Wisconsin Life Wisconsin Public Radio

Harry Whitehorse of Monona, Wisconsin was a prolific artist who painted and created mixed media and wood sculptures for almost 90 years. That’s why a new festival, the Harry Whitehorse International Wood Sculpture Festival, is named in his honor.

Home means different things to different people. Home can be the house you grew up in, a quiet spot in the woods, or right beside your favorite person.
For Mai Lo Lee of Appleton, defining her home is complicated. She shares her story as part of the “Home Is Here” project, which amplifies the voices of the growing number of Black, Asian, Native American and Hispanic residents who call northeastern Wisconsin home. The project is part of the NEW News Lab – a local news collaboration in northeastern Wisconsin made up of six news organizations.

Sports fans across Wisconsin can spend their summers watching college baseball players compete in the Northwoods League on teams like the La Crosse Loggers and the Madison Mallards. This summer, that league is expanding to add softball teams, like the La Crosse Steam and the Madison Night Mares. WPR’s Jenny Peek joined some Night Mares players at the ballpark to get a sense of what to expect from their inaugural season.

When someone downsizes their home, they have to think about what stays and what goes. But what do people do with relics from their life that carry deep meaning, like old trophies, that can’t make the transition into a new space? At the Nationwide Trophy Recycling program in Madison, Wisconsin, staff and volunteers take old trophies for a fee and recycle the parts. Then, they rebuild new trophies and give them away for free to nonprofits nationwide. Alexandra Salmon takes us on a tour of the shop.

Spring is peak season for baby animals in Wisconsin. It’s also the busiest time of year for wildlife rehabbers, as they’re flooded with calls about wounded or orphaned critters. As WPR’s Sarah Lehr tells us, one group of humans in south central Wisconsin is bringing wildlife into their homes…to care for those animals until they can fend for themselves.