So, inspired by Fearful Symmetries' blog post covering New Glarus's 2010 beer lineup, here's my take on it. New Glarus Brewery is a very important Wisconsin microbrewery (the availability of Spotted Cow is amazing) and I think their lineup is worthy of examination. It was leaked on the' [...]
Number of comments: 0 So, you probably already know this but Madison's Landmark Commission denied the Edgewater redevelopment plan a Certificate of Appropriateness, which means that the current Edgewater plan would have to be scaled down significantly to be approved (Good chance it would be done-for in its current form or the plan might [...]
Even with the entry of Tim John on the Democratic side, I think that Tom Barrett might have that one wrapped up. But I would argue that the GOP-side might [...]
Number of comments: 0 So, Henry Sanders, who ran against David Travis in the Democratic primary in 2006 for the 81st Assembly seat, is running for Lt. Governor (as a Democrat of course). I just want to draw your attention to this part of an e-mail that was sent out on Mr. [...]
Number of comments: 0 As you might already know, Oconomowoc businessman Tim John has announced his intention to run for Governor. He'll join Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Jared Christiansen in running for the Democratic nomination for governor.
I don't know much about Tim John (aside from the fact that [...]
Number of comments: 0 Hello. Today I'm here to talk about a traffic light - the traffic light on the intersection of County M and County PD. I believe there needs to be a left-turn arrow on County PD for East-bound traffic during evening rush-hour (to make it easier to turn left onto' [...]
Number of comments: 0 Repeating a call by Robert G from Madison AMPS (because it's a good idea):
Our school-funding system is in crisis, and that crisis is leading to less education in our schools and higher property taxes on our homes. It is time to say, “Enough is enough.” We need [...]
The fish that can grow to more than 50 pounds or more are a big deal because they are voracious feeders, overwhelming native species, and they pose a huge hazard to recreational [...]
Number of comments: 0 You know what I didn't expect? I didn't expect that Republican Senatorial candidate Terrence Wall donated to Democrat Tammy Baldwin (WI-2) and Democrat Kathleen Falk. Now, *I* think that's just great, I've happily voted for both candidates in the past. Of course, I wouldn't get very far in a Republican [...]
Number of comments: 0 In case you were wondering, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk (D) is not running for Lt. Governor of Wisconsin. According to the link, here are the candidates who are considering running:
Sen. Spencer Coggs of Milwaukee and Milwaukee Ald. Tony Zielinski are seeking the Democratic nomination for lieutenant [...]
Number of comments: 4 David Blaska is a pretty decent conservative blogger. I disagree with him a lot, but I have to admit, the guy has the right-wing talking points down. He knows what to say and how to say it. So when he says things, you can usually bet there's a reason. This' [...]
Number of comments: 2 You probably already know but Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has announced he is running for governor. This gives the Democratic side a credible candidate, to match with the two credible candidates on the Republican side (Mark Neumann and Scott Walker).
Number of comments: 0 So, since there is nothing too exciting happening on the D-side of the WI governor's race, let's take a look at the GOP side. It's a little easier for me to analyze since I don't intend to vote for either candidate. So anyways, in my internet searching, I noticed this [...]
Number of comments: 0 Hm. Well, I kinda expected that's what would happen...however, at least some improvements were made. Check it:
Ald. Michael Schumacher, 18th District, who initially offered an amendment to delete the TIF money for the Edgewater because the city has only begun its review of the project, offered the' [...]
Number of comments: 2 So, there is this review over at Madison.com: Fall’s fruit bounty makes for delicious cider drinks. As you might guess, it's about hard ciders. They cover the obvious ones (Strongbow and Woodchuck), but totally neglected to mention AEppelTreow Winery (Burlington, WI). I understand that they gotta review the' [...]
Number of comments: 3 Dane County Board voted to establish a Regional Transit Authority (20-16, with 1 absent). You probably already know this. First: Yay! People have been talking about an RTA for the area as early as 1974. We are on the way to integrated transit solutions, better traffic management, and cleaner air [...]
The Hammes Co. has scaled back its plan for the Edgewater redevelopment, from $109 million to $90 million. However, they are still asking for the full $16 in TIF funding that Mayor Dave Cieslewicz included in his capital budget. [...]
Number of comments: 3 Terrence Wall, he's a millionaire developer, planning on running against Russ Feingold in 2010 (no website up for Wall, or else I'd link to it*). He's recently come under fire for using sneaky, but legal, means to avoid paying some Wisconsin taxes. There is the much documented fake' [...]
Number of comments: 1 There is this thing, it is called the Regional Transit Authority or RTA for short. It's a government body set up to manage transportation through the use of things like buses and (likely) commuter rail (whoo!). In case you are wondering why you should support it, Downtown Madison Inc has' [...]
Number of comments: 0 Dane County Supervisor David de Felice (District 16) is looking at the possibility of primary-ing Tammy Baldwin for her District 2 Congressional seat.
Felice said: he's frustrated with Baldwin and the Democratic majorities in Congress because they haven't advocated more strongly for liberal health reform proposals such [...]
Number of comments: 2 Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz trashes anyone opposing the Edgewater redevelopment in his city-sponsored blog: Unreasonable Opposition.
Hmmmm...is it possible that someone who feels the need to trash people for having different views is unreasonable himself?
There are perfectly good reasons to oppose the 16 million dollars [...]
Number of comments: 3 Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett doesn't run for governor and Congressman Ron Kind doesn't reconsider? The Dems will be in some trouble, yes? Is it time to start a Draft Steve Kagen movement? Green Bay is a critical during a statewide election and Kagen is wealthy enough so that he [...]
Number of comments: 0 I would like to draw your attention to this LeRoy Butler quote:
When Brett [Favre] comes out you do like any other opposing quarterback, you boo him. If you don’t want to boo him, don’t say anything. But if you’re going to stand up wearing Packer clothing or [...]
With votes of 3-2 and 6-2, the Dane County Public Works and Transportation Committee and Personnel and Finance Committee, respectively, voted to recommend the County Board create the [...]
Oh, I already did? Well did I mention that the right-wingers will be there to try and derail the train? I've already seen an e-mail from the Wisconsin Club for Growth opposing the RTA (apparently' [...]
Number of comments: 0 Just passing along a notice:
A public hearing on establishing a Regional Transit Authority, hosted jointly by the Dane County Public Works and Transportation Committee and Personnel and Finance Committee has been set for Monday, October 26 at 6:30 PM, in Room 201B City County Building (210 Martin Luther [...]
You think he would be on his best behavior, but I guess not. He's in rehab, which I think is good. Now, I know that a lot of public figures use rehab as a way to do damage control (It's [...]
Number of comments: 0 So, it looks like the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board is working on some local election laws in dealing with internet campaign ads.
Number of comments: 0 You can check out the 2007 Census of farms (any property that makes more than $1,000 from agriculture) by state assembly or state senate district.
There will not be a referendum for a new elementary school in February or April 2010. The Board of Education voted to stop consideration of an elementary school referendum for next spring at the October 12 school board meeting.
Number of comments: 0 Just in case you were wondering what Wisconsin's motto is and why and where this blog draws its title from:
State Motto: "Forward" Reflecting Wisconsin's continuous drive to be a national leader, the state adopted "Forward" as the official state motto in 1851.
Number of comments: 1 Enough politics, it's time to talk about something serious, like food...
Background: Door County Wisconsin is a great vacation destination. It gets a little bit crowded in the Summer, but it's not so bad in the fall. And sometime the weather holds out so you can some gorgeous days [...]
Number of comments: 0 So, the Wisconsin State Journal columnist Scott Milfred has an analysis of the upcoming Wisconsin Governor's race: Dems left with B Team if Barrett bails. There are numerous things wrong with this analysis, that I feel compelled to point out:
1. The article's tone: The whole article speaks [...]
The city's financial committee will take up a laundry list of amendments to the city's long-term budget at its meetings next Monday and Tuesday, including an effort from two separate members to remove $16 million in city aid to the Edgewater Hotel redevelopment.
It's good stuff. Too often, I feel that labor unions don't put contract negotiation in a wider-societal context. While I could go on and on about [...]
Number of comments: 0 I think that community supported agriculture (CSA) is a great opportunity to support local farmers and to get delicious local produce. But sometimes, it's tough to think of what to do with all those vegetables. So I like to use recipes that don't call for specific vegetables, that way' [...]
Number of comments: 1 You might have already seen these but just in case (with commentary too!):
1. Former Stoughton City Council member Denise Duranczyk was appointed to the Dane County Board to replace Supervisor Donna Vogel who resigned from the county board to take a job w/the Dane County Treasurer's Office.[...]
Number of comments: 0 Just a short post today...I would just like to say that ex-Green Bay Packer LeRoy Butler, writes one of the best columns on the Green Bay Packers.
I tend to think that the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has far better Packer coverage than the hometown newspapers. Thanks to the [...]
Number of comments: 2 Is it just me or did the 16 million dollars of Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) subsidies for the Edgewater redevelopment project go from a near-certain thing to very uncertain?
Just a short while ago, it looked like the Hammes company had everything locked up as far as TIF [...]
Number of comments: 2 As you probably know, Rep. Ron Kind (D) is not in the running for governor Wisconsin.
That leaves Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett as the only other speculated candidate on the Democratic-side that I would consider likely and formidable. Some think that Kind's decision not to run [...]
The state budget passed in July slashes aid to schools, local governments, and state agencies. There is an alternative. Rescind the tax cuts on corporations and wealthy people. Close the loopholes that let large, profitable companies pay [...]
Number of comments: 2 Current Wisconsin Treasurer Dawn Marie Sass (D) has had a rough couple of weeks in the press. And it might just be deserved. I think I've seen enough for me to decide that I will not be voting her in the future. Here's a compilation of some highlights:
Number of comments: 0 If you're interested in learning more about the Dane County Regional Transit Authority, you can check out this informational meeting this Saturday:
RTA Information for local officials (open to public)
Saturday, September 26, 2009 8:30am - 10:30am Lyman Anderson Center 1 Fen Oak Ct Madison, WI 53718 [...]
Number of comments: 1 So Dusty Weis, reporting for Dane101, has a story about the Edgewater developer taking a timeout to reassess their plan for the redevelopment of the Edgewater hotel in downtown Madison: Edgewater Developer Takes a Timeout*
Not exactly sure what all that means, but what I found kind of [...]
In celebration of the season, I'd like to present you with this numbered list (yay for numbered lists!) of what the transition from Summer to Fall means, along with some notes about why Fall is a great season:
Number of comments: 4 Advocacy is good, activism is good. However, if you are trying to influence elected officials, you need an intersection with electoral politics.
Typically, elected officials, regardless of political alignment, would like to be re-elected (obvious right?).
So, let's say you're trying to convince a group of county' [...]
Number of comments: 0 Updates! Speculation! Links!
1. You probably already read this but just in case ya missed it: Chris Farely's brother is thinking about running for the Lt. Governor on the Republican side.
2. I am starting to think that Dane County Board Chair Scott McDonell is planning on [...]
1. The website should be simple and fast. It is not. It's slow. Madison.com has always been slow and with the redesign, it still is. And it's not simple either. There is a lot of good content buried in the Madison.com website that was always [...]
Number of comments: 0 So I stopped by this farmer's market Wednesday (9/9), it was a nice little market. Not the selection that the Dane County Farmer's but not the speculate either. You can get in, get some produce, and be on your way. I like this, because it makes the local food thing [...]
Number of comments: 0 So, last Friday after work, I stopped at the Ace Hardware on Raymond Road to pick up a pipe wrench to do a little bit of plumbing repair. And I was mildly surprised that it wasn't like visiting Mogadishu.
Number of comments: 0 The Madison Beer Review is reporting that there is a new unofficial Sprecher's beer bar moving into the far West Side of Madison. Good news! Hopefully the bar will have an excellent selection of other beers as well (it's not just Sprecher's beer there).
The owner of a $250,000 Madison home would pay $82.50 more in school property taxes this year under a proposal by city schools superintendent Dan Nerad that seeks to partially cover a projected $9.2 [...]
Number of comments: 0 Have you ever been at a farmer's market and examined prices for delicious Wisconsin honey? As with most products, if you buy more, it costs less. And when you get home, have you wondered what you are going to do with 6 pounds of honey?
Number of comments: 4 So I've written about crime and other issues on the Southwest side of Madison (here and here).
And there's a lot more news out there. So here's a rundown of some other virtual ink that's been spilled recently and that I think is interesting (with my commentary [...]
So I've written about crime and other issues on the Southwest side of Madison (here and here).
And there's a lot more news out there. So here's a rundown of some other virtual ink that's been spilled recently and that I think is interesting (with my commentary' [...]
Number of comments: 0 So, if the current Lt. Governor of Wisconsin, Barbra Lawton, runs for Govenor, who is going to take her place?
On the Democratic side, speculation is already running wild with an editorial in the CapTimes in favor of Dane County Board Chair, Scott McDonell, running for the office. [...]
Number of comments: 0 The Wisconsin State Journal's editorial: Wanted: A bold city of Madison budget. But what does that even mean? Hmmmm, let's take a look and see what the Wisconsin State Journal considers a "bold" budget. First off, it calls for avoiding a too big tax hike by any means necessary [...]
CT: Why did Google decide to open an office in Madison?
JL: If you look at the locations where Google has smaller offices, sometimes those will come into being because there's a company that Google acquired [...]
Number of comments: 0 So, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz had the last of his listening sessions on the budget yesterday (8/17). I attended and I have a brief write up. (Editor's note: I didn't actually stay the whole time, just long enough to leave a comment and take some notes. I'm not trying to [...]
Number of comments: 0 Doyle makes it official: No to third term but pledges full agenda through 2010. I wonder what is part of that full agenda? School finance reform would be great...we'll see. Also I thought Gov. Doyle had an excellent quote:
Speaking at a press conference this morning at his' [...]
Number of comments: 1 Well the word is out from Politico that Governor Doyle won't be running for re-election. An announcement is expected Monday. So, let the speculation begin...this totally opens up the field, especially on the Democrat's side.
Here's a good list of potential candidates from Our Campaigns. You' [...]
Number of comments: 0 Why is it so hard for Madison new sources to list out individual local politician's names (like for roll call votes for the city council or county board).
Seriously, both the city council and the Dane County Board have individual representatives by district. So, it's important for voters to [...]
"Our expenditures are down, our overall revenues are just slightly up," said Jeffrey Gross, director of business services for the Menomonee Falls district. "We're basically operating on the same budget as last" [...]
A former Tennessee man who was to stand trial this week for the stabbing death of a man outside a Downtown tavern pleaded no contest Monday to a lesser charge.
Number of comments: 0 It was great. Lots of beer, some fun people to talk to and the weather was mostly okay. It was rough for a while in the heat, but then I discovered that there was a cool breeze just above the Real Ale tent (cask conditioned beer!), which was just a [...]
Number of comments: 0 The Mayor of Madison is conducting public hearings on the upcoming city budget. The first one was already held downtown on August 5th, but two remain:
Tuesday, August 11, 6:00pm - 8:00pm East District Police Station, 809 S. Thompson Dr.
Number of comments: 0 "It" being conservative policies.
The crime debate in Madison rages on. And I've noticed something interesting, some of the conservative commentators, David Blaska especially, seem to be adeptly mixing public safety suggestions (more police foot patrols, human services outreach, and tighter curfews (which I disagree with but it's still' [...]
Number of comments: 0 1. Some figures brought to you via Madison AMPS: In 2007 Portugal instituted a merit pay plan. Azores and Madeira (the graph above) and private schools were excluded. Using these as a control, the quoted study found that this merit pay plan resulted in a decline is student achievement. [...]
Number of comments: 0 So I've been to the West Side Community Market twice this year, and it's been a great experience both times. In case you didn't know, it's a farmer's market held Saturdays from 7am to 1pm in the Hill Farms DoT Building parking lot.
Number of comments: 1 Or at least under the current state budget (2009 to 2011) as far as education spending goes. In case you missed it, the Madison school district is getting a 15% cut in general aid (9.8 million dollars). There was some talk of remedying it somehow, but Sondy Pope-Roberts (D-79 (where [...]
Or at least under the current state budget (2009 to 2011) as far as education spending goes. In case you missed it, the Madison school district is getting a 15% cut in general aid (9.8 million dollars). There was some talk of remedying it somehow, but Sondy Pope-Roberts (D-79 (where [...]
Number of comments: 2 So the Dane County Board has been in the news a decent amount these days...let's see what we got:
1. Sup. Carousel Bayrd has a proposal to make sure the County Board accepts open record requests by e-mail. Currently County Executive Kathleen Falk's office and the Sheriff's' [...]
Number of comments: 0 The school financing situation in Wisconsin is a mess all over, not just in Madison where the school district is getting hit with a 15% cut in state aid. Here are two articles that spell things out pretty well:
That's right, Entrepreneur Magazine thinks that Madison is a great place to start up a business. I guess they didn't buy into the right-wing talking point that Madison is an anti-business hell hole, which is' [...]
Number of comments: 0 So, in case you hadn't heard, the Madison school district got hit with a 15% cut in state aid.
Does this mean there will be another referendum? I don't know, but I know that it would be politically difficult to argue for one after the referendum in 2008. [...]
Number of comments: 0 So here's something I don't get about how the crime debate plays out: People always jump in with suggestions that have nothing to do with actual crimes being committed. Aside from David Blaska's infamous anti-underwear crusade, you also have Alder Paul Skidmore's (District 9) proposed anti-loitering ordinance: [...]
You can check out the 2007 Census of farms (any property that makes more than $1,000 from agriculture) by state assembly or state senate district.
FBI storms duplex on Southwest Side 
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