The Founding Editor of UpNorthNews, Pat was a familiar presence on radio and TV stations in western Wisconsin before serving in the state Legislature. After a brief stint living in the Caribbean, Pat and wife returned to Chippewa Falls to be closer to their growing group of grandchildren. He now serves as Chief Political Correspondent and occasional pontoon captain.
Pat Kreitlow
Latest from Pat Kreitlow
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It’s what’s not in the state budget that is generating both anger and 2026 candidates
From homeless veterans to childcare to school funding, there are a lot of missing numbers that have some people talking and others taking action.
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You’ve never seen a Wisconsin state budget like this. Here’s why.
With unprecedented speed, a bipartisan bill passes the Senate and Assembly and gets the governor’s signature—all in one night to avoid looming federal budget cuts.
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Review: Wisconsin winners, losers, and liars–the big beautiful budget mess and chaos in Congress
President Trump’s megabill will impact Wisconsin primarily through Medicaid and healthcare cuts—even as Republicans deny cuts exist.
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The new Wisconsin state budget won’t be ready on time—is that okay?
In some states, failing to pass a new budget on time can have the same outcome as what happens with the federal government: a shutdown.
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Will Gov. Tony Evers run for a third term? Here’s why he will—or won’t.
Wisconsin’s governor has public support and his party’s backing, but the Biden 2024 campaign has some Democrats ready to ditch what’s known for something new.
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Everything Wisconsin needs to know about Trump’s cuts to Medicaid and BadgerCare
BadgerCare is what Wisconsin calls its Medicaid program, so let’s learn why Medicaid is so important to more than 1 million people in the state and what Trump/Republican budget cuts would do to it.
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Opinion: The GOP’s accidental grift gift
Republican willingness to blow up the deficit to give corporations and the super wealthy bigger tax cuts removes any remaining credibility of criticizing Americans’ basic needs as unaffordable.
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Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ is ugly for Wisconsin. Republicans voted for it anyway.
After vowing not to cut “a nickel” from benefits Wisconsin GOP House members vote for punishing cuts to food benefits and health care.
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Opinion: 100 days of Trump has been all pain, no gain for Wisconsin
Turns out cutting veterans’ health care, healthy food for low-income families, childcare programs, library and museum funding, cancer research, and humanitarian aid isn’t making America great again.
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Derrick Van Orden screams at a witness while defending cuts to food aid
Nationally known for his angry outbursts, the Wisconsin congressman angrily attacked critics of the House Republican budget plan to slash $230 billion in USDA programs. Making the mathematically impossible claim that $230 billion in cuts would not cut “a nickel” from the benefits of citizens who were “lawfully” receiving them, US Rep. Derrick Van Orden…
