Madison Media Digest: Wedding Bells, Politics, Development, Education

Summer is wedding season, and that notably kicked off this week, to much fanfare.

Wedding Bells

A judge struck down Wisconsin’s ban on same-sex marriage, late Friday afternoon. The full ruling is available here. The weddings began in Madison and Milwaukee almost immediately, even though the Attorney General plans to seek an injunction halting marriages while the implications of the ruling are sorted out. As no stay was forthcoming during the weekend, couples continued to get married throughout the weekend. Joe Vanden Plas at In Business blogs that the ban hurts Wisconsin firms’ ability to recruit talent, and that the appeals should be dropped 

Politics

Last week also marked the deadline for candidates to file petitions for the fall primaries. The State Journal looked at how the Government Accountability Board’s rule on legible printing is giving candidates problems. Those signing petitions must print their names in addition to adding a signature, and some chastised the GAB for its strict and inconsistent application of the rule. Other potential candidates were disqualified for using the wrong petitions. Wisconsin Watch looked at the failure of gun control measures in this legislatives session.

Building

The Wisconsin State Journal editorialized against the power of the Landmarks commission to prevent new development, arguing that history should not trump progress. Also this week, the Journal reported that a public-private partnership has its eye on an area around State Street that includes “Philosopher’s Grove.” Madison buildings are getting taller, although the Capitol remains the biggest structure in town. Meanwhile the so-called “big uglies” (how’s that for a framing device) that house students are being looked at for rebuilding as well.

Education

Madison teachers ratified a new contract and the school board approved it, thus delaying some of the effects of Act 10 on the district. The State Journal said that the raises teachers will get are understated in the reporting and that the contract should have gone further toward things like merit pay. Madison Area Technical College told the Capital Times that technical colleges lead directly to employment.