📝 Act 10 challenged in court

⚖️ The Case Against Act 10

• Seven unions representing Wisconsin teachers and other public workers filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the state’s near-total ban on collective bargaining for most public employees, otherwise known as Act 10.
• This isn’t the first time the controversial statue has been challenged since it took effect in 2011, but it is the first lawsuit since the Wisconsin Supreme Court flipped to liberal control in August.
• Some context: Act 10, formally titled the Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill, was introduced by then-Gov. Scott Walker. The legislation had major implications for collective bargaining, compensation, retirement, health insurance, and sick leave of public employees. Public backlash to the legislation was astronomical. Unions and other groups organized weeks of protests drawing tens of thousands of people, including some who occupied the capitol building for days. The law also prompted voters to try to recall Walker in 2012. [WPR, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, NPR]

📈 Metro Ridership is Up

• For the first time since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, more than 1 million people rode the bus in a single month. In October, Metro provided 1,075,549 rides — a nearly 20% increase compared to the same time last year. October marked the highest monthly ridership since February of 2020.
• If you’ve ridden the bus recently, you’re probably familiar with Ward Paxton, the voice of Madison Metro. [City of Madison, City Cast Madison]

🚨 Hate on Campus

• The University of Wisconsin Police Department is investigating an incident that happened Nov. 28 in which multiple people entered rooms in the humanities building disrupting a student organization meeting by making racist anti-Asian and anti-Arab comments and harassing students. The individuals involved in the incident were not affiliated with UW, according to the university. [UWPD]

Last week I made the egregious error of forgetting to add our beloved floofs in the Friday email. My bad, y’all. But, time goes on and the floofs keep coming. Here’s a dose of sweetness for you on this Monday.

Meet Remington Barksworth. This regal lad is a lover of people and Bloom Bake Shop. When he's not browsing the many pastry options of Madison he can be found in one of two places: Prairie Moraine dog park or under his weighted blanket.

What’s Up With All The Ketamine Clinics?

Have you noticed the ketamine clinics popping up around the city? While ketamine has been used as an anesthetic in the medical field for decades, its use as a treatment for depression, PTSD, and chronic pain has been gaining popularity in recent years.