These plows have names

Happy Friday, Madison!

The results are in, and I'm not talking about this week's primary.

The city has announced the winners of its ranked-choice snowplow naming election.

There were four pieces of equipment to name and the voters have spoken! Meet your winners:

• Quad Axle Brine Truck is Saltimus Prime
• MT7 Trackless Bike Path Plow is Snowbi Wan Kenobi
• Loader with Plow and Wing is Seymour Pavement
• Dual Wing Plow Truck is Dolly Plowton

If you like data, you can dig into the full voting breakdown here.

— Hayley

🗳️ There's a mayoral debate Monday.

• Mayoral candidates Satya Rhodes-Conway and Gloria Reyes will face off in a debate exploring the city’s challenges and opportunities Monday.
• The debate will be hosted by the Wisconsin Policy Forum, Downtown Madison Inc., and the Hoan Group at Central Library from 6-7:30 p.m.
• The candidates: Incumbent Rhodes-Conway was elected mayor in 2019. She is the city's second female and first out LGBTQ+ person to serve in the role. Reyes worked in the Madison Police Department for 13 years before becoming deputy mayor to former mayor Paul Soglin in 2014. Reyes has also served on the school board and currently runs a consulting business.

🏗️ A look at a new east-side development proposal.

• Developers have proposed tearing down the former home of Red Caboose Child Care Center to build a roughly $12 million, three- to five-story housing and commercial project.
• The building at 654 Williamson St. dates back to 1922, putting it within the period of significance for the historic district. But, as the developer told the Wisconsin State Journal, the building has gone through so many changes over time that it's "been stripped of its historic character."
• The new building would bring 46 market-rate apartments. If plans are approved, construction could start this summer.

📚 MMSD is looking for ways to make up two snow days.

• The Madison Metropolitan School District had two snow days this week. While students may rejoice at the unexpected vacation, district officials are figuring out how to make up for lost learning time.
• MMSD has already outlined plans to add more daily instruction time for middle schoolers and changed a previously scheduled day off in May to a school day for all students.
• District spokesperson Tim LeMonds told Channel 3000 the district is still figuring out how it plans to move forward but is considering virtual options for instruction rather than canceling class in the future, a tactic other area districts have already taken advantage of.
• Related: No more snow days? More school districts opt for online learning to avoid canceling class (Wisconsin State Journal)

Advertisement

⚖️ Former Wisconsin Gov. Tony Earl has died.

• Earl was the 41st governor of Wisconsin, serving from 1983 to 1987. He suffered a stroke over the weekend and died Thursday at the age of 86.
• The former governor is remembered as a champion of gay rights and environmentalism.
• Gov. Tony Evers has ordered United States and state of Wisconsin flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of Earl’s service.

💔 Your lunchtime read: Death on a dairy farm.

• Via ProPublica: "When an 8-year-old Nicaraguan boy was run over on a Wisconsin dairy farm, authorities blamed his father and closed the case. Meanwhile, the community of immigrant workers knows a completely different story."
• Content warning: This story contains a description of a child’s fatal injuries.

🎙️ Today on City Cast Madison

Judge Janet, ‘Dolly Plowton,’ and Other Big Winners This Week

City Cast’s Dylan Brogan and Bianca Martin get you up to speed on this week’s Wisconsin primary results, the big things happening on Park Street, and the winners of Madison’s snowplow naming contest.

📅 Events: The weekend

Today

• Acoustic Happy Hour Ft. Adem Tesfaye at Garver Feed Mill
• Common Scams and Frauds Targeting Seniors at Sequoya Library
• Harriet (2019) screening at Goodman South Madison Library
• Where the Crawdads Sing (2022) screening at Pinney Library
• So Tuff So Cute at Liquid Madison
• Steez Presents: The French Connection at Majestic Theatre
• TGIF Featuring DJ Khoa Le at The Rigby
• Bing Bong, Vacant Church, Louie & The Flashbombs at Bur Oak 🟠
• Thirst (2009) screening at Union South Marquee 🟠
• Moonshine: a Black History Month tradition at Lathrop Hall

Saturday

• Bockfest at Capital Brewery
• Aaron Putnam at The Brink Lounge
• Booksale at Alicia Ashman Library
• Bird & Nature Outing at Aldo Leopold Nature Center
• Hanah Jon Taylor Artet feat. Reggie Workman at Café CODA
• Highly Suspect at The Sylvee
• Lyny at High Noon Saloon
• Madison's Poet Laureate and 1st Youth Poet Laureate Reading at Sequoya Library
• Steely Dane at Stoughton Opera House
• Kids in the Rotunda: Tom Pease at Overture Center
• Madison Carnaval at the Majestic

Sunday

• Cole Ritter And The Night Owls at High Noon Saloon
• Forward Theater's Game Night Featuring BINGO at Goodman Center
• Luke Callen, Long Mama at The Bur Oak
• Rock & Roll Playhouse: Plays Music Of Prince for Kids at High Noon Saloon
• Sunday Cinematheque at the Chazen: Car Wash (1976) at Chazen Museum of Art
• The Wind In The Trees, Thin, Wanderer, The Central at BarleyPop Live 🟠
• Winter Festival of Poetry Week 6 at Arts + Literature Laboratory

🟠 Wondering about the orange circle? That symbol next to an event means that Tone Madison recommends checking it out.

🐶 Friday Floof

We've made it through the week, congrats to us! Here's your weekly dose of cuteness. According to their human Ann, Sonny (Tabby) and Charley (Tuxedo) are "YinYang brothers from another mother." Both were adopted from local shelters and while Sonny was pure adorable chaos from the start, Charley brings a chill, calm nature. Aside from each other, these two love playing chase, bird watching, and a good sniff of catnip.

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

⏪ Yesterday's news

• Here’s who is going to be on the ballot in April.
• What the data says about traffic fatalities.
• Fighting fire and saving energy.
• Reconstructing Atwood Avenue.