🎓 Is UW one of the best schools in the world?

🏈 Fickell Asks UW Not To Extend Contract Any Further

• After a disappointing 2025 season, UW-Madison has not extended the contract of Badgers football coach Luke Fickell at his request.
• However, that doesn't mean Fickell is going anywhere anytime soon – his current contract runs through 2032. Fickell was hired in 2022 on a six-year contract with an average salary of $7.8 million per year, and received one-year extensions in 2024 and 2025.
• Meanwhile, the UW Athletic Board extended contracts for three other coaches. Volleyball coach Kelly Sheffield, women’s soccer coach Paula Wilkins, and men’s soccer coach Neil Jones all had their five-year contracts extended until 2031. [Daily Cardinal, UW Athletics]

⛔ City Claims Benches Are Raising Crime Rates

• City officials want the Social Justice Center to remove benches and a food pantry that they say are contributing to a public nuisance, but the center says it will appeal the decision next month.
• The center at 1202 Williamson St. houses several nonprofits and provides community resources such as Narcan and free food.
• Madison Police said they responded to 212 calls to the center in 2025, including reports of drug use, disorderly conduct, and trash. Center director Brenda Konkel said the real issue is the lack of resources for unhoused people in Dane County. [News 3, 🎧 City Cast Madison]

🐩 Wisconsin Poodle Wins at Westminster Dog Show

• Gerard, a standard poodle from Wisconsin, is a very good dog indeed. Under the training of his owner John Pittman, Gerard won the Masters Agility Competition in his category at last weekend’s 150th Annual Westminster Dog Show in New York City.
• They completed the final course in just 36.55 seconds, with Gerard navigating a seesaw, jumps, weave poles, and other obstacles. [WPR]

💉 Vaccination Clinic Scheduled as Measles Found in Madison

• Following the news that a case of measles had been diagnosed on the UW-Madison campus, health officials have scheduled a child vaccination clinic on Saturday at Holzman Learning Center.
• The clinic will offer free doses of the MMR vaccine that prevents measles, as well as several other vaccines. Families are encouraged to make an appointment ahead of time.
• The UW-Madison case is the second recorded in Wisconsin since the disease has made a resurgence nationwide as vaccination rates decline. Health officials do not believe the two cases are connected.
• 🎧 Dig deeper: On the City Cast Madison podcast, we talk about measles coming to Madison. We also talk about a data center not coming to Dane County, and WisconsinEye once again keeping tabs on our elected officials. Listen in! [News 3, PHMDC, 🎧 City Cast Madison]

Meet Phoebe! In the yard, Phoebe looks majestic as she watches the bunnies and squirrels. But when she comes inside for a nap, as you can see, she transforms into a total goofball.