Researchers at UW-Madison created a new social network aimed at keeping elderly Wisconsinites in their homes longer. The researchers explain how this site was developed and how they’re studying the site’s effects.
Category: Community
Annual Freakfest celebration to close downtown streets
All streets that cross State Street will be closed Saturday night for Freakfest, according to a release.
The streets will close to vehicles at 4:45 p.m., and will reopen around 3 a.m. on Sunday, officials said.
Madison police join UW-Madison’s ‘Go Big Read’ for social justice
In a shared bid for improved social justice, Madison police recruits and officers from UW-Madison and Middleton for the first time are participating in Go Big Read, the university’s annual common-book program in which students, staff and faculty across campus read and study the same selection.
New museum celebrates local science
The city’s longstanding ties with historical scientific achievements have a new home in the Madison Science Museum, which opened Thursday.The process of putting together the museum, the brainchild of Dave Nelson, emeritus professor of biochemistry at UW-Madison, began long before its recent grand opening.
Community raises $33K for victim of brutal unsolved bike path assault
Noted: In little more than a month, more than $33,000 has been raised for the Isthmus resident and UW-Madison graduate student, who is now out of the hospital but has a long, uncertain road to recovery ahead of her.
The M List — Ensuring innovation: American Family Ventures
Noted: Managing director Dan Reed says AFV is also heavily involved in the local entrepreneurial community. AFV is a sponsor of gener8tor, the new StartingBlock initiative, the Wisconsin Technology Council, the Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In fact, American Family Insurance just pledged $40 million to the university over the next ten years. “We aspire to be a leader in providing ‘proactive protection’ to customers and communities, seeking and supporting innovations that inspire and help them,” says Reed.
The M List — Fountain of ideas: The Bubbler
Quoted: Erica Halverson, associate professor of curriculum and instruction at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, is one of many partners at The Bubbler [at the Madison Public Library]. She sees the program as an important place for people to contribute to the larger society by building things. “The maker movement affords people the opportunity to be producers of ideas in an arts-based way,” says Halverson.
The M List celebrates visionaries
Noted: Sustain Dane selected three individuals as this year’s Badger Bioneers for their leadership and courage in making our region more sustainable. They are Shannon Bunsen, who created her position as the sustainability program coordinator at UW Health and is responsible for shaping the organization’s overall vision and strategy for sustainability. . . . and Jason Vargo, who helps direct the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s activities toward healthy cities and sustainability across Wisconsin and abroad through his work with the university’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and Global Health Institute.
The M List — A big draw: WID Image Lab
When was the last time you drew something? For most, it was probably high school. Lynda Barry, director of the Image Lab at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, is looking to change that with her Saturday Science Drawing Jam for Kids—a public drawing event for kids and adults at WID.
The M List — It’s rad: RADD
Nestled on the fourth floor of UW–Madison’s Helen C. White library, Dorothea Salo and Will May’s crowded offices are filled with a mammoth amount of digital information on audio cassettes, VHS cassettes, printed books, floppy disks and more.
UW-Madison eyes participation in Dane County homeless resource center
The University of Wisconsin-Madison may be among the organizations to provide services at Dane County’s planned homeless day resource center as part of an initiative that would also bring students the opportunity to work with others across disciplines.
Concealed carry on campus is dangerous
The issue of violence and mass shootings in this country is one that needs to be addressed. However, would allowing students to carry guns on campus actually decrease the chances of further gun violence, or would it lead to further tragedy?
Vice provost shares updated plans for Diversity Framework
The Associated Students of Madison Student Council met with UW-Madison Vice Provost and Chief Diversity Officer Patrick Sims during its meeting Wednesday to review advancements in the campus Diversity Framework.
UW-Madison plans outreach to get voter IDs to students
Rather than change student ID cards to comply with state law, UW-Madison is giving students a card specifically for voting.
Zebra mussels are in Lake Mendota — but what took them so long?
Quoted: “I’m surprised (at finding them), but I’m mostly surprised that it’s only showing up now,” said Center for Limnology professor Jake Vander Zanden, whose students discovered the mussels about two weeks ago along the Lakeshore Path, not far from the limnology lab.
Game of drones policy shuffle on UW-Madison campus claims Arboretum promotion
Is the UW campus unofficially drone-free, despite a detailed set of flying usage and permission requirements issued last June?
The question became relevant Wednesday, when a university official abruptly pulled plans for a drone-shot video of seasonal foliage scheduled to promote the UW-Arboretum.
Zebra mussels found in Lake Mendota
Quoted: “You’re likely to cut your feet when you’re walking in the water,” UW limnology professor Jake Vander Zanden said. “Another concern is that it tends to increase the prevalence of blue-green algae blooms, which can be toxic.”
Vander Zanden said zebra mussels have not been found in Lake Monona, and boaters can help keep it that way by drying their boats.
“It’s really important to make sure we are not transporting water from one lake to another because they have microscopic larva,” Vander Zanden said.
A language plan for Madison schools
Before her daughter was even born, Dr. Patricia Tellez-Giron was investigating options for bilingual education programs in the Madison school district. Tellez-Giron, a UW-Madison School of Medicine associate professor and physician at Wingra Clinic, moved to Wisconsin from Mexico 23 years ago. Now she wants her young daughter to connect with her heritage and learn Spanish.
UPDATE: East Madison residents gather for meeting on coyotes following reports of attacks on small dogs
Noted: Dr. David Drake, who studies urban coyotes and foxes through the UW-Madison’s Canid Project, said the problem of aggressive coyotes is not new. He said most coyotes in the Madison area can live peacefully among people. But Drake said there were instances of aggressive coyotes reported on Madison’s West Side in 2009 and 2011.
Odyssey Project helps people pursue college degree
Noted: Through the humanities, the students [in the Odyssey Project] earn college credits, gain confidence in their abilities to succeed, and an opportunity to find a career path. In other words, they find hope.
There’s a gathering next Thursday night at the University Club on campus for those interested in supporting the Odyssey Project. We think it is so worthy of support.
Charting their own path: Shabazz lets students take control of how they learn
When Gene Delcourt was a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a visit with teachers and students from Malcolm Shabazz City High School ended up altering his career path.
UW System to hold listening sessions on strategic planning
The University of Wisconsin System is seeking community input during strategic planning listening sessions this week in Madison and next week in Milwaukee.
Health Connect receives $1.3 million gift for the uninsured and under-insured
Today, United Way’s “Health Connect” program accepted a $1.3 million gift from UW Health. This gift is specifically targeted to assist low-income residents in Dane County. United Way will use the money to pay health insurance premiums for those living between 100 to 150 percent of the federal poverty level.
City officials say keeping leaves off streets saves lakes
Noted: Autumn’s falling leaves can often run off into lakes and streams, where they release phosphorus into the water. That helps more algae bloom, according to Steve Carpenter of UW’s Center for Limnology.
“[Algae] can be toxic, [making] people sick or pets sick,” he says.
LGBTQ+ community members discuss sexual assault survey results
Earlier this semester, members of the UW-Madison administration revealed the results of a survey taken by students last spring surrounding issues of sexual assault. The UW-Madison Sexual Assault Climate Survey Task Force continued this conversation Monday, focusing on what the results mean for LGBTQ+ community members.
Grant will help Slow Food UW bring fresh food to south Madison residents
UW-Madison students will step up efforts to bring fresh healthy food to South Madison neighborhoods — including delivery by bicycle trailer — with the help of a grant to Slow Food UW.
Neighbors troubled by string of coyote attacks in Madison
Experts say conflicts with coyotes seem to be on the rise in the last couple months in Wisconsin.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin Madison Urban Canid Project say recent reports of those conflicts, and in some cases attacks, have come from Madison, Milwaukee, Neenah and Mequon. Some coyotes have attacked and killed dogs, or even followed residents who were walking their dog.
Bella Salon’s ‘Beauty for a Cure’ coming up this Sunday
Noted: The event Sunday, October 25 is from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Stylists are offering haircuts, colors, manicures and pedicures and all of the proceeds and tips will be donated to the UW Carbone Cancer Center.
Festival gives chance to experience science of all sorts
Science in Madison’s backyard and beyond will be in the spotlight for a weekend as the fifth Wisconsin Science Festival begins on Thursday. A huge range of what science is will be on display – from the foods and drinks produced here, to games, nature, disease, hands-on science and scientists talking about what they do. The festival has moved throughout the state, too, with more than 70 other events happening across Wisconsin.
Local photographer takes senior pictures free of charge
In 2007 John Maniaci decided to start volunteering and taking pictures for students at La Follette High School. In 2009, Maniaci started working for UW Health and the hospital encouraged him to continue his project, giving him free days off work to take the pictures, and they encouraged him to expand it to all four Madison schools.
Now dozens of students are able to get their senior pictures taken each year, when they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to.
Focus on Dane County: UW-Madison students’ work could lead to neighborhood center, ‘agricultural Main Street’ in Fitchburg
Fitchburg city staff is enlisting the help of UW-Madison graduate students for two of the city’s latest planning efforts.
Wisconsin legislators speak in favor of blaze-pink hunting gear bill
Noted: University of Wisconsin-Madison textile expert Majid Sarmadi, who studied blaze pink’s visibility for Milroy and Kleefisch earlier this year, told the committee that pink stands out better than orange against Wisconsin’s orange-brown fall landscape. He also said deer have an easier time seeing blaze orange than blaze pink.
UW Homecoming parade will close downtown streets Friday
Several downtown streets will be closed Friday afternoon for the University of Wisconsin Homecoming parade, according to a release.
The parade starts at 6 p.m. and will close Langdon Street, Wisconsin Avenue, West Gilman Street and North Lake Street, officials said.
Fourth-annual #MakeBoPay raises record $694,117
It was another record-setting day at the fourth-annual “Shooting Down Cancer” event hosted by Wisconsin men’s basketball coach Bo Ryan and his wife, Kelly.
It took place at the Kohl Center Monday.
This year the UW-Madison student body helped raise Ryan’s donation to the American Cancer Society to $60,147. Combined with matching donations, the 2015 grand total was $694,117.
UPDATE: UW-Madison Police release video of crashes, say bicycle and pedestrian accidents are on the rise
In just nine days, five people were injured on the UW campus while walking or biking. On Friday UW Police released surveillance video of two of those crashes.
“The videos are a little tough to watch but they bring up a really good point about safety on our campus.,” said Marc Lovicott, a spokesman for UW-Madison Police.
Videos of bike, pedestrian vehicle crashes illustrate campus safety issue
Noted: UWPD police Chief Susan Riseling said the frequency of crashes and injuries is an indicator that bikers, pedestrians and motorists aren’t following laws, “and people are getting hurt.”
“Safety on our campus roads is everyone’s responsibility,” Riseling said.
The department said it plans to increase bicycle enforcement patrols on campus.
Nonprofit startup Chins Up uses tech to foster relationships between college athletes, kids
Chin Ups, an organization dedicated to fostering relationships between athletes and kids, was founded by Israel Lopez, a UW Law School grad. When Lopez was in middle school, Wisconsin Badgers football star Donnel Thompson sent him a box around Christmastime. That box included an autographed picture. “I never lost it. It had a tremendous effect on my life. Someone like that, someone who I was watching on TV, believed in me, for whatever reason … it changed my life.”
On Wisconsin: Green Lake trying to set an example
GREEN LAKE – The surface of the state’s deepest natural lake was flat last week as Capt. Marty Valasek slowly piloted the 60-foot Escapade dinner boat 150 yards off Green Lake’s shoreline.
UW-Madison won’t change ID cards to be voter ID compliant
Noted: UW officials said in a statement that they offer a separate ID for voting, but there are concerns with revising their regular student ID cards.
“Adding the signature, as is required to be voter ID compliant, in combination with other information on the card increases the identity theft risk to students,” the statement said.
Lakeshore marine shipwreck sanctuary designation closer to reality
MANITOWOC — There are stories hidden below the water of Lake Michigan. That includes shipwrecks – hundreds of them.
Green Lake boat tour
GREEN LAKE — Keeping water healthy in and around Green Lake, was the goal of an environmental field trip Monday.
T.E.E.M. Scholars are part of plan to diversify teaching staff in Madison schools | Local Education | host.madison.com
Last summer, 11 students … were chosen as the first cohort of T.E.E.M. Scholars. Throughout their high school and college years, the students will participate in summer and academic year coursework, job shadows and hold teaching internships. They will also meet regularly, work with MMSD and UW-Madison staff, and take part in school activities to gain experience working in Madison schools.
Fundraiser for scholarship in memory of Sun Prairie couple
Noted: Friends and family held an event Sunday at Mid Town Pub in Middleton to raise money for a memorial scholarship set up in their name through the UW Foundation.
Kotila says she hopes to raise at least $25,000, to support two freshmen every year in memory of the Dorresteijns.
UW police dog promotes weekend fun run/walk
(Video) UWPD drug detection dog Casey checks the News 3 studio for narcotics to promote this Sunday’s Dog Jog on the UW campus.
UW football night game keeps UWPD busy
Those with UWPD say it’s no secret, a late start adds extra hours of drinking and usually means more work for officers.
“Night games bring a unique challenge to us,” UWPD, public information officer, Marc Lovicott, said.
A challenge those UWPD say they’re ready for.
“It could lead to and we’re expecting to lead to a few more fan issues inside the stadium,” Lovicott added.
UW police focus on safety at night football game
(Video) University of Wisconsin police focus on safety during Badgers’ first night football game of the season.
Q&A: Jackie Davenport dreams of a Badgers Give Back day for community service
Q&A with Jackie Davenport, the University of Wisconsin-Madison athletic department’s new community relations director, meaning she’s responsible for coordinating service activities for the hundreds of Badger student-athletes.
Local mother, nurse, & kidney donor awarded “Working Mother of the Year”
While many mothers says they’d do anything for their child, it couldn’t be more true for one who’s balancing grad school, working full time, a wife, and a mother of two.
Alysia Hanson is a trauma nurse at UW-Hospital.
Free online UW-Madison course to focus on forests and humans
The free course, from Sept. 30 to Oct. 28, is open to the public and entitled “Forests and Humans: From the Midwest to Madagascar.” The course will focus on an exploration of forest ecosystems from the Midwest to Ecuador and Madagascar. Participants will learn about the ecology, geography and economic significance of the world’s forests, and how humans interact with these environments on a daily basis, according to a description from the university.
Thousands take back the bike path in support of rape victim
Nearly 3,000 people deeply affected by the brutal rape of a UW-Madison graduate student on the Capital City Trail participated in a “Take Back the Bike Path” march Thursday night, getting caught in a heavy downpour.
Grant to UW, city offers new opportunities for research
UW-Madison and the City of Madison will join more than 20 other city-university partnerships as beneficiaries of a $1 million grant to launch a program coordinating efforts of research and funding between academic institutions and their communities.
The White House announced the MetroLab Network, funded by a grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, in a statement Monday along with other “Smart Cities” initiatives.
Madison run benefits brain cancer research
VIDEO: Sarah Bolser with Joggin for the Noggin talks about their event this weekend in Madison that will benefit the UW Carbone Cancer Center’s Brain Cancer Research Program.
On the road: UW System leaders travel around Wisconsin, connect UW to communities
University of Wisconsin System leaders are continuing to travel throughout Wisconsin to build stronger connections between businesses, citizens and higher education.
City could condemn properties for Downtown park
Madison officials are prepared to consider condemning a handful of Downtown properties in an effort to get more park space in the booming UW-Madison campus area.
Lake Mills native’s Miss Wisconsin-USA reign coming to end
The year-long reign as Miss Wisconsin-USA was coming to a close Sunday for Haley Denise Laundrie, 22, of Lake Mills.
UW road show looks to shore up relations in Wisconsin
Two top leaders within the University of Wisconsin System are hitting the road this fall to make new connections and strengthen existing relationships between Wisconsin businesses, residents and the public higher education system.
Ground broken on Union Corners development
One of the last, large, vacant lots in Madison is now the site of the city’s newest development.
Union Corners, between East Washington Avenue and Winnebago Street at Milwaukee Street, will be home to a UW Health clinic, among other things.
Local businesses excited about groundbreaking at Union Corners
“This transformation is going to be quite a difference for this area in particular,” Dr. Peter Newcomer with UW Health said.
Newcomer was one of many to help break ground on the Union Corners Clinic, a facility at the center of the new multi-use development on Winnebago Street. The new clinic will replace the East Towne Clinic, offering services in urgent care, primary care and OBGYN.
Memories of being a UW-Madison freshman on 9/11
I moved to Madison in the fall of 2001. I was an 18-year-old freshman who was excited to go to class, ready to make new friends and worried about fitting in with Madison’s alcohol-heavy culture. I adapted to the alcohol culture really fast.
Climate change affects lakes, walleye in complex ways
Scientists are still trying to figure out how a changing climate affects walleye and other species of fish. Most don’t expect the walleye to be a winner. As global climate change continues delivering warmer temperatures and heavier rains to Minnesota, lakes and their inhabitants will feel it. “One of the places you expect climate change to make a big difference is in changing the mix of species that do best in a lake,” said John Magnuson, director emeritus of the Center for Limnology — the study of inland waters — at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.