Division collects 600 tons of trees, brush in Jan.          

The second round of Christmas tree collection in Madison has been delayed. 

The City of Madison said Wednesday that the Streets Division is running behind due to the amount of storm-damaged limbs being picked up along with the trees. The frequent snowfall and ice operations of the last two weeks have also contributed to the delay by tying up staff who usually work on tree collection, the division said in a news release.

"Our crews collected over 600 tons of Christmas trees and brush in January," Madison recycling coordinator George Dreckmann said. "That is three times more than our average."

Dreckmann said the large amount of material has doubled the amount of time it usually takes the department to complete a first round of tree collection; four weeks instead of the usual two. 

Award celebrates impact of family biz on Wis. communities    

A state group that celebrates family-owned businesses is seeking nominations for the 2013 “Business of the Year” award, which is also the group’s 10th year sponsoring the program.

One family business will be selected for grand awards in categories including small (less than 50 employees), medium (50-99), and large (100 or more) companies. The organization said special awards will also be given to companies excelling in a particular area.

Created by Smith & Gesteland, a Middleton accounting and business consulting firm, the annual awards highlight the importance of family-owned businesses.

The deadline for nominations is April 13.

Mayor says idea stemmed from summer ‘Meet and Eat’

A food truck experiment this summer lead to the mayor establishing a council this fall to continue work bringing affordable healthy food options for low-income families.

At the first meeting of his Madison Food Policy Council on Oct. 24, National Food Day, Mayor Paul Soglin made the opening statements explaining its importance.

“In terms of the farmers’ market, we have one of the best known markets in the world,” Soglin said. “When it comes to food policy, there is this enormous gap. I see that as an opportunity to take us to another level.”

The MFPC is an extension of the Dane County board. It joins the Dane County Food Council and Coalition, but aims more to answer the question of accessibility and affordability than connecting producers to buyers, which is the focus of the county’s council and coalition.