Thursday, March 19, 2026
Data center legislation falters as Wisconsin public opinion shifts
Jessie Opoien
MADISON – Legislative efforts to regulate the boom of data centers in Wisconsin stalled in the state Senate, which failed to vote on any such bills before concluding its work for the year.
The Senate's inaction follows a dramatic tide shift in public opinion against these projects, with a Marquette University Law School poll last month showing 70% of Wisconsin voters believe the costs to the state outweigh the benefits.
Lawmakers in both parties have introduced bills aimed at legislating that balance, and the Assembly passed one such bill in January. While a Senate committee considered several of those proposals last month, none made it to the floor for a vote in the chamber's final scheduled votes for the year on March 17.
That could hurt Republicans on the ballot in November, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, warned at a WisPolitics Q&A event this week.
"I think it is absolutely sad the state Senate is not voting on data center regulation," Vos said. "That is a huge issue, probably bigger than most that I have seen in my 22 years."
Vos said Assembly Republicans will be able to say they did what they could to regulate data centers, but Republican senators up for reelection "who don't have that vote, I think they’re going to regret it" in the fall.
Republicans currently have an 18-15 majority in the Senate and a 54-45 lead in the Assembly. This fall, Democrats would need to pick up two seats to take the majority in the Senate, and five to earn a majority in the Assembly.
In October 2025, 55% of Marquette poll respondents said the costs of large data centers are greater than their benefits. Over a period of four months, opposition was up to 70%.
"Data centers are a big issue for almost every part of Wisconsin. It’s not partisan. Republicans, Democrats, independents are concerned that we need to have some sort of reasonable regulation," Vos told reporters while the Senate met.
Under the bill passed by the Assembly earlier this year, the state Public Service Commission would be tasked with ensuring no other ratepayers would absorb the costs of the construction or extension of electric infrastructure that primarily serves a data center. Any renewable energy facility that primarily serves a data center would be required to be located on-site.
The PSC testified that while the agency supports efforts to shield ratepayers from costs raised by data centers, the language of the legislation "would be challenging to implement."
The bill would also require any water used by data centers for cooling purposes to be used in a closed-loop system, or any other system that uses an equal or lesser amount of water. Each year, the operator of a data center would be required to report its annual water usage to the state Department of Natural Resources.
The bill would enact requirements for land restoration at the discretion of local government officials, including requiring data center operators to file a bond in advance with the DNR large enough to cover those efforts.
Developers would be required "to the extent possible" to "encourage" the hiring of Wisconsin workers for construction.
The Assembly bill passed 53-44 largely on party lines, with Rep. Lindee Brill, R-Sheboygan Falls, joining Democrats in voting no and Reps. Steve Doyle, D-Onalaska, and Jodi Emerson, D-Eau Claire, joining Republicans in support.
Democrats were generally critical of the GOP bill. Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, argued at the time of the Assembly vote that it would not adequately hold corporations accountable and would defer to fossil fuels over renewable energy sources by limiting where such facilities could be located.
Last month, the Senate Committee on Utilities, Technology and Tourism held a public hearing on a slate of bills aimed at regulating data centers, including the Assembly bill, a competing Democratic proposal and a bill that would ban nondisclosure agreements for data center projects.
When asked in the Marquette poll to identify possible benefits of data centers, voters put creating new jobs for technical workers at the top of the list. Voters identified high water usage and strain on local water resources as the top cost.
Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com.
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Microsoft vows to end secret data center agreements with local governments
Ricardo Torres
Microsoft is ending its policy of using non-disclosure agreements with local municipalities as it builds out its data centers, according to an announcement by the company on March 18.
A company statement said it "made the decision that being transparent with the communities where we operate or seek to operate is paramount. This shift is about strengthening public trust, enabling better dialogue, and ensuring that our growth is matched by meaningful engagement. "
Transparency, or lack there of, on data center projects by technology companies has been raised as a major criticism by local residents opposed to data center projects.
For those municipalities that already have an NDA in place with Microsoft, the company said it is reaching out to those local governments to "coordinate termination."
"Microsoft has sometimes used NDAs during early stages of data center development to help protect sensitive commercial information, address early security considerations, and ensure we can comply with local regulatory and permitting processes," the company said. "It is a common industry practice to seek NDAs to protect early information about development proposals."
However there are some parts of development that require proprietary information and Microsoft said it will "seek to protect such information from records disclosure to protect our business interests" where the law allows.
"We often work in close coordination with local governments to develop our designs to reflect local requirements and priorities," the company said. "Because of this coordination and the sequential nature of our development, we may not have all development details from the beginning, but we endeavor to share information transparently when it is available."
Rima Alaily, corporate vice president and general counsel for Microsoft, said in a LinkedIn post the company "will continue to use NDAs in connection with private transactions when acquiring land, and we will continue to rigorously protect our trade secrets and data center design information. But we will not use NDAs as a default mechanism in our engagement with local governments."
Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, applauded Microsoft for taking this step.
"It's important to note that it's happening only after their attempts to work with these work with these non-disclosure agreements blew up in their face," he said.
"When people found out there was an agreement with local officials and companies to change the character of their communities, they resented it bitterly and pushed back," Lueders said. "I think that it was pretty clear that the revelations about non-disclosure agreements was bad PR for the companies. It was not a good look and it's not a surprise that they're eager to move beyond that."
Lueders believes other companies could take similar action.
"It's likely that these efforts to work with local officials under secrecy agreements are counter productive and they need to take a different tact," Lueders said.
Peg Sheaffer, communications director for Midwest Environmental Advocates, said the Microsoft decision is "an indicator that public opposition is gaining real traction and that the data center developers are getting nervous."
"Companies typically don't make announcements about building community trust unless those communities are already pushing back pretty hard," Sheaffer said in a statement. "If you’re a community member who’s been showing up to meetings, asking tough questions, and asserting your right to open and transparent government—keep it up. You are making a difference."
NDAs part of reason Caledonia residents opposed Microsoft
In 2025, Microsoft planned to build a data center in Caledonia, but the project involved a level of secrecy in the beginning that caused residents to oppose the development.
After hearing the outcry from residents, Microsoft decided to change course and dropped its plans.
“It doesn’t make sense to go where people don’t want us," said Microsoft President Brad Smith said in an interview on Jan. 13. "But I do think it’s our opportunity to have the conversations in a variety of other places about what we would hope to bring to a community.”
Microsoft is finishing its first data center on its campus in Mount Pleasant, and has began construction on a second data center. So far the company has committed to about $7.3 billion to build its data center campus in the village.
Patrick Brever, deputy village administrator for Mount Pleasant, said this policy changed does not impact its relationship with Mount Pleasant.
"The village did not enter into a non-disclosure agreement with Microsoft while negotiating their investment in Mount Pleasant," Brever said.
Microsoft has approval from Mount Pleasant to build 15 more data centers during the next 10 years.
Microsoft is on track to be Racine County's largest taxpayer when it pays its bills in 2026, based on 2025 assessments.
This story has been updated with additional information.
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Monday, March 16, 2026
Sunday, March 15, 2026
City of Racine declares snow emergency from Sunday to Tuesday
Milana Doné
RACINE — The city's Commissioner of Public Works has declared a snow emergency effective from 3 p.m. Sunday until 6 a.m. Tuesday.
According to a City of Racine news release, the declaration is meant to aid the snow removal operations.
No parking will be permitted on either side of the city's arterial or collector streets. Alternate side parking will be in effect from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. per city ordinance.
Parking restrictions will allow crews to remove as much snow as possible from city streets, the release said. Vehicles parked in violation of these restrictions will be ticketed and subject to towing.
An outline of the Snow Emergency Parking Restrictions and list of affected streets can be found at https://cityofracinewi.gov/publicworks/snowemergency/.
According to meteorologist Benjamin Sheppard at the National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan station, some of the predictions regarding the incoming snow storm have shifted from yesterday.
The system is still expected to begin with rain and could bring a wintry mix as it transitions to accumulating snowfall. However, it will take longer to reach the Racine and Kenosha areas than originally predicted.
A wintry mix and rain will reach southeast Wisconsin by Sunday morning. Some thunder and hail are possible Sunday morning as well.
Coming from central Wisconsin, the snow front will reach Racine and Kenosha areas between 7 p.m. Sunday and 1 a.m. Monday.
Snow will begin accumulating then and keep falling into Monday morning. Lighter accumulations will occur Monday afternoon.
Most of the snow accumulation will happen six to 12 hours after the snow starts, Sheppard said.
Because it will take longer than originally predicted for the snow front to reach southeast Wisconsin, total accumulations for Racine and Kenosha are down from prior estimates. They are now 3-6 inches.
By midday Sunday, Racine and Kenosha could see wind gusts of up to 35 mph. Sunday night gusts may reach upwards of 45 mph.
Saturday, March 14, 2026
Friday, March 13, 2026
37% of cannabis poisonings in Wisconsin involved children under 5
Gina Lee Castro
Most calls to the Wisconsin Poison Center about edible cannabis poisonings in 2025 involved children and teens.
According to Bre Campbell, a spokesperson for the center, 68% of the 309 calls the center received about cannabis poisonings last year involved people under 19 years old.
Children under 5 accounted for 37% of the calls. This age group often mistakes THC-infused edibles as candy and can eat multiple pieces or even the whole bag, Campbell said.
“That’s a dangerous scenario,” Campbell said.
According to Campbell, about 8% of calls related to edible cannabis resulted in patients being admitted to critical care.
Starting in November, most hemp products will become illegal nationwide due to a federal ban.
Until then, hemp products with low levels of THC are legal in Wisconsin. However, a recent Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation that tested 30 hemp products in Wisconsin found 18 of them contained THC above the federal limit.
Among older children and teens ages 6 to 19 years old, street drugs and stimulants like THC and nicotine were the fourth most common substances involved in poisonings in Wisconsin last year.
Thirty-one percent of calls related to edible cannabis involved 6- to 19-year-olds, Campbell said.
Adults 20 years or older accounted for a similar share.
Children under 5 years old are frequently exposed to nicotine, too. About 86% of poisoning calls related to e-cigarettes and liquid nicotine in 2025 were for children under 5 years old, Campbell said.
The best thing parents and guardians can do to avoid these exposures is store these substances safely locked away and have discussions about the risks of using things like nicotine and cannabis and other drugs, Campbell said.
Contact the Wisconsin Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 or at www.wisconsinpoison.org.
Gina Castro is a Public Investigator reporter. She can be reached at GCastro@usatodayco.com.
High Wind Warning until FRI 4:00 PM CDT
High Winds Expected Until 4 PM CDT Friday, Potential for Power Outages
What’s Happening:
A High Wind Warning is in effect until 4 PM CDT Friday. South winds will shift to the west, maintaining speeds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.
Affected Areas:
- East Central Wisconsin
- South Central Wisconsin
- Southeast Wisconsin
What to Expect:
- South winds 20 to 30 mph, shifting to west winds 20 to 30 mph.
- Wind gusts up to 60 mph, especially during precipitation.
Impacts:
- Potential for trees and power lines to be blown down.
- Widespread power outages likely.
- Difficult travel conditions, particularly for high-profile vehicles
Safety Tips:
- Stay in the lower levels of your home and avoid windows.
- Be alert for falling debris and tree limbs.
- Use caution if you must drive; consider postponing travel if possible.
When to Check Back:
Monitor weather.gov or journaltimes.com/weather for updates.
This weather alert was produced with AI assistance using National Weather Service data.
Weekend system could bring up to 12 inches of snow to Kenosha and Racine counties
Milana Doné
RACINE — Southeast Wisconsin can expect a storm system this weekend, bringing rain, freezing rain and snow accumulations.
According to meteorologist Michaela Heeren at the National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan station, the system is expected to begin with rain or a wintry mix on Saturday evening. It will be mainly rain for Kenosha and Racine areas, but the counties could see sleet mixing in if the temperatures fall below freezing.
Then, there will be a period of rain Sunday morning as temperatures warm again.
The rain will change back to freezing precipitation by the afternoon hours Sunday and then to snow in the overnight hours. The snow could accumulate between six and 12 inches because of lake enhancement.
“We have quite a bit of moisture that comes off the lake when we have melting patches, which will allow for taller clouds which will allow for moisture to be created into snow and fall across the lakeshore counties,” Heeren said.
Heeren clarified the enhancement isn’t exactly a lake effect snow band where there is a short window of snow but a broad scale snowstorm with “locally higher snow totals from that lake enhancement.”
Temperatures will fall below freezing Sunday night so most of snow will stick as it falls.
"Going into Monday, as well, we are expecting those temperatures to remain below freezing, so there’s not going to be a lot of melting once the transition (to snow) happens,” Heeren said.
The upcoming snow system will also bring widespread gusts of wind, which could reach 30-40 mph, Heeren said.
Sunday’s windchill be in the 20s. Overnight, between Sunday and Monday, the wind chill could reach zero.
Heeren noted this can cause worse visibility during driving conditions.
She said the National Weather Service expects transportation to be impacted by the weather, particularly when the sleet is transitioning to snow.
“Go slow, especially during the period of snowfall,” Heeren said. “Be prepared to have traction in your car, a shovel and anything that is available to be more protective if you’re going out during the time of snowfall.”
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Late winter storm could drop up to a foot of snow in Milwaukee this weekend
Maia Pandey
70-degree weather followed by potentially one of the biggest snow storms of the season: welcome to March in Milwaukee.
Just days after this week's spring-like weather, heavy snowfall is expected to hit central and southern Wisconsin and could lead to more than a foot of snow in some areas, according to Michaela Heeren, a meteorologist with the Milwaukee/Sullivan National Weather Service.
The snow will impact central and southern Wisconsin, but it's unclear so far which areas will be hit hardest, Heeren said. Snowfall will start around 6 p.m. Saturday, March 14, continue through the weekend, before finally tapering off the morning of Monday, March 16. The heaviest snowfall will likely be on Sunday.
So far, forecasters are most confident central Wisconsin will see hefty snow accumulations up to a foot, Heeren said. Depending on how the band of snow travels, the Green Bay area could be hit harder, while Milwaukee gets more sleet and freezing rain than snow.
Even in that case, southeast Wisconsin could get around 6 inches of snow on the "back side" of the storm, Heeren said.
On the other hand, the heaviest band of snow could hit southeast Wisconsin directly and lead to snow accumulations as high as 12 to 18 inches, she said.
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