Which of these 2026 predictions will look smartest 12 months from now?

This week, we're sharing something a bit different: Scott Milfred joins Richard Kyte and Scott Rada on "The Ethical Life," Lee Enterprises' podcast exploring ethical questions in contemporary life.

Instead of the usual Center Stage format, you'll hear Milfred as a guest in a three-way conversation about predictions, accountability and what the year ahead might bring. The discussion ranges across politics, technology, sports and health care — examining not just what could happen in 2025, but why we're drawn to forecasting in the first place and what last year's predictions reveal about how we think about the future.

If you're looking for the regular Center Stage interview format, we'll be back to that soon. But if you're curious to hear Milfred in a different setting, wrestling with bigger questions about uncertainty and how we make sense of what's coming, give this one a listen.

They're the "Click and Clack" of Wisconsin politics. Scott Milfred, editorial page editor for the Wisconsin State Journal, and Phil Hands, the newspaper's political cartoonist, analyze the most important issues and debates from the Badger State with political independence and a sense of humor. Instead of tedious talking points from the left and the right, "Center Stage" broadcasts from the sensible center with audio clips from the Wisconsin Capitol, from State Journal editorial board meetings, and from political events across the state.