With the region emerging from a polar vortex and the burying of the Yahara Lakes beneath feet of snow and ice, summertime flooding might feel like a lifetime away.
Madison businesses may receive fines for cooling down with both air conditioning and windows if the city council passes a bill later this month. The bill, proposed by Ald. Ledell Zellers, District 2, aims to lessen the city’s greenhouse gas emissions by reducing energy use, as much of the city is still reliant on non-renewable sources of energy like fossil fuels. Businesses found in violation of the rule would be fined $50 for their first offense, $100 for their second and $250 for every subsequent offense.
Madison police were forced to pause some services during the polar vortex, but as ice melted this weekend, violent crimes across the city had them out in full force.
In celebration of the first day of Black History Month, state legislatures acknowledged the challenging story of America’s foundation by highlighting the strong resilience of African American people and the unfinished work to achieve equity across the state.
Madison Police Department is investigating an attack of a woman that occurred early this morning.
Contrary to earlier proposals, lowering lake levels may not in fact be the best way to lessen the impacts of future flooding, according to a new report.
The idea of granting personhood to a lake might seem far-out by Western logic, but consider that, at least in the U.S., corporations can be legally defined as citizens. In many nations around the world, governments are taking a stand to protect their waters and lands by granting them personhood too.
Universities across Wisconsin canceled classes Wednesday due to extreme weather conditions, giving students the day off, but also bringing attention to a pertinent issue affecting the state — climate change. Windchill temperatures accompanying a “polar vortex” reached 50 degrees below zero, prompting Gov. Tony Evers to sign an executive order that declared a state of emergency and closed non-essential state government offices.
As Madison braces for a day with record-setting low temperatures, the city government is effectively shutting down operations until warmer weather prevails. Madison Mayor Paul Soglin announced Tuesday all city offices would be closed Wednesday, when temperatures are expected to reach as low as -25 degrees, as well as Thursday. Though the offices will be closed, Soglin said city staff would be given the option to either go in or work from home.
Legislators proposed a new bill to support non-violent offenders’ ability to re-enter the workforce after fulfilling their sentences by extending criminal record expungement policies. The legislation will allow non-violent, low-level criminal offenders the opportunity to clear their record, regardless of their age, after their sentence has been completed at the discretion of a judge.
The UW-Madison Student Services Finance Committee heard budget requests from the Child Care Tuition Assistance Program and the ASM Transportation Board during their meeting Monday night.
In response to the record-low temperatures and wind chill forecast this week, Gov. Tony Evers signed his fifth executive order on Monday, calling for a state of emergency in all of Wisconsin. Due to the life-threatening temperatures and extreme snowfall, Evers informed the public about the potential dangers of spending too much time outside. The executive order was put in place to prepare the state to take necessary precautions.
Following a snow emergency warning issued Sunday, Madison and Dane County services geared up to deal with the fallout of snow storms and extreme temperatures predicted for Monday and Wednesday. While the city of Madison prepared for possible frozen pipes, the Dane County Regional Airport does not expect to see any change in their services due to either the snow storms early in the week or the extreme cold expected Wednesday.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin called for a vote Monday on a new bill she has co-sponsored that would provide compensation to federal workers impacted by the government shutdown. The Back Pay Fairness Act was introduced by Sen. Doug Jones, D-Alabama, to fund additional costs created by unreceived paychecks. It guarantees employees full back-pay, as well as reimbursement for other accumulated interests, such as costs associated with loans and late bill fees.
Wisconsin’s position in the lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act remains unclear five days after the governor announced his desire to withdraw. However, on Friday, Democratic committee members of the Joint Committee on Finance sent a letter to the Republican co-chairs requesting the committee to convene.
Madison city officials declared a snow emergency Sunday in anticipation of heavy snowfall and below-zero temperatures expected in the coming week. The snow emergency, in effect until Tuesday morning, comes as weather experts predict up to a foot of snow will fall Sunday night to Monday morning. As a result, all cars parked on the street in the snow emergency zone will have to park on the even-numbered side of the street Sunday night or risk towing.
While officials announced that the government shutdown may finally be coming to an end today — or least to a temporary pause — for Native communities across the state and around the country, the funding crisis is far from over.
A 28-year-old man and several teenage accomplices have been arrested by Madison police in connection with a string of robberies in December 2018, police chief Mike Koval announced in a press conference Thursday. Police believe the man, identified as Madison resident Eric Clay, was involved in six crimes in Madison and Sun Prairie on Dec. 14 and 15, including three taxi cab robberies. Koval said Clay is also the primary suspect in an armed home invasion, gas station robbery and stick up of two teenage girls. He was taken into custody on Jan. 8 on a probation hold and is now facing five counts of party to a crime of armed robbery.
TSA workers are among the most directly affected by the shutdown and may experience difficulty long after the government reopens.
The largest snow storm of the season continues the city's snow emergency warning into Thursday.
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