Lake Effect Spotlight

Wisconsin has about 400 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. But a dispute in Shorewood has ignited a debate about who has access to that shoreline. The public can get to the water at Atwater Beach in Shorewood. But residents with homes to the north and south of that beach own everything down to the water’s edge. A Shorewood resident challenged that policy in municipal court earlier this month, and a judge will announce a ruling early next year.  This debate has been going on for decades and has been settled in other states, according to David Strifling. He’s an associate professor at Marquette University’s Law School. He joins WUWM environmental reporter Susan Bence to explain the Public Trust Doctrine. 

This holiday season, you might be looking for an idea of what to give the readers in your life. Well, here at Lake Effect we have our own annual “books to gift” conversation to help you answer that.   We have two of Boswell Book Company’s book buyers in studio: Jason Kennedy who has book recommendations for adults, and Jen Steele who specializes in children’s books – to share some of the titles that stood out to them this past year.  

Wisconsin’s school safety tip line received nearly seven-thousand tips last school year – mostly from students. Bullying was the most commonly reported issue to the Speak Up, Speak Out tip line, also referred to by its acronym SUSO. But threats of school violence or concerns about self harm are also reported to this line, such as the deadly shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison one year ago.  To learn about how this works and when schools or parents become involved, WUWM education reporter Katherine Kokal is joined by the state’s head of the office of school safety, Trish Kilpin.  A note to our listeners this conversation touches on school violence and mentions suicide. 

Playing games is a year-round hobby for some, but buying and exploring new games is also a great holiday tradition. And games are an everyday endeavor for freelance game designer and editor James Lowder. Every year he joins us to share his Games to Gift list - which includes everything from two-player games, RPGs, and tabletop games.  So whether you’re just curious about getting into gaming or looking for a gift for the serious gamer in your life, chances are Lowder has a suggestion for you.   He joins Lake Effect's Audrey Nowakowski to share more.

Today, the federal criminal trial starts for Judge Hannah Dugan. Dugan is a Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge who’s accused of helping an undocumented immigrant slip out of her courtroom to try and evade ICE agents. To find out more about Dugan’s jury trial – and what it says about politics today - WUWM reporter Maayan Silver joins Lake Effect's Joy Powers in studio.