Community and Weekly Updates

Hola!

It is Saturday, and I don't want to end the week without acknowledging all the amazing people who see a need and take action. Thank you for being an essential part of the work it takes to build healthy and safe communities. I also want to acknowledge the importance of connecting with friends and family during our busy schedules!I am not much into selfies, but I capture some great times around the district & the city.

Last Saturday was the anticipated Lunas Block Party. More than 700 people came to the Allied area to join the event. Julia Arata-Fratta & Satya Rhodes-Conway, neighboring Mayors, other elected officials, and my amazing colleagues from the Common Council joined the festivities. The community was welcomed by various vendors and city services, from the library to voter registration to Metro, MPD, and Fitchburg Fire. Pull your calendar out and book a reminder for August 2024 to join the festivities. Thank you, Mariam Maldonado and Luna's staff, for your fantastic work and for making Allied and District 10 the home for your business.
 

Sunday, I headed to Summit Wood for an ice cream social put together by a neighborhood grassroots committee. It was well attended, with many children enjoying summer's last few days. I got to try Flora's homemade mango sorbet; it was delicious. Sara and Tim introduced me to the neighbors, and I enjoyed magic tricks with Apple Annie along with the kids. Thank you to the Summit Woods Enrichment Committee for putting together Sunday for Sundae event. If you live in the Summit Woods area and would like to volunteer for future planned events, contact Flora at floramiller2023@gmail.com
 

I also had the chance of stopping by MOST's Meet and Greet and connect with Community Centers staff and joined their graduation event. What a fantastic program for our youth! One of the coordinators is from District 10; he is one of the many passionate youth advocates in the city. Here is an email from Nate with an opportunity to get involved.

"Between the conference, afterschool open house, and awards yesterday, we had 300 youth workers and friends together under one roof. We had representatives from over 50 organizations, multiple mayors and other elected officials, and staff from local, state, and federal government; we had the superintendent of MMSD and many others. We could keep everything free due to the generosity of MG&E, UW Health, and United Way of Dane County, the organizing power of MSCR, Wisconsin Youth Company, YMCA, City of Madison, and the contributions of so many others, including the fabulous MYArts team. There were many joy, learning, celebration, and reflection moments yesterday. Power to you all as you take those learnings into practice with young people this next week! It's hard but essential work, and you are all in a community of good people doing it.

Due to the generosity of the American Family, we are launching a second cohort of the MOST Afterschool Fellowship. The MOST Afterschool Fellows aims to support leaders in maintaining and growing high-quality afterschool and summer learning programs accessible to all students. The Fellowship also seeks to invest in our field's future leaders, hoping to support their development and retain them in the area. Fellows will participate in a nine-month-long series of workshops, complete a supported Impact Project within their sites, network with other leaders, funders, and policymakers, and receive $1500. Learn more here, and apply here by September 22nd." - MOST | Madison-area Out-of-School Time (mostmadison.org)." Nate Beck
 

Wednesday and Thursday, I was able to carve some time to chase the moonrise. I headed to Lake Farm County Park to meet my youngest sister and her kids. It was a beautiful night, and the supermoon images were perfect. If you have yet to visit this park, you are missing out; I have been there during the day before, but the night views and the nature sounds are worth the night drive. If you go at night, remember that the park gate closes at 9:30 p.m.

For those privileged to have the long weekend off, I hope you'll find some "me" time. For those who must work on Labor Day, we see you and thank you for your service!
 

Meeting and Event Highlights for the Week of September 4, 2023

Meetings

• Common Council: The Common Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 5, 2023 in hybrid format at 6:30 PM. Agenda items include a poetry recitation by Maliha Nu'Man, authorizing the Transit General Manager to apply for various Department of Transportation grants, authorizing and executing a Purchase and Sale Agreement between Core Spaces and the City of Madison for 405 W. Gorham Street in District 4, proclaiming September 2023 as National Recovery Month, and more!

  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online

Board of Park Commissioners: The Board of Park Commissioners meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 in virtual format at 6:30 PM. Agenda items include the Superintendent’s report for August and September 2023, an informational update regarding upcoming land acquisition as proposed within the adopted Oscar Mayer Special Area Plan, approving the Yahara Hills Golf Course Conceptual Master Plan, and more!

• • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online

The Homeless Services Consortium is developing a new Community Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. Feedback from community members through a variety of means: focus groups (both virtual and in-person), one-on-one interviews and a community-wide survey is in progress.

I encourage you to complete this survey. The information gathered through it will inform our Community Plan. It is important that we hear from a broad range of stakeholders. I hope that you will take time to complete the survey. It will take about 15 minutes of your time. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MADISONDANECP

Events

• East Side Farmers' Market, Tuesday, September 5, 2023: The Eastside Farmers' Market is Madison Wisconsin’s finest weekday farmers' market. Our goal is to bring the freshest Wisconsin grown food direct to the heart of the East side. Our vendor members are agricultural producers and food artisans who make value added products from Wisconsin's agricultural bounty.
• Dane County Farmers' Market - Wednesday Market, Wednesday, September 6, 2023: The Wednesday Dane County Farmers’ Market is located on the 200 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, in between the Madison Municipal Building and the City County Building. While more intimate than the Saturday Market, you will still find many of your favorite Dane County Farmers’ Market members, as well as a full array of fruits and vegetables, eggs, cheeses, honey, maple syrup, bakery items, cut flowers, plants, and many specialty items.

• The Capitol View Farmers’ Market, Wednesday, September 6, 2023: The Capitol View Farmers Market is returning to the North Star Neighborhood! Join us each Wednesday (May 31-October 11, 2023) from 3:00-7:00pm to support local farmers and vendors, enjoy live music and food carts, and make the most of summer in Madison!

• Jazz at Five, Wednesday, September 6, 2023: The Jazz at Five Entrepreneurial events are on hold until fall as we get ready to dive into the Performance Series. Enjoy the Jazz at Five performance series at one of our sponsored tables, bring a chair of your own or rent one from the Jazz at Five info tent. Audience members of the free to the public series are also welcome to picnic on the capitol grounds.

• LIVE @ Lake Vista: Sam Ness, Wednesday, September 6, 2023: Join us at Lake Vista Café on the Monona Terrace rooftop for live music in a relaxed atmosphere. Lake Vista Café will have a menu featuring delicious fare and drinks for purchase until 7 p.m., including buy one get one free appetizers from 4 – 6 p.m. Mixing Traditional Folk/Americana roots with a new-age Alternative Singer/Songwriter feel, Sam Ness finds inspiration in the ancient cobblestone streets across the globe. His percussive playing paired with an assortment of special effects including a loop system, have built a sound larger than many full bands. Sam has taken home a handful of Madison Area Music Awards including Male Vocalist of the Year. Free & Open to the Public. If inclement weather, performance will be canceled
• Cyclocross Practice Ride | Olin Park, Wednesday, September 6, 2023: We've partnered with Capital Off-Road Pathfinders in offering a free, temporary cyclocross course to practice your biking skills. Each event is open from 5-7pm at the designated location. You will need a bike with knobby tires, such as a mountain bike style and a good-fitting helmet. Some parks do not have restrooms, please plan accordingly. Cyclocross is a form of bicycle racing similar to cross country running but on a bicycle. Courses feature wooded trails, grass, pavement, steep hills, and obstacles. See Cyclocross for more information.
• Meditation at Monona Terrace, Thursday, September 7, 2023 - 12:00pm to Thursday, December 14, 2023 - 12:00pm: Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace, and balance that benefits both your emotional well-being and your overall health. Anyone can practice; it’s simple, inexpensive and doesn’t require any special equipment. Join us virtually every Thursday, September 7 - December 14, for this free 45 minute program welcome to all levels. Advance registration for Zoom webinar is required.
• Workout with Transformation Center at The Glen, Thursday, September 7, 2023: *New Date* Thursday, Sept. 7 ~ Join Erin, Trainer and Owner, from Madison’s Transformation Center on Fairway #1 at The Glen Golf Park for a fun, energizing total body workout. Bring your family and friends, as all are welcome to participate in this free session.
• Mad Lit: Where Arts and Culture Shine, Friday, September 8, 2023: Mad Lit is a free, outdoor concert series featuring live music and highlighting local musicians, artists, and businesses owners of color. The series runs every other Friday from June through September from 8-11pm at the top of State Street in Madison and includes live music, dance, pop-up shops, and visual exhibits.
• Ironman Wisconsin Festival, Saturday, September 9, 2023: Annual triathlon event with competitors from all 50 states and several countries competing for qualification to the World Championships and personal triumph.
• Cherokee Marsh South Volunteer Workday, Saturday, September 9, 2023: Madison Parks is seeking volunteers in conservation to assist in seed collection in Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park, South Unit. Participants will learn native plant identification and proper seed collection methods. Some gloves and paper bags are provided, but feel free to bring your own. Seeds collected will be used to restore areas within Madison's conservation parks. Bring water and wear closed-toe shoes. No restrooms onsite.
• Greek Fest + 2023, Saturday, September 9, 2023: Greek Fest+, Madison's oldest ethnic festival returns this year with delicious Greek food and pastries and traditional music that area residents have enjoyed for over 70 years. Church tours will be offered, come join and become "Greek for a day."
• Firefighter Fun Day, Saturday, September 9, 2023: Meet us without the emergency! Join your friendly neighborhood firefighter/EMTs and paramedics for Firefighter Fun Day! This event is free and fun for all ages! Come for fire station tours, fire truck tours, games, face painting, music by Dos Amigos DJs, and more. Connect with local firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, and police officers while enjoying hands-on activities. Free food and refreshments, sponsored by Metcalfe’s Market, Metro Market, and HyVee, will be served while supplies last.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Owen, Saturday, September 9, 2023: Explore Owen Conservation Park on gentle trails through historic oak openings on a hillside with an Ice Age kettle and along restored prairies with beautiful vistas on this high point overlooking the west side of Madison. Co-sponsored by Madison Parks, Madison Audubon Society, and the Friends of Owen Conservation Park . Free, family-friendly guided nature walks at Owen Conservation Park are held on the 2nd Saturday of each month, year-round 2:30-4pm. No registration is required. No pets are allowed.
• 2023 IronKids Wisconsin Fun Run, Saturday, September 9, 2023: Taking place during Ironman Wisconsin weekend the IronKids Wisconsin Fun Run is for youth between the ages of 3-17 who will race around the Capitol Square - a little over 1/2 mile in celebration of happy and active lifestyles. Each child will take home their own finisher t-shirt, medal, backpack filled with swag, and the pride of calling themselves an IronKid.

Announcements

· Street Closure--South Broom Street: Starting 6:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 6, southbound (outbound) South Broom Street will be fully closed from West Wilson Street to John Nolen Drive for the reconstruction of the railroad crossing related to the Broom/Wilson Street Reconstruction project.

· Neighborhood Indicators Project Follows Communities’ Wellness Over Time: Interested in seeing a clearer picture of housing, safety, health, education and the overall wellbeing of the City of Madison?

· Far Westside Flooding Project Earns Major Federal Funding: Major flooding prevention improvements will be coming to Madison’s far west side as early as summer 2024 to provide protection to an area devastated by the 2018 floods.

· 'Firefighter Fun Day' Returns!: For the first time since 2017, the Madison Fire Department announces the return of Firefighter Fun Day. This family-friendly event encourages the community to “meet us without the emergency!”

· Metro Transit Schedules Reduced on Labor Day: Due to the Labor Day holiday on Monday, September 4, Metro will operate SUNDAY schedules on the following routes:

• Sept. 1: Part of Atwood Avenue to Open to Two-Way Traffic: (MADISON, Wis.)—Starting in the evening of Sept. 1, Atwood Avenue will be open to two-way traffic between Walter Street and Fair Oaks Avenue.
• Brush Collection Ending Soon for 2023: The Streets Division’s final curbside brush collection will soon get underway.
• Public Invited to Next Madison Public Market Open House: The City of Madison in partnership with the Madison Public Market Foundation invites the public to a celebration of progress for the Madison Public Market.
• Madison Out-of-School Time (MOST) Recognizes 12 Outstanding Youth Workers: Ten youth workers (adults who work with youth) will be recognized at a ceremony this week by Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Superintendent Lisa Kvistad for their outstanding contributions supporting youth.
• No Streets Division Collections on Labor Day, September 4, 2023: The Streets Division will not perform refuse, recycling, brush, or large item collections on Monday, September 4, 2023 in observance of the Labor Day holiday. The drop-off sites will also be closed.
• School is Back in Session! : As the summer break concludes, the City of Madison Crossing Guard Program urges all drivers to be extra cautious as schools reopen in the coming weeks.

Street Division Updates – Brush & Yard Waste InformationBrush Collection InformationEvery neighborhood in Madison has just one last set out date left before the end of the brush collection season in 2023. In order to learn when you should set out brush to be collected for this final pickup opportunity, go to www.cityofmadison.com/BrushCollection.Enter your address into the form. Set the brush out per the guidelines for pickup on the date provided. Brush can also be taken to a Streets Division drop-off site.

Yard Waste/Leaves Collection Information

• Curbside yard waste/leaves collection begins in early October. Each neighborhood will get three curbside collection opportunities.
• The dates for curbside pickup of yard waste are now available on the Streets Division’s website.
• Go to www.cityofmadison.com/YardWaste and enter your address into the form.
• Set your yard waste out for pickup per the set out guidelines on the Sundays provided on the website.
• Yard waste can also be taken to a Streets Division drop-off site.

Have Questions?

• If you have any questions about brush or yard waste collection, or about the drop-off site, please contact the Streets Division office that services your home.
• If you live east of South Park Street, please call 608-246-4532.
• If you live west of South Park Street, please call 608-266-4681.
• The office is open for questions 7:30am to 4:00pm Monday to Friday. You can also check out the Streets Division’s website at www.cityofmadison.com/Streets.