FAKE NEWS FRIDAY Frat boys experience Passover poo problems and the women of the world finally come back with some sandwiches.
+ PAGE TWO University of Wisconsin-Madison
Minnesota nice
L.A. musician Ari Herstand attempts to capture his Midwestern roots after recording his new album in Northfield, Minn.
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dailycardinal.com
Weekend, April 13-15, 2012
Police talk Mifflin Street Block Party safety, future By Sam Garigliano The Daily Cardinal
lesia witkowsky/the daily cardinal
SSFC voted to fund the SAFEcab service Thursday after students voiced concern over the committee cutting the program in March.
SSFC reinstates funding for SAFEcab By Sam Morgen The Daily Cardinal
The student government finance committee voted Thursday to reinstate funding for SAFEcab, a campus transportation service that provides late-night cab rides despite new difficulties in finding management for the service. The Student Services Finance Committee decided to continue delegating funds to the SAFEcab service, reversing the decision the committee made in late March, when concerns over cost inefficiencies and declining use prompted SSFC to suspend the programs funding. SSFC Representative and Student Transportation Board member Laura Checovich said she
received e-mails from many students who expressed concern over the lack of safe transportation if SAFEcab is no longer an option. Checovich said the committee should find a way to fund SAFEcab, saying the problem with the management could be worked out in the future. “This is about providing the service and making sure that the students are getting what they need,” Checovich said. Transportation Services, the organization in charge of the UW-Madison bus system and parking meters, said in an e-mail to the SSFC even if the committee decided to reinstate funding for SAFEcab, Transportation Services would not continue to manage the pro-
gram. Transportation Services, operating under a million dollar budget deficit said SAFEcab was too cost ineffective a program to keep in existence. By voting to continue to fund SAFEcab, SSFC needs to find a way to manage the call center responsible for fielding calls from students with Union Cab, the company contracted by UW to operate the service. Checovich said in a statement that by discontinuing to manage SAFEcab, Transportation Services impedes on students’ ability to determine where their student fees go. “Students have made it clear that this program is a priority and the University is blocking us,” Checovich said.
Madison police discussed new safety measures at this year’s Mifflin Street Block Party and the possibility of future alternative solutions at a city safety committee meeting Thursday. In response to the violence at last year’s block party, Central District Executive Captain of Police Carl Gloede said there will be an increase in police presence at this year’s block party, including six additional horsemounted officers. Gloede said last year’s block party was the worst in the nearly 20 years he has attended Mifflin and said he was completely shocked there was not a riot. In order to minimize violence, police will be monitoring house parties and enforcing regulations such as prohibiting underage drinking and glass bottles in addition to open alcohol containers in the street. “If people are looking for a wild and crazy weekend, we don’t believe it’s going to be here and they should go look somewhere else,” Gloede said. Police and building safety inspectors are also making an effort to foster communication between residents and police by
photo courtesy facebook
A student designed shirts referencing the violence at last year’s block party. going door to door giving safety tips and making sure porches and houses are structurally safe, according to Gloede. While Gloede said it is understandable city officials and residents want to end the block party, he thinks shutting down the event is unrealistic and any attempts to disband the party “would not be pretty.” Additionally, he said the cost of ending the event would be more than the current cost of regulating it. Gloede said moving the event
mifflin page 3
Court accepts changes to two Milwaukee voting districts Federal judges officially revised two district lines in Milwaukee they say disenfranchised a community of Latinos, ending a months long process that pitted Democrats and Republicans against each other over new district maps passed last summer. Every 10 years district maps are redrawn to better represent the shifts in population within the state. The new maps, drawn by a Republican-controlled legislature, were criticized for being drafted in secret, allegedly disfranchising thousands of Wisconsin voters and favoring Republicans. Consequently, Democrats
challenged the maps in court, a lawsuit that resulted in changes to the eighth and ninth districts in Milwaukee. Of the 132 redrawn maps, a panel of three federal judges deemed only two districts violated the Voting Rights Act because they weakened the Latino vote by dividing the community, preventing a Latino majority. To fix the situation, the judges ordered both Republicans and Democrats submit new maps. They chose the Democrats’ map Thursday, which recreates the Latino majority. Republicans said the maps
they drew were successful, since the judges found only two of the 132 new districts were unconstitutional. Democrats are also pleased with the court’s decision to choose their revisions. However, Sen. Mark Miller, D-Madison, said, “Republicans continue to get away with their almost laughable claim that their maps were not influenced by partisan factors.” The 2002 maps will be used for the upcoming June recall elections and the new maps will be employed for the November elections. —Kendalyn Thoma
Student life
Blue like her
Female a capella group Tangled Up In Blue held the first night of their spring show Thursday at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art + Photo by Stephanie Daher
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”