💰 This UW econ professor is advising Trump

⚖️ Why Hasn’t Justice Rebecca Bradley Raised Any Money?

• Eight months out from the next Wisconsin Supreme Court election, progressive challenger and Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor has raised $583,000 so far. Meanwhile, her opponent, conservative incumbent Justice Rebecca Bradley, reported no fundraising in the first half of 2025.
• Taylor, a former Dane County Circuit Judge who represented downtown Madison for nine years in the state Assembly, announced her candidacy in May. Bradley, who was elected in 2016, has said in interviews that she would run for a second term but has not formally announced her candidacy. [ 🔒 WSJ, WPR]

🚨 There Might Be a Smokey in That Big Rig!

• Madison will be part of an innovative statewide campaign starting on Wednesday to cut down on dangerous driving. To get a better view of the road, Wisconsin state troopers will ride shotgun in semitrucks and buses.
• The “Trooper with a Truck” campaign, part of Operation Safe Driving Week, will give troopers a higher vantage point to observe risky driving behaviors, such as distracted driving or seatbelt violations. The truck won’t pull the offending vehicle over – the trooper will alert authorities elsewhere to respond. [WMTV]

💰 Meet the UW Economics Prof. Advising Trump

• Kim Ruhl, an economics professor at UW-Madison, was appointed in February to President Donald Trump’s three-member Council of Economic Advisers.
• Ruhl, who is on leave from the university until April 2026, is the first sitting UW-Madison economist to join the influential panel, which counsels the president on shaping domestic and international economic policy
• Ruhl has kept a low public profile since the appointment and has not given interviews, but in the past has voiced positions that seem at odds with some of the Trump administration’s economic priorities, particularly on tariffs. [Cap Times]

You may live in Madison, but are you a true Madisonian? Recently on the City Cast Madison podcast, we talked about the experiences and traits that define a Madison resident. If you’re not sure where you stand, here’s a quiz on some things that every Madisonian ought to know about their city.

What was the name of the now-defunct State Street sandwich shop owned by two brothers who were involved in the Sterling Hall bombing?

• The Radical Rye
• The Progressive Pumpernickel
• The Liberal Loaf
• The Socialist Sandwich

⬆️ Last Week’s Photo

This mural is located on the wall of Northstreet on North Street!

🎉Congratulations to Kendell G., Kate L., and Mikaela P. for being the first people to guess right!

⬇️ This Week’s Photo

Do you know where these stairs lead? A few clues:

• They’re downtown
• They’re located at an iconic hotel
• The name of the hotel is a great indicator of where it’s located!