Madison Media Digest: Environment, Development, Education

Here’s what we were reading in between splashes at Reindahl Park:

Environment

A manure digester in Waunakee with a troubled history exploded this week, and will remain shut down as investigators try to figure out the cause. We wrote about manure digesters during the winter, which are seen as a way of generating power and reducing exposure to phosphorus from animal manure, but which raise other potential issues.. The Capital Times and the Center for Investigative Journalism also looked at manure digesters as part of their lakes series from the spring, noting that supporters saw them as the best way to curb lake pollution. The Chicago Tribune calling for greater attention to invasive species in the Great Lakes, in response to a series in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. National Geographic has a blog post about what invasive species do to the lakes.

The State Journal described extensive efforts to preserve a local honeybee colony, as many worry about a mass die-off. 

Development and Public Space

News broke of plans for a four-story development on Atwood across from the Harmony Bar. Developers are seeking public funds to renovate an apartment complex in Vera Court that they say needs its. The city will spend $550K to acquire land in Owl Creek that went undeveloped after the recession stalled a housing project there, among other expenditures. WSJ columnist Chris Rickert says the new Public Market should be on Park Street, rather than East Washington, which was the Local Food Committee’s recommendation.

The city has spent $2 million on splash parks to help beat the summer heat, which of course, has not been all that bad this year. An annual pinball competition is bringing the game back into the spotlight. The Williamson Gateway tree is finished on the 600 block of Willy Street. Warner Beach House mural reached its kickstarter goal and is still growing, allowing additional youth-inspired artwork.

Education

Madison teachers prepare for school year with new evaluation and disciplinary policies. A UW Madison professor says that school suspensions do more harm than good, often stigmatizing students. The La Follette High School mariachi band branches out into the community. The Northside News has a first-person account from a teen who volunteered in Guatemala through the Soles 4 Souls program that distributes shoes to victims of natural disasters and impoverished areas.