Friday/Weekend Round Up 9/11-9/13

Friday usually has a dump of relevant information, and the weekends are usually very quiet.  Here’s what I have!

FRIDAY 9/11

KONKEL ROUND UP

Also found on the home page

City of Madison

• What to do When You’re Hurting – Alder Tag Evers
• 4000 Packers Avenue / Raemish Farm Update – Alder Syed Abbas
• Madison Maintains Aaa Bond Rating – City of Madison
• Statement of Mayor Rhodes-Conway on Supreme Court Ruling on School Openings During a Pandemic – City of Madison
• Madison Equal Opportunities Commission discusses body cameras, prohibiting tear gas – Badger Herald
• AC Hotel worried Pinckney Street project could block Capitol view – Cap Times

Projects

• Rethke Avenue
• Gregory St, Cross St, Copeland St, and Western Ave Reconstruction
• Adams St-Jefferson St 1900 Block Alley Reconstruction

Dane County

• County board hears 2.5 hours of budget remarks – Sun Prairie Star
• COUNTY BOARD SUPERVISORS HEARD FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS AND MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY AT 2021 BUDGET REQUEST HEARING – Dane County
• Public school districts not changing plans after high court temporarily blocks Dane County order – WKOW
• Statement Regarding State Supreme Court Action on Public Health Order – Public Health
• County Executive Parisi’s Statement Regarding State Supreme Court Action on Public Health Order – Dane County
• Health officials: Average COVID-19 cases more than double in Dane County – WKOW
• Wisconsin Supreme Court halts Dane County school order – AP

Madison Area Schools

K-12

• LIST: Dane County public schools respond to state Supreme Court decision allowing for in-person classes – Channel3000.com
• New Madison elementary school would go on Badger Rock site if referendum approved – Cap Times
• Some private schools opening for in-person instruction Monday after state court order – Cap Times

Higher Ed

• 22 UW- Madison fraternities, sororities under quarantine – WMTV
• ‘Steeper and faster than we expected’: UW chancellor addresses campus COVID cases – Cap Times
• 22 UW-Madison fraternity, sorority houses now under mandatory quarantine to prevent spread of COVID-19 – Channel3000.com
• 22 UW-Madison fraternities, sororities ordered to quarantine to stop spread of COVID-19 – WKOW
• UW-Madison orders more sorority and fraternity houses with COVID-19 cases to quarantine – State Journal

DMV ON PARK STREET

Madison South DMV

On September 15, 2020, DMV will open Madison South DMV at 1810 South Park Street, Suite 205. This new, temporary location will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through December 29, 2020.

https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/about-wisdot/newsroom/news-rel/090120DMVexpands.aspx

WI PFAS ACTION COUNCIL

The Wisconsin PFAS Action Council (WisPAC) will meet online via Zoom web conferencing at 1:00 PM on Wednesday, September 16.

Items on the agenda for this meeting include next steps in finalizing the initial draft of the PFAS Action Plan. You may view the agenda, additional resources and the Zoom web conferencing details for this meeting on the WisPAC webpage.

WisPAC was created in response to Executive Order #40, signed by Governor Evers in August 2019, which directed the DNR to establish a PFAS coordinating council to address the issue of PFAS in Wisconsin and, in partnership with other state agencies, to develop a PFAS Action Plan for the state.

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of human-made chemicals used for decades in numerous products including non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers and stain-resistant sprays. These contaminants have made their way into the environment through spills of PFAS-containing materials, discharges of PFAS-containing wastewater to treatment plants, and through the use of certain types of firefighting foams.

UPCOMING DEMOLITION

Please be advised that Michael Everson will be filing a demolition permit application on September 12, 2020 for Plan Commission review that calls for a commercial located at 3554 E Washington Ave Madison, WI 53716 to be demolished. For more information regarding this forthcoming application, you may contact the applicant, Michael Everson, 3288 Mound View Road Verona, WI 53593 at mike.everson@WisconsinBrewingCompany.com or (608)235-1721.

Applicant’s Comments:
This is not a full demolition. This is just in reference to the inside of the building.

MADISON METRO UPDATES

Rider Updates September 11, 2020 Public Hearing Scheduled Give Feedback on August Service Increase Virtual Meeting Wednesday, October 14 at 6 p.m. Metro Transit and the City of Madison Transportation Commission will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. on October 14 to review and discuss service updatesput into place on August 23. Comment on Current Service At the public hearing, Metro staff will explain how the financial effects of Covid-19 and current staffing levels have affected the amount and types of service that have been restored since the beginning of the pandemic. Network Redesign Plan In addition, Metro staff will introduce the beginning of network redesign plan that will take place in 2021. As part of this plan, a consultant has been hired to complete a comprehensive review of all Metro Transit service. This will be used to reconfigure Metro’s service to accommodate a planned bus rapid transit system as well as make the entire system faster and easier to use. Give Feedback Passengers are encouraged to attend the virtual public hearing or provide feedback prior to the hearing date. Consideration will be given to views and comments expressed at the public hearing as well as to all written comments received. Fill Out Feedback Form (608) 266-4466 mymetrobus@cityofmadison.com Written comments can also be sent to: Metro Transit Proposed Changes, 1245 E. Washington Ave., Suite 201, Madison WI 53703. If you need an interpreter, translator, materials in alternate formats or other accommodations to access this service, activity or program, please contact Metro Transit at (608) 266-4904 at least three business days prior to the meeting. Complete Info Fare Collection Metro has resumed fare collection. Passengers must board through the front doors and have cash or a valid pass to ride. Buy Passes/Tickets Through the Mail Passes and 10-ride cards can be purchased through the mail by paying online or by check using a printed mail order form. Customers are encouraged to place orders well in advance to account for mail delivery time. Metro Reception Window Now Open Buy passes and 10-ride cards at Metro’s reception window located at 1245 E. Washington Ave.  Metro’s office is open from 7:30 am until 3:30 pm. If those hours present a hardship, please call (608) 266-4904 to set up an appointment to purchase your items. #MaskUpMadison Protect yourself and the people around you. Wear a mask. All Metro riders are required to wear a face covering while riding. It is also recommended that riders use face coverings at transfer points and bus stops. All Metro and City of Madison employees are required to wear face coverings when they can’t practice social distancing and stay more than 6 feet from others. Complete Info Upcoming Detours Routes 18 (via Coho) & 40 (via Greenway) Begins Monday, September 14 Due to construction, Routes 18 and 40 detour from Coho and Greenway Cross. See maps. Routes 70 & 72 Detour Postponed until September 28 Due to construction near the roundabout on Parmenter and Discovery, Routes 70 and 72 heading into Middleton. Buses will be unable to serve some stops on Donna, Park, Park Lawn, Franklin and Parmenter (south of the roundabout). See all Detours

MORE ON PUBLIC HEARING/METRO FEEDBACK ON ROUTE CHANGES

Normally they would have had a hearing before the changes went into effect.  They used COVID as an excuse not to do it.  Not sure why, everyone else figured out how to have public input during COVID 19.

Give Feedback on August Service Increase

Wednesday, October 14, 6:00 PM
Virtual Meeting

Sign Up to Speak Virtually (Sign up will start approximately October 7.)

On Wednesday, October 14, Metro Transit and the City of Madison Transportation Commission will hold a public hearing at 6 PM to review and discuss service updates put into place on August 23, 2020.

Route-by-Route August Increase Details

Comment on Current Service

At the public hearing, Metro staff will explain how the financial effects of Covid-19 and current staffing levels have affected the amount and types of service that have been restored since the beginning of the pandemic.

Passengers are encouraged to provide feedback on how the August service increases have been working and whether any essential trip destinations are being missed. Depending on comments received, staffing levels, and how Covid-19 may still be affecting the community, schedule tweaks may be made later in the year or in early 2021.

Network Redesign Plan

In addition, Metro staff will introduce the beginning of network redesign plan that will take place in 2021. As part of this plan, a consultant has been hired to complete a comprehensive review of all Metro Transit service. This will be used to reconfigure Metro’s service to accommodate a planned bus rapid transit system as well as make the entire system faster and easier to use.

Planning work is expected to begin in early 2021 with system changes put into effect between late 2022 and 2024.

Give Feedback

Passengers are encouraged to attend the virtual public hearing or provide feedback prior to the hearing date. Consideration will be given to views and comments expressed at the public hearing as well as to all written comments received.

• Fill Out Feedback Form
• Call: (608) 266-4466
• Email: mymetrobus@cityofmadison.com

Written comments can also be sent to: Metro Transit Proposed Changes, 1245 E. Washington Ave., Suite 201, Madison WI 53703.

If you need an interpreter, translator, materials in alternate formats or other accommodations to access this service, activity or program, please contact Metro Transit at (608) 266-4904 at least three business days prior to the meeting.

COUNTY BOARD BUDGET PRESS RELEASE

COUNTY BOARD SUPERVISORS HEARD FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS AND MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY AT 2021 BUDGET REQUEST HEARING

At last night’s Dane County Board public hearing on the 2021 budget, Supervisors heard 2.5 hours of public testimony focused on criminal justice reform, the environment, and behavioral health.  Following the public’s testimony, Department heads gave brief presentations to the County Board highlighting their 2021 budget requests.

A majority of departments presented at this meeting; however, the Human Services and Veteran’s Services departments will present at the public hearing on September 16 at 6:00pm.  Details to connect and participate in that hearing can be found here: https://dane.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

Department heads were asked to prepare responses to questions sent to them in advance, including:

• What has been your department’s greatest challenge in meeting your mission during the pandemic?
• What has been your greatest accomplishment?
• What unmet needs do you have?
• In light of the budget guidelines, how has your department made required cuts while bearing in mind the county’s commitment to racial equity?

A common response from department heads regarding the greatest challenge related to technology concerns, while the greatest accomplishment for many was the level of customer service to the residents of Dane County they have been able to maintain despite the many obstacles of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overwhelmingly, departments noted their required budget cuts were not expected to have an impact on the county’s commitment to racial equity.

“We were fortunate to hear passionate testimony from members of the public as well as the department heads.  The upcoming budget will be a challenge, so it is imperative that we hear from the community on their priorities, as well as from the county staff who manage and oversee the services we provide,” said County Board Chair Analiese Eicher.

The presentations from the hearing can be accessed here: https://dane.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=734269&GUID=47AF1300-D1D8-4F97-983C-71971D06D887

WATER MAIN FLUSHING

Water Main Flushing plans beginning Monday, September 14th (all flushing is daytime unless otherwise noted)

BIKE MADISON UPDATES

SATURDAY 9/12

City of Madison

• Community provides input on next Madison police chief – WKOW
• City of Madison Week Ahead 9/14/20 – forwardlookout.com
• Democracy in the Park – Alder Arvina Martin
• Updates & Week of Sept, 14 Meetings of Interest for District 2 – Alder Patrick Heck

Dane County

• Dane County Week Ahead 9/14/20 – forwardlookout.com

Madison Area Schools

K-12

• Madison School District Week Ahead 9/14/20 – forwardlookout.com

Higher Ed

• UW-Madison students protests university’s coronavirus response – WKOW
• Amid UW System cuts, ex-president paid full salary to review leadership search process, work on other jobs – State Journal
• UW students to rally Saturday for improved racial justice, COVID-19 policies – Cap Times

MADISON ACTIVIST CALENDAR

. . . with many thanks to John Peck for doing this all these years!!

Madison Activist Calendar from 9/13/20 –  Solidarity Edition!

To post events or announcements for future listings, please contact: jepeck@wisc.edu

For an online version of this calendar, please visit the Madison Infoshop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Madison-Infoshop-295863957110653

This calendar is brought to you by the friendly volunteer collective of the Madison Infoshop, c/o Mutual Aid Workspace (MAW) – Social Justice Center, 1202 Williamson St., Madison, WI 53703 https://madinfoshop.wordpress.com

We are a non-hierarchical freespace and activist clearinghouse that needs your support to survive and flourish. Check out our free lending library (videos, books, periodicals, zines), our other community  resources (art supplies, theater props, graphix and stencils, megaphones, and button maker). We also host meetings and help organize events.

Sun. Sept 13^th  3:00 pm  McPike Park (202 S, Ingersoll) to Orton Park  Children’s March for Back Lives!  Children have a long history in activism.  Join us while we uplift that history and the demands of the movement for black lives.  Make signs, noisemakers, and videos at activity stations.  Help disperse books for the little free library racial justice takeover.  Hear Ali Muldrow speak about the importance of educating our children about race.   More info, visit:  https://www.facebook.com/events/298720928101976

Mon. Sept. 16^th 6:30 pm  Choice Words: Writers on Abortion –  Zoom Roundtable with Editors and Contributors of the new anthology that spans six continents.  Join Choice Words editor and acclaimed feminist poet and author Annie Finch, as well contributing writers Manisha Sharma, Alina Stefanescu, Desiree Cooper, and Nicole Walker, who will perform readings from the book, participate in a discussion, and answer your questions!   Hosted by A Room of One’s Own Bookstore.  To register for the event, visit:  https://www.eventbrite.com/x/choice-words-writers-on-abortion-event-for-reproductive-justice-in-wi-tickets-116352345999

Fri. Sept 18^th 5:00 – 8:00 pm  Reedsburg City Park (222 N Park St in Reedsburg) Hill & Valley Exploration Tour Community Kick-Off Event!  Free entertainment by the Union Road Band, plus wood fired oven pizza from the Branding Iron Roadhouse Farm Farm to Fork Eatery.  More info, visit:  https://www.facebook.com/ExploreHillandValley/photos/gm.1389510207874164/2804272619624035

Sun Sept. 20^th  1:00 – 5:00 pm  Penn Park (2101 Fisher St.)  Black Latino Unity Picnic! – Building Towards a United Front!  An event for the whole community focused on the common struggle of Black and Latino Workers for better working, housing, employment and living conditions in our neighborhoods.   Food, music, kids’ activities, information, and unity!  100% free and family friendly!  Un evento para toda la comunidad enfocada en la lucha común de los trabajadores Latinos y Morenos por mejores condiciones de trabajo, vivienda, empleo y de vida en nuestros vecindarios.  Comida, musica, actividades infantiles, informacion y unidad. 100% gratis y familiar!     More info?  Visit the Facebook event:  https://www.facebook.com/events/749976695785608/

Mon. Sept. 21st  12:00 Noon  Grace Lutheran Church (2006 60^th St. in Kenosha)  Celebrate the 40th U.N. International Day of Peace! – Hosted by Kenosha Food Pantry Churches.

Join us for any part of this safely-distanced multi-community celebration with three hours of community clean-up projects and voter engagement work, followed by a light outdoor supper with Kenosha residents.  Peace Caravans will be leaving from Madison at 9:00 am from the Hawthorne Public Library at 2707 E. Washington Ave.) and from Milwaukee at 10:00 am from the Parking Lot at 633 S. Hawley Rd.  Supplies will be available to help decorate your car or window.  Safe distancing and mask wearing will be required. Wear weather appropriate clothing to work in and if you can, bring work gloves. Bring your own lunch and water if you can. Snacks will also be available.

For more info, visit the Facebook event:  https://www.facebook.com/events/242549617076810/

Sept. 26th – Oct. 4th  FARM/ART DTOUR Returns!

The Farm/Art DTour is a free, self-guided, 50+ mile agri/cultural excursion through the scenic working farmlands of rural Sauk County. Celebrating its eighth year, the 2020 DTour moves to southern Sauk County with trailheads in Plain and Sauk City. The new route allows us to collaborate with new partners, align with existing assets such as Badger Prairie and the Great Sauk State Trail, and highlight the unique beauty and diverse cultures of the Driftless Region. Punctuated by large-scale artworks, local food markets, roadside poetry (Burma Shave format), and educational Field Notes, the 2020 DTour offers festivity and fresh air for all ages with social distancing built in.  You’ll wander through small towns, country churchyards, and a changing agricultural landscape where artists explore the timeless connections between land and people; farmers perform fundamental and inspiring work; and where lines that can sometimes separate, converge or are happily blurred.  Plan to spend a day or two on this magical mystery tour—a little bit of Kansas, a little bit of Oz—plus cows! Maps will be available at several sites in Sept.  More info?  Visit:  https://www.fermentationfest.com/farm-art-dtour

Thurs. Oct. 1st 6:30 pm Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present, & Future of American Labor – WILPF’s online discussion of Steven Greenhouse’s new book.  “He achieves a near-impossible task, producing a page-turning book that spans a century of worker strikes, without overcondensing or oversimplifying, and with plausible suggestions for the future” – The New York Times Book Review.
If you are short on time to devote to the whole book, focus on Greenhouse’s ‘Future’ section.  To receive the Zoom link, please email:  wilpfmadison@gmail.com

Thurs. Oct. 8^th 6:30 pm  The Return to Belonging and Reclaimed Narratives About These Lands – virtual event featuring Midy Aponte, Chief Experience Officer, Spitfire Strategies.  Part of the UW Nelson Institute’s ongoing Jordahl Public Lands Lecture series.

Join us for a discussion about the current reckoning of our nation’s history and highlights the role of communication in reexamining our collective relationships with the land, and each other.  As a communication strategist, Aponte has devoted her career to driving national narratives on important issues. From income inequality and environmental justice, to health equity and cultural preservation, Aponte is nationally recognized for her ability to advance issues using creatively conceptualized and smartly implemented communication tactics.  Aponte is also a persistent advocate for the preservation of American Latino culture and history. A daughter of Cuban immigrants, Aponte served as the founding executive director of the American Latino Heritage Fund of the National Park Foundation, where she built a nonprofit fund that inspires awareness of historic preservation, outdoor recreation, and conservation among American Latino audiences.

For more info, visit:  https://nelson.wisc.edu/events/jordahl-lectures/index.php

Join the Bird Collision Corps – through the Madison Audubon Society!

This Madison-based program surveys specific buildings 1-2x/week to track evidence of bird-window collisions. Survey period is Sept. 14-Nov. 1. No experience is required, training is provided.  There are three site locations for you to choose from: 1) UW-Madison campus, 2) American Family Insurance campus (far east side), 3) Urban Land Interests buildings (Capitol Square). Weekly time commitment: between 1-3 hours.

To learn more and volunteer, visit:  https://madisonaudubon.org/bird-collision-corps

Feed Darbo’s Future — Support Darbo Youth!

The Darbo Pantry Project began delivering fresh produce and other food into the Worthington Park neighborhood just over one year ago in July 2019.   Since March 2020 and the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic, well over 20,000 pounds of high quality food has been distributed, mostly by youth of color to their own friends, families, and neighbors in need.  The future goal is to replicate this direct to door delivery model in other neighborhoods across the city under the umbrella of the Madison Food Club.

For more details on this exciting project and how you can contribute, visit:

https://www.facebook.com/feedingdarbosfuture.org

Some Other Ways to Get Involved with Racial Justice Efforts in the greater Madison community:

Freedom Inc is working to end of violence against women, gender-non-conforming and transgender folks, and children within communities of color by challenging the root causes of violence, poverty, racism and discrimination.  http://freedom-inc.org/

Freedom Youth Squad is another local organization that has pushing to get police out of schools, promoting other justice efforts in our schools, and creating social support and crisis support for youth of color.   https://www.facebook.com/FreedomYouthSquad/

Free the 350 Bail Fund is also involved in challenging the prison industrial complex.  Many people are held in jail before they receive a fair trial, simply because they can’t afford bail. Often, these are parents of color who are separated from their own kids.  https://freethe350bailfund.wordpress.com/

Urban Triage seeks to empower Black families to excel and believe in their own ability to make a difference through crisis response, advocacy, psycho-education, community support services, intervention, leadership development and systems training.   https://urbantriage.org/

Dane County Time Bank’s Restorative Justice project hosts a hotline to help resolve non-emergency disputes without involving the police. https://danecountytimebank.org/projects/restorative-justice

The Social Justice Center (SJC) is a busy grassroots hub for several community organizations, challenging racism and many other forms of systemic injustice.  https://www.socialjusticecenter.org/

Groundwork s a group of dedicated white anti-racist activists that offer classes and resources to other white people so they can be better educated and organized about these issues.  https://groundworkmadison.com/

SUNDAY 9/13

As of right before the Packers’ game.

City of Madison

• Which departments were aiding Madison during the May 31-June 2 initial protests? – Forwardlookout.com
• Cottage Grove Road Development Proposal at Plan Commission on Monday – 9/13/20 – Alder Grant Foster
• Sharon Kilfoy: Skidmore’s voice is unmistakable – Cap Times

Dane County

• Goforth appointed to Dane County Parks Commission – Herald-Independent
• Dane County jumps by 210 new cases today as active cases continue to rise – Madison 365

And More . . .

• Friday/Weekend Round Up 9/11-9/13 – Forwardlookout.com
• Alleged “Daily” Round Up/Catch Up – Forwardlookout.com