A heat wavedidn't stop hemp supporters from rallying to save the industry in Wisconsin June 29. Erin Kelly, the owner of Kelly's Greens Cannabis Boutique and Cafe in Wauwatosa, hosted a "Save Hemp Rally" to raise awareness of the incoming hemp ban and pressure state lawmakers to take action.
"We're all here to ask for a state plan from the state of Wisconsin," Kelly told the crowd, which spent the evening enduring a heat index around 100. "We need to protect not only 3,500 jobs but a $700 million industry [in Wisconsin]."
Late last year,President Donald Trump signed a strict set of federal hemp regulations into law– effectively banning most hemp products sold throughout Wisconsin and the U.S. Hemp gummies, vapes and flower products – no matter the type of THC – will be limited to 0.4 milligrams of THC per container. This law goes into effect in November.
Both Republican and Democrat state lawmakers proposed bills that would keep hemp legal in Wisconsin,but none made it over the hill.Lawmakers couldn't agree on how to regulate the largely unregulated industry before the legislative session closed. State law doesn't have age restriction for hemp, set packaging requirements or require product testing.
She said lawmakers told her they’re deep in campaign season and can't pass hemp laws until January 2027. She invited Milwaukee and Milwaukee County officials, gubernatorial candidates and others running for office to the rally to develop a plan to be ready by then.
Rep. Robyn Vining, D-Wauwatosa, one of the speakers, says chief of her concerns are protecting children. She says children shouldn't be able to purchase hemp products and products shouldn't look identical to candy –an issue she's heard from the Wisconsin Poison Center.However, some hemp businesses like Kelly's Greens require customers be 21 years or older to purchase.
Supporters say hemp is medicinal, an alternative to alcohol
If hemp becomes illegal, Andy Boinski, 35, will lose his job as a hemp sales representative. Kaytlin Lovely, 29, his partner, will lose her medicine. They hope events like this rally will challenge the stereotypes around hemp.
"People aren't using this just to get high and sit on the couch," Boinski said. "People are using these for health reasons like anxiety, pain relief and chronic illnesses."
Lovely says hemp gummies give her relief from the nausea and vomiting that comes with her Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome. Her prescribed medications aren't as effective as hemp, she said.
Jake Noggle, 34, and Miranda Zielinski, 31, say Kelly's Greens hemp business brought life to a long-vacant building on West North Avenue in Wauwatosa and partnered with local businesses like Venture Brew Co.
The couple isn't a fan of drinking alcohol. Noggle says Wisconsin could stand to drink less.
"Alcohol is substantially more dangerous in overconsumption here," Noggle said. "It's nice to see an alternative."
THC seltzers, on the other hand, is one way they can still enjoy the bar scene. These drinks give them a buzz without that hangover.
"In our 30s, hangovers are not good anymore," Zielinski said. "They're like a two-day thing now."
Gina Castro is a Public Investigator reporter. She can be reached at GCastro@usatodayco.com.
Few traditions capture the spirit of Independence Day quite like a dazzling fireworks display. Across the country, cities go all out each July 4, combining music and unforgettable views that draw huge crowds year after year. Leading the way is New York City’s famous Macy’s Fourth of July Fir…
RACINE — If fireworks are on your Independence Day to-do list, there will be plenty of opportunities in Racine and Kenosha counties to catch a display.
Sturtevant will host a fireworks display at Fireman's Park, 9630 Charles St., starting around 9 p.m. July 3. On-site parking is available for a fee (approximately $5), though viewing is possible from nearby neighborhoods.
Paddock Lake's fireworks display will start at 9:30 p.m. July 3.
In Burlington, fireworks will be displayed over the festival grounds off Maryland Avenue (behind Walgreens) starting at dusk July 4. Residents can view the display from Echo Park or surrounding areas.
Racine's fireworks show over the Lake Michigan shoreline will begin after dusk July 4 from North Beach, typically around 9:15 p.m.
Kenosha's Festival Foods fireworks display over Lake Michigan is scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. July 4
Pleasant Prairie is holding its first fireworks show in nearly 20 years July 11. The display is being hosted by Lake Andrea Beer Garden at Prairie Springs Park and is expected to begin after dark.
Gov. Tony Evers proclaimed June 30, 2026, asWisconsin Kringle Day, declaring kringle "a staple in many Wisconsin homes for birthdays, holidays, or everyday breakfast."
"More than just a pastry, the kringle symbolizes Wisconsin’s deep-rooted traditions of community, bringing together family, friends and neighbors to share the classic dessert that honors the state’s cultural identity and supports local businesses," Evers' proclamation reads.
The date was chosen because it's the same day that kringle became Wisconsin's state pastry in 2013, Evers said in aFacebook post.
The pastry traces its roots back to Danish immigrants who settled in Wisconsin in the 19th century, according to Evers' proclamation.
"The kringle was perfected in Wisconsin, including by uncrossing its traditional pretzel pattern into the iconic shape it's known for today," reads the proclamation.
What is the Wisconsin's connection to kringle?
Danish settlers who came to Wisconsin, and specifically Racine, in the 1840s helped introduce the kringle to the area, theJournal Sentinel previously reported.
However, no single bakery made kringle famous. Kringle can now be found around the world, though it is sometimes a little hard to find.
“It’s still relatively unknown,” Eric Olesen, president of the popular O&H Danish Bakery in Racine, told the Journal Sentinel in 2023. “It’s a big country. A lot of foodies might know it, but I don’t think it’s quite up there with brats and cheese.”
As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, we're recognizing Wisconsinites who have made unique contributions to the nation.
Les Paul’s home-spun inventions elevated him to a peer group that includes Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Edison.
It was Paul, nicknamed “The Wizard of Waukesha,” who helped make the sound of American Rock 'n Roll possible with his solid-body electric guitars and the recording practices he invented like overdubbing and multi-track recording.
His Gibson Les Paul Custom guitars have been favored over the years by the likes of Jimmy Page of Led Zepplin, Duane Allmen of the Allmen Brothers Band and Randy Rhoads of Black Sabbath.
Les Paul, known for his innovations on the solid body electric guitar and in multitrack recording, was born in Waukesha.
RICHARD DREW
Born Lester Polsfuss in 1915, Paul created his first electric guitar when he was a teenager by cobbling together parts from his parents’ record player. Paul dropped out of high school to join the Wolverton’s Radio Band on KMOX in St. Louis, Missouri, and by 1934 was in Chicago playing both country-western and jazz. He would later form a trio that played backup for Nat King Cole and the Andrew Sisters.
In 1941, Paul designed and built one of the first solid-body electric guitars. That led to a deal in the 1950s with the Gibson Guitar Company, which would go on to produce a guitar according to Paul’s specifications.
Paul won a Grammy in 1977 for the album “Chester and Lester,” a collection of pop-jazz guitar duets recorded with his old friend Chet Atkins.
Discovery World Museum in Milwaukee has a permanent exhibitdedicated to Paul as does the Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum. There are a series of murals throughout Waukesha honoring Paul’s life while his grave at Prairie Home Cemetery in Waukesha features a large monument with a guitar.
Nick Demske, left, and Dave Demske celebrate after Nick received an award at a Wisconsin Writers Awards event in May in Madison.
Nick Demske
RACINE — Nick Demske has always loved words.
In middle school, language provided an outlet for him.
That was when Demske began writing poetry to help deal with the mental health challenges he was facing, including anxiety and depression.
“I realized at some point, ‘Oh, when I do this, it really helps balance me out,” said Demske, who is executive director of the Racine Public Library. “Poetry has been a really important health and wellness tactic in my survival strategy in life.”
He continued writing poetry while studying English and creative writing at Carthage College.
After that, Demske received some notice for his work, publishing one full-length book of poemsand a chapbook.
Demske put poetry on the backburner for several years as he became more involved in civic engagement, including being a Racine County Board supervisor from 2018-24.
In fall of 2024, he began writing poetry again.
That creative reignition was recently recognized when Demske won a state prize, the Lorine Niedecker Poetry Award.
Demske looks forward to having several days to write and “be in community with other writers and other creatives.”
Rita Mae Reese, from left, Nick Demske and Steven Espada Dawson at a Wisconsin Writers Awards event in May in Madison.
Dave Demske
The relational aspect of poetry has become more important to Demske over the years.
Writing poems remains a cathartic outlet similar to when he was younger, but Demske also greatly enjoys the people he has met through poetry.
“It’s still a very important therapeutic tactic in my life,” Demske said. “The community became really important and central to me, differently than my creative work.”
After several years off, Demske, who recently finished a poetry manuscript and is working on a new collection, plans to keep writing.
He writes poetry for his own health, but Demske also hopes his words connect with people.
“This stuff actually has an impact if you do it correctly,” Demske said. “I want to heal myself and heal others.”
A Madison Catholic priest was stripped of his clerical duties after allegations of child pornography surfaced against the man in 2025.
The June 24 stripping of Andrew J. Showers’ clerical duties comes after Waupaca County prosecutorscharged the 38-year-old manwith felonies after they say he he attempted to meet with a 14-year-old girl to have sex with her, but it was actually a police officer. Prosecutors also charged him with possession of child pornography earlier this year.
Showers was also the subject of two other misconduct allegations following his 2025 arrest, one for inappropriate questioning during confession and another allegation of groping a woman.
The Diocese of Madison announced Pope Leo XIV made the decision to remove Showers of his duties after Showers requested the removal himself, according to the Diocese’s June 25 letter. That church process, known as laicization, means he is known longer a member of the church’s clergy.
“I ask for your continued prayers for all those affected and commend everyone involved, including Andrew, to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,” said Donald Hying, Bishop of Madison, in a letter to diocese members. “May we find comfort in the Lord’s unfailing love and mercy, remembering that He remains with us in every trial, suffering, and sorrow.”
The charges came after Clintonville Police Department officers arrested Showers on Aug. 24, 2025 after he attempted to meet with an officer posing as a 14-year-old girl for sex.
Then, in March, prosecutors charged Showers with two additional felonies for possession of child pornography. Authorities said they found two pornographic images of girls on a messaging app on Showers’ phone.
The Diocese of Madison had previously announced Showers’s first arrest Aug. 25, 2025, and restricted him from ministry during the investigation. In that announcement, it erroneously said the church had not received any prior allegations of misconduct conduct against Showers.
However, two days later, the Diocese of Madison said Showers was the subject of a previous complaint in December 2021. The Journal Sentinel previously reported that complaint came from a parent who reported his son was asked about watching pornography and masturbating during confession at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Lodi, according to a police record.
The Lodi Police Department investigated the complaint and determined it was not criminal. The father also said he reported it to the church, who said Showers’ actions were within his role as a priest.
More allegations surfaced against Showers in Sept. 2025. A woman said she was groped by the man during a social event, where he introduced himself as a priest and gave her his business card.
Showers had been set to lead a small group trip to Rome and Siena at the time of the allegations, according to since-deleted social media posts.
Showers had the following assignments, according to the diocese:
Director of diocesan office of worship, 2024 to present.
Parochial vicar for a grouping known as Pastorate 22 or Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, which collectively includes two churches, St. Raphael and Good Shepherd, and one school, St. James, all in Madison, 2023 to present.
Priest in residence at All Saints in Berlin and Our Lady of the Lake in Green Lake, 2022 to 2023.
Provided Spanish Mass assistance at St. John the Baptist in Waunakee, 2022.
Pastor of St. Stephen in Clinton, 2020 to 2022.
Parochial vicar for St. Paul's Catholic Student Center, which serves UW-Madison students, 2018 to 2020.
Parochial vicar of St. Cecilia in Wisconsin Dells, summer of 2017.
David Clarey is a public safety reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at dclarey@gannett.com.
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