🌪️ How to prepare for tornado season

🗳️ The Elections Just Keep On Coming

• We’re nearly two weeks past the April 1 election but the news can’t stop and won’t stop. In a recount last week for the Madison City Council District 19 race, Ald. John Guequierre again prevailed over his challenger, former Ald. Nino Amato. Guequierre had originally prevailed by just nine votes, and the recount slightly narrowed that lead to eight votes.
• Meanwhile, a special election has been called for Dane County Board District 1, where Sup. Elizabeth Doyle had to step down from her position after moving out of the district because she said rents are too high. The election will be held June 17, and if there are three or more candidates, a primary will be held May 20. [City of Madison, WKOW, WPR]

🏫 UW Terminates Gatherings for People of Color

• The university will stop hosting events meant to retain students and faculty of color on campus. The BIPOC Network events were intended to build a sense of community and belonging.
• While the network will remain, an email from the university’s Office of Human Services said events will be discontinued “in response to uncertainty associated with recent federal actions and executive orders.” President Donald Trump has targeted diversity efforts in several of his executive orders, which are not federal laws. [Madison365]

♻️ Meet the AI That’s Helping Campus Recycle

• A new recycling system at UW-Madison uses artificial intelligence technology to help students decide whether an item can be recycled or not.
• The “Oscar Sort” tool was installed a few weeks ago in four campus buildings. Users hold the item under a camera, and Oscar tells them whether the item can be recycled or needs to be thrown in the trash. [WMTV]

Believe it or not, we’re already in tornado season in Wisconsin. While the peak of the season is in May, it lasts from March to June. And along with tornadoes come flooding, high winds, and the other effects of major storms.

On the City Cast Madison podcast today, host Bianca Martin talked to Andrew Beckett, Dane County Emergency Management’s emergency communications and outreach manager, about how to prepare for severe weather season in Madison.

Become a Storm Spotter!

To give people the best information to prepare, the National Weather Service relies on volunteer “storm spotters” to give them immediate updates on storm systems and the damage they cause.

If you want to help, Dane County Emergency Management and the Marshall Fire Department are hosting two free storm spotter training sessions on April 16.

Prep for the Worst

Because tornadoes can hit with little notice, experts recommend building an emergency preparedness kit, including a backup generator or batteries. Create an emergency plan and practice it.

Know where to shelter when a tornado hits. Find out if emergency shelters exist in your area, or consider building a safe room in your home.

Download the Red Cross Emergency App for real-time weather and emergency alerts and the FEMA App for shelter maps. Also, save this tornado preparedness checklist to help you get started.

And tornado damage doesn’t discriminate: If you struggle to find insurance coverage, look into your state’s Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan.