🏘️ RIP to 14 houses on West Wash

🗳️One In, One Out in the Wisconsin Governor’s Race

• Missy Hughes, the former head of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (AKA WEDC), announced Monday that she would seek the Democratic nomination to run for Wisconsin governor in 2026. Hughes emphasized in her announcement that she was “not a politicIan,” and pointed to her business experience, particularly as a dairy industry executive.
• Meanwhile, businessman Bill Berrien had the distinction of being the person to drop out of the 2026 governor’s race. Berrien suspended his quest for the Republican nomination late last week following reports that he had followed sexually explicit online accounts.
• 🎧Having trouble keeping up? We got you. On the City Cast Madison podcast today, host Bianca Martin talks to Kristin Brey and Steve Scaffidi, hosts of the “Point Taken” show on Milwaukee’s WTMJ radio, about the state of the race. [WPR, News 3, 🎧 City Cast Madison]

🏘️ Why Are 14 Houses on West Wash. Getting Torn Down?

• The 400 block of West Washington Avenue will look very different in a year. A bunch of older single-family homes on the downtown street – 14 in fact – are being torn down to make room for two new residential developments.
• The houses, which were built between 1865 and 1925, will be replaced by a six-story apartment building and a four-story apartment building. The buildings will have large balconies and porches, reminiscent of those enjoyed by students who lived in those old houses previously. [ 🔒 WSJ]

💰Thousands of Expense Reports Backlogged at UW-Madison

• UW-Madison officials are working their way through thousands of expense reports, leaving hundreds of employees and students waiting to be reimbursed for travel and school-related expenses.
• Part of the delay is attributed to the rollout of a new employee tool, Workday, that froze submitting expense reports for a couple of weeks, officials said. Right now, the average time that a report is processed is 29 days, and officials hope to get that back down to eight to 10 days in the long term. [ 🔒 WSJ]

Madison’s Eric Kjelland was already in an emotional place when his band, The Mascot Theory, began recording songs for their new album “Cosmic Hit and Run.” His dad had died the year before after a long illness, and Kjelland had poured his grief into many of the songs on the album.

And then Kjelland got his own diagnosis.

After months of severe headaches and blurred visions, Kjelland was diagnosed with having a rare and potentially fatal brain illness called an arteriovenous fistula. In the spring, in the months leading up to his scheduled brain surgery, Kjelland felt a sense of urgency to finish the record.

“The night I had the procedure, I was all wired up in a hospital room in the middle of the night,” he said. “They wake you up every hour to check cognitive stuff, so I wasn’t sleeping anyway. That was the first time I listened to this album all the way through with the first mix.

“That’s an experience I will never forget,” he said. “I hope it’s never duplicated.”

While he still gets headaches and has to be careful about overexerting himself, the brain illness is no longer life-threatening thanks to the surgery. And, with the album being released on Oct. 3, The Mascot Theory is celebrating both the album and Kjelland’s new lease on life. On Oct. 5, they will perform at Atwood Music Hall, in a show that includes an onstage conversation with journalist Teri Barr.

Kjelland talked about the inspirations for making the album and where he goes from here:

First of all, how are you feeling?

I’m still recovering. Some days are really, really good. Some days not so good. We haven't had to cancel any shows or anything, but there's definitely sometimes where I'm just like, super worn out, super tired. I get headaches, dizziness, all these different symptoms that just sort of come and go. So it's just kind of trying to manage that and really trying to take it easy.

Listening to the album, I can’t help but interpret the lyrics as being about your illness. I was floored that they were mostly written beforehand, when you were grieving your dad.

Some of the lyrics during the recording of it, I actually did change some lyrics as I was going through all of my medical stuff, especially the very last song on the album, “Still Here.” That was kind of the biggest change. Trying to record this while going through what I went through was a trip, and really gave me a whole different perspective. It was no longer just about the grieving process. It was like, “What’s my fate going to be?”

Meet Wilma! She’s a sweet and friendly pup who can be nervous with new situations. She enjoys playing with toys in the yard, laying in the grass, and receiving treats. While Wilma is easygoing, she can pull on leash. Wilma is looking for a home where she can be the only dog soaking up all the love and attention from her new family.