Morning Update

Here comes the sun

Did you notice a haze in the sky over the weekend?

In this newsletter

Wisconsin's air quality map via Wisconsin DNR

Gooooooooood morning, Madison!

Happy Monday and welcome to the week.

Did you notice a haze in the sky over the weekend?

Wildfires have been burning in western Canada, and the residual smoke has led to widespread air quality concerns across the U.S.

Thankfully, most of the dust has settled and clearer skies are on the horizon this week.

— Hayley

🚍 New bus routes are coming.

The city will implement a redesigned metro transit network with new bus routes and stops starting June 11.
The change is meant to provide more consistent bus service and make metro service more equitable throughout the city. The city says the change means Black residents will see a 96% increase in access to jobs within a 45-minute ride, that number rises to 120% for Latinx residents, and low-income residents will see a 93% increase.
As part of the route change, Metro will also add three new routes in Sun Prairie.
The redesigned service will also lay the groundwork for the new bus rapid transit system that launches next year.

📣 Madison’s biggest strike since Act 10.

More than 400 CUNA Mutual Group employees walked off the job Friday in protest of the company’s refusal to bargain in good faith and alleged unfair labor practices.
The strike is expected to last a week but could stretch longer if agreements between the parties can't be reached, according to Tone Madison.
Striking workers were joined by the Teaching Assistants’ Association, Voces de la Frontera, Service Workers International Union Healthcare Wisconsin, and more.
CUNA Mutual Group, now known as TruStage, is one of Madison's largest employers with a local workforce of roughly 1,750.

📚 Wisconsin educators made their voices heard at the capitol.

Hundreds of teachers from around the state gathered on the capitol steps over the weekend to voice their support for Gov. Tony Evers' 2023-25 budget proposal, which includes more than $2.6 billion in new funding for public schools.
Inadequate funding coupled with inflation has led to teachers spending more of their own money on supplies for their daily lessons such as crayons and markers, according to the State Journal.
"Our kids need this budget to pass. I would argue that the future health of our democracy depends on it," Wisconsin’s 2023 Teacher of the Year Sarah Kopplin said at the rally.

🍫 Madison Chocolate Co. is expanding.

Madison Chocolate Co. has opened a second location on the west side at the intersection of Odana and Whitney Way.
The new location, which is about two miles from its original location on Glenway Street, will offer a drive-thru and expanded cafe seating space, according to Madison Magazine.
"We basically outgrew our other store so we can't produce as much as we'd like to and the demand for gluten free [baked goods] kind of grew exponentially," owner Megan Hile told the magazine.

🎶 Your lunchtime read: Discover Jiggy Jamz, Madison’s Hidden Playground for Electronic Music.

Via Madison Commons: "Oﬀ the intersection of Fordem Avenue and East Johnson Street, you’ll find Jiggy Jamz, one of Madison’s only EDM-focused vinyl shops, where electronic junkies can let their dreams run rampant. Within the bounds of the quaint establishment are walls adorned with locally produced art and shelves full of rare uncut vinyl, only to be discovered for the second time. All the while, a customer peruses through the racks, and a live DJ mixes house cuts on vinyl."

📬

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🎙️ Today on City Cast Madison

Why it’s So Hard to Get Info From Madison Schools

Public schools are paid for by us, the public. And we the people are entitled to oversight.

But what happens when a public entity does not live up to the law? And leaves frustrated parents hanging, waiting months on end for basic info? When delays force citizens to sue to get answers?

That’s what’s happening at the Madison Metropolitan School District. Public interest lawyers say it’s THE worst government body in the entire state of Wisconsin for transparency. What’s going on? We dig in with Tom Kamenick of the Wisconsin Transparency Project.

Listen now