Thursday, 8.20
The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce votes to support the $109 million renovation of the Edgewater Hotel proposed by Hammes Co. The developers are seeking $16.8 million in public support.
Dane County Judge Richard Niess says he plans to rule in favor of the state Democratic Party in a lawsuit alleging violations of the state's open records law by state Sen. Dan Kapanke, a GOP congressional candidate. Kapanke failed to turn over emails sent on an aide's personal Yahoo account; official communications on private accounts are subject to the law.
Rep. Tammy Baldwin meets in Madison with proponents of health care reform, saying she's less optimistic than she was before: "We have a for-profit health system and a lot of people don't want to see that change." See Joe Tarr's report.
Friday, 8.21
Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen says he won't defend the state's new domestic partner registry for same-sex couples from a legal challenge. He considers the registry "substantially similar" to marriage and thus unconstitutional, which is what critics who promised they would not make this argument now claim. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Madison) accuses Van Hollen of "shredding the constitution for political purposes."
Saturday, 8.22
Madison resident and newly retired UW-Madison Prof. Stanley Dodson crashes while biking at Colorado National Monument; he dies of his injuries the following day.
Sunday, 8.23
A clerk at the Super 8 Motel on the Beltline foils a would-be robber who jumped over the counter. The clerk beat the robber with a cane and his fists (warning: THIS IS NOT THE RECOMMENDED RESPONSE), then summoned police, who made an arrest.
Monday, 8.24
Madison opens a new fire station on the city's far west side. Station #12 is named in honor of Dr. Darren Bean, the fire department's former medical director, who was killed in a Med Flight crash last year.
Tuesday, 8.25
Gov. Jim Doyle announces he's hired Madison attorney Lester Pines, at his standard rate of $175 an hour, to defend the state's domestic partner registry, which Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has refused to do. Pines says the case in favor of the registry's constitutionality is "overwhelmingly strong." If he's right, Van Hollen is going to look overwhelmingly foolish.
The Madison Water Board, perhaps in homage to the reporting of Ron Seely, unanimously passes tougher standards for the city's water, including lower allowable amounts of manganese and iron.
Wednesday, 8.26
Wisconsin politicians and citizens mourn the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy. Mayor Dave nails it: "Now the last of the Kennedy brothers is gone, but their legacy - the idea that politics is a noble, exciting and even fun calling and the idea that our government has a positive role to play in our lives - lives on."
Compiled (in part) from local media
