Mark Jacob
The Lives a Red Flag Law Might Have Saved (Hour 2)
The shooting deaths of two police officers in Barron County last week likely came as no surprise to those who knew the suspect, who also died in the incident. We’ll review warning signs from past run-ins that included threats to murder law enforcement officers—and ask again when an entire political class will start putting the […]
More Proof: Your Vote Matters (Hour 2)
Moving beyond the races that got more coverage this week, we look at the dozens of school referendums that were on Tuesday’s ballot—and how the difference between success and failure came down to just a handful of votes. Also: Mark Jacob on how national media covered the Trump arrest and arraignment. And Dan Schumacher helps […]
‘Happy’ Anniversary, 1849 Abortion Ban (Hour 2)
It was on March 31, 1849 that Wisconsin Gov. Nelson Dewey signed a law banning abortion. State Sen. Kelda Roys will outline the legislation introduced by Democrats that would restore women’s healthcare rights and undo the damage brought by right-wing US Supreme Court justices when they repealed Roe v. Wade, allowing the 1849 ban to […]
Best of UpNorthNews Radio with Pat Kreitlow (Week of 3/13/23)
This week on UpNorthNews Radio, we only had live shows on Thursday and Friday, but they were big shows! Hear from former State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski and Judge Janet Protasiewicz about the importance of the upcoming election for State Supreme Court. Afterwards, Pat talks with Mark Jacob, a former editor of the Chicago Sun Times […]
GOP Focus on Tough Issues—Like a State Rifle? (Hour 2)
We live in a world filled with challenges: gun violence, inflation, mental health challenges, underfunded schools, changing technologies. Thankfully for Wisconsin, the Republicans running the Legislature are focused this week on the really tough issues—like their new bill designating a “state rifle.” We’ll also talk to author and journalist Mark Jacob about this week’s national […]
Human Rights on the Ballot (Hour 2)
Wendy Strout, Wisconsin director for the Human Rights Campaign PAC, talks about the significant stakes for the LGBTQ community in the April 4 Supreme Court race and the special election for a state Senate seat. Also, Mark Jacob, a former editor with the Chicago Tribune, joins us for his Friday overview of how national media […]
Democracy Should Be Bipartisan (Hour 2)
Former Congressman Richard Gephardt spent a decade as House Democratic Leader and also ran for president—now he’s trying to make democracy bipartisan again. He’s on a speaking tour around Wisconsin this week with groups sponsoring community discussions on the future of democracy and what’s at stake if election results continue to be challenged without basis. […]
Attacking the Watchdogs (Hour 2)
Now that Roe v. Wade has been repealed, right wing politicians are going after other landmark cases that protect Americans. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is taking steps to throw out long-held legal protection for reporters who uncover corruption and threats against democracy. Mark Jacob, a former editor for the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times the […]
A Plea to Newsrooms: Get There Faster (Hour 2)
If a powerful elected official announced he was a white supremacist and was going to bully educators into a sharp reduction of teaching about Black history and racism, you would expect media outlets to treat him as a racist, right? But as long as he doesn’t call himself a racist, some newsrooms would prefer to […]
Mussolini, On-Time Trains, and the New York Times (Hour 2)
It’s a lie that the Italian dictator actually made sure the trains out of Rome began running on time again, but the myth lives on. It’s a lesson to remember when the New York Times is running with headlines praising Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for “taking on the education establishment”—when he’s really trying to erase […]