👠 Who stole Marilyn Monroe?

🪧 Hundreds Gather At Capitol To Protest Trump And Musk

• As part of a 50-state protest Wednesday, hundreds marched down State Street and gathered at the Capitol to protest President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting immigrants, diversity initiatives, and the transgender community. They also spoke out against Trump’s billionaire supporter, Elon Musk, and his unregulated attempts to remake the federal government.
• Also this week, Madison’s Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Madison) announced plans to introduce the Eliminate Looting of Our Nation by Mitigating Unethical State Kleptocracy (E.L.O.N. M.U.S.K.) Act, which would terminate contracts for “special government employees” like Musk.
• 🎧 Dig deeper: City Cast Madison executive producer Hayley Sperling talked about Wednesday’s protest on the Friday news roundup on the podcast today. Plus, the team talks about a scathing report on the Dane County Regional Airport director, and the felony charges filed against a former VP of finance at the Goodman Center. Listen up! [WPR, Mark Pocan, 🎧 City Cast Madison, 🔒 WSJ, WMTV]

💬 Madison Wants Its Own High-Powered Lobbyist

• In an attempt to secure more state aid for the city, Madison officials want to hire a high-profile lobbying firm to work with Republican legislators in the Capitol.
• The Welch Group has successfully lobbied in the past for the Green Bay Packers and the Wisconsin Nurses Association. In hiring the firm, Madison would leave a statewide advocacy group that represents the interests of municipalities in the Capitol. In 2023, Madison received one of the smallest per-capita increases in state revenue of any municipality in Wisconsin. [Cap Times]

🏗️ City Snaps Up Properties For Future Redevelopment

• The city has bought several properties on South Park Street south of Wingra Creek, and is in the process of buying another, with an eye towards a future redevelopment on the fast-changing street.
• Madison is buying those properties with plans to demolish them, clean up the sites, and add infrastructure, ultimately with the hopes of finding a developer to convert them into housing. [ 🔒 WSJ]

Meet Walter! Walter is a rescue from Alabama that has fully acclimated to his life of endless pets, cuddles, and leftover scraps from dad at the dinner table. He is currently recovering from leg surgery and his parents are beyond appreciative of him being a great patient.