We've got some news!

Good morning, Madison!

Happy Tuesday, we've got some exciting news for you.

If you're a Madison Minutes member (thank you, we love you), you've already got the inside scoop on this one. But for those who aren't (it's ok, we still love you, too), we just launched a brand-new website for Madison Minutes!

This is a *huge* step for us. If you've been a Madison Minutes reader for a while you'll know this has been a long time coming.

We wanted to create a space that would not only be a home to our beloved newsletter but also be a hub for useful local information. It's all still very much a work in progress but we're excited to show you what we have so far.

Take a minute to scroll through the site here and, of course, be sure to tell us what you think.

— Hayley

🏫 Thousand dollar bonuses and a 3% raise for teachers.

• The Madison School Board approved a preliminary 2022-23 budget Monday night that includes a 3% base wage increase for its staff.
• Madison Teachers Inc. have been vocally pushing for a 4.7% raise, the maximum allowed by the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission.
• The board voted 6-1 to pass the budget, Cap Times reports.
• Along with the 3% raise, the board also approved $1,000 bonuses for all staff members employed between Jan. 1 and June 10.
• The board will vote again to finalize the 2022-23 budget in October, after enrollment numbers and property values are set.

⚖️ Neighboring states are bracing for Wisconsin's abortion ban.

• With the Supreme Court's decision to overturn its 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, the right to an abortion is now in the hands of state government. In Wisconsin, that means falling back on an 1849 law criminalizing abortion.
• Abortion is still legal in Illinois and Minnesota and clinics are preparing for an influx of new patients from around the country. But this is a task they're not necessarily prepared for. Minnesota has just eight clinics that provide abortions, NPR reports.
• "As states see a surge, we may actually be at a point where we're not going to be able to meet all the demand in the short term," Sarah Traxler, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood North Central States, told Axios Twin Cities.
• Related: What you need to know about abortion in Wisconsin (Read this one on our brand new website!)

🚰 A look at the city's water quality report.

• Late last month the Madison Water Utility released its annual water quality report for 2021.
• The biggest find in the report shows higher-than-advised levels of PFAS in 11 of the city’s 21 active wells. Though the levels of PFAS found in Madison's wells was below the state's standard of 70 parts per trillion, making it safe to drink, WORT reports.
• No substances were found in large enough quantities to constitute a violation of regulatory limits.
• Quick context: PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals," have been linked to many health issues including cancer, decreased fertility, and developmental issues in children. Learn more about PFAS from the EPA here.

🗑️ PSA: No trash pickup on July 4.

• The city won't be picking up any trash, recycling, or brush next Monday in observance of the July 4 holiday.
• If you normally get trashed picked up on Mondays, the city says to put carts out on the curb for collection by 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 5.
• All three Streets Division drop-off sites will also be closed Monday.

🚧 Out with the old and in with the new.

• UW-Madison is set to begin demolition this week on two century-old buildings to make way for a new $225 million School of Computer, Data and Information Sciences.
• The Service Building and Service Annex, located on University Avenue between North Orchard Street and North Charter Street, were approved for demolition back in 2015 when the city gave UW the green lights on its master plan. The 2015 approval allows the university to move forward on any demolition projects outlined in the master plan without public input, the State Journal explains.
• Construction is expected to begin in 2023, with the building opening anticipated in 2025.

🏳️‍⚧️ How to get a library card if your preferred name is different than your legal one.

• There are endless reasons to love the library but today we're celebrating the fact that Madison's Public Library system recently updated its library card application process to support trans and non-binary library users whose names may be different than what's listed on their state IDs.
• Madison Public Library requires a photo ID to get a library card. But if your name is different than the name on your ID, the library can change the primary name field of your account so that any holds and notifications will use the correct name.
• If you already have a library card but want to make a name change, you can call or visit any library location or email madcirc@madisonpubliclibrary.org.

🏀 Your lunchtime read: Giannis Antetokounmpo talks about telling his family story in "Rise".

• Via Cap Times: "The film follows Giannis’ development as a young star player, and the film culminates at the 2013 NBA Draft. While every sports fan in Wisconsin knows what happened there, seeing Giannis drafted by the Bucks on screen carries a fresh emotional power. We have just seen how far he and the family went to get there.
  
  'It allows you to get into the story in a totally different way,' director Akin Omotoso said. 'By the time he’s a Milwaukee Bucks star, you’ve gone on the journey with them. Then you start to understand that when he’s celebrating. You go, ‘I get it. I fully get it.’'"