Latest News

Latest News highlights recent developments to keep you informed on dark sky issues here and beyond.

Current News

January 5, 2026   Ordinances in Wisconsin    

Eau Claire, WI adopted a new outdoor lighting ordinance in October 2025. Middleton, WI and Sheboygan, WI Planning Commissions have approved and forwarded to their respective city councils new outdoor lighting ordinances for consideration this month. All three limit fixture types, illumination levels, correlated color temperature and light trespass.

Past News

December 2025 KVDSI Accomplishments and 2026 Look-ahead

This letter is an overview of our activities and accomplishments during 2025 and our plans for 2026.

Kickapoo Valley Dark Skies Initiative has been active in raising awareness of nighttime light pollution issues and in promoting solutions to this problem in the Kickapoo Valley and beyond.  Your support means a lot to us and so we’d like to share KVDSI’s accomplishments with you.

We have been busy. Since we received our non-profit status in December 2024 our organization has…

• Made 9 presentations to professionals involved in community planning, lighting design and installation to assist these professionals in reducing nighttime light pollution in their work.

• Performed lighting designs for 18 projects.

• Produced 12 episodes of Kickapoo Night Life on WDRT radio (91.9fm) which introduces listeners to topics pertaining to astronomy, light pollution and its effects on the environment and health.

• Produced a weekly newspaper column, Seeing Stars, about dark sky topics, published in 3 local papers.

• Presented on artificial light at night, light pollution and dark sky topics at 22 local libraries and organizations.

• Collaborated in an effort between 4 different groups on ways to raise awareness of how artificial light at night is a threat to migrating birds.

• Helped local businesses in evaluating lighting issues and proposing solutions to save money and light pollution. 

• Worked with officials and staff in 3 local communities to choose and/or install zero uplight, warm color temperature lighting.

• Provided expertise to help 3 communities across Wisconsin to review current ordinances regarding nighttime lighting and make adjustments as needed.

• Assessed public (street) lighting in 5 local communities and assisted these communities to improve existing lighting, resulting in decreased energy use, costs, and light pollution.

• Created a website which offers both background information and useful tools to professionals and individuals interested in making good outdoor lighting choices.

• Serving on 3 different statewide, national or international organizations to help reduce artificial light at night and the environmental risks it poses. 

• Performed a study regarding color temperature of LED lighting and how that affects security cameras.

• Hosted a week of educational activities in April.

• Provided information for 3 newsletters and magazine articles. 

• Invited the public to participate in 9 dark sky walks at local public lands.

• Attended 4 professional conferences related to lighting.

• Interfaced with 6 lighting manufacturers, 3 lighting distributors and 3 area retailers to try to expand dark sky appropriate residential and commercial lighting options.

Moving forward in 2026, many of the above projects are ongoing. We also are preparing for the following projects:

• KVDSI will sponsor and lead at least two Natural Resource Foundation field trips to teach others how they can replicate our efforts in their own communities.

• We are creating video content for our outreach efforts.

• We are developing outdoor lighting research projects.

• We are developing training materials for educators, businesses, professionals and municipalities to be able to plan and implement good lighting on their own.

• We are developing part time intern positions to allow us to expand our outreach.

We thank you for your past support of our efforts.  

We stand ready to share our knowledge and expertise with those who want to reduce light pollution.  

Most of all, we ask you to join with us to make our skies darker, healthier and even more star-studded.  We are doing a lot, but so much more needs to be done and time is a critical factor.  Each time a poor outdoor lighting choice is made, the effects of that choice are likely to increase light pollution for 10-15 years in the future.  On the flip side, making an appropriate lighting choice has the potential to decrease light pollution significantly, save money, reduce the environmental impact of artificial light at night and may even improve human health.  You don't have to be an expert, you just have to have a willingness to devote some of your time and talents to help us raise awareness and let people know that light pollution is an easy problem to fix by making the right lighting choices.

We’d love to see you in 2026, maybe on a night walk, or in any of our endeavors. And remember to turn off your lights, go outside and look at the stars!

KDVSI Board of Directors

Scott Lind - President     Marla Lind - Vice President                                            

Susan Cushing – Secretary    Don Rauls - Treasurer

Carol Wesley - Director     Bruce Wendt - Director 

  (back)

First Story in RH Column

Insert here. (back)