Earlier this week, we heard about the strong state of charitable giving in Wisconsin and a recent report on philanthropy here. While some are giving money to nonprofits that help people in the community, others are developing unique ways of making a difference.

This fall, the national supermarket chain Kroger and its Wisconsin outlets (Pick-n-Save and Metro Market) announced plans to phase out single-use plastic bags in their stores by 2025. It’s the latest in a movement to reduce the flow of single-use plastic items to landfills in this country.

Other chains, including Starbucks, are eliminating plastic straws, and some cities and other municipalities have passed more widespread bans. But perhaps none is as strong as New Zealand, which will end the use of single-use plastic bags and implements in 2019.

General Motors announced in November that it's closing five plants in the U.S. and Canada and stopping production of several of its passenger cars. That will result in thousands of job losses as GM works to turn its financial picture around.

Analysts say GM has not adjusted to changing consumer tastes fast enough, which is why the company will now discontinue the once-popular Chevy Cruze and Volt lines, along with some Buick and Cadillac models.

 Originally published Oct. 29, 2018

The expectations for the Milwaukee Bucks are high this year. The team has generally lived up to them, getting off to a fast start in their new arena, the Fiserv Forum. Longtime fans know that things don’t always work out, but newer fans might not be as familiar with some of the up-and-down half-century history of the basketball team that calls Milwaukee home.

Several dozen people turned out Wednesday night to discuss how Milwaukee County will house juveniles once the troubled Lincoln Hills facility closes in two years. The teen prison in northern Wisconsin has been plagued by allegations of abuse, so the state decided to close it and move inmates to facilities closer to home. Those attending the meeting had a lot of ideas for how the county could provide better care for their loved ones.

The past year has been marked by major collisions — both metaphorical and literal — that have changed the world and our view of the universe. Recent discoveries have confirmed scientific theories, brought more materials from space and brought to light how earthly elements came into existence.

Every month, Lake Effect’s Bonnie North speaks with our astronomy contributor, Jean Creighton, the director of the Manfred Olson Planetarium at UWM. This month, she gives us her list of the top astronomical discoveries of 2018.