Liam Beran

Madison Common Council tonight unanimously approved a new Street Tree Ordinance that allows for a possible revocation of permits if developers harm city owned street trees. This was discussed extensively at Plan Commission.
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www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...

Madison mayor’s 2026 budget: No cuts; funding for new library, homeless shelter The average-value Madison home would see a property tax increase of around $30 annually under the mayor’s budget proposal.

Madison mayor’s 2026 budget: No cuts; funding for new library, homeless shelter

@isthmusmadison.bsky.social

isthmus.com/news/news/ma...

Madison's police monitor resigns after troubled tenure The Police Civilian Oversight Board announced Independent Police Monitor Robin Copley’s resignation on Oct. 6.

breaking: Madison's independent police monitor has resigned, after a troubled nearly three-year tenure.

@isthmusmadison.bsky.social

isthmus.com/news/news/ma...

Why is the city of Madison spending $14,000 on a ‘regional music brand?’ A local marketing firm will develop a ‘music brand’ for Madison under a proposal the city council passed on Sept. 16.

Why is the city of Madison spending $14,000 on a ‘regional music brand?’

@isthmusmadison.bsky.social

isthmus.com/arts/music/w...

We did, yes.

Protesters urge alders to reconsider Dairy Drive shutdown Madison’s city council voted on Sept. 16 to shut down the temporary homeless encampment on Dairy Drive. There’s rising anger from some in the community toward the move.

Inside the City-County Building last night, you could hear chants from protesters demanding alders reconsider the shutdown of the homeless encampment on Dairy Drive.

The council's president says it would be "too little, too late."

@isthmusmadison.bsky.social

isthmus.com/news/news/pr...

UW-Madison is changing its financial aid process. Here’s what to know. In addition to the FAFSA, applicants seeking financial aid will now complete the CSS Profile, including questions about home value and 401(k) balances.

UW-Madison is changing its financial aid process. Here's what to know. (@wisconsinwatch.org / @captimes.com)

wisconsinwatch.org/2025/10/wisc...

YouTube video by City of Madison Wisconsin Common Council Discusson: Meeting of September 30, 2025

The feds might be shutting down, but Madison Common Council is still hard at work. Tonight a special meeting to discuss plans and funding for the new Men's homeless shelter. Starts soon.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=34_p...

www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/...

There is an ongoing protest outside City Hall regarding the vote to not extend the homeless encampment at Dairy Drive. Council is inside and receiving a briefing on the funding outlook for the upcoming men's homeless shelter.

Chants, some naming specific alders, are audible from inside.

Shy one vote, Madison city council approves Dairy Drive shutdown in October Despite an outpouring of public support, alders pointed to financial constraints in voting against extending operations until April.

Shout out to @liamberan.bsky.social for actually including the roll call vote when covering a local issue. It's critical information and is rarely included in news coverage. isthmus.com/news/news/sh...

UW students restart Campus Area Neighborhood Association to advocate for student renters After two years of setbacks, the Campus Neighborhood Association is recognized again by the City of Madison

UW-Madison student newspaper The Daily Cardinal
reports that the Campus Area Neighborhood Association is back after going defunct for around two years.

Wilder Gervais via @dailycardinal.bsky.social

www.dailycardinal.com/article/2025...

Madison mayor wants nearby cities to step up to help fund new homeless shelter Alders and members of the press got their first look at the news men’s homeless shelter at 1902 Bartillon Drive on Sept. 22.

Madison's new homeless shelter will need additional funds to operate 24/7. But state support for homeless shelters is limited and the county isn't planning a "dramatic" increase to its contribution.

The mayor is asking nearby cities to help.

@isthmusmadison.bsky.social

isthmus.com/news/news/ma...

Madison’s new homeless shelter is not yet open. Does demand already exceed its capacity? Some homeless advocates have questioned why the city didn’t add more beds to the upcoming shelter on Bartillon Drive. City officials say it was a function of staffing capacity, funding and security.

Answering some community questions regarding the amount of beds in the upcoming men's homeless shelter on Bartillon in the below article @isthmusmadison.bsky.social:

isthmus.com/news/news/wh...

Budget deficit looms over Madison’s Room Tax Commission Madison’s Room Tax Commission, the city’s main mechanism for funding tourism and the arts, is facing a $1.3 million budget shortfall in 2027.

Madison's Room Tax Commission, the city's main mechanism for public support of tourism and the arts, faces an estimated $1.3 million budget deficit in 2027.

More on Madison tourism stats & what's in the 2026 RTC budget @isthmusmadison.bsky.social:

isthmus.com/news/news/bu...

New round of Pentagon funding could cover F-35 noise mitigation for just eight Madison homes Most residents affected by the booming F-35 fighter jets flying over Madison’s east and north sides will have to wait longer for noise mitigation.

Noise insulation from the F-35 fighter jets that roar over Madison's north and east sides: over 150 homes need it, maybe 8 will get it.

@liamberan.bsky.social has the story: isthmus.com/news/news/ne...

New round of Pentagon funding could cover F-35 noise mitigation for just eight homes Most residents affected by the booming F-35 fighter jets flying over Madison’s east and north sides will have to wait longer for noise mitigation.

NEW: The Pentagon has invited Wisconsin to apply for $1.1 million in noise mitigation funding for homes in Madison affected by F-35 flyovers.

That amount would cover just eight homes — 154 fewer than the state was seeking funding for in a previous application.

isthmus.com/news/news/ne...

Wisconsin State Journal reporter fired for AI misuse speaks out Fired from the Wisconsin State Journal after filing a story riddled with errors, reporter Audrey Korte shares her side of the story.

My colleague Judith Davidoff interviewed Audrey Korte, the Wisconsin State Journal reporter who was fired in July for her "unauthorized" use of AI.
“I don’t think the newspaper acted with fairness, transparency, accuracy or accountability,” she says.

More: isthmus.com/news/news/wi...

Madison’s ballpark, Breese Stevens Field A new book delves deep into the history of Breese Stevens Field.

Miller's book depicts a Madison that’s long gone, a small town looking for community, where the field hosted contests between teams from Gardner Bakery and Borden Dairy, as well as the city’s high schools.

isthmus.com/arts/books/m...

Humanities, social sciences among most-cut UW programs Eighty-two academic programs within the Universities of Wisconsin have been suspended or eliminated in the last three years. University officials say shifting student interest is to blame.

Humanities, social sciences among most-cut UW programs, per open records request filed by @isthmusmadison.bsky.social

isthmus.com/news/news/hu...

When people have nowhere to go Neighbors around the Social Justice Center on Williamson Street say they’ve had to deal with trespassing, public defecation and more. The center’s board say there are few options at their disposal.

Issues with homeless people at the Social Justice Center on Willy Street have prompted the city attorney to consider declaring the building a public nuisance. It's an example of conflict between the growing homeless population and others.

@liamberan.bsky.social reports:
isthmus.com/news/news/wh...

Rush hour lanes on Willy Street to be removed as part of test The lanes are set be removed from Willy Street from early September to late October, as part of a test estimated to cost $24,000.

Madison to move forward with test removal of rush hour lanes on Willy Street. @liamberan.bsky.social has been on top of this issue: isthmus.com/news/news/tr...

Bradley out.

www.jsonline.com/story/news/p...

Madison’s independent police monitor ignores records requests, city attorney intervention The Office of the Independent Monitor, created to be a check on the Madison Police Department, has failed to fulfill records requests from Isthmus and ghosted the City Attorney’s Office as well.

Madison Assistant City Attorney to @liamberan.bsky.social:

“Unfortunately, there is nothing for you to do. (Unless you sue us, which I would never suggest!)” isthmus.com/news/news/ma...

Madison’s independent police monitor ignores records requests, city attorney intervention The Office of the Independent Monitor, created to be a check on the Madison Police Department, has failed to fulfill records requests from Isthmus and ghosted the City Attorney’s Office as well.

Council VP MGR Govindarajan says he does not support the additional funding and might also consider further cuts. “I definitely would not want to give them the funding that they're requesting at the moment, because I don't know what they're doing with that funding.”

isthmus.com/news/news/ma...

Madison’s independent police monitor ignores records requests, city attorney intervention The Office of the Independent Monitor, created to be a check on the Madison Police Department, has failed to fulfill records requests from Isthmus and ghosted the City Attorney’s Office as well.

NEW: Madison’s police oversight agency has failed to fulfill records requests submitted by @isthmusmadison.bsky.social and ignored attempts by the city attorney’s office and Madison Police Department to intervene.

isthmus.com/news/news/ma...

UW Law School layoffs include director of public defender training clinic UW Law School has laid off several employees as part of the 5% budget cuts requested by UW-Madison’s chancellor in June.

NEW: Several UW Law School employees, including the director of the school’s public defender training clinic, have been laid off in response to mandatory university-wide budget cuts.

A spox did not immediately provide the number of layoffs.

@isthmusmadison.bsky.social

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Transportation commission urges testing removal of Willy Street rush hour lanes There have been 122 crashes on Williamson Street over the last five years, a number significantly higher than comparable city streets.

“I would like to see us make Willy a less comfortable street for commuters."

More from @liamberan.bsky.social about what city and Marquette Neighborhood leaders are hoping to try on Willy Street to stop cars from crashing into storefronts: isthmus.com/news/news/tr...

Transportation commission urges testing removal of Willy Street rush hour lanes There have been 122 crashes on Williamson Street over the last five years, a number significantly higher than comparable city streets.

After a car crashed into Mother Fool's Coffeehouse — for the third time — Madison's transportation commission is urging a test run of removing rush hour traffic lanes from Willy Street.

read some more Madison transportation news below via @isthmusmadison.bsky.social

isthmus.com/news/news/tr...

Madison rents up 47% over the last five years Vacancy rates are increasing and rent increases have slowed, a promising sign for renters in Madison. But monthly rents are still pricing out many residents.

Madison rents went up 47% over the last five years, according to a recent report. But, in a promising sign for renters, vacancy rates in Dane County are the highest they've been in more than 5 years, and rent growth is slowing.

@isthmusmadison.bsky.social

isthmus.com/news/news/ma...

Fan favorite Madison artist Emily Balsley’s design is featured on Milwaukee Brewers promo T-shirt

Madisonians are very excited that local artist Emily Balsley designed the Aug. 12 Brewers t-shirt.

10,000 shirts will be given away. There’s a bus (yes, a bus) of fans, friends and family heading to Milwaukee. Linda Falkenstein has the latest @isthmusmadison.bsky.social

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