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Morning Update: Friday, March 4

Good morning, Madison.

It's officially Friday! I have a big weekend planned. And by that, I mean I'm going to the golden retriever meetup on Saturday.

— Sam

⚖️ The Wisconsin Supreme Court has chosen Governor Evers' voting maps proposal.

  • The court voted 4-3 to select the proposal from Evers over those proposed by Republicans.
  • While Republicans will still maintain the upper hand when it comes to control of the state legislature, the advantage is less than it would’ve been under Republican proposals. It amounts to the "difference between simple Republican majorities and supermajorities that could override any governor's vetoes," WPR reports.
  • Justice Brian Hagedorn broke with the conservative majority to vote for Evers' maps. Hagedorn received a lot of Republican support when he was running for the Supreme Court.
  • (While races for Supreme Court are technically nonpartisan, they still end up being very political.)
  • Back in November, the court indicated a preference for a "least change" approach. Evers' proposal would result in the least amount of people moving voting districts. "The Governor's proposed map is superior to every other proposal. It is the map with the least change," Hagedorn wrote.

🇺🇦 Ukraine-related updates:

🛍️ The Bodega outdoor market is coming back for another year.

  • The outdoor market event will be held at Breese Stevens Field on May 6, June 3, and July 22.

🥌 Two Wisconsin curlers are competing in the 2022 Paralympic Games.

  • Matthew Thums of Weston and David Samsa of Suamico are competing in the games, which kick off today.
  • "It's like chess on ice ... Everybody can throw the perfect stone but if we're not making ... the right call, you're gonna have a tough time winning, even if you make every shot," Samsa said.

✈️ Oh by the way, Joe Biden was in Wisconsin earlier this week.

  • He was up in Superior, touting the $1 trillion infrastructure bill that was passed last year, the Cap Times reports.
  • The state of things: Wisconsin infrastructure received a "C" on this 2020 report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers.
  • What we could get: $5.2 billion for highways and $225 million for bridge replacement/repairs, according to the White House.
  • And how did everybody react to the visit? Right along party lines, the Cap Times reports. Democrats said positive things. Republicans said negative things.

🐦 Lunchtime read: The BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin is busting stereotypes about birdwatching

  • From the State Journal: "Drawing more people into birding is what the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, which Patterson helped found with Jeff Galligan, is all about. The club got its start in Madison on Juneteenth Day last year, and added a Milwaukee chapter in the fall. The two chapters host monthly birdwatching outings in natural spaces near both cities."

🦠 Covid-19 Update

Wisconsin Vaccination Rate: 60.4%

Dane County Vaccination Rate: 78.2%

Resources

📅 The weekend

Friday, March 4

Saturday, March 5

Sunday, March 6

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