Your Daily Guide

💰 City Wants Big Upgrade to James Madison Park: Madison is applying for a $2.3 million federal grant to make improvements to James Madison Park, including a new shelter, redesigned parking and a naturalized shoreline on Lake Mendota. The money would be matched by another $2.3 million set aside as part of the Capital Improvement Plan. [Cap Times]

🎸 Metallica Will Rock Camp Randall Next Summer: Hard rockers Metallica will stop by Camp Randall on their M72 World Tour on June 12, 2027. Tickets go on sale Sept. 25 for the show, which also features Limp Bizkit and Avatar. [WMTV]

🚶Madison Wants To Build 28 Miles of Sidewalks: The city’s pedestrian plan includes building 28 miles of sidewalk by 2035 to improve safety and access. About two-thirds of Madison’s arterial and collector streets have sidewalks on both sides, leaving 88 miles of missing sidewalk on the city’s busier streets. [🔒WSJ]

🎒 UW Might Drop ACT/SAT Requirement: All Universities of Wisconsin schools may ditch the requirement that college applicants submit standardized test scores. The universities made the requirement optional during the pandemic, and researchers found that high school credits and non-school activities are better predictors of academic achievement. [🔒WSJ]

👮 Police Chief Wants to Roll Out Bodycams Next Year: Madison Police Chief John Patterson is proposing a gradual rollout of police body-worn cameras starting in 2027. Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway included funding for cameras in her proposed budget, and Patterson said the plan would start with $80,000 for cameras in the North District, which was the site of a pilot program in 2024. [WORT]

🎉 Celebrate Hispanic Culture at Night Market: In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, tonight’s Madison Night Market will focus on the contributions of the city’s Hispanic and Latino communities with food, art, music and culture. The free event takes over State Street and the surrounding area and is expected to draw 20,000-25,000 people. [Madison365]