Morning Update: Monday, March 21

Today's weather: ☁️ Cloudy and mild. High: 69° Low: 44°

Welcome to Monday, Madison.

If you watched last night's Badger basketball game, it's not such a happy Monday.

Turnovers, poor shooting, and injuries led the third-seeded Badgers to fall 54-49 to the 11th-seeded Cyclones at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee Sunday.

The loss brings Wisconsin's March Madness dreams to an end. It was fun while it lasted.

— Hayley

🗳️ Get prepared for the spring election and make a plan to vote.

• The spring election is mere weeks away and if you need to catch up on all the issues and candidates at play in the election, Tone Madison has the guide for you. Get the details and context you need to make an informed decision when it comes to voting for County Board, School Board, and judicial candidates.
• Related: Don't forget your photo ID to vote! Here's a list of all acceptable forms.

🚒 Meet Madison's new fire chief.

• Madison's Police and Fire Commission announced last Friday it selected Chris P. Carbon as the city's new fire chief. Carbon is a lifelong Madisonian, having graduated from Madison West High School and UW-Madison. He's been with the City of Madison Fire Department since 1999.

🎨 A Black artist ended her project at MMoCA after a verbal attack from an Overture Center staff member.

• What happened? Lilada Gee was set to be a featured artist for an upcoming exhibit for the Wisconsin Triennial titled “Ain’t I A Woman?” at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA). While working on her art at MMoCA Gee left the building to get additional supplies. When she tried to re-enter the building, Gee was verbally accosted by "a physically aggressive Overture Center of the Arts employee," Madison365 reports.
• Annik Dupaty, a longtime MMoCA employee who witnessed the incident, called it "absolutely appalling."
• The Overture Center told Madison365 the employee involved in the incident has been terminated. Gee's mural for “Ain’t I A Woman?” remains unfinished.

📣 Students walkout at La Follette.

• Dozens of students at La Follett High School walked out of class last week in protest of a staff member's suspension.
• Tutankhamun “Coach” Assad set up a space dubbed the "Crib" for students to relax and feel safe in the school. As the Cap Times writes, students took to the Crib quickly, often relying on it as a space to find mental stability.
• On March 11, Coach was put on administrative leave and given a three-day suspension, reportedly “​​for not leaving the Crib, and coming to a meeting." His suspension sparked outrage among students, leading to the walkout. In their protest, students called for Assad’s return and better support from administration.

“If you’re not a minority, you wouldn’t understand the impact of having someone that looks like you that’s someone you can go to. That’s why Coach is so important to us because we have actually built those relationships with him and we see him as someone we can kind of look up to and teach us about ourselves.” — Josepha Da Costa, La Follette junior

⚖️ A fourth amendment violation.

• Some context: A federal judge ruled that Monona Police violated Keonte Furdge's Fourth Amendment rights when in June 2020 they "entered the home where he was staying and detained him at gunpoint," Madison365 reports.
• Furdge has reportedly agreed to a $150,000 settlement for the matter, which will be paid by the city's insurance company.

🌳 When to put your yard waste out for collection.

• The short answer: The week of April 3.
• The city has listed all set-out dates for spring yard waste collection. Madisonians will get two curbside collection opportunities for yard waste in the spring.
• Head to the city's website here and type in your address to find the specific set-out dates for your home.

⚽ Your lunchtime read: AccessiMingos focuses on making a more inclusive environment in the Flock.

• From Madison Magazine: "Engel, Schultz and a third partner, Brian Messman, officially launched AccessiMingos in March 2021, with a focus on making a more inclusive environment and a community inside the Flock that celebrates each member’s unique abilities. [...] AccessiMingos is one of the first supporter groups for soccer fans with disabilities on the American continents, and it has led teams across the country and world to reach out and ask how to put a similar support group together."

Image via AccessiMingos Twitter

🦠 Covid-19 Update

Wisconsin Vaccination Rate: 60.6%

Dane County Vaccination Rate: 78.4%

Resources

• Here's where to find a COVID-19 vaccine near you.
• Need a COVID-19 test? PHMDC has you covered.
• Do you still need your flu shot? Start here.
• Request an at-home testing kit from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
• Where to pick up free masks from the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program
• What to Do if You are Sick or Possibly Exposed (PHMDC)

📅 Events: Monday, March 21

• Georgian Wine Tasting at Leopold's Books Bar Caffè. 5 p.m. $15 includes five sample pours.
• Madison Magazine Taste Event 2022 at The Edgewater. 6 p.m. $25.
• Zero 9:36 with Fame on Fire and Garzi at High Noon Saloon. Music at 8 p.m. $18 advance, $20 doors.