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Konkel Round Up
Local Government News
No sports, no crime, no fluff.
Corrections, press releases and articles can be sent to forwardlookout@gmail.com. Articles are added to the day they are published, however, sometimes they are added not until the following day.
Last updated October 7, 9:15 am
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
City of Madison
- Council moves toward terminating independent police monitor – Madison365
- Madison City Council weighs firing interim police monitor before her contract expires – State Journal
Dane County
Education
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
City of Madison
- A Madison city agency wants a new name. How much would it cost? – Cap Times
- Madison’s Wonder Bar approved for demolition after fight to save it – State Journal
- ‘Teejop & Beyond’ returns to Madison Public Library for Indigenous Peoples’ Day – Madison365
- Upcoming Opportunities for Public Engagement about the Odana Hills Golf Course Improvements and the Proposed Changes to Odana Road – Alder Bill Tishler
- Public Meeting Scheduled for October 27: Draft Data Center Regulation Framework – Alder Yannette Figueroa Cole
- Alder introduces resolution to terminate appointment of independent police monitor – Channel3000.com
- Office of Independent Police Monitor sees no change from 2026 in 2027 budget – Channel3000.com
- Draft Data Center Regulation Framework Public Meeting Scheduled for October 27 – Alder Derek Field
- Madison mayor’s office unveils 2027 operating budget – WMTV Channel 15
- 2027 Executive Operating Budget and Public Meeting on Data Center Regulation Framework – Alder Sabrina Madison
- Madison’s Wonder Bar slated for demolition after review – WMTV Channel 15
- Madison’s Interim Police Monitor faces scrutiny – WMTV Channel 15
- Madison Plan Commission approves Wonder Bar demolition permit – Channel3000.com
- Demolition of Madison’s Wonder Bar approved despite preservation push – Cap Times
- Mayor’s budget staves off deeper cuts with one-time $7.5 million influx to Metro – State Journal
- Madison mayor proposes 2027 operating budget with modest property tax increase, new shelter funding – WKOW Channel 27
- Madison mayor proposes $477.5M operating budget – Channel3000.com
- Will the President’s Workgroup consider the 2021 Final Report and Model Policy of the Police Body-Worn Camera Feasibility Review Committee? – Alder Sabrina Madison
- Park Street pumphouse can be demolished despite historic significance – State Journal
Dane County
- City of Fitchburg asking for help in naming parks located in the Terravessa Neighborhood – WMTV Channel 15
Education
- UW-Madison to implement 2027 compensation strategy – State Journal
- Madison’s first electric school buses arrive, but infrastructure lags – State Journal
- Madison school district considers adding new west side middle school – Cap Times
- Federal reports show violations at UW-Madison primate research center – Wisconsin Public Radio
- Reading scores were slipping at Glacier Creek Middle School. How educators turned things around – WMTV Channel 15
- Madison School and Community Recreation holding Centennial Celebration – WMTV Channel 15
- Recent Waunakee school district test scores on the rise – Waunakee Tribune
- Waunakee among area fire departments observing Fire Prevention Week – Waunakee Tribune
Monday, October 5, 2026
City of Madison
- Have your say on the 4 finalists for the Lakeway public art project – State Journal
- Breese Stevens Neighborhood Meeting This Thursday – Alder Davy Mayer
- Madison seeks feedback on Lakeway public art finalists – Channel3000.com
- Madison Plan Commission approves demolition of former Wonder Bar building – WKOW Channel 27
- Madison launches community resilience hubs to help residents during emergencies – WKOW Channel 27
- Independent police monitor calls city attorney’s employment review not legitimate – Channel3000.com
- New resilience hubs aim to help Madison residents during weather emergencies – WMTV Channel 15
- Highland Avenue railroad crossing replacement to impact traffic near UW Hospital and VA – WMTV Channel 15
- Highland Avenue railroad crossing closing Friday for replacement project – Channel3000.com
- Road closure near UW Hospital starts Friday for railroad crossing replacement – WKOW Channel 27
- Vote for your favorite Madison LakeWay public art proposal – State Journal
- Maurer’s Urban Market Soft Opening This Thursday – Alder Tag Evers
- Knocking down fires: DeForest Windsor department open house – Sun Prairie Star
- Riding, planning — and not driving — for lives – Madison Bikes
- Don’t Leave Leaves in the Street, Two Big Ribbon Cuttings, and More – Alder Tag Evers
- Monday Morning Round Up 10/5/26 – Forward Lookout
- Oregon residents challenge plan to build homes on Foxboro Golf Course – State Journal
Dane County
- Sun Prairie conducts sidewalk and crosswalk audit for safety improvements – WKOW Channel 27
- Sun Prairie pushes residents to ditch driving for a week – WKOW Channel 15
- Monday Morning Round Up 10/5/26 – Forward Lookout
Education
- Madison schools expand free busing near hazardous crossings – Channel3000.com
Sunday, October 4, 2026
City of Madison
- Week of October 5, 2026 – Alder Badri Lankella
- City Meetings and Updates Week of October 5 – Alder Derek Field
- Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of October 5, 2026 – Alder John Guequierre
Saturday, October 3, 2026
City of Madison
- Leaf pickup begins next week in Madison. Here’s what to know – State Journal
- Madison community honors teen killed on South Park Street, calls for safer roads – WMTV Channel 15
- Leaf set out dates starting now; Highland & University closed 10/9-13; Virginia Terrace tree removal 10/14 will cause power outage for the day; Events & announcements – Alder Regina Vidaver
- Madison police body cameras: Department exploring policies, procedures – Channel3000.com
Dane County
- Tablets offer benefits for inmates, staff – Waunakee Tribune
- Let’s Talk Budget: 2027 Dane County – Alder Yannette Figueroa Cole
- Dane County Week Ahead 10/5/26 – Forward Lookout
Education
- Surveys, open conversations key to supporting students facing mental health challenges – State Journal
- 10 new places Madison schools flag as too dangerous for kids to walk – State Journal
Friday, October 2, 2026
City of Madison
- Madison police monitor review shows defiance to city rules – Channel3000.com
- South Broom, West Doty streets temporary closing starting Monday – Channel3000.com
- Candidate tracker: Madison mayor’s race 2027 – Isthmus
- Parts of Broom and Doty Streets to close beginning Monday – WMTV Channel 15
- Data Center Input Opportunities – Alder Sean O’Brien
- Madison Water Utility closes Park St lanes for emergency maintenance – WKOW Channel 27
Dane County
- Dane County budget could include $3M for body cams, cuts more vacant positions – State Journal
- Dane County Executive touts a halved deficit while highlighting 2027 investments – Waunakee Tribune
- DeForest, Cottage Grove among consistently high-growth communities – Cambridge News and Deerfield Independent
Spring Elections
- 8th Madison mayoral candidate Marcus Robert Johnson, enters the ring – State Journal
- Madison native enters crowded race for mayor, vows to put community first – WKOW Channel 27
Thursday, October 1, 2025
City of Madison
- Judge dismisses federal lawsuit challenging F-35s – State Journal
- Madison’s police monitor is unique in Wisconsin. But the office has been dogged by controversies – Wisconsin Public Radio
- Meetings Scheduled: September 29 – October 8th – Alder Barbara Harrington McKinney
- Willy Street business launches effort to support its neighborhood – WMTV Channel 15
- 5 arrested after man beaten for defending unhoused person in Madison – WMTV Channel 15
- Signal chat for alders is legal, but still raises questions – Madison365
- Mauer’s Urban Market is ready to bring a modern grocery store to Madison’s South Side – State Journal
Dane County
- We Energies shows more than 1,500 customers without power in Marshall – WKOW Channel 27
- McFarland OKs TID #7 to help Bliffert Lumber move out of downtown – Cambridge News and Deerfield Independent
- Dane County proposes nearly $947 million budget, with higher property tax bills, body cameras and housing investments – WMTV Channel 15
- Communities adopt new rules for e-bikes and e-scooters – WKOW Channel 27
- Dane Co. executive proposed 2027 budget includes body-worn cameras for sheriff’s office – Channel3000.com
- Dane County’s 2027 budget includes $20M for affordable housing, $3M for body cameras – WKOW Channel 27
- Sun Prairie’s new chronic nuisance ordinance sees its first test – Sun Prairie Star
Education
- What to know about changes to Madison School District boundaries – State Journal
- Wisconsin students’ test scores improve, with mixed news for Madison – State Journal
- School board talks preliminary budget – Fitchburg Star
- UW-Madison enrollment dips; fewer international students on campus – State Journal
- Madison School District seeks public’s help on new plan for technology – State Journal
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