Here’s what we were reading with our community paramedics company while waiting for an emergency call [1].
Politics
Mayor Paul Soglin says the city is facing a $7M budget gap this year [2]. The council’s finance committee is looking for ways to pare back the city’s spending on building projects [3] in light of escalating debt payments. Soglin also proposed a voluntary city certification program [4] for taxi drivers, landlords and businesses that pay a living wage. Soglin is pursuing his agenda unplagued by doubt [5], says Paul Fanlund. The state budget gave the city more control over the board of the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District [6]. State Democrats are challenging the electoral district map [7] adopted in 2011. The city is trying to ensure Madison residents get the identification cards [8] they need to vote in future elections. The city is still coming to terms with the Mar. 6 shooting of unarmed teenager Tony Robinson [9] by Madison Police Officer Matt Kenny.
Building and Business
Negotiations continue for a proposed development just off Capitol Square [10]. Attempts to get the Exact Sciences headquarters downtown have left the city with a complicated agreement and limited negotiating power [11]. Brenda Konkel has more information [12] on the negotiations and asked questions about the process [13]. The City Council will consider an overhaul of Madison’s Landmarks Ordinance [14], which has been criticized by many. A house at 906 Williamson St. has become the site of a contentious Landmark decision [15], and one resident of the Marquette Neighborhood is asking for accountability [16]. Occupy Madison is looking to add more tiny homes to its East Madison site [17]. The Salvation Army’s plan to expand their East Washington location [18] is “in limbo.” Soglin is proposing to change the fees for side-walk cafes [19], and the result will be some restaurants paying thousands more. A developer is planning a commercial development for the Grandview Commons [20] neighborhood. A federal grant will give Madison an opportunity to attract up to $75M of investment [21] for biotech, advanced manufacturing and food processing business.
Education
Madison students and residents are finding ways to encourage younger girls to pursue STEM [22] careers. UW–Extension is coordinating a camp for children from military families [23]. Kids are learning about Hmong history [24] at a summer program at the Badger Rock Neighborhood Center. Madison East alumni have already started supporting a new scholarship fund [25] named for former principal Milton McPike. A Madison 12-year-old is off to a great start [26] at the U.S. Junior Closed Chess Championships.
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Links:
[1] http://host.madison.com/news/local/health_med_fit/community-paramedics-catching-on-in-madison-area/article_5be05f72-6daf-56dd-b9ed-bdb5a9c91881.html
[2] http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/paul-soglin-warns-managers-of-continuing-tight-finances/article_1e074193-7f35-5e9f-8c95-125fcfaff029.html
[3] http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/madison-s-finance-committee-works-to-rein-in-unaffordable-budget/article_a37b43e5-2689-5f86-b3a6-1e219ccb5c78.html
[4] http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/mayor-paul-soglin-proposes-city-certification-program-for-living-wages/article_6561162a-3dad-5acd-ab84-29e26a4207d1.html
[5] http://host.madison.com/news/local/writers/paul_fanlund/paul-fanlund-with-his-familiar-certitude-paul-soglin-pushes-on/article_e598c905-9e10-5e87-b021-6bf155f7e1e2.html
[6] http://host.madison.com/news/local/columnists/chris-rickert/chris-rickert-madison-counts-on-democracy-to-flush-away-stink/article_9200ffb0-9fce-5164-9e77-84de001a748c.html
[7] http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/democrats-sue-state-over-redistricting-call-it-one-of-the/article_cfd1b396-0a54-5a1a-b13f-1ee119400e2e.html
[8] http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/madison-pushing-to-ensure-voters-have-photo-ids/article_c5cac4c1-2c1a-5dbd-a4ab-be2a37fee488.html
[9] http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/four-months-later-madison-is-still-healing-from-tony-robinson/article_32519686-2445-11e5-8794-ef41b072b4b2.html
[10] http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/city-to-move-ahead-with-judge-doyle-square-negotiations/article_cfb597c5-5103-5328-b1d0-e8c93284b493.html
[11] http://www.isthmus.com/news/citizen-dave/find-another-home-for-exact-sciences/
[12] http://www.forwardlookout.com/2015/07/late-breaking-info-on-judge-doyle-square/23616
[13] http://www.forwardlookout.com/2015/07/jds-whos-looking-at-the-big-picture/23618
[14] http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/city-council-will-consider-changes-to-landmarks-ordinance/article_75b18f28-6fc8-54a1-8d6d-78d061bcf926.html
[15] http://willystreetblog.com/wp/2015/07/07/demolition-by-neglect/
[16] https://dekerivers.wordpress.com/2015/07/09/madisons-marquette-neighborhood-makes-for-strange-political-dialogue/
[17] http://host.madison.com/news/local/writers/ogechi-emebeche/occupy-madison-s-tiny-houses-village-looking-to-add-more/article_06c271e0-8b1a-50fc-bc89-a0e87d2d9ae4.html
[18] http://www.isthmus.com/news/news/salvation-army-housing/#sthash.jLfZ7WKN.dpuf
[19] http://www.isthmus.com/news/madland/downtown-sidewalk-cafe-fees/
[20] http://host.madison.com/business/grandview-commons-could-get-new-commercial-center/article_a33386a5-2ff0-5d2d-b5eb-619b4a42a88c.html
[21] http://host.madison.com/news/local/federal-funds-to-bolster-food-manufacturing-biotech-headed-to-madison/article_d322ebc3-900a-547e-aece-499ef9ca069f.html
[22] http://www.isthmus.com/news/news/STEM-careers-for-girls/
[23] http://host.madison.com/news/local/education/local_schools/school-spotlight-young-people-from-military-families-bond-at-camp/article_dff8948e-4e5c-5076-94dd-064f61587a18.html
[24] http://host.madison.com/news/local/writers/ogechi-emechebe/hmong-language-and-culture-is-focus-of-summer-program-for/article_6a935b79-95ed-50e1-be05-1b820bf0f28b.html
[25] http://host.madison.com/news/local/around-town-mcpike-scholarship-fund-gets-boost-from-madison-east/article_21892034-3ccd-5029-9b27-56e3e6851238.html
[26] http://host.madison.com/sports/chess-awonder-liang-moves-into-share-of-first-at-u/article_b6bf8eef-cdfd-535b-ad77-2d10681a8100.html