The downtown Logan’s Madtown Bar and Restaurant is poised to permanently close its doors after a city committee gave the establishment 15 days to relinquish its liquor license. Logan’s general manager Adam Mais represented the establishment at an Alcohol License Review Committee hearing Tuesday. He told ALRC members that its… Read more »

President Barack Obama brought a renewed vigor among voters on the University of Wisconsin’s campus Thursday as he distanced himself from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and highlighted the importance of voting to an audience 30,000 strong. During his visit to Bascom Mall, Obama focused on Romney’s performance in Wednesday’s debate, opening… Read more »

Nearly 43 years after attending the event himself, Mayor Paul Soglin made clear his intent to end the Mifflin Street Block Party once and for all this school year. “We’re headed in a direction to end the block party,” Soglin told The Badger Herald. “Hopefully this year.” Soglin cited cost… Read more »

Hotly contested plans to renovate State Street’s 100 block have been put on hold after months of debate among city officials and developers, ultimately leaving the unanswered question of whether the block will see a revamp or not. The proposal, which includes restorations to the landmark Castle and Doyle building… Read more »

A significant number of Madison voters participated in Wisconsin’s unprecedented recall primary election Tuesday, providing a voter turnout substantially higher than primaries of previous years. According to Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl, Madison turnout reached 41 percent in Tuesday’s recall primary, a significant jump from previous primary elections in the… Read more »

Richard Koenig’s 65 years have been shaped by sorrow. He is haunted by the ghosts of his military service in the Vietnam War. Now, Koenig is experiencing cycling emotions of grief and guilt over the loss of a friend he loved for 26 years at the hands of a suspected… Read more »

Mifflin Street residents, city officials and members of the Madison Police Department met Wednesday to register parties for the weekend’s Mifflin Street Block Party and to convey their safety expectations for this weekend’s event. Mifflin Street residents were encouraged to sign contracts at the meeting to register their parties under… Read more »

As the Madison Police Department continues to emphasize the importance of safety at this year’s event, Mifflin Street will be remain open to vehicular traffic during the Mifflin Street Block Party. According to MPD Lt. Dave McCaw, Mifflin Street will stay open as a result of the party’s lack of… Read more »

Check out a video excerpt from this interview here.A vocal official on city issues, Ald. Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, District 5, recently secured the position of Madison’s City Council president by a unanimous vote. Bidar-Sielaff has been a part of City Council since 2009 and served as the council president pro tem… Read more »

Madison entrepreneurs will join forces this weekend as they participate in a new city business event encouraging young professionals and students to work collaboratively and share ideas to form start-up businesses. Startup Weekend Madison hopes to facilitate conversations between developers, marketers and designers that may ultimately lead to collaboration and the creation of… Read more »

A report recently released by a national environmental organization suggests Wisconsin’s substantial climate change adaptation plans should be implemented immediately to address imminent threats. Wisconsin is ranked among the best states in the nation with respect to its climate change plans, though implementation of those plans has not yet been… Read more »

NORTH LAKE STREETBattery An out-of-state college student visiting Madison over the weekend found himself victim to a serious battery Saturday morning, according to a Madison Police Department report. The report said the 20-year-old was found bleeding near North Lake Street and Langdon Street. He was transported to a local hospital… Read more »

A city committee voted unanimously to grant final approval for a 65-unit development on West Dayton Street that would primarily provide a new apartment building for students. The unanimously approved proposal, presented by Knothe and Bruce Architects, LLC, of Middleton at the Urban Design Commission meeting Wednesday evening, will be… Read more »

After demonstrating what Dane County officials deemed strong leadership abilities and desirable personality traits, Capitol Police Chief Charles Tubbs was selected for an upper-level management position at the county level Tuesday.Dane County Executive Joe Parisi announced that Tubbs will take the county position of director of emergency management. Parisi cited Tubbs’ four decades of… Read more »

In a move to provide a safer atmosphere at the 2012 Mifflin Street Block Party, students working with Madison officials have proposed an idea that would allow Mifflin Street house parties to gain a higher degree of legitimacy with city police. Edgewood College student and Mifflin Street resident Michael Stulka… Read more »

The winning cheese at an internationally renowned cheese contest held in Wisconsin several weeks ago was recently auctioned off for more than $8,000 at a banquet held to commemorate the contest’s prize winners. A 24-pound Vermeer cheese, produced by the Friesland Campina dairy company in the Netherlands, won the World… Read more »

Tuesday marked one year since Dave Cieslewicz lost a nail-biting race for the mayoral office against Mayor Paul Soglin, but the former mayor has looked back on city affairs throughout the past 12 months with considerable contentedness. Many priorities from Cieslewicz’s eight years as mayor between 2003 and 2011 continued… Read more »

A proposal to relocate the Madison Area Technical College culinary program to the downtown area boasts benefits for both its students and the community, MATC officials said Tuesday. According to Culinary Arts Program Director Paul Short, MATC is proposing an $8 million institute for the program that would move it… Read more »

A proposal to split the city of Madison’s Housing Committee in two may help the commission to meet quorum for the first time in months. According to Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, he and other city officials plan to introduce reforms that would split the commission into two smaller committees,… Read more »

EAST GORHAM STREET Death Investigation A 56-year-old man was pronounced dead on the shoreline of Lake Mendota in the early morning hours of April 1 at James Madison Park, according to a Madison police report. Police responded to the scene at 1:07 a.m., the report said. According to Ald. Mike… Read more »

Madison city officials, University of Wisconsin students and Mifflin neighborhood residents considered multiple presentations concerning safety issues for the upcoming block party at a meeting Tuesday night.The meeting, hosted by Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, featured presentations by the Madison Police and Fire Departments on how Mifflin Street residents can… Read more »

A contentious plan to renovate the 100 block of State Street has been put on hold as its developers asked a city commission to remove the proposal from its agenda. The 100 Block Foundation and its founders, W. Jerome Frautschi and Pleasant Rowland, requested that the Landmarks Commission remove the… Read more »

As absentee ballot voting for the April 3 elections begins, Madison officials are reminding its voters they are not required to provide photo identification due to two injunctions on the photo ID law. According to Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl, voters requesting an absentee ballot will not be required to… Read more »

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation introduced a new grant competition aimed at University of Wisconsin graduate students Friday that will award up to $5,000 in grants for research. The Discovery Challenge competition will promote cross-disciplinary research and will serve as an opportunity for students to share their research skills and… Read more »

Several downtown residential proposals were granted unanimous approval from a city commission at its meeting Wednesday evening, including two that would provide new housing for University of Wisconsin students. The Urban Design Commission unanimously approved three downtown area developments, including a proposal by Joseph Lee and Associates that would primarily… Read more »

After considerable time and money being spent educating Madison’s citizens about voting requirements under the photo identification law, two injunctions have changed the law’s implementation in time for the next election. City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl said Madison spent nearly $350,000 to address the voter ID laws, using the money to… Read more »

Despite hopes for a significantly higher increase, the owner of Hawk’s Bar and Grill on State Street received permission to boost the bar’s capacity at a city alcohol policy committee meeting Tuesday. The Alcohol License Review Committee voted unanimously to increase the bar’s capacity from the current 83 person limit… Read more »

University of Wisconsin students hosted an informational meeting Tuesday to generate theme ideas for the Mifflin Street Block Party, addressing concerns that the party is not community-friendly. Members of the Associated Students of Madison said conversations with Mayor Paul Soglin and other city officials have resulted in the agreement that a… Read more »

Funding concerns took center stage during debate over an initial proposal to incorporate the renovation of Madison Fire Department facilities into constructing a high rise development in the downtown area. The Board of Estimates met with MFD officials and Hovde Properties Executive Director Michael Slavish at its meeting Monday to… Read more »

A Madison city committee again chose to refer its decision of initial approval for controversial renovations to State Street’s 100 block to a later meeting, but did give the proposal tentative support. After listening to presentations by the Block 100 Foundation regarding the proposed alterations to the State Street renovations… Read more »

Members of Madison’s City Council introduced a resolution to create a permanent position for University of Wisconsin students on an alcohol review committee in an effort to further open discussions between students and city officials. Ald. Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, District 5, and Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, both sponsored the resolution,… Read more »

The first candidate to announce a bid against Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch in a potential recall race came forward Tuesday with promises to restore ethics to Wisconsin government. Seventy-year-old Ira Robins, a private investigator from Milwaukee, filed papers with the Government Accountability Board to run against Kleefisch Tuesday morning. He… Read more »

A city commission has unanimously adopted plans to renovate West Washington and Mifflin Street areas over the next 25 years. After several revisions, the Urban Design Commission passed a proposal Wednesday evening pertaining to the Downtown Plan. According to commission member Melissa Huggins, the proposal supports plans of higher-density developments.… Read more »

A recent proposal for a high-rise development in downtown Madison has garnered support from the mayor and other city officials. Hovde Properties has proposed the idea to build a 14-story mixed-use development near State Street which may include renovations to the nearby Madison Fire Department administrative building and Fire Station… Read more »

Wisconsin’s practice of collecting birth costs from unmarried fathers could be preventing women from obtaining appropriate prenatal care for fear of abuse, according to a recent report. Advocacy and Benefits Counseling for Health, Inc., a Madison non-profit law firm, released a report Monday that suggested Wisconsin should discontinue collecting birth costs… Read more »

Tensions between Dane County officials and the Madison Police Department intensified in an incident Monday when officers left an incapacitated person at the county detox center, despite their insistence they were at capacity. Tellurian UCAN, the company contracted to perform detox services through the county-owned building, turned away police who… Read more »

With the hope of addressing the growing homeless population of southwest Madison, a partnership of community organizations received a major grant Wednesday to fund housing issues in the area. Common Wealth Development, Dane County’s Joining Forces for the Families, Public Health Madison – Dane County and the Orchard Ridge United… Read more »

After a tumultuous year of union relations at the state level, Dane County officials approved an agreement with county workers Tuesday that will alter a union contract to diminish wages and thus save the county nearly $2 million next year. Members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal… Read more »

Two Dane County employees jointly announced a proposal to aid area citizens in obtaining identification to vote in future elections in accordance with the voter ID law. Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and Dane County Board Chair Scott McDonell proposed a plan allowing people born in Dane County to receive… Read more »

A candidate in the potential recall election against Gov. Scott Walker has snagged the endorsement of an influential women’s rights political organization. EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, announced its endorsement of former Dane County Executive and gubernatorial candidate Kathleen Falk Thursday, according to Falk spokesperson… Read more »

Madison police have arrested three suspects in connection with the alleged torture and starvation of a 15-year-old girl, including the victim’s father and stepmother. Chad Chritton, 40, and Melinda Drabek-Chritton, 42, both of Madison, were arrested on counts of first degree reckless endangerment, intentional child abuse and child neglect, according… Read more »

The Urban Design Commission was barred from discussing plans to renovate the 100 block of State Street at its meeting Wednesday night because of a city ordinance provision that had been previously overlooked. According to Urban Design Commission secretary Al Martin, a zoning ordinance prevented the committee from taking action… Read more »

Police are looking for up to four male individuals suspected of beating and robbing a University of Wisconsin student on campus early Sunday morning. According to a University of Wisconsin Police Department statement, the student was beaten and robbed in a parking lot at 408 North Lake Street shortly after… Read more »

A bill currently circulating at the Capitol would change tenant law to standardize some of the processes associated with move-in, but some critics are characterizing the plan as an effort to encroach on decades of work for tenants’ rights. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville, and Sen. Frank… Read more »

Proposals to revise aspects of the Downtown Plan regarding Mifflin Street and West Washington Street were at the center of a city committee meeting Wednesday evening. The Urban Design Commission discussed concerns regarding height, utilization of potential building space and alternative layouts to the Downtown Plan. Two potential plans outlining… Read more »

The University of Wisconsin recently announced plans to renovate housing for graduate students, all of whom will have to move out before the project begins in 2014. UW Housing Director Paul Evans said 144 apartments are scheduled to begin construction in July 2014. The UW-owned apartments, called University Houses, are… Read more »

Members of the Urban Design Commission voted Wednesday to refer the discussion of plans to renovate the 100 block of State Street to its next meeting, marking the second commission this week that has been unable to make a comprehensive decision on the proposal. Architect of 100 Block Foundation Douglas… Read more »

Madison Mayor Paul Soglin honored two local writers Monday by announcing their new positions as poets laureate. Sarah Busse and Wendy Vardaman have agreed to share the volunteer position, Madison Arts Administrator Karin Wolf said. The positions entail creating poems for particular functions at the request of the mayor’s office,… Read more »

W. BELTLINE HWY: Arrested Person Two Madison women were arrested Thursday for allegedly attempting to traffic an underage girl, according to a police report. Kayla Powers, 20, and Jazmyn Powers, 20, were tentatively charged with human trafficking after police were called to a Super 8 hotel on the beltline.… Read more »

Despite a University of Wisconsin researcher’s compliance in halting a potentially dangerous study on bird flu amid safety concerns, the professor publicly declared Wednesday his intention to continue with his research in the near future, arguing his work is pertinent and must be completed with urgency. Virology professor Yoshihiro Kawaoka recently… Read more »

Madison’s Alcohol License Review Committee approved the Nuisance Party Ordinance at a meeting Wednesday, which opponents say could negatively affect landlord-tenant relations and unfairly target student-hosted parties. Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, was the only ALRC member to vote against the ordinance, citing ambiguous language as his main reason for… Read more »

HIGHWAY 51 AND PFLAUM ROAD Overdose A young woman was cited with her second offense of operating while under the influence Tuesday afternoon when she fell unconscious at a stop light and, upon waking, accelerated into an intersection and hit a traffic pole. According to a Madison police report, 26-year-old… Read more »

A University of Wisconsin student announced his plan to run for the Dane County Board Tuesday evening, challenging a fellow student candidate for the soon-to-be open chair in the upcoming spring election. John Magnino, a junior majoring in political science and economics, announced he would run for the District 5… Read more »

Residents of a campus-area transitional housing facility were able to return to their homes shortly after the shelter experienced a devastating fire that displaced dozens of its members Jan. 13. Porchlight, a community housing organization that provides food, counseling and shelter to homeless people in the downtown area, reopened its… Read more »

An ordinance that would give the city more ways to crack down on nuisance house parties continues to be tied up in committee as students and the Madison Police Department take concern with its language. According to Alcohol Policy Coordinator Mark Woulf, the Alcohol License Review Committee tentatively defined a… Read more »

Members from the Block 100 Foundation submitted revised plans for the renovation of the historic State Street block Monday after community members voiced concerns for preserving the street’s historically significant features. According to project manager George Austin, the foundation offered its application for renovations to the 100 block of State… Read more »

The report of a suspicious package located between buildings on the University of Wisconsin campus brought the response of a hazardous material team and police forces to the scene and forced the closure of block around North Orchard Street and Capitol Court on Tuesday. UW Police Department Sgt. Aaron Chapin… Read more »

Plans to create a task force to tackle a growing heroin “epidemic” were set into motion this semester by city and county officials. The nonprofit organization Safe Communities and the Public Health Department worked together to create the Opiates Task Force, which will focus on reducing access to and demand… Read more »

Assembly Republicans introduced a mining bill Thursday that environmentalists say would detrimentally affect Wisconsin’s green protections and stifle citizen input in the mining permit process. Sam Weis, spokesperson for the environmental advocacy organization Clean Wisconsin, said the introduced bill outlines a streamlined process for mining companies to obtain permits. Weis… Read more »

In the midst of opponents to the recall effort raising allegations of fraud, the Government Accountability Board recently announced it would need more time and additional workers to review the petitions. The GAB released a memo Thursday that said the body would need an additional month and 50 temporary workers… Read more »

The composition of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents could be significantly altered after Gov. Scott Walker signed a law Tuesday requesting the state appoint at least one member from every congressional district to the governing body. According to UW spokesperson David Giroux, the bill, introduced by Sen. Sheila… Read more »

Amid a heated recall atmosphere with accusations of damaged petitions, a state senator has emerged as a potential candidate to face Gov. Scott Walker if a recall election is triggered. Sen. Tim Cullen, D-Janesville, recently expressed interest in running against Walker in a recall election if enough signatures are collected.… Read more »

A fresh face has decided to enter the race for Wisconsin’s second congressional district, while new endorsements may even the playing field in the race for Wisconsin’s open U.S. Senate seat. Matt Silverman, a University of Wisconsin graduate and decorated Army veteran, will formally announce his intention to run against… Read more »

Democrats are planning to fight a Republican lawsuit filed in the state Supreme Court which would utilize the redistricting lines approved earlier this year for potential recall elections next year. The Democratic Party will file a motion today to intervene in the lawsuit on behalf of recall committees across the… Read more »

Officials from the Government Accountability Board estimated they would need more than $650,000 to fund the recall against Gov. Scott Walker and other legislators in the upcoming months, providing a stark figure of the size and gravity of the recall efforts.  According to the GAB budget summary for processing the… Read more »

A Republican senator asked the governor to return $49 million in federal funds intended for President Obama’s health care plan he administration accepted earlier this year for the second time Monday. Sen. Frank Lasee, R-De Pere, released a statement Monday asking Gov. Scott Walker to return funds allocated to Wisconsin… Read more »

The possibility of restoring collective bargaining rights to Wisconsin public employees was reopened Wednesday after a Democratic senator called for a statewide review of the budget repair legislation, in light of a recent vote in Ohio against instating a similar law. According to the Legislature’s website, Sen. Bob Wirch, D-Pleasant… Read more »

Security costs for protection of Gov. Scott Walker and Lieutenant Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch have doubled in comparison to the price marks on security when the pair took office in January, which some experts are attributing to the turbulent political climate in Wisconsin and the consequent increase in death threats. According… Read more »

In a somewhat controversial move, a Legislative committee voted late last week to eliminate the four-hour training requirement that accompanied the approval of  concealed carry permits.  According to a statement released by Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, the Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules voted 7-3 on Monday… Read more »

State officials questioned an individual Monday responsible for a death threat toward Gov. Scott Walker posted on the social networking site Facebook.According to Andrew Welhouse, spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, Walker received a death threat through a Facebook event page for a recall against the governor. “I… Read more »

A Muskego man filed the first recall effort against Gov. Scott Walker Friday, a move some suspect to be a ploy by supporters to allow Walker to raise campaign funds earlier. According to paperwork filed with the Government Accountability Board, it was filed by a committee called “Close Friends to… Read more »

As agencies around the state prepare for the concealed carry law, effective today, the University of Wisconsin System updated police training and reiterated that weapons are prohibited in university buildings on campuses across the state. According to UW Assistant Chief of Police Brian Bridges, concealed guns will not be permitted in… Read more »

Citizens who meet the requirements of the concealed carry law will be allowed to bring a handgun to most state facilities, including the Capitol, when the law goes into effect this week. By making concealed weapons available in nearly all state facilities, Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch said the… Read more »

A committee in the Wisconsin Legislature held a hearing Wednesday on a Senate bill state environmental groups say would negatively impact environmental protection. The bill requires the Department of Natural Resources to approve or deny an application for a permit to conduct activities near navigable waterways within approximately 115 days.… Read more »

The state of Wisconsin owes the federal government about $1.18 billion in funds used to pay for unemployment benefits during the recession. During the recession time period, Wisconsin received an unusually large amount of claims for unemployment benefits, John Dipko, spokesperson for the Department of Workforce Development, said in an… Read more »

Gov. Scott Walker may not create the 250,000 jobs by 2015 as promised as a keystone of his campaign, according to a Department of Revenue report released Friday. The report said the government will have created 136,000 private sector jobs by 2014. Since the recovery period began in February 2010,… Read more »

The Wisconsin Senate and Assembly will meet Tuesday for regular session to consider bills promoting job creation including a bill allowing tax credits from 2010 to be refunded this tax year. The proposed bill, which will be voted on during Tuesday’s session, will permit businesses to recoup credit for employees… Read more »

People hoping to carry a concealed weapon will first have to complete a minimum of four hours of training, according to emergency rules announced by Gov. Scott Walker’s office Friday.The emergency rules, proposed by Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, must be drafted so the law can take effect on its… Read more »

A Wisconsin Assembly committee announced it would hold an informational hearing regarding the University of Wisconsin’s holistic admissions process. According to a statement from committee chairperson Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities is responding to two controversial studies released by the conservative think tank Center… Read more »

A proposed amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution would require legislators to poll the electorate for popular support on tax increases, rather than just achieve legislative approval. The amendment, which Sen. Frank Lasee, R-De Pere, began circulating for co-sponsorship on Thursday, calls for state legislators to use state referendums for tax… Read more »

Gov. Scott Walker and the Department of Health Services revealed plans late last week to cut an estimated $444 million from Medicaid in order to balance the state’s budget. DHS launched a website last week that outlines the proposed cuts to Medicaid, a health care program for seniors, children and… Read more »

Wisconsin Democrats are criticizing the renewal of a Milwaukee Parental Choice Program proposed by Republicans that would increase the amount of state money flowing into private schools. The program, which has been in place since the 1990-91 school year, allows students from a low-income background to attend private schools in… Read more »

An internal proposal to open state Supreme Court deliberations to the public following a physical altercation between two justices this summer was not approved by the judicial body last week. On Thursday, five of seven State Supreme Court Justices opposed Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson’s proposal for open case deliberations, according… Read more »

Mounting concern over an invasive species of fish making its way to Minnesota and Wisconsin has prompted a meeting between government and environmental officials from the two states. Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton called the summit today with Wisconsin officials to discuss the rising population of Asian carp in Wisconsin and… Read more »

Two state senatorial recall campaigns could have combined signatures to force a special election of the Senate minority leader, but one campaign decided against collaborating due to irreconcilable differences. The Recall Mark Miller campaign came up 268 signatures short of the required 20,352 necessary to trigger a special election. A… Read more »

With half of the eligible senators facing the prospect of a special recall election this summer, a challenger has announced his candidacy to replace Republican Sen. Luther Olsen. Rep. Fred Clark, D-Baraboo, released a statement announcing he will run against Olsen, a Republican from Ripon. Clark said he hopes to… Read more »

Two Wisconsin breweries were recently moved up on national lists of top breweries. Both the New Glarus Brewing Company and Stevens Point Brewery moved up on the list of Top 50 Craft Brewing Beers and Top 50 Top Brewing Beers.The Brewers Association defines a craft brewer as a small, independent… Read more »

New legislation that proposes making synthetic marijuana illegal has stopped circulating the Capitol and will now be the subject of a public hearing in committee later this month. The bill, authored by Rep. Garey Bies, R-Sister Bay, would extend current Wisconsin restrictions against marijuana to the plant’s lab-made, synthetic variety. Synthetic… Read more »

The recall campaign against Sen. Dan Kapanke, R-La Crosse, announced Friday members had acquired the necessary amount of signatures to trigger a special election, becoming the first of the 16 campaigns to do so. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin and volunteers collected 21,700 signatures, well above the roughly 15,000 signatures… Read more »

The popularity of provisions significantly limiting collective bargaining rights for public employees in Gov. Scott Walker’s budget repair bill is declining, according to recent nationwide and statewide polls. After Walker’s proposal began receiving national press coverage, national polling firm Gallup conducted a poll to gauge public opinion on the issue… Read more »

Two bills proposing an expansion of the governor’s executive power over law regulation and measures to make the new commerce department entity more transparent passed through committee hearings last week at the Capitol.Currently, the Joint Committee of the Review of Administrative Rules is responsible for determining whether certain state agencies… Read more »