Articles by Alex Stahl

Vast fields of grass with generational history lay desolate. Lonely, abandoned houses sit in wait to be demolished. The land is fated to become an Artificial Intelligence Data Center. Where houses once stood, large warehouse-sized buildings will be constructed. Instead of the distant sound of tractors and combines running, it will be replaced with the […]

On the night of the Oct. 7 Port Washington Common Council meeting, hundreds of residents crowded the entrance, attempting to enter the chambers to express their concerns about the proposed Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Center in Port Washington. Many were unable to get inside, and the media were barred from entering for more than 30 minutes after the meeting began.  […]

AI’s rapid growth is driving a surge in massive data centers, boosting innovation but raising environmental concerns. Expanding energy and water demands strain local resources, while Big Tech’s dominance concentrates power. As AI infrastructure scales, questions about sustainability, accountability, and equitable access are becoming increasingly urgent for communities and policymakers. Believe it or not, a […]

Destiny Cousin is a barista at Rochambo Coffee and Tea House, and even before her time working there, her friends knew she was the one to make the perfect shaken espresso.

A frightening experience translated to a “backwards” song for a Milwaukee band member, as recounted in this Music of Media Milwaukee podcast episode.

Hundreds of people waited outside the Port Washington City Hall, as protestors held signs saying “No Data Center” and “Stay away from our water” in an effort to raise concerns about energy and environmental impacts of a new data center that was approved by the city. Mayor Ted Neitzke IV says the economic effect is […]

The city of Asheville is home to around 700 artists. Murals can be found throughout the city, showcasing different works from thousands of minds that have a shared love of art. Now, all of the businesses that were on the opposite side of the train tracks are gone without a trace. The flood waters left […]

After working out of a cramped apartment for eleven years, stepping into his own studio space was a dream for Colton Dion. Dion is an artist who was born and raised in the Asheville area. He focuses on sculptural painting and canvas work, with an emphasis on traditional landscapes and surrealism. He’s had a love […]

Hidden in the Blue Ridge Mountains along a winding road leading to Lake Lure lies the Hickory Nut Gorge Outreach. A food pantry that has been up and operating since 2004. Only now accessible through one main road that takes you through deep Appalachian country. The Outreach has been ramping up, especially after Hurricane Helene. […]

Environmental journalist Ray Ford is based in Santa Barbara, California, and has been there his whole life. When he first got on the phone, Ford wanted the reporter to have a mental picture of the area in which they were traveling. He described the geology of the land, the ways the mountains don’t only move […]

Lying on a hill, a 185-acre state park sits surrounded by the neighborhoods and the mountains that tower behind it. Charred Eucalyptus trees dot the mountain terrain, leaving traces of the bright green they once brought. Ashy wind blows the faces of workers traversing the now barren landscape. Debris-filled holes take the place of what once […]

Driving through the scorched streets of Altadena, residents look for remnants of homes, businesses, churches – some semblance of what their city once was.  Reporters walked the city’s streets with little police presence in their way. In a strip mall on the corner of Mariposa Street and Lake Avenue sits Ms. Dragon Print & Copy, […]