📝 It’s mulchin’ time

🏫 Two UW Campuses to Close

• The UW system, now called the Universities of Wisconsin, announced the end of in-person instruction and closure of UW-Milwaukee's Washington County campus and UW-Oshkosh's Fond du Lac campus. System President Jay Rothman said the campus closures aren’t a cost-cutting measure but rather driven by declining enrollment figures. [Cap Times]
• Rothman also announced the official closure of UW-Platteville’s Richland Center campus, which ceased in-person operations last spring. [Wisconsin Examiner]
• “It’s time for us to realign our branch campuses to current market realities and prepare for the future. The status quo is not sustainable,” Rothman said. [UW System]

🥕 New Restaurant Coming to Willy Street

• The space that once was home to La Kitchenette won’t be empty much longer. A food truck owner from California is planning to open a vegan restaurant at 805 Williamson St. called Mad Rabbit Cafe. The new spot will have a fast-casual vibe, serving vegan burgers, vegan flatbreads, vegan chicken sandwiches, and more. The owner hopes to open Mad Rabbit Cafe by December. [Wisconsin State Journal]

✨ Calling All Crafters

• A new craft studio recently opened on the east side of Madison catering to children and adults of crafting levels. The Curious Crafter, located at 4678 Cottage Grove Rd., began as an online business launched by two partners during the pandemic. The business used to have a small space in Hilldale but the new location will allow the studio to host larger groups. [The Curious Crafter]
• “Our kits and experience are designed to help people explore their creativity and have fun,” co-owner Francisco Martinez said. “We want to create a welcoming and inclusive space where people of all ages and skill levels can come to be creative.” [NBC15]

🛬 Your Lunchtime Read: The crash of an F-35 is not a laughing matter.

• Madison is home to an elite group of military fighter jets that are equipped to carry nuclear weapons. A recent crash of an F-35 in South Carolina highlights the potential consequences these jets have for the communities in which they operate. [Tone Madison]
• Dig deeper: Learn more about the jets and the contentious path they took before landing in Madison. [City Cast Madison 🎧]

Wednesday, Oct. 18

• Boys Like Girls at The Sylvee
• Brews and Q's Taproom Trivia at Young Blood Beer Company - North Street
• Trivia at Starkweather Brewing Company
• Gib’s Give and Takeaway Comedy Show! at Gib’s
• Wisconsin Science Festival at multiple locations

Lawsuit Seeks to Toss Wisconsin School Choice Program

The first school choice program in Wisconsin was created more than 30 years ago — and it’s been fought over ever since. If you’d rather send your kid to a private school than your local public school, and you have a low income, the state will pay for it. What started out as an experimental pilot program, now pays for more than 50,000 private school students.

A new lawsuit claims it’s unconstitutional.