Morning Update

Should you stay or should you go

Morning update: Wednesday, Nov. 23

In this newsletter

Gooooooooooood morning, Madison!

Some housekeeping: There won't be any newsletter on Thursday or Friday. Enjoy the lovely long weekend, if you have one (and don't miss us too much!).

With Thanksgiving travel in full swing, it's important to remember we're still in a pandemic and we can all play a role in keeping each other safe.

Public Health Madison and Dane County has put together a nice guide to help answer your questions and navigate health conversations with family.

The bottom line: If you're sick, stay home. There will always be leftovers.

— Hayley

🚌 Important bus service updates.

Metro's service will be reduced Thursday and Friday because of Thanksgiving.
On Thursday, the following routes will operate on a holiday schedule: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 16, 17,18, 20, 21, 22, 26, 30, 31, 32, 36, 40, 50, 51, 59, 63, 67 and 68. The 80 will operate on a shortened schedule and routes 81-84 will not be in service.
On Friday, the following routes will operate on Saturday schedules: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 26, 30, 31, 32, 36, 40, 50, 51, 59, 63, 67, 68 and 78. Routes 55 and 75 will operate on weekday schedules. Again, the 80 will operate on a shortened schedule and routes 81-84 will not be in service.

🗳️ Two more alders announced they won't seek reelection.

Ald. Erik Paulson (District 3) and Ald. Brian Benford (District 6) won't be running for City Council in 2023.
Paulson took office in May, filling the vacancy former Ald. Lindsay Lemmer left after resigning. In a blog post, he wrote he chose not to seek out a full term due to "some (happy!) personal reasons."
Benford has represented District 6 since 2021 and had previously served on the council from 2003 to 2007. In his resignation blog post, Benford lauded the city's budgeting efforts and celebrated getting the public market back on track. He bemoaned the council's recent decision to increase alder pay, saying "I mourn the days of true public service and how money has polluted government at all levels."
The bigger picture: In addition to Paulson and Benford, Alds. Patrick Heck, District 2, Syed Abbas, District 12, and Council President Keith Furman, District 19 have all announced they will not seek reelection in 2023. All City Council seats will be on the ballot in April.

🏫 Madison teachers still want Sennet Middle School's fired principal to be reinstated.

At a School Board Meeting Monday, MMSD staff members defended former Sennett Middle School principal Jeffrey Copeland who was fired. Six people spoke at the meeting and eight others submitted written statements to the board, all in support of Copeland, according to the Cap Times.
If you'll recall: Copeland was fired in September for inappropriate comments he made in an accidental voicemail about a teaching applicant. Later that month, Sennett parents and staff members pleaded with the School Board for his reinstatement.
Copeland filed a grievance over his firing, which was initially denied by MMSD administration. The School Board is expected to review the incident Nov. 29 and issue a final ruling.

⚖️ Doug La Follette has been elected secretary of state race — again.

Two weeks after Election Day, the race for secretary of state is over. Republican state Rep. Amy Loudenbeck conceded to Democratic incumbent Secretary of State Doug La Follette.
La Follette — who has served in the position for more than 40 years — declared victory last week, before canvasses from all the state's 72 counties were reported. Loudenbeck's concession came after it became clear she could not make up the gap needed for a victory.
According to WisPolitics, the longtime Democratic incumbent won the election by just 7,442 votes, a margin of 0.28% of all votes cast in the race.
What does secretary of state do? According to Ballotpedia, the secretary keeps a record of all official acts of the legislature and executive department of the state.

📷 Capturing Ho-Chunk resiliency.

A UW-Madison assistant professor of photography is bringing enhanced visibility to the Ho-Chunk Nation's vibrant culture through his art. Tom Jones' work explores how American Indian culture is represented through popular culture and beyond.
Jones' work is currently on display at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery, according to Madison Magazine. But his art can also be found at museums across the nation, including the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and the Chazen Museum of Art, locally.

🦃 Last call for Thanksgiving pasties.

Teddywedgers' seasonal Thanksgiving Dinner Wedger has been flying off the store's shelf and today is the last day to get one. (The State Street shop will be closed Thursday and Friday.)
The pasty is filled with mashed potatoes, corn, stuffing, roasted turkey, gravy, cranberries, and of course, cheese curds. There's also a veggie version that swaps the turkey for fried cauliflower.
The dish's origin is a wholesome one. "I made it a few years ago for some people Downtown who were not going home for Thanksgiving and word spread pretty quick, so now I have to do it every year," Teddywedgers co-owner Anthony Rineer told the State Journal. While it didn't start off as a popular item, this year's massive demand for the pasty has Rineer considering another special for the winter holidays, too.

🏳️‍⚧️ Your lunchtime read: Q&A: UW-Madison's Emmett Lockwood is breaking barriers in the pool.

Via Cap Times: "Emmett Lockwood, 19, is the first openly transgender athlete on the University of Wisconsin-Madison men's water polo team and proud of it. But it hasn’t been an easy journey.

The summer before Lockwood started at UW, Wisconsin’s Republican Legislature renewed a push to bar transgender athletes from participating in girls' or women's sports from elementary school through college. He knew being on the team here would come with challenges but he’s taken them all on, helping lead the team to the Big 10 Championship in 2021."

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