Reporting – chali pittman

Two Dane County incumbents booted, five newcomers to step in

April 8, 2026

Just one-third of the Dane County Board had competitive races in the April 7 spring election. I do the math.

isthmus, Story
‘How the next generation is gonna win’

April 8, 2026

Dispatch from a rare competitive election for Dane County judge.

isthmus, Story
What to do if a large data center comes knocking?

March 6, 2026

A new Dane County committee aims to provide a roadmap for local communities.

data centers, isthmus, Story
Data centers become the watch word

November 7, 2025

Candidates for governor answered questions on data centers in Madison the same night that a data center company held an open house on a proposal in Dane County. My reporting for Civic Media, with Savanna Tomei-Olson.

civic media, data centers, Story
Caledonia data center proposal advances despite opposition

September 30, 2025

Residents of Caledonia lined up to list their concerns with a data center proposal: water usage, rising electricity costs, skepticism over jobs numbers, noise and traffic issues, concern over big corporations. And opposition came from across the political spectrum. My report for Civic Media, with Stuart J. Wattles.

civic media, data centers, Story
Advocates renew push to address missing and murdered Black women

July 26, 2025

A bill to create a task force on missing and murdered Black women and girls nearly passed the Legislature last year. Advocates, including the mother of Sade Robinson, say the time for action is overdue.

civic media, Story
“It’s a compromise:” Lawmakers land on budget proposal

July 1, 2025

“There’s things to like, and there’s things to dislike,” said JFC co-chair Mark Born. “I’m not going to spend a lot of time dwelling on the things I don’t like.

civic media, Story
The Wisconsin Civics Games

April 1, 2025

The state of civics education in Wisconsin.

Interview, WORT
The future of labor organizing

February 6, 2025

I speak with journalist and author Dan Kaufman about the firing of Jennifer Abruzzo, former General Counsel at the National Labor Relations Board, on Trump’s first day in office, and the future of the NLRB.

interviews, labor, nlrb, WORT
West High civics club spurs proposal to lower voting age

November 26, 2024

Lowering the voting age isn’t a new idea. But students in the civics club at Madison West High School are following a national trend to give 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote in school board elections.

Story, WORT