🚧 Expect downtown road closings this weekend

😎 Madison and Dane County See Record Tourism Numbers

• Madison and Dane County made a record $1.55 billion in direct tourism spending last year, according to a report from Destination Madison. The study says a record 9.2 million visitors spent an average of $4.2 million per day in Dane County, supporting over 19,000 jobs in the tourism and hospitality industries.
• IRONMAN Wisconsin, the World Dairy Expo, and Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association tournaments were big drivers in bringing people to Dane County. [WMTV, Madison Minutes]

🗳️ Electronic Poll Books Get Test Drive For Special Election

• When voters in Dane County District 1 go to the polls on June 17 to vote for a new Dane County Supervisor, their votes will be tallied for the first time not on paper, but in an electronic poll book.
• The special election gives city election officials the chance to try out the e-poll books, called Badger Books, which were developed by the Wisconsin Elections Commission and used in 400 other Wisconsin communities. The books are designed to reduce human error and increase efficiency.
• Dig deeper: WORT interviewed the two candidates in the June 17 election, public defender Adrian Lampron and legislative assistant Colin Barushok. [City of Madison, WORT]

🚧 Downtown Roads Close for Construction This Weekend

• Both Wilson Street and West Washington Avenue will be closed for construction this weekend.
• Wilson Street will be completely closed starting Friday morning for surface paving operations from South Franklin Street to South Pinckney Street. The road is expected to reopen by the end of the day Saturday.
• Meanwhile, West Washington Avenue will be closed between Park and Regent Streets beginning Friday night so that a pedestrian bridge connecting several apartment buildings to Brittingham Park can be taken down. The road is expected to reopen for traffic on Monday morning. [News 3, 🔒 WSJ]

Summer has arrived and thankfully, Madison is a great place to go swimming with the many lakes the city has to offer. On the City Cast Madison podcast today, Alisa Sleep of the Madison Family parenting site shares some of her favorite places to take a dip.

But there are a few things to keep in mind before diving in.

🏊Before You Swim

The City of Madison constantly checks the safety of the water in our lakes. For updated information on each beach, you can check with Public Health Madison & Dane County to see what beaches and lakes are open for swimming. While the city tries to be as accurate as possible, conditions can change quickly. This means you should still keep an eye out for green-blue algae in the water.

⚠️What Exactly is Blue-Green Algae?

Now, you may wonder what exactly you’re looking for when it comes to blue-green algae. The city describes it as “algae that looks blue-green, green, reddish-purple, or brown, murky looking water that has a texture similar to ‘pea soup,’ a layer of scum or puffy blobs floating on the surface, and a strong musty odor near the water.”

Coming into contact with blue-green algae can cause skin irritation, nausea, respiratory problems, and more. The importance of being smart is key when it comes to swimming in these lakes!

If you do come into contact with the blue-green algae, make sure to wash off immediately.

⬆️ Last Week’s Photo

These masks are hanging in the lobby of the Barrymore Theatre!

🎉 Congratulations to Wait D., Candace M., and Sean Michael D. (who I believe has played on stage at the Barrymore many times) for being the first three people to guess correctly!

⬇️ This Week’s Photo

Do you know where this ghost sign is located? A few clues:

• It’s in the First Settlement District
• This sign was discovered on the brick wall that this business shares with the theater next door.
• We recently enjoyed the Thai Tea flavor from this spot on our podcast!

(By the way, this week’s photo was contributed by one of our City Cast Madison friends, Cap Times food and culture editor Lindsay Christians. If you have a photo you want to submit as a future “Where Is It?”, email it to me at [email protected] and you might see it in an upcoming newsletter!)