Dane101: Madison's Collaborative Blog
May 18, 2012
15:15
On the day of the recall primary election, Democratic candidates Kathleen Falk and Tom Barrett both made stops at the UW-Madison campus, shaking hands, telling them about the election, and encouraging students to vote.
And Wisconsinites did vote, not quite reaching 30 percent statewide, and 41 percent in the city of Madison, reaching the highest turnout for a partisan primary since 1952. But by the end of the night, when all the votes were tallied, it was clear that students, who were instrumental in the start of the union protests last February, had not turned out for the primary. Campus wards had the lowest turnout in the entire city, and ward 56, whose residents vote at Gordon Commons, had the lowest: just under 7 percent turned out. Other campus wards had turnout ranging from 8 percent at Memorial Library, to the low- and mid-teens at Porchlight, the Lowell Center, the Doyle Administration Building, and Fire Station #1 on Dayton Street. Student-heavy neighborhoods off campus tended to fare better, with 25 percent reported at the Gates of Heaven Synagogue on East Gorham, and 26 percent in the Brittingham neighborhood. Eagle Heights, the campus graduate student neighborhood, had 28 percent turnout.
“Turnout numbers were much lower than we expected,” said District 8 Alder Scott Resnik, who represents the UW-Madison campus on the Madison Common Council. On the other hand, he said, it’s always been difficult to get out the student vote, especially in non-presidential years.
“We always think we know where the record low turnouts are at, and then a new election disappoints us,” he said. “That’s pretty much been the trend over the last eight years.”
Categories: MadBlogs
08:58
Today is May 18. On this date in 1652 Rhode Island passes the first law in English-speaking North America making slavery illegal.
* WSJ: Report shows Wisconsin lost nearly 6,000 jobs in April
* AC: DNR announces easement to save 67,000 acres in northern four counties
* C3k: Devil's Lake death prompts investigation
* ShepEx: How Do You Solve a Problem Like Justice Prosser?
* Progressive: Blowing the Whistle on ALEC in Wisconsin
* MC: UW Transportation Services proposes reduction in campus bus routes
* CD: Scott Fitzgerald A Year in Review
* FL: Occupy Madison: Oh, the Needles! The Hazards!
* MadTable: Madison’s House of Brews Slow But Steady
* AVC: Paul’s Club is moving and taking its tree with it
* TCO: Calliope Ice Cream at Weary Traveler
* FS: Peruvian Morning Recall, No Crap on Tap, and A Few More Beer Notes
Categories: MadBlogs
May 17, 2012
15:57
License Renewals and Non-renewals
All Madison liquor licenses run through the last day of June, so each summer every establishment has to reapply for its liquor and, if applicable, entertainment license. Most of these are approved in bulk, but by requast of an alder, the police, or the city attorney, a renewal application can be separated and discussed in more detail.
The schedule is even tighter than normal this year, according to City Alcohol Policy Coordinator Mark Woulf, because Wisconsin state law requires the city to have all renewals approved by June 15. In order to handle separated applications, the committee will need to hold at least one special session before the June 12 meeting of the Common Council. Assistant City Attorney Jennifer Zilavy, who handles alcohol license related prosecutions, will be on vacation until the day after Memorial Day, so the committee has a fairly small window.
The establishments separated for discussion are:
Little Manhattan - 6718 Odana Rd
Segredo - 624 University Ave
Whiskey River Saloon - 552 State St
Osaka House - 505 State St
Plan B - 924 Willy St
Taqueria Guadalajara - 1033 S Park St
Orpheum Theatre - 216 State St
Plan B looks to be the one that will generate the most controversy. Several neighbors were present to speak against the club's application being renewed, and both the owners and some neighbors have retained lawyers.
Woulf said that the owners were notified only 26 hours before the meeting, which he called "legal but not polite," so the committee referred all but one of the applications to the special session they will schedule in early June.
Zilavy is pushing a nonrenewal of Little Manhattan's license citing in the complaint "various liquor law violations and safety concerns" including a shooting, being far over capacity, and selling liquor (they're only licensed for beer and wine). Committee Chair David Hart asked for volunteers for an ad hoc subcommittee to hold the hearing for Little Manhattan and report back to ALRC. Comittee Members Sam Stevenson and Tom Landgraf and Alder Lisa Subeck volunteered to serve with Hart on the subcommittee.
All other licenses which had been submitted on time were approved for renewal.
Categories: MadBlogs
13:45
Another day, another poll. In a rare treat Wisconsin has been the focus of three polls over three days. Wednesday from the Marquette University Law School, Tuesday from Public Policy Polling, and Monday from the secretive We Ask America. All of the polls show Governor Scott Walker leading Democrat Tom Barrett by nine percent on the high end and four percent on the low end.
The nine percent gap comes from Illinois pollster We Ask America. That poll was conducted on behalf of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association and shows Walker with 52 percent of the vote with Barrett taking 43 percent. The organization claims a margin of error of plus or minus 2.81 percent, but they've ignored requests from various organizations to view their polling cross tabs, so it's impossible to corroborate the numbers.
We Ask America doesn't have the best track record when it comes to polling Wisconsin recalls. In 2011, they were the only pollster to suggest the recall battle between Democratic State Senator Jim Holperin and Tea Party challenger Kim Simac was within two points. The result of that poll being released was a flurry of excitement on the conservative side of the electorate who suddenly saw an opportunity for victory where there previously hadn't been. The end result was a nearly 10-point spread which was closer to the polling results of Public Policy Polling.
Categories: MadBlogs
11:00
In association with the Netroots Nation conference happening this June in Providence, Rhode Island - Netroots Wisconsin will be taking place this Sunday in Chippewa Falls and aims to "unite the Cheddarsphere" with a day of programming on everything from getting up-to-date with blogging technology to sand mining in the state, as well as film screenings and networking.
The "Cheddarsphere" is the quaint name given to the blogging community in Wisconsin, a group that has only grown larger and more diverse over the past several years, and in many ways helps to shape the cultural and political landscape here.
Netroots Wisconsin is a non-partisan conference aimed at bringing together the people who make up that community in real life, to meet, talk shop, and learn a few things.
Registration for the event is now open online, though you can also register day-of.
Featured sessions include the Wisconsin War on the Environment led by Tom Stolp of the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters, and a session on the Influence of Money on Wisconsin Politics with Mike McCabe of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.
In addition to workshops and panel discussions two film screenings will also be held at the event: A sneak-peak of the new "We Are Wisconsin" documentary of the uprising at the Capitol in 2011, as well as "Koch Brothers Exposed."
Netroots Wisconsin 2012 will be held at the Avalon Hotel and Conference Center in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin on Sunday, May 20.
Categories: MadBlogs
07:00
Today is May 17, 2012. On this date in 2004, Massachusetts legalized marriage for same-sex couples.
* BB: Scott Walker’s new “jobs” numbers are an absolute farce
Categories: MadBlogs
May 16, 2012
17:30
Astrophysicist and internet meme Neil deGrasse Tyson gave a lecture last Thursday to a packed Memorial Union Terrace that ranged in topic from the need for continued space exploration to how crucial science and math literacy are for our country and its economy.
Dressed in jeans, blazer, and sunglasses, Tyson charmed the pants off the Senior Day (plus plenty of other interested parties) attendees - garnering huge cheers when he referenced a recent Reddit AMA session, and took time out to tweet something he'd just said on stage: "If we're not careful the 2010s will become decade of 50-year anniversaries of stuff that happened in the 1960s."
The AV Club in Madison summed the event up well: "...his stellar observations pointed toward how space exploration has, often times unnoticeably, affected our culture, from the V-2 rocket being the inspiration behind fins on cars to the Apollo 8 mission’s photo of the Earth rising over the moon driving the first thoughts of global society and its impact on the planet. Dr. Tyson argued that America’s quest for innovation no longer had motivation—be it driven by money, glory, or the will to survive—but that the thrill and awe that comes with new discoveries would be all the drive needed to perpetuate advancement."
Dane101's Christie Taylor was on hand to record most of the lecture and the Q&A that followed, which you can stream below.
Neil deGrasse Tyson at UW-Madison: May 10, 2012 by dane101
Categories: MadBlogs
15:20
*AVC: Recap: Neil deGrasse Tyson at the Memorial Union Terrace.
*Marketwatch: Study finds ethanol kept gas prices down more than $1 in 2011.
*UW: In metallic glasses, scientists find new atomic structures.
*JG: Study: Janesville man’s invention removes mercury from fish.
*GS: Wild whooping crane chick hatches in Wisconsin.
*MJS (paywall): Genetic sequencing center to be added to Milwaukee’s WATER Institute.
*AP: First of 2 papers on lab-grown bird flu published.
*DNR: Wisconsin bats get a clean bill of health.
*WRT: UW-Madison red-tailed hawk family a hit on the web.
*TDP: UW-Madison using NASA 'drone' to study hurricanes.
Events!
Tonight:
Wednesday Nite at the Lab: Antiviral drugs and vaccines: Insights from the modeled structure of Rhinovirus C. 7-8:15, auditorum of 425 Henry Mall. Free!
Two Eclipsing Events: Planetarium presentation on the upcoming May 20 solar eclipse and the June 5 transit of Venus in front of the sun - the last such occurrence we’ll see in our lifetime. Learn the history of these events and how to view them safely. 6:30 and 7:45 p.m., Memorial High School Planetarium. $2.50.
Friday:
Adult Swim Science Soiree: A grownups-only night at the Madison Children’s Museum, with science presentations, rooftop dancing, and live band. 6 p.m., Madison Children’s Museum. $12. (Advance purchase recommended)
Saturday:
International Migratory Bird Day: International Crane Foundation presentations on migratory birds and their preservation work. Noon - 4 p.m., Henry Vilas Zoo. Free!
Wednesday, May 23
Wednesday Nite at the Lab: 100 years of Cosmic Ray discovery. 7 - 8:15 p.m., Auditorium, 425 Henry Mall. Free!
Nerd Nite: Short science talks that go well with beer. This month: microscopes, videogames, and the evolution of intoxication. 8 p.m., High Noon Saloon. Free!
Categories: MadBlogs
11:30
Enjoy drinks and conversation with dane101 and friends, and get a chance to become one of the first sustaining members the organization!
We’re hosting a happy hour to launch our new membership program. Join us to learn about how you can support the cultural events and grassroots journalism that dane101 produces in our community. We’re throwing this party for supporters like you so we can share our plans for the future and let everyone know how they can help dane101 grow.
Thursday, May 17
The Fountain, 122 State St., thefountainofmadison.com
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Free admission, new members welcome
Being a member who supports dane101 can include benefits such as advanced notice of events, a special edition t-shirt, and even VIP access or free tickets to popular dane101 events like the Fire Ball, Freakin' Halloweekend, and Geekesque Burlesque. With the support of our fiscal sponsor, the Center for Community Stewardship, donations to dane101 are tax-deductible.
See you there!
Categories: MadBlogs
08:50
Today is May 16, 2012. On this date in 1969 Venera 5, a Soviet spaceprobe, lands on Venus.
* C3k: Officials concerned about spike in whooping cough cases
* MJS: Conflict causes delay in absentee ballots
* WSJ: Sentencing postponed for Walker aide Wink
* WKOW: Former Walker aide tied to No-Call list violator
* Ungar: Scott Walker Magically Turns Dismal Wisconsin Job Numbers Into A Pre-Election Miracle
* WSJ: Boston developer submits winning — and only — bid for Hilldale
* WSJ: Madison rated fifth most 'bikeable' city in nation
* Nation: Did Scott Walker Lie Under Oath to Congress?
* MT: 11th Annual Taste of Willy St. Features 20-Plus Eateries
* EiMA2Z: Aranda's: DeForest has been owed this place for a while.
* FS: Some new labels from Wisconsin breweries
Categories: MadBlogs
May 15, 2012
11:42
Updated: 4:45 p.m.
You can already get a start on voting in the June 5 recall election pitting Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett against Governor Scott Walker. Vacationers, students, and the extremely busy can request absentee ballots, as long as they are registered to vote* at their current address before requesting the absentee ballot.
Absentee ballots can be requested from local clerks by mail, fax, or e-mail: in Madison, the e-mail address for City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl is voting@cityofmadison.com. In an e-mail request, you must include your name, address, the address to which the ballot should be sent, and a signature, plus which election the ballot is for, e.g. “The June 5 recall election.” To snail-mail your request, download the request form from the Government Accountability Board website and mail it to (for Madison voters):
Madison City Clerk
210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. #103
Madison, WI 53703.
Voters outside Madison should refer to the directory of city and county clerks to find the appropriate contact information.
Ballots, which should have been available Tuesday, won’t actually become available until Friday, thanks to a clash between the state's general election and recall calendars. The clerk’s office must receive your request by 5 p.m. on the Thursday before the election: so for the recall, that’s the 31st of May. If you are returning your ballot in person, you must return it to the clerk’s office no later than the day of the election: if you return it by mail, the ballot must be postmarked the day of the election, and received no later than the Friday following (June 8).
Beginning Monday, May 21, voters can also vote absentee in person--”early voting”--at their city clerk’s office. In Madison, this takes place at the City-County Building at 210 Martin Luther King Ave., 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., until the end of the business day on Friday June 1. Over Memorial Day weekend the hours will be 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. on May 26, noon until 4 p.m. on May 27 and times TBD for Memorial Day.
Categories: MadBlogs
07:00
Today is May 15, 2012. On this day in 1972, the island of Okinawa became part of Japan. It had been under U.S. jurisdiction since the end of World War II.
* C3K: Madison school officials debut new achievement gap plan
* MJS (paywall): Wisconsin's application for flexibility under the federal No Child Left Behind law is at risk of being denied
* CT: Dunkin' Donuts mixed-use building plan on Park Street nears final OK
* MC: East Johnson and Gorham to remain one-way streets pending tonight's City Council meeting
Categories: MadBlogs
May 14, 2012
11:20
Scott Fitzgerald thinks his opponent and main recall organizer Lori Compas isn't actually the driving force behind her own campaign.
In a Wisconsin State Journal article published Sunday the state senator questions what's described as Compas' "Pollyanna" image, instead suggesting that her husband, Eric Compas, a UW-Whitewater professor, as well as unions and protest groups, are the ones really pulling the strings.
"I don't for one minute believe she is the organizing force behind this whole thing," said Fitzgerald.
Compas, for her part, was "audibly stunned" when the reporter relayed Fitzgerald's comments to her.
"That is pretty insulting, but it does seem in keeping with his general views on women," she said. "He doesn't seem to have a lot of respect for them. That's OK; he can keep underestimating me."
Compas is calling on Fitzgerald to accept her invitation to hold five debates in the district before the election on June 5, an offer the senator has yet to address.
She also released a video response lampooning Fitzgerald's accusations, called "Welcome to the 21st century."
"My husband, Eric, is a supportive and intelligent man, but the assumption that he is the mastermind behind my success is insulting," Compas said in a release.
The kerfuffle over his words has received some national attention as well. The blog Jezebel quickly picked up the story, editorializing that they understood why Compas would be stunned because, "this is 2012, after all, when we're at least supposed pretend that we think women are fully-functioning adults."
The Huffington Post and Daily Kos also picked up the story.
Compas faces an uphill battle against the entrenched incumbent. The most recent poll of the race from April puts Fitzgerald up 54 percent to 40 percent, and his fundraising numbers are much higher, too, at $427,374 to Compas' $103,822.
Categories: MadBlogs
07:30
Today is May 14, 2012. On this day in 1796, Edward Jenner administered the first vaccine for smallpox, which was the first-ever vaccine. The last naturally occurring case was documented in 1977. In 1980, the World Health Organization certified that the disease had been eradicated worldwide.
*DK: Mother’s Day misogyny: WI State Senator Scott Fitzgerald.
*TP: Scott Walker’s ‘divide and conquer’: the court implications.
*WisconsinWatch: Walker’s official work time declines as national fame grows.
*CD: Walker’s surplus.
*GBPG: Walker: “Everything in my power” to prevent right-to-work.
*TCT: It didn’t take “divide and conquer” to sway police union against Walker.
*TDT: 5 reasons to ignore the local editorial page.
*BPE: Sand mining coming to a town near you: best fracking sand is in Wisconsin
*MJS (paywall): Three justices say rejected Judicial Commission reappointment goes against “the court’s long-standing practice.”
*it: WJC v. David Prosser, the story so far.
*UW: State of Wisconsin private consultants keep right on getting pay raises.
*WSJ: State GOP can’t agree on Senate candidate.
*BC: Effort to recall Sen. Bob Jauch is OFF.
Breakfast Bonus Video (after the jump):
Categories: MadBlogs
May 11, 2012
11:00
Scott Walker discussed his plans to use a "divide and conquer" strategy with unions in a discussion with his biggest campaign donor in a newly released video from an event in January 2011, shortly before the governor released his budget repair bill.
The video, a preview clip from a forthcoming documentary film by Brad Lichtenstein, was obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in advance of the movie's release. A full transcript of the conversation between Walker and Diane Hendricks is available here.
Lichtenstein was "on site to videotape a meeting of the economic development group Rock County 5.0. The conversation took place in ABC's foyer just before Hendricks escorted Walker into the Rock County 5.0 meeting."
Hendricks, the billionaire co-founder of ABC supply, gave Walker's campaign $510,000 after this conversation took place, making her his single-largest donor and the also the largest donation to a candidate in state history.
In the video, Walker responds to Hendricks' question about how to turn Wisconsin into a red, right-to-work state: "The first step is, we're going to deal with collective bargaining for all public employee unions, because you use divide and conquer."
Many of Walker's opponents have accused the governor of not mentioning his plans for collective bargaining while on the campaign trail in 2010, something they say might have changed the outcome of his election. The governor now faces a recall on June 5, in a re-match against Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.
Categories: MadBlogs
May 10, 2012
17:00
Who says you can't have a good time while doing good? The KICKSTANDcollaborative will be throwing a "Burlesque for Breasts" benefit and awareness event on Friday, May 11 at the Cardinal Bar in Madison for that very purpose.
Aimed at raising money for the UW-Carbone Cancer Center's breast cancer research fund, the night will feature neo-burlesque, comedy, dance, and spoken word, among other things, in an effort to titillate and educate all at once.
Kit Stanley, the founder of the collaborative and a recent graduate of the UW's Dance and Political Science departments, says the hope is that the event will help "increase breast cancer knowledge and promote self-screening in order to catch the disease early."
Stanley and co-organizer Sarah Mitchell both answered a few questions about the idea behind the event, and how they'll be mixing entertainment with crucial information:
dane101: What's the background of the Collaborative? How long have you been around/what have you done?
Kit Stanley (KS): I started KICKSTANDcollaborative when I was still an undergraduate student at UW-Madison in order to give a platform for my own work, but also to create open connections and collaborations with other artists. The collective really focuses on uniting movement and performance artists with each other by producing opportunities for them to perform together.
I believe in art and the value it has in our communities so I strive to involve our artists in accessible, local, low-cost and free performances whenever possible. KICKSTAND has been part of performances in Madison-area community centers, schools, galleries, and performance spaces, as well as extensively across campus--including a performance as recently as last Thursday with the UW-Madison Wind Ensemble.
dane101: Why breast cancer? What inspired you to do something to raise money for fighting the disease, and why a burlesque?
KS: I have lost two of my aunts in their fights against breast cancer, so this issue is particularly close to me.
Sarah Mitchell (SM): However, I think everyone knows someone who's been affected by the disease. Women have a one-in-eight chance of being diagnosed in their lifetime.
Categories: MadBlogs
15:00
During the Mercury Short Shorts days at Mercury Lounge some time ago I remember being intrigued by a selection from Rob Matsushita’s in-process play 900, which would later have a reading there.
The setup was simple--a conversation between a phone sex operator and a client--but I was fascinated by the potential of seeing a relationship develop in that context and “in real time” between two interesting characters.
900 is a self-identified love story, and the stakes have the potential to be enticingly high where one party hanging up could mean the characters never interact again This month at Broom Street Theater is the premiere of 900 as a full-length production, and it’s quite a remarkable experience.
I had a couple of perspectives as I watched the play. As a writer, I was intellectually interested in the anatomy of the conversation, and observing the process by which Augustina (Katherine Boomsma) and Ben (N-dig0) revealed information about themselves through evocative biographical stories and by reacting to one another. One of the great things about the script is how it feels like a natural conversation yet is constructed in a way that is dramatically engaging. The dialogue is smart and engrossing without being showily clever, and Matsushita has an artful touch in his use of words to create tension and, at just the right time, alleviate it with a sharp, funny line.
In addition to being aware of the writing craft on display, as an audience member I was caught up emotionally in the story. It was a pleasure to watch actors Boomsma and N-dig0 as their characters went on their journey.
Categories: MadBlogs
13:00
Friday will look good to you if you head out to Spring Green's Shitty Barn to see Saturday Looks Good To Me with Wild Moccasins. The SBS website describes the bands thusly:
Born as a basement recording project in the year 2000, Saturday Looks Good To Me brought together the jubilant fun of Motown and Northern soul with a decidedly indie approach. Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Fred Thomas poured generations of influences ranging from as widely as the Beach Boys to Guided by Voices into dusty pocket symphonies recorded on four track cassettes. Enlisting friends from a community of musicians for one-time recording sessions was easy enough, but soon the band started performing live, and the membership became a little harder to pin down. Rather than commit to one given lineup, Thomas opted for a revolving door style with the live group, and players and vocalists often changed from tour to tour. This made for dramatic changes in sound, too. It wasn't uncommon for Saturday to show up in a town for the first time as a gentle chamber pop ensemble and come back a year later doing the same songs in a garage rock style with all new band members.
With a collection of songs that web male-female vocals of couple Zahira Gutierrez and Cody Swann, as well as pop-infused percussion and string work, Wild Moccasins, a quintet of 20-somethings from Houston, TX, offer a sound that balances a musical guile beyond the band’s years. Wild Moccasins are perhaps best known in their native Texas for their uncanny ability to sell-out live shows. The mere release of their EP, Microscopic Metronomes & then Full Length, Skin Collision Past, actually resulted in some significant amount of press noting how they are one of the few local acts that have no trouble selling out a show. The explanation behind their passionate fan base can be found in the one aspect of Wild Moccasins that is most prevalent: their energy. The passion for music that all five members emit both in the studio and on the stage is one to marvel at.
You can buy tickets for the 7 p.m. show at Brown Paper Tickets or if you're lucky you can win ticket right now by writing "Saturday Looks Good To Me" on our Facebook wall. First person to do so wins a pair of tickets!
You can see the complete Shitty Barn Session calendar here and be sure to watch our site for a very special event we're coordinating with SBS in July.
Categories: MadBlogs
11:00
The "Barrett & Mitchell" signs are already printed, the clipboards are stacked at the ready, and the sign-up sheets are empty and waiting for bodies to fill nearly a month's worth of volunteering shifts.
Wisconsin Democrats kicked off the home stretch of the campaign to recall Governor Scott Walker Wednesday with a series of events geared to promote unity behind primary winner Tom Barrett and the recall cause itself, and to stir up the volunteers who they see as vital in turning out the necessary number of voters come June 5.
Campaign offices statewide kicked off the next phase with a day of action that included knocking on doors and phonebanking to remind voters of the looming, ever-important general election.
At the Madison headquarters on North Bassett Street about three dozen volunteers had a visit from firefighter Mahlon Mitchell, who will face Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch in June.
Mitchell spoke briefly about the community liaison-like role he saw for himself in the position, the boots on the ground where the governor might not have the time to go himself. And he described the issues he hoped to tackle: jobs, education, poverty, and the state’s high incarceration rates for young black men.
“Nobody wants to talk about that because it’s not a feelgood issue, but I want to talk about it and I want to shed light on it,” he said. “We live in an economy but we also live in a society. And a society’s job is to take care of its people.”
Mitchell said that, looking down the barrel of Walker’s millions in out-of-state donations, it would be the volunteers who made the difference.
Categories: MadBlogs
07:00
Today is May 10, 2012. On this date in 1774, Louis XVI & Marie Antoinette became king & queen of France. This evening in Madison dane101 co-founder Jesse Russell will marry Madolan Greene.
* CT: Waunakee voters reveal divisions over Scott Walker and the recall
* GB: WI Recall Primary Shows Dems with Advantage, But No Room for Complacency
* RAD: Why Falk lost
* TDP: Mahlon Mitchell's recall run for lieutenant governor will also be a referendum on Walker
* C3K: Resolution to make food access a human right faces Dane County Board
Categories: MadBlogs