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A Scenic Waterfall Anchors Wisconsin’s Idyllic Milwaukee Suburb With Shops, Trails, And Creative Charm – Islands

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A Scenic Waterfall Anchors Wisconsin’s Idyllic Milwaukee Suburb With Shops, Trails, And Creative Charm – Islands






For an easy getaway from Milwaukee filled with gorgeous natural scenery and artistic spirit, this charming pocket of Wisconsin has it all. Like Westby and its unique Scandinavian flair, Menomonee Falls is one of the best hidden gems in Wisconsin, thanks to its small town charm brimming with history, a thriving local community bursting with artistry, and even a stunning waterfall or two. To reach this adorable suburb, fly into Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, which is a 35-minute drive from town. Be sure to also spend some time in Milwuakee, which is a lively Midwestern city with beaches, breweries, and bliss. Buses also operate from the airport into the Menomonee Falls area, leaving every 20 minutes and requiring just under an hour ride. However, the closest bus stop is a few miles outside of town, meaning you will then need a taxi or Uber ride into Menomonee Falls.

Menomonee Falls is also easily accessible from other major cities like Madison, which is an hour-and-a-half away by car, and Chicago, which is a roughly two hour drive. Accommodation options are somewhat limited right in Menomonee Falls — but the 3-star Home2 Suites by Hilton Menomonee Falls Milwaukee is a well-rated choice. Here, enjoy amenities like free breakfast, free parking, a fitness center, and a pool. You’re also just about 30 minutes from Grafton, Wisconsin’s growing Milwaukee suburb with a vibrant downtown, giving you a chance to explore more of the charming Midwest.

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Scenic nature in Menomonee Falls

Nature is abundant around Menomonee Falls, so be sure to spend some time outdoors while you’re here. One of the area’s best green spaces is the 16-mile Bugline Trail, which stretches from Menomonee Falls all the way to North Lake in nearby Merton. Along this paved trail, you can still see some of the limestone quarries that date back to the town’s early years.

You don’t need to venture far to see Menomonee Falls’ waterfalls — right within the downtown district, on Main Street, find one of the town’s highlights, the Leper Dam. First constructed in 1851 for a flour mill, the current dam dates back to 1954 and is a must-see. Tucked within the 2.5-acre Mill Pond Park, you’ll also find a picturesque gazebo and occasional outdoor events in this local cornerstone. To visit the town’s namesake falls, head to the 19-acre Lime Kiln Park — apart from the falls, find preserved lime kilns which date back to the late 1800s. And if you’d like to get a more complete look at Menomonee Falls’ rich history, head to Old Falls Village Historical Park and Museum, an 18-acre historical park that features historic homes and buildings, and often other events ranging from reenactments to beer gardens and orchestra concerts.

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Menomonee Falls’ vibrant downtown

Tucked within Menomonee Falls’ downtown, you’ll discover an array of enchanting shops and creative corners. One of the town’s most delightful spaces is Poppy & Thyme, where you’ll find all sorts of handmade goods ranging from home goods to bath products. And if you haven’t found exactly what you’re looking for, why not make it yourself? Here, you can make your own custom perfume, candle, or even nail polish, meaning you’ll walk away with a Menomonee Falls souvenir that’s truly perfect for you.

As long as you’re with less than four people total, no need to make a reservation — just feel free to drop in and grab a seat at the make and take bar. If you’re planning to visit on a Saturday though, you still may want to make a reservation, as seats are first come, first served. The Art Lounge is another gem. Here, you’ll get to enjoy a cafe serving up flatbread pizza, cheesecake, beer, wine, and more, alongside an art gallery that offers numerous classes, workshops, and other lively events like music nights. The Art Lounge is closed on Sundays and Mondays. For even more options, take a quick stroll down Main Street, as it’s home to an assortment of boutique stores, restaurants, and other eclectic shops.

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No. 6 Oregon survives lackluster performance with 21-7 win over Wisconsin

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No. 6 Oregon survives lackluster performance with 21-7 win over Wisconsin


EUGENE, Ore. — Jordon Davison ran for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns and No. 6 Oregon overcame a slow start to hand Wisconsin its sixth straight loss with a lackluster 21-7 victory on a rainy Saturday night.

Dante Moore threw for just 86 yards the Ducks (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten), who didn’t score their first touchdown until late in the opening half. Moore left with an apparent face injury in the third quarter.

Wisconsin avoided its third straight shutout with Hunter Simmon’s 2-yard touchdown pass to Lance Mason with 7:57 to go in the game. The touchdown snapped a drought of 11 straight quarters without a point for the Badgers (2-6, 0-5).

Wisconsin was coming off a 37-0 loss at home to Iowa and a 34-0 loss last weekend to No. 1 Ohio State, also at Camp Randall. The Badgers hadn’t gone scoreless in three straight games since 1968.

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Given Wisconsin’s struggles, Oregon got off to an uncharacteristically slow start, with just 21 yards of total offense, including minus-16 rushing yards, and just two first downs in the first quarter.

Oregon didn’t manage to score until Davison’s 3-yard touchdown run with 1:07 left in the first half. The Ducks opened the second half with Davison’s 20-yard run for another score to make it 14-0.

Moore took a knock to his face in the third quarter but kept his helmet on after being treated in the medical tent on the sideline. Backup Brock Thomas took over and threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Gernorris Wilson early in the fourth.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore (5) is sacked by Wisconsin linebacker Mason Reiger (22) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Eugene, Ore. Credit: AP/Lydia Ely

Wisconsin was missing many key players because of injuries, including its top two running backs, Dilin Jones and Darrion Dupree. The Badgers’ leading tackler, linebacker Christian Alliegro, was also out as were the team’s top two centers, Jake Renfro and Kerry Kodanko and punt returner Tyrell Henry and safety safety Preston Zachman.

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Wisconsin quarterback Billy Edwards has played just one full series since he was hurt in the opener. Simmons, a transfer from Southern Illinois who started the season as the team’s third string quarterback, threw for 86 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Takeaways

The uninspired performance against a team with a lengthy losing streak certainly won’t raise the Ducks’ profile on the national stage. Oregon’s last game at Autzen Stadium was a 30-20 loss to Indiana two weeks ago.

Up Next

Wisconsin: Hosts Washington on Nov. 8.

Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson, center, runs the ball against...

Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson, center, runs the ball against Wisconsin linebacker Darryl Peterson III (17) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Eugene, Ore. Credit: AP/Lydia Ely

Oregon: At Iowa on Nov. 8.



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High school volleyball postseason ramps up in central Wisconsin

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High school volleyball postseason ramps up in central Wisconsin


STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAW) – A flurry of area volleyball teams began their 2025 postseason runs on Thursday night as regional semifinals took center court.

Beginning in Stevens Point, SPASH swept its rival Wisconsin Rapids 3-0 to advance to the regional finals. The Panthers will get another Valley foe in the next round as they host Marshfield on Saturday.

It was a tough night for other Valley teams as D.C. Everest, Wausau West and Wausau East all saw their seasons come to an end on Thursday.

In D3, Stanley-Boyd backed up their #1 seed, sweeping #5 Marathon 3-0. The Orioles will get another home match, taking on #2 Stratford on Saturday. The Tigers beat Northland Pines in the regional semis.

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Both Loyal and Greenwood had their seasons end on Thursday as Loyal fell to McDonell Catholic and Greenwood lost to Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran.



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Assembly meets over investigation into DPI’s handling of educator misconduct

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Assembly meets over investigation into DPI’s handling of educator misconduct


WISCONSIN — The Republican-controlled Assembly wants State Superintendent Jill Underly to address a recent report by The Capital Times.

The news outlet’s year-long investigation examined the Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI) handling of investigations into educator misconduct.

An Assembly committee is holding a hearing on Thursday in response to the paper’s investigation, and Underly is invited to testify.

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What You Need To Know

  • The Republican-controlled Assembly wants State Superintendent Jill Underly to address a recent report by The Capital Times
  • The news outlet’s year-long investigation examined the Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI) handling of investigations into educator misconduct
  • Through a series of open records requests, the investigation found that in that five-year period, DPI investigated 461 educators for all forms of misconduct, including sexual
  • The Cap Times report also states that DPI did not make the findings of these investigations readily available to the public


The report looked at the numbers from 2018 to 2023. Through a series of open records requests, the investigation found that in that five-year period, DPI investigated 461 educators for all forms of misconduct, including sexual. 

There was no probable cause found in 178 cases. A total of 161 educators voluntarily surrendered their licenses.  DPI revoked 66 licenses.

The Cap Times report also states that DPI did not make the findings of these investigations readily available to the public.

Investigative Reporter Danielle DuClos conducted the investigation into DPI.

Her findings also showed that 204 educators, including teachers and administrators, were investigated by DPI for alleged sexual misconduct and grooming from 2018 to 2023.   

In an interview about her report, DuClos told Spectrum News that her research showed 60 of those 204 educators kept their teaching licenses. 

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“The most surprising thing was the lack of data on how often teachers and educators are being investigated for allegations of grooming and sexual misconduct, and that’s really what prompted this reporting project, to look at how often that is happening,” DuClos said. “We asked that question and started digging into records and really trying to answer the prevalence question.”

DuClos said her research showed at least 44% of DPI’s investigations since 2018 had to do with allegations of educator sexual misconduct, or grooming.

“We say at least 44% because there are about one fifth of the cases we reviewed where we weren’t able to categorize the conduct, and that was about 100 of those cases,” DuClos added.

Of the 204 educators investigated on accusations of sexual misconduct, DuClos said her findings revealed that more than 80 of them voluntarily surrendered their teaching licenses, the most common way educators lose their teaching credentials in Wisconsin across all types of misconduct.

The year-long investigation yielded a mountain of documents. DuClos said this included requesting, via open records, DPI’s internal tracking sheet for how they monitor these investigations.

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“We also got a document that had case note summaries going back to about 2019 through part of 2022 that had notes from the department about what the investigations were like,” she said.

DuClos conducted her investigation by also cross-referencing with media reports, school district records and court records to fill in any missing information, she said.

In July, The Cap Times asked for about 100 individual educator case files from DPI via another open records request. DuClos said that request has yet to be fulfilled.

State Superintendent Underly released the following statement last Friday, after The Cap Times published its investigation:

“Student safety is the foundation of everything that we do in education. Every allegation of educator misconduct is treated with the highest level of seriousness and is thoroughly investigated by the Department of Public Instruction.

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“Any suggestion that the DPI withholds information from the public is categorically false. Records are released in accordance with open records laws, and educator license statuses are publicly available to anyone on the DPI’s website.

“Voluntary surrenders of licensure are not loopholes. They are permanent, legally binding agreements that remove harmful individuals from the classroom and prevent them from teaching. In many cases, they also protect victims from additional trauma.

“Journalism is the foundation of our democracy. But inaccurate reporting and sensationalism that ignores facts, distorts the truth, and omits key context has no place.

“This reporting failed to acknowledge critical facts and the legal boundaries in which the DPI operates. I urge The Capital Times to issue a prompt correction to restore public trust and ensure an accurate understanding of our work to protect students.”



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