UW changes tune on Primate Center tour invite
The statements seemed clear enough. At a Dane County committee hearing on July 8, Deb Hartley of the UW-Madison's National Primate Research Center proclaimed the facility open to all: "It doesn't take...
View ArticleIt's the stupid season, stupid
The other day I got an urgent call from a campaign staffer for Tom Barrett, the Democratic candidate for governor. It seems that a spokeswoman for Scott Walker, one of Barrett's Republican rivals for...
View ArticleMike May's personal emails
Madison City Attorney Mike May thinks it's no big whoop that the state Supreme Court recently ordered records custodians to prune out the personal content of emails sent and received by government...
View ArticleMove over, Stalin (but hand-signal first)
An actual letter received by "Isthmus", in response to Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's Aug. 13 cover story, "In Defense of Madison": "Your overly glorious portrayal of Madison, together with your arrogant...
View ArticleFred Risser considers the Capitol Square vegetable garden a smashing success
State Sen. Fred Risser, the nation's longest-tenured lawmaker, has found something new to be excited about: the vegetable garden on the Capitol Square's southwest corner, by Inn on the Park. Proposed...
View ArticleDoug La Follette plans to donate $100,000 to create an endowment fund
Doug La Follette, Wisconsin's secretary of state, has been thinking lately about his life and legacy. The 70-year-old Madison resident doesn't have children or some other "obvious choice" to bequeath...
View ArticleMadison Marathon bans runner
Ramona Villarreal considers herself an athlete and an honest person. The 56-year-old Madison resident has competed in Ironman competitions and run at least 15 marathons -- including, she reckons, 10...
View ArticleChad Lee's anti-Tammy Baldwin train: All aboard!
"I'm Chad Lee and I'm and running to defeat Tammy Baldwin," the 27-year-old contender told a somewhat tired assemblage of supporters and media. "We need to get the Second District back on path." That's...
View Article25 years, one book: "Watchdog" by Bill Lueders
In the preface to his new book, a collection of writing from the last quarter-century, "Isthmus" news editor Bill Lueders grapples with the question of "Why now?" "I don't mean to date myself," he...
View ArticleMadison's Raging Grannies are all the rage
Bonnie Block knows how hard it can be. "A lot of times, when you talk about issues, people get angry," says the longtime Madison peace activist. "But when you do it in song, it gets behind people's...
View ArticleDane County rail referendum refuseniks
Dane County Supv. Dave Wiganowsky is just thrilled with the success of efforts in municipalities throughout the county to put an advisory referendum on the Nov. 2 ballot asking whether citizens want to...
View ArticleMadCity Cocktails does it again
Greg Melzer is clear about his goal in life: "I want to have a hobby that pays the bills." Amazingly, he's on the verge of living the dream.
View ArticleBooze stings without the sting via the Madison Responsible Retailing Forum
Asked about the Madison Responsible Retailing Forum, Hawk Schenkel at first draws a blank: "I've never heard of it." Blame it on the group's name, which doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. In fact,...
View ArticleVan Hollen on Calumet County DA Ken Kratz: 'His behavior was appalling'
J.B. Van Hollen says he was shocked. The Wisconsin attorney general, in what may be his first in-depth public comments on the issue, told "Isthmus" Monday morning of his reaction to text messages of a...
View ArticleProtesters make their own free speech zones at Obama's UW rally
What if they designated a free-speech zone and no one used it? That's pretty much what happened Tuesday as President Barack Obama came to Madison to speak at the UW-Madison campus. The city announced...
View ArticleFull of Ken Kratz
For the last two weeks, everyone and her brother has been talking about the Calumet County District Attorney Ken "I'm the Prize" Kratz, who allegedly used his position to hit on vulnerable women. But...
View ArticleSome web providers fail visually impaired accessibility test
Betsy Gruba takes it personally, as well she should: "As someone who uses this technology for my daily quality of life, it's very frustrating to go to a site and not be able to get the information I...
View ArticleBreaking up is hard to do at Capital Newspapers
It came as a complete surprise -- at least to some of those who will be affected. On Sept. 17, "Wisconsin State Journal" editor John Smalley announced via email that some previous areas of cooperation...
View ArticleWisconsin AG Van Hollen proves nimble in ducking challenger Hassett's blows
To get a bead on the race for Wisconsin attorney general, consider the dust-up over allegations against Calumet County District Attorney Ken Kratz. Scott Hassett, the Democratic challenger, says the...
View ArticleFalk's dilemma and attorney's alleged fraud: You read them in "Isthmus" first
Careful readers of "TheDailyPage.com" and "Isthmus" may have experienced a bit of déjà vu Thursday morning while reading the "Wisconsin State Journal".
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