🪧 Striking Meriter nurses get new contract

🏳️‍🌈 Wisconsin Historical Society Won’t Fly Pride Flag

• It’s Pride Month, but for the first time since 2019, the Wisconsin Historical Society will not raise the rainbow Pride Flag over its headquarters on the Capitol Square.
• A spokesman said that the society has decided not to raise flags that could be perceived as an act of advocacy. The decision comes as many corporate brands are pulling back on Pride-themed displays and merchandise this year, fearing reprisals from conservative groups and the Trump administration.
• The Pride flag is flying over the state Capitol on orders from Gov. Tony Evers, and was raised Tuesday by Madison and Dane County officials at the Madison Municipal Building. [WPR, CNN, City of Madison]

🧑‍⚕️ Meriter Nurses Back at Work After Ratifying Contract

• After months of bargaining that culminated in a five-day strike last week, nurses at UnityPoint Health-Meriter ratified a two-year contract with the hospital.
• Roughly 1,000 nurses took to the picket lines last week, calling for changes that would improve staffing, safety, and security issues for nurses. SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin officials, the union representing the nurses, said the contract will give nurses a stronger voice in staffing decisions, as well as an 8% wage increase over two years. [WKOW]

🚨 Feds Target Madison and Dane County over Immigration Laws

• The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has put Madison and Dane County on a list of communities they say are obstructing the enforcement of immigration laws amid President Donald Trump’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
• City and county officials said they weren’t told why they’re on the list, and whether their inclusion will result in a loss of federal funding. A department spokesperson told the Cap Times that the list was “determined by factors like compliance with federal law enforcement, information restrictions and legal protections for illegal aliens.”
• County officials said they won’t change policy as a result of the list, and Madison City Attorney Michael Haas said there’s no legal or policy basis for putting the city on the list. Shawano County in northeast Wisconsin and the city of Milwaukee were also named on the list. [Cap Times]

Live Nation is the most powerful live music company in the world and looms large in Madison, with ownership of The Sylvee, Majestic Theatre, Orpheum Theater, and the High Noon Saloon, as well as booking the big Morgan Wallen and Coldplay concerts at Camp Randall this summer.

But they’re not the only game in town. The new 700-seat Atwood Music Hall on Winnebago Street is the latest in a series of independent music venues to open in Madison. On the City Cast Madison podcast today, owner Toffer Christensen explains how he wants to make the music hall a home for local musicians and lesser-known acts that truly reflect Madison.

Looking for a show? Here are some other independent venues that are shaping live music scene.

The Bur Oak

Christensen is also a co-owner of this 130-seat venue down the street from Atwood Music Hall, whose size and warm, inviting space makes it perfect for singer-songwriters and Americana bands in particular. But I’ve also seen some great live comedy and drag brunches there as well.

The Barrymore Theatre

The stars on the ceiling still twinkle brightly for this iconic theater, a fixture of Madison’s east side for decades. The Barrymore’s eclectic schedule includes beloved musicians like Leo Kottke who return again and again, along with live comedy, podcast tapings, community events, and film screenings.

Gamma Ray Bar

Kevin Willmott is celebrating the first anniversary of his Main Street club, which beams a welcoming ray of light that encourages musicians, comedians and other entertainers to try something fresh and original in the space.

The Crystal Corner Bar

With its glass-block walls and a website that hasn’t been upgraded since 2004, the Crystal Corner Bar on Willy Street is Madison’s ultimate dive bar, a place to gather with your friends and hear good music played loud.

Harmony Bar & Grill

The friendly neighborhood bar on Atwood Avenue not only has great burgers, but is also home to a busy live music schedule that’s heavy on local favorites, like David Landau’s kids’ shows on Monday nights and Annie & Friends’ monthly Americana jams.

It’s Critter Palooza at the Dane County Humane Society, where adoption fees for guinea pigs, rabbits, rats, and more are reduced by 50% through June 15! So meet Snickle Fritz, a young adult guinea pig who loves jumping up on his hidey house to get a bird’s eye view (or guinea pig’s eye view) of the world around him. Snickle Fritz is looking for a calm home with a patient family who will work with him on his social skills, and spoil him with floor time and veggies.