👠 Why Madison’s drag scene is so fierce

🧑‍⚖️ High Court Rejects UW Nurses Effort to Unionize

• In an unanimous decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Friday that UW Health does not have to participate in collective bargaining with its nurses.
• The nurses effectively lost their union back in 2014 when their last contract ended as a result of Gov. Scott Walker’s Act 10 law restricting most public sector unions. They revived the union in 2019, but the court agreed with UW Health officials that Act 10 prevented them from entering into collective bargaining. [News 3]

📪 Should Dane County Inmates Get Physical Mail?

• Community members and one Dane County committee sharply questioned a Dane County Sheriff’s Office proposal that would bar inmates at Dane County Jail from receiving physical letters and other mail. Instead, that correspondence would be digitally scanned by an outside for-profit company, Smart Communications, and sent to the recipient via a computer tablet.
• The practice is increasingly common in prisons and jails nationwide, with proponents saying it restricts the risk of drugs or other contraband being smuggled in. But critics said statistics don’t show it makes prisons any safer or decreases drug use.
• Instead, they say, mail scanning is a dehumanizing practice that cuts off inmates from the outside world. They also questioned letting a private company profit off such communications. County Board Sup. David Peterson noted that Smart’s CEO, Jonathan Logan, drives a Lamborghini with the personalized license plate “INMATE.”
• 🎧 State prison officials have used a similar rationale when they halted a Wisconsin nonprofit from sending books to inmates. [Cap Times, Truthout, 🎧 City Cast Madison]

🚧 Sidewalk Construction Will Slow Down Nakoma Road

• Starting today, Nakoma Road will be limited to inbound traffic only as work begins on a new sidewalk for the south side of the street.
• The construction involves bumping out the curb and removing parking spots on that side of the street. It should be completed by mid-September, city officials said. [News 3]

Hot enough for ya? The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory earlier this month that included Wisconsin, with the heat index approaching 103 degrees in some parts of the state. The temperature eased enough that Wisconsin was left off the extension of the recent heat advisory issued June 26 for 24 U.S. states.

But with over two months of summer left, the threat of high temperatures combined with high humidity remains a real one, and can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Here are some tips on how to keep you (and your pets) cool this summer, without having to deal with soaring energy bills.

Tips for Humans

When it’s hot, Public Health Madison Dane County recommends staying indoors, especially during midday. Ideally, stay in air-conditioned buildings, and if your home is not air-conditioned, consider going to a public space like a shopping mall, library, or community center to stay cool. If you have to be outside, wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing, and never sit in a parked car.

Stay hydrated! Drink water even if you don’t feel thirsty. If you’re working or exercising outside, drink two to four cups of water every hour. Avoid alcohol and drinks containing high amounts of sugar.

Check your local news for extreme heat warmings and safety tips. Check on friends and family, especially those who are most susceptible to high temperatures, including children, the elderly, pregnant people, and those with chronic health conditions.