the books, but has been rarely used,
@wisconsinwatch.org
finds.
September 16, 2025 at 12:13 AM
In the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination, Wisconsin radio talker Joe Giganti calls on Congress
to enforce the Communist Control Act. The 1954 law bans the @communistsusa.bsky.social
. It's still on the books, but has been rarely used,
@wisconsinwatch.org
finds.
to enforce the Communist Control Act. The 1954 law bans the @communistsusa.bsky.social
. It's still on the books, but has been rarely used,
@wisconsinwatch.org
finds.
No, National Guard members generally are not trained in law enforcement, @wisconsinwatch.org finds.
Donald Trump is threatening to send them to big cities to crack down on crime.
Donald Trump is threatening to send them to big cities to crack down on crime.
September 10, 2025 at 7:29 PM
No, National Guard members generally are not trained in law enforcement, @wisconsinwatch.org finds.
Donald Trump is threatening to send them to big cities to crack down on crime.
Donald Trump is threatening to send them to big cities to crack down on crime.
Fact-checking @jd-vance-1.bsky.social
in Wisconsin: No, there are not tens of millions of unauthorized immigrants getting federal health care. They are not eligible for Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP or Obamacare. wisconsinwatch.org/2025/09/unau...
in Wisconsin: No, there are not tens of millions of unauthorized immigrants getting federal health care. They are not eligible for Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP or Obamacare. wisconsinwatch.org/2025/09/unau...
September 4, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Fact-checking @jd-vance-1.bsky.social
in Wisconsin: No, there are not tens of millions of unauthorized immigrants getting federal health care. They are not eligible for Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP or Obamacare. wisconsinwatch.org/2025/09/unau...
in Wisconsin: No, there are not tens of millions of unauthorized immigrants getting federal health care. They are not eligible for Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP or Obamacare. wisconsinwatch.org/2025/09/unau...
The science isn't settled on causation, @wisconsinwatch.org finds. But Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany is correct that research has found a link between marijuana use and psychosis (such as delusions and hallucinations).
September 3, 2025 at 12:47 AM
The science isn't settled on causation, @wisconsinwatch.org finds. But Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany is correct that research has found a link between marijuana use and psychosis (such as delusions and hallucinations).
Checking @usdot.bsky.social Secretary Sean Duffy on whether China controls 90% of the drones market and what that means for the U.S.
August 19, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Checking @usdot.bsky.social Secretary Sean Duffy on whether China controls 90% of the drones market and what that means for the U.S.
GOP Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden and Democratic Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin gave different takes on social media on what the new federal rescissions law does to emergency alerts. @wisconsinwatch.org sorts it out.
August 15, 2025 at 6:12 PM
GOP Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden and Democratic Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin gave different takes on social media on what the new federal rescissions law does to emergency alerts. @wisconsinwatch.org sorts it out.
The day he announced he wouldn't run for the seat again, ex-Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said the next Wisconsin governor should require 60 minutes of daily exercise for kids in school -- raising the question of whether the state requires exercise at all.
August 6, 2025 at 9:01 PM
The day he announced he wouldn't run for the seat again, ex-Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said the next Wisconsin governor should require 60 minutes of daily exercise for kids in school -- raising the question of whether the state requires exercise at all.