Good morning!

From deep-fried everything to the legendary giant slide, the Wisconsin State Fair is back and bigger than ever. It’s a tradition that brought in more than a million guests last year, and that number is only set to grow this year!

The fair kicked off Thursday in West Allis and runs through Aug. 11, giving Wisconsinites plenty of time to experience all types of classic Wisconsin summer fun: live music, carnival rides, agricultural competitions, and enough food on a stick to last the rest of the summer!

It’s one of our most cherished traditions—celebrating both our rural roots and love of a community-focused party. So if you’re looking for somewhere to go with friends or family this weekend, check out the 174th Wisconsin State Fair.

Henry Teckam

Intern, UpNorthNews

10 Wisconsin breweries that make a difference

Closeup of a glass of craft beer in a woman’s hand. Photo by Kristen Prahl.

Wisconsin is well-known for its craft brews—Milwaukee’s Major League Baseball team, the Milwaukee Brewers, is even named for the craftspeople who create the delicious beverages.

That’s why they’re such popular places to grab a drink, attend an event, or order a meal. But Wisconsin breweries are also great places to give back to local communities.

Between places that have started their own grant programs, to those that host fundraising events, to some that are placing a real emphasis on sustainability and reducing their carbon footprints, there are plenty of Wisconsin breweries that are making a difference in both their local communities and statewide.

Drink for a cause

A guide to whitewater rafting on Wisconsin’s Peshtigo River

(Shutterstock)

For those who don’t know, Peshtigo River begins in Forest County before torrenting through Marinette County—including Peshtigo City—and emptying into Green Bay (go, Packers!). What’s more, the Peshtigo River is ideal for whitewater rafting because it contains the Midwest’s biggest whitewater expanses. It’s a go-big-or-go-home situation, and you never want to go home.

When the river exits Peshtigo City, it roars for about five miles before meeting the bay, but in total, it’s 136 miles long.

If you’ve never been whitewater rafting—or you’re someone who did as a kid and wants to recreate nostalgia-filled days under the summer sun—you need to know how to get started, which is where we come in. We’ve rounded up everything you need to know before hitting the water, including which companies provide rafting equipment, the essentials you need to bring, how much whitewater rafting costs, and more.

Go big with this first-timer’s guide

Wisconsin hospitals are at risk for closing

By Salina Heller

Wisconsinites can’t afford to lose three more hospitals. But because of President Trump’s recently passed tax law, more communities in Wisconsin will lose their access to health care.

Two rural hospitals in western Wisconsin and a bigger one on Lake Michigan are currently at risk of closing, after Trump signed the bill into law. The cuts pay for billionaire tax breaks.

All three hospitals are in congressional districts represented by Republicans. And every Wisconsin Republican in Congress voted in favor of the bill.

Data from the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows that health care cuts in the bill could place more than 300 rural hospitals across the country at risk of closure, of conversion to a different type of health care facility, or of having to reduce their services.

“Substantial cuts to Medicaid or Medicare payments could increase the number of unprofitable rural hospitals and elevate their risk of financial distress,” researchers write.

Which hospitals?

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