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I want to ride my bicycle

It may still be winter but that won't stop Madisonians from riding around town on two wheels.

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I want to ride my bicycle
Image by Hayley Sperling

Happy Friday, Friends!

It may still be winter but that won't stop Madisonians from riding around town on two wheels.

If you're one of the many who won't let a little snow get in the way of your ride, today is your lucky day because it's International Winter Bike Day.

Madison Bikes is partnering with the city to host events in celebration of the occasion.

The group will be serving up hot coffee from Cafe Domestique, snacks, and swag until. 9 a.m. at the bike station at the Monona Terrace (next to the bike elevator parking lot). From 4-7 p.m. there will be a Bike Happy Hour at Settle Down Tavern (complete with a themed drink dubbed The Kickstand Club Toddy). The Hilton Garden Inn downtown and Working Draft Beer Co. will also be offering special deals for bikers.

You can check out all the various event details here.

Happy riding!

— Hayley

Don't get caught on the wrong side of the street. Photo via City of Madison

❄️ It's a snow emergency.

💘 Love is in the air.

  • Whether you're celebrating with a significant other, friends, family, or solo, there's plenty going on around town. From cooking and painting classes to trivia and skating, Madison Magazine rounded up 33 local events, restaurants, and gift ideas to get you in the loving spirit. If you need even more inspiration, check out our community calendar.
  • ICYMI: Our friends at City Cast Madison want to hear your best and worst date stories. Today is the last day to give them a call and share the love. You can leave them a voicemail at (608) 318-3367. (This is also a great opportunity for anyone out there who might want to profess their secret crush on me or Sam! We're waiting.)
Nitro Beverage Lounge is hosting it's grand opening Friday, Feb. 10. Photo via Nitro Facebook

🍸 Meet Nitro.

  • There's a new bar bringing "experiential" cocktails and coffee to West Washington Avenue. Nitro Beverage Lounge is holding its grand opening today and, more than anything, wants to serve its customers an experience.
  • You can expect that experience to come in the form of bright colors, edible flowers, and flavor-changing drinks. As the name suggests, many of the drinks at Nitro will be infused with nitrogen, giving them less fizz and a smoother finish, according to Cap Times.
  • The new spot has partnered with Bloom Bake Shop and Tricky Foods for its edible offerings. You can find Nitro in the new Avenir apartment building.

🛍️ The east side Bed Bath & Beyond is closing.

  • The shop at 4275 Lien Road will close in the coming weeks. The west side location will remain open.  
  • The bigger picture: Bed Bath & Beyond has been teetering on the edge of bankruptcy and recently announced the closure of 149 stores across the country, including four in Wisconsin.

🚨 MPD on the state of crime in Madison.

Every City Council seat is up for election this spring and 14 of the 20 races are contested. Photo by Hayley Sperling

👋 Your lunchtime read: Madison city council will be full of new faces.

  • Via Isthmus: "After redistricting and retirements, nearly half the districts in the city are guaranteed to have a new alder before any vote is cast in the Feb. 21 primary or April 4 general election. And a high number of contested elections —  14 of the 20 council seats — means even more newcomers are possible."
🗳️
Are you ready to vote? The primary is Feb. 21.

Check out a sample ballot.

Get to know the candidates: State Supreme Court justice, Madison Mayor, City Council.
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🎙️ Today on City Cast Madison

President Joe Biden stopped in Deforest this week to talk about job creation and the economy. Photo via POTUS Twitter

The Presidential Visit and Madison Schools Shake-up

For the first time since taking office, President Biden visited Madison. His big visit included talking shop about the economy, calling out one of our senators about Social Security and taking selfies with the mayor. (And yes, the stop was actually DeForest, but shhhh!)

Also this week, Madison Schools Superintended Carlton Jenkins announced he’s leaving after the end of the school year. Anyone wanna run our schools?

And why do we have no money for violence prevention?!

The City Cast team is here to bring you the news we can’t shut up about this week.

Listen now

🏦 Finances 101

This sponsored column is presented by Bank of Sun Prairie.

Get ready to buy a home with this checklist
This is sponsored content from Bank of Sun Prairie.
Madison MinutesBank of Sun Prairie

Related:

📅 Events: The weekend

Today

Saturday

Sunday

🗓️
Check out even more events on our community calendar.

🐶 Friday Floof

We've made it through the week and as a treat, here's your dose of cuteness. Meet Louis and Clark. These two were adopted from the Dane County Humane Society. Though their human Brianna says Louis (white/tabby) would have preferred to remain an only child, Clark (gray) is fully obsessed with his new sibling.

😸 Do you have a floof to share with the Madison Minutes community? Fill out this form for the opportunity to be featured.

📝 Miss a Minute? Check out yesterday's newsletter.

From Madison to Turkey
After a massive earthquake decimated part of Turkey Monday, a group of UW-Madison students is looking to help.
Madison MinutesHayley Sperling

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