📝 Why the buses are late

🚍 The Reason Behind Metro’s Delays

• Madison’s Metro Transit has been experiencing a series of delays recently due to a shortage of buses. Metro’s vehicles need to undergo safety inspections after they hit a certain mileage point, which means they aren’t available for use. Additionally, metro has been dealing with a mechanic shortage, which has led to further delays.
• You can see a full list of the impacted routes here. [Metro Transit]

🗳️ District 19 Alder Announces Resignation

• Ald. Kristen Slack has announced her resignation from Madison’s City Council, effective Jan. 10. City Council will choose an interim alder to finish out Slack’s two-year term, which expires in April 2025.
• “Since the election in April, my family has been dealing with a major health issue that has significantly altered our lives. I have tried for many months to balance these changes with my responsibilities as a City Alder, but it is simply no longer tenable,” Slack said in a statement.
• If you live in District 19 and are interested in filling the vacancy, you can apply for the position by Jan. 9. [Cap Times, City of Madison]

🇺🇸 The President is Coming To Wisconsin

• President Joe Biden plans to travel to Milwaukee Wednesday to discuss his economic agenda. This visit marks the president’s third trip to Wisconsin this year. Biden was last here in August when he visited a manufacturing facility in Milwaukee, and before that, he visited Madison in February. [Channel3000]

🏐 Badgers Volleyball End On Bittersweet Note

• The bad news: The Badger volleyball team lost to Texas in the National Semifinals Thursday night, officially bringing its 2023 season to an end.
• The good news: Wisconsin volleyball's Sarah Franklin was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association National Player of the Year. Franklin, a 6-foot-4 outside hitter, made history as just the second Badger to ever win the prestigious award. Dana Rettke won it in 2021. [UW Athletics]

Who Pays For Cleaning Up Toxic PFAS Chemicals at Madison’s Airport?

A proposed contract between Dane County Regional Airport and the Air National Guard would exempt the military from liability for toxic PFAS chemical pollution at the airport. This has Dane County supervisor Yogesh Chawla’s eyebrows going up. He and his colleagues at the Dane County Board of Supervisors want changes to the contract to ensure the safety of Dane County’s drinking water. Bianca Martin speaks with Chawla about what those are and why he’s losing sleep over PFAS.