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.
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Top Story
An allocation of $76 million in the budget [2] means a long-debated jail project will proceed along West Dotty Street.
Education
Madison public schools expanded a program that serves LGTBQ youth and their educators, Welcoming Schools [3]. State high school ACT scores remained steady in the past year, according to a report. [4] Student loan debt was in the news this week after state Democratic lawmakers criticized the legislature for not doing enough to reduce debt [5]. Meanwhile, people raised in Madison detailed just how much student debt they took on to reach their career goals [6].
Development
A new Goodwill thrift store opened in a former [7] Kohl’s on the Northside, part of a push to expand the brand around South-Central Wisconsin. Centro Hispano [8], a South-Park-Street group serving the Latino population, will be renovated for free through a program that helps non-profits. While the implications of Kwik Trip’s takeover of PDQ mean some Madison businesses could suffer, La Crosse businesses could benefit [9].
Community
Epic Systems argued Monday that portions of its employee policy are constitutional [10] in front of the federal Supreme Court. The business employs about 10,000 in Dane County, but the decision could affect up to 55 percent of American workers [11]. After 20 years on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, a family returned recently to their Madison roots [12] to escape a devastating hurricane.
