Kelly Lecker

1 month ago | madison.com | Kelly Lecker

Since Feb. 3, when a cyberattack shut down most systems at Lee Enterprises, the parent company of the Wisconsin State Journal, teams have been working day and night to bring you the complete newspaper you expect. Today, we cannot be more pleased to tell you we are back to full strength. For the past few days, you’ve probably noticed the newspaper has returned to its bigger size. It has more local news, sports and features, and we’re bringing back the Sunday Best and Opinion sections.

2 months ago | madison.com | Kelly Lecker

Most newspaper readers have a can’t-miss feature or section they start with each morning. Some people turn to the sports section to see the latest scores and analysis. Others look forward to certain puzzle like Cryptoquote. Many start with local news or look forward to hearing from a local columnist, such as Zorba Paster or the Beer Baron. When that favorite feature is missing from the paper, it’s frustrating.

2 months ago | madison.com | Kelly Lecker

A favorite part of this job is talking to readers. Whether you’re calling about a story or emailing about delivery of your paper, I always learn from you. On Tuesday, a serious technical outage kept us from producing a printed newspaper or E-edition, and many of you were understandably frustrated. Readers called and emailed because they missed their newspaper, an important part of their morning ritual.

Dec 31, 2024 | madison.com | Kelly Lecker

There is a checklist to guide cities through the first 24 hours of a mass shooting. It’s what Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway reached for after receiving a text from Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes on the morning of Dec. 16, alerting her that there was an active shooter at Abundant Life Christian School. The booklet, developed by the Public Health Advocacy Institute, includes a to-do list to help cities navigate the grimmest of emergencies: Make a plan to regularly communicate with the press.

Dec 10, 2024 | madison.com | Kelly Lecker

More than 11,400 toys are stacked by age group and interest in a hall at the Alliant Energy Center, waiting for families to find just the right gift. On Wednesday and Thursday, more than 4,000 families are expected file through the Empty Stocking Club's Toy Depot to "shop" for free toys for their children. Each child will also get a free book, thanks to a partnership with the Madison Reading Project. The need is greater than ever, so more toys will handed out than last year.