💰 $23B Exact Sciences deal with Abbott finalized

💸 Abbott Labs Closes Deal To Buy Exact Sciences for $23B

• Exact Sciences, the Madison-based biotech company known for its Cologuard colorectal cancer home testing kit, has officially been purchased by Illinois-based Abbott Labs for $23 billion.
• The company, which is headquartered off Whitney Way in the UW-Madison Research Park and has over 3,000 employees in the area, will remain in Madison.
• A report released last week by the UW Center for Research on the Economy estimated that Exact Sciences has created more than 20,000 jobs overall, and contributed $6-7 billion to Wisconsin's gross domestic project, that’s roughly 2% of the entire state’s economy. [ 🔒WSJ, UW-Madison]

✈️ Will TSA Woes Affect Spring Breakers in Madison?

• While hours-long delays at security checkpoints have been reported at airports around the nation due to federal gridlock over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, it does not seem to be affecting Dane County Regional Airport yet.
• Airport spokesman Michael Riechers said the airport has not seen any major delays, and is still allowing passengers to use TSA PreCheck. Spring Break for UW-Madison students begins on March 27, which may lead to an uptick in passenger traffic. Riechers advised that all travelers get to the airport at least two hours before their flight.
• Last week, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said that smaller airports like Madison’s could be forced to close if the shutdown continues. Riechers said that any such decision would be outside of Dane County’s control, but he had not heard anything about the airport closing. [Cap Times, CNBC]

🔭 UW Space Place Closing Due To Budget Cuts

• UW-Madison’s astronomy outreach center, the Space Place, will close in June due to budget cuts. The university’s Department of Astronomy has run the facility on South Park Street for over 30 years, hosting guest lectures and programming for Madison students and families, including lunar eclipse viewings.
• But, with the Trump administration cutting $27 million federal research funding last year, UW Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin asked all university departments to cut 5-7% from their budgets. [ 🔒 WSJ, 🔒 MJS]

The Spring Election is just two weeks away! On April 7, Dane County voters will head to the polls to vote in a number of non-partisan local, county, and state races, from the Madison School Board to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

In-person absentee voting locations opened today. Here’s what you need to know to go to the polls, and what to expect to see on your ballot

Register To Vote

Check online and make sure you are registered to vote. The deadline to register online has passed, but you can still register at the city clerk’s office through Friday, April 3, or at your polling location on Election Day.

If you’ve changed addresses or your name since the last election, you’ll need to re-register. In addition to your voter ID, make sure to bring your proof of residence, this can be as simple as pulling up a recent utility bill or lease agreement on your phone.

Absentee Ballots

If you are registered, you can request an absentee ballot online by April 2 and track its progress to your mailbox. If you are planning to return it in the mail, though, do it as soon as possible so it gets counted! Elections officials advise allowing at least 10 days for your ballot to make it through the postal system, which would mean sending it back by March 28.

Otherwise, you can drop your ballot off at one of the 14 absentee drop boxes around town.In-person absentee ballot locations will be open through April 3.

No matter how you vote, here’s what you’ll see on the ballot.

Wisconsin Supreme Court

This year’s race for an open seat on the state’s highest court is relatively low-key compared to previous elections, because the liberal majority on the court will endure through 2028 no matter who wins. With conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley retiring, Appeals Court Judge Maria Lazar, who is backed by Republicans, is running against Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor, who is backed by Democrats.

Dane County Circuit Court

In the race for Branch 1 seat, a civil court division that oversees family law cases, incumbent Judge Ben Jones is facing challenger Huma Ahsan.

Jones was appointed to the seat by Gov. Tony Evers last year after Susan Crawford was elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. He had previously served as chief legal counsel for the state Department of Public Instruction. Meanwhile, Ahsan runs an immigration law firm and served as a legislative attorney for Ho-Chunk Nation.

Meet Remi! This 6-year-old Chinchilla loves to munch on apple sticks, freeze-dried strawberries, and lava chews. Remi is very curious and energetic in his enclosure. He’s friendly but shy and will hide from people until they’ve gained his trust.

Once he trusts his person, he opens up and climbs on you, eats treats from your hand, and “talks” to you. Remi is looking for a patient family who will give him the time he needs to settle in and work with him to earn his trust – it may take a few months.