Big names in Wisconsin races

Good morning, Madison!

A quick housekeeping note: I messed up the link in yesterday's lunchtime read. My bad. If you want to read about Madison's Italian beef connoisseur, click here.

To anyone who clicked the link in yesterday's email, I hope you enjoyed reading about the Monona Terrace.

Now for today's stories.

— Hayley

🗳️ Bernie Sanders endorsed Mandela Barnes.

• U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders endorsed Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes in Wisconsin’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary race.
• Sanders' seal of approval is the latest of several high-profile endorsements for Barnes who already has the support of Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey.
• Some context: There are currently eight democratic candidates vying to oust two-term incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson. The primary is Aug. 9.
• Related: Meet Wisconsin's 2022 U.S. Senate primary candidates (PBS Wisconsin)

☕ Crescendo on Monroe Street is closing.

• After nearly 10 years in the location, owners Cait and Paul Sirianni are closing the Monroe Street coffee shop to focus their efforts on their Hilldale location and mobile business.
• The State Journal reports its last day at 1859 Monroe St., will be July 28.

🍺 Funk Factory is branching out.

• The Madison-based brewer known for its sours recently received approval to begin producing cider, mead, and wine.
• Don't worry, the sours aren't going anywhere. "This is just a way to create new flavors," Funk Factory’s head of operations Kyle Metz told Isthmus.
• While the group doesn't have any hard deadlines for when the new brews will be released, expect to see ciders first. Isthmus writes production is expected to be limited for the first few years and the new products will likely only distributed through the taproom.

🎡 See you at the Dane County Fair?

• The fair will be back at the Alliant Energy Center this week, Thursday through Sunday.
• Gates will open daily at 9 a.m. with concerts, carnival rides, and other festivities throughout the day.
• Admission is $10 for people 12 years and older, $5 for kids 6-11, and free for anyone 5 years and younger. Prices will only be $3 before 3 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.

🐰 Happy Take Me Home Tuesday! Meet Smokey.

• From Dane County Humane Society: Smokey is a female lionhead rabbit. She's a sweet and social rabbit. Smokey loves attention, and once she gets to know you, she will hop over to get lots of snuggles. She has amazing litterbox habits. She also was very calm when seeing other rabbits at her foster family's home, so she may do well with another rabbit looking for a friend. Smokey also loves eating banana.
  
  She's looking for a family who will give her lots of love and snuggles, and space to hop around.
• To learn more about Smokey, click here.

🌼 Your lunchtime read: Guns ’N Gardens.

• Via Isthmus: "Amy Bishell never had much interest in guns. Her dad grew up hunting and had an old M1903 Springfield that he used for deer hunting. It’s a military rifle, a model used in both world wars.
  
  On the night of June 10, Bishell examined the gun and took photos of it. She was surprised by how heavy it felt in her arms. 'There was an imprint on the bottom of a deer,' she says. 'It was kind of pretty.'
  
  Also in the gun case was a hunting license from 1993 — the last time, she suspects, that her dad ever went hunting. He’s in his late 70s now, suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and the family worries about what might happen if he were to go looking for his old rifle."

📅 Events: Tuesday, July 19

• Presentation: “Edible Insects – A Journey to the Future of Food”‌‌‌‌‌‌. ‌‌8 p.m.  at The Bur Oak. Free. ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌The speaking portion will be followed by Q&A and the opportunity to snack on insects.

Tomorrow

• Ice Cream Boat Float
• Presentation: “The WiBee app: The Wisconsin Wild Bee community-science project to count and learn about bees!”

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