📝 A storm is brewing

⚖️ Recalling a Top State Republican

• A pro-Trump group has officially filed paperwork to recall Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. The group will need to collect nearly 7,000 signatures from voters in Vos’ Racine-area district to progress with their campaign. In response, Vos called the recall "a waste of time, resources and effort."
• Vos has increasingly clashed with members of his own party, particularly over matters related to former President Donald Trump. [WPR, Cap Times]

💟 Celebrating MLK in Madison

• Monday Jan. 15 marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The federal holiday celebrates the birthday of the civil rights icon and locally, there are many activities happening to honor and celebrate the occasion. Tonight, the King Coalition will host the 34th Annual MLK Free Community Dinner. And on Monday, the group will welcome Terrence Roberts, one of the Little Rock Nine, to the Overture Center. Also on Monday, PBS Wisconsin will show the 43rd annual State of Wisconsin Tribute & Ceremony honoring the life and legacy of Dr. King from the State Capitol in Madison. The full program will be streamed online and on air on WPR.
• Dig deeper: City Cast Madison got the scoop on the Monday event and talked about the legacies of Dr. King and Roberts in a recent podcast. [King Coalition, Overture Center, City Cast Madison 🎧]

🗳️ Five Candidates Vying for District 19 Vacancy

• Five people have submitted resumes to fill the vacancy left by District 19 Ald. Kristen Slack’s resignation. A committee will interview the applicants Jan. 23, then make a recommendation to the full council. Whoever is selected to fill the role will serve District 19 until April 15, 2025. You can check out all of the applicants’ materials here. And if you’re not sure what district you’re in, you can find out here.
• If you’ll recall: Slack announced her resignation in December citing “a major health issue” in her family. Her last day on council was Jan. 10. [City of Madison, Cap Times]

❄️ Be Careful Outside This Weekend

• Another big winter storm is set to sweep through the state this weekend, this time with more snow, higher winds, and lower temperatures than before.
• Road conditions are expected to quickly deteriorate throughout the day and local law enforcement is encouraging drivers to make sure their cars are properly cleared off before getting on the road. (AKA don’t be this guy.)
• Related: Have questions about winter transportation? We have a guide for that. [WKOW, Madison Minutes]

It’s Friday, which can only mean one thing: floof time. Meet Randall. This cutie boy is named after two Wisconsin football legends — Camp Randall and Randall Cobb. According to his human ​​Caroline S. Randall is a cockapoo who goes nuts for a round of fetch, any piece of meat you'll sneak him from your meal, and a healthy dose of ear scratches.

Snow, Medical Marijuana and Madison’s Hate Crimes Task Force

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin, Hayley Sperling and Molly Stentz recap the first winter snowstorm of the year and the city’s efforts to make our streets safer, plus the new medical marijuana bill introduced at the State Capitol this week. And, Madison has a new task force to identify and prevent hate crimes in the city.