As students prepare for the change in season, they should also prepare for the changes in the atypical city of Madison.

Summer has faded along with construction on the 300 block of State Street. Monday, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., officially celebrated the re-opening. The almost complete State Street offers a unique variety of stores, restaurants and bars to fit everyone's style while supporting a community that embraces students. In reality, State Street is even more — it is a place of sanity for students to escape the stress of a Madison education.

"This is the heart of Madison — this is a historic street and a street of commerce, literally and figuratively linking the university and state government," Cieslewicz said. "To make it look good and make it functional is extremely important to the overall health of the city."

Although the 500 and 600 blocks are yet to be finished, with the help of federal funding, the construction will be completed next spring. Mary Carbine, Madison's Central Business Improvement District executive director, went on to stress the importance of the construction. She said that even though many establishments probably lost customers during construction stages, the area needed attention and extensive funding to thrive.

In order to thrive, the State Street community not only depends on stores, but also restaurants and bars to preserve Madison's economy. After all of the improvements on State Street to enhance the economy, it seems ridiculous to try and reverse that effect.

But last Wednesday, The Alcohol License Review Committee introduced a resolution that would limit the number of licensed establishments in certain areas of downtown Madison. This effort, according to Madison's Alcohol Policy Coordinator Joel Plant, will attempt to decrease the need for police and other public resources in a single concentrated area on nights and weekends. The resolution, known as the Alcohol License Density Plan, would also lower the patron capacity within current alcohol-licensed establishments and is targeted for downtown areas between Blair and Lake Streets. This plan would effectively limit the possibility of new establishments as well as the market while potentially changing State Street as well, as students will find new places to gather.

Yet another potential change in Madison is the Nov. 7 election. Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Wis., and Green Party candidate Nelson Eisman will all learn the fate of their political careers. Students can play a major role in the election process depending on whether they vote. The race for governor along with many other offices may not seem important to some students but there are also two referendums on the ballot for this election. SJR 53 asks Wisconsin to vote on the definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman and make this interpretation part of the state Constitution. SJR 5 asks for voters' input on whether to reinstate the death penalty as a form of punishment in the Wisconsin. If students truly care about these issues they will stop talking and take action by voting.

Change is only possible through the collaboration of people. Madison holds the state Capitol, is the second-largest city in Wisconsin, houses a community and prestigious university, and has some of the most diverse points of view in the United States. The education offered is in many subjects, including those that cannot be taught in a classroom. Living in Madison is a unique experience that students should take full advantage of, especially when they have the ability to evoke change.

Joelle Parks ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in journalism and Spanish.