All articles tagged with #madison
WalletHub analyzed 182 U.S. cities for retirement; Madison, WI, ranked 11th overall with strong quality of life (6th) and health care (19th), though affordability was middling (110th). Milwaukee was 73rd, and no other Wisconsin city made the list; Madison’s parks and fitness are highlighted in the rankings.
Corey Ruiz, 38, was fatally shot by four Madison police officers after a knife confrontation; his open-casket funeral in Madison drew protests and remarks from civil rights leaders Ben Crump and Rev. Al Sharpton, while a state investigation continues with no arrests, raising questions about why lethal force was used after Tasers were deployed.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation identified the Madison police officer who shot and killed Corey Ruiz after Ruiz brandished a knife during a confrontation with police. Officer Kiel Baitinger-Peterson fired following two prior taser attempts by other officers. Ruiz died at a local hospital; another officer was injured. Four officers were placed on administrative leave as the DCI leads the investigation with help from the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, and Sun Prairie Police Department, and will forward findings to the Dane County DA.
The family of Corey Ruiz, 38, who was shot by a Madison police officer on July 22 after police said he was armed with a knife, is asking for peace as an encampment at the Williamson and Baldwin intersection—which blocked traffic for nearly two weeks—was cleared by city crews. The family says they did not organize or approve the encampment or a statement released in their name and urged a peaceful pursuit of accountability. Memorial plans are being considered, a GoFundMe has been set up to fund mental health services and grief counseling (not legal or funeral expenses), and attorney Ben Crump represents the family.
East Washington Avenue in Madison was closed in both directions between Baldwin and Dickinson streets late Tuesday due to protesters and reopened by about 1:44 a.m. Wednesday after police blocked the roadway and crews cleared the area near Williamson and South Baldwin, following the dismantling of a memorial encampment for Corey Ruiz; 16 people were booked into Dane County Jail during the incident.
Neighbors in Madison's Marquette neighborhood broadly support clearing the Williamson Street encampment, arguing the situation wasn’t sustainable while recognizing the emotions involved. Police maintained a presence as protesters gathered and some arrests occurred. Residents say the encampment wasn’t a viable long-term solution, and nearby businesses welcomed the reopening and hope to recover losses, with many urging dialogue with local leaders to address the underlying issues.
Madison officials cleared an encampment at the Williamson–Baldwin site where Corey Ruiz was shot, after about two weeks of efforts to resolve the situation peacefully. City staff offered hotel lodging to roughly 50 homeless people, with a majority accepting and about 10 moved into hotel rooms on Monday, while some encampment members threw rocks and fires prompting police intervention. The mayor urged sustainable, community-focused change, asked protesters to keep businesses and homes accessible, and said the city is cooperating with the Wisconsin DOJ investigation and will turn over relevant materials to the Office of the Independent Monitor when allowed by state law.
Madison police and city agencies cleared the encampment at the Williamson and Baldwin streets site where Corey Ruiz was shot and killed by a police officer, with Williamson Street reopening to traffic around 9 a.m. The operation began around 5 a.m.; four people were detained early on, rising to ten by 7 a.m., as a core group blocked access to the memorial. One protester was injured and another declined treatment. Residents were offered hotel shelter, and belongings were moved to Demetral Field. The Wisconsin DOJ’s Division of Criminal Investigation is evaluating the shooting and will forward findings to the Dane County DA to determine charges.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway urged an end to the Williamson and South Baldwin encampment formed after the July 22 shooting of Corey Ruiz, but the site remains barricaded with tents, vehicles, and makeshift amenities as residents, businesses, and protesters voice safety concerns; city officials seek a respectful transition and memorial preservation while a state DOJ investigation into the shooting continues.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway called for dismantling the encampment at Williamson and Baldwin streets formed after a police shooting, saying it is unsafe and unsustainable and could cost the city hundreds of thousands in overtime and staffing; she urged removing barricades, relocating obstructing vehicles, preserving memorial items, and redesigning the traffic pattern, and indicated possible funding for police body cameras in the 2027 budget.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway called for a respectful transition of the Corey Ruiz memorial encampment at the Williamson and South Baldwin intersection, saying the barricades must come down to restore access and safety while the Wisconsin Department of Justice conducts an independent investigation. She highlighted ongoing opportunities for criminal justice reform, noted the encampment’s disruption to nearby traffic and services, and urged support for unhoused residents through the Bartillon shelter, with plans to preserve or relocate memorial items and establish a permanent memorial in coordination with Ruiz’s family.
The encampment at Williamson and Baldwin streets in Madison, set up after the Corey Ruiz shooting, could cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars as overtime and staffing bills accumulate; Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway says the total depends on how long it lasts, and the city may need to amend its tight 2027 budget, which already has about an $11 million gap and 2% cuts across agencies, while residents voice concerns about safety and disruption as officials rely on city staff rather than police cars to monitor the site.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway urged ending the ongoing occupation of the Baldwin-Williamson intersection, saying the blockade harms public transit, emergency response, and local businesses; she called for barricades to come down, continued outreach to unhoused residents, and collaboration on a memorial for Corey Ruiz as the city moves toward a constructive, non-destructive path forward.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway released a community update about the ongoing Williamson Street closure at Baldwin Street near the Corey Ruiz memorial, detailing urgent public safety and health concerns (no bathrooms, food safety, emergency response times) and urging residents, officials, and local businesses to participate in a safety-focused, collaborative path forward as the memorial grows.
Protests following a July 22 police shooting have reduced foot traffic on Willy Street, with roadblocks near Willy and Baldwin affecting the neighborhood's shops and eateries. Lazy Jane's Cafe is operating at roughly one-third to one-half of its normal volume, while The Weary Traveler has cut staff and is juggling rent and loan payments as business slows; owners fear longer-term impacts if conditions don’t improve. The City of Madison had not commented at press time.