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Thursday, April 17, 2025
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FARMERS MARKET RETURNS
THE ONION’S UW ROOTS
The Dane County Farmers Market returns to Capitol Square for 2025.
The history of America’s most infamous satire site, as told by an insider.
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Earth Fest celebrates sustainability, climate justice By Olivia Ruetten STAFF WRITER
The University of Wisconsin-Madison will host its second annual Earth Fest from April 21 to 29, a celebration of the planet over the week of Earth Day prioritizing environmental education, sustainability practices and climate justice. Organized jointly by UW-Madison’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the Office of Sustainability, this year’s Earth Fest includes over 50 events including lectures, performances, cleanups, workshops and art exhibitions. “Earth Fest showcases the incredible richness of this field,” Missy Nergard, UW-Madison’s Director of Institutional Sustainability, said in a press release. “It’s so
important to make space for all the ways in which sustainability is woven into the lives, work, and passions of people on this campus.” New to this year’s event is a series of “headliners” who will promote the advancement of environmental science and encourage student engagement. Among the headlining events is a “Climate Courage” forum, which will touch on the psychology of environmental resilience and stories of climate courage — the practice of not backing down from combating climate change. Other events include an “Ecopoetry Writing Workshop,” a day-long conference about cannabis, the Wisconsin Union’s Sustainability Fair and an “Earth Day” Lunch. Allen Centennial Garden will host a “Plant Give Away, Swap,
and Plant Pot Swap,” where visitors can bring plants that need a new pot and trade pots and plants with others. Also featured are artistic showcases like the Earth Signals Concert, which blends climate science and music, and the screening of “Planetwalker,” a documentary about ecological activism that was shortlisted for the 2025 Oscars. Organizations like the Hoofer Outing Club, The People’s Farm and the Ethical and Responsible Business Network are among the many student-led groups organizing events during Earth Fest. The first Earth Day celebration was held in 1970 by Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson, the Nelson Institute’s namesake, who organized a teach-in across America, drawing participation
Judge temporarily blocks Trump from canceling visas
from approximately 20 million Americans across the United States. Earth Fest looks to honor Nelson’s memory and represent UW-Madison’s dedication to climate research and clean energy initiatives, said Paul Robbins, dean of the Nelson Institute. “There couldn’t be a more critical time to gather people…to learn together about environmental questions and opportunities,” Robbins said. “The work continues, and this year may be our biggest.” Most Earth Fest events are free and open to the public, taking place across campus locations like the Lakeshore Nature Preserve, Chazen Museum of Art and the UW Arboretum. A full schedule of Earth Fest events is listed on their website.
MPD to adopt amnesty policy for underage alcohol violations By Drew Wesson STAFF WRITER
MADISON LUICK/THE DAILY CARDINAL
By Gavin Escott CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR
A federal judge blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from taking any action against an international University of Wisconsin-Madison student whose visa was terminated, preventing the U.S. government from deporting him or taking any legal action for at least two weeks. In a 12-page ruling Tuesday, Judge William Conley issued a temporary restraining order against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), preventing them from terminating Krish Lal Isserdasani’s visa and imposing consequences, including deportation, until a preliminary hearing on April 28. Isserdasani, a 21-year-old UW-Madison undergraduate student from India expecting to graduate in May, was informed his visa was terminated April 4, and Conley contended the lack of due process time to contest the termination was sufficient by itself to establish irreparable harm. “Given the amount of Isserdasani’s edu-
cational expenses and potential losses from having to leave the United States without obtaining his degree, the court concludes that Isserdasani credibly demonstrates that he faces irreparable harm for which he has no adequate remedy at law in the absence of injunctive relief,” Conley wrote. Isserdasani is among 27 current and former UW-Madison students and at least 40 across the UW System who have had their visas terminated in the past month. As of Thursday, more than 600 international students and recent graduates have had their visas revoked or legal status changed across the U.S., and some students have been detained and deported by Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE). UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin said during an Faculty Senate meeting on April 8 the university only learned about the terminations after the fact. Visa termination likely came without cause, judge says
Conley’s ruling came after Isserdasani filed a lawsuit against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Secretary Todd Lyons for violating his right to due process. Isserdasani, who filed the lawsuit alongside Hamidreza Khademi, a 34-year-old Iranian master’s student at Iowa State University similarly stripped of his visa, argued Noem and Lyon’s basis for terminating their visas were “arbitrary, capricious, and not in accordance with the law.” They argued the termination was also done without any notice or opportunity to be heard. Isserdasani was informed “out of the blue” his visa was terminated because he was identified in a criminal records check, the lawsuit said. He acknowledged an arrest for disorderly conduct on Nov. 22 when he and his friends engaged in a verbal argument with another group after leaving a bar, though he said he believed it resolved after the district attorney declined to pursue the case. Continue reading at dailycardinal.com
The Madison Police Department (MPD) will add a new policy on April 22 which will prevent underage individuals who call 911 in an emergency from receiving a citation for underage drinking, provided certain conditions are met. The policy, titled “Amnesty Through Responsible Action,” which is similar to University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department (UWPD)s amnesty policy, states that citations for underage alcohol violations in the City of Madison won’t be issued if certain conditions are met. Citations for underage alcohol violations wouldn’t be issued to callers and victims who request medical assistance as long as the caller remains with the victim and cooperates. Additionally, if the impaired individual is a victim of a crime, a citation for underage drinking would not be issued. The policy doesn’t apply if contact is initiated by emergency personnel or to other violations which may be occurring at the same time. District 8 Ald. MGR Govindarajan told The Daily Cardinal the goal for the policy is to make city and campus policy more aligned. “We want to make sure that the policies are somewhat similar from campus and off campus, especially when it’s just mostly impacting students,” Govindarajan said. Penalties for possessing or drinking alcohol while underage and not at a “licensed premise” can range from $187 to $313 for the first offense, including a possible license suspension for 30 to 90 days. Fines can increase if that individual is within a licensed premise, such as a bar. University Health Services stated 37% of UW-Madison undergraduates drink at highrisk levels, and 10% of undergraduates have physically injured themselves while drinking. “There is a lot of hesitation [to call 911] sometimes, especially with underage students. That’s a big fear for people,” Govindarajan said. The policy, which has been in discussion for a couple of months, was created in conjunction with the Madison and UW police departments, Govindarajan said. MPD officers will receive training on the new policy after it is implemented on April 22.
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”