🏥 What went wrong with the county’s DHS pick?

🏳️‍🌈 Madison’s LGBTQ+ Community Unnerved by Trump Moves

• President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders targeting the transgender community, and the right-wing dominance of the U.S. Supreme Court, have rattled LGBTQ+ residents who fear rising bigotry in America.
• Many also worry that the court could outlaw same-sex marriage, much as it overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Madison attorney Emily Dudak Leiter said her caseload is overflowing with LGBTQ+ couples and families worried about their legal rights under a second Trump term.
• 🎧 Dig deeper: Madison Roller Derby threw an elbow at Trump’s executive orders, reaffirming its support for transgender and nonbinary athletes. Learn more about the league’s scrappy history on the City Cast Madison podcast. [Cap Times, WMTV Ch. 15, 🎧City Cast Madison]

🍎 Park Street Grocery Store Is Almost a Reality

• Construction is expected to start later this month on Maurer’s Urban Market, a long-awaited grocery story project that should open on South Park Street by late summer or early fall.
• The store’s opening will end a four-year protracted struggle to bring a grocery store to the corner of Park and Cedar streets. Owner Kristi Maurer signed a lease with the city in November for the store, which will be on the ground floor of a six-story, $43 million apartment building. [ 🔒 WSJ]

🏥 Back to Square One for Top County DHS Search

• Amy Everett, who accepted a job last month as director of the Dane County Department of Human Services, has now turned down the position.
• Everett said in an email that she initially was “overjoyed” to join Dane County, but changed her mind after an “oppositional” meeting with a community board member who questioned her performance at her previous employer.
• Dane County Executive Melissa Agard said the search for a new director would be expedited. She also criticized several board members for “upending” the process, saying “to disrupt the outcome after an offer was made is unfair and disingenuous.” [Dane County, Madison365, Ch. 3000]

No date? No problem. While Valentine’s Day is typically thought of as a time for couples, it’s essential to love and appreciate yourself first before trying to connect with another person. Here are some ideas for solo dating in Madison, for Valentine’s Day and any time you want to show your favorite person a little affection.

🧘Take a Meditation Class

Meditation can be a great practice to be present in your body and pay attention to how you’re feeling. Listen to the City Cast Madison podcast today as host Bianca Martin talks to Buddhist monk Khenchen Konchog Gylatsen Rinpoche about the benefits of the meditation practices he hosts through the Wil-Mar Center and the importance of self-love and community care.

💆 Get a Massage

Now that you’ve gotten your mind right with meditation, treat your body with a massage. Indulge Spa, Kneaded Relief, and A Healer’s Hand are three locally-owned options that will take good care of you.

🚶 Take a Nature Walk

Sure, it’s a little chilly out there, but if you’re bundled up and the sun is shining, a Wisconsin nature walk can be invigorating as well as beautiful. Stroll through the Arboretum (and maybe search for the Lost City), or take a walk out to Picnic Point and gaze out on frozen Lake Mendota.

📚 Browse an Indie Bookstore

A great way to spend an afternoon is looking for your next great read at an indie bookstore in Madison, like Lake City Books, A Room of One’s Own, and Leopold’s Book Bar Caffe. As the name implies, you can also get coffee or a cocktail at Leopold’s while you browse.

Nala is a sunny and energetic two-year-old who can keep up with your active lifestyle! She is sweet and smart, and loves nothing more than a game of fetch. Runners take note that Nala would love to join you on your jogs.

At night, the 45-pound greyhound/pittie mix loves to curl up with her human. She would do best as the only dog in the house (no cats please!) and might be a little much for young children. But for an active household, she’s ready to roll!