Big Stinky Flower the shirt

⛅ Today's weather: Hot and muggy. High: 89° Low: 70°

Good morning, Madison!

It's Wednesday and we've got a little treat for you.

Last week on the isthmus was all about one thing: big stinky flower.

While on vacation and (allegedly) doing no work, Sam stumbled across local artist Jess Draws' (aka bumblechub) art commemorating Olbrich Gardens' corpse flower bloom. Like many of us, Jess was delighted by the existence of a giant, stinky corpse flower but didn't brave the four-hour line to see it in person, so she made some fanart instead. Sam knew immediately we had to do something with her art.

So now I present to you our first piece of wearable merchandise, Big Stinky Flower shirts. On sale now! And for a limited time!

The proceeds will be split between the Olbrich Botanical Gardens and the artist. Madison Minutes isn't making any money off this. We just think the stinky flower is pretty cool.

— Hayley

🚨 A group has taken credit for Sunday's arson of an anti-abortion organization.

• A national group calling itself "Janes Revenge" has claimed credit for the arson at the Madison offices of  Wisconsin Family Action, an anti-abortion group.
• Robert Evans, an investigative journalist with Netherlands-based Bellingcat, explained via Twitter he received a statement from the group through an anonymous intermediary who Evans believed to be reliable. The statement claims Sunday's arson was "only a warning" and went on to demand the "disbanding of all anti-choice establishments, fake clinics and violent anti-choice groups within the next 30 days.”
• The State Journal reports Madison Police are aware of the group and are working with the FBI to determine the validity of their claims.
• Related: GOP lawmakers split over what to do with 1849 abortion ban (WKOW)

🍎 Madison teachers are rallying for higher wages.

• Members of Madison Teachers Inc. (MTI) are continuing their call for higher wages and putting public pressure on the Madison Metropolitan School District for raises.
• Cap Times reports a group rallied outside of Wright Middle School Monday "demanding a $5 an hour increase in pay for educational assistant and security assistant salary schedules." MTI members are also seeking a 4.7% cost-of-living base wage increase, and increased substitute pay rates.

✨ Take in the sights at the Monona Terrace rooftop.

• The 2022 display of Art on the Rooftop is now open and on exhibit on Olin Terrace and the William T. Evjue Rooftop Gardens at the Monona Terrace.
• Art will be on display through October. The gardens are open Sunday – Thursday 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to midnight.
• The free public sculpture exhibit began in 2014 as a way to help showcase the rooftop as a “must see” Madison destination. It has since become an annual program with new artwork each year.

🐺 A new study illustrates the damage a second hunt could have caused Wisconsin's wolf population.

• Research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison shows a second wolf hunt last year "would have risked Wisconsin’s wolf population dropping to undesirable levels that include the wolf possibly becoming endangered or extinct in Wisconsin," WPR reports.
• Ultimately, a Dane County judge put Wisconsin’s second wolf hunt on hold last fall, and a federal judge restored protections for wolves in February.
• Related: 6 Wisconsin tribes voice opposition to bill seeking to remove federal protections for wolves (WPR)

🎨 MMSD is looking to fill more spots at its free Summer Arts Academy.

• From Cap Times: "The Madison Metropolitan School District’s new Summer Arts Academy still has nearly two-thirds of its capacity available for grades 6-12 enrollees this summer. MMSD is funding the new, free summer programming with $1.3 million of federal COVID-19 relief funds. As of Monday morning, about 220 students in grades 6-12 had enrolled out of about 600 spots, MMSD coordinator of fine arts Peter Kuzma told the Madison School Board."

🥕 Gather your scraps.

• In partnership with Sustain Dane and Neighborhood Food Solutions, the city will offer food scrap recycling at the South Madison Farmer’s Market starting June 14.
• Food scraps drop-off will be available from 2-6 p.m. during the Tuesday evening market. Collection will run through September 27.
• What can I bring? Coffee grounds, eggshells, raw fruits and vegetables, and other similar scraps. The program cannot accept meat products, bones, grease, or dairy products (including cheese).

🎶 Your lunchtime read: New music video will shine light on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

• From Madison365: "[Kelly] Jackson, a member of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, has been in a Madison studio this week filming a video to accompany that song with hopes to raise awareness of the ongoing issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and hopes to leverage it to raise funds to support survivors and create change."

📅 Events

Wednesday, May 11

• “Pandemic Struggles and Silver Linings” with infectious disease researcher Dr. Nasia Safdar. 6 p.m. Virtual. Free. Registration required.
• Mark Croft Band Concert at Olin Park Pavilion. 6 p.m. Free.
• Belles & Chimes Meet Up at I/O Arcade Bar. Group brings female identifying and nonbinary people to play pinball together. 6:30 p.m.
• Drag Queen Bingo at Shamrock Bar & Grille. 7-9 p.m. $5-10.

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