Morning Update: Tuesday, Nov. 23

Today's weather: ☀️ Mostly sunny. High: 44° Low: 24°

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Good morning, Madison.

Welcome to Tuesday. In case you missed it, the CDC has opened up access to COVID-19 booster shots to all adults in the U.S. That means if you're over 18 and got your second dose of a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least six months ago, it's time for round three. (The CDC and FDA have already approved boosters for Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients.)

This news comes just in time for the holiday season, where folks are expected to travel in droves and COVID-19 case numbers have hit their highest levels since 2020.

Most Walgreens and CVS locations offer vaccines but for a full look at vaccine providers in your area, start here.

— Hayley

💔 An update from Waukesha and how you can help.

Local officials have identified the five people killed when a man drove an SUV through the town's Christmas parade Sunday. Here are their names:
Tamara Durand, 52
Jane Kulich, 52
LeAnna Owen, 71
Virginia Sorenson, 79
Wilhelm Hospel, 81
Police have also identified the driver of the SUV as 39-year-old Darrell Brooks Jr. Cops say Brooks was leaving the scene of a domestic dispute and seemingly acted alone. AP reports there is no evidence of terrorism or that Brooks knew anyone in the parade.
Multiple GoFundMe pages have been set up for families of the victims, both deceased and those still fighting for their lives. GoFundMe has put together a list of verified fundraisers for those affected by the Waukesha Christmas parade tragedy if you'd like to send monetary support.

🚯 PSA: There will be no trash or recycling collection this Thursday and Friday.

In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, the city has announced there will be no trash and recycling collection on both Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26. Drop-off sites will also be closed these days as well.
From the city: If your trash and recycling are normally collected on Wednesdays and Thursdays by the Streets Division, you should have your carts to the curb by 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, November 24. If your trash and recycling are collected on Fridays and Mondays, you should have your carts to the curb by 6:30 a.m. Monday, November 29.

🏫 Say hello to Vel Phillips Memorial High School.

The Madison School Board unanimously approved renaming James Madison Memorial High School to honor one of Wisconsin’s most accomplished Black women, Phillips is hailed as one of the state's most important civil rights figures. The name change will go into effect at the start of the 2022-23 school year.

🏀 The Bucks took their fourth consecutive win Monday.

Milwaukee's finest dominated the Orlando Magic in a 123-92 blowout. At halftime, the team held a 77-36 lead, the biggest halftime lead in franchise history.

🛍️ Shopping local this holiday season.

There's no shortage of local shops vying for your attention this holiday season. From State Street, to Monroe Street, and beyond, the Wisconsin State Journal put together a nice roundup of where to find unique local gifts on the isthmus.
More local retail: Soli and Duet: There are now two versions of Jazzman on State Street for men and women (Madison Magazine)

🏳️‍🌈 A new UW student organization is providing a space for queer and trans people of color on campus.

Queer and Trans People of Color (QTPOC) is the first student organization of its kind at the University of Wisconsin. The Badger Herald reports the group was born of out necessity for the community it serves and will bring in speakers and host regular meetings and discussions.

"A lot of the other founding members and myself are friends who have a mutual experience of not feeling like we could access some of the resources here on campus for queer and trans students because we saw that they were majority white and catered to a majority white audience." — Daniel Sanji, QTPOC co-founder

🎖️ Your lunchtime read: Four Wisconsin National Guardsmen went to Afghanistan together. All returned home safely. Within months, all took their own lives.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation found that as America increasingly leans on the Guard to fight overseas wars, provide security at protests and even drive public school buses, Guard leaders and lawmakers have failed to keep pace with the greater mental health burden facing the soldiers."
Related: Warrior Songs pairs musicians with veterans to combat PTSD (Madison Magazine)

🐶 Happy Take Me Home Tuesday! Meet Kinetic.

From the Dane County Humane Society: Kinetic was transferred to DCHS from an overcrowded Arkansas shelter. Kinetic is a bouncy 2-year-old looking for an active family who will take him on fun adventures and give him snuggles. Kinetic is nervous around other dogs, so he needs to be your only furry friend or introductions with other pets would need to move slowly. Learn more about this cutie here.