Morning Update: Friday, Sept. 10

Mask mandate extended + a record number of pardons

Good morning, Madison.

It's been about three weeks since we moved our newsletter to Bulletin. It's been a mostly pleasant experience so far, but there's been one big bump in the road: our replies go a black hole.

What do I mean? If you hit "reply" and respond to this message, we won't get your reply. It's super weird. You have to start a new message and send it to contact@madisonminutes.com for us to see your message.

The developers are working on a solution, but it might be a couple months before we have a fix.

We're dealing with this in the most Madison Minutes way possible. We've commissioned Wisconsin-based artist Rachal Duggan to design a series of educational art pieces for us to include in the newsletter.

Here's the first one:

Keep the conversation going by starting a new message and sending it to contact@madisonminutes.com. We still want to hear from you! This is just a weird technical glitch.

- Sam

😷 Dane County's mask mandate has been extended for another month.

The new public health order extends the indoor mask mandate through October 8th.
One key change: Performers will no longer have to wear masks as long as everyone in the audience is vaccinated. The previous public health order did not have this exception, which frustrated area arts leaders.

🗳️ Former lieutenant governor Rebecca Kleefisch just announced a run for governor.

Kleefisch was lieutenant governor during the Scott Walker years.
Her campaign announcement includes promises to "stand with law enforcement," keep schools open, and send the National Guard to the border with Mexico.
She's the first prominent Republican to enter the race.
Read more about her run in the Cap Times.

📋 Governor Evers is on pace to grant a record number of pardons, the Wisconsin Examiner reports.

Evers has pardoned 263 people so far during his time as governor.
Activists are pushing for more pardons.
Quote from Abolish MKE: "We will not let people think these baby steps are a sufficient response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis and systemic white supremacy in the Wisconsin prison system.”
Evers also recently signed an executive order to expand pardon eligibility and speed up the process, the Examiner reports.

🔊 The Cap Times just released its full schedule for Idea Fest 2021.

The festival features business leaders, journalists, politicians and more in a variety of panels and seminars.
There will be both in-person and virtual elements to the event this year.
Dates: September 13-18
Tickets: $10 general admission, $60 VIP admission

🍂 The City of Madison's Fall yard waste pickup schedule is now available.

Enter your home's information here to find out when you should place your raked leaves on the curb.

👀 One thing we'll be watching in the coming days: how the new federal vaccine mandate affects Wisconsin businesses and their employees.

Amidst a deadly surge in Covid-19 cases, President Biden announced a new federal rule yesterday that says employers with 100 or more employees must require employees to get vaccinated or be tested for Covid-19 on a weekly basis.
The move will likely face legal challenges, but experts say the president's rules will likely withstand the challenges. (Source: Business Insider, Barron's)
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce told Green Bay TV station WBAY it doesn't support the new mandate, claiming it "unfairly pits employers against their employees."
More info: Who's covered by Biden's new vaccine mandates? When do they go into effect? Here's what we know. (USA Today)

🧑‍⚖️ Three local reporters have been served subpoenas in the trial against two women accused of attacking a state senator.

All three were present the night that state Sen. Tim Carpenter was attacked for filming protesters at a racial justice rally in the summer of 2020.
Chali Pittman of WORT-FM, Lance Veeser of WKOW-TV, and Dylan Brogan of Isthmus have been served subpoenas that require them to testify about what they saw that night.
State law sets a high bar for requiring journalists to testify in court. Prosecutors say those standards have been met; the reporters' attorney says they haven't. The judge sided with prosecutors, but the reporters are considering appealing the decision, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

📚 Your lunchtime read: Meet the immigrants keeping Latin American clowning tradition alive in Wisconsin (The Cap Times)