Morning Update

Some updates...

Morning update: Wednesday, Nov. 9

In this newsletter

Happy Wednesday, Madison!

My brain is still recovering from all of yesterday's civic action but here's a lighter Election Day story for you, courtesy of Wisconsin State Journal politics reporter Alexander Shur's Twitter.

In case you need a reminder of what state you live in, Wisconsinites: @_kaylahuynh just spoke with a youth voter who said his proof of residency to register was an underage drinking ticket
— Alexander Shur (@AlexanderShur) November 8, 2022

This leaves us with the question: Does an underage drinking ticket count as a proof of residency document? As long as the document contains the voter’s name and current residential address, it's kosher.

— Hayley

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🇺🇸 Election results as of this newsletter’s send time (8 a.m. Wednesday):

Governor: Governor Tony Evers has won re-election over his Republican challenger Tim Michels.
Senate: A winner has not been declared yet in this very close race.
Attorney General: This race has not been officially called by the Associated Press, but Republican Eric Toney conceded the race to Democrat Josh Kaul last night. “We just don’t see a pathway to victory given what appears to be the limited number of votes out there,” Toney said.
U.S. Representative: Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan easily beat Republican challenger Erik Olsen. Pocan has represented Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district— which includes Madison — since 2013.
Sheriff: Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett handily won his race. Barrett was appointed to the post in 2021 to replace retiring Sheriff Dave Mahoney.

🧬 Exact Sciences is laying off roughly 5% of its workforce.

Who? Exact Sciences is a molecular diagnostics company based in Madison. The company specializes in the detection of early-stage cancers.
On Monday, the company announced it will lay off roughly 350 employees, around 250 of whom work in Madison.
The bigger picture: Earlier this year, the company announced a $350 million expansion that was expected to create more than 1,300 jobs. Those plans have not changed, despite the layoffs. "We remain deeply committed to Madison and excited to be part of its future for years to come,” the company said in a statement.
Some context: This isn't the first round of layoffs from Exact Sciences this year. In May, the company laid off 230 employees, 50 of whom were in Wisconsin.

🚔 Moving the Dane County Jail project forward.

The Dane County Board of Supervisors is discussing the 2023 operating budget this week. As part of those — sometimes contentious — discussions Monday, the board passed a scaled-back version of the stalled jail project.
If you'll recall: The county's Jail Consolidation Project aims to modernize the troubled building, which has a documented history of safety issues that affect both jail staff and residents. The project has faced setbacks in the form of community rejection and an ever-rising price tag.
The news: The proposal the board passed Monday outlines plans for a five-story jail facility and allocates $500,000 to criminal justice reform initiatives. The board passed its operating budget, including the jail plan, on a 24-13 vote.

🚌 A look at the Metro Transit redesign.

The city is implementing a brand new transit network in June 2023. The redesign is meant to increase the frequency of trips, reduce issues with transfers, and generally make Madison's public transportation easier to use. It's also another step toward implementing the bus rapid transit system in 2024.
Tonight, the city will host its final virtual public hearing in front of the Transportation Commission to discuss bus stop locations, route start and end times, and an equity analysis of the final plan.
Dig deeper: Metro Transit redesign will benefit minorities, low-income areas, study says (Wisconsin State Journal)

🧸 Meet Keep Calm Sensory Zone.

A Madison mother and son duo is opening a family-friendly play space on the city's north side with an emphasis on sensory inclusivity. The space will have a gym, sound-proof rooms, an outdoor playground, and more.
The idea comes form Courtney Willegal, who grew tired of having her sons turned away from resources and experiences because of mental and behavioral health disorders, according to Channel 3000.
The 11,000-square-foot space at 1736 Roth St. aims to be a space where everyone can feel included, and parents can connect with each other. The space will open Dec. 10.

💟 Your lunchtime read: As domestic violence in Wisconsin surges, shelters unable to keep up with need.

Via Green Bay Press-Gazette: "Domestic violence shelters across Wisconsin report huge surges in demand, and workers suggest not only is the volume increasing, but so is the intensity of abuse.

The wave of reported abuse has been building since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, and shows no sign of slowing down.

A national report from the Violence Policy Center released in October ranked Wisconsin eighth highest in cases of men murdering women in 2020."

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