Morning Update

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Morning update: Tuesday, Sept. 27

Happy Tuesday, Madison.

What's the coolest thing made in Wisconsin?

Seriously, the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce group wants to know. The group, which is made up of the state chamber of commerce, state manufacturers’ association, and state safety council, has put on the competition for the past seven years.

Nominees for this year's title include plenty of beer-and-cheese-centric novelties as well some out-there candidates, like a yacht made in Oconto and a zero-emission electric fire truck from Appleton.

The first round of voting runs through 5 p.m. today. From there, the 16 finalists will face off in a March-Madness style tournament.

Personally, I'll be voting for the snakes.

— Hayley

Correction: In yesterday's newsletter we incorrectly stated the vote count by which the Dane County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance that prohibits the county from contracting with agencies that investigate, arrest, or prosecute people who violate the state’s abortion ban. The ordinance passed with a 29-5 vote.

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🚙 You're not crazy, gas prices are really that high.

The cost of gas in Madison jumped more than 40 cents in the past week, bringing the average cost to $3.73 a gallon.
The cause? Per NBC15, GasBuddy says the spike is due to "unexpected refinery disruptions," like fires and maintenance. The news outlet also reports that prices are likely to go up again before falling.

🔥 Expect higher heating costs this winter, too.

Wisconsin residents could pay hundreds of dollars more to heat their homes this winter due to the rising cost of natural gas.
MGE and and Xcel Energy project increases of up to $200 for an average household, the State Journal reports.
People earning less than 60% of the state median income are eligible for financial assistance from the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program.

🇮🇷 Madison's Iranian community is showing solidarity and support for the country as protests persist.

Some context: Anger and protests have spread across Iran following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died after being detained by the country's “morality police” for not abiding by the country's hijab rules. More than 40 people have been killed and at least 18 journalists have been arrested during the unrest, according to the Washington Post. The protests are the country's largest anti-government movement in more than a decade.
Over the weekend, members of Madison's Iranian community gathered at the Capitol building in a sign of solidarity with those protesting for their rights in Iran.

“Standing in solidarity goes a long way. You might not know it, but you might have neighbors, you might have coworkers, you have have people who go to school with your children that are affected by this.” — Kiana Mousavi, Madison Iranian community member, told NBC15

🎭 The controversy surrounding Fredric March continues at UW.

Who? Fredric March was a University of Wisconsin-Madison student in the late 1910s. He went on to have a successful film career, winning two Oscars. Memorial Union's play Circle Theater was named after him from 1978-2018.
What happened? Student activists championed the removal of March's name from the theater because of his ties to an honorary inter-fraternity council called the Ku Klux Klan. A study commissioned by the university in 2017 found the group March was part of had no relation to the national hate group. Still, UW stripped his name from the theater and has repeatedly stood by the decision despite calls for its reversal.
Now, advocates are again pushing to put March's name back on the Play Circle theater. Aug. 31 marked what would have been March's 125 birthday and Cap Times reports Turner Classic Movies wants to use the occasion to re-examine the allegations against the actor and again urge the university to reverse its decision.

🐶 Happy Take Me Home Tuesday! Meet Alfredo.

Via Dane County Humane Society: Alfredo is a 2-year-old pup who was recently transferred to DCHS from an overcrowded shelter in Alabama in the hopes that he’ll find a new home. Alfredo is deaf, but he knows a few signs for sit and down. He’s a friendly and sweet pup.

Alfredo is looking for a patient family who will give him lots of love and teach him more sign language so he can continue his positive reinforcement training.
Learn more about the sweet boy here.

🗽 Your lunchtime read: How do Madison monuments represent our community?

Via Madison Magazine: "The statue’s physical appearance is as multi-dimensional as its meaning. While it’s a contemporary rendition of statues that have stood in our cities, capital seats and other public spaces for years — some of which have been removed or torn down in protest — [Faisal Abdu’Allah’s State Street statue titled] Blu³eprint represents something new entirely. It poses more questions about our shared humanity.

What significance should a statue have? Who decides what or who is honored? And what does it say about us? It took many conversations with several community leaders and experts to find answers."
Related: The empty honorings of 'Forward' (Tone Madison)