Morning Update

Don't be salty

We're only a few weeks away from the primary election!

In this newsletter

Photo via Flickr creative commons

Good morning, Madison!

And happy February.

We're only a few weeks away from the primary election and today is the last day to register by mail and online.

Even if you miss today's registration deadline, you still have until Feb. 17 to register at your municipal clerk’s office. You can also register in person at the polls on Feb. 21.

Not sure if you're registered? You can check that here.

This primary will determine which candidates advance to the April election. All Madison ballots will include candidates for state supreme court justice and mayor. There are eight City Council seats with primaries, too.

— Hayley

*The Snow Emergency Zone is the downtown isthmus area and surrounding neighborhoods.*

💸 How to avoid parking tickets this winter.

Following the weekend's snow storms, parking officials issued more than 300 tickets for snow emergency violations.
About alternate side parking: When in effect, alternate side parking requires drivers to park on the even-numbered side of the street from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m on even-numbered calendar days. On odd-numbered calendar days, park on the odd-numbered side of the street.
If you park inside the highlighted zone, you only need to follow alternate side parking rules during a Declared Snow Emergency.
If you park outside the highlighted zone, you need to follow alternate side parking rules daily from Nov. 15 through March 15.
If you aren't sure where to park, you can use this city website or sign up for parking reminder texts.
Dig deeper: How to walk, bike, and drive in Madison this winter (Madison Minutes)

😎 MMSD summer school teachers will make $40 an hour.

The Madison School Board voted Monday to increase the wages of summer school teachers from $28 an hour to $40 an hour for this year's summer term.
Why the change? Last summer, roughly 700 hundred students were unenrolled from summer programming due to a staffing shortage. The district wants to ensure that doesn’t happen again.
According to Cap Times, the one-time wage increase will cost the district about $700,000, which was already built into the budget.

*Road salts end up in our waterways, making area lakes less habitable for vulnerable species and our drinking water saltier. Photos via City of Madison*

🧂 Chill with all the salt.

When temperatures drop below 20 degrees, the efficacy of salt as an ice-melting agent drops drastically. Leftover salt on Madison’s roadways ends up spreading to local lakes, waterways, groundwater, and soil, and it is difficult to remove.
In an effort to curb salt use, the city adopted an ordinance last year that requires residents to remove excess salt and chemical melting agents following ice or snow melting. Failure to do so can result in fines.
If not salt, then what? If you're looking for traction, the city recommends using sand as the more environmentally friendly option. Sand can be found at these locations throughout the city for free (just bring your own shovel and pail!).
Related: Easy on the salt, water quality experts tell UW-Madison (Wisconsin State Journal)

💟 Two local organizations are looking for help.

Porchlight: The local nonprofit works to reduce homelessness in Dane County. With the dropping temperatures, Porchlight has a growing need for winter coats and gear, especially in men's sizes large and up. You can drop off items at their shelter (2002 Zeier Rd.) daily from 4-8:30 p.m.
Free Bikes 4 Kidz: The local organization has received more than 2,500 requests for bikes but only has about 1,400 on hand. If you have a bike that's collecting dust in the garage, consider donating. Bicycles can be dropped off at the Free Bikes 4 Kidz Madison workshop (354 Coyier Ln.) Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Interested in local volunteer opportunities? We've got you covered.

THERE IS NO PLANET B. Global climate change protest demonstration strike - No Planet B - 09-20-2019 — *Photo by Markus Spiske / Unsplash*

🌡️ Your lunchtime read: How Wisconsin TV news is tackling climate change in weather reports.

Via WPR: "Bob Lindmeier knew how to report the weather. When the studio lights and cameras turned on, the longtime meteorologist felt ready to help Wisconsinites prepare for the day or days ahead — pleasant skies or pending storms.

After about 20 years on the job, however, Lindmeier noticed more unusual weather events and more concern among climate scientists. He also saw a growing disconnect between what his viewers knew about climate change and how they felt about it.

Informing people about climate change could be a public service. But he was nervous."

📬

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🎙️ Today on the pod

Meet Madison’s First Female Snow Plow Driver

While most of us are sleeping, plow drivers across the city are at work. Like choreographed dancers, they all set about their routes, often working up to 16-hour days in some of the worst conditions, all to clear the way for us. So life can go on as usual.

Meet Margaret Kraege, the first female snow plow driver for the City of Madison.

Listen now