Madison Media Digest

If you only read one local news story this week, it should be the Wisconsin State Journal’s piece about a recent and important change to the Madison Police Department’s standard operating procedures.

Education

Dane County partners with Madison school district to give kids access to mental health resources. Advocates organize in support of Madison school district’s referendum. Madison school board defends referendum by saying that the state doesn’t provide enough funding for schools. A Madison Montessori school was granted a zoning exception so that the students could raise chickens.

Development

Residents question whether a downtown building is really the most appropriate place for a homeless shelter. A Madison start-up aims to offer a way for people to more easily participate in their local government. Critics question the greenlight for a new music venue, parking ramp and office building on State Street. Proposed developments would add up to 17 buildings in a large open property near the West Towne Mall. Office building construction is booming in Madison, with many companies planning to expand.

Community

A proposed city budget amendment would fund the Midtown police station; another would provide a 21 percent raise for all City Council members. Rankings leave food cart owners questioning the review process. Unstable and rusty poles have lead to the removal of a number of streetlights. MPD recruits come up with clever ways to learn their way around the city. Willy Street residents look for solutions for the ubiquitous smoked meat smell of a new BBQ restaurant. Sewer charges might go up for restaurants and slightly down for residential consumers. The city council accepted a federal grant for youth violence prevention on the North Side. A Madison police officer has been cleared in the shooting death of a mentally ill man.