Updates on the Corey Ruiz case and Williamson and Baldwin closure; 113 Ely Pl appeal moved to 9/8; Water main flushing; Legistar acting up; Moving days and much more!

Hello neighbors,

Here are some resources regarding the death of Corey Ruiz, and the ongoing memorial gathering at Williamson and Baldwin:

• The City of Madison has published a FAQ page to address the common inquiries we have been receiving. This page will be updated regularly.
• The City of Madison news releases page includes daily updates from the Mayor and Chief Patterson.
• Alder Field lifted up many community concerns in his July 31 blog post.
• The editor of Madison 365 produced a video explaining many of the items covered under the FAQ page. While I quibble with a few of his conclusions – for example, there really was a glitch in our systems such that public comment for the Finance Committee meeting on July 27 wasn't coming through, which may be related to the challenges we are experiencing with the Legistar system right now – most of his statements are accurate. The FAQ page has since addressed his questions regarding state laws about how evidence is handled between agencies.
• Alan Robinson wrote a beautiful editorial in Madison 365, also addressing many of the questions the community has been asking.

Please, give each other grace during these challenging times. We are all working to reduce harm in our community to the best of our abilities. 

The appeal of the Landmarks Commission decision on the lot division at 113 Ely place will be heard at the September 8 Common Council meeting. The item will be on the August 4 agenda only for re-referral to the September 8 meeting – no public comment will be taken until September 8.

Water main flushing this week will occur between University Ave. and Regent St. east of Franklin Ave.

Public Information Meetings (PIMs)

• Castle Creek Improvements, Wednesday, August 5: The Castle Creek Improvements Project is the result of recommendations from the Warner Lagoon Water Quality Plan and the Warner Park and Cherokee Marsh Watershed Study. The project will consist of tree clearing, removal of the concrete section of the existing channel, and regrading to widen and lower the existing channel. A public information meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Aug. 5, 2026, via Zoom. Registration prior is required. 

Announcements and News Releases

• Intermittent issue with Legistar Insite Documents: Granicus, our Legistar vendor, is reporting an intermittent issue with accessing documents on Legistar's website portal.  This is affecting all Granicus customers.
• August 4, 2026, Common Council and CCEC Meetings in Virtual Format Only: Due to heightened security concerns, the August 4 Common Council and Common Council Executive Committee (CCEC) meetings will be held in virtual format to ensure the safety of community members, City staff, and elected officials.
• In person absentee voting is open! In person absentee voting is available at most libraries and other community locations until August 8. The partisan primary is Tuesday, August 11. PLEASE NOTE: In a partisan primary, you may only vote for candidates in ONE party on this ballot, otherwise your vote will be invalidated. You do not need to be a registered voter for any party in order to participate.
• August Moving Days Updates:
  • How to Set Out Appliances, Furniture, & Bags That Won't Fit in the Cart: The student move out collections run from August 3, 2026, until August 21, 2026, within the downtown student move out area. 
  • Free Electronics & Battery Recycling : If you are a City of Madison resident, your personal electronics and batteries are accepted for free at the Streets Division drop-off sites.  Free electronics and battery recycling is not just for the August moving days.
  • How Large Item Collection Works During the Move Out: If you live in the move out area, the Streets Division large item work order rules will be different from August 3, 2026, until August 21, 2026.
  • Daily Cart Emptying in the Moving Days Area: Starting at 6:30 a.m. on Monday August 3, 2026, residents in the moving days area can place trash and recycling collection carts out for emptying each workday. 
• Road Closure – Felland Road and Blissful Avenue intersection: Starting Thursday, August 6, Capitol Underground will close a section of Felland Road at Blissful Avenue.
• North Shore Drive Closure at Railroad Crossing for Replacement: Beginning at 5:00 am on Monday, August 3, North Shore Drive will close at the railroad crossing on the curve where North Shore Drive transitions to Proudfit Street.

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

• Madison's near west side combined garage sale, August 7-8: Experience the first combined garage sale on Madison's near west side - Westmorland, Dudgeon-Monroe, Sunset Village and VanChaMasShe - for our “ R Sale" which stands for Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Redistribute, Recycle. Signs will be posted!
• Brat Fry Friday, Friday, August 7, 2026: Come join us for lunch at the links! The grill will be fired up from 11am-3pm for a delicious afternoon treat.
• Live at The Glen | Vince Sweeney, Friday, August 7:Heavily influenced by the songs and songwriters of the 1970s, Sweeney performs an impressive blend of folk, rock, and country songs - some are familiar, others are hidden gems.
• Dane Dances, Friday, August 7, 2026: Dane Dances is a free, family-friendly event held every Friday evening in August on the beautiful Monona Terrace rooftop.
• Free Homebuyer Education Class (in person), Saturday, August 8: Take the first step to owning a home and join us in this Home Buyer Education Workshop. This FREE Homebuyer Education workshop takes place in-person at Sunshine Place, 1610 W. Main, Sun Prairie, WI 53590 on Saturday, August 8, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm!
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Owen, Saturday, August 8: Being in Nature ~ Join Naturalist Sheila Knerr for a wander about Owen Park as we use all of our senses to explore the land and share what we find. 
• Ride the Drive 2026, Sunday, August 9: Since its inauguration in 2009, Ride the Drive has continued to celebrate Madison's commitment to healthy living by focusing on the environmental and economic impacts and the importance of social integration. Imagine thousands of happy, healthy people coming together to experience parks and open streets in a single, one-day, free, community event.
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Turville Point, Sunday, August 9: Summer Birds ~ Join Master Naturalist Jeff Nesta for a free fun family friendly outing for all ages and abilities.  We will follow cool shady woodland paths to look for bright yellow Goldfinches in the flowers, Woodpeckers in the trees, Owls in the pines, waterfowl on the lake and other birds that nest and raise young in Madison in the summer.
• All neighborhood ice cream social, Sunday, August 9, 3-5pm. The ice cream social will be at Bethany United Methodist Church, 3910 Mineral Point Rd.
• Get ready for Madison Black Restaurant Week, August 9-16.
• Save the date: The 7th Annual Regent Neighborhood Art Walk will be on Saturday, September 26th from 10:00am-4:00pm (rain date is 9/27).

Parks Alive Dates!

Parks Alive builds stronger neighborhoods and connects neighbors to their parks through fun, family-friendly activities, music and free food. Events are held in parks across the city and throughout the summer. Connect with your neighbors and engage with your community at a Parks Alive event near you! Events start at 5:00 p.m.

• Parks Alive | Elver Park, Monday, August 3
• Parks Alive | Worthington Park, Tuesday, August 4
• Parks Alive | Meadowood Park, Wednesday, August 5
• Parks Alive | Penn Park, Thursday, August 6

Interested in volunteering for Parks Alive? Volunteers Welcome! Learn more and register online!

Movie in the Park Dates!

• Movie in the Park | Luca, Sunday, August 9

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

Boards, Commissions, and Committee Meetings

Note: This is not a complete list of meetings for this upcoming week. All meetings and their details can be found at the Meeting Schedule page.

• Common Council: The Common Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, August 4, at 6:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include a presentation by Council President Sabrina Madison on next steps regarding the Police Civilian Oversight Board and Office of the Independent Monitor.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Board of Public Works: The Board of Public Works meeting will take place on Wednesday, August 5, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include authorizing a contract for planning, public engagement, and engineering services related to intersection safety improvements.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Community Development Block Grant Committee: The Community Development Block Grant Committee meeting will take place on Thursday, August 6, at 5:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include a staff update regarding the purpose-built men's shelter.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online

If you would like more information about becoming a member of the City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here.

Take care,

Regina Vidaver