📝 Badgers are Final Four bound

📣 Madisonians Rally for Palestine

• Droves of Wisconsinites rallied in Madison on Saturday, urging an end to the ongoing fighting in the middle east. The event was sponsored by the Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine, a Milwaukee-based organization that represents more than 50 groups across the state that demand “Wisconsin political leaders take immediate action toward implementing a ceasefire in Gaza.”
• The conflict has had rippling effects across the Madison community and on the UW-Madison campus. The day before the ceasefire rally, two people entered the UW Hillel building and caused a disturbance during a Hanukkah celebration by “shouting political slogans and obscenities.” Hillel is working with authorities to investigate the incident. [Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine, Cap Times, Hillel/Instagram]

🏐 Badger Volleyball Is Headed to the Final Four

• The Wisconsin Badgers are heading to the NCAA National Semifinals after beating the Oregon Ducks 3-1 over the weekend. This is the sixth time in program history that the Badgers have made it to a Final Four matchup. Up next, the team will take on Texas on Thursday from Amalie Arena in Tampa. [Bucky’s 5th Quarter, UW Athletics]

♻️ The 2024 Trash and Recycling Schedule

• Wondering when your trash and recycling will get picked up next year? New to town? The city’s 2024 and 2025 recycling and trash collection schedule calendar is now available. You can download a PDF version or have one mailed to you by calling the Streets Division office.
• If one of your new year’s resolutions is to be a better recycler, start here. [City of Madison, City Cast Madison 🎧]

🎺 Your Lunchtime Read: Local New Orleans-style brass band turns 30.

• “When former president Barack Obama visited Madison, Mama Digdown’s Brass Band played to welcome the president, and even got a shoutout from the man himself. But some of their most memorable gigs have been back at ‘the source’ — in New Orleans, where brass band music lives and thrives.”
• Dig deeper: City Cast Madison recently sat down with some of the band members ahead of their two-night stay at the Bur Oak this weekend to talk all things jazz, madison music, and more. [Madison Magazine, City Cast Madison 🎧, Bur Oak]

Meet Jasmine, a true princess! Jasmine is an adult cat looking for her new kingdom. Jasmine takes a little bit of time to warm-up, but once she feels comfortable she loves getting pet and rubbing up on your arms and legs. In true princess form, she likes pets but she doesn't like getting picked up. She also LOVES food, and her human should make sure her bowl is always stocked. Jasmine is staying in a staff office so if you’d like to meet her and show her a whole new world, please talk with the folks in the Adoption Center.

The Vinyl Boom Has Brought Record Pressing Back to Wisconsin

Waxxy Poodle is believed to be the first vinyl record pressing plant in Wisconsin in nearly a hundred years. And it was born out of a serious need. Owner Dave Eck, who’s spent his career mastering audio, saw that the handful of pressing plants in the U.S. couldn’t keep up with the demand of the vinyl resurgence boom. So he took matters into his own hands.