University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Monday, October 19, 2015
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Community celebrates Tony Robinson’s birthday By Negassi Tesfamichael THE DAILY CARDINAL
WILL CHIZEK/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Andrea Irwin, Tony Robinson’s mother, thanked the crowd for their support over the last seven months since her son’s death.
Seven months removed from the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Tony Robinson, community members gathered Sunday to sing “Happy Birthday” to the teenager who would have turned 20. Organizers of the event included the Young Gifted and Black Coalition, along with family and friends of Robinson, whose death sparked debate nationally on police relations with black men. “We have a police chief that thinks implicit bias training and mental health training is the way to go even though all of that was implemented before Tony’s murder,” said Matthew Braunginn, a YGB organizer. “There’s a whole host of issues that we need to address, but first and foremost we
have to be honest with ourselves.” The months following the incident where Madison Police Department Officer Matt Kenny fatally shot Robinson have been tough on the family, according to Robinson’s mother Andrea Irwin. “It’s been surreal, unimaginable, a dream at times and a nightmare at most,” she said. “ I’ve seen the worst of people and the best of people.” Irwin said she visited her son’s grave and told her son the story of when he was born, a tradition she does with each of her children on their birthday. “I will always know where my son is going to be now, and every year instead of waking up to my son asking me where we’re going to eat, I have to deal with the fact that he is gone,” she said. In May, Dane County District
Attorney Ismael Ozanne announced he would not criminally charge Kenny in the incident. An internal investigation by MPD also found Kenny compliant with their use-of-force policy and have had Kenny return to the force in non-patrol duties.
“It’s been surreal, unimaginable, a dream at times and a nightmare at most.” Andrea Irwin mother of Tony Robinson
The Robinson family sued the City of Madison in August for their response to the incident, though last week the city filed a letter to the federal court handling the case to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming the Kenny’s use-of-force was justified.
Levitan fields questions about his hit TV show ‘Modern Family’ By Sammy Gibbons THE DAILY CARDINAL
Steve Levitan, creator of the comedy show “Modern Family,” visited campus Thursday as one of a series of alumni speakers. Using a charm that viewers would find on the hit television show, he spoke and answered questions about his life achievements that got him to where he is. Levitan attended UW-Madison from 1980 to 1984, where he took many communi-
cations courses and had interest in broadcasting. After writing for multiple shows, he created “Modern Family” with his producing partner, Chris Lloyd, which premiered in 2009. Levitan answered questions of how his years of screenwriting led him to “Modern Family.” He discussed setbacks in his career, and how he came up with a better idea when his earlier ones failed. “One of the things you can take from anything in life, really, is from your failures come
the most valuable lessons,” Levitan said. “Especially, by the way, when you’re doing anything creative.” He encouraged attendees to continue to “embrace creative moments” and watch what happens around them because “if you’re smart, something good will come from it.” Much of what makes “Modern Family” so likable, Levitan said, is that it resonates with people
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Experts weigh benefits, challenges of new county restorative justice program By Martin Rakacolli THE DAILY CARDINAL
Two experts from the Center for Court Innovation met with Dane County officials Thursday to discuss the restorative justice programs Madison is implementing for 12-to-16-year-olds. The restorative justice program involves sending certain cases to a court run by trained community members who help to ensure those cases are dealt with in a productive manner, according to Center for Court Innovation official Brett Taylor. “Some of the cases the restorative justice approach would take on are cases that are really not
the best cases the justice system is designed or equipped to handle,” Taylor said. The cases the restorative justice system would help to address are relatively minor cases involving underlying issues that need to be addressed, rather than singular events that need to be punished, according to Taylor. “Often there’s a much larger story there than just what happens that got them in front of the court in the first place,” said Linda Baird, associate director of Youth Justice Programs. “What’s great about these programs is that they’re able to refer them to services to [address] those under-
lying issues that may have gotten them there.” According to Taylor and Baird, there is evidence to indicate that juvenile offenders who go through these programs tend to reoffend at a lower rate than those who do not. “[Restorative justice] is impacting the justice system at some level by siphoning off some of the lower-level cases that clog up the system. [These cases] never really get responded to in a meaningful way in the justice system,” Taylor said. “It allows the justice system to focus on the more serious cases that [it] is designed to handle.”
COURTESY OF DANE COUNTY
Keju, a six-month-old Bornean orangutan, will move away from its mother Kawan to be with a surrogate mother in Atlanta.
Baby orangutan moves to Atlanta zoo after mother neglects its needs Dane County’s Henry Vilas Zoo decided to move its six-month-old Bornean orangutan named Keju to Zoo Atlanta. Following Keju’s birth, its mother Kawan “became lethargic” to its baby, prompting zoo officials to take on the primary responsibilities of taking care of the orangutan around the clock, according to a Friday statement. “At Dane County Henry Vilas Zoo our number one priority is the welfare of our animals,” said Ronda Schwetz, Dane County’s Henry Vilas Zoo director, in a
statement. “Keju’s move to Zoo Atlanta will enable Keju a better chance at success being raised by an orangutan with a more experienced surrogate mother.” The zoo made its decision after consulting the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The Zoo Atlanta houses the nation’s largest zoological collection of great apes and has a successful history with integrating infants to their surrogates at the zoo, including orangutans, according to the release. —Negassi Tesfamichael
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”