The Northside News | Current Issue:

Realta Fusion moving into OM Station The Madison-based company is expected to create over 600 jobs and move fusion research forward. By Abigail Becker Girard Northside News During Oscar Mayer’s heyday at the 72-acre production facility at 910 Mayer Ave., employees worked there for decades and enjoyed the competitive pay and benefits the company off...

I’m retired. That’s a good thing, but it means I’ve lost some of the community connections I had when I had a job and kids in school. Now I look to the Northside News for information about our neighborhood. Without the Northside News, I might not know about the great things that are happening in our Northside schools. Check out our Schools & Yo...

A column by the Director of Food Systems in the Fall issue of the Northside News? Certainly, it must be about thanking mother earth for the past growing season and the enjoyment of the wonderful harvest!  Sounds good, but I have other things on my mind. As I sit at my desk the price of diesel fuel has hit an all-time high and we are left wondering ...

Greetings Northside Neighobrs. I have been thinking about human agency and advocacy as the Northside prepares to begin the North Area Plan process led by City of Madison Planning staff. I am aware how powerful both our human advocacy and our agency can be. I believe I have power to affect my future and my life outcomes by the choices that I make....

Certified Peer Specialist & Trainer | Reentry and Recovery Advocate Demell Vondrell Glenn is a Madison-based Certified Peer Specialist and Trainer whose work is grounded in lived experience, recovery, and a deep commitment to equity for justice-impacted people. Having navigated his own journey through incarceration and healing, Demell brings a ...

To the Editor: At the southeastern corner of Warner Park, there are ball fields that are slated to be redesigned and reshaped to include a variety of multi-use fields that will include a cricket pitch. The plans include the removal of a large cottonwood tree that sits on the edge of this portion of the park. The tree has been determined to be at l...

To the Editor: The rapid expansion of solar panels and data centers has focused political attention on both. Solar panels and data centers have major benefits if used for good purposes with fair rules. Few would disagree that good rules are critical if we want to live in a civil society in a sustainable world, just like in sports where the rule boo...

To the Editor: Hello, Northside Neighbors. I’d like to share with you an interaction I observed between one of my neighbors and an officer of the Madison Police Department. This experience illustrates something very important about our city.  Robert Green has lived in my neighborhood for about five years, in a neat little three-bedroom house on She...

Voting Information for November 3, 2026 Fall General Election by Lisa Aarli Northside Action Team Every election matters and impacts our lives. Wisconsinites will go to the polls in November to vote for representatives at the state and national levels. Do your research and make your plan to vote. Democracy is stronger when everyone votes! Election ...

By Terry Shelton Northside News “It’s a thingamajig, with a curve for a corner wall.” “It’s a whatchamacallit that goes under the sink.” “It’s a doohickey that closes the screen door.” After 49 years in the hardware business, Tom Meikle has heard all kinds of descriptions for common household problems. “You sort of learn to speak the language of th...

By Piper Bly Northside News “I have to announce that it’s my sister doing the cooking,” said Namgyal Ponsar. The Northside’s spot for Tibetan cuisine, the Little Tibet Market And Cafe, located directly across from FEED Kitchens at 1113 N. Sherman Ave., has begun opening Saturday mornings at 9 am for breakfast specials. We took the time to stop in a...

By Becca Bolton The River Food Pantry Mark your calendar for Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 5, from 8–11 am, at The River Food Pantry (3301 Packers Ave.) for a holly jolly morning of good food, holiday fun and, of course, Santa. Sponsored by the Northside Business Association, this 21st annual fundraiser is moving to The River’s new dining ...

By Brandon Smith Willy Street Co-op Everything you need for Thanksgiving Willy Street Co-op will have everything you need for Thanksgiving, from whole turkeys to pre-made side dishes and pies to all the ingredients you’ll need to make everything from scratch. If you have guests who are avoiding meat, dairy and/or gluten (or if that describes you), ...

By Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) Using energy efficiently is an easy way to reduce your environmental footprint and save energy. By working together with all our customers, we can meet our shared energy goals and achieve net-zero carbon electricity by 2050. Please join us by using these no-cost tips for saving energy at home. Save energy while coo...

By City of Madison staff City of Madison staff have started initial preparations for the North Area Plan and will host a public kickoff meeting in November. Details will be posted to the project webpage and listserv soon. The plan is the sixth of 12 area plans created under the updated Planning Framework passed by the Common Council in 2022. Area p...

By Abigail Becker Girard Northside News Over 50 Northside community leaders, including business owners, school principals, Neighborhood Association and nonprofit leaders gathered Sept. 14 to share what changes they most want to see incorporated into a city plan that will guide the future of their community. Ahead of an official kick-off meeting in ...

By Nicole Sandler Northside News On Tuesday, Oct. 6, the City of Madison will host a Business Walk around our Northside community. This event is a unique opportunity for community volunteers to connect with and support local businesses, as well as to provide valuable information for the development of the city’s North Area Plan. According to Kenned...

By Madison Public Library Team Madison’s 10th public library location opened Sept. 25 in Reindahl Park, located off East Washington Avenue at 1814 Parkside Dr. This is the first new library added to the Madison Public Library system in over 25 years. The Imagination Center has been under construction since April 2025 and underwent multiple communit...

By Nicole Graper Madison School & Community Recreation Friends of Madison School & Community Recreation (MSCR) invites the public to celebrate a century of community impact at its MSCR Centennial Celebration on Thursday, Oct. 15, starting at 6 pm at The Tinsmith, 828 E. Main St., Madison. The milestone event honors 100 years of enriching th...

By Kelly Schubert and Aaron Cutler Northside News Introducing a new collaboration of Brainplate Grows, FEED Kitchens, Healthy Food For All, 50+ Madison food businesses, and your immediate community: bringing the farm to you. Economic challenges, including the rising cost of food and living, have put more and more pressure on low income individuals ...

By Lisa Aarli Northside Action Team You may have noticed activity in recent weeks at the low green building situated at 2101 N. Sherman Ave. The Northside Action Team (NAT) has moved in temporarily until Nov. 15. This space provides a launch site for our neighborhood canvasses, a gathering spot for our volunteers and supporters, a hub to volunteer ...

By Rita Lord Northside News On Aug. 25, Dane County officials broke ground on a new Dane County   Center at 2002 Pankratz St., site of the former Ale Asylum. The facility will be used by the Dane County Clerk’s Office for countywide election operations. The center will “support secure storage, voting equipment testing, ballot-related operations, re...

By Jennifer Fetterly Madison College For many adults, earning a high school credential is more than completing a diploma requirement, it is a pathway to college, career advancement and greater opportunities for themselves and their families. Each year, Madison College’s School of Academic Advancement helps hundreds of learners reach that milestone....

By Anne Pryor Margaret’s Fund: A Northside Scholarship Northside resident Jane Corcoran is the recipient of this year’s Margaret’s Fund scholarship. Congratulations! Jane is a graduate of Gompers Elementary, Black Hawk Middle, and East High Schools. She has been accepted at UW-Madison and plans to study journalism starting in the fall 2026 semester...

By Sabrina Hilton and Matthew Galle As another season of the Northside Farmers Market comes to a close, we want to take a moment to celebrate the people who make this market so special. Whether you shopped, sold, promoted, volunteered or simply stopped by to say hello, you contributed to another successful season. This year, the market was truly bu...

By Allison Tardif The River Food Pantry The services offered by The River Food Pantry continue to grow and evolve to meet the needs of its clients. Recently, The River revived a popular program: free clothing and household goods. The new clothing room, located just off The River’s lobby, is open for clients to shop by appointment only from 9–11 am ...

By John Macy Madison Northside Lions Club The Madison Northside Lions Club is looking for members. Lions Club international is one of the largest service organizations in the world, and our new club wants your help. If you are interested in joining, the club also provides the following service opportunities: ▪  Members are involved in setting up ey...

By Nicole Mondroski Finnegan Ringdroski Scholarship Fund On Saturday, Oct. 3, Isthmus Montessori Academy (IMAP) will be hosting the 14th annual Race to the Finn at Burrows Park. All proceeds benefit the Finnegan Ringdroski Scholarship Fund. This community fun run has two races: a mile at the park and a 5K through Maple Bluff. After running or walki...

By John Macy and Elaine Parton Northside Lions Club The Madison Northside Lions Club will be hosting “Gear Up & Give,” a winter gear collection drive for Lake View and Mendota Community Schools, on Saturdays, Oct. 10 and Oct. 17, at the Nakoosa Trail Walmart from 9 am–4 pm both days. We will accept new or gently used items, especially children...

By Laura Bettenhausen Troy Kids’ Garden As the end of the growing season rolls around, I am met with just how quickly every season seems to pass by, and summer goes by more quickly than most. My work at both the Troy Kids’ Garden and Madison School Farm means I interact with over 500 kids in a month, which can be quite overwhelming, but also means ...

By Lauri Schwartz Madison Starlings Madison Starlings are looking for coaches. Come join a cadre of people who believe we make a difference right now for youth in Dane County. Envision yourself helping teens play, smile, laugh, persevere, meet others their age they would not otherwise have met, and feel supported by you and others. You can make a l...

By Makayla Allen Packer Community Learning Center Packer Community Learning Center kicked off another school year with our annual Back-to-School Bash, sponsored by Housing Ministries of Wisconsin and Extended Hands. Now in its 27th year, this annual tradition brings families together while helping students start the school year prepared and excited...

By Linda Hang Northport Community Learning Center My name is Linda Hang, and I am the Learning Activities Coordinator for the Northport Community Learning Center. It’s been so fun working with all the students in our afterschool program. I have taken students on fun and educational interactive field trips. We’ve explored parks and nature centers, e...

By Martel Chapman Northport Community Learning Center The Northport Community Learning Center picnic was a mini festival where we blocked off the parking lot. Grilled food and activities, including a bouncy house, were provided. There were games for prizes, popcorn and a flavored ice machine. Families from the community participated in the event. T...

By Regina L. McConnell East Madison Community Center Sixty years! That’s a lot of summer camps, after school snacks, field trips, food baskets, community celebrations, friendships and memories. On July 25, East Madison Community Center (EMCC) celebrated this milestone with our 60th Anniversary Jubilee, and what a celebration it was. Guests enjoyed...

By Typhanny Greene East Madison Community Center The Woody Carey Community Scholarship Program was started in the fall of 2013 after the passing of long-term board member Dr. Ellwood “Woody” Carey. Woody served as a volunteer on the East Madison Community Center (EMCC) Board of Directors for over 25 years and held various board positions during his...

By Sarah Jacobsen East Madison Community Center On Aug. 14, East Madison Community Center (EMCC) gathered with volunteers to celebrate and recognize the incredible contributions they make to the community. Volunteers enjoyed an evening of appreciation that began with a taco bar and continued with a lively Family Feud-style game that brought plenty ...

By Jonathan “Jopp” Post Friends of Shabazz I’ve lived on the Northside, next to the Cherokee Marsh, for 22 years. For 18 of them, I’ve driven a bus for Madison Metro Transit. My wife, Kelly, works for the city’s Parks Department — we’re both career civil servants. As a Metro driver, you see your community every day. You see the same families, the s...

By Jacob Greshik Madison East High School There’s something exciting happening on the stage at Madison East High School this year: we have two new theater directors bringing their own ideas, energy and passion to our program. I’m Jacob Greshik, and I’m thrilled to be directing our spring musical. But before we get there, I’m excited to welcome Fran...

By Nathan O’Shaughnessy Shabazz City High School Hello Northside Neighbors! The students have returned. We had teachers here for Welcome Back during the last week of August. We were able to accomplish a whole lot of learning, teaming, collaborating and planning our Project-Based programming and field experiences. Thank you so much to Willy St. Co-...

By Theodore Meyer BSA Scout Troop 127 August was a busy time for Troop 127. Scouts exemplified the slogan “do a good turn daily” with service projects and advancement, and the end of the summer left the unit feeling proud of their numerous accomplishments. August kicked off with a Court of Honor to award scouts for the impressive amount of merit ba...

By Rachel Deterding Lake View Community School This summer Latine families from Madison Metropolitan School District’s Lake View Community School gathered at the Lakeview Branch of Madison Public Library to connect, learn and prepare for a successful start to the school year. Through “Ready, Set, Connect!”, a three-part family engagement series, fa...

By Justin Markofski Northside News 1. Tell us about yourself and your life as a Northsider. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I used to live on the west side of Madison, and “the Northside” seemed like another planet to me. Eight years later, I am now the one inviting others to venture out to the Northside Farmers Market, hosting business meetings...

By Alex Singer Northside News Normally, I don’t pay close attention to the myriad and varied critters crawling and flying around my 99% native plant yard except to note a colorful butterfly or caterpillar, but when friends started boasting about the rusty patched bumble bees (Bombus affinis) in their yards, I had to get in on this important braggin...

By Beth Sluys Northside News The prairie being installed in the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad right-of-way along Woodward Drive is in its second year of growth and is full of flowering native plants. Within the blooms, when you walk along the edge of the site, you hear and see all manner of pollinators. Volunteers working in the prairie have obse...

By Paul Noeldner Friends of Urban Nature Our favorite two birds for October and November are actually one bird with two names. The gentle cooing Rock Dove mates for life and is a worldwide cultural symbol of peace and beauty. Their official scientific name is Rock Pigeon. Pigeons are commonly seen in both urban areas and farms helping clean up sca...

By Jan Axelson Northside News Last July, as wildfire smoke blew in from Canada, Madison’s air became thick with haze and smelled of smoke. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Air Quality Index set a new record, peaking at over 450. (An index of 50 or below is considered good.) In the following months, many days have continued to have lowe...

Library Hours Monday–Friday, 10 am–8 pm Saturday, 9 am–5 pm Sunday, 1–5 pm Closed: Nov. 26–27 See all library hours at madpl.org/locations. All events are at Lakeview Library unless otherwise indicated. Please check madpl.org/calendar for the most up–to–date information on programs and services. Call for Artists Lakeview Library is in search of loc...

Chiropractic adjustments are safe and recommended during pregnancy! Many pregnant women love chiropractic care because it helps them feel good and keep moving comfortably throughout pregnancy. Staying active and mobile is an important part of a healthy pregnancy, and chiropractic adjustments to the spine and pelvis can be one tool to help moms cont...

The Madison Police Department (MPD) has multiple specialized teams. One of those teams is the Special Events Team (SET). I was a member of SET for 18 years. Members of the team have specialized training in crowd management and crowd control techniques to respond to a variety of events. From the MPD website, here is the philosophy and principles of...

By Ally Figiel Journey Mental Health As students settle into a new school year, local schools are preparing for something that may reveal what isn’t always visible in the classroom: how students are feeling beneath the surface.  Schools across Dane County are scheduling mental health screenings for the 2026–27 school year through Journey Mental He...

Recently, I released my 2027 Executive Capital Budget and five-year Capital Improvement Plan. This plan outlines infrastructure investments that uplift our entire community and are essential for a thriving city. The funding in this proposal provides residents with housing and transportation options so they can decide what works best for their famil...

Make your voice heard this November This November, voters across Dane County will once again have the opportunity to make their voices heard at the ballot box. Voting is one of our most fundamental rights and responsibilities. However you choose to cast your ballot, I encourage you to make a plan now and take the time to be an informed voter. Learn...

Fall is here on the Northside, and there’s real momentum to share with you. North Area Festival Recap Thank you to everyone who came out to the North Area Festival and said hello! It was wonderful to see so many neighbors gather, connect, and celebrate what makes our community special. Events like this remind me why I love representing District 18....

I am a joyfully retired special education teacher. I spent 32 years in the classroom, but a lifetime devoted to making sure every person is valued and has the opportunity to experience and contribute to our community. In my service to Dane County as a Supervisor, I have worked especially hard to increase accessibility within our parks system. I am ...

Starting in May of this year, my Alder committee assignments were updated for the new session and essential all have been new learning experiences. I am still serving on Community Resources Committee, and we are currently evaluating applicants for the current cycle RFP process for job-related services. Community Development Authority (CDA) Board, G...

On September 1, I began serving on the Truax Field Remediation Advisory Board, which will consult and oversee the US Military’s efforts to clean up PFAS pollution at and downstream from Truax Field and the Dane County Regional Airport. This committee will serve as the connective tissue between the armed forces and impacted communities. For years, f...

It seems like every week there is a new AI “breakthrough” or must-have gadget. As a tech entrepreneur and small business owner, I understand that innovation can improve our lives. At the same time, we must ensure progress does not come at the expense of Wisconsin consumers. I’ve been hard at work crafting legislation to ensure that technology makes...

Happy fall, Northside! As the biennial session nears its end, I wanted to give you an update on my recent legislative activity, as well as a reflection on my final term representing the 76th District. On August 25, the Joint Legislative Audit Committee met to discuss three proposed audits: certain Community Action Agencies (CAAs), the State Buildin...

The latest analysis from the Social Security Administration and the Congressional Budget Office indicate our country’s Social Security Trust Fund will be depleted by 2032. Without congressional action in the next six years, millions of Social Security recipients will face a benefit cut of 22% or an estimated $10,600 annual reduction for an average ...

ONGOING NORTHSIDE ACTIVIES Activities take place at Warner Park Community & Recreation Center, 1625 Northport Drive, unless otherwise specified. Bingo and Blingo: Every Friday, 10:15–11:15 am Book Club (Zoom): First Wednesday,10 am. Books will be available at Lakeview Library for pick up or order through your local library and pick up at your c...

From costumes and hayrides to open gym and holiday shopping, Warner Park Community Recreation Center (WPCRC) has plenty planned for Northside families this fall and winter. Halloween Family Fun Night returns Oct. 30. One of WPCRC’s biggest and most anticipated events of the year is back. The center’s Halloween-themed Family Fun Night takes place Fr...

Good news: the Circle of Friends (CoF) will be sponsoring another Universal Sounds Concert at the Warner Park Community Recreation Center (WPCRC). Save Sunday, Nov. 1, from 2–4 pm, to enjoy the great music. Everyone is welcome. The CoF will be sponsoring more Family Fun Nights at the WPCRC. Come and enjoy a movie, face painting, balloon twisting, b...