Here’s what we were reading while walking the University Ridge course [1].
Genele Laird
Video showing Madison police tackling 18-year-old Genele Laird during an arrest at East Towne Mall led the headlines this week. Black leaders called for a review of footage from the arrest of 18-year-old Genele Laird at East Towne Mall [2], arguing that a video showed police using excessive force. Centro Hispano’s leader objected to the arrest [3]. Boys and Girls Club of Dane County CEO Michael Johnson issued a challenge to all corners of the Madison community [4].
Reactions to the arrest include horror and outrage [5]. Social media response was strong on both sides of the issue [6]. Many alders have called for an independent review of the incident [7]. Mayor Paul Soglin echoed calls for a full investigation [8]. Madison Police Chief Mike Koval said the video showed only a snapshot of the interaction [9]. Dave Blaska says the police acted appropriately [10]. Former police chief David Couper thought the video showed a lack of training [11]. Chris Rickert said this episode shows the importance of body cameras [12]. Activist Matthew Braunginn wrote about the arrest [13]. Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne opted for restorative justice for Laird rather than filing criminal charges [14]. Curious about what means? We wrote about what restorative courts are [15] last year and how it fits into the city’s approach to justice [16].
Government
Dane County’s purchase of the Madison Chamber of Commerce building for a homeless day center with cost $400,000 more than expected [17]. The City Council loaned the school board more than $9M to help close a budget deficit [18]. The school board finalized its preliminary budget [19].
The City has reached a new deal with a Chicago company to redevelop Judge Doyle Square just off the Capitol [20]. Dane County looks to institute a wood recycling program for the anticipated culling of trees due to the Emerald Ash Borer [21]. The city will hold a public hearing on pedestrian and bicycle projects to consider for the upcoming year [22]. Dane County Public Health is investigating a rat infestation on the East Side [23]. The Mayor appointed a new city planning director [24].
Community
Administrators at Madison West High School have been criticized for inappropriately handling sexual assault allegations [25]. Dane County’s elderly population is growing quickly [26]. Housing insecurity is becoming a citywide problem [27]. Penn Park will get a new shelter [28]. Wisconsin’s new civil service rules take effect July 1 [29]. Summit Credit Union ruled out moving downtown due to the high cost of parking [30]. The redevelopment of the Garver Feed Mill site on the East Side is moving forward [31]. We wrote about the planning process last year [32]. West Nile has been discovered in Dane County [33]. UW-Madison failed to address lead paint during a renovation of graduate student housing [34], which led to a case of lead poisoning.
The BikeMobile brings bicycle repair to users [35]. Madison property managers crack down on people who don’t clean up after their dogs [36]. Madison 365 offers a training program for journalists of color [37]. A Verona Rd dance studio offers ballet for wheelchair-bound children [38]. UpStart program offers free classes for women and minority entrepreneurs [39]. Black Girls Are Magic aims to empower black women and increase their visibility in Madison [40]. Shake the Lake may be establishing itself as a summer tradition [41]. Current tenants feel left behind in a proposed redevelopment of Westgate Mall [42].
The Digest will be off for July 4 and return on July 11.
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Links:
[1] http://host.madison.com/wsj/sports/golf/pro-golf-good-crowds-good-weather-expected-for-pga-tour/article_e51c843a-fba3-5a13-893b-1993b13ad878.html
[2] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime-and-courts/outrage-grows-over-forceful-arrest-of-black-woman-madison-police/article_08dfc5de-1fd6-543e-b8e5-020e35c487c4.html
[3] http://madison365.com/index.php/2016/06/24/centro-hispano-makes-official-statement-genele-laird-arrest/
[4] http://madison365.com/index.php/2016/06/25/my-message-to/
[5] http://isthmus.com/news/news/public-officials-family-outraged-over-violent-arrest/
[6] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime-and-courts/video-of-genele-laird-arrest-divides-opinions-often-along-racial/article_c1d30faf-0cee-5869-a98d-4a9d49904139.html
[7] http://isthmus.com/news/news/alders-call-for-independent-review-of-east-towne-arrest/
[8] http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/paul-soglin-public-review-of-genele-laird-police-officers-is/article_862a919e-48f4-558d-a408-ba5c21934368.html
[9] http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/police-chief-mike-koval-video-of-violent-east-towne-arrest/article_a1f0c304-a955-5f50-98b0-065b33e12f0d.html
[10] http://www.ibmadison.com/Blogger/Bring-It/June-2016/Mayor-Common-Council-kick-and-spit-on-Madison-police/
[11] http://madison365.com/index.php/2016/06/24/former-madison-police-chief-calls-police-violence-unacceptable/
[12] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/columnists/chris-rickert/chris-rickert-east-towne-mall-arrest-the-latest-advertisement-for/article_07d2c97b-7268-5c2a-b939-c759c1998599.html?utm_content=bufferdaf12&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=LEEDCC
[13] http://madison365.com/index.php/2016/06/22/say-name-genele-laird/
[14] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime-and-courts/genele-laird-won-t-be-charged-referred-to-alternative-restorative/article_0ec93e2b-4e04-5fe7-9d33-ab05ed0f9ae4.html
[15] http://madisoncommons.org/?q=node/2732
[16] http://www.madisoncommons.org/?q=content/rethinking-youth-justice-in-the-madison-police-department
[17] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/dane-county-officials-see-value-in-chamber-of-commerce-building/article_d4ab06c6-6bd8-568f-be54-48e76697bb07.html
[18] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/city-council-approves-actions-involving-tif-districts/article_75635054-44e5-522d-b42f-3d112e09f21e.html
[19] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/local_schools/madison-school-board-nears-vote-on-m-budget-for/article_7fee015e-62a5-5738-95f5-26c3c7531177.html
[20] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/madison-officials-and-beitler-real-estate-services-renegotiate-judge-doyle/article_88aee63b-fedf-5a42-adf3-b9df87b4c2ab.html
[21] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/dane-county-to-begin-recycling-clean-wood-waste-amid-emerald/article_bc876a9f-2b3d-53e9-85dc-7c2e9840a9ce.html
[22] http://www.forwardlookout.com/2016/06/ideas-for-pedestrian-and-bicycle-projects-needed/24987
[23] http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/public-heath-department-investigates-rat-problem-on-east-washington/article_a49434ca-c35f-5fdd-95d3-eec4fef70810.html
[24] http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/heather-stouder-named-new-madison-planning-director/article_36819028-7c32-57d7-a2dd-3a570ff0da74.html
[25] http://madison365.com/index.php/2016/06/23/madison-west-school-administrators-criticized-district-leaders-sexual-assault-response/
[26] http://host.madison.com/ct/news/data/elderly-population-growth-in-dane-county-outpaces-the-rest-of/article_b3d45652-517f-5846-acb1-5223e247993c.html
[27] http://madison365.com/index.php/2016/06/20/housing-insecurity-madison-spiraling-control/
[28] http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/penn-park-shelter-will-be-renovated-not-demolished-as-part/article_3d8e9e82-315b-5bac-b7d5-72c14c12e0e9.html
[29] http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/election-matters/wisconsin-s-new-civil-service-rules-set-to-take-effect/article_05cde899-24c3-5084-a6df-b6b4cb051e20.html
[30] http://host.madison.com/wsj/business/summit-credit-union-no-longer-looking-to-downtown-for-new/article_fd524a67-cb05-51af-bb35-df0bb78693d2.html
[31] http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/garver-feed-mill-redevelopment-project-moving-forward-with-some-changes/article_6e9578d2-6728-578b-9ff4-f65f3c233914.html
[32] http://madisoncommons.org/?q=content/local-input-helps-shape-garver-feed-project
[33] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/test-finds-west-nile-virus-in-dane-county-bird/article_f27bcb4c-35f2-55c9-a926-109ee876721f.html
[34] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/university/child-in-uw-madison-apartment-had-lead-poisoning-prompting-order/article_67696fdd-9860-5306-9c6f-f236bfa26861.html
[35] http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/the-bikemobile-brings-the-repair-shop-to-you/article_f2d1a959-ffdb-5d79-9a1d-1ae32259bba8.html?utm_content=buffer59ae3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=LEEDCC
[36] http://isthmus.com/news/news/property-managers-use-dog-dna-database-to-match-messes/
[37] http://isthmus.com/news/news/madison365-launches-training-program-to-cultivate-journalists-of-color/
[38] http://isthmus.com/news/snapshot/ballet-in-wheelchairs-kehl-school-of-dance/
[39] http://madison365.com/index.php/2016/06/20/free-entrepreneurial-classes-available-women-minority-innovators/
[40] http://madison365.com/index.php/2016/06/22/black-girls-magic-builds-community-bridges-gaps-madison/
[41] http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/shake-the-lake-makes-a-strong-case-as-a-mainstay/article_555f74b8-11e9-5417-aebf-3bc3dc6149f9.html
[42] http://host.madison.com/wsj/business/redevelopment-pitched-for-westgate-mall-current-tenants-say-they-re/article_a893bdf1-d397-5fe3-913c-a3842774bba0.html?utm_content=buffer01f42&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=LEEDCC