Know your rights; Regent Street construction project meeting Monday; Friends of Hoyt Park sledding event Sunday and much more!

Hello neighbors,

As a local elected official, I have been asked about what we are doing in the face of current federal actions. Please know that we are closely coordinating with all emergency management personnel in the area, including local law enforcement, and the organizations directly serving vulnerable members of our community. The City of Madison has filed amicus briefs alongside the City of Minneapolis and state of Minnesota in their lawsuit against the federal administration regarding the surge of federal agents in our neighboring state. The City has also created a Know Your Rights page, for ease of access. 

Voces de la Frontera is the organizing agency for Wisconsin responding to federal immigration enforcement actions. Please contact them if you wish to learn more. I urge you to heed the words of our MLK Jr. Day honored speaker, Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, which I have excerpted here: 

“We’ve got to keep moving through organized action…. Organized action means… join an organization! Join an organization. I didn’t say start one….The myth of history is that history advanced through the event-making man….. But history is not advanced by the singular hero. For every person with a microphone…there are tens of thousands who organized, who struggled, who voted, who prayed, who made photocopies, who cooked, who bailed people out of jail, who stood in the gap for freedom to happen…Join an organization. And stay in the organization.”

Construction Updates

Announcements and News Releases

• Don’t Miss 2026 Wisconsin Salt Week Livestreams, Videos and More: The City of Madison Engineering Division is proud to take part in Wisconsin Salt Week, Jan. 26-30, 2026, and invites the community to join in on the community educational opportunities to learn how to responsibly use salt and minimize salt use. 
• Statement on Law Forward Case: The City of Madison believes that all forms of voting — including absentee voting — should be encouraged, promoted and protected. That commitment to Madison voters and absentee voters in particular has been longstanding and will continue.
• Application period opens for 2026 Arts Grants: The Madison Arts Commission (MAC) invites individual artists and non-profit organizations to apply for its annual grant program.
• Crews Cleanup Overflow on South Side, Do Not Flush Rags, Wipes 
• Mayor, community partners celebrate completion of ‘missing middle’ affordable homeownership project: Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Ald. Sean O’Brien, and representatives from the Madison Area Community Land Trust celebrated the completion of new affordable homes in the Owl Creek neighborhood. 
• Prepare Your Home for Freezing Temperatures: Frigid temperatures are a good reminder for home and business owners to make sure their water pipes are protected from freezing or bursting.
• 2026 SEED Grants Cycle Now Open: The City of Madison Food Policy Council is opening the 2026 SEED Grants cycle to address food access issues in our community.
• Common Wealth Development is excited to announce that applications are now open for the 2026 Wanda Fullmore Youth Internship Program! This internship provides Madison youth with the space to build valuable connections, learn about the City of Madison, and gain crucial professional development skills, all with supportive mentorship.
  • Youth will work in-person, Monday through Friday June 15th - August 14th. Each intern will be given a placement, either based at a City of Madison department or division, or with Common Wealth Development directly. They will also work in groups to complete a real-world City of Madison development project that they will have the opportunity to present to community members and City officials. 
  • Interns will work, on average, 20 hours per week and wages start at $15.50/hour for this internship opportunity.
  • Students must reside in the City of Madison limits OR attend a Madison Metropolitan School and be at least 14 years of age when applying
  • Interested students must, Submit a completed YOUTH application, a completed PARENT/GUARDIAN application, in English or Spanish, and complete an interview with Common Wealth staff. Students must complete all three application steps to be considered for the program. Applications will close on March 20th, 2026. 

Please visit the City news webpage to find additional news and announcements and to subscribe to receive notification of news releases as they are posted.

Events

• The Madison School District will host three forums to get public feedback on plans to rebuild two middle schools and a combined elementary and middle school. The forums will take place in the existing schools’ buildings and run from 5:30 to 7 p.m.:
  • Orchard Ridge Elementary/Toki Middle School, 5602 Russett Road; Jan. 27 in the cafeteria
  • Cherokee Heights Middle School, 4301 Cherokee Drive; Jan. 28 in the library
  • Sennett Middle School, 502 Pflaum Road; Jan. 29 in the cafeteria
• Groove & Glide | Olbrich, Friday, January 30: Experience the fun and beauty of ice skating under the stars and lights with music and games.  All ages and experience levels are welcome. Groove & Glide events are free to attend and no registration is needed. 
• Skate Cinema | Norm of the North, Saturday, January 31: Join us for an evening of ice skating and a movie at Skate Cinema! Bring a lawn chair and a blanket, and make it an evening to remember. This event is free to attend, and no registration is required. Ice skating is allowed while the movie is playing. Warm up by the fire pit. Bring your own skates or rent a pair from inside the staffed warming pavilion. 
• Hoyt Park Winter Event Sledding & Storytelling, Sunday February 1st, 1-3PM. Join the Friends of Hoyt Park for an afternoon of fun! Meet at Hoyt Park's Main Shelter. Friends of Hoyt Park will provide a warm fire, hot beverages and snacks. There will be snow painting for the little ones and, new this year, we will have traditional storytelling by the fire featuring Storytelling Naturalist Coral Conant Gilles. Bring your friends‍! 
• Door Creek Park Ribbon Cutting & Winter Celebration, Sunday, February 1: Join City leaders, partners, and friends for a ribbon-cutting and winter celebration at Door Creek Park!
• Learn to Cross-Country Ski, Sunday, February 1: Join us for a free cross-country ski workshop at Door Creek Park, hosted by Madison Nordic Ski Club (MadNorSki)! This requires advanced registration, is free to attend and part of the Ribbon-Cutting and Winter Celebration.
• Learn to Snowshoe, Sunday, February 1: Join us for a free snowshoeing workshop at Door Creek Park, hosted by Madison Nordic Ski Club (MadNorSki)! Advanced registration is greatly appreciated. This is a free event and part of the Ribbon-Cutting and Winter Celebration.

Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.

Stay warm,

Regina Vidaver