Morning Update

Coming soon: chocolate

Morning Update: Wednesday, May 18

In this newsletter

🌨️ Today's weather: Rainy and cloudy. High: 63° Low: 50°

Happy Wednesday, Madison!

A little fun fact: Everyone's favorite ogre-based film Shrek came out 21 years ago today (and suddenly I'm feeling old).

Why does this matter? Well, in the scheme of things, it doesn't. Mostly it's just an excuse for me to remind you that Madison's own golden boy Chris Farley was supposed to play the titular green ogre before his untimely death.

Start your morning with a little joy and check out this footage of Farley's recorded work as Shrek.

— Hayley

🚧 A proposed north side development is on hold.

Local developer LZ Ventures had planned a redevelopment of 5360 Westport Road where Nau-Ti-Gal restaurant currently sits (and is temporarily closed for business). Cap Times reports LZ Ventures sought to demolish the restaurant and construct a six-story high-rise apartment complex in its place.
But concerns from neighborhood residents and the Westport Plan Commission over traffic, building size, and land use issues have put the developer's plans on hold.
Cap Times reports LZ Ventures is currently weighing whether or not to move forward with the project.

🍫 Chocolate fans rejoice: Madison Chocolate Co. is opening a second location.

After five years at its Monroe Street location, the local chocolatier announced it will open a second location selling its chocolates, gluten-free goodies, coffees, and more.
Madison Magazine reports the Monroe Street location isn't going anywhere. The new spot — located on the corner of Odana Road and Whitney Way — will help take the pressure of the original storefront when it comes to making deliveries and storage. The new space will also have a drive-thru and sit-down cafe space.

💸 The county jail project is over budget, again.

The State Journal reports that under the jail's current plan, "the county needs about $9.8 million in additional funding to build a six-story, 825-bed facility that would replace the county’s current jail facility at the City-County Building in Downtown Madison." This brings the total cost of the project to about $176 million.
County Executive Joe Parisi has reportedly asked county staff to draft a resolution for the board to consider for approval needed to solidify the extra funding.
As Channel 3000 reports, the resolution would need approval from three-quarters of the county board on or by its August 18 meeting in order to meet deadlines for borrowing plans.
Some context: The county jail is in desperate need of renovations. Initially, officials proposed adding new floors to the current building with a price tag of $72 million. But once it was determined the building needed a complete overhaul, the project's projected cost hovered around $150 million.

🏥 UW Health broke ground on a new east-side facility.

The Eastpark Medical Center is a 469,000 square foot facility that will offer specialized treatment for "women’s complex care, adult cancer care, advanced imaging services, and clinical trials," Channel 3000 reports.
The new medical center will be located across from East Madison Hospital and UW Health Rehabilitation Hospital on Eastpark Boulevard and is expected to open in 2024.
Related: Cancer treatment centers to use precise, pricey proton therapy (Wisconsin State Journal)

⚾ A Brewers pitcher has been suspended following a positive steroids test.

J.C. Mejía has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a banned substance, Major League Baseball announced Tuesday.
Mejía is the second member of the Milwaukee Brewers to be suspended for banned substance use. Catcher Pedro Severino tested positive before the start of the regular season, Channel 3000 reports. Both players are now ineligible for the postseason roster.

🌬️ Eliminating air pollution could prevent 50,000 premature deaths.

A new study from University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers shows more than 50,000 annual premature deaths could be prevented if air pollution emissions from energy-related activities in the U.S. were eliminated.
Pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides "contribute to health problems such as heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and lower respiratory infections," WPR reports.
While complete elimination of these emissions could be impossible in some cases, the study highlights the importance incremental change can have on long term outlooks.

👟 Your lunchtime read: ShaH Evans launches new shoe that encourages you to “Seek Death” of your limits, live life to the fullest.

From Madison365:"Mark 'ShaH' Evans has launched a new shoe called “Seek Death,” but it’s not anything morbid or negative. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

'It’s seeking the death of your limited self, and the death of your limiting beliefs. And when you transform yourself and push yourself past your limits, you’re essentially killing off the version of the person who you were and becoming this new person,' Evans tells Madison365. 'I want you to manifest a new version of yourself physically, emotionally and mentally.'"

👕 Stinky flower: gone but never forgotten.

It came, it stank, and then it left. So long!
Buy your shirt here. The proceeds will be split between Olbrich Botanical Gardens and local artist Jess Draws (aka bumblechub).