May 6 – 9 Round Up

One more week and I’m free from my consulting job and will have only one full-time job and Forward Lookout!  Then blogging can “return to normal”!

ALDER ROUND UP – 5/8/20

For Alder Blogs:

COVID-19 Information Update 5/8/20

As of 9:30am, there are 458 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Dane County, up 8 from this time yesterday morning.

A few days ago, Dane County Executive Parisi extended the county’s COVID-19 emergency declaration through at least July 15. The Declaration of Emergency allows Dane County to maintain services, coordinate emergency response, and seek federal resources. To be clear, extending the Declaration of Emergency is NOT the same as extending Safer at Home.

From DCR:

The City of Madison Department of Civil Rights wants you to know, if you have not received needed medical attention or if you have experienced discrimination while seeking healthcare (based race, gender, or another protected class), you can file a complaint for our office to investigate. Inequities in access to healthcare and unique health risks may lead to an increase in disease and death rates among people of color, particularly African Americans, according to national reports.

You are encouraged to access our services online here http://www.cityofmadison.com/civil-rights/find-help, to file a formal Public Accommodations complaint with us.  Sign and Date this form and email it back to us here: dcr@cityofmadison.com

In the event that your claim falls outside of the City of Madison limits, our office can initiate the complaint process for you, open your case, and transfer the complaint to the State of Wisconsin – Equal Rights Division for review and investigation.

Information for Alders:

We have a CCEC meeting scheduled for 6p on Thursday, May 14.

In the news today, 05/08:

• NEW: Unemployment hits 14.7 percent, highest rate since the depression: https://bit.ly/3cfXSOD
• Gov. Evers says he sees ‘no reason’ to extend Safer at Home order past May 26: https://bit.ly/3b8XLTG
• As Wisconsin collects data on coronavirus and its effects, some positive trends emerge: https://bit.ly/2zltvYB
• Survey: Americans more worried about opening too fast than too slow: https://bit.ly/3dvUOOH
• Madison police schedule extra traffic enforcement amid COVID: https://bit.ly/2WcCbcK
• Wisconsin DOC has released nearly 1,600 inmates so far to combat COVID spread: https://bit.ly/2yDy1S7
• Madison company hopes to reduce COVID test backlog with sample prep machine: https://bit.ly/2LdEJkl
• Paul Fanlund: How to think about science in the time of COVID: https://bit.ly/2SM5xfH
• Updated: Madison to let homeless camp in certain parks and greenways during COVID: https://bit.ly/3ciYvqw
• Ray Cross: UW System working on protocols for students’ return in fall amid COVID: https://bit.ly/3fq5jVv
• City of Madison issued six citations, 75 warning letters since Safer at Home: https://bit.ly/2WCXNhl
• Reality Check: New ad questioning Evers on “Safer at Home” extension needs context: https://bit.ly/2AbwuDh
• Madison International Speedway plans possible high school graduation: https://bit.ly/2WfpGgA
• Catfish River Music Festival canceled: https://bit.ly/2WcVySM

ALDER ROUND UP 5/7/20

For Alder Blogs:

COVID-19 Information Update 5/7/20

As of 9:30am, there are 450 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Dane County, up 4 from this time yesterday morning.

From the Governor:

Gov. Tony Evers announced today that the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has launched a new online resource that makes it easier for the public to access testing sites throughout the state. This searchable map, available here, provides Wisconsinites with testing site locations, contact information, hours of operation, and guidance on how to schedule an appointment.

Information for Alders:

From IT:

Recording Zoom Meetings.  Do not record your Zoom meeting without prior permission from City Attorney’s and Information Technology. New protocols will follow as we develop new policies and process to support Zoom recordings.

Recording a Zoom meeting is very easy—all the host has to do is click on button.  However, these recorded Zoom meetings have presented challenges to the City.  These records are very large and will present data storage problems for the City if they continue to be made.  In addition, these recordings would be subject to records retention requirements and the public records laws.  The City will need policies in place about how to store and catalog these recordings so that the City is in compliance with the law.  In the near term, City users should not be recording Zoom meetings without the permission of IT and the City Attorney’s Office.  Approval is currently provided for Boards, Commission and Committee meetings that are either Type 1 or Type 2 meetings. While recording neighborhood meetings has been helpful to some Alders, those recordings cannot continue to be made at the current time.  We ask for your patience as we work through these issues.  Please note—this directive is only to prohibit the City’s recording of Zoom meetings.  You can still participate in a Zoom meetings that is recorded by an outside user, although you are advised to be aware when a call is being recorded (the call window will clearly indicate that this is the case).

In the news today, 05/07:

LOCAL/STATE

• 67 got COVID after visiting polls in state’s April 7 election but tie to voting unclear: https://bit.ly/3cfsHD4
• Madison mayor allows temporary homeless encampments: https://bit.ly/3ceF9D7
• Wisconsin health centers get $6 M to expand COVID testing: https://bit.ly/3fwQT5I
• WI lost out on $25M from feds because lawmakers waited to pass COVID relief bill: https://bit.ly/3cfWA63
• Brown County has at least 31 facilities with COVID, state reports: https://bit.ly/2yFEQCy
• Dane County to fund $3.5 M grant program for child care providers: https://bit.ly/2YLzGzE
• Madison’s public golf courses busy, but future still murky: https://bit.ly/3bkkE6R
• Richelieu Foods in Beaver Dam to test all 420 employees for COVID after 8 test positive: https://bit.ly/2SM5YXr
• Gov. Evers concerned about regional reopening plan: https://bit.ly/2zg3NES
• UW regents waive ACT, SAT test score requirements for admission applications: https://bit.ly/3fsRZj2
• DWD: WI could exhaust state’s $1.8B Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund by October: https://bit.ly/2yBL3Q5
• State health officials confirm 12 more deaths due to COVID, 5.7% of new tests come back positive: https://bit.ly/3dnyVRx
• Northwoods League, including Madison Mallards, opening day postponed indefinitely: https://bit.ly/2WbnKph
• More than 300 free face masks given away in Janesville, City plans another free mask drive next week: https://bit.ly/35Gss1f

DISCRIMINATION IN HEALTH CARE IN MADISON?

The City of Madison Department of Civil Rights wants you to know, if you have not received needed medical attention or if you have experienced discrimination while seeking healthcare (based race, gender, or another protected class), you can file a complaint for our office to investigate. Inequities in access to healthcare and unique health risks may lead to an increase in disease and death rates among people of color, particularly African Americans, according to national reports.

You are encouraged to access our services online here http://www.cityofmadison.com/civil-rights/find-help, to file a formal Public Accommodations complaint with us.  Sign and Date this form and email it back to us here: dcr@cityofmadison.com

In the event that your claim falls outside of the City of Madison limits, our office can initiate the complaint process for you, open your case, and transfer the complaint to the State of Wisconsin – Equal Rights Division for review and investigation.

We are here for you.

CATHOLIC MULTICURTURAL CENTER FOOD SERVICES AVAILABLE

Friendly reminder that Catholic Multicultural Center continues food services operating with adjustments and we’re always glad to see returning and new guests!

Please share this info widely– https://cmcmadison.org/covid-19-operating-procedures/

at 1862 Beld St. in south Madison

Free meal to-go 4pm M-F, 11am weekends

Food pantry 2pm Tuesday and 10am Thursday

Julia Slotnick Employment & Training Coordinator 608-556-5924 (direct) Catholic Multicultural Center

COVERING WISCONSIN HEALTH CARE INFO

Covering Wisconsin has created and consumer tested the attached Covid-19 sheet as well as this Covid-19 web page: https://www.coveringwi.org/covid-19-pandemic .

Additionally, our Navigator from Centro Hispano, Lourdes Godinez is working with our health insurance literacy team and various media outlets to reach the Spanish speaking community.  This morning, Lourdes participated in a question and answer session on La Movida. To see that video as well as the shareable gifs and weekly posts from Covering Wisconsin,  please check out our Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/coveringwi/ .

Covering Wisconsin is working to reach the most vulnerable in our State to make sure they have access to health care coverage.

If you would like to work with us on an outreach partnership or know of other organizations  we should be partnering with, kindly share that information, too.

Thank you for all you do!

Wishing you and your loved ones good health,

Colleen Harryman – Regional Lead Navigator

Covering Wisconsin (office) 608-261-1455  (cell) 608-577-3440 charryman@wisc.edu 

MADISON PARKS SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR GEESE “HAZING”

Volunteers are needed for the Canada Goose management program. 

Madison Parks is seeking volunteers to assist with weekly counts of numbers of geese at specific parks, beaches, golf courses, and greenways in the city. Volunteers are also needed to help discourage geese from using certain locations, in order to reduce the number of geese using any one place regularly. “Hazing” would occur for 15-30 minutes daily, as needed, until a given flock moves to another site. The goal is to have less goose waste accumulate in critical areas such as beaches, basketball courts, athletic fields, bike paths, and some lawns. This will result in less goose waste, which means better water quality and a better experience for park users.

This work will occur from now through Labor Day, at various locations around the city. Volunteers should track their hours, and numbers of geese observed or hazed.

Please contact Paul Quinlan, Conservation Resource Supervisor, at pquinlan@cityofmad

CAPITAL AREA REGIONAL PLAN COMMISSION MEETINGS THIS WEEK

Two CARPC meetings will be held the week of May 11th:

Executive Committee meeting is on Monday, May 11th, at 6pm. This is a virtual meeting for which you must register ahead of time.

Please register in advance for this meeting by visiting https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwqceqhpzMrGNfrZpeX9YYCgsK7cqjFLCKs . Registrants will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. If you don’t have Internet access, please call Linda Firestone at 608-358-6057 to register.

CARPC meeting is on Thursday, May 14th, at 6pm.  This is a virtual meeting for which you must register ahead of time. There will be two public hearings during this meeting which are scheduled to start at 7pm CT.

1. Public Hearing Notice – Adoption of Revised Bylaws of the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission
2. Public Hearing Notice – Amendment of the Dane County Water Quality Plan by Revising the Sewer Service Area Boundary and Environmental Corridors in the Cottage Grove Urban Service Area

You may participate in the meeting from your computer, tablet, smartphone, or telephone by registering at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAucO2hpzsoEtZR5lCl4GfvPUcvqKJ2zwEL . Registrants will receive an email with details on how to join the meeting. If you do not have Internet access, call Linda Firestone at 608-358-6057 to register.

If you plan to attend both meetings, you must register separately for each meeting.

Agendas, packets, and information on the public hearings are on the web at https://www.capitalarearpc.org/meetings/ . Packets will not be mailed to those who want hard copy packets.

As a side note, Zoom has been updated to Zoom 5.0. If you plan to attend the CARPC meetings next week and have not yet updated your Zoom client to 5.0, you may want to do that before the meetings. The link to Zoom’s Download Center is https://zoom.us/download?_ga=2.33257086.1395298477.1588859302-1040827278.1585686305 .

Please let me know if you have problems with any of the above links.

Linda K. Firestone Administrative Services Manager Capital Area Regional Planning Commission 100 State Street, Suite 400 Madison, WI 53703 Cell: (608) 358-6057

LEGAL SERVICES STILL AVAILABLE DURING THE PANDEMIC

Dear Community,

There is still free legal help for Dane County residents during the COVID-19 crisis. Many of you or your clients have made use of the courthouse family law and small claims courthouse clinics. We are going virtual with the assistance of the State Bar and the State Law Library. Please spread the word that people can get free help in family law and small claims matters by calling the State Bar of Wisconsin’s hotline. You can request a call back from a Hotline attorney by calling the Lawyer Referral Service (LRIS) at (800) 362-9082 or (608) 257-4666 (in Dane County). The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 8AM to 5PM. the State Bar’s LRIS will make an appointment for a lawyer to call you back, free of charge, within a few days to briefly discuss your question.

Another resource is the State Law Library. You can call or email the State Law Library at 800-322-9755 (TTY: 800-947-6644) or http://wilawlibrary.gov/services/ask.html.  If you have a family law or small claims question, a volunteer attorney will call you back within a week to answer your question and guide you through the forms that you may need. The Dane County Bar is working with both the State Bar and the State Law Library to make sure that Dane County residents continue to get assistance during this time of need.

Marsha M. Mansfield  marsha.mansfield@wisc.edu
* Please note that I am no longer at the Economic Justice Institute or the Family Court Clinic. If you need to contact me please email Annie Haugen at angela.haugen@wisc.edu.

DSA MEETINGS THIS WEEK

Email to get links to meetings: dsamadison@gmail.com

Sunday, May 10, 2020 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Red Madison Meeting

Details: We will meet and discuss the next issue. All lefty writers and thinkers welcome.

Monday, May 11, 2020 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Socialists and Elections: A Discussion

Details: “The Bernie Sanders campaign is over – now what?” This is how MADSA co-chair Andrew Sernatinger began his recently-published article, “Wading Through Contradictions.” Join us for a discussion on just that question and the broader relationship of socialists to elections and the Democratic Party.

Reading link.

Wednesday, May 13, 2020 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Electoral Politics Working Group

Details: Join the Electoral Politics Working Group in its biweekly meeting. We’re going to discuss endorsement recommendations for the summer primary and our campaign strategies for the fall election.

Wednesday, May 13, 2020 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Madison Tenant Power

Details: Come join Madison DSA’s Tenant Organizing Working Group and other local organizers in our efforts to fight for tenant power in Madison! Direct any questions to MadisonTenantPower@protonmail.com.

Wednesday, May 20, 2020 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Community Journalism in the Pandemic

Location: Register here.

Details: Madisonians deserve a media landscape that matches their intelligence and curiosity, embodies the best of their values, and truthfully reflects their circumstances. It’s becoming increasingly clear that we’ll have to build that for ourselves.

Please join us if you’ve ever wanted to do local writing, if you’re someone who writes facebook rants and wants to turn that into a piece for publication, or if you’ve been a writer and want to hone the craft. Everyone is welcome.

Facebook and registration link.

Thursday, May 21, 2020 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Labor Working Group

Details: If you work for a living, we are here for you. Come join us!

BIKE UPDATES

May is Still Bike Month

Have you registered yet for Love to Ride Madison? Love to Ride is part of the larger National Bike Challenge but during May is focused on highlighting the benefits of riding a bike in our current times. Set goals, connect with others, and win prizes! Create a workplace team or a team of your friends and encourage some friendly competition and help support others to ride. You can also find the always expanding list of Bike Month events there.

Don’t miss:

• Learn to Ride webinar – a 1 hour webinar presented by the City of Madison in collaboration with Dane County Safe Routes to School. This webinar is intended to help adults support a child in learning to bike. Every Thursday in May at Noon. May 21 in English and May 14 and 28 in Spanish. Register Online
• Virtual Ride of Silence hosted by Sun Prairie Moves
• Safe Outdoors (SO) Fun Walk and Bike Challenge from Dane County Safe Routes to School ongoing through June
• Move it Madison from Madison Parks and MSCR includes self challenges, park visits, and more. Earn points, win prizes and since May is still bike month there are bonus points for 30 minute rides.
• Madison BCycle is doing a month-long Lake Loop and Total Trip Challenge for Bike Month.
• Madison Bike Month Panel Discussion – The City of Madison will be hosting a panel discussion for new cyclists. Third week of May – exact date/time to be decided.
• Follow City of Madison Traffic Engineering on Facebook for bike related updates starting next week!

And post your own photos and videos! Use the hashtags #walkbikemadison #bikethere #bikemonthgreatermadison

COVID-19 Bike Walk Update

Earlier this week, the City of Madison launched LOOK FORWARD, on the Madison Public Library’s website. LOOK FORWARD is a social media and public art initiative that will promote a sense of connectedness spanning across all neighborhoods and communities within the City of Madison.

Look Forward celebrates the creative, expressive, and caring nature of Madisonians and helps us connect with each other online and look ahead to a time when we can safely be together in person again. Look Forward invites you to share how you, your neighbors, your friends and family members, your coworkers, and others have been uplifting each other in ways big and small. Show us what holds “us” together during this challenging time.Read the full message from Mayor Rhodes-Conway announcing LOOK FORWARD and learn how to participate.

 UPCOMING MEETINGS

• Transportation Commission Meeting – Wed, May 4 at 6pm More Information
• Greater East Towne and Odana Area Planning efforts continue. Virtual meetings and engagement events start Mon, May 4. Learn More
• Cedar Street. South St, High St and W Wingra Public Information Meeting – May 27 More Information
• Vilas Park Master Plan Survey – The Vilas Park Master Plan has entered Phase 2 and has a number of concepts for input including one related to Vilas Park Drive and access for people biking, walking and driving. Take the Survey

CONSTRUCTION AND EVENT UPDATES

• Chip Sealing – Work will began May 4. Project Information
• Badger State Trail and Seminole Hwy at McKee Rd – The Badger State Trail in Fitchburg will close Mon, April 27 to begin construction of a bridge over the road. Seminole Hwy will remain open but only one lane in each direction will be open for all users. Bicyclists on Seminole may want to follow the Badger State Trail detour especially during work hours. More Information and Detour Map
• Gregory St – This reconstruction project has started and is expected to last until October. Project Information
• Buckeye Rd – Reconstruction has restarted and will be completed by mid-June. The street will be open to thru traffic except May 1-15. Project Information
• Toepfer, Holly, Euclid, St Clair – Work has started and the road is closed except for resident access.
• Packers Ave – From Londonderry to Tennyson only two lanes are open for this resurfacing project.
• Elizabeth St and N Ingersoll – This project will reconstruct Elizabeth St from N Ingersoll to N Few St and N Ingersoll from Sherman to Gorham. This project includes a contraflow bike lane on N Ingersoll St and other improvements. More Information
• Haywood Dr – Work has started back up to finish this project that was delayed due to weather in 2019. More Information
• Capitol Square – A State of Wisconsin project from Wisconsin to W Washington is impacting the Capitol Square.
• W Washington Ave – Lanes are closed between the SW Path and Bedford and all traffic is using one lane.
• Cottage Grove Rd from the Interstate to Sprecher Rd – Road reconstruction has started. Please follow the marked bicycle detour. Traffic lanes are currently moved to the north side only.Project Information
• Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Sidewalk Replacement – Work has started and is proceeding ahead of schedule. Bike racks have been moved to new locations so please look along the Capitol Square, Doty St and Wilson St for parking.Project Information
• Fish Hatchery Rd Reconstruction – Work is happening in the section in the City of Fitchburg. Detour at the Cannonball Path north of the beltline if traveling south from Madison. Project Information
• W Dayton St between N Mills and N Park – Closed for utility work. Use the Southwest Path to detour or, if that is crowded, consider University Ave. The UW anticipates construction to be completed in late May/early June. Project Information 
• Old Sauk Road between Pleasant View Rd & Pioneer Rd – This section of road will be closed starting April 1. Bicyclists will wan to use Pleasant View Rd to Blackhawk Rd to Twin Valley Rd. Motor vehicle traffic will be detoured to Pioneer Rd and Mineral Point. Bicyclists will want to continue on to Big Stone Trail to White Fox Lane to the Pioneer Park Path to return to Old Sauk Road.
• West Towne Path extension and underpass of Gammon Rd – Avoid travel on Gammon Rd near the Beltline and West Towne Mall if possible. Access to the mall is being maintained in this area but it will be easier to use Mineral Point Rd entrances. Project Information
• Monona’s Bridge Rd – Monona has Bridge Rd closed between Inland Way and Lake Pointe Dr. The Lake Loop will not be impacted but access to other streets will be.
• UW Arboretum Curtis Pond Rehabilitation – Work is going on near the west entrance to the arboretum across from the Curtis Pond. New stop signs have been installed and trucks will be using the road. Please follow any signage or workers. Watch for gravel in the road.
• McKenna Blvd Flood Mitigation Project – Work is being completed at McKenna Blvd and will be moving to the Schroeder Rd/Struck Ave area in mid-May.The Greentree-Chapel Hills Park Path still have some work closures. Project Information
• Reinhndahl Park Path remains closed for the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District interceptor project. The path is anticipated to reopen late May/early June.
• Campus Drive Path remains closed behind the UW Veterinary Building.

EVENTS

• Dane County Farmer’s Market – The market is moving to Willow Island at the Alliant Energy Center and will be open Wednesdays and Fridays by pre-order. On Wednesdays, bicycle and pedestrian pick-up will be from 5:30-6pm and on Saturdays from 11:30am-Noon. Please avoid walking/biking on the paths by Willow Island during this time if you are not going to the market to allow enough space for those who are to maintain social distancing. More Information

Information on other future city projects can be found on the City of Madison Engineering webpage.

MADISON ACTIVIST CALENDAR

A HUGE shoutout to John Peck for doing this every week!

Madison Activist Calendar from 5/11/20 – COVID-19 Quarantine Solidarity Edition!

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

For an online version of this calendar, please visit: https://madinfoshop.wordpress.com/your-space/madison-activist-calendar

This calendar is brought to you by the friendly volunteer collective of the Madison Infoshop, 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.

Sat. May 16^th 111:00 am CST Nakba Commemoration Panel Webinar – hosted by Friends of Sabeel-North America (FOSNA). This panel features Palestinian activist: Ahed Tamim, in conversation with Indigenous scholar-activist,Melanie Yazzie, and Palestinian American activist, Nadya Tannous. From Palestine to Turtle Island (North America) settler colonialism continues to exploit land and natural resources to the detriment of indigenous communities. These powerful women will share past and present stories of Indigenous resistance to colonialism, connecting their struggles for liberation. To register for the webinar, visit: https://fosna.nationbuilder.com/nakba_2020?utm_campaign=nakba2020_invite&utm_medium=email&utm_source=fosna

Sun. May 17^th 1:00 pm CST CENSORED! – Al Jazeera’s Documentary on the Israel Lobby-USA. Screening of a one-hour summary of the four-part Al Jazeera 2016 investigative report that was never allowed to air, followed by Q&A. The film exposes the efforts of Israel and its lobbyists to spy on, smear and intimidate US citizens who support Palestinian human rights, especially BDS – the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. It shows that Israel’s semi-covert, black-ops government agency, the Ministry of Strategic Affairs, is operating this effort in collusion with an extensive network of US-based organizations. To participate, please join the Zoom meeting:https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Px0pxKHSSp-TgFmnMWXSpA?_x_zm_rtaid=1EQmMZpyReqhhZXt2fEyww.1588985856778.4dcb72c40d4ef9aaf48554d4eea5bd7b&_x_zm_rhtaid=390

Thurs. May 21^st 6:00 pm Flu Pandemic of 1918 in Wisconsin – virtual event with Dr. Kurt E. Leichtle, History Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin River Falls, and hosted by the Mount Horeb Area Historical Society. For those of us living through it, the widespread and devastating effects of the novel coronavirus global pandemic feel completely unprecedented. But historians can’t help but see parallels and similarities between today’s pandemic and the deadly influenza that circled the planet over a century ago, infecting roughly 1 in 3 and responsible for as many as 50 million deaths.
Dr. Leichtle will focus on the events and effects of the 1918 flu pandemic in a world context and translate that back to events in Wisconsin. He will also ask us to consider how 1918’s experience can inform our reactions to and defenses against the current pandemic—what lessons can history teach us?

This event is FREE, but registration is required to obtain the weblink (you can also choose to join by phone. To register, email: mthorebahs@gmail.com (please include “5-21 Pandemic Virtual Event” in the subject line) or call 608-437-6486. More info, visit the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/690430821525155/

Support Neighbor Loaves through the Artisan Grain Collaborative!

Through this COVID-19 inspired initiative, you can help support family farmers, local millers, artisanal bakers, and their communities! Now more than ever we need a regional grain value chain and community access to high qualitybread – you can also buy a loaf to share with someone in need!

More info? Visit: http://graincollaborative.com/neighbor-loaves/

Get Involved with the Food Justice Garden Project!

The Dane County TimeBank, Rooted, and Feed to Go are linking to grow farm-fresh produce and redistribute it to the families that are most impacted by food injustice and structural racism.

Rooted is a nonprofit agriculture production and education-focused organization, that operates Troy Farm on Madison’s Northside. Rooted’s Troy Farm will distribute $31,000 worth of vegetables this growing season to more than 60 families. TimeBank members can help make this happen.

To make this happen, Rooted’s Troy Farm has greatly ramped up production and the TimeBank has made this work the focus of our garden project this year. We need your help. Rooted is looking for Timebank members who can commit to four (4) hours of work per week working on the farm and/or helping with packaging food.

With a 4 hour per week commitment through the growing season, you can earn a box of produce weekly if you are experiencing food insecurity or you can redistribute that box to a family who needs it through Rooted’s partnerships with the local community centers. Let’s work together to grow, teach, share, and make sure everyone has fresh and healthy food to eat!

To learn more and to sign up contact: info@danecountytimebank.org or call 608-663-0400.

OM Village Spring Plant Sale – Safer-at-Home Edition!

Occupy Madison (OM) has been growing hundreds of happy vegetable, herb, and flower seedings in our greenhouse… and we’re ready to get them safely to you for your gardens! This year’s OM spring plant sale is as easy as one, two, three:

1.) purchase your plants online, here: https://occupy-madison.square.site/

2.) Write down your pick-up date! For orders placed between Monday 12 pm and Thursday 12 pm, pick up is that Friday after 12 pm. For orders placed between Thursday 12 pm and Monday 12 pm, pick up is Tuesday after 12 pm

3.) When it’s time, come to the OM Village (304 N. Third St.) and look under the tent for the bag with your name on it!

We’ll keep our OM spring plant sale open as long as we have seedlings available. Shop early for the best selection! The seedlings have been grown in a rich soil mix with Purple Cow organic compost, soil, sand, and nutrients, and tended daily with love.

All sales support Occupy Madison Inc, a membership non-profit organization whose mission is to join together to creatively work towards a more humane and sustainable world. OM Village includes five tiny homes, a woodworking shop, greenhouse, raised bed gardens, and store (closed during Safer-at-Home). For more info, visit:https://occupymadisoninc.com/

Call from Madison Public Library for “Stories from a Distance” during COVID-19!

The Living History Project, Madison Public Library’s community history platform, is gathering narratives in a new initiative called Stories from a Distance. The unprecedented social distancing people are doing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will have far-reaching consequences for individuals, as well as Madison businesses, schools, government, voting, and more.

Stories from a Distance will be collected in three ways:

• Short audio or written interviews with community members that can be conducted online, via phone or through other mediums. Trained facilitators are available to help anyone interested in sharing their story.
• Share a story or moment by submitting an image that evokes this time for you and a written response to it – the response can be a song, poem, short essay or even a brief caption.
• If you’ve posted or shared a story elsewhere already, you can submit a public link for sharing in the Stories from a Distance collection.

Stories from a Distance will gather and share narratives related to COVID-19 and Safer at Home until March 2021. The scope of the project is limited to anyone with a strong Madison connection. For more info, visit: https://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/new/living-history-project-%E2%80%9Cstories-distance%E2%80%9D

Support Madison Teen Activists Getting Menstrual Products to Those in Need During the Pandemic!

Because of COVID-19, most schools, businesses, public facilities, and places of work have been closed, yet 25% ofthose who menstruate rely on educational institutions and local businesses to provide period products each month. At such an unsettled and uncertain time, many community centers have also neglected to recognize menstrual products as basic necessities, that are unsafe for people to go without. Period products should be of the same concern as other health products like toothbrushes, hand sanitizer, and soap. Whatever funds are raised will be used to help local shelters, schools, and health facilities in Wisconsin provide free menstrual products to those who would otherwise not be able to afford them.

To support this effort, visit the Go Fund Me page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/r5pq7-menstrual-product-accessibility-during-a-pandemic

Support Dane County Community Defense!

Mutual aid in this time of crisis is critical and Dane County Community Defenseis in need of more donations and volunteers! They need helping calling folks in need, as well as pointing them towards other resources available in the community.

For more details about this community solidarity effort and to sign up for volunteering, please visit:https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQw7ptVb-w6FC1xxhEmw_uwN72BrsQMVlBWwv6hy_VG_91SBwF2QiSytoORlUNOP5l12xiw2foGMgK7/pubhtml?gid=1121011970&single=true

You can also make donations for this effort, by visiting: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/social-justice-center-inc/dane-county-mutual-aid-crisis-response-fund

You can also support growing community demands to release folks from the Dane County Jail whose only real “crime” is being too poor to afford a cash bond! Prisons are proven disease incubators that need to be emptied out as much as possible in this time of pandemic. Money should be diverted instead to healthcare and housing, especially for people who will be homeless upon release! Call Sheriff Mahoney, DA Ozanne, the circuit court judges, and your Dane County Board Supervisor using this sample phone script: bit.ly/dcjscript Connect with PSL Madison for future car caravan protests and other actions – more info at: https://www.facebook.com/events/903339126755571/

The Free The 350 Bail Fund is also holding a series on online concerts to raise money to free folks in Dane County Jail who don’t have enough money to pay their bail!

To support this effort, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/161708938574676/

Buy One for a Neighbor Needs your support!

Access to safe local healthy food is a top priority in times like these, especially for those already barely making ends meet. This effort will be contracting with area farmers now for produce to distribute to struggling families all season long. Farmers won’t have to worry if markets are closed or sparsely attended and we ensure low-income neighbors have access to healthy local food. To make a donation and find out more, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/feed-the-people-and-save-the-farms

The Dane County Farmer Market and Fair Share CSA Coalition have also set up an Emergency Farmer Fund to assist local growers whose markets have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

To support this effort, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/emergency-farmer-fund

You can also support Farm to Families Fund / Fundo de Granjas a Familias!

This emergency initiative between REAP, Roots4Change, and Rooted will purchase fresh, healthy, locally grown food from regional family farms and provide it to Madison-area Latino/Indigenous residents and families hard-hit by job loss, food insecurity, lack of access to social services, and federal anti-immigration provisions.  These boxes contain purchased and donated produce, protein and grains from area growers and producers. Community members who are now unemployed due to the pandemic will also be paid to deliver the food to the homes of the recipient families. To contribute to this effort, visit: http://reapfoodgroup.org/farms-to-families/

And since we also know that our undocumented friends, relatives, and co-workers will NOT be receiving any federal COVID-19 relief checks from the $2 trillion package that just passed Congress, please consider making donations to support folks in that community!

Voces de la Frontera Direct Relief Fund:https://voces.ourpowerbase.net/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=16

Centro Hispano’s Latino Consortium for Action (LAC) Emergency Relief Fund: http://www.micentro.org/LCA-COVID-19-relief.html

If you want to support your favorite restaurant/tavern/food service worker who may now be out of job for awhile, check out the Madison Virtual Tip Jar: https://tipyourserver.org/MSN/

And there is a similar initiative for struggling out-of-work musicians and artists underway:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScDmqDoyREg9zpsiP2cq_l5uv96RvSQX2N6LMyxOOqYGRSKiA/viewform

As we deal with this historic pandemic, the Wisconsin State Historical is also working hard to collect people’s stories of struggle and solidarity throughout this wholepandemic experience. You can find out more details and share your stories here: https://wisconsinhistory.org/records/Article/CS16333

Lastly, the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice (WNPJS) has a very comprehensive listing of mutual aid efforts and other solidarity opportunities statewide which is constantly being updated. For the latest updated version, pleasevisit: http://www.wnpj.org/COVID-19

WATER MAIN FLUSHING SCHEDULE

Water Main Flushing plans beginning Monday, May 11th (all flushing is daytime unless otherwise noted)