After delaying action on the proposal at their last meeting, Madison’s Plan Commission voted Monday to recommend an ordinance that would strengthen tree protections in the city.

Image courtesy: Shayna Clark / WORT News

It takes a lot of staff to keep the city running, but many of them work behind the scenes.

This week on “Get To Know Your Local Government,” WORT reporter Sutton Johnson returns to City Hall to meet Michael Haas, who’s currently pulling double duty as both City Attorney and interim City Clerk.

Appointed to fill a vacancy after the embattled former city clerk was placed on administrative leave this spring, Haas joined WORT the same day that the city announced a permanent replacement: Lydia McComas. Her first day as the new City Clerk will be September 29.

In the meantime, Haas still has two jobs to balance. He explains how he does it, his experience in municipal law, and the legal guidance he provides for elected officials and city staff alike.

Image courtesy of Dylan Brogan.

The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program reflects Wisconsin's bipartisan commitment to conservation. But after three decades of success and public support, that commitment is under threat.

With the program now set to expire in 2026, a new bill seeks to save it.

Image courtesy: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources via Facebook.

Kate Duffy believes in the power of everyday voices and that the best political conversations often start around a kitchen table (or in the carpool line). If you’re a mom on social media, you might know Kate from her Instagram profile, @motherhoodforgood. She joins host Ali Muldrow today to talk about parenting and women in democratic politics, like Catelin Drey who just won her Senate race in Iowa Senate this week.

Featured image: logo of Motherhood for Good.

Abayomi Azikiwe, a long-time Detroit activist and publisher of the Pan-African Newswire, spoke with WORT's Zoe Sullivan about the role labor unions can play in defending democracy.

Mursel Sabir, Executive Director of Afghans Empowered talks about the goals of their organization: support Afghan refugees' social, economic, and human rights worldwide. Over 800,000 Afghans currently living in Pakistan, some all their lives, are being forced out to a country they have never lived...as thousands of Afghans who aided the U.S. during the twenty years of occupation and were given Temporary Protected Status as refugees in the U.S. have seen their protection revoked by the Trump administration. Afghans Empowered works with other aid groups in advocacy and service to Afghan refugees.

"At a time when many American workers are struggling with high costs for groceries and housing, the nation’s largest low-wage employers are fixated on making their overpaid CEOs even richer." That's the bottom line of the 31st "Executive Excess Report" -- authored by Sarah Anderson from the Global Economy Project of the Institute for Policy Studies of the 100 S&P companies with the greatest pay differences. Anderson cites the example of the Starbucks CEO earning 6,666 times the salary of the front-line worker, and stock buy-backs create inequality injurious to both the workers and the long-term success of the companies.

Today on the too Turnt Up Tuesday 8:00 Buzz with Tara Wilhelmi and Antoine McNeail, no-show guests mean it’s a free-for-all. Talking about school leads to serious talk about clothes and sexualizing young girls and fostering change in the way we treat each other.

Apply by September 3rd for the Urban League’s Healthcare Administration Training Program: https://www.facebook.com/events/1967007027467513 more information at ulgm.org.

Listen in Madison at 89.9FM or online anywhere at wortfm.org. Support your community radio with a donation online at wortfm.org!

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking public comment on a so-called “reorganization plan” that includes relocating thousands of employees based in the DC area to five hubs across the country.

Secretary Brooke Rollins has characterized the plan as a win-win. In a video announcement in late July, she argued that the plan would eliminate redundancy within the department, lower USDA staff’s cost of living and bring them closer to the people they serve.

But critics point out that the overhaul could interrupt vital services and lead to significant staff reductions if impacted employees decide not to move.

Michelle Ramirez-White is the Government Relations Director at Wisconsin Farmers Union. She joined our News Producer Faye Parks today to share her reaction to the plan – and outline the many questions that USDA leaders have yet to answer.

Image courtesy: Adam Fagen via Flickr.

Madison’s Board of Education passed three new performance objectives yesterday – ones that will shape the school district’s focus in the next academic year and in years to come.