Civic Media Today - Oct. 9, 2025

Wisconsin joins nationwide ICE protests, deaf and blind services secured, Rep. Mark Pocan discusses what the government shutdown means for health care premiums, and more from across our network.

Oct 09, 2025

Civic Media is a pro-democracy statewide radio network and digital media outlet based in Wisconsin, featuring local news, thoughtful commentary, and much more. Learn more here.

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ICE protesters gather outside the U.S. Federal Building in Milwaukee, WI, in solidarity with the “Hands Off Chicago” movement against military intervention in the city. // Jennie Brand, Civic Media

It’s Thursday, Oct. 9, and here’s what’s happening in Wisconsin and across the Civic Media network today.

While the Milwaukee Brewers are facing the Chicago Cubs in a heated postseason series between the two division rivals, beyond baseball, some Wisconsinites are showing solidarity with their neighbors to the south as Chicago has been ground zero for the dramatic escalation from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Trump administration’s efforts to deploy the National Guard to U.S. cities.

Yesterday, in Milwaukee and Madison, large protests were held opposing ICE. In solidarity with Chicago as the city prepares for the deployment of the Texas National Guard in the Windy City, these “hands off” demonstrations drew roughly 200 people to Cathedral Square in Milwaukee, where the group marched to the nearby U.S. Federal Building.

Representatives from Voces de la Frontera and their young adult branch, Comité Sin Fronteras, encouraged the crowd to prepare for a possible intensification of ICE operations in Wisconsin by attending a “Know Your Rights” workshop and using an emergency information hotline to verify and report ICE activity in the community. Hear one representative, Fernanda Jimenez-Hauch, founder of Comité Sin Fronteras and DACA recipient, speak here:

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Demonstrations also drew dozens more at the Wisconsin State Capitol.

- Dan Shafer, Civic Media Political Editor

Supreme Court Candidate Lazar Misstates History of Dred Scott Decision (Teri Barr)
Free services for deaf and blind children to continue after Wisconsin DPI receives grant (Lucas Hunt)
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month (Isabela Nieto)
Climate is Affecting Cranberry Production (Melissa Kaye)
Wojciechowski aka WOJO runs for 6th Congressional District (Lisa M. Hale)
Madison’s Independent Police Monitor resigns after slow, rocky start to the office’s work (Savanna Tomei-Olson)
Gov. Tony Evers, DATCP accepting applications for food grant program (Lucas Hunt)
Twin Ports Interchange Project Ends Ahead of Blatnik Bridge Work (James Kelly)

Find daily news roundups from your community here.

U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan warned at a press conference yesterday at the state Capitol that many Americans about to see higher Affordable Care Act premiums. Democrats have emphasized that any spending bill should include an extension of ACA subsidies.

Pocan also joined “Mornings with Pat Kreitlow” to discuss concerns Wisconsinites shared with him about the shutdown’s impact on health care premiums.

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson blamed the “uniparty” — both Republicans and Democrats — for the ongoing government shutdown. Last month, he introduced a bill that would prevent shutdowns and automatically keep the government funded if Congress fails to agree. That’s similar to how Wisconsin handles its budget when state lawmakers blow the deadline (see: this summer).
Johnson, of course, is also in the news for his role in the “fake electors” case from 2020, though he’s maintained he had “no idea” he was involved in attempting to deliver the paperwork to former VP Mike Pence.
There’s plenty happening today in the state Capitol:
- Democrats are announcing a slate of higher education bills
- An Assembly committee will hold a public hearing on tax credits for aviation biofuel manufacturing in Hayward and $42 million for a dam in Rothschild
- An Assembly committee will hold a public hearing on bills related to the expiration, validity, scope, and fiscal reporting for administrative rules
- The budget writing committee will meet to approve a settlement and appropriation
- And an Assembly committee will decide on a technical bill related to determining the proper venues for civil actions
Two UW-Madison professors have been named MacArthur Foundation Genius Fellows.
In Caledonia, a rezoning request for Microsoft’s planned data center in Caledonia has been pulled from the village board agenda, but Microsoft is still focused on finding another location in Caledonia or somewhere in Racine County, reports the Racine County Eye.
Details on what’s next for ICE office(s) in Milwaukee are hard to come by.

Political Talk and Commentary

Every weekday, four original news/talk broadcasts air statewide on the Civic Media network — “Mornings with Pat Kreitlow” (6-9 a.m.); “Matenaer On Air” (9-11 a.m.); “The Todd Allbaugh Show” (2-4 p.m.); and “The Maggie Daun Show” (4-6 p.m.).

Coming soon this afternoon:

On “The Todd Allbaugh Show,” Todd welcomes Right to Repair Campaign Associate Julius Shieh from Public Interest Research Group.
“The Maggie Daun Show” is joined by Devon Ombres, Senior Courts and Legal Policy Director at Center for American Progress and UW-Madison Law School Assistant Professor Joshua Braver.

Listen / Watch

On “Mornings with Pat Kreitlow”:

Guests include: Congressman Mark Pocan (D - District 2), “Wausau Morning Report’s” Chad Holmes, political strategist Joe Zepecki, and senior radio journalist James Kelly.

On “Matenaer On Air”:

Guests include: Major General Randy E. Manner (Retired) with National Security Leaders for America, former prosecutor and host of “Amicus: A Law Review” Jim Santelle, and ACME Packing Co. sports writer Paul Noonan.

ICYMI from Wednesday, Oct. 8

On “The Todd Allbaugh Show”:

Pat Kreitlow of “Mornings with Pat Kreitlow” and Trygve Olson of The Lincoln Project join Todd to discuss the pros and cons of data centers, following news that Microsoft has canceled its plans in Caledonia. Plus, Todd welcomes Lar Kong Xiong, Board President of the Eau Claire Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association.

On “The Maggie Daun Show”:

Emily Cherniack, Executive Director of New Politics, joins Maggie to examine why service-driven leadership matters more than elitist credentials. Later, Maggie welcomes Mike Tate and former Congressman Scott Klug (R - WI) of the Democracy Defense Project. Plus: Maggie takes on recent comments made by conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Maria Lazar on the Dred Scott case during an appearance on right-wing talk radio. “This isn’t just a slip-up. It shows a deep lack of understanding about constitutional law and American history.” More here.