Welcome to the Madison Commons, a website designed to provide news and information about all of Madison's neighborhoods and a crossroads for the discussion of community issues. The name comes from the idea of a village commons, a place for news, talk, debate, and some entertainment, too, that's open to everyone.
[1](Michael Mirer / Madison Commons)
Here’s what we were reading while attending the World Cheese Championships [2]
Education
Madison’s AVID/TOPS program continues to show good results [3]. The school district reported a drop in the number of citations and arrests near the city’s high schools [4]. Ed Hughes describes the eight things he’s learned in his years on the school board [5]. The Capital Times praised outgoing teachers union leader John Matthews [6]. Dave Blaska was not a Matthews fan [7].
Government
The city resolved a number of unpaid citations on Sunday [8]. Madison Mayor Paul Soglin blamed the state’s Republican leadership for not acting to prevent the closing of Oscar Mayer’s century-old plant in Madison [9]. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said city leadership, not the state, is to blame for the loss of 1,000 jobs due to the closing the plant [10]. Fitzgerald has made an open records request [11] that he claims is aimed at determining who said what to whom. City planning director Katherine Cornwell will be stepping down in June [12]. The new Central Business Improvement Director talks about her goals for downtown Madison [13]. A West High grad is spearheading the city’s push to reduce homelessness [14]. Developers presented revised plans for the redevelopment Judge Doyle Square just off the Capitol [15]. Proposed renovations to the Alliant Energy Center could be the most expensive project in Dane County’s history [16]. The city might get its first community solar project [17]. Dane County Circuit Judge David Flanagan is retiring [18].
Community
The director of the Latino Academy of Workforce Development will be moving on in June [19]. A new report showed that Latin@ workers in Dane County face workplace discrimination [20]. A new study shows Madison is the 10th most racist city on Twitter [21]. LGBTQ+ youth in Dane County are at high risk for homelessness [22]. Madison companies begin to offer childcare for parents with non-traditional schedules [23]. Madison photojournalist Wendi Kent gained national acclaim for her project documenting protesters at abortion clinics [24]. AFRICaide’s International Womens Day celebration brought together a diverse group to speak about their experiences [25]. A proposed development on West Washington stresses studio apartments [26]. A group of neighborhoods are working towards affordable housing in the isthmus area [27]. The Dalai Lama made his 10th visit to Madison [28].
