Back in March of 2020, the Dane County Jail had a problem. The coronavirus pandemic had spread to the Madison area, and Public Health authorities had issued orders seeking to minimize crowds and gatherings of people, particularly in confined spaces to minimize transmission of the virus. The jail population at the time sat at 772 […]
Downtown protests sparked by arrest of Black Lives Matter organizer
Yesterday’s arrest of 28-year-old Yeshua Musa instigated a night of turbulent protest. After Musa’s arrest, a group of about 300 protesters marched through downtown, in a demonstration that lasted from Tuesday afternoon into the early hours of Wednesday morning. Protesters are demanding Musa’s release from the Dane County Jail, where he has been booked on […]
Plans for new county jail move ahead despite pandemic
Last night, a review committee tasked with the construction of a new county jail received a virtual tour of what the new facility would look like. The jail was initially approved by the County Board in 2017, with a budget of $76 million, to build four floors on top of the current Public Safety Building. […]
State Prisons, County Jails Prepare for COVID-19
In order to slow the spread of COVID-19, gatherings of ten people or more in confined spaces are forbidden in Wisconsin. But, that ban doesn’t apply to state prisons. David Liners is the state director of WISDOM, a coalition of groups that advocate for criminal justice reform. Liners says COVID-19 could spread rapidly throughout Wisconsin’s […]
“An Ever-Changing Situation”: Dane County Jail Preps For C...
While COVID-19 has Wisconsinites hunkering down at home, over 20,000 state residents have little choice: prisoners. Earlier today, WORT reporter Audrey Palzkill spoke with Elise Schaffer, Public Information Officer with the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, to learn how the county jail is taking steps to combat the virus. Photo credit: Carolyn Fath/Isthmus
Allen’s History and News Round-up
Today, Allen turns the mic over to WORT’s listeners. Topics include the 100th anniversary of the November 2nd, 1917 Balfour Declaration, the Wisconsin legislature’s effort to open up sulfide mining in the state, continuing news of the WEDC board and Foxconn, and news about the Dane County jail renovations.
