Happy Primary Day

Good morning, Madison.

Today's the big day — Primary Day!

Have you voted yet? If not, do you have a plan to cast your ballot?

I know we've been talking a lot about this primary let's but run through the basics again, just for fun.

Are you registered? If so, nice! You're ready to go. But if you're not registered, or if you've moved since the last election, you'll have to bring that information up to date. Not to fret, you can register to vote at your polling place, you'll just need to be sure you have the proper proof of residency.

Do you know where to go? Check your polling place here. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you're in line by 8 p.m., you can vote.

Don't forget your ID! Photo identification is required for voting in Wisconsin. Your ID does not need to show your current address to be valid. Click here for a full list of acceptable IDs.

Do you know what's on the ballot? This is a partisan primary, so you may vote for candidates in one political party. The winners of the primary will compete in the Nov. 8 general election. You can check out a sample ballot for each party here.

Happy voting, y'all.

— Hayley

🧑🏽‍🏫 MMSD and other local schools are desperately understaffed.

• School districts across the country are facing massive teacher shortages and Madison is no exception. Now, just weeks before the new school year is set to begin, the Madison School District is looking to fill 141 teaching positions. The State Journal reports MMSD saw more than 570 staff departures ahead of the upcoming school year.
• How did we get here? There are plenty of factors at play when it comes to examining the teacher shortage but overall, the recurring themes include low pay, an increase of retirements, and burnout. WPR reports the number of students graduating with degrees in education has been falling for the past decade and staffing shortages are only likely to get worse.
• The State Journal reports the 12 Dane County school districts had roughly 649 teacher, administrative, and support staff vacancies, combined, at the end of July. Madison accounted for 323 of those teacher and support staff vacancies.
• Dig deeper: ‘Never seen it this bad’: America faces catastrophic teacher shortage (Washington Post)

🚧 Goodbye Market Square Theater, hello housing.

• A developer wants to demolish the shuttered westside Market Square Theater and build a new $22 million apartment complex (with commercial space and parking, too, of course).
• The theater closed at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 and re-opened in September 2021 only to close permanently in February 2022. The State Journal reports the proposed six-story project would bring 98 apartments, 2,500 square feet of commercial space, and two levels of parking. If all goes to plan, construction could start next spring.
• The bigger picture: The project is one of several making its way through City Council following the city's approval of the Odana Area Plan, which reimagines the 1,044-acre area roughly bordered by the Beltline, Mineral Point Road, and University Research Park.
• Related: The city’s Odana Area Plan is starting to unfold. Here’s what it could look like. (Cap Times)

🔍 The investigation into Henry Vilas Zoo is progressing.

• The county announced last week it would hire recently retired Judge Valerie Bailey-Rihn to conduct an independent investigation into a series of allegations against the Henry Vilas Zoo.
• The county has set aside $50,000 for the investigation, which was announced shortly after the Wisconsin State Journal published an investigation into the departure of the zoo's only two Black zookeepers. The investigation will look into allegations of racism by zoo management, retaliation for union activity, retaliation for whistleblowing, animal neglect, and more.  
• Bailey-Rihn is expected to deliver a report of her findings by October.

🐈 There's a vet shortage in Madison.

• Well, there's a vet shortage across the country. Hospitals, clinics, and vet offices are understaffed, leaving some people to travel hours to get their pet the care it needs.
• How did we get here? As Isthmus reports, staffing shortages are nothing new to the veterinary profession but the pandemic exacerbated the issue in several ways. First, more people have pets. The pandemic led to a boom in adoptions, meaning number of people who use veterinary services has increased greatly. Moreover, within the profession, more vets are finding higher compensation working at small animal practices, leading to a shortage in specialists, surgeons, and urgent care providers.
• Listen to the story: Madison’s Vet Shortage With Judith Davidoff (WORT)

🌳 Check out the 2023 Wisconsin State Parks sticker.

• The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced the winner of its state park sticker design contest earlier this month. Brooke Salomone, a senior at Brookfield East High School created the winning design, which will be printed on all 2023 state park and forest annual vehicle admission stickers.
• Annual admission stickers cost $28 for Wisconsin residents or $38 for non-residents.

📈 Your lunchtime read: The Black Business Hub: Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Generational Wealth Building, and More.

• Via UMOJA: "Dr. Ruben L. Anthony Jr. has a gift for seeing potential in others, even before they see it in themselves. Equally, he can zero in on opportunities, where others only envision obstacles. The president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison is a visionary to be sure, but more importantly, he sees his vision through to reality.
  
  This might explain why hundreds would gather on an exceptionally frigid Friday afternoon in April to witness the groundbreaking of the $25.5 million Black Business Hub, and bear witness to a promise kept in constructing a vibrant commercial destination space in south Madison, where Black-owned businesses can thrive and establish generational wealth. It is being called the crowning jewel of the Urban League under Anthony’s leadership and his dynamic team."

Advertisement 👽 Upgrade your tote bag game this season!

• You can never go wrong with a bold tote. Make a statement at the farmers market, gym, or even your commute to work with an Alien Tub Lovers tote.
• Use coupon code “MadisonMinutes” for free shipping on your next RADillustrates order.

📅 Events: Tuesday

• Engineering for Kids: DreamBank Edition at DreamBank
• Family Night on Lake Mendota at Memorial Union
• Lo Marie at Winnequah Park
• Madison Comedy Week at Multiple Venues
• Olbrich Gardens' Summer Concerts at Olbrich Botanical Gardens
• Summer Concert Series at Winnequah Park

Tomorrow

• Blues Dancing at The Brink Lounge
• Dennis Mitcheltree & Johannes Wallmann at Jazz at Five
• DJ Goldiloxx at The Rigby
• Movies with Madison Parks - The Lorax at Warner Park
• Terrace Open Mic at Memorial Union
• Trailer Kings at Bowl a vard
• We Read Storytelling - Spoken Word Stories at Lakeview Library

📝 Miss a Minute? Check out yesterday's newsletter.

The primary is tomorrow

Morning update: Monday, Aug. 8

Madison MinutesHayley Sperling

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