Liam Beran
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liamberan.bsky.social
Liam Beran
@liamberan.bsky.social
310 followers 210 following 110 posts
Isthmus' staff writer. Daily Cardinal alum and UW-Madison English department grad. Avid runner, photographer and coffee-enjoyer.

tips: lberan@isthmus.com | he/him | 🇬🇧🇫🇷🇳🇱
Posts Replies Media Videos
liamberan.bsky.social
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...
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
liamberan.bsky.social
Madison's Turkish ice cream goes viral

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
liamberan.bsky.social
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...
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
liamberan.bsky.social
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...
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
Reposted by Liam Beran
therealzenz.bsky.social
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...
2026 Capital Budget
AmendmentsFinance Committee AmendmentsExecutive Budget
www.cityofmadison.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:41 PM
liamberan.bsky.social
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...
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
Reposted by Liam Beran
jasonjoyce.bsky.social
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...
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
liamberan.bsky.social
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...
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
Reposted by Liam Beran
isthmusmadison.bsky.social
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-...
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
Reposted by Liam Beran
jmalewitz.bsky.social
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
liamberan.bsky.social
Vienna data center could use 2.5x the energy consumption of Dane County, says official

@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
Reposted by Liam Beran
therealzenz.bsky.social
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...
October 8, 2025 at 12:31 AM
liamberan.bsky.social
Madison mayor’s 2026 budget: No cuts; funding for new library, homeless shelter

@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
liamberan.bsky.social
breaking: Madison's independent police monitor has resigned, after a troubled nearly three-year tenure.

@isthmusmadison.bsky.social

isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
Madison's police monitor resigns after troubled tenure
The Police Civilian Oversight Board announced Independent Police Monitor Robin Copley’s resignation on Oct. 6.
isthmus.com
October 6, 2025 at 6:24 PM
liamberan.bsky.social
Why is the city of Madison spending $14,000 on a ‘regional music brand?’

@isthmusmadison.bsky.social

isthmus.com/arts/music/w...
Why is the city of Madison spending $14,000 on a ‘regional music brand?’
A local marketing firm will develop a ‘music brand’ for Madison under a proposal the city council passed on Sept. 16.
isthmus.com
October 3, 2025 at 2:04 PM
liamberan.bsky.social
Inside the City-County Building last night, you could hear chants from protesters demanding alders reconsider the shutdown of the homeless encampment on Dairy Drive.

The council's president says it would be "too little, too late."

@isthmusmadison.bsky.social

isthmus.com/news/news/pr...
Protesters urge alders to reconsider Dairy Drive shutdown
Madison’s city council voted on Sept. 16 to shut down the temporary homeless encampment on Dairy Drive. There’s rising anger from some in the community toward the move.
isthmus.com
October 1, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Reposted by Liam Beran
jmalewitz.bsky.social
UW-Madison is changing its financial aid process. Here's what to know. (@wisconsinwatch.org / @captimes.com)

wisconsinwatch.org/2025/10/wisc...
UW-Madison is changing its financial aid process. Here’s what to know.
In addition to the FAFSA, applicants seeking financial aid will now complete the CSS Profile, including questions about home value and 401(k) balances.
wisconsinwatch.org
October 1, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Reposted by Liam Beran
therealzenz.bsky.social
The feds might be shutting down, but Madison Common Council is still hard at work. Tonight a special meeting to discuss plans and funding for the new Men's homeless shelter. Starts soon.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=34_p...

www.cityofmadison.com/engineering/...
Common Council Discusson: Meeting of September 30, 2025
YouTube video by City of Madison Wisconsin
www.youtube.com
September 30, 2025 at 11:00 PM
liamberan.bsky.social
There is an ongoing protest outside City Hall regarding the vote to not extend the homeless encampment at Dairy Drive. Council is inside and receiving a briefing on the funding outlook for the upcoming men's homeless shelter.

Chants, some naming specific alders, are audible from inside.
October 1, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Reposted by Liam Beran
lukediaz.bsky.social
Shout out to @liamberan.bsky.social for actually including the roll call vote when covering a local issue. It's critical information and is rarely included in news coverage. isthmus.com/news/news/sh...
Shy one vote, Madison city council approves Dairy Drive shutdown in October
Despite an outpouring of public support, alders pointed to financial constraints in voting against extending operations until April.
isthmus.com
September 24, 2025 at 10:47 PM
liamberan.bsky.social
UW-Madison student newspaper The Daily Cardinal
reports that the Campus Area Neighborhood Association is back after going defunct for around two years.

Wilder Gervais via @dailycardinal.bsky.social

www.dailycardinal.com/article/2025...
UW students restart Campus Area Neighborhood Association to advocate for student renters
After two years of setbacks, the Campus Neighborhood Association is recognized again by the City of Madison
www.dailycardinal.com
September 25, 2025 at 7:11 PM
liamberan.bsky.social
Madison's new homeless shelter will need additional funds to operate 24/7. But state support for homeless shelters is limited and the county isn't planning a "dramatic" increase to its contribution.

The mayor is asking nearby cities to help.

@isthmusmadison.bsky.social

isthmus.com/news/news/ma...
Madison mayor wants nearby cities to step up to help fund new homeless shelter
Alders and members of the press got their first look at the news men’s homeless shelter at 1902 Bartillon Drive on Sept. 22.
isthmus.com
September 25, 2025 at 7:09 PM
liamberan.bsky.social
Answering some community questions regarding the amount of beds in the upcoming men's homeless shelter on Bartillon in the below article @isthmusmadison.bsky.social:

isthmus.com/news/news/wh...
Madison’s new homeless shelter is not yet open. Does demand already exceed its capacity?
Some homeless advocates have questioned why the city didn’t add more beds to the upcoming shelter on Bartillon Drive. City officials say it was a function of staffing capacity, funding and security.
isthmus.com
September 18, 2025 at 2:55 PM
liamberan.bsky.social
Madison's Room Tax Commission, the city's main mechanism for public support of tourism and the arts, faces an estimated $1.3 million budget deficit in 2027.

More on Madison tourism stats & what's in the 2026 RTC budget @isthmusmadison.bsky.social:

isthmus.com/news/news/bu...
Budget deficit looms over Madison’s Room Tax Commission
Madison’s Room Tax Commission, the city’s main mechanism for funding tourism and the arts, is facing a $1.3 million budget shortfall in 2027.
isthmus.com
September 11, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Reposted by Liam Beran
jasonjoyce.bsky.social
Noise insulation from the F-35 fighter jets that roar over Madison's north and east sides: over 150 homes need it, maybe 8 will get it.

@liamberan.bsky.social has the story: isthmus.com/news/news/ne...
New round of Pentagon funding could cover F-35 noise mitigation for just eight Madison homes
Most residents affected by the booming F-35 fighter jets flying over Madison’s east and north sides will have to wait longer for noise mitigation.
isthmus.com
September 10, 2025 at 3:20 PM