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Join us today: A conversation with Wisconsin leaders

March 17, 2026

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Good morning!

Ellie here. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! If you’re heading out to celebrate, be sure to stay safe and warm.

Did you know that Milwaukee had its first St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1843, before Wisconsin was even a state! It was the first St. Patrick’s Day parade that took place outside of the 13 colonies.

Have you done any celebrating already? Let me know! Of if you’re still looking for ways to celebrate, check out our Badger State Buzz.

Today, we’re taking a look at some iconic films featuring Wisconsinites, along with other Wisconsin news.

Ellie Bourdo

Newsletter Editor, UpNorthNews

“Sunset from Waukesha looking toward Delafield.” (Credit Stephen S.)

Our reader Stephen S. sent in this beautiful photo of a Wisconsin sunset before the snowstorm. What a great view, thanks for sharing.

Send in your Wisconsin view to have it featured!

Are you still snowed in and looking for something to watch? Check out these movies that were filmed in Wisconsin.

Show me your Wisconsin view!

Join UpNorthNews for our live event with Judge Chris Taylor

Credit: UpNorthNews

Join UpNorthNews today (March 17) at 1:30pm for a virtual conversation with Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor. It will be followed by a visit with Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer (D-Racine).

Pat Kreitlow, UpNorthNews founding editor, will ask both women to discuss the importance and long-term impacts of the upcoming Supreme Court special election on April 7 and the elections this November for seats in the Wisconsin Legislature. Their outcomes will have far-reaching consequences on key issues across the state.

Click here to register!

The biggest films of all-time with Wisconsinites in prominent roles

Preparing for their high hilarity journey, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (left) and Peter Graves show young Rossie Harris how they check out the controls as Frank Ashmore in background checks other ETA in Paramount Pictures’ comedy spoof “Airplane!” (USA Today via Reuters Connect)

By USA Today via Reuters Connect

Kate Hudson may not be a native Milwaukeean, though she plays a real-life one well enough in “Song Sung Blue” that she’s been nominated for Best Actress in the 98th Academy Awards, taking place March 15.

The movie comes a few years after actors Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo, both Wisconsin natives, appeared in the Yorgos Lanthimos-directed “Poor Things,” a 2023 absurdist Frankenstein riff starring Emma Stone that was nominated for Best Picture. Ruffalo, for the fourth time in his career, was nominated as Best Supporting Actor for his performance, while Stone won Best Actress.

Check out the Wisconsinites in these famous movies →

This Wisconsin mom fought back against proposed data center construction in her neighborhood—and won

Photo Courtesy of Jayne Black

By Lucas Henkel

Jayne Black of De Pere explains how she transformed her outrage into activism, and how other Wisconsinites can do it, too.

She remembers exactly how she felt after learning that data center developer Cloverleaf Infrastructure was planning a new hyperscale AI data center in Greenleaf, Wisconsin, a village less than 12 miles from her home.

“It was like I was hit with a ton of bricks,” Black said.

Are you enjoying this Wisconsin newsletter?

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Ellie Bourdo with stories from USA Today Network via Reuters Connect and Lucas Henkel. It was edited by Brook Bolen.

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