Zac Schultz
Zac Schultz is a reporter for the “Wisconsin Life” project who thinks three-minute stories and one-line bio descriptions are woefully brief.
Latest Contributed Stories
November 24, 2019
Medford Man Displays His Collection Of Chainsaws In Unique Way
"In northern Wisconsin, either you sheared Christmas trees or you peeled 'popple' for a summer job," say Gordy Lekies, remembering his youth. Using his trusty chainsaw, he peeled 'popple' for ...
November 17, 2019
Challenge Academy Alumnus From Kaukauna Mentors Next Generation
Joey Smith did not always feel comfortable growing up, and a chaotic time in high school brought him to the Challenge Academy—a six-month reform school run by the Wisconsin National ...
October 22, 2019
Milwaukee Woman Carries on Family Tradition of Making Headcheese
Daphne Jones is carrying on a tradition that is deeply personal, and at the same time, ancient and universal. She is making headcheese. “There is a recipe for it all ...
April 25, 2019
Maritime Archaeologist Dives Into History, Exploring Great Lake Shipwrecks
Tamara Thomsen is a maritime archaeologist with the Wisconsin Historical Society. She and her team are interested in history sunken in the Great Lakes; shipwrecks resting on the bottom, hundreds ...
December 18, 2018
Washburn Woman Specializes In Basket Weaving With Native Materials
When Tina Fung Holder goes for a walk, there's always a chance some part of nature will come home with her. Once inside her apartment, dried sweetgrass is braided into ...
November 22, 2018
Rum Cake
A lot of ingredients go into making a good memory, and for Monica O’Connell it usually includes butter and sugar ... and rum. Baking a rum cake takes Monica back ...
November 12, 2018
For Algoma Natural Papermaker, Paper Is Art
For most people, paper is paper. It brings the news or carries a message. Paper may contain art, but in the form of a drawing or a story or music ...
November 7, 2018
Milwaukee Man Bakes Pies That Can Remind You Of Your Grandma
Johnathan Dye calls out to folks, “We got free pie samples folks! You’re gonna hurt my feelings if you don’t try my pie, c’mon.” He lures in customers at a ...
October 24, 2018
Door County Couple Born Into Farming, Thriving By Diversifying
At 5 a.m. it’s still dark outside, but the lights are on in the barn at Cherryland Dairy in Door County. For Mike and Jamie Henschel and their three boys, ...
October 3, 2018
Wheelchair Ballet Gives Verona Girl Hope
There is a picture of Mari Koopman as a little girl, smiling and wearing a tutu. “When I first did ballet, I was probably four and it was regular ballet,” ...
October 3, 2018
Mexican Couple Grow Corn, Make Authentic Tortillas
Angel Flores grew up on a farm in Mexico with the familiar smell of home cooked tortillas wafting through the air. “Whenever my mom would cook, I always got hungry ...
September 26, 2018
Crandon Hosts Third Generation Builders Of Trolleys Buses
Trolleys are fun. Kristina Pence-Dunow understands that. “It's an American history for one thing. Trolleys are an iconic form of transportation,” says the owner of Hometown Trolley. Kristina Pence-Dunow sends ...
September 19, 2018
Geology Professor Believes Every Rock Tells A Story
Marcia Bjornerud loves rocks. As a Geology Professor at Lawrence University in Appleton she tries to instill that passion for rocks in her students. “We put a big emphasis on ...
September 4, 2018
Appleton Man Works To Preserve, Restore The Fox River Locks For Boaters
Not everyone finds their life's passion as a child. But Bob Stark did. There's even a photo of it happening. That's when 11-year-old Stark took the wheel of a family ...
June 19, 2018
Oxford Woman Used To Catch Criminals, Now Catches Fish
Barb Carey spent nearly two decades catching criminals as a police officer. Now she spends most of her time patrolling Wisconsin’s waters, trying to catch fish. “I kind of relate ...
May 14, 2018
Waupaca Veterans Repurpose Mobility Devices For Fellow Veterans
There are a lot of different kinds of freedoms, but one most of us take for granted is freedom of movement. For some people, just getting out of the house ...
May 9, 2018
Mexican-American Artist Brings Unique Perspective Of Rural Experience
The best art criticism comes from the proper perspective. You need to understand where the artist is coming from, but you can't be so close you can't see the flaws. ...
April 16, 2018
Venezuelan Artist Now Lives in Door County, Paints Scenes
A tromp l'oeil is a painting that creates an illusion of a three dimensional object, bringing life and depth to a flat surface. “I'm pretty convinced from childhood the world ...
January 12, 2018
Turtle Clan Artist Tells Stories of Oneida Nation Ancestry With Copper Statues
Mark Fischer learned to use a welding torch at a very young age. “My grandfather was a blacksmith, and my dad was a pipefitter, and so there was always a ...
December 29, 2017
Farmer Practices Restoration Agriculture
As a farmer Mark Shepard appears hard to pin down. He's not growing acres of corn and soybeans, and while he grows asparagus, he only has a few rows. He ...
December 22, 2017
Pewaukee Couple Help Santa and Mrs. Claus Spread Holiday Cheer
Every year, kids around the globe are excited to tell one of Santa's helpers what they want for Christmas. But once a year, a handful of children around Pewaukee are ...
December 22, 2017
Nonagenarian Woman Crafts Artistic Blooms From Beads
If it's Monday, Velma Cox and her friends must be playing Rummikub. At 96 years old, Velma has a busier social calendar than most people half her age. “I played ...
December 15, 2017
Growing Trees For Seasonal Holiday Is A Year-Round Job
Picking the right Christmas tree can be the biggest choice of the season. Ken Ottman tries to make it easy. “We try to make it so people can walk up ...
November 24, 2017
Union Of Food And Music An Essential Ingredient To Fort Atkinson Baker
A lot of ingredients go into making a good memory, but for Monica O’Connell, it usually includes butter and sugar. Baking a rum cake can take O’Connell back to when ...
November 12, 2017
Golfers Enjoy 1928 Course With Greens Made Of Sand
The Yellow Lake Golf Course in Danbury in Burnett County will never host the U.S. Open or any other prestigious tournament. But this humble course does offer a unique challenge ...
November 3, 2017
Kayakers Form Social Club To Explore North Woods Waters
There are many ways to explore nature in the north woods and paddling a kayak down the Manitowish River is one of the best, especially when you're joined by 20 ...
October 20, 2017
Vernon County Couple Restoring Prairie With Fire And Sweat
Jim Theler and Suzanne Harris have an amazing view from their hill overlooking a valley in the Driftless region in Vernon County. But whenever they climb the “mound,” as they ...
October 20, 2017
Hayward Doctors Maintain A Fishing Wall Of Shame
Every year, thousands of people head to the Hayward area for a vacation; and most take time to do a little fishing. While it's unlikely they'll catch a fish big enough to ...
October 13, 2017
Grosman Family Plants A Legacy Forest
In the spring of 1970, John and Kate Grosman planted a few rows of red pine in honor of their newborn son, Christopher. “I borrowed my dad's farm tractor and ...
October 6, 2017
Monticello Man Has A Passion For Farming And The Blues
Jimmy Voegeli seems to have lived the classic Wisconsin farm story. “Like most kids, we were in a tractor by 10.” His ancestors came from Switzerland and settled just south ...January 20, 2017
Hayward Doctors Maintain A Fishing Wall Of Shame
Every year, thousands of people head to the Hayward area for a vacation; and most take time to do a little fishing. While it's unlikely they'll catch a fish big enough to ...January 18, 2017
Grosman Family Plants A Legacy Forest
In the spring of 1970, John and Kate Grosman planted a few rows of red pine in honor of their newborn son, Christopher. “I borrowed my dad's farm tractor and ...
November 24, 2016
Director Connects With Her Performers and Herself
Encore Studio for the performing arts is the only professional theater company for people with disabilities in Wisconsin, and one of just a handful nationwide. “Our actors are people with ...
November 17, 2016
Talented Cellist Turns Classics Into Bluegrass Music
Most people know what the cello is supposed to sound like. It should be Bach, and somber and beautiful. Kim Souther is a classically trained cellist, and has performed in many ...
November 17, 2016
Furniture Maker Designs With Math
“I love waking up in the morning and coming to work.” It sounds a little odd at first, but Richard Judd the furniture maker is a lot like his work: ...
November 10, 2016
Rowing For Muskie
For Jim Olson, there's nothing more peaceful than rowing around Crab Lake in his 14-foot boat, trailing three fishing lines in the water behind him. He just hopes it doesn't stay ...
October 27, 2016
Random Lake Man Has Raised Purple Martins For Over 60 Years
Ike Kumrow is a Purple Martin landlord. He has 42 apartments on his front lawn near Random Lake, and all he asks for in rent is a little entertainment. “You ...
October 27, 2016
Couple Team Up To Raise Family And Make Art
Creating distinctive art requires a combination of ability and instinct. Artists often work alone, until the vision in their head translates into the reality in their hands. That was the ...
October 20, 2016
A Couple From Suburbia Raise Clydesdale Horses
Judy Larson has a big voice and an even bigger personality, and she needs it to deal with Clydesdales that tower over her by three feet. Together with her husband ...
September 29, 2016
Artist Uses His Unique Eyesight to Create Realistic Paintings
Steve Kozar is a stickler for the details. “I'm a realist painter who does this very fussy realistic work. I was that kid. I was the one that was always ...
September 22, 2016
Two Rivers Man Writes Music Inspired By His Working Days
Bill Walkner has spent the last five decades of his life living in the city of Two Rivers. He's retired now, but he was a working man. He raised a ...
December 24, 2015
A Forgotten Language Sparks A Love To Remember
Almost every married couple communicates in their own personal language, developed through years of shared experiences. For Emma and Auguste, that language also happens to be how they met and ...
November 26, 2015
Professional Forager Teaches People To Find Nutrition In Nature
Sam Thayer says the woods have a lot more to offer than just shade. He is a forager, and delights in showing others how much delicious food is growing naturally ...
November 26, 2015
Small Town Theater Is A Family Affair
It's a Sunday night in Stanley, WI, (population 3,600) and the Stanley Theater is hopping. Groups of kids and families park on main street and walk in to catch the ...
November 12, 2015
Chainsaw Carver Creates A Buzz For His Unusual Creations
Ray Tallman says he was 11-years-old when he first picked up a chainsaw, but back then he was sawing logs up not carving them out. Tallman is a carver. His ...
November 12, 2015
Couple’s Care Gives Flight To Monarch Butterflies
Darcy Hess admits she and her husband have strange viewing habits, “Gary and I don't like watch reality television, we watch caterpillars.” Their home outside Beloit has several large containers ...
November 6, 2015
The DeSanto Family Likes To Clown Around… For A Living
Greg and Karen DeSanto met and fell in love while performing as circus clowns. They spent years following the show from town to town, but when Karen was pregnant with ...
November 5, 2015
The Night(s) of 12,000 Kolache
A lot of ethnic heritage festivals hope to transport visitors to a different time in history, using costumes and re-enactments. The Czech and Kolache Festival in Kewaunee County aims for ...
October 30, 2015
Wooden Maps Show Off Bottle Cap Collections
Like most kids Jasper Darley likes to collect things. One summer he started picking up all the bottle caps he found at picnics and cookouts. “He would go up to ...
October 29, 2015
Women Blaze Path As Ice Age Trail Volunteers
You could say Pat Witkowski wears her passion for the Ice Age Trail on her sleeve, if it wasn't also on her shirt, her hat, her backpack and all over ...
October 23, 2015
Wisconsin Man’s Mission: Visit 600+ State Natural Areas
Josh Mayer likes to walk off the beaten path. “No trails, no signs telling you where you are or this is it, this is not it. Just GPS and away ...
October 16, 2015
Senior Softball Players Still Enjoy The Old Ballpark
Bob Ruhland has spent a lot of sunny summer days on a baseball diamond. “I played ball all my life basically.” And he's not ready to give it up yet. ...
October 7, 2015
Landscape Students Design A Floral Impression Of The Polka
Landscape architecture students spend a lot of time designing planters that will never be planted, gardens that will never be grown. So when Robert Holicek and Arianna Netzsky learned the ...September 9, 2015
Farmer Practices Restoration Agriculture
As a farmer Mark Shepard appears hard to pin down. He's not growing acres of corn and soybeans, and while he grows asparagus, he only has a few rows. He ...
November 25, 2014
Milwaukee Woman Explores Her Troubled Childhood Through Her Collage Art
Tyanna Buie is a Milwaukee collage artist who explores her troubled childhood through her art. With her father out of the picture, and her mother and other relatives in jail, ...
November 11, 2014
Couple Start Second Career As Apple Farmers And Cider Makers
Deirdre Birmingham and her husband John already had successful careers when they decided to invest their life savings in an old dairy farm to grow apples that no-one would want ...
November 11, 2014
Family Explores Ice Caves On The Apostle Islands Lakeshore
The Bond family likes to explore Wisconsin, so they braved a blizzard and freezing temps to travel from La Crosse to the National Apostle Islands Lakeshore for an adventure in ...
November 4, 2014
Seniors Take To Richfield County Roads On Scooters
The oldest biker gang in the state stays young by seeing the countryside at 25mph. Find out why the only requirements to join are the right cycle and a red ...
November 4, 2014
Couple Runs Dogsledding Trips In Northern Wisconsin
John and Mary Thiel bought their first sled dog 20 years ago. After experiencing the thrill of dog sledding, the couple bought another dog… and then another… until finally deciding ...
October 14, 2014
Beekeeper Creates Buzz With Locally-sourced Honey From Backyard Hives
Nathan Clarke has set up bee hives in other people’s backyards all over Madison. Find out what possessed a man who is allergic to bees to become a beekeeper… and ...
July 29, 2014
Collector Found His Passion In Cookie Jars
Jerry Oscarson collects cookie jars… a lot of cookie jars. Jerry didn’t get his first cookie jar until he was in his 30’s, but his collection grew quickly and is ...
July 24, 2014
South Milwaukee Woman Is Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw Champ
South Milwaukee’s Terry Stramowski is widely recognized as the champ to beat… in the Wisconsin Cow Chip Throw and Festival. Terry has taken first place during 18 of the annual ...
July 22, 2014
Performer Combines Hula Hooping And Fire Into Spectacular Show
Sarah Sparkles and the “Madison Fire Tribe” love, well… fire. Sarah also passionately loves hula hooping and has found a visually arresting way to combine the two activities.
July 8, 2014
Milwaukee Blacksmith Keeps Old Traditions Burning
Kent Knapp has been studying blacksmithing since he was 19 years old. He worked with a master blacksmith for a few years in Milwaukee and now runs a traditional blacksmithing ...
May 20, 2014
Woman Handcrafts Elaborate Costumes For UW Varsity Band Show Director
Lois Levenhagen has been creating Mike Leckrone's costumes for the annual Band Concert at the University of Wisconsin for decades. We'll show you how she tries to top herself each ...
May 13, 2014
Couple Loves To Compete In Dragon Boat Races
Take a look at the banners, paddles, trophies, medals, photos and stickers decorating their Union Grove home and you’d never guess that the dragon boat uber-enthusiast Curt and Janine Chiaverotti ...
May 13, 2014
Group Of Monona Students Head To The Antarctic Research Station
Watch as three students at Monona Grove High School and their teacher, Juan Botilla, travel to Chile in an attempt to journey all the way to the Antarctic as part ...
April 29, 2014
Menominee Nation Member Teaches Native Language, Sparks Interest In Cultural Heritage
“It’s not for you. It’s for everybody.” That’s the lesson Menominee Nation member David Turney hopes to convey to young people about their native culture and language. Worried about students ...
February 25, 2014
Door County Woman Is Known As “Egg Lady Of Egg Harbor”
Kathleen Mand Beck has always loved eggs… egg-related art, collecting eggs, etc. So years ago, when she traveled to Egg Harbor in Door County, she was dismayed to discover there ...
February 18, 2014
Wood Carving Artist Crafts Lifelike Eagle Feathers
Winnebago wood carver-artist Tom Tyers hand carves and paints feathers that are so lifelike that people often mistake his work for real feathers and warn him that most people are ...
February 11, 2014
Couple Share Their Love Of Toy Trains And Ingenuity
Buck Guthrie never lost his boyhood love of toy trains. In fact, Buck’s love grew until his hobby could only be housed in a barn. His wife Jan will tell ...
February 11, 2014
For The Love Of Little Free Libraries
James P. Roberts combined his love of cycling and reading into one hobby. He made it his mission to bike throughout the Madison area to create a map of all ...
February 11, 2014
Artist Sculpts New Life Into Recycled Metal
Years after dropping out of high school, Miles Amorelli eventually found his way – and his niche - by creating large sculptures from recycled metal. Meet him and see how ...February 11, 2014
Author Patrick Rothfuss Writes Popular Series, Helps Community Create A Non-profit
With his unruly hair and bushy, long beard, Pat Rothfuss may look the part that some imagine a fantasy author would play. But the Stevens Point-based author of popular Kingkiller ...
February 4, 2014