Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How new winter rains could worsen algae in Madison’s beloved lakes

And on the Madison Patch calendar - ACT Practice Test (the New ACT)

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Hi Madison! We have the latest buzz right here. Let's keep you in the loop and get this morning started right! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How new winter rains could worsen algae in Madison’s beloved lakes
  • Is Madison’s winter lake fun becoming too dangerous to continue?
  • Could Madison’s absentee ballot defense change how your vote is protected?

Also on today's calendar: ACT Practice Test (the New ACT) and 8 more events.

Find out what's happening in Madisonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: What did the shovel say to the dirt? 🤔 (Answer below!)

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Find out what's happening in Madisonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Weather forecast:

  • Friday: Mostly cloudy, with a high of 41 and low of 28 degrees.
  • Saturday: Colder with snow, 1-2", temps: high: 33, low: 21.
  • Sunday: Morning snow showers; breezy, with a high of 30 and low of 24 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Madison-area lakes at risk because of winter rain, environmentalists say (wmtv15news.com) — Environmental advocates in Madison are warning that this week’s winter rain and rapid snowmelt could wash road salt, manure, and phosphorus into the Yahara lakes, worsening algae blooms. Clean Lakes Alliance is pushing its “Renew the Blue” plan, calling for more green infrastructure like winter cover crops and rain gardens to better protect Madison’s heavily used waterways.
   

2. On thin ice (isthmus.com) — Madison residents who love walking, skating, or biking on local lakes are facing increasingly risky ice conditions, with the Madison Fire Department logging dozens of ice rescues in recent years. A local cyclist’s plunge through Lake Wingra and shrinking freeze periods on Mendota highlight how warming winters, climate change, and unpredictable ice are endangering a favorite pastime and straining local businesses and nonprofits.
   

3. Madison's defense in missing-ballot case: Absentee voting is a ‘privilege,' not a right (votebeat.org) — Madison officials are defending a lawsuit over 193 absentee ballots from the 2024 presidential election by arguing that absentee voting is a state-defined privilege, not a constitutional right. The case could shape how securely local residents’ mailed ballots are protected from administrative errors and may influence future statewide debates over Wisconsin’s unique absentee voting law.
   

4. WKOW announces new News Director (wqow.com) — Madison viewers will see a new face leading WKOW’s newsroom, as longtime station journalist Caroline Bach has been promoted to Wisconsin Regional News Director for Allen Media. Bach, who started at WKOW in 2014 and holds a UW MBA, now oversees news operations in Madison and three other Wisconsin markets, with a focus on keeping local communities informed and safe.
   

5. Wisconsin defensive tackle Charles Perkins plans to enter transfer portal (jsonline.com) — Madison-based Badgers fans just learned that defensive tackle Charles Perkins plans to enter the transfer portal, a potential blow to Wisconsin’s defensive line depth. The 6-foot-2, 323-pound lineman had been viewed as a key returning contributor after strong spring practices, even as coach Luke Fickell recently suggested the roster was largely settled.
   

📸 Around Madison

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Madison

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📣 Madison Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • PSA - this is for anyone with lap dogs who enjoy car rides with their humans.
    Please STOP allowing them to ride on your lap if you’re the driver. Should you get in an accident, the deployment of the airbags will crush your pup… (Nextdoor Sherman)
  • Missing Dog his name is Joy, his super friendly his been missing from last night around the Todd dr.
    exit anyone have any information please me me know thank you (Nextdoor Arbor Hills)
  • Government Jobs posted a job opening for Summer Camp Counselor-in-Training 2026 in Madison. Apply here.
  • Kroger posted a job opening for Cashier in Madison. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Madison here.

Ok Madison! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I really dig you!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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