Wisconsin

Wisconsin bill stirs issue of parental voice, trans youth autonomy

Published

2 weeks ago

January 7, 2026

Wisconsin bill stirs issue of parental voice, trans youth autonomy

A Republican-authored bill would require Wisconsin school boards to adopt a policy that would inform a parent or guardian if a student requests to be called by names and pronouns not aligned with their gender assigned at birth.

The bill would require legal documentation, parental approval and a principal to approve changes to a student’s name and pronouns. The bill makes exceptions for nicknames or students going by their middle names.

Although the bill has no chance of being signed into law by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, it reflects the continuing political energy of two issues: parental authority in schools, and the treatment of trans youths.

Notably, hundreds of trans-related bills were introduced at multiple levels of government across the country in the last year.

The lawmakers who introduced the bill, Rep. Barbara Dittrich (R-Oconomowoc) and state Sen. Andre Jacque (R-Franken), said it is about parental rights and transparency. At a Capitol public hearing Jan. 6, Jacque cited a ruling from October 2023 in which a Waukesha judge sided with parents who sued the Kettle Moraine School District after staff at the middle school used a child’s chosen name and pronouns. The parents did not support their child’s transition.

But the Senate Committee on Education hearing grew heated as LGBTQ+ youth, parents of transgender children, Democratic lawmakers and other advocates called the bill unnecessary and potentially violence-inducing. They said it makes life worse for a vulnerable population that makes up less than 1% of Wisconsin pupils.

Jacque argued that without the bill, educators can make decisions about children’s health and well-being in secrecy.

“Hiding from us important things that are going on in their lives is not only disrespectful to parents, it is harmful to our children and deliberately sabotaging the ability for vital communication to take place,” Jacque said.

Sen. Sarah Keyeski (D-Lodi) questioned why the Legislature should be involved when school boards already have the ability to approve such policies.

“I think it’s interesting how much you lean on local control for certain things, but then all of a sudden, you want government control,” she said.

Abigail Swetz, executive director of Fair Wisconsin, said such a bill would prevent educators from “engaging in the best practice” for using names and pronouns. Swetz, a former middle school teacher who advised a Gender and Sexuality Alliance club, said she’s seen firsthand the positive impact of affirming trans and nonbinary students.

“The mental health struggles that trans youth face are not a self-fulfilling prophecy. They’re entirely pressured outcomes, and bills like SB120 add to that pressure,” Swetz said.

Jenna Gormal, the public policy director at End Abuse Wisconsin, said forcing students to come out to parents before they’re ready reinforces power and control while stripping students of their autonomy.

Alison Selje, who uses they/them pronouns, spoke of the seismic shift in their well-being and academic performance when someone used their correct pronouns. Selje was a student at Madison West High School at the time. The Madison Metropolitan School District has a policy – which has survived a court challenge – protecting the use of names and pronouns of trans students.

“I remember the first time I heard someone use the right pronoun for me. This was during the pandemic so I was still wearing a mask, but underneath it, I was smiling ear to ear,” Selje said. “The use of my pronouns was a confidence boost, but it was also a lifesaver.”

Support for the bill came from two women representing Moms for Liberty. Laura Ackman and Amber Infusimo shared stories of parents finding out about their children’s new gender identity through school playbills and yearbooks.

“This bill rightly affirms schools shouldn’t be making significant decisions without parental knowledge or involvement,” Ackman said. “It does not prevent kindness, respect or compassion.”

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Wisconsin

Bitterly Cold Temperatures Continue for Southern Wisconsin

Published

18 minutes ago

January 24, 2026

Press Room

Bitterly Cold Temperatures Continue for Southern Wisconsin

A Cold Weather Advisory is in effect until noon today
Additional periods of 10 to 20 below zero wind chills likely
An overall dry weather pattern in the week ahead

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – A broad area of high pressure over the Upper Mississippi Valley has produced mostly clear skies, light northwest winds, and dangerously cold conditions across southern Wisconsin this morning. Overnight radiational cooling has dropped temperatures into the teens below zero, and wind chills are ranging from -20 to -30.

A Cold Weather Advisory is in effect until noon today for much of southern Wisconsin. Conditions will slowly improve late this morning, but cold and dry weather will persist through the day.

What’s Coming Up…

Late tonight and into Sunday morning, there is a chance that a lake-effect band of snow could move west toward southeastern Wisconsin. If it reaches shore, it may bring accumulating snow and higher snowfall rates, mainly from Milwaukee southward, though confidence remains low. A separate system passing to the south could also produce light snow or flurries south of I-94 and US-18 on Sunday, but little to no accumulation is expected. Otherwise, Sunday will remain dry and cold, with wind chills between -10 and -20 Sunday night and a growing chance for wind chills below -20 by early Monday morning. Additional cold weather headlines may be needed.

Looking Ahead…

Looking ahead, things will remain quiet and largely uneventful as an upper-level trough dominates the eastern CONUS and high pressure systems move through the Plains and Great Lakes. This pattern favors weak surface flow, continued cold and dry air, and limited lift aloft, making precipitation difficult to produce. A weak cold front will pass through on Tuesday, bringing the chance for a few flurries.

Temperatures will gradually moderate through the week, with highs in the single digits Monday rising into the teens by midweek, and indications of highs reaching the 20s beyond the seven-day forecast.

Click here to download the WMTV15 News app or our WMTV15 First Alert weather app.
Copyright 2022 WMTV. All rights reserved.
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Wisconsin

Wisconsin Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for Jan. 23, 2026

Published

12 hours ago

January 24, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for Jan. 23, 2026

The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Jan. 23, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Jan. 23 drawing

30-42-49-53-66, Mega Ball: 04

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 23 drawing

Midday: 9-1-4

Evening: 0-0-6

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 23 drawing

Midday: 2-9-0-8

Evening: 8-0-8-4

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning All or Nothing numbers from Jan. 23 drawing

Midday: 01-03-04-06-09-15-16-17-19-20-22

Evening: 01-02-03-04-07-09-10-14-17-18-19

Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Badger 5 numbers from Jan. 23 drawing

03-05-13-15-31

Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning SuperCash numbers from Jan. 23 drawing

06-16-29-30-34-39, Doubler: Y

Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.

Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?

No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.

When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.

That lucky feeling: Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Feeling lucky? WI man wins $768 million Powerball jackpot **

WI Lottery history: Top 10 Powerball and Mega Million jackpots

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Wisconsin

Milwaukee politician accused Wisconsin Center District head of assault

Published

1 day ago

January 23, 2026

Press Room

Milwaukee politician accused Wisconsin Center District head of assault

A prominent Milwaukee civic leader was recently investigated for assault, but no charges were filed, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has learned.

The incident was linked to an allegation of inappropriate touching — and the person who accused him was a well-known elected official, sources said.

Six sources who spoke with the Journal Sentinel said the official reported to the Milwaukee Police Department that Marty Brooks, the president and CEO of the Wisconsin Center District, had inappropriately touched his butt after an October fundraiser at a popular downtown restaurant.

Police investigated the incident, but the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office decided against charging Brooks. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the allegations.

Police have not yet released a copy of the report to the Journal Sentinel, which filed an open records request about the incident on Dec. 12.

Jim Kanter, the WCD board chairman, notified board members about an “allegation involving Marty Brooks, related to a personal matter,” in a Jan. 22 memo obtained by the Journal Sentinel.

“The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office, which we have complete confidence in, conducted and completed a comprehensive investigation and found no basis for charges; no charges were filed against Marty,” Kanter wrote. “We appreciate the thoroughness of the authorities and respect the conclusions of the investigation.”

Kanter did not provide specifics about the allegation, but added, “I want to emphasize that this matter does not involve Marty in his capacity as WCD President and CEO.”

Neither the official nor Brooks responded to requests for interviews from reporters.

A spokesperson for Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley’s campaign for governor confirmed there was an investigation into an incident that was reported following an October fundraiser it held.

“We’ve been made aware of an investigation of an incident that occurred in October,” he said. “Every such allegation deserves to be taken seriously and merits a thorough examination.”

The event had ended before the the incident reportedly occurred.

“Neither County Executive Crowley, nor any member of his staff, was present at the time of the alleged incident,” the spokesperson said. “We were not made aware of the incident at the time, and have not been part of the investigation.”

The Wisconsin Center District is a public agency that operates the Baird Center convention facility, UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena and Miller High Life Theatre. It also owns Fiserv Forum, which is leased to the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team.

Brooks was named district president and CEO in 2017. He previously was senior vice president and general manager of America’s Center, operated by the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission. He also worked more than 20 years as an executive for New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Brooks’ time in Milwaukee has included presiding over Baird Center’s $456 million expansion.

That project was completed in May 2024 – just a few months before the convention facility, Fiserv Forum and other center-owned venues hosted the Republican National Convention.

Brooks has clashed with city officials over the possible redevelopment of the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in September broke the story. It reported that the arena and neighboring Miller High Life Theatre are the subject of a study that could recommend different uses − including a large hotel − for the 6.4-acre downtown site which hosts those aging facilities.

David Clarey of the Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.

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