📝 An old restaurant gets a new owner

🍸 New Life for a North Side Classic

• After more than 70 years in the family, Kavanaugh’s Esquire Club will soon be under new ownership. Craig Spaulding is the former owner of Cafe Montmartre, a wine bar and music club that operated where Heritage Tavern sits today from 1992 to 2009. Spaulding is taking over the restaurant from longtime owner John Kavanaugh, who is ready to retire.
• Spaulding said he plans to keep alive the spirits and traditions that make Kavanaugh’s special while updating the space. He also has plans to host some small live music acts, like jazz trios.
• The Esquire Club has been a North side staple for more than seven decades and is one of the few remaining supper clubs in the Madison area.
• Dig deeper: What really makes a supper club? [Wisconsin State Journal, City Cast Madison 🎧]

📚 Meet the Candidates Vying To Lead Madison’s Libraries

• The city is searching for the next director of the Madison Public Library system and has narrowed the pool down to three candidates.
• The finalists include Peter Petruski, the division chief for Collection and Access at Arlington Public Library in Virginia; Sarah Townsend, the assistant director of libraries at Suffolk Public Library in Virginia; and Tana Elias, the digital services and marketing manager at Madison Public Library.
• On Saturday, March 9, the three will be at Goodman South Madison Library to meet with community members and answer questions. Registration is requested, but not required for the event. [City of Madison, Madison Public Library]

🎻 Did Someone Say Concerts on the Square?

• I know March just started, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be excited for summer. Adding to that excitement is the announcement of the 2024 Concerts on the Square season! The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra’s iconic Concerts on the Square will return for its 41st season this summer.
• Concerts take place every Wednesday on the Capitol Square at 7 p.m. from June 26 through July. Unless there’s bad weather, then shows are rescheduled.
• Shows are free to attend and you can claim your spot on the Capitol lawn with a blanket starting at 3 p.m. and not a moment before. [WCO]

🗳️ Curious About Maps?

• ICYMI: Wisconsin has new voting maps, which are sure to shake up state politics in upcoming elections.
• The new maps have pretty significant changes in store for the Madison area — some races in Dane County will become more competitive and Democrats could take over Assembly seats in areas that have typically voted more conservative. (Think DeForest, Deerfield, and Marshall area.)
• The race to watch: Dane County Senate District 16. Sen. Melissa Agard, D-Madison, is leaving office to run for Dane County executive. Three assembly members who represent parts of the area, which covers Madison’s far east side, Fort Atkinson, Fitchburg, and Sun Prairie, have already thrown their hats in the metaphorical ring.
• Plus: Be sure to catch Monday’s episode of the City Cast Madison podcast for a deep dive into Wisconsin’s new voting maps and how they could shape the future of our local, state, and national government. [Cap Times, City Cast Madison 🎧]

Friday already? You know what that means — time for some floof. Meet Juno.

This cutie is a nine year old pug mix rescue who loves naps, snacks, and meeting new friends while out on walks. If you see Juno on a walk, owner Jody W. says to be sure to stop for pets!

VP Visits Madison, Teachers Seek Raises, and We Remember Tony Robinson

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin, Hayley Sperling, and Molly Stentz recap the Vice President’s visit to Madison, negotiations between the Madison Metropolitan School District and Madison Teachers Inc, and the unveiling of a new mural remembering Tony Robinson.