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A new restaurant on Willy Street, layoffs at a Madison company, and St. Patrick's Day plans — here's what you need to know today.

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Good morning, Madison!

In case you missed it, we have hats now.

You could be sporting one of these fantastic hats if you win our first HATAPALOOZA.

How does it work? It's simple, really. Just enter yourself into the giveaway here.

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— Hayley

Irish Green Beer — Photo by Patrick Fore / Unsplash

🍀 Looking for St. Patrick's Day plans?

Now is the time to get your favorite green clothes out.
From special menus and charcuterie workshops to comedy shows and dancing, there are plenty of ways to get festive this week. Madison Magazine rounded up a bunch of themed activities to check out.

😋 Meet Willy Street Eats.

A new restaurant has moved into the former home of Lao Laan-Xang on Willy Street. Willy Street Eats is currently open for lunch and dinner and this weekend will serve a special St. Patrick's Day menu that, yes, includes corned beef and cabbage. Outside of specials, the spot will also serve chicken, fish, ribs, and pork chops with various sides.
The new restaurant's owner told the State Journal that the owners of Lao Laan-Xang, have been very supportive of the new endeavor. Lao Laan-Xang on Willy Street closed in March 2022 after 25 years. The same family still operates a location on Atwood Avenue.

💼 Layoffs at a Madison tech company.

Madison-based technology company Fetch Rewards has laid off roughly 10% of its staff, affecting around 100 employees.
The company was founded by two former UW-Madison students and offers shoppers rewards for scanning their receipts, and in turn, sells that data to its partner companies.
Fetch made headlines in 2022 when it earned a $2.4 billion valuation, making it one of Wisconsin's most highly valued tech startups.
Full disclosure: I worked at Fetch in 2020.

🏈 A Packer no more.

Longtime Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers announced he "intends" to play for the New York Jets next season.
The Packers drafted Rodgers in 2005 and he's been with the team ever since. In 2011 he led the team to a Super Bowl victory.
Rumors of his departure began swirling shortly after the close of last season. In an interview with the Pat McAfee show, Rodgers said the decision was mutual and the Packers are ready to move on, but he still holds a special place for the Wisconsin city.
"I was drafted by Green Bay, and f***ing love that city, love that organization and always gonna have love for that," he said.

*Construction of a new apartment building on State Street. Photo by Hayley Sperling*

🏡 Your lunchtime read: Why new housing rules stir so much trouble in Madison.

Via Cap Times: "Mike Varda and Ron Rosner have lived in Madison’s Regent neighborhood just past Camp Randall Stadium for 40 years. They can point out every house that used to be occupied by a family but now is home to college students.

It’s too many, in their opinion. [...]

They’re worried about the unintended consequences of recent zoning changes the city has made. In just three months, Madison has overhauled zoning for single-family neighborhoods in an attempt to address the city’s perennial housing shortage — from changing the definition of “family” in the city code, to allowing for more unrelated roommates to live together, to adding housing capacity along the city’s high frequency bus routes."

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🎙️ Today on City Cast Madison

Madison’s Hottest Food Trend? Vegetables!

It’s never been easier to eat a meat-free diet in Madison. There are now two dedicated vegan restaurants, Jardin and Sookie’s Veggie Burgers, and a third in the works, with the JustVeggiez food cart planning to open a soul food storefront on State Street. In addition to vegetarian favorites Green Owl, Monty’s Blue Plate and Himal Chuli, the city’s packed with tasty Thai and Indian restaurants offering a number of veggie options. Add this to juice bars like New Day Eastside Juicery and a whole host of dairy-free bakeries like East Side Cakes, Heirloom Bakery & Kitchen and Level 5 Donuts, and you’ve got tasty treats for many kinds of diets.

And there’s a Madison Vegan Spring Pop-Up Market happening on March 26th at the Goodman Center.

Lindsay Christians, food editor of the Cap Times, is here to give us her favorite tips for feeding the vegan in your life and how we all might eat more veggies.

Listen now