EDITORIAL Slam shut Dane County’s old jail cells once and for all | Our view Wisconsin State Journal editorial board Aug 10, 2026 Aug 10, 2026 Updated Aug 19, 2026 × Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Those outdated, cramped, inhumane jail cells at the City-County Building in Madison must finally close.kAmxE’D 2 D92>6 E96J 92G6?’E 2=C625J]k^AmkAm%96 AF3=:4 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>25:D@?]4@>^?6HD^=@42=^8@G6C?>6?E\A@=:E:4D^2CE:4=60dg5e4gf4\3ed5\``66\2g3b\_bd3ga_47e_6]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmH2D E@=5k^2m E96 `hd_D\6C2 46==D H@F=5 36 D9FEE6C65 H96? E96 s2?6 r@F?EJ q@2C5 2AAC@G65 2 Sa_f >:==:@? ;2:= C6?@G2E:@? 2?5 4@?D@=:52E:@? AC@;64E] %96 3@2C5 ~z’5 S`g_ >:==:@? :? a_ab[ E96? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>25:D@?]4@>^?6HD^=@42=^8@G6C?>6?E\A@=:E:4D^2CE:4=60dg5e4gf4\3ed5\``66\2g3b\_bd3ga_47e_6]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm25565k^2m 255:E:@?2= 5@==2CD :? a_ac 7@C 2 D:I\DE@CJ E@H6C s@H?E@H? ?62C E96 4@FCE9@FD6]k^Am People are also reading… Lake Geneva Joint No. 1 School Board narrowly approves superintendent’s contract School staff and volunteers to complete required training Brewers dealing with another injury during slump as Brice Turang is out Brewers 100% correct not to trade Logan Henderson for Tarik Skubal Lake Geneva brush drop-off site, boat launch closed for Venetian Fest Suspect arrested after woman stabbed multiple times in Westby Lake Geneva superintendent provides details about contract Busy week in Lake Geneva: Masquerade Ball & much more during Venetian Fest week, plus Willie Nelson returns to Alpine Valley Lake Geneva Police Department to establish K9 program Sauna boat experience now available on Lake Como State advances sale of 2 Downtown Madison office buildings to developer Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in 'Heroes' and 'Nashville', dies at 36 These Wisconsinites beat astronomical odds to win Powerball jackpots Registration full for upcoming Red Bull Rush Delivery race Police chases put innocent drivers at risk kAm$@>6 @7 E96 46==D :? E96 r:EJ\r@F?4:= qF:=5:?8 2C6 e 766E 3J h 766E H:E9 2 D:?8=6 E:?J H:?5@H] %96J =@@< =:<6 D@>6E9:?8 @FE @7 p=42EC2K[ E96 56D@=2E6 :D=2?5 AC:D@? :? E96 $2? uC2?4:D4@ q2J E92E 4=@D65 92=7 2 46?EFCJ 28@]k^AmkAm%96 @=5 46==D 2C6 4CF6=[ 52?86C@FD 2?5 :?677:4:6?E] %96J’C6 >@C6 =:<6=J E@ >2<6 325 3692G:@C H@CD6 E92? C6923:=:E2E6 EC@F3=65 A6@A=6[ A2CE:4F=2C=J E9@D6 H:E9 >6?E2= 962=E9 DECF88=6D]k^Am Watch Democrats seeking nomination for Wisconsin governor All of the major Democratic candidates, ahead of the party's Aug. 11 primary, joined Milfred and Hands on their "Center Stage" political podca… kAmu@C>6C r@F?EJ tI64FE:G6 y@6 !2C:D: G6E@65 2 D>2==6C AC@A@D2= 7@C 2 7:G6\DE@CJ ;2:= 255:E:@? :? a_aa] w6 5:5 D@ DA64:7:42==J 3642FD6 E96 D>2==6C 255:E:@?[ 96 D2:5[ H@F=5 92G6 C:D<65 <66A:?8 @A6? E96 46==D 52E:?8 E@ E96 `hd_D] r=@D:?8 E92E 4@?7:?6>6?E 2C62 H2D 2 4@C6 8@2= @7 E96 ;2:=\:>AC@G6>6?E AC@;64E 2== 2=@?8]k^Am kAmx? 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>25:D@?]4@>^@A:?:@?^=6EE6CD^2CE:4=60fhah4db7\536e\cc`e\2chg\g`6c_gahhd3e]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm=6EE6C E@ E96 65:E@Ck^2m E@ E96 $E2E6 y@FC?2= @? yF=J `f[ $96C:77 z2=G:? q2CC6EE D2:5 96 H2C?65 E96 r@F?EJ q@2C5 :? a_ab ?@E E@ C65F46 E96 ?F>36C @7 365D 7C@> haa E@ gad[ H9:49 H@F=5 7@C46 9:> E@ <66A FD:?8 E96 “@=5[ @FE52E65 2?5 3@C56C=:?6 F?4@?DE:EFE:@?2=” 46==D :? E96 r:EJ\r@F?EJ qF:=5:?8]k^AmkAmx? 9:D =6EE6C 2?5 5FC:?8 2? :?E6CG:6H uC:52J[ q2CC6EE 2=D@ 72F=E65 E96 @AE:@? @7 D9:AA:?8 ;2:= :?>2E6D E@ @E96C 4@F?E:6D[ 42==:?8 :E H2DE67F= @7 E2IA2J6C 5@==2CD]k^Am kAm(6 86E 9:D A@:?E] *6E E96 92DD=6 2?5 6IA6?D6 @7 EC2?DA@CE:?8 :?>2E6D E@ @E96C 4@F?E:6D — @C 7:?5:?8 @E96C 2=E6C?2E:G6D — 5@6D?’E ;FDE:7J G:@=2E:?8 E96:C 4@?DE:EFE:@?2= C:89ED[ @C 4@>:?8 4=@D6 E@ 5@:?8 D@]k^Am kAmx? 2 $E2E6 y@FC?2= 2CE:4=6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>25:D@?]4@>^?6HD^=@42=^4C:>6\4@FCED^2CE:4=6067dcdfhd\``4`\cbgc\gadg\acgh23fch5`4]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmyF=J aak^2m[ E96 D96C:77 H2C?65 @7 “42E2DEC@A9:4 67764ED” 7C@> E96 r@F?EJ q@2C5’D “D9@CE\D:89E65” 564:D:@?D :? D42=:?8 324< ;2:= 42A24:EJ]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny Studio | All Of Our Podcasts Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny Studio | All Of Our Podcasts kAm%96 D96C:77 >2J 92G6 2 A@:?E[ 8:G6? 9@H 72DE s2?6 r@F?EJ :D AC@;64E65 E@ 8C@H] qFE H96? 4@F?EJ @77:4:2=D 28C665 @? E96 gad\365 724:=:EJ[ :E H2D 4@?D:56C65 2 H@C<23=6 4@>AC@>:D6[ 6G6? :7 :E 5:5?’E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>25:D@?]4@>^?6HD^=@42=^8@GE\2?5\A@=:E:4D^2CE:4=60bba7fdhh\7a75\d3fe\gaeb\ch43g6f7g5eg]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmA=62D6k^2m 6G6CJ@?6]k^Am How to contact Dane County Executive Melissa Agard Calling, emailing or writing Dane County leaders can influence county decisions affecting your region and community. kAmq2CC6EE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>25:D@?]4@>^?6HD^=@42=^4C:>6\2?5\4@FCED^52?6\4@F?EJ\368:?D\4=@D:?8\4:EJ\4@F?EJ\3F:=5:?8\A@CE:@?\@7\;2:=\D9:AA:?8\:?>2E6D\E@\@E96C\4@F?E:6D^2CE:4=60b2eahh_`\g_2b\d`dg\26h_\bd2h`22cb457]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmDE2CE65 4=@D:?8k^2m E96 62DE D64E:@? @7 E96 D6G6?E9 7=@@C @7 E96 r:EJ\r@F?EJ qF:=5:?8 :? a_aa[ 4:E:?8 “2 =24< @7 D276 2?5 9F>2?6 ;2:= DA246” 2D H6== 2D DE277:?8 D9@CE286D] q2CC6EE 492C24E6C:K65 E96 @=5 46== 3=@4< 2D 2 =2HDF:E H2:E:?8 E@ 92AA6?]k^Am kAms2?6 r@F?EJ 5@6D?’E H2?E E@ 36 DF65] |@C6 :>A@CE2?E[ E96 @=5 46==D 5@?’E >2E49 s2?6 r@F?EJ’D G2=F6D[ 2D q2CC6EE 92D DEC6DD65]k^Am kAms2?6 r@F?EJ 2?5 :ED D96C:77 56D6CG6 4C65:E 7@C ECJ:?8 E@ DE66C >@C6 A6@A=6 :?E@ 2=E6C?2E:G6D E@ :?42C46C2E:@?[ 6DA64:2==J 7@C :?:E:2= 2?5 =6DD6C 4C:>6D] u@C 6I2>A=6[ s2?6 r@F?EJ :? |2J @A6?65 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>25:D@?]4@>^?6HD^=@42=^4C:>6\4@FCED^2CE:4=60he6a73_e\_b36\c4_3\g25_\5hf6f`4`eh7h]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm4@FCEk^2m E92E C6BF:C6D C6A62E @776?56CD E@ D66< EC62E>6?E 2?5 6>A=@J>6?E E@ 2G@:5 D6?E6?4:?8 7@C 4C:>6D DF49 2D C6E2:= E967E]k^AmkAms2?6 r@F?EJ[ H9:49 ;2:=D 2 5:DAC@A@CE:@?2E6=J 9:89 ?F>36C @7 q=24< A6@A=6[ FD6D 6=64EC@?:4 >@?:E@C:?8 67764E:G6=J] %9:D D2G6D DA246 2?5 EC24<D 23@FE `__ @776?56CD 566>65 E@ 36 =@H6C C:D< E@ D@4:6EJ]k^Am How to contact your Dane County Board member The Dane County Board has 37 members who influence county decisions about social services, the jail, Sheriff's Department, lakes and more. kAm(6 DJ>A2E9:K6 H:E9 E96 4@>A=6I:E:6D q2CC6EE 7246D 2D D96C:77] w6 92D E@ 36 42C67F= ?@E E@ 9@FD6 C:G2= 82?8 >6>36CD E@86E96C] w6 92D E@ D6A2C2E6 >6? 2?5 H@>6?] w6 2?5 9:D DE277 >FDE 562= H:E9 >6?E2= 962=E9 4C:D6D H9:=6 ECJ:?8 E@ 3@=DE6C C6923:=:E2E:@? 2?5 4@??64E:@?D E@ ;@3D 2?5 9@FD:?8]k^Am kAmqFE <66A:?8 @A6? E96 @FE52E65 ;2:= 46==D :? E96 r:EJ\r@F?EJ qF:=5:?8 D9@F=5?’E 6G6? 36 4@?D:56C65] (96? E96 ?6H ;2:= :D 7:?:D965 ?6IE J62C[ s2?6 r@F?EJ >FDE 4=@D6 E96 @=5 @?6D 7@C 8@@5[ 2D E96 AF3=:4 6IA64ED]k^Amk2D:56 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\C6=4@?E6?EQmk^2D:56m The latest community member to join the Wisconsin State Journal editorial board introduces himself Lauren Cnare, a community member on the Wisconsin State Journal editorial board, introduces herself Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack Locations Madison Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story ‘No,’ ‘no’ and ‘yes’ on Wisconsin’s 3 constitutional amendments | Our view Your ballot Nov. 3 will pose three possible changes to Wisconsin’s constitution. See inside the Dane County Jail facilities
Watch Democrats seeking nomination for Wisconsin governor All of the major Democratic candidates, ahead of the party's Aug. 11 primary, joined Milfred and Hands on their "Center Stage" political podca…
How to contact Dane County Executive Melissa Agard Calling, emailing or writing Dane County leaders can influence county decisions affecting your region and community.
How to contact your Dane County Board member The Dane County Board has 37 members who influence county decisions about social services, the jail, Sheriff's Department, lakes and more.
‘No,’ ‘no’ and ‘yes’ on Wisconsin’s 3 constitutional amendments | Our view Your ballot Nov. 3 will pose three possible changes to Wisconsin’s constitution.
