Liam Beran
@liamberan.bsky.social
Isthmus' staff writer. Daily Cardinal alum and UW-Madison English department grad. Avid runner, photographer and coffee-enjoyer.
tips: [email protected] | he/him | 🇬🇧🇫🇷🇳🇱
tips: [email protected] | he/him | 🇬🇧🇫🇷🇳🇱
Reposted by Liam Beran
"So far, no current or former residents have returned to jail or prison. And two women once estranged from their families have been reunited with them since leaving the house." isthmus.com/news/news/ex... (via @liamberan.bsky.social)
Madison nonprofit EXPO moves into housing to address recidivism
Madison nonprofit EXPO has opened two housing projects within the last two years. So far, no residents have returned to prison.
isthmus.com
December 11, 2025 at 6:31 PM
"So far, no current or former residents have returned to jail or prison. And two women once estranged from their families have been reunited with them since leaving the house." isthmus.com/news/news/ex... (via @liamberan.bsky.social)
NEWS: Madison's mayor and 10 alders are proposing a one-year moratorium on data center construction at the city council tonight. If enacted, it would make the city one of the largest in the U.S. to adopt such a ban.
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
Madison mayor to propose one-year moratorium on data center construction
The city council and mayor are moving to place a one-year moratorium on zoning certificates for data centers while the city develops changes to its zoning code to address such uses.
isthmus.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:32 PM
NEWS: Madison's mayor and 10 alders are proposing a one-year moratorium on data center construction at the city council tonight. If enacted, it would make the city one of the largest in the U.S. to adopt such a ban.
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
Reposted by Liam Beran
Wisconsin Supreme Court elections have drawn an ‘obscene’ amount of spending. Here’s why & what can be done about it.
Loose campaign finance laws, lax recusal rules, a purple electorate and the spring election cycle help explain record spending on these races.
wisconsinwatch.org/2025/12/wisc...
Loose campaign finance laws, lax recusal rules, a purple electorate and the spring election cycle help explain record spending on these races.
wisconsinwatch.org/2025/12/wisc...
Wisconsin Supreme Court elections have drawn an ‘obscene’ amount of spending. Here’s why and what can be done about it.
Loose campaign finance laws, lax recusal rules, a purple electorate and even the spring election cycle all help explain why high court races have become so expensive.
wisconsinwatch.org
December 3, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Wisconsin Supreme Court elections have drawn an ‘obscene’ amount of spending. Here’s why & what can be done about it.
Loose campaign finance laws, lax recusal rules, a purple electorate and the spring election cycle help explain record spending on these races.
wisconsinwatch.org/2025/12/wisc...
Loose campaign finance laws, lax recusal rules, a purple electorate and the spring election cycle help explain record spending on these races.
wisconsinwatch.org/2025/12/wisc...
Happy #GivingNewsDay!
Please consider a contribution to @isthmusmadison.bsky.social to support in-depth coverage on topics important to Madison and Wisconsin; donations through Dec. 31 will be matched twice. We appreciate your support.
isthmus.com/news/news/gi...
Please consider a contribution to @isthmusmadison.bsky.social to support in-depth coverage on topics important to Madison and Wisconsin; donations through Dec. 31 will be matched twice. We appreciate your support.
isthmus.com/news/news/gi...
On Giving Newsday, help Isthmus pay a printing bill
On this annual day of global giving, help Isthmus cover printing costs.
isthmus.com
December 2, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Happy #GivingNewsDay!
Please consider a contribution to @isthmusmadison.bsky.social to support in-depth coverage on topics important to Madison and Wisconsin; donations through Dec. 31 will be matched twice. We appreciate your support.
isthmus.com/news/news/gi...
Please consider a contribution to @isthmusmadison.bsky.social to support in-depth coverage on topics important to Madison and Wisconsin; donations through Dec. 31 will be matched twice. We appreciate your support.
isthmus.com/news/news/gi...
Imperial Garden to remain after property owner scraps apartment plans
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/im...
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/im...
Imperial Garden to remain after property owner scraps apartment plans
The restaurant will ‘continue serving excellent Chinese food as usual’ after a proposed redevelopment faced criticism in Middleton’s city government.
isthmus.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Imperial Garden to remain after property owner scraps apartment plans
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/im...
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/im...
Also in this story: news about a meeting tomorrow calling for the village board president’s resignation.
“What concerns me most is the broader tone this has taken on. The rising level of personal attacks and mistrust is not reflective of how Shorewood Hills has traditionally governed,” he says.
“What concerns me most is the broader tone this has taken on. The rising level of personal attacks and mistrust is not reflective of how Shorewood Hills has traditionally governed,” he says.
There’s tension in Shorewood Hills at present, including resident backlash to two proposed single family homes.
“We do not want to destroy the character of this village. Anything that is done under the old ordinance will lead to that.”
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/sh...
“We do not want to destroy the character of this village. Anything that is done under the old ordinance will lead to that.”
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/sh...
Shorewood Hills residents organize against two new single-family homes
A Madison-area developer is looking to build two single-family homes in Shorewood Hills. The projects have proven contentious.
isthmus.com
November 23, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Also in this story: news about a meeting tomorrow calling for the village board president’s resignation.
“What concerns me most is the broader tone this has taken on. The rising level of personal attacks and mistrust is not reflective of how Shorewood Hills has traditionally governed,” he says.
“What concerns me most is the broader tone this has taken on. The rising level of personal attacks and mistrust is not reflective of how Shorewood Hills has traditionally governed,” he says.
There’s tension in Shorewood Hills at present, including resident backlash to two proposed single family homes.
“We do not want to destroy the character of this village. Anything that is done under the old ordinance will lead to that.”
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/sh...
“We do not want to destroy the character of this village. Anything that is done under the old ordinance will lead to that.”
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/sh...
Shorewood Hills residents organize against two new single-family homes
A Madison-area developer is looking to build two single-family homes in Shorewood Hills. The projects have proven contentious.
isthmus.com
November 23, 2025 at 1:20 PM
There’s tension in Shorewood Hills at present, including resident backlash to two proposed single family homes.
“We do not want to destroy the character of this village. Anything that is done under the old ordinance will lead to that.”
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/sh...
“We do not want to destroy the character of this village. Anything that is done under the old ordinance will lead to that.”
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/sh...
Reposted by Liam Beran
I could add "local" to this. It's NewsMatch season, which means donations to lots of nonprofit news orgs will be matched.
isthmus.com/support
isthmus.com/support
i promise i don’t mean to high horse this but if you’re thinking about giving lizza ten bucks there are a lot of good independent journalists whose work you could subscribe to for a month instead
November 22, 2025 at 1:53 PM
I could add "local" to this. It's NewsMatch season, which means donations to lots of nonprofit news orgs will be matched.
isthmus.com/support
isthmus.com/support
Reposted by Liam Beran
Meeting Wednesday night in a room holding the radio station’s vast vinyl record collection, WORT-FM’s board of directors heard heated feedback from volunteers upset at the loss of two longtime staffers and other decisions made without consulting or informing them.
isthmus.com/news/wort-ra...
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WORT radio volunteers sound off on layoffs, finances
A heated feedback session followed the layoffs last week of two staffers and other changes.
isthmus.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Meeting Wednesday night in a room holding the radio station’s vast vinyl record collection, WORT-FM’s board of directors heard heated feedback from volunteers upset at the loss of two longtime staffers and other decisions made without consulting or informing them.
isthmus.com/news/wort-ra...
isthmus.com/news/wort-ra...
Reposted by Liam Beran
"Vos did not respond to multiple requests for comment." isthmus.com/news/news/ad... (via @liamberan.bsky.social)
Vos is blocking breast cancer screening bill, advocates say
The bill would require insurance companies in Wisconsin to cover supplemental diagnostic examinations for women with dense breast tissue.
isthmus.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:52 PM
"Vos did not respond to multiple requests for comment." isthmus.com/news/news/ad... (via @liamberan.bsky.social)
new from @isthmusmadison.bsky.social last night: Advocates for a bill that would expand insurance coverage of breast cancer screenings say that Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is blocking a vote on the legislation over objections from insurance companies.
isthmus.com/news/news/ad...
isthmus.com/news/news/ad...
Vos is blocking breast cancer screening bill, advocates say
The bill would require insurance companies in Wisconsin to cover supplemental diagnostic examinations for women with dense breast tissue.
isthmus.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:08 PM
new from @isthmusmadison.bsky.social last night: Advocates for a bill that would expand insurance coverage of breast cancer screenings say that Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is blocking a vote on the legislation over objections from insurance companies.
isthmus.com/news/news/ad...
isthmus.com/news/news/ad...
scoop: Vos is blocking breast cancer screening bill over objections from insurance companies, advocates say
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ad...
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ad...
Vos is blocking breast cancer screening bill, advocates say
The bill would require insurance companies in Wisconsin to cover supplemental diagnostic examinations for women with dense breast tissue.
isthmus.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:18 PM
scoop: Vos is blocking breast cancer screening bill over objections from insurance companies, advocates say
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ad...
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ad...
After losing $112,000 in funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Madison community radio station WORT-FM laid off two of its seven full-time staffers this week.
Lauren Hafeman via @isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/wo...
Lauren Hafeman via @isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/wo...
Madison's WORT-FM lays off staff, cites public media funding cuts
The community radio station lost $112,000 in public funding, 12% of its 2025 budget.
isthmus.com
November 14, 2025 at 6:50 PM
After losing $112,000 in funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Madison community radio station WORT-FM laid off two of its seven full-time staffers this week.
Lauren Hafeman via @isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/wo...
Lauren Hafeman via @isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/wo...
Madison's Turkish ice cream goes viral
Lauren Hafeman via @isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/food-drink/m...
Lauren Hafeman via @isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/food-drink/m...
Madison's Turkish ice cream goes viral
The stretchy treat is not only delicious, but a medium for trickery and showmanship.
isthmus.com
November 14, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Madison's Turkish ice cream goes viral
Lauren Hafeman via @isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/food-drink/m...
Lauren Hafeman via @isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/food-drink/m...
Three finalists with backgrounds in police oversight are vying to be the interim director of Madison’s embattled police oversight agency.
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/me...
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/me...
Meet the finalists for interim Madison police monitor
Three finalists with backgrounds in police oversight are vying to be the interim director of Madison’s embattled police oversight agency.
isthmus.com
November 14, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Three finalists with backgrounds in police oversight are vying to be the interim director of Madison’s embattled police oversight agency.
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/me...
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/me...
In what’s becoming an annual tradition, Madison’s city council passed a $453 million operating budget Tuesday evening alongside heated debate on whether to continue funding for the city’s embattled police oversight mechanism.
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
Madison passes $453 million budget, rejects move to pull police monitor funding
A last-minute floor amendment sought to defund the city’s embattled police oversight mechanisms, but was met with staunch opposition from a majority of alders and public commenters.
isthmus.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:53 PM
In what’s becoming an annual tradition, Madison’s city council passed a $453 million operating budget Tuesday evening alongside heated debate on whether to continue funding for the city’s embattled police oversight mechanism.
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
Reposted by Liam Beran
It's Madison Budget Night(s)! Starting now!
www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...
Capital Budget (stuff we build/buy):
www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budg...
Operating Budget (mostly staff):
www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budg...
www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...
Capital Budget (stuff we build/buy):
www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budg...
Operating Budget (mostly staff):
www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budg...
2026 Capital Budget
AmendmentsFinance Committee AmendmentsExecutive Budget
www.cityofmadison.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:41 PM
It's Madison Budget Night(s)! Starting now!
www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...
Capital Budget (stuff we build/buy):
www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budg...
Operating Budget (mostly staff):
www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budg...
www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...
Capital Budget (stuff we build/buy):
www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budg...
Operating Budget (mostly staff):
www.cityofmadison.com/finance/budg...
Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate @francescahong.bsky.social
says Zohran Mamdani's win "gives me a lot of hope."
Hong's campaign, like Mamdani's, centers issues facing working class voters. But WI is not NYC — can a democratic socialist win a purple state?
isthmus.com/news/news/ca...
says Zohran Mamdani's win "gives me a lot of hope."
Hong's campaign, like Mamdani's, centers issues facing working class voters. But WI is not NYC — can a democratic socialist win a purple state?
isthmus.com/news/news/ca...
Can Francesa Hong capture Mamdani's momentum?
Gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong says Zohran Mamdani’s win ‘gives me a lot of hope.’
isthmus.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate @francescahong.bsky.social
says Zohran Mamdani's win "gives me a lot of hope."
Hong's campaign, like Mamdani's, centers issues facing working class voters. But WI is not NYC — can a democratic socialist win a purple state?
isthmus.com/news/news/ca...
says Zohran Mamdani's win "gives me a lot of hope."
Hong's campaign, like Mamdani's, centers issues facing working class voters. But WI is not NYC — can a democratic socialist win a purple state?
isthmus.com/news/news/ca...
Reposted by Liam Beran
The data is likely not salvageable, says a city engineer.
“It was giving speeds over 100 miles an hour, just completely off for like one day. Then you look at different days, it looks correct, and then another day it'll be way off."
More from @liamberan.bsky.social:
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
“It was giving speeds over 100 miles an hour, just completely off for like one day. Then you look at different days, it looks correct, and then another day it'll be way off."
More from @liamberan.bsky.social:
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
Malfunction means Willy Street traffic pilot didn’t capture speed data
A malfunction prevented radars from capturing any usable speed data during the lane closure test on Williamson Street. City officials didn’t notice until within the last two weeks.
isthmus.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:58 PM
The data is likely not salvageable, says a city engineer.
“It was giving speeds over 100 miles an hour, just completely off for like one day. Then you look at different days, it looks correct, and then another day it'll be way off."
More from @liamberan.bsky.social:
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
“It was giving speeds over 100 miles an hour, just completely off for like one day. Then you look at different days, it looks correct, and then another day it'll be way off."
More from @liamberan.bsky.social:
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
A radar malfunction means an $18,500 pilot study in Madison to collect speed data on Willy Street collected no usable data on vehicle speed.
The data is likely not salvageable, a city traffic engineer told me.
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
The data is likely not salvageable, a city traffic engineer told me.
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
Malfunction means Willy Street traffic pilot didn’t capture speed data
A malfunction prevented radars from capturing any usable speed data during the lane closure test on Williamson Street. City officials didn’t notice until within the last two weeks.
isthmus.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:06 PM
A radar malfunction means an $18,500 pilot study in Madison to collect speed data on Willy Street collected no usable data on vehicle speed.
The data is likely not salvageable, a city traffic engineer told me.
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
The data is likely not salvageable, a city traffic engineer told me.
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
Reposted by Liam Beran
How much energy would it take to operate a 600-acre data center proposed for the town of Vienna? "About two-and-a-half times the electricity that all of Dane County uses currently," says the director of Dane County’s Office of Energy and Climate Change.
isthmus.com/news/vienna-...
isthmus.com/news/vienna-...
Vienna data center could use 2.5x the energy consumption of Dane County, says official
A proposed data center 30 minutes north of Madison could have substantial environmental impacts on Dane County.
isthmus.com
October 22, 2025 at 8:14 PM
How much energy would it take to operate a 600-acre data center proposed for the town of Vienna? "About two-and-a-half times the electricity that all of Dane County uses currently," says the director of Dane County’s Office of Energy and Climate Change.
isthmus.com/news/vienna-...
isthmus.com/news/vienna-...
Reposted by Liam Beran
A proposed Vienna data center could use 2.5x the energy consumption of Dane County, the county's Office of Energy and Climate Change director told @liamberan.bsky.social isthmus.com/news/vienna-...
Vienna data center could use 2.5x the energy consumption of Dane County, says official
A proposed data center 30 minutes north of Madison could have substantial environmental impacts on Dane County.
isthmus.com
October 23, 2025 at 1:25 AM
A proposed Vienna data center could use 2.5x the energy consumption of Dane County, the county's Office of Energy and Climate Change director told @liamberan.bsky.social isthmus.com/news/vienna-...
Vienna data center could use 2.5x the energy consumption of Dane County, says official
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/vienna-...
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/vienna-...
Vienna data center could use 2.5x the energy consumption of Dane County, says official
A proposed data center 30 minutes north of Madison could have substantial environmental impacts on Dane County.
isthmus.com
October 21, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Vienna data center could use 2.5x the energy consumption of Dane County, says official
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/vienna-...
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/vienna-...
Reposted by Liam Beran
Madison Common Council tonight unanimously approved a new Street Tree Ordinance that allows for a possible revocation of permits if developers harm city owned street trees. This was discussed extensively at Plan Commission.
bsky.app/profile/ther...
www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...
bsky.app/profile/ther...
www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...
October 8, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Madison Common Council tonight unanimously approved a new Street Tree Ordinance that allows for a possible revocation of permits if developers harm city owned street trees. This was discussed extensively at Plan Commission.
bsky.app/profile/ther...
www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...
bsky.app/profile/ther...
www.cityofmadison.com/city-hall/co...
Madison mayor’s 2026 budget: No cuts; funding for new library, homeless shelter
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
Madison mayor’s 2026 budget: No cuts; funding for new library, homeless shelter
The average-value Madison home would see a property tax increase of around $30 annually under the mayor’s budget proposal.
isthmus.com
October 8, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Madison mayor’s 2026 budget: No cuts; funding for new library, homeless shelter
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
@isthmusmadison.bsky.social
isthmus.com/news/news/ma...