Madison Media Digest: Trees and Water, Festivals, Development

Madison media focused on the great outdoors again this week, looking at environmental regulation and outdoor festivals.

Tree Trouble

Landowners are frustrated with Wisconsin’s Managed Forest Program, reports the Cap Times. A bill that would have changed the tax laws died during the legislative session, which reform advocates say preserves a tax preference for agriculture over tree growth. In Madison, meanwhile more trees are falling victim to the Emerald Ash Borer. At the same time, the city has been honored by the Arbor Day Foundation for its community dedication to trees. 

Also in environmental news, the Cap Times continued its Murky Waters series in conjunction with Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism. This week, the paper looked at the role of manure digesters in preventing lake pollution. Back in February, Madison Commons wrote a piece on the manure digester in Waunakee, which suffered a spill, but was still seen as improving environmental quality. Wisconsin Watch also looked at the practice of manure irrigation, which the state is considering regulating to a greater degree

Also, state officials will begin examining a high-voltage transmission line between Madison and La Crosse.

Festivals of All Sorts

On Saturday the Mifflin Street Block Party went head-to-head with the UW-sponsored Revelry for the second year. At the Cap Times, Jessie Opoien looked at the differing character of the two events, and found that they may be figuring out ways to coexist.

Revelry arose in response to perceptions of Mifflin’s rowdiness, especially in 2011. City officials told the State Journal that they expect the venerable block party to become a lower-key affair in general.The Daily Cardinal reports that the result has been a more diffused party on the first Saturday in May.

Other festivals include the Girls Rock Camp Madison, which Isthmus says empowers girls through music education and performance, and a break dancing event at UW on Friday.

Development

Plans for the Union Corners development on the near east side won neighborhood approval, reports Isthmus. The Cap Times looked at two projects at different stages: While the work on the 100 Block of State Street is nearing completion, on the near west side, plans to turn Hilldale Mall into a more outdoor focused area have yet to really catch on. Construction starts in June. Also, the Tiny House project on East Washington Avenue has been approved by the City Council. 

Also in the News

The Willy Street Blog wrote about Help Blake Beat Burkitt’s - a fundraiser for Blake Rickert (a Madison 4-year-old with Leukemia) brought three times the donations expected