Morning Update

Almost election time

Tomorrow is Election Day. Do you have a plan to vote?

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Good morning, Madison!

Tomorrow is Election Day. Do you have a plan to vote?

To get you into the civic spirit, here's a slice of history. On this day in 1866, Black Wisconsinites cast their first legal ballots after Ezekiel Gillespie successfully sued the state for the right to vote.

The Madison School Board recently voted to change the name of Thomas Jefferson Middle School to Ezekiel Gillespie Middle School. That change will go into effect this fall.

— Hayley

☕️ Welcome back, Java Cat.

The local coffee shop has reopened in a new space on Lien Road.
Some context: The cat-themed coffee house spent 17 years at its former location on Monona Drive but left last year after developers bought the land with plans of turning the space into housing.
Java Cat initially planned to move back into the Monona Drive space after construction finished but has since decided to make 4221 Lien Road its new permanent home.

🔥 A fire caused major damage on Park Street over the weekend.

The Madison Fire Department worked through the night Friday to control a fire that tore through a warehouse on South Park Street.
No injuries have been reported as a result of the blaze but MFD urged residents to avoid the area over air quality concerns.
The fire destroyed multiple local businesses, including ACME Ironworks and Unbroken Chain bike shop, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

🚲 Madison Freewheel Bicycle will close up shop this summer.

The nonprofit bike shop will leave its home on the Capitol Square in June. Freewheel collaborated with the city to operate the Madison Bicycle Center, where the group offered tune-ups and maintenance classes at low or no cost.
The center opened in 2020 with hopes of being a space for bike storage and events. But membership never took off and the city declined to renew the store’s lease.

🗳️ What does city government do?

Tomorrow, Madison voters will elect a mayor and City council. As the city’s governing bodies, they have pretty big jobs. Here's a quick look at what they're responsible for, from our new civics guide.
The mayor: Madison’s mayor is elected to a four-year term. The mayor sets the direction for the city budget and big initiatives, makes sure city ordinances and state laws are followed, and ensures that all city officers and employees fulfill their duties.
City Council: City Council (officially known as the Common Council) is made up of 20 alders, who each represent a different district in Madison. Alders are elected to two-year terms by city residents. From transportation policies to alcohol licensing, public safety, and how taxpayer dollars are spent, the City Council is responsible for many aspects of city living.
Dig deeper: Learn more about who calls the shots in Madison here.

🚮 New hours at the Streets Division drop-off sites.

The Streets Division drop-off sites at 402 South Point Road and 4602 Sycamore Avenue are now operating on their extended summer hours.
Don't forget: Through the end of the year, the city won’t charge recycling fees for televisions, computers, laptops, and monitors at these sites.

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🎙️ Today on City Cast Madison

Madison’s Solution for Evictions? Lawyers

The City of Madison knows that no one likes evictions. They’re painful, messy and costly. So they’re funding a program to provide free lawyers to tenants facing eviction. They mediate conflicts - or miscommunication - between tenants and landlords, and work out solutions.

And it’s been shockingly effective.

Listen now