Madison, Wisconsin

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway announced she will not seek reelection in April, citing escalating threats, harassment and safety concerns for herself and her family. The decision follows months of tension stemming from a police shooting of Corey Ruiz, the forced clearing of a protest encampment, and the Common Council's firing of Independent Police Monitor Aeramique Glass after a contentious meeting. Rhodes-Conway, in office since 2019, pointed to broader political polarization and social media as drivers of the hostility directed at public officials.

Eight candidates have filed to run for mayor, sending the race to a February primary and an April general election. Rhodes-Conway said she will not endorse a successor and plans to spend her remaining term advancing projects including bringing Amtrak service to Madison.

Democratic incumbent Mary Madison, a minister and mental health counselor seeking a third term, faces Republican newcomer Kevin DuBay, a small business owner, in Iowa House District 31, based in West Des Moines. The candidates diverge sharply on education policy, with DuBay backing school choice, vouchers and parental-rights measures, while Madison emphasizes public school funding and teacher support. Both oppose using eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines. On property taxes, DuBay wants deeper cuts and relief for fixed-income seniors, while Madison warns against cuts that force local governments to slash services. Each also outlined approaches to Iowa's high cancer rates and state budget deficits ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

The Madison Common Council voted 14-6 to remove interim independent police monitor Meeka Glass after a marathon meeting that began Tuesday evening and ran past 7 a.m. Wednesday, with public comment lasting over seven hours and about 140 people registered to speak. The removal resolution, introduced by Alder Ochowicz, cited concerns over Glass's handling of her duties, including hiring for the permanent monitor role. Glass disputed the allegations and accused the mayor, city attorney, and HR director of misconduct, while the Police Civilian Oversight Board had recently rated her performance highly. The vote follows months of conflict involving a police altercation, a restraining order, and ongoing litigation over a fatal police shooting.

In-person absentee voting opened Tuesday in Madison, Wisconsin, ahead of the Nov. 3 election. The city Clerk's Office is running multiple early-voting locations where registered voters must show a valid photo ID; those not yet registered can register on-site with a photo ID and proof of address. Voters mark a paper ballot using an ExpressVote machine, then seal it in a signed absentee envelope for secure storage until Election Day counting. Officials urged residents still holding mailed absentee ballots to return them promptly, as ballots must arrive before polls close on Nov. 3 to be counted.
Madison opened early in-person absentee voting Tuesday ahead of the Nov. 3 election, with officials urging timely ballot returns.

U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan's Madison office received a suspicious piece of mail on Oct. 19, prompting a hazmat response from the Madison Fire Department. Staff recognized it as matching mailings sent to officials around the country containing an unidentified powdery substance; the envelope was not opened and its contents were sent for testing. Similar mail was earlier received by U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore's Milwaukee office and the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Other targets reportedly include election offices in Oklahoma, Louisiana and Ohio, plus Sen. Chuck Schumer, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Sen. Chris Murphy and Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester. The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating and working to identify those responsible ahead of the election.

Republican John Bratz and Democrat Craig Goforth are running for Madison County, North Carolina's school board chair ahead of the Nov. 3 general election, with early voting beginning Oct. 15. Both candidates, in interviews with The News-Record, cited student safety, teacher support and funding as top priorities, along with facility maintenance and responsible financial planning.

Bratz, a current District 2 board member with a maintenance and engineering background, emphasized bus safety, competitive teacher compensation and preventative facility upkeep. Goforth, who has 18 years of prior school board experience and helped bring programs like ROTC and school resource officers to the county, focused on securing additional funding streams, managing growth from nearby Weaverville, and addressing food insecurity among students. Both candidates said transparency between the school board and community is essential, echoing the new superintendent's stated goal of improving communication with parents. The race also touches on statewide debates over private school voucher expansion and public school funding pressures affecting North Carolina districts.

Six people died Tuesday night when a small plane crashed in Dellona, Wisconsin, near the Wisconsin Dells, roughly 40 miles from Madison. There were no survivors among the five adults and one child aboard, and no injuries or structural damage were reported on the ground.

The aircraft, a fixed-wing Piper Mirage, was flying from Kenosha to Menomonie and had been in contact with a nearby air traffic control tower at the time of the crash, which occurred around 9:30 p.m., according to the Sauk County Sheriff's Office. Investigators are examining those communications and weather conditions in the area for possible contributing factors. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are leading the investigation into the cause of the crash.