Morning Update

Say it ain't snow

Brink Lounge closing, Elliot Page coming to town, and new ice cream. Here's what you need to know in Madison today.

In this newsletter

Good morning, Madison!

Welcome to Monday. I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather before reality (read: the cold) set back in.

Nearly the whole state is under some sort of winter weather alert this morning. Madison is under a winter weather advisory until 10 a.m.

Expect chillier days and rain later in the week but keep your chin up knowing more sunshine and farmers' markets are ahead!

— Hayley

🗳️ Did a conservative UW student almost win a City Council seat?

UW-Madison student Charlie Fahey lost the race for alder in campus-area District 8, but not by much. He won 48.6% of the vote.
Fahey never publicly labeled himself along ideological lines during his campaign but after the election, his campaign sent out a press release declaring "Gen Z conservative nearly wins in Madison."
Fahey confirmed to Isthmus that he votes Republican, saying he “didn't see any reason" to tell constituents about his party alignment. His opponent — and winner of the race — MGR Govindarajan called Fayhey's actions "embarrassing for democracy."
Dive deeper: You can listen to our friends at City Cast talk about this story in their news roundup from last week.

📚 Elliot Page is coming to Madison.

The Oscar-nominated trans actor and author will be in Madison this summer to talk about his debut memoir "PAGEBOY."
The details: The event will be June 12 at The Barrymore. It's free but you'll need to get a ticket, which will be available through A Room of One’s Own.

🎭 Say goodbye to the Brink Lounge.

The downtown event space will close April 30, according to Isthmus. The venue’s co-owner told the paper the main reason behind the closing is difficulty with staffing.
The Brink Lounge first opened in 2006 and has been the site of countless fundraisers, weddings, and events.

🏫 A UW professor is facing consequences after exposing herself to a student "to prove a point."

An art professor was cited with disorderly conduct for exposing her breasts to a student on campus in March, according to the UW-Madison Police Department.
According to WKOW, the situation began over the outfit a student was wearing when they asked to borrow when a soldering iron from the professor. The professor then allegedly berated the student for their clothing. The student confronted the professor about the incident, which is when the professor allegedly exposed herself. The victim is a non-binary master's student at UW-Madison.
In a UWPD report, the professor said she was upset by the student's attire because it was inappropriate for the space given the use of chemicals and tools. The professor has been removed from her teaching duties and was fined $295.

Photo via UW–Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

🍦 Dairy production is back at Babcock.

The Babcock Hall Dairy Plant is up and running again after suspending operations in 2019 to undergo a $72.9 million upgrade and expansion. The facility produces milk, cheese, and ice cream sold on and off campus.
This was the plant's first renovation since it was built in 1951. The updates turned it into a modern facility and gives the Center for Dairy Research a proper space of its own. Now fully equipped with adequate space and resources, the center hopes to produce more new cheeses faster and "hopefully double" the state’s production of specialty cheeses, according to Cap Times.
Fun fact: One of the first batches of ice creams to be made in the new plant was a flavor celebrating UW-Madison's new chancellor, Jennifer Mnookin. The ice cream is vanilla with pieces of chocolate chip cookie dough, and caramel and fudge swirls.

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🎙️ Today on City Cast Madison

What You Need To Know About Abortion Access in Wisconsin

There’s been a flurry of court action regarding abortion. What exactly is legal in Wisconsin is confusing - and up for debate.

While Wisconsin’s 1849 law banning abortions is in effect, some people are mail-ordering mifepristone and misoprostol through online pharmacies to end their pregnancies.

But new dueling court decisions raise questions about access to medical abortion. Medical abortions involve taking a two-drug combination rather than surgery. It’s the most common kind of abortion.

Michelle Velasquez, Director of Legal Advocacy and Services for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, gives us an update on the court challenges.

Listen now