Stories you might have missed from around Wisconsin.
Mauston: Voters approve referendum to keep school district open.
Who says voters can’t change their minds? After rejecting two previous referendums on district funding, voters approved a four-year operating referendum for the School District of Mauston. The District asked voters to exceed the state-imposed revenue limit by $1.75 million annually for the next four years. The referendum passed on Tuesday with around 66 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results. It was the third time the district had put an operating referendum before voters in the last year. The measure failed during the November election by less than 2 percentage points. The Mauston School Board voted in November to consider dissolving the district because of the lack of funding. Without increased revenue, the district only had funds to operate for two more school years. Superintendent Joel Heesch told WPR he felt joy and relief after seeing the outcome of Tuesday’s vote. “It means that we have a future. That’s the first thing, and that’s where we have to draw the positive from.” Full Story
Madison: Sculptures Planned for Monona Terrace rooftop this summer.
Public art is a wonderful benefit to a city, especially when the displays feature local artists. Well, local sculptors, there may be a spot on the Monona Terrace rooftop waiting for you. The Madison Arts Commission is inviting artists to apply to Art on the Rooftop, a free sculpture exhibition designed to create another “must-see” stop this summer at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center. According to reporting in the Wisconsin State Journal, Monona Terrace and MAC are seeking five works for the rooftop of the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired building, which overlooks Lake Monona, to “engage visitors and complement the organic architecture of Wright’s curvilinear and glass-centric façade.” Four of the five will be exhibited in the William T. Evjue Rooftop Gardens from May through October. Those winning artists will earn $1,500 for the six-month loan of their artwork. An additional sculpture will be chosen for year-round exhibition on Olin Terrace, starting in May through April 2026. That selected artist will receive $2,600 for the one-year loan of the artwork. Full Story
Wisconsin Rapids: Wisconsin Rapids will continue to add fluoride to its water.
The debate over adding fluoride to drinking water rages on, but Wisconsin Rapids has made a decision, at least for now. Residents will continue to have fluoride added to their drinking water after the City Council rejected an effort to ban its addition to the municipal water supply during its meeting Tuesday evening. Jake Cattanach, chairman of the Wisconsin Rapids Legislative Committee, asked to have the issue pulled from Tuesday’s packet for a separate vote. He was quoted in the Wisconsin rapids Tribune as saying, “As we continue the discussion on fluoride, there are two critical things we need to keep in mind,” he went on to refer to a study from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He said the study showed that as fluoride consumption increases, the IQ of the child decreases. City Council member Justin Pluess said that experts in the field of dentistry and medicine have said the study Cattanach referred to is weak and flawed. The study looks at testing done in other countries but not in the United States. The fluoride levels in the countries used is higher than the amount added to the water in the United States. Madalyn Palmquist, council president, made a motion to reject the proposed ban. The motion passed by a 6-2 vote. Full Story
