Madison Media Digest: Education, Elections, Food & Drink

Here’s what we were reading while wondering what you bring to an orangutan baby shower:

Education

School districts throughout Dane County are facing budget shortfalls due to reductions of aid in the proposed state budget. Madison schools may seek employee contributions toward health insurance in light of a projected budget shortfall. A lawsuit filed by In Business Blogger David Blaska requiring the school district take these steps under the terms of the 2011 law curtailing the bargaining rights of public employees was allowed to proceed. Some Madison Schools are implementing a “kindness curriculum” developed by researchers at UW Madison.  Chris Rickert notes an inverse correlation between vaccination rates and tests scores in Madison Schools.

Elections

The Madison primary election is Tuesday, and you can find your polling place here.  Capital City Hues profiled what it says are a record number of candidates of color running for office. The final forum before the primary saw the five mayoral candidates try draw more aggressive contrasts, especially on issues of development. The Forward Lookout blog has video of all three mayoral forums. The State Journal played 20 questions with the five mayoral candidates, getting their positions on a variety of issues. The Capital Times ran op-eds from each of the five candidates. Mayor Paul Soglin’s edge in fundraising has narrowed as challenger Ald. Scott Resnick loaned himself $50,000 for the campaign. Soglin and Resnick have launched television ads.

Food and Drink

The Capital Times profiled the rise of female brewmasters in Wisconsin’s craft beer scene. The Isthmus looked at working conditions at the Culver’s on Todd Drive, which pays a higher starting wage than most fast food restaurants and is the highest performing franchise in the state. Blaska highlighted a local whisky operation based just north of Madison. Madison Cocktail Week begins Feb. 25 and features special events at local restaurants, leading up to a one-day tasting event at the Edgewater called Distill America. Taylor Beebe, owner of the new Mad City Frites on State Street, discussed her new venture and Madison’s entrepreneurial culture.