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City leaders hope to continue Olin-Turville turnaround

City leaders hope to continue Olin-Turville turnaround

Madison city leaders and volunteers have spent a lot of time and resources in recent years in an effort to turn around a troubled city park.

Olin-Turville Park, despite some progress, is still unable to fully shake its stigma of a popular location for recreational sex.

Police are now sharing their new concerns at Olin-Turville Park and their latest plans for a fix.

Music and fun are exactly what Madison police and neighborhood volunteers had in mind when they decided to establish a free weekly concert series for the month of May at the park's Olin Pavilion.

"The concerts are a celebration of the success we've had in changing Olin Park, making it a safer place and bringing families back to the park," said Sgt. Jim Dexheimer with the Madison Police Department.

Madison-area volunteers report from Oklahoma

Madison-area volunteers report from Oklahoma

25 volunteers from the Madison area are among the many working as part of the massive cleanup effort in the tornado-ravaged city of Moore, Okla.

They brought with them two semi-trucks of supplies, which they passed out throughout Sunday while also cleaning out debris from badly-damaged homes.

The CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County is part of the volunteer group and shared some comments on the group?s work and overall mission.

"We started our day by unloading two of the semi trucks that we brought down from Madison," reported Johnson.

Johnson said his team got right to work.

"And so what we decided to do was just walk through a neighborhood with our shovels and our rakes, and people started running out their front doors asking us to assist them," he continued.

Living next door to bees: The pitfalls and perks

Living next door to bees: The pitfalls and perks

Madison buzzed last year when urban beekeeping became legal, but not everyone loves living near a hive. While they are relatively few, the city has received some complaints about beekeepers over the last year.

According to zoning administrator Matt Tucker, there are 39 beekeeping licenses out in Madison, and only about three or four have had complaints lodged against them since the ordinance passed in February 2012. This is comparable to complaints about Madison's urban chicken raisers, Tucker said.

He noted the issues that most commonly come up with beekeepers have to do with the personal responsibility of keepers, like hives resting closer to lot lines than the ordinance allows.

Loni Broesch has filed multiple complaints about her neighbor and said she's miserable living next to a beekeeper.

At public forum, residents weigh in on possible Metro route changes

At public forum, residents weigh in on possible Metro route changes

Adjustments proposed for Sheboygan Avenue, Allied Drive   

Around 30 people attended a public hearing Wednesday evening to weigh in on possible changes to Madison bus routes.

The City of Madison Transit and Parking Commission listened to the comments and concerns of about 20 Madison residents. Most attendees focused on the proposed changes to bus routes 14 and 15 at Sheboygan Avenue on the west side, but others had suggestions for routes 9, 10 and 18, among others.

In the end, "30 percent will like [what's changed]; 30 percent will hate it; 30 percent won't care; 10 percent won't realize there was a change," said Transit Schedule Planner Colin Conn. "That’s just standard."

Work by deaf artists on display at DHS

Work by deaf artists on display at DHS

Art reflects 'unique abilities'   

Paintings, photographs, sculptures, and other works of art created by Wisconsin residents who have varying degrees of hearing loss, plus artwork by sign language interpreters, is on display at the Department of Health Services building in downtown Madison to commemorate Deaf History Month, celebrated March 13-April 15.

Linda Huffer, director of the Office Deaf and Hard of Hearing at DHS, said the exhibit is meant to give attendees a sense of the challenges of hearing loss.

"These amazing works of art reflect the richness and diversity of people who have a hearing loss and those who work with them,” Huffer said in a news release. 

Secretary-elect Kitty Rhoades invited everyone to come and view the artwork at the DHS headquarters this month.

Dr. Greg Burnett to Join St. Mary’s as Vice President of Medical Affairs

Dr. Greg Burnett to Join St. Mary’s as Vice President of Medical Affairs

Greg Burnett has accepted the role of Vice President of Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer for St. Mary's Hospital in Madison.

Burnett served most recently as a physician and West Division Medical Director at Marshfield Clinic, an 800 member physician organization located in central and western Wisconsin. Prior to that, Burnett was the President and Vice President of medical staff at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire.

During his five years as Division Medical Director, Burnett recruited more than 60 physicians, fostered and managed relationships with four hospitals, directed 30 medical and surgical specialties including more than 140 providers.

Mayor proclaims Saturday ‘Bird Day’ in the city

Mayor proclaims Saturday ‘Bird Day’ in the city

Local, national protection groups bringing awareness to pet birds    

The City of Madison joins a national non-profit in celebrating the feathered kind on National Bird Day Saturday.

On Dec. 19, Mayor Paul Soglin signed a proclamation making Jan. 5 Bird Day in the city. Soglin wrote he “encourage[s] our citizens to conserve and protect the world’s birds from cruelty and extinction.”

The city’s Bird Day coincides with the same day it is celebrated nationwide through Born Free and the Avian Welfare Coalition.

Monica Engebretson, wildlife biologist with Born Free, said National Bird Day is about to protecting and appreciating birds.

“Birds are actually not domesticated animals like cats and dogs,” Engebretson said. “They belong in the wild and it is very challenging to meet their needs in a home environment.”