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Morning Update: Friday, Feb. 4

Morning Update: Friday, Feb. 4

Good morning, Madison!

I simply cannot resist having a little bit of fun on Fridays. We're a fun email! This is a cool email! We're not like all those other emails you get... 😜

— Sam

📍Redistricting triggered by the latest census is causing a big switcheroo on the Madison city council.

  • Consider these fun facts: three current alders now live in District 10 and six alders no longer live in the district they represent.
  • That means current alders could be running against each other in the next election — or deciding not to run again.
  • “I will have to move if I run again, but redistricting isn’t about me. It’s about what makes sense for voters in Madison,” Ald. Juliana Bennett told Isthmus.

🏞️ More details about the "Imagination Center" at Reindahl Park...

  • The facility is a combination library and community center and will feature space for community events, performances, and more.
  • The project is still in the early stages, and is now moving into its "schematic design" phase. There are four phases planned after that, eventually culminating in a planned opening in Fall 2024.
  • See the full presentation here.

Imagination Center renderings

🍜 Now open: Yummy Noodle

  • The restaurant will be mostly focused on serving authentic Chinese noodle soups, the State Journal reports.
  • Yummy Noodle is located downtown at 604 University Ave., across the street from the Fluno Center.

🏫 One local woman shares why she became a substitute teacher during the pandemic.

  • Deb Cleveland, who is in her 70s, wrote an opinion column about her experience working as a substitute teacher in Sun Prairie schools during the pandemic.
  • “Because of the trials and tribulations of COVID, I’ve felt called to combat in some way the ongoing threat this pandemic has posed to our communities,” Cleveland wrote. “I’m not medically trained, so I can’t help out there. But I have other skills.”

🛀 Peep this throwback photo of the old Soap Opera location on State Street.

  • The Soap Opera, a locally owned bath and grooming store, is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Today, the shop is located at 319 State St, just a short walk away from the old store location pictured here.
  • Click through to see a few more vintage photos.

🧵 A lighthearted Reddit thread: "Let’s pretend every neighborhood in Madison is a person at a huge house party. What is each 'person' doing?"

  • Just one answer: "Atwood is spending half the time smoking on the balcony, the other half vibing in a corner with the resident dog or cat."
    • Wait a minute... I live there, and I do that!
  • Read the crowd-sourced answers (aka the full thread) here.

🦠 Covid-19 Update

Source: Public Health Madison & Dane County

Wisconsin Vaccination Rate: 59.4%

Dane County Vaccination Rate: 77.2%

Resources

Here's where to find a COVID-19 vaccine near you.

📅 The weekend

Friday, Feb. 4

Saturday, Feb. 5

Sunday, Feb. 6

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