In many ways, this Halloween looks to be the last straw. Comments from city officials ranged from perturbed to infuriated and Mayor Dave Cieslewicz in particular had the harshest words, saying, “I have had enough. This must come to an end.” Although we are disturbed by the vagueness of his sentiment, we agree with it in principle. Because people cannot seem to act in a sane manner, the Madison police department is entirely justified in using draconian measures to deter future Halloween incidents. However, city officials should hesitate to make rash policy decisions when emotions are running high. The backlash might rival the behavior they are trying to stamp out.
Category: Campus life
Magnum-sponsored flyer false, alleges Baldwin
A flyer sponsored by the Dave Magnum for Congress campaign incorrectly urged UW-Madison students to “Vote at the Polling Place of Your Choice,” prompting challenger U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, to decry the Republican Party for giving out false information.
Halloween News Analysis
For a third consecutive year, the annual Halloween celebration ended in less-than-stellar form. And despite the fact this year’s “disturbances” resulted in considerably less damage than those of years past, both the city and university are reviewing their plans for this event in an effort to prevent further incidents which, by all accounts, put a damper on the celebration’s intended spirit.
Soaking up the experience (Duluth News-Tribune)
Reacting to the death of a drunken college student, the University of Minnesota Duluth and city came together in 2001 determined to reduce alcohol-related problems.
But as a recent death and a hit-and-run crash illustrate, achieving such reductions can be difficult.
Police defend actions to end Halloween bash
Like the movie “Halloween” with its numerous sequels, Madison’s yearly Halloween celebration has become a horror story for the city three years in a row.
Halloween’s future ‘in peril’
An angry and concerned Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz announced Sunday that the future of Madison’s annual Halloween celebration is “in peril” after an unruly crowd forced police to suit up in riot gear and deploy pepper spray for the third year in a row.
Madison’s street party remaining too spooky? (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
A day after Madison, Wis., police used pepper spray and riot gear to break up rowdy Halloween revelers along State Street and logged more than 400 arrests over the weekend for everything from underage drinking to urinating on the street, the city’s mayor warned that the party may be over.
Police, partiers clash in Madison (Minnesota Daily )
Many University students were among those participating in Halloween festivities this weekend at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Fliers contain faulty facts
Many say the emphasis on early voting has made the process of casting a ballot easier this year, a belief reflected in large numbers of votes already cast at City Hall.
DA will review death
Following the death of a University of Wisconsin student, the Madison Police Department has submitted preliminary investigation findings to the Dane County district attorney�s office. The police file was submitted with no recommendations to charge the driver who hit the student with a pickup truck Tuesday night, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
Riot sparks police to break-up celebration
Despite intense yearlong planning, increased police staffing and extensive community involvement, the State Street Halloween party turned ugly early Sunday morning.
Gop Fliers Give Wrong Voting Info
UW-Madison students in six residence halls received misleading information this week about how to vote, triggering allegations of dirty tricks.
State St. Costumed Revelers Kick Off Halloween
The streets were wet but the spirits weren’t dampened during Friday’s kickoff to Madison’s downtown Halloween celebration.
Father Has Questions On Fatal Accident
The father of a UW-Madison student killed in a pedestrian accident as she walked home Tuesday night said Friday he believes she was walking along the side of Milwaukee Street, not crossing the street as was first reported.
Rain, Wind, Arrests On State St.
Rain and wind tried to ruin the first night of the Halloween weekend, and it worked to some degree — driving some of the several thousand on State Street inside Friday.
Event in jeopardy, angry mayor says
Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said he’s fed up with the wild behavior of Halloween’s rowdy revelers after police in riot gear dispersed a crowd of 5,000 on State Street early Sunday.
Bill Wineke column: A lousy way to get kicks
In Baghdad on Saturday night, thousands of young American men and women wished for nothing more fervently than to spend the evening safely.
Why they did it: Some come simply to see a riot
If you’re not a man age 18 to 23, you may never understand the rabble rousers’ mentality on State Street early Sunday morning
Despite big crowd, damage isn’t extensive
Despite the large number of people who crushed onto State Street late Saturday and early Sunday, damage to the Downtown area was not extensive.
Latest trend on campus seems to be ‘vote couture’
In his cramped fourth-floor dorm room overlooking University Avenue, Michael Johnson proudly displays his collection of politically charged T-shirts.
No More Party On State Street?
After a third straight year of violence…Madison’s Mayor wants the city to take a different stance on State Street Halloween. A visibly upset Mayor Dave Cieslewicz told reporters yesterday that he’ll ask city staff to come up with ways to discourage the event from happening
Madison Mayor says “Enough” to State St. Halloween Celebrations
(Madison) You may have seen the last of Halloween on State Street. City officials are reacting toÃ? SaturdayÃ? night’s riotous end to yet another State Street celebration gone bad
Rowdy Crowds Return to State Street… Three Years Running
(Madison) Police estimate about 75,000 people packedÃ? State Street Saturday. NBC15’s Zac Schultz and photojournalist Sam Sorensen went into the heart of the crowds to bring you this report.
Apartment Fire in Downtown Madison
An overnight apartment fire just off of State Street caused an estimated 30ââ?¬â??thousand dollars in damage.
Fewer black freshmen choose state universities
Despite record numbers of high school graduates, state universities around the country are reporting a perplexing–and often sharp–decline in the number of African-Americans who matriculated this year. (Login required.)
Halloween Bash Gets Scary In Madison
MADISON, Wis. — Police in riot gear used pepper spray to clear Halloween revelers from downtown Madison after some in the crowd started a fire early Sunday. This is the third year in a row the party got violen
After the big game, why is there a riot going on? Experts blame a volatile mixture of youth, alcohol and hype
Just five years ago, the nation watched in disbelief as students from Michigan State University performed what was then a shameful rarity in American sports: rioting at the outcome of a big game.
West Wash tenants get Bruce for brews
What started as a lark ended with Bruce Springsteen, his wife Patti Scialfa and NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw watching at least half of presidential candidate John Kerry’s speech from some UW students’ porch
Looking Back, Maybe It Wasn’t Really Worth It
Spencer Erwin was intoxicated and feeling mischievous last Halloween when he found himself in a mob of people — with police moving in — at about 1 a.m. on State Street.
Students Surprised by Springsteen
Two U-W students got the surprise of a lifetime today. A rock star showing up at their doorstep.
Road Trip: University of Wisconsin (SI On Campus)
There are many reasons to jump around in Madison. For one, that scary good Badgers football team
City makes final push for safe Halloween
Despite festivities turning riotous the past two years, university and city officials are optimistic the focus on Halloween as a community event will create a positive atmosphere this weekend.
UW-Madison sophomore Kristina Mueller, chair of the Associated Students of Madison Halloween 2004, said bringing the town together is one of the group’s main goals.
Students vote for season tix
The UW Athletic Department announced Thursday that 2,100 students will receive season tickets for the upcoming men’s basketball season after all.
Following a survey conducted by the Athletic Department earlier this week, students voted for the full allotment of season tickets rather than the proposed option of having 1,600 season packages and dividing the remaining 500 into four-game packages for those who lost out on the lottery.
Halloween law-breakers could face academic penalties
The excitement of Halloween weekend has just begun, but the city of Madison has been planning for months. The Associated Students of Madison Halloween Committee has put together several activities for University of Wisconsin students and the Madison community in order to keep Halloween a fun and safe weekend for all.
City braces for record turnout
If official predictions ring true on Nov. 2, a record-breaking crowd at a Thursday John Kerry rally could be matched on Election Day by record-high voter turnout numbers.
Springsteen spends time with students at political rally
Rocker Bruce Springsteen made a big impression on University of Wisconsin students Thursday when he entered a student�s house after performing at a John Kerry rally to listen to the presidential hopeful�s speech from the West Washington apartment porch.
Athletics will redo lottery
As of Monday, University of Wisconsin students will finally know if they have the winning numbers to the most-talked-about lottery on campus: the raffle to see who will receive season tickets for men�s basketball.
Lost & found (Newsday)
For Jerone Pettus, his disappointments on the gridiron at Wisconsin pale in comparison to his successes off the field.
Cops proactive on Halloween
Madison police are taking more steps toward promoting good behavior during the upcoming Halloween weekend in an effort to head off the violence of the past two years
Internet Providers Must Notify Song-Swapping Suspects Before Identifying Them to Accusers
A federal judge in Pennsylvania has ruled that Internet-service providers must notify network users — and inform them of their legal rights — before turning their names over to record-company officials accusing them of illegal song swapping.
NCAA Board Considers Changes in Division I-A Criteria and Penalties for Teams’ Academic Woes
The National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I Board of Directors met on Wednesday and Thursday in Indianapolis to discuss penalties for colleges that fail to attract enough fans to their football games, as well as those with too few athletes passing their courses.
Madison partiers will see more police (Minnesota Daily)
College students descending on the University of Wisconsin-Madison for Halloween this weekend will see more police officers, more fines and stricter safety efforts.
Parents: Money training works: Twentysomethings should pay rent, their own cellphone bill
It happens to all twentysomethings. There comes a time when their parents say: Pay for your cellphone, pay for your car insurance, pay for everything. Usually, that’s when they get their first job after college. But while they’re in college, and even high school, parents can start getting them used to paying for things themselves.
Young people are spending big ââ?¬â? and investing, too: Financial education is growing in importance, interest
Chris Stallman is 21. His mom (a banker) taught him to balance a checkbook at 8. His dad (a pharmacist) ââ?¬Å?would sit me down in front of CNBC while he was in the shower so I could watch the ticker to see how Walgreen’s was doing.ââ?¬Â
Drownings haunt Wis. college town: Police say the ââ?¬Ë?serial killer’ is alcohol
The last time anyone saw Jared Dion alive, he was trying to beat last call at a Third Street bar on Easter weekend.
Halloween Rioter Learned Lesson
The most recognizable rioter from last Halloween on State Street spoke to 27 News.
Ben Follansbee says he is still embarrassed by his actions during last year’s riot on State Street.
Balancing Michael Moore at UW
Republicans question why student fees can’t bring Ann Coulter to campus before Election Day.
UW Offers Alternatives To State Street Halloween Bash
MADISON, Wis. — University officials are offering students alternatives to partying in the bars on State Street this Halloween weekend.
(Events listed below are free unless otherwise stated).
A fine solution to a big fiasco – Daily Cardinal Staff Opinion
The UW men’s basketball team has been so successful the past few years that ticket demand skyrocketed. So the Athletic Department, after getting much student input, implemented a weighted lottery system to decide who would get tickets. This was a good idea that the fans themselves played a large part in coming up with.
Freshman balances crew, school
Leif Bergquist’s back hurts. Maybe that’s because he’s been sitting in class for two hours straight, the back of an unyielding, plastic desk digging into his spine. Or maybe it’s because the hour-long ergometer workout he did in crew practice the evening before is catching up with him. For Leif, it’s difficult to tell anymore.
City, university leaders push for safe Halloween
University and city officials met with Associated Students of Madison’s Halloween Planning Committee Wednesday to promote the weekend’s events as a fun and safe celebration with a community focus.
Pulitzer-winning cartoonist draws from ‘anti-stupid’ angle
Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist Matt Davies spoke to students at Chadbourne Residential College Wednesday evening as part of a series sponsored by the Public Affairs Writer in Residence program.
Davies is the 2004 recipient of the Herblock Prize, a new award named for three-time Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist Herbert Block.
UW quietly canceled Halloween concert
After what administrators are calling a “clerical oversight,” university officials canceled a concert at the Union Saturday night and have agreed to pay a portion of the expenses incurred in order to reschedule the event.
For ex-GIs, fitting in on campus a struggle (Chicago Tribune)
Lying on the hood of the Humvee he used as his bed for much of the war, Brandon Nordhoff would put on his earphones, turn up the volume on his Discman to drown out battlefield noises, and imagine himself at a party back on the Indiana University campus.
City, UW hoping for safe Halloween
City and campus officials are confident the upcoming Halloween weekend will steer clear of the examples past celebrations have set.
Political cartoonist shares secrets behind craft
Matt Davies, a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist, has been at the University of Wisconsin throughout the week speaking to students and faculty as part of a series titled ââ?¬Å?What Matters to Me and Why.ââ?¬Â
Memorial Union Cancels Thanksgiving Dinner
MADISON, Wis. — The Memorial Union has canceled the time-honored tradition of serving a Thanksgiving dinner buffet.
The Dorms May Be Great, but How’s the Counseling?
A few weeks ago, the parents of a Harvard student told Dr. Richard Kadison, the chief of the university’s mental health service, that they suspected their daughter had a serious drug problem.
Your guide to a fun and safe Halloween
Halloween on State Street was a big part of campus life even before I was a student here in the early 1980s. For the most part, it has been a peaceful celebration that reflects the energy and creativity of students. Madison wouldn’t be the city it is if not for the 40,000 students on the UW campus. Students bring excitement, ideas and optimism to the city. Some of us like Madison so much that we find excuses to stick around after we graduate. That’s what I did, and now I’ve got a great excuse to keep living in Madison. In fact, my job requires it.
Police prepare State Street for weekend revelries
Police will require mandatory court dates for all juvenile offenses committed during Halloween, and will begin removing all bicycle racks and mopeds on State Street today in preparation for this weekend, according to a press release from the Madison Police Department.