🌎 Feds reinstate visas for UW students

⚖️ Reaction Grows to Milwaukee Judge’s Arrest

• The reaction to Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan’s arrest last week is growing across the country, and falling along partisan lines. Dugan was arrested by federal agents for allegedly helping an immigrant in her courtroom evade ICE agents, although the immigrant was quickly apprehended and taken into custody.
• Hundreds protested last weekend in Milwaukee, joining Democrats saying the arrest was an abuse of power by the Trump administration and a constitutional crisis. Meanwhile, Wisconsin Republicans support the arrest and are weighing impeaching Dugan.
• 🎧 Dig deeper: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel columnist Daniel Bice has been following the Dugan story since the beginning. He joins executive producer Hayley Sperling on the City Cast Madison podcast today to discuss the impact of the arrest, and what’s next. [WPR, FOX 6 News, The Guardian, 🎧 City Cast Madison]

📺 PBS Puppet Is a Person In Our Neighborhood

• A fuzzy blue puppet on the PBS Kids show “Donkey Hodie” was inspired by a beloved Madison disability rights advocate.
• Jeff Mouse, who uses a wheelchair and loves nature, was fashioned after Jeff Erlanger, who public television viewers may remember for his memorable appearance singing “It’s You I Like” with Fred Rogers on “Mr. Rogers’ \ Neighborhood” as a child.
• Erlanger, who died in 2007 at 36, attended Madison West High School and Edgewood College and fought for disability rights in the city, including chairing the city’s Commission on People with Disabilities. [ 🔒 WSJ, YouTube]

🌎 Visas Reinstated For UW International Students and Alumni

• All of the 27 UW-Madison international students and alumni who had their student visas abruptly terminated by the federal government have had their visa status restored. The reversal means the students can continue their studies, and the alumni can continue their employment at the university.
• UW officials said that neither the university nor the students have been told why the visas were terminated in the first place. “I’m relieved and grateful that these terminations have been reversed,” UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin said. “This situation was deeply troubling, upended lives and created both fear and harm.” [Ch. 3000]

Last weekend, I went shopping at Mystery To Me bookstore for Independent Bookstore Day. While in the store, I met a wonderful dog named Clark. No offense, Jeff Bezos, but I’ve never met one single dog while shopping on Amazon.

The chance you might meet a new furry friend is just one of many reasons why readers should support their local indie booksellers. Local bookstores provide personalized recommendations to readers, champion local authors and book clubs, keep money in the community, and provide a physical place for book lovers to get together.

Here are seven great independent bookstores in the Madison area to browse in:

Mystery to Me

Two longtime employees of this beloved Monroe Street store bought it from founding owner Joanne Berg last fall. While the store has an extensive mystery-thriller collection – as the name implies — it also includes plenty of general fiction and non-fiction books, and a children’s section created with a grant from bestselling author James Patterson.

Lake City Books

This charming garden-level bookstore has a dynamite location on N. Hamilton St. just off the Capitol Square, a perfect oasis to browse the well-curated collection of new and used books, along with cards, puzzles, and Madison-themed gifts.

Ink & Ivy Book Boutique

Madison’s newest bookstore is a family affair, started on Regent Street by the mother-daughter duo of Shannon & Eden Anderson. The cozy store features a curated selection of books, artwork and learning toys, and aims to make itself especially welcoming to young readers.

Madison Paperbacks

“Old books. Weird books. Good books.” Owner Todd Henderson started selling his eclectic collection of used paperbacks at flea markets and music festivals, and has now opened the city’s smallest bookstore on Atwood Avenue. You’ll find books you literally won’t find anywhere else in town.

Meet Gus Gus and Jack Jack! They’re a pair of adult mice — Gus Gus is the brown and white one, Jack Jack is the grey and white one — who have really taken a shine to each other while staying at Dane County Humane Society. They groom each other, keep each other company, and sleep together in their hidey hole.

Gus Gus is the introvert of the pair, but becomes friendly once he’s given time to open up. Jack Jack is the friendly extrovert who will crawl up your arm if you let him. They’re looking for a quiet space to hang out together.