Articles by Todd Richmond

Explorers Discover Wreckage of Old Cargo Ship That Sank in Lake Superior Storm

Twenty years before the Titanic changed maritime history, another ship touted as the next great technological feat set sail on the Great Lakes. The Western Reserve was one of the first all-steel cargo ships to traverse the lakes. Built to …

Wisconsin Couple Sues Over Son’s Death Linked to $500 Surge in Asthma Meds

A Wisconsin couple is suing Walgreens and a pharmacy benefits management company, alleging that their son died because he couldn’t afford a sudden $500 spike in his asthma medication. Shanon and William Schmidtknecht, of Poynette, filed their lawsuit in federal …

Record Flooding and Tornadoes This Spring In Iowa Caused $130M in Damage

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Record flooding and powerful tornadoes ravaged parts of Iowa for weeks this spring, destroying or damaging thousands of homes, closing roads and bridges and costing over $130 million in infrastructure damage, officials said Thursday. The …

Federal Appellate Panel Sends Michigan Pipeline Challenge to State Court

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s lawsuit seeking to shut down part of a petroleum pipeline that runs beneath the Straits of Mackinac belongs in state court, a federal appellate panel ruled Monday. The pipeline’s operator, Enbridge Inc., moved the case …

Wisconsin Court Limits Regulators’ Authority to Mandate PFAS Cleanup

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Environmental regulators can’t unilaterally force polluters to clean up contamination from so-called forever chemicals without going through the Legislature to establish specific limits on the compounds, a state appellate court ruled Wednesday. The 2nd District Court …

Wisconsin Governor Signals He Won’t Sign Bill to Fight PFAS

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signaled Wednesday that he has no intention of signing a Republican bill that would spend tens of millions of dollars to address pollution from the so-called forever chemicals known as PFAS because …

Summer-Like Conditions Lead to First Wisconsin Tornadoes in February

EVANSVILLE, Wis. (AP) — The first tornadoes ever recorded in Wisconsin in the usually frigid month of February tore through mostly rural areas on a day that broke records for warmth, setting up the perfect scenario for the type of …

Wisconsin Halts Development of Groundwater Standards for PFAS Chemicals Due to Excessive Compliance Costs

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Excessive compliance costs have forced Wisconsin regulators to stop developing standards limiting so-called forever chemicals in groundwater, Gov. Tony Evers said Tuesday. The Department of Natural Resources has been working on groundwater standards for PFAS chemicals …

Groups Argue Wisconsin Regulators Can’t Make Factory Farms Obtain Preemptive Pollution Permits

MADISON, Wis. (AP) __ Wisconsin regulators can`t legally impose environmental regulations on factory farms before they become operational, two farm advocacy groups allege in a lawsuit that could dramatically loosen protections against manure pollution in state waters. Wisconsin Manufacturers and …

Chicago Flooding a Reminder of Vulnerability of Major Cities During Extreme Weather

Heavy rains that flooded Chicago neighborhoods, rendered freeways impassable and wreaked havoc on NASCAR street races downtown Sunday are serving as stark reminders of urban centers’ vulnerability during extreme weather events. After a historic deluge in April in Fort Lauderdale, …