Meet UW's next chancellor

⛅ Today's weather: Partly cloudy. High: 72° Low: 50°

Happy Tuesday, Madison.

The sun is shining and today would be the perfect day to wear a shirt with a big stinky flower on it, wouldn't it?

This is my attempt at a not-so-subtle reminder that we're still selling Big Stinky Flower t-shirts!

You can click the link here to check them out, but do it soon, because just like the corpse flower, it won't be around forever.

— Hayley

🏫 Meet UW's next chancellor.

• After a nationwide search, the University of Wisconsin-Madison named Jennifer Mnookin its new chancellor.
• The UW System Board of Regents unanimously approved Mnookin for the role. Her official start date is August 4
• Mnookin has extensive experience in higher education, WPR reports. Prior to coming to UW, Mnookin served as the dean of the University of California, Los Angeles law school. She received her bachelor’s degree from Harvard, a law degree from Yale, and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
• Related: Republicans knock Mnookin as pick for UW-Madison chancellor (Cap Times)

🦠 Covid-19 is on the rise (still) in Wisconsin.

• The state Department of Health Services reports the state is seeing an increase in the spread and impact of Covid-19.
• Seven Wisconsin counties — Barron, Rusk, La Crosse, Monroe, Vernon, Racine and Kenosha — now have "high" Covid-19 community levels and DHS is urging residents to mask up when leaving the house.
• Related: Every U.S. home is eligible to order a 3rd round of free at-home Covid-19 tests. You can order yours here.

☕ Goodbye, State Street Grace Coffee.

• Grace Coffee Co. abruptly closed its State Street location, Madison Magazine reports. A sign posted on the shop's front door announced the closure and encouraged customers to visit the two closest Grace locations on Park Street and East Washington Ave.
• The State Street location opened as Grace's first in 2019 and quickly faced backlash after the new owners painted the 135-year-old brick and stone building black without the proper city sign-offs.
• More recently, Grace made headlines for an array of health code violations across several of its locations. Madison Magazine reports the State Street location "received 20 violations, but as of mid-November, there was no re-inspection required."

💰 PHMDC announced more than $1 million in funding for anti-violence work in the community.

• Public Health Madison & Dane County is looking to address the "growing and urgent issue of violence in our community" by providing $1,065,000 in funding to local nonprofits and tribal organizations working to reduce violence in the Madison and Dane County community.
• The funding, made available by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), will be awarded to organizations that meet three specific goals outlined in Public Health's Roadmap to Reducing Violence: Community Engagement with Children, Youth, and Families; Foster Strong Neighborhoods; Bolster and Increase Intervention and Continuous Healing for Those Affected by Violence.
• Eligible agencies and organizations can apply for funding through June 13.

📓 Collecting an oral history of abortion.

• Tone Madison is working to publish oral histories surrounding abortion, miscarriage, birth control, and reproductive health from people in the Madison area.
• "We hope to publish stories that reflect the variety and complexities of people’s individual experiences with abortion and reproductive health," Tone writes. "Filtering, editing and excluding certain people and experiences from these conversations reinforces abortion stigma."
• You can read the first story here. If you'd like to share your own story, you can start by filling out this form (stories may be shared anonymously).

👕 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).

❤️ Remembering Gaddi Ben Dan.

• Longtime local journalist, publisher, and civil rights activist Gaddi Ben Dan died last week at the age of 76. Dan marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s and founded The Madison Times community newspaper.
• Learn more about his life and legacy in this comprehensive piece from Madison365, and check out this 2018 interview from the Cap Times.

⚢ Your lunchtime read: Temporary party, lasting community.

• From Isthmus: "In lieu of brick-and-mortar spots, pop-ups events have become a popular way to bring the lesbian and queer community together."

📅 Events

Tuesday, May 17

• Panel: “Equity = Ownership” with the Greater Madison Area Chamber of Commerce. 8 a.m. Free.
• Real Talk: A Stand-Up and Storytelling Event at The Bur Oak. 7 p.m. $10.

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