THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1969 Volume XLIII, Issue 95
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
www.badgerherald.com
Gov. drops challenges
100 State proposal sees little progress
Walker: Time frame to review signatures not realistic, campaign will not file any disputes Julia Jacobson Herald Contributor Gov. Scott Walker announced Monday he will not verify recall signatures filed against him because of the limited time given to review petitions. The deadline for Walker to submit challenged to the signatures was Monday, according to a statement from the Government Accountability Board. Walker would have had to invalidate the required minimum 540,280 signatures out of approximately 1,000,000 obtained. In a statement from the Walker campaign, spokesperson Ciara Matthews said because Walker was unable to review signatures under the short deadline, responsibility now falls to the GAB to ensure fairness in the recall process. According to its statement, the campaign only had time to view 350,000 signatures. The GAB granted Walker a 20-day extension earlier this month, but a Dane County
judge denied his later request for an additional two weeks. Matthews added that volunteers were given 60 days to collect signatures — twice the amount of time Walker representatives were given to review them. She said even with the assistance of non-profit organizations like Wisconsin Grandsons of Liberty and Verify the Recall, the task of sifting through the 152,000 recall documents proved too time consuming. “Despite these massive efforts, the time to challenge hundreds of thousands of signatures was unavailable,” Matthews said in the statement. Following the governor’s announcement, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate said the governor had twice the amount of time originally granted to him by law, and despite having more than 13,000 volunteers to help review the petitions, he still could not find a substantial fraud rate.
Landmarks agrees to advise on renovation plan, stalls vote on building destruction Adrianna Viswanatha City Hall Editor Megan McCormick The Badger Herald
Three years after a large outbreak in university residence halls, cases of norovirus again are appearing in Madison and the University of Wisconsin. The norovirus outbreaks have begun and are infecting those in densely populated areas and living spaces. The virus last largely affected student life in 2008, when many residents in UW dorms and fraternity and sorority houses fell ill. The primary symptoms of norovirus include diarrhea, vomiting, trembling hands and other symptoms. According to Amanda Kita-Yarbro, head epidemiologist for Madison and Dane County Public
The 100 block plan for State Street continues to be hotly debated by city committees as area developers hope for a decision to demolish numerous buildings. The proposal, developed by the 100 Block Foundation, would make major changes to several buildings on State Street. Citizens of varying perspectives came together Monday night at the city’s Landmarks Commission meeting to share their opinions on the aspect of the proposal that would demolish the historic Schubert and Fairchild, or Stark, buildings. David Stark, grandson of the builder of the landmark Stark building, said that despite the family legacy, he and his father both support adopting the 100 Block Foundation’s proposal to demolish the building at 122-124 W. Mifflin St. “What it comes down to for us and our family’s connection to it, ultimately we believe the Frautschis have stepped forward with their generous gift to the city,” Stark said. The project, to be funded by the Frautschis, would redevelop an “ugly” block, Stark said. He said it supports a cohesive vision for the downtown area. Stark said the buildings are clearly in disrepair and have not been used, and for his family to object to tearing the building down would be unfair. “We want to keep our vision focused on present and future, not in the past,” Stark said. Jason Tish, director of the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation, said both the Stark and Schubert buildings are both viable and contribute to the “unified sense” of State Street. Tish said the neighborhood at Fairchild Street and Mifflin Street is eligible to be a historic district. “These buildings contribute to our idea of our city’s landscape and our city’s history,” Tish said. Gary Peterson, a city planning consultant for more than 40 years, said it would not be a lasting loss to tear down the two buildings, as they both are experiencing blight, or damage to many aspects of their infrastructure. Peterson said making the necessary renovations to
election. “I know that it is only with the energy of young people will [Obama] win this campaign and will continue to make tangible progress and drive toward the kind of country and world to which so many young people aspire,” Axelrod said. Axelrod added the efforts of the president improve the United States’ higher education system by making student loans more manageable, expanding community colleges and making higher education more affordable in general. And while the youth vote is largely generalized to be aligned with the Democratic Party, Jeff Snow, chairman of UW’s chapter of College Republicans, said conservatives may have more sway than usual in the upcoming general election. Snow said enthusiasm and support for Obama have decreased each of the past three years of his term, as people may be realizing “all of the hope and
NOROVIRUS, page 2
STATE STREET, page 2
Hughes: Badgers have shown consistent ability to shut down the Big Ten’s top scorers.
East Washington Ave’s The Dragonfly Lounge is part venue, part haven for local bartenders/musicians.
OBAMA, page 2
SPORTS | 8
ARTS | 5
Gov. Scott Walker claims despite “massive efforts” from his campaign and volunteer organizations, it is impossible to comb through the 152,000 pages of petitions. Walker’s campaign was only able to get through 350,000 signatures of the approximately 1,000,000 signatures collected. “He’s saying we had an easier task collecting the signatures out in the cold than they had sitting at warm desk reviewing paper,” Tate said. “After months of Scott Walker’s moaning for all these months, we know now it was nothing but a distraction.” Tate said he did not know if Walker’s campaign would file an appeal against an earlier GAB decision to not grant them more time for the
review process. He added he is unsure if the end of the review process would lead to other candidates getting in the race but was confident the entire field of candidates would be set by March 19, before a primary begins. GAB spokesperson Reid Magney said the GAB would be the sole reviewer of recall signatures from now on. “We are going to continue our careful examination of the
petitions, as we have been doing all along,” Magney said. Magney said the GAB has until March 19 to verify signatures and determine if an election is necessary. He added the GAB would continue to look for signatures with fake, duplicate or incomplete names and addresses in addition to signatures that occurred outside the allotted recall
RECALL, page 2
Norovirus reappears near UW campus Virus makes annual return to Madison area, health officials caution preemptive measures Adrianna Viswanatha City Hall Editor
Kelsey Fenton The Badger Herald
Senior members of President Barack Obama’s campaign will make concentrated efforts to gain support of young voters, a population they said was crucial to his 2008 victory.
Obama campaign sets sights on college student involvement Senior advisers prepare for stop in Madison to gauge local enthusiasm Olivia Demarinis Herald Contributor A tour organized for President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign will make a stop at the University of Wisconsin campus March 7, according to two senior organizers with the campaign Monday. The Obama campaign’s senior strategist, David Axelrod, and National Youth Vote Director Valeisha Butterfield-Jones, announced the Greater Together Student Summit Tour — which will visit 12 schools in 11 states between February and March this year — in a press conference with campus reporters. Adopted by the president’s campaign under part of the “Greater Together” slogan, the tour will bring together senior
campaign officials, community leaders, student representatives and celebrities to discuss key policy issues. The time and location of the visit in Madison is still to be determined. Butterfield-Jones said many of Obama’s goals will directly affect young Americans and students of higher education. The president’s platform has focused on job creation for students after graduation; school loan and debt reforms for those who become teachers, nurses or serve in the military; and attempts to lower the overall cost of attending college, she added. Butterfield-Jones also cited the repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, increased health care coverage for full-time students and the Lilly Ledbetter Act, a law that helps women fight for equal pay as victories for American freedoms. Axelrod said he was proud that young people were driving the president’s campaign, adding young voters were responsible for Obama’s success in the past and will dictate it in the future
© 2012 BADGER HERALD
INSIDE Controversial labor art exhibit finds home Independent donors agree to fund display reflecting budget repair protests from last Spring.
NEWS | 2
Stars don’t shine vs. UW
Photo courtesy of Dragonfly Lounge
Madison music scene’s new digs