🚌 Bus drivers finally have a contract

💉 Gov. Evers Requires Insurers to Cover COVID Vaccines

• Amid federal uncertainty over the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. Tony Evers signed an executive order Monday requiring insurance companies to continue covering the shot.
• Evers is pushing for vaccine access as the Food and Drug Administration changed its recommendations to only cover people over the age of 65 and with underlying medical conditions. Public Health Madison & Dane County said Aug. 29 that they are “working to understand the impacts” of the federal policy shift, and that they have no COVID-19 vaccines on hand at this time. [WPR, PHMDC]

🚌 Metro Employees Finalize Contract With City

• The city of Madison signed a collective bargaining agreement last week with Teamsters Local 120, which represents Madison Metro drivers and mechanics. The employees had been working for nine months without a contract since the last one expired in December.
• The contract includes a 3% pay increase to keep pace with the salaries of other city employees, including a one-time bonus to keep up with inflation. In the wake of a spate of recent attacks on Madison drivers, employees will have access to personal protective equipment and workplace safety and security will continue to be improved. [City of Madison]

🖼️ MMoCA Starts $3M Renovation of Rooftop Garden

• The sculpture garden on the roof of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art closed this week in preparation for a major $3 million renovation of the space.
• The roof is the home to the museum’s Rooftop Cinema series, and also hosts weddings and other special events. The project, financed entirely by an anonymous private donor, is expected to be finished early next spring.
• In addition to improving the roof membrane to protect the collections inside the museum, the renovation will include adding native plants, enhanced lighting, and a water feature that will attract pollinators. [WMTV]

Even now, comedians who come to Madison talk about the city almost in awe. This is the place where The Onion was born in 1988, bringing a new kind of satirical journalism to the world.

The Onion left Madison in 2004, and is still going strong and independent as a monthly print publication and a website.

On the City Cast Madison podcast today, we’re revisiting host Bianca Martin’s conversation author Christine Wenc who was part of the flagship staff of The Onion as a UW-Madison college student, and has now written a book, “Funny Because It’s True: How The Onion Created Modern American News Satire.”

Let’s revisit some of the best headlines in The Onion’s long run, from personal faves to the ones that had the most impact.

‘Not Knowing What Else To Do, Woman Bakes American Flag Cake’

The issue of The Onion that came out the week after the 9/11 attacks was a huge test for the satirical newspaper. But they passed with flying colors, especially this surprisingly poignant article about a woman showing her patriotism in the kitchen.

‘This War Will Destabilize the Entire Mideast Region and Set Up a Global Shockwave of Anti-Americanism’ vs. ‘No, It Won’t’

I think the editorials in The Onion are somewhat underrated, such as this point-counterpoint in the run-up to the Iraq War that contrasts a reasoned (and prescient critique) of war with a naysayer just saying “Trust me, it won’t” over and over.

‘Perky ‘Canada’ Has Own Government, Laws’

A reporter treats our neighbor to the north as sort of a quirky oddball (“It even has its own currency!”).

‘CIA Realizes It’s Been Using Black Highlighters All These Years’

A very funny article where the nation’s intelligence agency sheepishly reveals that it should have used yellow or pink. “There was probably some really, really important information in these documents.”

‘Kitten Thinks of Nothing But Murder All Day’

The beauty of this one is that it’s just the headline and a photo. I wonder how many kitten photos they looked at to find just the right homicidally adorable one.

⬆️ Last Week’s Photo

This wallpaper is located at The Rigby! (And thanks to Madison Minutes reader Vermilion O. for sending it in! If you’ve got a photo you think would make a good Where Is It, email it to me at [email protected]!)

🎉 Congratulations to Dann P., Wait N. and Jackie M. for being the first three people to guess correctly!

⬇️ This Week’s Photo

Where is this little metal guy located? A few clues:

• He’s on the east side
• He’s in a bar known for serving excellent beer
• The name of the place might make you think of beer or a sweet ice cream treat!