Isthmus: Apr 13-19, 2017 by Isthmus

APRIL 13–19, 2017

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VOL. 42 NO. 15

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MADISON, WISCONSIN

SHUT IT

DOWN If lawmakers don’t close

Dane County’s decrepit jail, former inmates just might

C A R O LY N F A T H

Robert F. and Jean E. Holtz Center for

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STUDIES SCIENCE & THE PUBLIC 2017

GENE EDITING:

THE FUTURE OF DISEASE, BODIES & LIFE

A Panel Discussion Thursday, April 20, 7:00 p.m. Howard Auditorium, Fluno Center for Executive Education 601 University Avenue

Free and Open to the Public

sts.wisc.edu On Twitter @HoltzCenter 608-263-2927

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ISTHMUS.COM APRIL 13–19, 2017

for Summer Recreation, Camps and Sports Jobs!

• Aquatics • Camp Counselor/ Program Leaders • Tennis Instructors • Soccer Referees and Instructors • AND MORE! Go to www.mscr.org and click on Employment. Come work with a Great Team at MSCR!

DEMOCRACY

IN CRISIS A syndicated column covering the Trump administration from journalist Baynard Woods Find us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

ISTHMUS.COM

■ CONTENTS

■ WHAT TO DO

4 SNAPSHOT

ANIMAL FARM

All animals are cuddly, but some animals are more cuddly than others.

6-8 NEWS

CREDIT CRUNCH

Walker’s call to scale back historic preservation assistance may hurt economy, rural areas.

10 OPINION RILEY VETTERKIND

DYLAN BROGAN 13 COVER STORY AFTER STAFF WRITER Dylan Brogan penned a piece in January about yet more delays to find a replacement for the outdated Dane County jail in the City County Building, he was contacted by Lisa Mitchell, a former inmate. Mitchell shared stories about mold on the walls and lead in the water and informed Brogan that she had filed a federal lawsuit seeking to shut the jail down. Turns out she’s not the only inmate who has taken legal action against the county.

8 NEWS RILEY VETTERKIND, our news intern this spring, is a Wisconsin native who will graduate this May from UW-Madison with an undergraduate degree in journalism and Russian. In June, he will begin a reporting internship at the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, where he hopes to continue reporting on state issues and show “how decisions at the Capitol affect real people at the local level.”

LOST OPPORTUNITY

Progressives fail to field a candidate to challenge conservative justice Annette Ziegler.

13 COVER STORY

JAILBREAK

Will former inmates’ lawsuits finally force Dane County to quit its decrepit jail?

19-22 FOOD & DRINK

CART MAN

Josh Romaker’s food trailers are in great demand.

ALL THAT AND A BAG OF CHIPS Lunchtime sandwiches are the stars at Casetta Kitchen and Counter.

26 SPORTS

THEY LIKE MIKE

A Madison sports radio host draws a national following.

28 BOOKS

ICE ICE BABY

Author chronicles her 1,200-mile hike on the Ice Age Trail.

30 ART

MUSEUM MOVES

Russell Panczenko bids the Chazen adieu after 33 years.

31 MUSIC

Look, Ma, no hands! Thursday, April 20, UW Old Music Hall, 12:30-4:30 pm They are coming whether we like it or not, so we’d better be ready. The Wisconsin Bike Fed takes a look at how self-driving cars could affect cyclists and pedestrians at its free conference “The Self-Driving Future: Dream or Nightmare.” Speakers include Peter Rafferty, Wisconsin Traffic Operations and Safety Lab program manager; Debs Schrimmer, a transportation partnerships analyst for Lyft; and David Yang, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety executive director. RSVP at wisconsinbikefed.org/events/the-self-driving-future.

What are words worth?

THEY’RE BACK!

Iconic rock band the Zombies celebrates 50-plus years at the Barrymore.

ISTHMUS DINING 2017 IF YOU MISSED the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to pick up our annual special section, Dining, all is not lost. The stories, and wonderful art, are now available online at isthmus.com/food-drink/ dining. Read about Madisonarea bar burgers, can’t-miss Madison restaurants for outof-towners, up-and-coming food carts, artisanal doughnuts and ramen. Hungry yet?

32 SCREENS

A LIFE IN STAGES

Pedro Almodóvar’s expertly adapts Alice Munro’s work in Julieta.

41 EMPHASIS

ART MEETS SCIENCE

LED Habitats are a stylish way to give yourself the greenest of thumbs.

IN EVERY ISSUE 7 7 10 11 11

MADISON MATRIX WEEK IN REVIEW THIS MODERN WORLD FEEDBACK OFF THE SQUARE

34 42 43 43 43

ISTHMUS PICKS CLASSIFIEDS P.S. MUELLER CROSSWORD SAVAGE LOVE

PUBLISHER Jeff Haupt ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Craig Bartlett BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Mark Tauscher EDITOR Judith Davidoff NEWS EDITOR Joe Tarr ASSOCIATE EDITOR Michana Buchman FEATURES EDITOR Linda Falkenstein ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Catherine Capellaro STAFF WRITERS Dylan Brogan, Allison Geyer DIGITAL EDITOR Sean Kennedy CALENDAR EDITOR Bob Koch EDITORIAL INTERN Riley Vetterkind ART DIRECTOR Carolyn Fath STAFF ARTISTS Todd Hubler, David Michael Miller, Tommy Washbush VIDEOGRAPHER/PHOTOGRAPHER Justin Sprecher CONTRIBUTORS John W. Barker, Kenneth Burns, Dave Cieslewicz, Nathan J. Comp, Aaron R. Conklin, Ruth Conniff,

ISTHMUS is published weekly by Red Card Media, 100 State Street, Suite 301, Madison, WI 53703 • Edit@isthmus.com • Phone (608) 251-5627 • Fax (608) 251-2165 Periodicals postage paid at Madison, WI (ISSN 1081-4043) • POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 100 State Street, Suite 301, Madison, WI 53703 • © 2017 Red Card Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

You might not have heard of the 2016-17 Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing Fellows in Fiction and Poetry — yet. But someday these names will be as familiar to readers as Emma Straub, Anthony Doerr and Charles D’Ambrosio, prior graduates of the program. Derrick Austin, Jamel Brinkley, Natalie Eilbert, Sarah Fuchs, Marcela Fuentes and Barrett Swanson will read from their work.

Banff, it’s boffo Tuesday-Wednesday, April 18-19, Barrymore Theatre, 7 pm

How nice it was during the recent Wisconsin Film Fest to be able to see a film on the east side without driving the heck out to Sun Prairie. We have that chance again as the Barrymore hosts the Banff Mountain Film Festival 2017. Action, environmental and adventure films cover the globe, from skiing in Iran and Siberia to climbing in Ua Pou, an island in Polynesia. Full schedule and ticket info at barrymorelive.com; event proceeds go the Friends of Indian Lake county park.

Author! Author! Saturday, April 15, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art lobby, 11 am-4 pm

Visitors to the first outdoor Dane County Farmers’ Market who become overwhelmed by early vegetable peepers may want to pop down State Street to MMoCA for the debut of Madtown Author Daze. Sun Moon Arts has gathered nearly 30 Midwestern writers for a meet-andgreet, book sale and signings.

FIND MORE ISTHMUS PICKS ON PAGE 34

APRIL 13–19, 2017 ISTHMUS.COM

Michael Cummins, Marc Eisen, Erik Gunn, Mike Ivey, Bob Jacobson, Seth Jovaag, Stu Levitan, Bill Lueders, Liz Merfeld, Andy Moore, Bruce Murphy, Kyle Nabilcy, Jenny Peek, Michael Popke, Steven Potter, Adam Powell, Katie Reiser, Jay Rath, Gwendolyn Rice, Dean Robbins, Robin Shepard, Sandy Tabachnick, Denise Thornton, Candice Wagener, Tom Whitcomb, Rosemary Zurlo-Cuva ADVERTISING PRODUCTION MANAGER Todd Hubler ADVERTISING MANAGER Chad Hopper ADVERTISING ASSISTANTS Jeri Casper, Annie Kipcak ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Lindsey Bushart, Rebecca Jaworski CIRCULATION MANAGER Tim Henrekin MARKETING DIRECTOR Chris Winterhack EVENT DIRECTORS Kathleen Andreoni, Courtney Lovas CONTROLLER Halle Mulford OFFICE MANAGER Julie Butler SYSTEMS MANAGER Thom Jones ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Carla Dawkins

Thursday, April 13, Central Library, 7 pm

n SNAPSHOT

Kidding around

ISTHMUS.COM APRIL 13–19, 2017

BY ALLISON GEYER n PHOTOGRAPH BY RYAN WISNIEWSKI

Joe Eugster looks right at home standing in a straw-lined pen, holding a tiny Toggenburg goat named Lennie. On the other side of the gate, a pair of kids (the human kind) have climbed up the rungs, putting themselves eyeto-eye with the equally curious baby. “The mothers cooperated this year,” says Eugster, giving Lennie a scratch behind the ears as the tiny goat nibbles on a reporter’s notebook. “This one was born last weekend, right in front of everyone.” For a creature just a few days old, Lennie has already had quite an exciting life. He’s one of the star attractions at Eugster’s Farm Market and Petting Farm, located about 25 minutes south of Madison in rural Stoughton. A former dairy farm, the property has been in Eugster’s family for decades and has transitioned from milking to growing row crops and produce to hospitality and entertainment — and business is booming. “This is our third year, and it’s like a slamdunk,” co-owner Carol Eugster says of the petting farm venture. “And it’s nothing we weren’t doing on the farm anyways.” The husband-and-wife team have kept goats and sheep on the farm for years, and friends were always asking to come see the babies during the springtime lambing and kidding season, Carol says. She’s a business-minded “bean counter,” and Joe is an old-school farmer with a charming flair for the creative, so they thought they’d give a new business model a try. Now, three years later, the farm is home to dozens of animals, employs nearly 50 people and draws hundreds of visitors to lambing and kidding days held the first four weekends of April. “A lot of people don’t understand why this is so popular,” Carol says. “This would never have taken off when I was a kid, but families don’t have access to farms these days.” Around 11 a.m. on April 9, the farm is already bustling with visitors — a vast grass and gravel parking area at the back of the property easily holds more than 100 cars. Parents and children are everywhere, with many youngsters being pulled along in classic red wagons provided by the farm (one of Joe’s whimsical-yetfunctional touches). Inside the goat kidding barn — a lovely, vintage wooden structure — guests congregate in a hay-bale pen, where Eugster’s employees are overseeing the best attraction of all — the chance to cuddle and play with the baby animals. Children and adults alike can barely contain their delight over the impossibly cute goats, which come in two varieties: Toggenburgs from Switzerland and Nigerian dwarf goats from West Africa. “This one is my favorite,” says Eugster’s employee Maren Gryttenholm, scooping up a toffee-colored Nigerian dwarf goat named Julianne. “She just melts right into your arms.” Gryttenholm, a freshman at UW-Madison, has worked at Eugster’s since she was a high school student in Stoughton. It’s a popular

Born in the spotlight, Lennie the goat gets lots of loving from guests at Eugster’s Farm.

after-school job for kids in the area, particularly in the fall during the harvest season. Gryttenholm loves the baby animals (“Who doesn’t?” she asks) and relishes the chance to educate visiting children about life on the farm. A biology major, her interest in animal husbandry stems from her time working at Eugster’s. “Carol and I talk genetics all the time,” she says. At the end of the season, most of the baby goats end up at other “farmettes” as pets or grazers. They try to find homes for the sheep, too, but sometimes they do end up as mutton. Demand is high for Eugster’s animals. “There’s a waiting list for our goats and sheep,” Carol says. The trends for farmers in Wisconsin are not favorable for small family farms like Eugster’s.

Across the state, the overall number of farms is declining, while the size and scale of the farms is increasing. Both Joe and Carol Eugster attribute their farm’s success to their family’s ability to adapt and diversify. And they hope to pass the business on to their children, something that doesn’t always happen with family farms these days. But a passion for the industry runs deep — some might even say it was meant to be. At a recent high school reunion, Joe was presented with a special award for fulfilling a prediction that he made back when he was a teenager. “I put down that I’d be working in the farm entertainment business,” he says. “So I guess you could say that I’m living the dream.” n

Goat gestation: 150 DAYS Baby animals spotted at Eugster’s: GOATS, LAMBS, KITTENS, PIGLETS, DUCKLINGS, CHICKS, RABBITS Notable non-babies: SCOTTISH HIGHLAND CATTLE, DONKEYS, LLAMAS, MINI HORSE Next lambing and kidding days: APRIL 14-15, APRIL 22-23

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East & West Service: MON.-FRI. 7AM-5:30PM; SAT. 8AM-1PM • SUBARUSERVICE@DONMILLER.COM Subaru, Forester, Impreza, Legacy, Outback, and EyeSight are registered trademarks. Pandora is a registered trademark of Pandora Media, Inc. 1Star ratings are a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safecar.gov program (www.safecar.gov). 2EPA-estimated hwy fuel economy for 2017 Subaru Legacy 2.5i models. Actual mileage may vary. 3EPA-estimated hwy fuel economy for 2017 Subaru Outback 2.5i models. Actual mileage may vary. 4EPS-estimated hwy fuel economy for 2017 Subaru Forester 2.5i CVT models. Actual mileage may vary. 5EPA-estimated hwy fuel economy for 2017 Subaru Impreza CVT non-Sport models. Actual mileage may vary. 12Based on manufacturer-reported interior volumes according to the EPA’s Midsize Car class as of April 2016. 19Activation with subscription required. Includes one-year trial subscription to Safely Plus connected service. See your retailer for details. 22Blind Spot Detection, Lane Change Assist, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are systems designed to assist the driver by monitoring the rear and side areas of the vehicle during a lane change or reversing and are not a substitute for safe and attentive driving. Tax, title, license and services fee extra after any applicable rebates. Offers end 4/30/2017.

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n NEWS

Is there insurance for that? CUNA Mutual finds a way to insure people against job loss and more

ISTHMUS.COM APRIL 13–19, 2017

BY JOE TARR

After Steve Millen began to hear rumblings last year that the company he worked for might be in trouble, he started searching online for ways to prepare for a job loss. “I’d never drawn unemployment,” says Millen, who lives in Stanley, Wisconsin. “I didn’t know what it covered or what it did.” While surfing online, he stumbled across an article about SafetyNet, a new type of insurance designed to protect against job loss or disability. “It was just cheap,” says Millen. “So I signed up.” He promptly forgot about the policy — and the $20 automatically getting deducted from his bank account each month. In December, the management company he worked for did in fact shut down. So Millen began collecting unemployment and also scrutinizing his spending. That’s when he remembered the $20 premium he was paying for SafetyNet. So he filed a claim and was mailed a $6,000 check. For Millen, that amounts to an extra four months of unemployment benefits as he searches for a job. The insurance policy that Millen benefited from is the brainchild of Madison’s CUNA Mutual. The company is creating a new type of insurance geared toward the needs of the working class. Mark Greene, CUNA Mutual’s director of innovation and business development, compares SafetyNet to insurance that companies buy for “business interruption.” “A tree falls on your business or something happens with your supplier and you’re unable make an income — there’s insurance that covers that,” Greene says. “This is a personal analogue to it that doesn’t really exist. There’s no landscape for it, but we think there should be.” “We’re giving people cash because their income has been interrupted for some reason,” he adds. So far, SafetyNet exists in just two states, Wisconsin and Iowa. But CUNA Mutual is slowly looking to roll the program out around the country, with plans to operate in four or five states by the end of the year. And the company is looking at ways to protect against other types of risks not traditionally covered by insurance. “There’s a vacuum of financial needs for people that is not served by the major banks, Wall Street firms,” says Dan Kaiser, senior vice president for CUNA Mutual’s innovation center. “We locked into one in particular, this cash flow problem, which is growing. As a mutual, and a company, our philosophy is to help people.” SafetyNet currently has four policy levels. The cheapest one costs $5 a month, which would net a lump sum payment of $1,500 for losing a job or becoming disabled. The most expensive policy, at $30 a month, pays out

Could the company insure against a divorce? Or cover a crippling bill for car or home repairs? Could a parent buy a policy for a child who has recently graduated, in case the child loses a job? Jack Daniels, president of Madison College, is intrigued by the possibilities. After seeing a presentation on SafetyNet last year, he shared with CUNA Mutual that many of his students end up dropping out of school with just a semester or two to go before graduating. “We have many students who have life issues that come up,” Daniels says. “They want to stay on track but don’t have the resources.” CUNA Mutual is trying to develop a policy that could cover these students. “We’re working to see if that’s something we can even do, but it fits squarely within our mission,” says Greene. “If we can get [students] through the next five or six months, they get their degree and go on to a job, that puts them in a much better financial situation.”

Steve Millen bought a SafetyNet policy last year. After losing his job, he collected a $6,000 benefit payment.

$9,000. In each case, it would take 25 years of monthly premiums before accumulating the payoff amount. Greene says the company is committed to returning 70 percent of premiums to consumers. And it has put a 5 percent cap on profits, donating anything over that amount to charity. Joan Schmit, a professor at the UWMadison School of Business, consulted with CUNA Mutual on the project. Initially she was skeptical because policies of this type aren’t typically worth it. With typical insurance, Schmit says, for every dollar of premiums “maybe 70 cents pay for losses and 30 cents go to pay for expenses.” “In many small-value policies, it’s 50-50,” she adds. “That’s not typically good for the consumer.” The reason that smaller policies pay so poorly is that an insurer’s fixed expenses are hard to reduce. But Schmit says that SafetyNet has been able to improve the ratio by using new technologies. For instance, there are no insurance agents hawking policies. “You just buy it online, so there’s no commission going to an agent,” she says. “And they’ve made a commitment to a pretty high percentage of the premium going toward losses. I think if they fail, they will just shut it down.”

CUNA Mutual rolled out the program slowly and found that it wasn’t necessarily an easy sell, Greene says. “The way that it’s paid out in a lump sum, consumers were just confused. ‘What is this?’” he says. At the same time, the policy sparked interest from higher-income people looking to be insured for even higher amounts. Greene declines to say how many policies have been sold, but says that growth has been steady. Sales have been particularly strong in Milwaukee. Schmit doesn’t usually like small, limited insurance policies. “I’m not particularly a fan of individual causes of loss. For example, I prefer to have health insurance that covers any health care need as opposed to cancer only,” she says. “[SafetyNet] has two causes of loss — unemployment and disability.” Nevertheless, she understands that broadening SafetyNet could be extremely complicated from an underwriting perspective. Some who have purchased the policy have asked CUNA Mutual to expand it to cover other types of risks or problems. According to a Federal Reserve Board survey, 46 percent of U.S. households would struggle to pay an emergency $400 expense.

One of the reasons that CUNA Mutual has been moving slowly is because it is wary of predatory firms exploiting the market. Could companies offer a similar product but with much worse terms? “It’s always a worry when you’re dealing with a financially vulnerable population, not always the most financially savvy or discerning,” Greene says. “A lot of our consumers aren’t banked, they’re paying for things with prepaid credit cards and don’t trust financial institutions. We worry the population is seen by other businesses as ripe for opportunity.” Ultimately, CUNA Mutual wants others to sell this type of insurance, but it wants them to be reputable. CUNA Mutual hopes that states require high payout ratios, close to its own 70 percent target. “Insurance is nothing more than a lot of people putting money into a pot, and the people who have a loss are the ones who take the money out,” Kaiser says. “In a perfect world, you’d have no administrative costs, and 100 percent of the dollars that go in would come back out.” Reputable insurance companies have a return of 60 to 65 percent for auto and home policies, Kaiser says. He believes that SafetyNet will take off, and he wants there to be high standards. “That’s our way of showing we’re not going to keep a bunch of profits,” Kaiser says. “We’re going to find every way we can to give people a way to efficiently protect themselves.” Another concern would be if conservatives push to use policies like SafetyNet as a replacement for unemployment benefits, essentially shifting the expense to workers. “We hope it doesn’t happen,” Greene says. “We would not support that, but it’s not our choice to make. We’re not setting ourselves up to be a replacement. We hope we operate as a supplement, not a replacement.” n

■ MADISON MATRIX

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It’s that time again! The sunburst chairs return to the Memorial Union terrace on April 13, and the Dane County Farmers’ Market opens April 15 on the Capitol Square.

A nationwide manhunt remains underway for Joseph Jakubowski, who stole at least 16 firearms from a gun shop in Janesville and sent a 161-page anti-government manifesto to President Donald Trump.

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■ WEEK IN REVIEW Several dozen Wisconsin dairy farmers are struggling after Grassland Dairy Products announces it won’t accept their milk after May 1, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. Why? Blame Canada. A new pricing structure there increased the cost of importing U.S. dairy. Make Canada great again?

■

The state Legislature’s Republican-controlled budget committee scraps Gov. Scott Walker’s road-funding proposal in favor of negotiating a new deal from scratch. Nobody likes Walker’s idea to borrow more money and delay road construction projects. But Walker refuses to raise taxes.

For the first time in 20 years, the Wisconsin Hardy Plant Society of Madison has canceled its annual spring sale, one of the largest in the state. The reason? Fear over the slow creep of an invasive “jumping worm” that destroys soil, breeds quickly and is impossible to eradicate.

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Republican state lawmakers introduce a package of four bills intended to reduce homelessness

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APRIL 13–19, 2017 ISTHMUS.COM

UW-Madison’s Revelry Music and Arts Festival is officially dead, the Badger Herald reports. Declining student interest and funding cuts were the fatal blows to the university-sponsored party, which launched in 2013 as an alternative to the annual

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n NEWS

Preservation politics Scaling back historic tax credit will likely hurt economic development BY RILEY VETTERKIND

ISTHMUS.COM APRIL 13–19, 2017

It’s hard to miss: 2,000 light bulbs fixed to a towering 4,500-pound, 55-foot-tall sign suspended above the Orpheum’s marquee. The State Street landmark, installed in July 2016, replicates the venue’s original sign to restore a cornerstone of Madison’s history. The new fixture, part of a larger renovation that began in 2013, relied in part on federal and state historic preservation tax credits. Without them, the sign’s rusted and unlit predecessor would likely have remained in place. “Nowhere near as much would have been done,” says Amy Hasselman, the project’s architect. “I’m pretty sure they would not have done the whole sign. Forty percent of that is covered by tax credits.” But if the state Legislature this summer approves Gov. Scott Walker’s budget recommendation to limit the state’s historic tax credit program to $10 million annually, neglect could soon become the norm for a larger chunk of Wisconsin’s historic properties. The program currently does not have a limit. It would be a drastic reduction to a wildly popular program that provides a 20 percent transferable credit for rehabilitation expenses on certified historic properties. Developers who apply for the state credit usually also apply for a 20 percent federal historic tax credit, which would not be affected by proposed cuts. Orpheum co-owner Gus Paras says the $160,000 in state and federal credits he received in 2015 for Orpheum renovations were a drop in the bucket in light of what he had already spent. However, he would have been forced to make cuts without it. “If you only have so many dollars to spend, you’ll cut corners,” Paras says. “Having this boost helps us feel more secure; the Orpheum [sign] has been built to the original style; we didn’t cut any corners.”

Madison-based Alexander Company specializes in revitalizing historic properties around the country. Yet until recently, the company did very little work in its home state. The increase of Wisconsin’s historic tax credit from 5 to 20 percent of the rehabilitation expenses in 2013 changed all of that. “Historic buildings are our business; we do it all over the country,” says Joe Alexander, the company’s president. “The increase in the credit...is what made it possible [to develop in Wisconsin].” Alexander developed Longfellow apartments in Madison with a $1.5 million state historic tax credit, a project he says supported more than 200 jobs. Without the credit, he says, “It absolutely would not have happened.” The tax credit program has spurred development across the state. In 2014, the state distributed $28 million among 32 projects; in

2015, this figure more than doubled, with almost $78 million in credits distributed among 44 projects; and in 2016, $58 million was distributed among 39 projects. As of mid-February, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation had already certified more than $7 million in credits for six projects. In Madison, slightly more than $7 million in state historic tax credits have been awarded to 10 projects since 2014. In addition to the Longfellow development, two other projects made up more than $6 million of these awards: Nichols Station apartments, with $1 million in 2015; and Holy Name Heights apartments, with $3.7 million in 2015. Without the help of the tax credit, other local developments of historic properties would be crippled. The $19.8 million Garver Feed Mill redevelopment (WEDC has not yet accounted for the project in its data) will transform the building into an artisan food production facility and microlodging units. It relies on a complicated financing blend of bank loans, equity, grants and historic and new market tax credits. David Baum, CEO of Baum Realty Group, the project’s developer, says the historic tax credits are part of the delicate balance of making the deal work. He fears reducing the tax credit program will throw that balance off, leading to a direct decline in economic development and investment in Wisconsin. “This project would not work without them,” Baum says. “If it wasn’t for those credits, no one could afford to renovate that building.”

projects in rural areas, like Bob’s Bitchin’ BBQ in Dodgeville, which received a $100,772 credit in 2015. “A couple of large developers could eat up the whole amount,” says Risser. “If you’ve got a $10 million cap, and somebody comes and grabs the last $3 million, many projects that would bring jobs to the area are precluded.” Hasselman agrees that the program has a more significant impact in rural communities, where one vacant building can have a detrimental effect on a small town’s vitality. According to the State Historic Preservation Office, 60 percent of properties using the tax credit had been vacant for more than 10 years before being restored; some languished for as long as 30 years. Hasselman is currently working on a project in Darlington using state historic tax credits to transform a former theater built in the early 20th century into mixed retail space with additional room for community theater practice. The last time the building was used was in the 1950s, when it was a VFW hall. She says revamps like these are sure to improve downtown aesthetics.

To fight the proposed cuts, the Wisconsin Realtors Association, usually a strong supporter of Walker, is assembling a coalition of historical societies, labor groups, contractors, developers and local government representatives. Its best weapon is data. The group funded the Baker Tilly report during the last budget cycle, and plans to use it again as Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette) agrees ammunition as budget talks ramp that there have been benefits from the up this year. credit, but worries about it draining “We had some high-quality state resources. data about the benefits of the pro “This program has potential to gram and the impact on jobs and become costly,” he writes in an email tax base,” says spokesperson Tom CHRIS WINTERHACK to Isthmus. “I look forward to making Larson. “[It was] instrumental last improvements to the governor’s bud- Gus Paras received $160,000 in state and federal tax go around. We are using the same get proposal and working to fund our credits to help renovate the Orpheum Theater sign. formula this time.” state’s priorities accordingly.” Alexander believes developers But Sam Breidenbach, president of will need to be vocal to convince the the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation ceived a combined $34 million in credits Legislature to keep the program in full. and owner of TDS Custom Construction, be- before Jan. 1, 2014, were expected to create “The governor and Legislature really led lieves the tax credit is a job creator that even- 2,800 jobs. Baker Tilly found that the credits in expanding the percentage of the credit,” tually pays for itself. “The economic numbers generate a complete payback in tax revenue says Alexander. “The results have been asspeak for themselves, so I really don’t get why within seven years. After 10 years, the evalu- tounding. The governor has to face a balthe governor wants to take a tax break, one ated projects are expected to generate more anced budget, and we understand he’s lookof the few that actually works, and slash it,” than $46 million in tax revenue. ing for savings. It’s our job — contractors, Breidenbach says. Although many of the projects are in ur- carpenters, local government leaders — to be Breidenbach points to a 2015 report by ban areas, state Sen. Fred Risser (D-Madison) in touch with the Legislature and governor to Baker Tilly that found 25 projects that re- fears it will disproportionately affect smaller make our case.” n

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■ OPINION

Did Democrats miss chance with Ziegler? Liberal fury could have helped unseat the conservative justice BY DAVE CIESLEWICZ Dave Cieslewicz is the former mayor of Madison. He blogs as Citizen Dave at Isthmus.com.

Six months ago it looked like State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers was in big trouble. On April 4 he won reelection to a third term with 70 percent of the vote. This has to make Democrats stop and think what might have been had they been able to come up with a candidate to challenge Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler. Instead, the conservative, Republican-backed Ziegler ran unopposed on the same nominally nonpartisan ballot as Evers. She won a second 10-year term. It’s difficult not to attribute some of Evers’ strong showing to pent up liberal fury over last November’s elections. Just as tea party activists formed an angry movement eight years ago in the wake of Barack Obama’s victory and passage of the Affordable Care Act, liberals are blistering in their motivation to reverse last year’s electoral disaster. Evers rode that wave as the clear liberal choice over challenger Lowell Holtz. Evers was a staunch defender of public schools and public school teachers, while Holtz was a proponent of private charter schools. It was a classic choice, a race run right along the fault lines of the current debate over education. We might have expected that the Republican-backed Holtz should have been able to take advantage of that by pulling in millions of dollars in campaign contributions and third-party support from charter school backers nationally. But that never materialized. In part that was probably because Holtz proved to be a flawed candidate, needing to explain his offer to his primary opponent, John Humphries, to trade a highly compensated DPI job in exchange for Humphries’ dropping out of the race. But funders no doubt also saw polls showing that Evers had strong support among voters who were going to turn out come hell or Wisconsin spring weather. Holtz started to look like a bad bet.

Much like the highly contested Supreme Court race in 2011 between incumbent Justice David Prosser and JoAnne Kloppenburg, this was the first chance liberal voters had to show their feelings after a devastating defeat. Then it was the election of Scott Walker and Act 10, and now it was the election of Donald Trump and, well, everything that Trump has done and said before and since. Kloppenburg became the stand-in for a vote of disapproval against Walker while Evers was a proxy for a statement of opposition to all things Trump. Kloppenburg narrowly lost that race, but this time the Democrats didn’t even try. Instead, liberals were left with Evers, a good and decent man and a fine public servant but one serving in an office of limited power. The court, on the other hand, is the real thing, with a conservative majority that now seems secure for a generation. Ziegler is only 53 years old and could easily serve another two or three decades.

If a liberal or moderate had been on the ballot to oppose her, there is every reason to expect that furious Democrats would have shown up in droves, seeing Ziegler as a punching bag representing all things conservative. Add to that the fact that the spring election coincided with the Senate’s confirmation vote for Neil Gorsuch to a U.S. Supreme Court seat that Democrats believed was stolen from Merrick Garland, and you had the makings of an overwhelming liberal protest vote. In fact, in Dane County, Ziegler ran 36,000 DAVID MICHAEL MILLER votes behind the combined total for superintendent. (If you want to look at a comparable race, she still ran 16,000 votes behind County Executive Joe Parisi, who also ran unopposed.) There were an astonishing 6,488 write-in votes (almost 11 percent of the total) for anyone but Ziegler. In other words, something like 30,000 to 40,000 Dane County voters chose not to vote for Ziegler or wrote in someone else, even with no real alternative.

THIS MODERN WORLD

But Evers played well all over the state. For example, he won Crawford County with 78 percent of the vote to Holtz’s 22 percent. The same county went for Trump last November by five points. In fact, Trump’s biggest margin of victory in Wisconsin was in Florence County, where he beat Hillary Clinton by a whopping 46 points. Last week Evers won there by a margin of 2 to 1. Now, to be sure, with more at stake in a Supreme Court race, sharper, longer knives would have been out to attack Ziegler’s opponent. And there’s no question that Democrats are at a money disadvantage. Veteran Capitol reporter Steve Walters points out that in the last four high court races, conservatives and their affiliated groups spent about 40 percent more than their opponents. But Walters also writes that all that money netted only a razor-thin 2 percent advantage when you add up total votes in all four contests. There might have been a wave last week, but the Democrats didn’t show up to ride it. And with the list of potential candidates deciding not to take on Scott Walker next year growing large enough to field a baseball team, you have to wonder if the party is up to the challenge of defeating an incumbent governor, even one whose approval rating is at 45 percent. ■

BY TOM TOMORROW

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Madison animal lovers have become “Disneyfied,” overly sensitive and childlike in their collective thinking (“Chewed Out!” 4/5/2017). Madison Parks professionals have historically used effective control measures, and always employed the best integrated pest management practices. The article raised several other questions: How many people called city of Madison Parks to complain? Two? Three? Must the contract with this Wisconsin licensed trapper still be honored and paid? Are we now all allowed to take our own vigilante justice? Are live traps not as effective? Is there a biological control win-win alternative available? Could Madison Parks deputize a wolf to enforce the balance of nature? Can retired police department detective Sara Petzold’s giant schnauzer peacefully coexist with the native big beaver? Good Dog, Happy Man (via Isthmus Forum)

I woke to an image of a woman’s fish-netted ass this morning (ad, 4/5/2017, page 47). So did my children, as it was on the ground in the bathroom. Why do you allow such revealing ads to be published? Can you please think about the children? Please do not run that ad again. Mary Jo Walters (via email)

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Correction In last week’s article on Hump! Film Festival (“Real People, Real Sex”), Ty Wardwell’s name was misspelled. Also, it was Wardwell’s boyfriend who was on top, not vice versa.

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■ COVER STORY

SHUT IT DOWN If lawmakers don’t close Dane County’s decrepit jail, former inmates just might BY DYLAN BROGAN Lisa Mitchell has been booked into the Dane County Jail 26 times since 2000. In total, she’s spent more than four years behind bars in the county’s custody. Often, she was confined 23 hours a day to a segregation cell in the 60-year-old jail. “It’s a little box. There’s mold growing around you. There’s no fresh air, and the ventilation is bad. The water is nasty, and it stinks,” says Mitchell. “It’s beyond cruel. The whole place is an imminent danger to people’s health. It needs to be shut down. Not in a few years, not in a few months. Now.”

APRIL 13–19, 2017 ISTHMUS.COM

CAROLYN FATH

n COVER STORY

ISTHMUS.COM APRIL 13–19, 2017

Lisa Mitchell (left) says inmates at Dane County’s jail are being exposed to dangerous levels of lead and asbestos.

Mitchell isn’t waiting for lawmakers to take action. She filed a federal lawsuit last May alleging Dane County is violating the constitutional rights of inmates by continuing to house them in the jail on the sixth and seventh floors of the City County Building. The environmental conditions at the jail, which opened in 1957, amount to “cruel and unusual punishment,” Mitchell alleges. The case is moving forward in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. “People are suffering while [officials] are stuck on political agendas. I’m sitting there month after month, breathing in black mold. The asbestos is going through this old ventilation system. I’m drinking lead in the water. And it’s not like people don’t know about it,” says Mitchell. “I get that people are in the jail because they broke the law. But they are handing out death sentences. What are they waiting for?” Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney, who runs the jail, is named as one of the defendants in Mitchell’s lawsuit. Since it’s ongoing, he and attorneys for the county declined to comment on details of the case. But the sheriff acknowledges that there is asbestos, lead and other safety hazards at the City County Building jail. He calls the facility “inhumane” and “dangerous.” “It needed to be replaced yesterday. We as a community have just kicked this issue down the road hoping it would just go away, and it hasn’t,” Mahoney says. “Now is the time to quit talking about it. Quit studying it. And come up with a plan to replace the City County Building jail. We need to make it happen before someone is critically injured or loses their life.” Mahoney is urging the Dane County Board to allocate millions in the 2018 budget to pay for plans that would finally shut down the facility. If approved, it would still take years for all inmates in Dane County to be housed across the street in the comparatively modern jail at the Public Safety Building. County board leaders favor a proposal — expected to be the most expensive in county history at more than $150 million — that would greatly expand the Public Safety Building

jail. But Dane County Executive Joe Parisi is balking at the price tag. So supervisors are scrambling for an alternative the county executive can support in time for the 2018 budget. But will the can be kicked once again? Not if Lisa Mitchell has anything to do with it. And she’s not the only inmate determined to shut the jail down.

Mitchell is outside of Starbucks a block away from the Dane County Jail. Her mother, Emma, who is an amputee and uses a wheelchair, is nearby with a white Styrofoam cup in front of her. Just a few coins sit at the bottom of the beat-up container. Emma doesn’t say a word or even look up at passersby. Mitchell keeps an eye on her mother from a stoop 10 feet away. She’s hunched over and tears are welling up in her eyes. She looks exhausted. “We don’t usually do this. But my mom is hungry and we are poor right now,” says Mitchell, who lives with and cares for her mother these days. “There’s a difference between a need and a want.” Mitchell, 36, has known hard times before. Growing up poor, black and transgender in Madison didn’t leave her many opportunities. She was exposed to crime and drug use at a young age. Her mother struggled with addiction to crack cocaine, and her father passed away when she was a teenager. Mitchell was born biologically male but has always identified as a woman. She says her gender expression and lengthy rap sheet have made it “pretty much impossible” to find employment. Mitchell has been convicted of a number of misdemeanors and felonies, including theft of movable property, retail theft with threat of force and child enticement. Mitchell says the enticement charge came after she was coerced into prostitution by a pimp and that she had no idea the john was a minor. “I hope I am forgiven for all my sins one day, and I’ve made a lot of big mistakes. I deserved to be punished for my crimes,” says Mitchell. “But being true to myself has put a

lot of barriers in my way. I’m not saying it’s right. But I did what I had to do to survive.” Her dozens of stints in the Dane County Jail — sometimes for months at a time — stem from violating conditions of her release and awaiting court proceedings. The current policy at the jail is to assign housing based on how inmates identify their gender. Although Mitchell is transgender, she says she was always housed with men, who often threatened her. For her safety, Mitchell was often confined to a special needs segregation cell, akin to solitary confinement. Inmates suffering from mental illness, in wheelchairs or with other medical needs are often housed there as well. The Dane County Jail System currently has no medical beds. While locked up, she found solace in books and thought of her cell as a classroom. Mitchell had enjoyed her classes at La Follette High School, but never graduated. “All there is to do — especially in the county jail — is to read books,” says Mitchell. “So that’s what I did. Read, read, read.” After feeling forced to take a plea deal in 2009, Mitchell lost faith that the criminal justice system was inherently fair. She started reading law books, immersing herself in federal regulations, Wisconsin state statutes and the U.S. Constitution. “Eventually, I realized the only one who was going to help me was me,” says Mitchell. “I got myself wrapped up in the system, and once you’re trapped, it’s hard to escape. But I knew if I had any hope of turning my life around, I had to educate myself.” The more she read, the more convinced she became that the environmental conditions at the City County Building jail weren’t just inhumane, they were unconstitutional.

It’s been more than a decade since calls began for replacing the jail. “We’ve been talking about the replacement of the City County Building since 2003,” says Mahoney, who was first

Dane County has no infirmary in its jail. Inmates with medical or other needs are housed in segregation cells 23 hours a day.

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Lt. Kurt Pierce often jokes to visitors at the jail that the county could make a lot of money renting the facility out for Hollywood movies. “It looks like Alcatraz.” Left is a warning sign about drinking water in the jail. Create a Refuge in Your Backyard! In October, the board approved “life-saving improvements” to the jail. While officials weigh permanent remedies, $4.4 million will be spent on repairs. The mitigation plan addresses one immediate concern for Mahoney: lock malfunctions that trap inmates in their cells. “We continue to have locks fail, and individuals are locked in cells or cell blocks for hours at a time. That’s just totally unacceptable,” says Mahoney. “If we have a medical emergency, somebody tries to take their own life or there’s a natural disaster, we have to get those individuals immediately. If we can’t, somebody might die.” New fire alarm and smoke control systems will be installed and the video surveillance improved. An estimated $280,000 will be spent cleaning HVAC ducts and louvers. Another $120,000 is allocated to test for and mitigate “lead and other contaminants.”

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elected sheriff in 2006. “We have spent about $1.7 million in taxpayer dollars just on studies. All we have to show for it are three-ring binders full of paper. We haven’t actually done anything.” The studies keep coming. One released in December found that due to the age of the building, asbestos and lead paint “may be present in the metal ceiling panel, floor tile, paint and pipe insulation within the east side of the jail.” The $479,000 report also says that recent water studies have shown “high rates of lead in the domestic water system.” “We know the water has measured amounts of lead in it,” says Mahoney. “Our staff take measures to prevent having to drink the water. However, those that are incarcerated don’t have that option.” Every year, state inspectors criticize the county for housing inmates in poor conditions and not complying with safety standards. Since the county has been working, albeit slowly, on bringing the facility up to standards, Mahoney says the City County jail has been allowed to continue operating, but the federal and state governments are watching closely. Lt. Kurt Pierce, one of the jail’s administrators, says the antiquated design of the City County Building jail makes life difficult for both inmates and staff. “They stopped building linear jails like this in the 1970s. When this facility was built, they just concentrated on physical barriers separating inmates and the staff,” he says. “The whole philosophy has changed.” Pierce often gives tours of the jail. “I joke sometimes that if the county wanted to make money, they should build a new jail and rent out the [City County Building jail] to Hollywood. It looks like Alcatraz or something out of Shawshank Redemption. It’s just not a modern facility.”

n COVER STORY

a part of

In April, water filters were installed at the City County Building jail to address elevated lead levels. The rest of the repairs, scheduled to begin this summer, might cost millions, but Mahoney says the improvements are only temporary. “The short-term fixes will give us one or two years, maybe three,” he says. “If we were ready to replace the jail today — which we aren’t — it would [take] a minimum of two years. So we have to plan for two years as we move ahead on a replacement.” Mahoney believes replacing the 60-yearold jail is the only option. And the 700-page consultant study released in December backs him up, recommending against renovation. “The age of the building, outdated technology, and poor physical conditions of the building, result in numerous risks and hazards to the staff, inmates, and volunteers,” states the report. “We believe Dane County should not consider extending the life of the jail, but should work towards getting out of the building with due haste.”

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inmate fighting for a safer jail. Herbert Wilkins, 54, has cumulatively spent over a year inside the City County Building jail since 2013. While incarcerated there in 2016, he recalls staff commenting on the water the inmates are forced to drink. “I heard one of the [security staff ] say, ‘I wouldn’t let my dog drink that water.’ I remember because I filed a grievance about it,” says Wilkins. “A lot of [inmates] don’t complain because you’d be written up.” Wilkins’ lawsuit alleges that black inmates are being disportionately assigned to the oldest of Dane County’s three jail facilities, violating their civil rights. “Most of the staff still doesn’t look like me,” says Wilkins, who is black. Wilkins acknowledges that diversity among jail staff has improved in recent years, but says it’s still discriminatory. “You can’t change a system overnight. The [white] staff are still coming from places where there aren’t a lot of black people,” says Wilkins. “It’s a culture issue.” Like Mitchell, Wilkins is asking a federal court to shutter the jail and award damages for being exposed to hazardous conditions under the county’s care. He claims the water in the jail gave him chronic headaches. But he’s more concerned about asbestos contamination. “I did asbestos abatement in Minnesota. I was certified to remove it so I know what I’m talking about. You can see fiber coming out of the concrete at the jail. That’s asbestos,” says Wilkins. “The ventilation system is recirculating all those fibers to every part of the jail.” After being released from the jail in September 2016, Mitchell went to the hospital because of persistent respiratory issues. She was diagnosed with pneumonia, which she believes was exacerbated by the air quality in the jail. “The air is making people sick. It only takes one asbestos fiber to cause serious damage,” says Mitchell. “It keeps me up at night. Every time I cough I think about one tiny asbestos fiber on my lung. My doctor says it can just sit there for years incubating.”

Terrence Buchanan, 29, spent the last nine months in the City County Building jail on a drug charge. He suffers from asthma triggered by dust and other allergens. He is also suing the county in federal court over the conditions at the jail. “I felt it the second I walked in this place. All of a sudden I need to use my inhaler a lot more than I was while on the street,” Buchanan says during an interview at the jail before being transferred to the Dodge Correctional Institution in late March. “I filed grievances, and the staff told me there was nothing they could do about it.” The showers at the jail are a frequent source of complaints from inmates, according to Mitchell, Wilkins and Buchanan. “There is paint or something that bubbles up and is flaking away. Behind that and the fixtures is this shiny black mold,” says Buchanan. “They give us spray to clean some of it up because it stinks so bad in there. It doesn’t do any good.” And there are “sewer bugs.” That’s what the inmates call drain flies that come up through the showers and into cells. “They bite you while you sleep. Buzz in your ear. They get in your food,” says Mitchell. “These bugs come up through the sinks, toilets. These bugs go straight from touching shit to landing on your meal.”

In December, the consultant firm Mead & Hunt proposed two options to consolidate the county’s jail operations at the Public Safety Building (which opened in 1994 and is located across the street from the City County Building). Both plans would close the City County Building jail and the Ferris Center on Rimrock Road. The first option, estimated at $152.1 million, creates more beds and programming space by adding four new floors onto the Public Safety Building and expanding into the sheriff’s parking lot. The second, estimated to cost $164.5 million, would build an addition that would require purchasing two adjacent properties on West Wilson Street. In January, Parisi called for more options due to the high cost. So on March 23, the board asked Mead & Hunt to come up with an alternative that breaks the project into more phases — spreading out the cost. Consultant fees for this new plan alone cost $82,200. It is scheduled to be presented to the county’s Public Protection & Judiciary Committee on June 13. Sharon Corrigan, chair of the Dane County Board, is optimistic that a plan will be ready for the 2018 budget. But she says there’s no getting around the unprecedented expense of a new facility and admits there’s “always a risk” the project would be delayed again. “We have to be careful about the liability and the responsibility we have for taking care of our inmates,” says Corrigan. Parisi is still looking for a “barebones option” to replace just the 341 beds at the City County Building jail — more than a third of the jail system’s capacity. “There are some limitations on the amount of money the county can spend. What I’ve seen, so far, has been too expensive,” says Parisi. “Even when people talk

The lawsuits Mitchell, Wilkins and Buchanan filed in 2016 are slowly making their way through the federal court process. Each has asked for a jury trial. A resolution is unlikely in 2017 unless the county settles. But even so, the lawsuits are in motion. That’s more than can be said of the county officials, who have yet to close the book on the City County Building jail. The legal hurdles are high for a federal court to order the closure of a correctional facility. One precedent the inmates must

overcome was set in 2001 by a U.S. Appeals Court in Carroll v. DeTella. Longtime Illinois inmate Ronnie W. Carroll filed the lawsuit over hazardous environmental conditions at two state prisons. Carroll sought damages for radium contamination in the drinking water at the Stateville Correctional Center and lead contamination at the Menard Correctional Center. The Appeals Court affirmed a lower court decision to dismiss the lawsuit. “Many Americans live under conditions of exposure to various contaminants. The Eighth Amendment does not require prisons to provide prisoners with more salubrious air, healthier food, or cleaner water than are enjoyed by substantial numbers of free Americans,” states the decision. “If the prison authorities are violating federal anti-pollution laws, the plaintiff may have a remedy under those laws.” What most frustrates Mitchell is that county officials are “well aware” of the health hazards and “have been for years.” While lawmakers study and debate plans on when to close the jail, Mitchell says the inmates housed in the top floors of the building are being treated like “caged animals.” “Inmates shouldn’t have to be filing lawsuits to solve this,” Mitchell says. “While politicians bicker about budgets, people are suffering. We are being ignored, and they just go about their day like there is no problem at all. This isn’t justice. It’s cruelty.” ■

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Balancing Hope and Hype: The Potential of Stem Cells to Help Patients with Blinding Diseases Presented by

This event is open to the public

David Gamm, MD, PhD Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

THURSDAY, APRIL 20 • 6–7PM Health Sciences Learning Center, Room 1325 750 Highland Ave., Madison, WI Parking is available in the adjacent University Hospital patient parking ramp. Questions? Contact Nicole Heiman at (608) 308-5502 or nicole.heiman@supportuw.org The Saving Sight Sessions take place at the Health Sciences Learning Center

(HSLC). Parking is available for a fee in Saving sight is the most important part of our mission. The Departthe adjacent University Hospital (UH) 60 ment of Ophthalmology Lot and Visual Sciences patient parking rampat at 600the HighlandUW School of Avenue. The HSLC is the white building Medicine and Public Health is devotedto thetonorthpreserving of the ramp. The UH parking and protecting the HSLC are shown in red on vision. This program is one more way ramp tomapandkeep informed. the at left. Please you enter through the Nielsen Tennis Stadium

Lot 76

Walnut Street

HSLC Main Entrance.

Health Sciences Learning Center

Highland Avenue

Patient/ Visitor Parking Ramp

Observatory Drive

Please join us as we share the ways we are transforming eye care. University Hospital

Your privacy is our top priority. If you do not wish to receive communications from us, please send an email with your name and address to uwhealthoptout@uwhealth.org or call us at (844) 300-2002. If you are a patient at UW Health, you will continue to receive information related to your care. Thank you.

ophth.wisc.edu

Saving Sight

SESSIONS

What’s new and next in eye care

APRIL 13–19, 2017 ISTHMUS.COM

Marsh Drive

Main The Saving Sight Sessions are a series of community education proEntrance grams created to share discoveries and developments to stop blinding diseases, enhance treatment and improve vision-related quality of life.

OP-47480-17

about phasing [the project] in, that still adds up to the same — or actually more — than the original $164 million. I’m not prepared to go along with that at this time.” Parisi says he’ll wait to see the new option before deciding. When asked to respond to inmate claims of “inhumane conditions” at the City County Building jail, Parisi says the county has a responsibility to look at every option before moving forward. “We can’t look at this jail project in a vacuum,” says Parisi. “Those capital dollars would be competing with what I believe are the true priorities of this community: Cleaning up our lakes. Providing affordable housing. Conservation of our natural resources. Road construction and rehabilitation.” Although Parisi agrees the old jail will eventually need to close, he declines to give a dollar amount he would support: “I don’t think it’s responsible to get behind a number until you know what you are getting.”

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FOOD & DRINK ■ SPORTS ■ BOOKS ■ ARTS ■ MUSIC ■ SCREENS

As the Caged Crow flies Madison helps launch one of the nation’s premiere food cart builders BY DYLAN BROGAN

ropolitan were built from the frame up by the small crew at Caged Crow. The family-run company has made food carts large and small, for clients as far afield as Utah and New Jersey. “Especially in bigger cities, there are usually a row of food carts in one place. My customers are looking for a way to stand out in the crowd,” says Romaker. “I always tell them, ‘What brings people in is the cart. What brings them back is the food.’” Romaker prides himself on never making the same cart twice. He doesn’t believe in slapping brightly colored decal wraps on a rectangular box with wheels. Instead, Romaker uses aluminum, chrome and wood to create one-of-a-kind carts that often have a vintage or rustic look. Handcrafted details like the waggish apple sculpture atop the Ugly Apple cart show off Romaker’s flair for metal art. It takes six to eight weeks for Caged Crow to design and build a standard-size food cart.

Prices range from $20,000 for a small food cart to more than $100,000 for a larger food truck. So far, the company has built and designed 22 custom carts. And Romaker has orders lined up through early 2018. Caged Crow contracts out installation of electric and gas lines to ensure everything is up to code. But all other work is done by four people, three of whom are Romakers. Josh and his “right-hand man,” Jeremiah Hughes, do much of the fabrication. Josh’s wife, Chelsea, runs the business side — accounting, marketing and some sales. Josh’s brother Ryan, described as the shop’s “muscle,” also helps part-time. Romaker intends to keep the company a small, family affair. Their motto is “quality over quantity.” “Our competitors can crank out 100 carts a year. But it’s the exact same cart just with a different graphic wrap on it. I call those guys cake decorators,” Romaker says. “We’re one

of only a couple places that do this kind of super-customized work.” Romaker is a blacksmith and welder by trade. He learned metal machining, woodworking and other construction skills working on farms in Blanchardville, WIsconsin, as a teenager. In 2013, he started Caged Crow Fabrication as a welding shop in Fitchburg. The company did custom metal fabrication and welding repair. Romaker had built some utility trailers, but food carts weren’t even on his radar. Then he got a call from Melanie Nelson, owner of Good Food. Nelson had just one food cart at the time, and her trailer was rusting out on the bottom. The damage was beyond repair, so Nelson asked Romaker to build a brand-new cart, then a second one. “Josh didn’t find food carts. They found him,” says Chelsea Romaker. CO NTINUE D O N PAG E 2 1 ➡

APRIL 13–19, 2017 ISTHMUS.COM

Past Portage, Stevens Point, Wausau and Tomahawk, among the tall trees in Wisconsin’s northwoods, you’ll find Saint Germain. The small town is home to the National Snowmobile Hall of Fame and surrounded by vacation cabins and dozens of small lakes. This picturesque spot is also the unlikely setting for one of the preeminent food cart builders in the country. “When we started, we didn’t know a thing about the food cart industry,” says Josh Romaker, owner of Caged Crow Fabrication. “This business just kind of fell into my lap. I didn’t wake up one morning and say, ‘I want to start a food truck [making] business.’ I built one and the phone just kept ringing.” On any given day, carts made by Caged Crow dot Madison’s downtown. El Grito, Good Food, the Pickle Jar, Buzzy’s Lake House, Ugly Apple, Mi, O.S.S. Madison, Greek Street and the new food cart Met-

n FOOD & DRINK

The sandwich shop Madison deserves Casetta Kitchen and Counter is off to a strong start downtown san on Wednesdays is breaded and fried to a perfect crisp. Honestly, I would happily eat anything these There’s certainly no shortage of people put between two slices of lunch options downtown, and there bread. are more than a few places where Sandwiches this special deserve you can find a great sandwich. sides that go above and beyond the But there are perhaps none betusual bag of chips. I particularly ter and more buzz-worthy than loved Casetta’s take on beets — Casetta Kitchen and Counter, the roasted and diced, tossed with a new Italian-American deli on West light creme fraiche and garnished Washington Avenue. with dill (though this is out of rota The restaurant opened in Febrution at the moment). The potato ary in the space formerly home to salad is lovely as well, featuring Bluephies Downtown Deli, which whole roasted fingerling potatoes closed in 2014. In remodeling, comixed with tangy artichoke hearts, owners James Juedes and Tommy red onion and a light vinaigrette. A Gering have given the place a sleek, turnip and radish salad was on the minimalist facelift, adding an atmenu for a brief period and is the tractive wood-topped bar and white only thing I genuinely disliked; the subway tile accents. Casetta focuses RYAN WISNIEWSKI vegetables had an odd bitterness. on breakfast and lunch, opening at A classic Italian sandwich comes stacked with meat. But overall, I’m glad the kitchen 7:30 a.m. Monday through Friday to keeps mixing things up. serve the office crowd. There’s well I tried the soups almost as an afterham and provolone, plus lettuce, tomato, onion, brewed coffee from Ruby Roasters, a rotatthought, but the pasta fagioli deserves ing menu of house-made scones, quiche and mayonnaise, hot peppers, oil and vinegar and praise for its tomato flavor and chunks of dried herbs. It’s a tower of meat (most of which pastries, plus a small assortment of basictasty sausage. A mushroom puree was less comes from Underground Butcher and is sliced but-substantial egg sandwiches, available successful — too thin and meager on the in-house), and it’s wonderful. until 10:30 a.m. I was excited to try the fresh mushrooms. Another winner was the Hot Tonno, a heartyjuices — you can’t go wrong with orange, A seafood cioppino served at a pop-up yet-posh twist on a tuna melt. The tuna salad is but I thought the green blend (kale, lemon, dinner was best of all, a delicate-yet-robust lovely — not too salty or mayonnaise-y — and apple, ginger) could have used more zip. tomato broth packed with perfectly cooked it comes topped with melted provolone, tomato Lunchtime is when Casetta really shines. lobster, clams and mussels. It came with a and some fabulously fresh-tasting pickles. The Six signature deli-style sandwiches join daily crusty baguette topped with homemade aiHoboken features a more modest portion of specials, or diners can build their own, startoli, and Juedes (who was waiting tables that roast beef topped with fresh mozzarella, a few ing by choosing from two types of bread. I night) graciously brought my table a second hot peppers and a generous slather of garlic much preferred the taste and texture of the helping to soak up the last of the stew. There mayonnaise. It was tasty, but seemed scant focaccia roll to the thicker and rather dry were only a few tables in for dinner during semolina-seeded hero bun, but I appreciated compared to the Italian sandwich. Same with the my visit, which makes me think the word Sullivan, which had just a thin layer of prosciutto the latter’s utility in soaking up some of the hasn’t gotten out yet about their occasional topped with provolone, arugula and hot peppers. saucier sandwiches. evening events. So let me be the first to say, The daily specials are reliably good: Meat A more substantial bread might be they’re worth checking out — just like pretty ball subs on Mondays come drenched in mariuseful in the enormous Italian sandwich, a much everything else at Casetta. n nara and cheese; chicken and eggplant parmeclassic that comes with capicola, salami,

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Eats events Dane County Farmers’ Market

Easter brunch high tea

Pop-up comfort food dinner

Saturday, April 15

Sunday, April 16

Tuesday, April 18

The Dane County Farmers’ Market is back around the Capitol Square for the first outdoor market of the season. The nation’s largest producer-only farmers’ market is celebrating its 45th anniversary. A new logo and website will be unveiled at the first market. Organizers say the new website will help customers better connect with the hundreds of local farmers who vend at the market.

The Green Owl hosts a vegan high tea — or brunch, if you prefer — to celebrate Easter. Truffles, scones with house-made jams, miniquiches, baguettes with butter and radishes, curry un-chicken salad, deviled eggs and cucumber-herb cream cheese sandwiches are all on the menu — that’s right, it’s all vegan — and of course, your choice of tea. Reservations are encouraged; call 608-285-5290. At 1970 Atwood Ave., brunch ($15) starts at 10 am.

The menu for a benefit for the Goodman Community Center’s TEENworks employment program includes snap pea salad, fritters tossed in buffalo sauce, oven-roasted potatoes, macaroni and Wisconsin cheese, grilled seasonal vegetables and wild rice pudding. Beer, wine and a signature cocktail will also be available. Tickets ($15) at Goodman Center or at tinyurl.com/comfortfoodpopup. At 149 Waubesa St., seatings at 5:30 and 6:30 pm.

Caged Crow

Le to right: Josh Romaker, Jeremiah Hughes and Chelsea Romaker are the heart of Caged Crow. The transformation of a 1981 school bus, near le , into a fine dining truck, is their next project.

continued from 19

In late 2014, the Romakers and their two young kids decided to retreat to northern Wisconsin. Josh had family in the Saint Germain area and wanted his kids to grow up “someplace quiet.” The community was in need of someone who could do ironwork like gates and fences. But after relocating, with the food cart industry booming nationwide, the cart business took off, and blacksmith work was put on the back burner. “We’re getting four or five inquiries a day now,” he says. “I’m thankful because we can now pick and choose which jobs we want.” Romaker’s skills are also on display inside his carts, as he is tasked with cramming burners, sinks, counters, refrigeration and more into GDP ISTHMUS VERTICAL isthmus copy.pdf a space not much bigger than a walk-in closet.

DYLAN BROGAN PHOTOS

Moving forward, Romaker is hoping to take on bigger, specialty jobs. He’s in the process of converting a 1981 International Harvester “Schoolmaster” bus into a food truck with a full commercial kitchen inside as well as an intimate chef’s table for private events. The “International Fine Dining Food Truck,” being 6 4/7/17 2:45 PM developed by Melted food cart owner David

Rodriguez of Madison, is Caged Crow’s largest project to date. The bus is being redone from the wheels up, inside and out. They’ve already replaced most of the floor with aluminum diamond plate and have prepped the dining area for a hardwood floor. A large concession window has been cut out of the side of the bus, as has a 10-foot-hole in the ceiling

for a range hood. Caged Crow is turning the bus into a small restaurant. Romaker likes working on this “huge canvas” because it allows for maximum creativity. He hopes the International will land him future projects that are as equally complex. “If someone wants a pirate ship with a kitchen in it,” Romaker says, “we’ll build it.” ■

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A light, crisp Belgian The newest creation from Door County Brewing’s Danny McMahon is a Belgian pale ale accented with apricots, and it’s welcome as we change to warmer weather. “We took a really simple Belgian pale ale recipe and made a light beer that we can drink a lot of,” says McMahon. “With the flavors we get from the yeast and the hops, adding apricot seemed like a logical next step.” It features a combination of pilsner malt and a touch of wheat, for body, and is fermented with a Belgian yeast strain that dries out the beer and adds a hint of herbal, peppery spiciness. German Hull Melon hops are added, less to lend bitterness than for their light tropical melon flavor and aroma. Once fermentation settles down, McMahon adds apricot puree to the beer, roughly six pounds per barrel. The brew then sits for about a week, allowing the apricot, Belgian yeast and fruity German hops to meld. For those who look for assertive American takes on the Belgian pale ale style — those with bold earthy yeastiness and strong hop qualities — Apricot Dude Ranch might seem a little tame. It is, though, closer to the light, crisp dryness found in more traditional Bel-

LINDA FALKENSTEIN

Apricot Dude Ranch from Door County Brewing

gian versions of the style. It should appeal to those who enjoy saisons and pilsners. Apricot Dude Ranch finishes at 5 percent ABV and is on tap at select taphouses and sold in six-packs for about $10.

— ROBIN SHEPARD

Now open

Limited hours

LJ’s Sports Tavern & Grill has opened at 8 N. Paterson St. (608-286-1951) in the Galaxie apartment/condo complex. The large menu includes sandwiches, salads, wraps, burgers and, most importantly, a Friday fish fry, featuring ocean perch, lake perch, cod and shrimp. An all-you-can-eat option is available for the ocean perch. Kitchen open 11 am-10 pm daily; bar open later.

4&20 Bakery, 305 N. Fourth St., is open 8:30 am-2:30 pm Sat.-Sun. The eatery is recovering after the sudden death last month of baker Mandy Puntney.

Zandru’s Tapas Bar & Restaurant has opened at 419 State St. (608-960-8272) in the former Palmyra, beginning with dinner hours (5-11 pm) and plans to offer lunch next week. The tapas are joined by charcuterie, paellas and a handful of entrees.

Closing Mezze, 414 W. Gilman St. The final day is April 19.

Good Food Low Carb Cafe is now open at 4674 Cottage Grove Road (608-630-8400) in the Rolling Meadows shopping center. The brick-and-mortar venture of the popular food carts features salads, wraps and soups; “zoodle” bowls made from zucchini and summer squash noodles; gluten-free flatbreads; and local pasture-raised chicken wings and other appetizers. Open 11 am-8 pm Mon.-Fri., 9 am-3 pm Sat.-Sun.

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Hella Heller The Madison sports radio host keeps his cool while finding a national audience BY AARON R. CONKLIN

It’s good to be Mike Heller these days. Heller hosts The Mike Heller Show, a four-hour local sports talk show weekdays on iHeartRadio’s The Big 1070. In a sports media landscape dominated by outsized personalities jockeying for position and often jumping to different media companies, Heller has quietly and steadily grown his audience statewide. His show is now syndicated in four Wisconsin markets (Madison, Milwaukee, Appleton and Wausau), with more reportedly on the way. In a world where the controversial hot takes of screaming heads like ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and Fox1’s Skip Bayless seem like the fast track to media stardom, Heller has become the go-to substitute host of the nationally syndicated Dan Patrick Radio Show, a gig he’s rocking again this week. He’s an outlier, he’s a survivor — and he’s a huge success. “I can be provocative, but it has to come organically,” says Heller, speaking from his studio at iHeartRadio’s broadcast offices on Mineral Point Road. It’s a modest space that features plenty of Packers and Badgers memorabilia and even a set of Minnesota Vikings Helga horns (his show’s producer, Jon Arias, hails from Minnesota). “In our business, so many people believe that’s the model, to every day throw a hot take out there, get people to react,” Heller says. “Sometimes you have to be down the middle. If I weren’t, I’d be faking it.” For example, last fall, when Packers fans were (again) calling for Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson’s heads during Green Bay’s midseason swoon, Heller was among those who quietly and confidently predicted

Over the course of his 15-year sports radio talk career, Heller has had plenty of highlights, but two stand out. One was a show in which he did back-to-back interviews with Packers legend Bart Starr and his wife, Cherry, followed by an interview with Heller’s own father, who’d been in the stands for the Packers legendary Ice Bowl game. The second was the time he flew to New York to guest-host the Dan Patrick show live. Paul Pabst, the producer of Patrick’s radio show, first heard Heller’s name three years ago while talking to a colleague about the Milwaukee sports scene. Now Heller’s the one Pabst usually turns to when Patrick’s vacationing or on assignment. Heller: “I can be provocative, but it has to come organically.” Heller also occasionally fills in on the national show hosted by the NFL Network’s Rich Eisen. they’d recover and make the playoffs. These “Mike has a little bit of everything — he days, he’s even somewhat bullish about the Brewers’ chances to mine success out of this can be funny, he can be serious,” says Pabst, who also appreciates Heller’s ability to grasp season’s full-on rebuild. the national show’s focus, topics and vibe. “He Born in Appleton, Heller got his sports showed the ability to be a natural host, and not media start in TV after graduating from everybody can do that. Plus, he has really nice UW-Oshkosh. After stops in Rhinelander hair. It’s an easy transition from Dan’s hair to and Memphis, he came back to Wisconsin, Mike’s hair.” landing in Madison in 1995. He spent a few Heller also engages easily with his listeners, years as a local golf pro before hosting a both local and national, without belittling them. radio show with UW athletic director Barry But he’s not afraid to speak out when necessary. Alvarez, a gig that eventually ballooned into “I don’t [hedge] my real opinions if I think his current job. He’s the only local broadthat someone is a bad caller,” says Heller. He’s caster who’s done play-by-play for each of happier when callers express well-thought-out the four major sports.

opinions (even if he may not agree) — though he recognizes that “nothing builds a show faster than a bad or poorly-thoughtout opinion call.” Another key is his dedication to prep. His weekday routine includes a morning jammed with surfing TweetDeck, SportsCenter, national sports blogs and, when he’s in his car, listening to the local radio competition. He watches every Packers and Badgers game twice, live and on DVR. “[One of] the two worst things I can do is to say, ‘I didn’t see it,” Heller says. “The other worst thing is to fake it. You never get that respect back.” Over the past few years, navigating the thorny question of whether his show should “stick to sports” or also venture into politics has added a new challenge. While some sports media personalities have stumbled into and/or risked the minefield (think ESPN’s Dan Le Batard and Sage Steele), Heller has staked a thoughtful middle ground that allows him to wield his opinions without damaging his show’s reach. “My goal is to get the most listeners,” he explains. “If I come out on a side of a political issue, I immediately turn off half my listeners.” Heller supports the athletes’ right to promote political agendas, whether it’s the Badgers’ Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig or the NFLs Colin Kaepernick. But he’ll keep his own views on these topics close to his vest. “If you’re measured and you do your homework, you’re okay,” says Heller. “But you have to be careful, because we’re a live medium. We have a 12-second delay for swearing, but there’s no delay for a bad opinion.” ■ Stream episodes of The Mike Heller Show at thebig1070.iheart.com/media/podcastthe-mike-heller-show-mikehellershow.

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■ BOOKS

Wisconsin’s wild woman A “thousand-miler” recounts her memorable hike along the entire Ice Age Trail BY SEAN REICHARD

When Melanie Radzicki McManus first started hiking Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail in 2013, hardly any of her friends knew about the trail. That quickly changed as McManus’ hike progressed. Around that time, Cheryl Strayed’s hiking memoir Wild was exploding in popularity. McManus’ friends kept mentioning it in texts as she traversed the wilds of the Badger State, wondering whether the Ice Age Trail bore any similarity to the Pacific Crest Trail. McManus was on her own “wild” journey — aspiring to become one of 146 “thousandmilers,” hikers who have completed either through-hikes or section-hikes of the approximately 1,200-mile Ice Age Trail, which winds through the state from Potowatomi State Park in Sturgeon Bay to Interstate State Park in St. Croix Falls. McManus completed a through-hike, meaning she did it all in one go. McManus, a seasoned travel writer and hiker, details her experiences in her new book Thousand-Miler: Adventures Hiking the Ice Age Trail (Wisconsin Historical Society Press). Part travelogue, part history and part memoir, the book tracks the trail’s rich history, from its genesis in the 1950s to its recent expansion. McManus — whose trail name “Valderi” recalls the cheerful refrain from choir favorite “The Happy Wanderer” — recounts her journey (starting in St. Croix) with a fair bit of humor, especially because she had a few near misses along the way. In one chapter,

The journey awakened a sense of duty in McManus.

she and her husband, Ed (her occasional hiking companion), have a close brush with a black bear near Grassy Lake. She shares how blisters and a cellulitis scare (which necessitated a visit to urgent care in Wisconsin Dells and an antibiotics regimen) might have cut her journey short — to say nothing of surviving the August heat. Along the way, she posted to her blog, An Epic Ice Age Trail Adventure; most of ThousandMiler is based on those initial blog posts, which included such things as the number of burrs McManus picked off herself (hundreds) and reflections on Wisconsin’s natural beauty. In one passage, she writes about the silence in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest:

“Here in the remote Chequamegon, I feel like I’m a million miles away from the rest of humanity. The forest stretches skyward in a thick tangle of branches, blocking out all the sound from the outside world. But it’s not the same as the silence when you’re at church or in the library.... It’s like being wrapped in a thick, velvety robe, or a cushy layer of bubble wrap.” McManus calls attention to the community of Ice Age Trail devotees, ranging from thousand-milers to volunteers and staff at the Ice Age Trail Alliance, and delves deep into the trail’s shifting history, as the trail is composed of a patchwork of bought and leased land. In many ways, its history is still being made.

McManus says hiking the Ice Age Trail changed her life and awakened a sense of duty in her. “I now regularly donate to the [Ice Age Trail Alliance]. Whenever there’s trail building [where I live] I go out and bake cookies for the workers.” McManus hopes her book will inspire everyone to look closer to home when looking to escape city life or appreciate nature. “[The trail] is a wonderful asset for our state, and it’s something we should be proud of and protect and nurture.” ■ McManus will discuss Thousand-Miler with journalist Doug Moe at a free Earth Day event April 22 at Mystery to Me bookstore (1863 Monroe St.). The event starts at 2 p.m.

“Listen to the stories” Bill Malone pens a biography of bluegrass great Bill Clifton

ISTHMUS.COM APRIL 13–19, 2017

BY ANDY MOORE

Bill Clifton turned his back on his prominent East Coast parents and became an artistic expat in England — in favor of his adopted bluegrass family. This was the 1950s and ’60s, when the American country music blender was turned on high, mixing together western swing, hillbilly, mountain, Celtic, old time and, eventually, bluegrass. Clifton’s fingerprints were everywhere. Clifton’s experience, like bluegrass music itself, is deceptively complex. His zig-zaggity life story is in good hands, though. His new biography, Bill Clifton: America’s Bluegrass Ambassador to the World (University of Illinois Press), was penned by the nation’s preeminent country music historian, Bill C. Malone, who lives in Madison and hosts the popular WORT radio show Back to the Country. A professor emeritus at Tulane University and author of Country Music U.S.A.,

Malone has a knack for blending scholarship with storytelling. Who knew jazz giant Charlie Parker was a country music fan? Parker, after playing continuous hillbilly music on a jukebox at a musicians’ bar in midtown New York City, told his skeptical friends, “Listen to the stories, man, listen to the stories.” It was the stories that attracted Clifton. He first heard the tales and tunes coming from the radios of the farmhands on his father’s gentleman spread outside Baltimore. Clifton was expected to be a financier/banker like his dad. It’s safe to say that he gave it the old college try, but he felt the need to hide his zeal for country music from his parents, in much the same the way other youngsters concealed drinking alcohol. Reading and learning about Clifton, I couldn’t help but think about another folk music legend, a more contemporary practitioner, Townes Van Zandt, who also forsook his family’s wealth and prestige to chase the sounds that eventually controlled his life.

Still, Clifton’s nonmusical accomplishments were nothing to sneeze at. He graduated from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville and served as a communications officer in the Marines to fulfill the ROTC scholarship that paid for college (a route he sought to avoid being financially beholden to his father). Through it all, Clifton, a gifted guitarist and autoharpist, played and hosted old-time radio shows, curated and published a popular folk songbook, set up a bluegrass music outpost with his wife and seven children in England for nearly a decade and never stopped seeking out like-minded performers. The latter endeavor led to a fatherson relationship with none other than A.P. Carter and a brotherly, lifelong friendship with Mike Seeger, Pete’s multi-instrumental half-brother. Bluegrass music lovers who appreciate the work of Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley will appreciate this book about a lesser-known figure who championed the music for all — onstage and off. ■

BILL CLIFTON: AMERICA’S BLUEGRASS AMBASSADOR TO THE WORLD By Bill Malone University of Illinois Press

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■ ART

Curator-in-chief Russell Panczenko retires from the Chazen BY JAY RATH

Russell Panczenko, the longtime director of the Chazen Museum of Art, says he wants to “wallow in indolence” after he retires on June 30 after 33 years of service at UW-Madison. “But that’s not quite true,” adds Panczenko, laughing. “I’ve always been a pretty avid photographer.” Panczenko was born in Germany and grew up in Connecticut. He received his doctorate, specializing in 15th-century Italian painting, from the University of Florence in 1979. After serving as assistant director at the Williams College Museum of Art, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, he was hired in 1984 to lead what was then the UW’s Elvehjem Museum of Art. During his tenure as director, the facility’s collection grew from some 12,000 works to 21,000. “I was an art historian originally, so dealing with contemporary art added another dimension,” Panczenko recalls. In 2011, the museum was renamed to honor the lead donors of a $43 million expansion, Jerome and Simona Chazen. The 86,000-square-foot addition doubled gallery space and provided state-of-the-art storage, study rooms, a new lobby, and an auditorium that’s become a favorite of UW Cinematheque audiences. He credits his success in expanding the museum and its offerings to his ability to build long-term relationships with donors and collectors. “When you’re a collector, that collection becomes in a sense part of who you are. It’s one way that you engage,”

Panczenko nearly doubled the museum’s collection, to more than 21,000 works.

ERIC BAILLIES

he says. And donors want to know their money is well spent. “They’re very concerned with what happens to it,” says Panczenko. “‘Will it be beneficial? Can I somehow be assured that it’s part of my legacy for future generations?’” Oddly enough, given his long tenure, Panczenko says being a museum director wasn’t his ambition: “Where I was really fortunate, and one of the reasons I stayed so long, is I was not only director but chief curator. I love the arts. I love dealing with artists.” A search is underway for a successor, and Panczenko is helping conduct the search. But

he thinks the new director should have the freedom to realize his or her own vision. “I don’t believe that I or any other expert should be breathing down a new person’s neck,” he says. Panczenko took a similar approach when encouraging student ambassadors to develop their own passions when sharing the facility with the public. At a meeting, someone suggested the students guide patrons to the museum’s 10 “must-see” objects. “And I said, ‘No, you’re missing the point,’” says Panczenko. “There are not 10 must-see items. Find what’s interesting to you, and when

you give tours, whatever it was that clicked in your mind, share that.” The incident illustrates Panczenko’s larger aesthetic philosophy. He’d like to see people enjoy visual art the same way they enjoy music at a concert. “You’re not going because you’re trying to learn music history or music theory,” he says. “You can, and it may enrich you, but you go in and you listen and you think your own thoughts. It inspires all kinds of thoughts and emotions in your mind.” ■

New frontiers TransLiberation Coalition launches its first art show

ISTHMUS.COM APRIL 13–19, 2017

BY HOLLY HENSCHEN

Kaci Sullivan is a transgender man. He is also 10 weeks pregnant. Sullivan will be exhibiting a painting of one of his ultrasound images at the first art show hosted by the TransLiberation Coalition, an organization he founded in September. “We know best what our experience looks like,” says Sullivan, who hopes the April 15 event will generate visibility for people who are transgender or gender-noncomforming and empower them in the face of political opposition and media distortion. “We should be the ones having access to those platforms. When people try to tell stories that aren’t theirs, even when it’s from a place of wanting to help, there’s a certain damage that’s done.” Sullivan also started a website, transliberation.space. The site features poetry, essays and interviews by trans and GNC peo-

ple. There are links to art — including Sullivan’s nude self-portraits — as well as a marketplace of products and services by and for members of the trans and GNC community. Madison queer political punk band Token Minority is on tap to perform at the art show, which is slated for noon to 4 p.m. at the High Noon Saloon. Local transfeminine author Cali Juniper will also read excerpts from her autobiographical novella. The event will showcase paintings, drawings, photography, educational materials and baked goods. Sullivan hopes the show is not only a place for people in the trans and GNC community to connect, but a way to educate the broader Madison community. “Art has a way of transcending barriers,” Sullivan says. “There’s common feelings that are relevant to every human experience that you can connect to. That’s when real understanding and real empathy happen.” ■

Participating artists include Rhea Ewing, top (“Faith”), Nicole Bresnick, bo om le (“Flower Man”) and Kaci Sullivan (self-portrait).

■ MUSIC

Colossal contrasts Madison Symphony and guest pianist Philippe Bianconi match modernists and Romantics BY JOHN W. BARKER

The Madison Symphony Orchestra’s April program offers three contrasting items: a High Romantic gem, a fascinating modernist work and a bravura workhorse, with a brilliant French pianist as the exponent. “Colossal Piano” made its debut Friday night at Overture Hall. Robert Schumann’s music to accompany Byron’s poem Manfred is full of fine things but is little heard today, save for its overture. That overture is itself one of the great masterpieces of Romantic orchestral music, at once a concise achievement in symphonic writing and a piece of powerful dramatic expression. Maestro John DeMain’s subtle variations of tempo help highlight the dramatic element. In a way, it would work well as the closing work on a program instead of the opener. If it were the only work on the program, I could go home happy. The composer Witold Lutosławski became the greatest of Poland’s 20th-century avant-gardists. His Concerto for Orchestra (1954) is a relatively early work, still reflecting his interest in folk songs and dance rhythms. But it is a remarkable adaptation of Baroque forms into bold, sometimes raucous, but kaleidoscopic displays of orchestral colors. The third and final movement — the length of the

Bianconi brings all the fireworks.

other two combined — starts as a passacaglia, then expands to comprehend hymn melodies and emphatic climaxes. I have come to appreciate the work, and watching the MSO forces deliver it has helped illuminate it greatly. The dazzling performance earned a just ovation Friday evening. Gifted and versatile French pianist Philippe Bianconi is the visiting hero of the second half. His vehicle is Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto, composed in Russia just before the First World War and the revolutions that led him to abandon his beloved homeland. This concerto has a lot of beautiful music in it, typical of the

composer’s flair for lush melody. But all that is overlaid with writing for the soloist that is regarded as the most elaborate and demanding in the concerto literature. Rachmaninoff loved to play it (while he came to hate his Concerto No. 2, now so adored by audiences), and he set the model for extravagant showiness in performance. Bianconi brings off all the fireworks, but he does seem able to add softening touches. He confirmed his capacity for delicacy with a Debussy Prelude (one he has recently recorded) as an encore. ■

Zombies live The band celebrates 50-plus years of rock at the Barrymore BY BOB KOCH

The surviving ’60s bandmates will perform Odessey and Oracle in full.

ANDREW ECCLES

version, and also includes bassist Jim Rodford (a founding member of Argent and a latter-day Kink), his son Steve on drums, and guitarist Tom Toomey. At times the other original members have also participated, including for tours where they perform Odessey and Oracle in full. The four surviving ’60s bandmates (guitarist Atkinson died in 2004) visit the Barrymore

Theatre to do just that on April 15; it’s their final tour playing the full album and the 50th anniversary celebration of its recording. The current band also will play, performing songs from 2015’s excellent Still Got That Hunger. ■ For a full review of Still Got That Hunger, see isthmus.com/music/vinyl-cave.

APRIL 13–19, 2017 ISTHMUS.COM

Of the many iconic rock bands of the 1960s, only a few created a sound that was exclusively their own. Mix the jazz-soaked keyboard playing of Rod Argent, the pellucid lead vocals of Colin Blunstone and choirboy backing harmonies — folded into (often) minor-key songs — and you get something special that only the Zombies provide. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to translate that musical mojo into consistent sales; “She’s Not There” was a hit in their native England and eventually the States, where they managed a follow-up smash in “Tell Her No.” They hit the top 10 again in the U.S. with “Time of the Season” in 1969, but the group broke up even before the 1968 release of Odessey and Oracle, an album now almost universally considered one of the finest rock discs of all time. However, by the new millennium, periodic one-off reunions led to Blunstone and Argent touring together regularly, which morphed into a new incarnation of the Zombies. The current band has been together as long as the ’60s

■ SCREENS

Film events

Conveying inconsolable anguish: Emma Suárez as the older Julieta .

Un poquito de tanta verdad (A Little bit of So Much Truth): Peregrine Forum screening of documentary about the 2006 popular uprising in Oaxaca. Central Library, April 13, 6:30 pm. Rifftrax Live: Samurai Cop: Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett lampoon the grade Z ’90s action film. Point and Palace-Sun Prairie, April 13 (7 pm) and April 18 (7:30 pm). Gender, Politics & the Politics of Gender: Video art showcase. UW Union South-Marquee, April 13, 7:30 pm. Darker Than Amber: Point Blank Cinema: Film adaptation of John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee novel. Art In, April 13, 7:30 pm.

The power of maternal love Julieta is straightforward and emotionally complex BY STEVE DAVIS

The generous folds in a billowy crimson dress undulate like a beating heart in the virtuoso opening shot of Julieta, Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar’s mournful adaptation of three short stories written by Nobel Prize winner Alice Munro, each focusing on a woman named Juliet Henderson at different times in her life. Almodóvar’s seamless screenplay transposes Munro’s Canadian setting to his native country, and expands upon her Chekhovian narratives by linking them thematically through elements of grief, guilt, and loss. Like his humanist masterpiece All About My Mother, the film is a testament to the fortitude of maternal love. In sharp contrast to the earlier film, however, Julieta features no HIV-positive nuns, transsexual prostitutes,

drug-addicted actresses or cross-dressing fathers orbiting its central female character, a classics literature instructor touched by tragedy three times over the course of the film’s 30-year span. Straightforward and yet emotionally complex, the film is Almodóvar’s most sobering work to date, a mystery about a daughter’s abandonment of her mother without explanation. The disciplined narrative of his 20th feature film is, in some ways, as shocking as the outrageous reactionary politics of his early post-Franco films, which exploded in a rainbow of candy-colored hues. Here, the recurring red-and-blue motif in the film’s design demonstrates a more tempered use of color to adorn a narrative steeped in sadness. One thing about this extremely talented artist: He never sees anything in just black-and-white. Back in the heyday of the Hollywood studio, Julieta would have qualified as a “woman’s pic-

ture,” a female-centric melodrama with weepy overtones. Time and time again, Almodóvar has forged a simpatico connection with the actresses in his films, starting with his first muse, the unforgettable Carmen Maura. Here, he uses two women to play Julieta (an homage, no doubt, to fellow countryman Luis Buñuel’s sublime That Obscure Object of Desire): Adriana Ugarte, as the younger version of the character, and Emma Suárez, as the older version. Both are superb. The almost identical way in which each wears the character’s inconsolable anguish on her face is eerie. When Almodóvar transitions from the younger Julieta to the older to evoke the passage of time, using nothing more than a bath towel, you marvel at the assuredness of his simple technique. The conjuror may not perform (for now, at least) the outlandish tricks that once bedazzled us, but he’s still no less a man of magic. ■

20th Century Women: A bohemian household in the ’70s presents life challenges for everyone; from writer/director Mike Mills. Union SouthMarquee, April 14 (9:30 pm) and April 16 (5 pm). I’m Not Angry: Iranian Film Festival: An expelled university student has some issues with getting angry at what he sees as the immorality of society. Union South-Marquee, April 15, 3 pm. The Salesman: Iranian Film Festival: A couple’s peaceful life is shattered by an assault. Union South-Marquee, April 15, 5:30 pm. Moses und Aron: Film version of Arnold Schonenberg’s unfinished opera by Danièle Huillet and JeanMarie Straub. UW Cinematheque, April 15, 7 pm. City of God: The violent side of Rio de Janeiro from the 1960s to the ’80s, via the stories of kids who grow up and follow different paths. Union South-Marquee, April 15, 8:15 pm. The Poseidon Adventure: UW Cinematheque: Crafty survivors (Gene Hackman, Shelley Winters, Ernest Borgnine) try to escape a flipped ocean liner. Chazen Museum of Art, April 16, 2 pm.

Human Highway: UW Cinematheque: Scriptless comedy helmed by Neil Young about a small town before the apocalypse. Union South-Marquee, April 17, 7 pm.

BY SCOTT RENSHAW

ISTHMUS.COM APRIL 13–19, 2017

Jackie: Biopic follows Jacqueline Kennedy (Natalie Portman) after the assassination of JFK. Lakeview Library, April 14, 6 pm.

76 Minutes and 15 Seconds with Abbas Kiarostami: Iranian Film Festival: Documentary about the filmmaker, plus screening of his short film Take Me Home. Union South-Marquee, April 16, 2:30 pm.

The Salesman is a potent tale of shame and power

Sultan: A wrestler works toward an improbable comeback. Union South-Marquee, April 14, 6 pm.

Cruising: A straight cop (Al Pacino) goes undercover in gay S&M bars to stop a serial killer. UW Cinematheque, April 14, 7 pm.

A morality play If you missed The Salesman at the Wisconsin Film Festival, you have one more chance to see it this weekend. The Academy Award winner for best foreign film is screening April 15 (5:30 p.m.) at Union South as part of the Wisconsin Union Directorate’s Iranian Film Fest. Iranian director Asghar Farhadi’s previous features have established him so definitively as one of world cinema’s greatest dramatists that it’s slightly jarring when one of his stories seems only really good, rather than transcendent. The Saleman is the tale of married actors Emad (Shahab Hosseini) and Rana (Taraneh Alidoosti), whose relationship is strained first by being forced to move out of their apartment, then by an incident at their new apartment, where Rana is apparently accosted by an intruder. The action is framed by their production of Death of a Salesman, and there are certain-

We Are What We Are: When the patriarch dies, teenage cannibals must take on new responsibilities. Union South-Marquee, April 13 (9:30 pm) and April 15 (11 pm).

An incident strains the relationship between married actors Emad (Shahab Hosseini) and Rana (Taraneh Alidoosti).

The Mask You Live In: Documentary follows young men as they navigate America’s narrow definition of masculinity; Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault & Dane County Rape Crisis Center discussion follows. WCASA office, 2801 W. Beltline Hwy., April 18, 4 pm. Eva Hesse: Documentary about the artist, active in New York City and Germany in the 1960s. Union South-Marquee, April 18, 7 pm. Banff Mountain Film Festival: Annual event. Barrymore Theatre, April 18-19, 7 pm. Racing Extinction: Documentary about activists trying to stave off man-made species destruction. UW Union South-Marquee, April 19, 7 pm. Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy: The Canadian sketch comedy troupe takes on the pharmaceutical industry, in a film that only looks more prescient as the years pass. Bos Meadery, April 19, 7 pm.

ly levels on which that provides for some subtext about a man trying to maintain his dignity. But the meat of Farhadi’s familiar brand of morality play rests on cultural ideas of shame and victim-blaming, which sadly seem just as fitting in America, building to a confrontation that’s

more about vengeance than justice. It may not be as devastating a portrait of selfishness and moral failure as masterpieces like About Elly and A Separation, but it’s still a potent story of how much a man might be willing to destroy simply to preserve his sense that he’s still a man. ■

The Grateful Dead Movie: 40th anniversary screening of film drawn from the band’s 1974 Winterland shows. Point & Palace-Sun Prairie, April 20, 7 pm. Union Maids: Labor History Film Series: Documentary about three Depression-era organizers. Central Library, April 20, 7 pm.

Life is full of hard choices. Dinner shouldn’t be one of them. Download the app.

Order food online from your favorite restaurants.

APRIL 27 • 7–10:30 PM Come to MMoCA for the runway show of the year! Enjoy over-the-top hair sculptures, DJ mixes, seasonal hors d’oeuvres, cocktails at cash bars, and a raffle with amazing prizes. Proceeds support MMoCA’s free exhibitions and education programs.

227 State Street • mmoca.org/hair

By the power of music, we walk cheerfully through the dark night… A prince, a princess, a bird-catcher, and a host of other fascinating characters invite you into a fantastical world of charmed musical instruments, mystical rituals, and a quest for enlightenment and wisdom. Written in the last year of his life, Mozart’s sublime opera is part fairy tale, part adventure story, and all enchantment. Come revel in this glorious music that has been enjoyed around the world for over two centuries.

Tickets start at only $18! BY WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART

Kay & Martin Barrett

Millie & Marshall Osborn

Carla & Fernando Alvarado

A. Paul Jones Charitable Trust

OV E RT U R E H A L L S u n g i n G e r m a n w i t h E n g l i s h d i a l o g u e a n d p r o j e c t e d E n g l i s h tra n s l a t i o n s

Helen Wineke

madisonopera.org | tickets: 608.258.4141 |

APRIL 13–19, 2017 ISTHMUS.COM

FRIDAY, APRIL 21 , 2017 | 8PM SUNDAY, APRIL 23, 2017 | 2:30PM

Thank you to our generous sponosors!

Jackie Greene

thu apr 13

Friday, April 14, Majestic, 9 pm It doesn’t seem so long ago that Jackie Greene was drawing comparisons to Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. But 15 years have passed since the singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist first appeared on the scene with his critically acclaimed debut album, Gone Wanderin’. During that time, Greene forged his own sound as an Americana-leaning roots rocker and served stints with both the Black Crowes and Phil Lesh & Friends. His most recent release is 2015’s blues-tinged Back to Birth — Greene’s seventh record and first in five years. Fellow Californian David Luning opens, touring in support of his recent Americana album, Restless.

MU S I C

MadCity Sessions: Lo Marie + Grupo Candela Thursday, April 13, Overture Center Capitol Theater, 7:30 pm

This showcase for local artists features the jazz/opera wunderkind Lo Marie, whose album, Solid Ground, won the 2015 MAMA for jazz album of the year. She’s paired with the 12-piece Latin music extravaganza Grupo Candela, which is bound to have everyone on their feet.

PICK OF THE WEEK CO MEDY Josh Johnson, Geoffrey Asmus, Anthony Bonazzo: 8:30 pm on 4/13 and 8 & 10:30 pm, 4/14-15, Comedy Club on State. $15-$10. 256-0099.

picks

B O O KS / S PO K EN WO RD Lorna Landvik: Discussing “Once in a Blue Moon,” her new novel, 7 pm, 4/13, 702WI. $10. 702WI.com. Derrick Austin, Jamel Brinkley, Natalie Eilbert, Sarah Fuchs, Marcela Fuentes, Barrett Swanson: UW Creative Writing Program readings, 7 pm, 4/13, Central Library. 253-3658.

DA N C I N G

Brink Lounge: Aaron Williams & the Hoodoo, 8 pm.

Safety Dance: Dane County Rape Crisis Center fundraiser, 8 pm-1:30 am, 4/13, Robinia Courtyard, with DJs Dr. Funkenstein, Glynis, Yanni K, raffle, snacks. $5 donation. facebook.com/ events/243397449457631.

Cafe Carpe, Fort Atkinson: The New Pioneers, 7 pm. Cafe Coda: Latin Jazz Jam with Richard Hildner & Juancho Martinez, 7:30 pm Thursdays. Christy’s Landing: Open Mic with Shelley Faith, free, 8 pm Thursdays. Corral Room: Richard Shaten, piano, 9 pm Thursdays. The Frequency: Armchair Boogie, Cascade Crescendo, 8:30 pm. High Noon Saloon: Fin Zipper, Trophy Dad, greenhaus, 9 pm. Hop Garden Tap Room, Paoli: Old Black Joe & the Third Rail Sparks, free, 6 pm Thursdays. Ivory Room: Katy Marquardt, Connor Brennan, dueling pianos, free, 9 pm. Knuckle Down Saloon: Blues Jam with Tate & the 008 Band, free, 8 pm Thursdays.

YORK WILSON

ART E XHIBITS & EV ENTS

T HE AT E R & DANCE Thursday, April 13, UW Vilas HallMitchell Theatre, 7:30 pm

Mickey’s Tavern: Mal-O-Dua, French swing, 5:30 pm. Nomad World Pub (formerly Cardinal Bar): Late Harvest, 7 pm.

ISTHMUS.COM APRIL 13–19, 2017

Twist Bar and Grill: Bill Roberts Combo, free, 5 pm.

Up North Pub: Catfish Stephenson, blues/Americana, free, 9 pm Thursdays. UW Humanities Building-Mills Hall: Stephanie Jutt, Mead Witter School of Music faculty concert by the flautist, with Sally Chisholm, viola; Amy McCann, clarinet; Christopher Taylor, piano, free, 7:30 pm. UW Memorial Union-Rathskeller: Low Roar, 9 pm. Willows Tavern, Westport: Open Jam with Six Mile Creek, free, 7:30 pm Thursdays. Zuzu Cafe: Jazz Jam, free, 7 pm Thursdays.

MUS I C

The Underpants

Lucille: DJ Brook, free, 10 pm Thursdays.

Tricia’s Country Corners, McFarland: Jackie Marie, 8 pm Thursdays.

fri apr 14

Madison Watercolor Society: 4/1-29, UW Hospital & Clinics-C5/2 Surgical Waiting. 263-5992.

Louisianne’s, Etc., Middleton: Jim Erickson, jazz, free, 6 pm Thursdays.

Tip Top Tavern: Dana Perry, free, 9 pm.

Madison Area Music Awards: Final round, 4/3-5/8. $5 membership fee. themamas.org.

Martha Glowacki: “Natural History, Observations & Reflections,” 3/3-5/14, Chazen Museum of Art (artist lecture 5:30 pm, 4/13). 263-2246.

Liliana’s Restaurant, Fitchburg: Ken Wheaton, fingerstyle guitar, free, 5:30 pm Thursdays.

Plan B: DJs EMC, Cover Gurrl, 9 pm Thursdays.

A RTS N OT I C ES

Reconfigured Reality: Photographs from the permanent collection, 12/2-11/12 Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (talk by Melanie Herzog 1 pm, 4/13). 257-0158.

Wisconsin Burlesque Festival Thursday, April 13, Five Nightclub, 9 pm

The Wisconsin Burlesque Festival brings a formerly stigmatized art form into a new age, offering three days of some of the best burlesque the Midwest has to offer. Many performance permutations are represented: classic, neo, circus, subversive and nerdlesque. And while you’re there, check out Madison’s own Marina Mars, Breezy Blue and Melani Khandroma, who perform on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, respectively. ALSO: Friday-Saturday, April 14-15, 9 pm.

Only in Steve Martin’s absurdist world could an entire play be centered on a pair of underwear. Adapted by Martin from Carl Sternheim’s 1910 farce, The Underpants tells the story of Theo Maske, a man trying to balance the scandal of his wife’s uncooperative undergarments (and their tendency to fall down in public) with the business of finding a renter for his flat. Unsurprisingly, the kooky lodgers don’t make things easy on poor Theo. Presented by UW’s Department of Theatre and Drama. ALSO: Friday-Saturday (7:30 pm) and Sunday (2 pm), April 14-16. Through April 30. Steel Magnolias: Strollers Theatre production of Robert Harling’s comedy set in a beauty salon, 7:30 pm, 4/1314 and 2 pm, 4/15, Bartell Theatre-Evjue Stage. $20. 661-9696. Dumpster Flower: Technicians make sure the show goes on after most of the actors bail, in this production written/directed by Malissa Petterson, 8 pm, 4/13-15, Broom Street Theater. $11. 244-8338.

I Love the ’90s Friday, April 14, Alliant Center Coliseum, 7:30 pm

The Trump era already has many people wishing we were in the relative calm of the 1990s again. But until time travel is a reality, the I Love the ’90s tour will have to serve as your personal time machine. Featuring Clinton-era stars Salt-N-Pepa (pictured) with DJ Spinderella, Coolio, Color Me Badd, All-4-One, Young MC, Tone Loc and Rob Base, this show will have you partying like it’s 1995.

➡

The World’s Best Mountain Films

BARRYMORE

THEATRE

2090 Atwood Ave. (608) 241-8864

Upcoming Shows!

TUE-WED APR. 18-19 - 7:00PM welcome

present

The World’s Best Mountain Films

Brought to you by

SAT • APRIL 15 BARRYMORE THEATRE

ON SALE NOW AT BARRYMORE.COM and Friends of Indian lake

Different Films Each Night!

$13 adv, $15 dos $22 advance 2-day ticket Free valet bike parking will be provided

SAT. APR. 22 - 8:00PM

Newstalk 1510AM Milwaukee

with musical guest

ERIN MCKEOWN

welcome

Films

APRIL 24

CAPITOL THEATER

The World’s Best Mountain Films

Tickets $50 advance STEPHANIE VIP tickets $150 (includes Meet & Greet after the show, and early entry w/preferred seating)

OVERTURE.ORG 608-258-4141

JOHN

MILLER FUGELSANG

FRANGELA

THE JA YHAWKS Wesley Stace With Special Guest

(a.k.a. John Wesley Harding)

FRIDAY APRIL 28 • MAJESTIC THEATRE MAJESTICMADISON.COM, 800•514•ETIX, MAJESTIC THEATRE BOX OFFICE

FRI. MAY 12 - 8:00PM

$25 adv, $30 dos

Lucinda Williams Saturday, April 29 Capitol Theater

Overture.org • 608-258-4141

Tickets: $40 advance, $45 d.o.s. Gold Circle VIP: $75 advance (incl. Early Entry & Preferred Seating)

FRI. MAY 19 - 7:30PM

APRIL 30 OVERTURE HALL

OVERTURE.ORG • 608-258-4141

Tickets on sale at Sugar Shack, Star Liquor, MadCity Music, B-Side, Frugal Muse, Strictly Discs, the Barrymore, online at barrymorelive.com or call & charge at (608) 241-8633.

With Special Guest Jonathan Coulton

May 2 Barrymore Theatre BARRYMORELIVE.COM 608-241-8633

APRIL 13–19, 2017 ISTHMUS.COM

Tickets: $25 advance VIP $85 (incl. Early Entry, Preferred Seating, Meet & Greet)

n ISTHMUS PICKS : APR 14 - 15 Glass Nickel-Atwood Ave.: Battle of the Bands with Bear in the Forest, Tristan Friedies, ColourBlind, Flip City Live, 10 pm.

WELCOMES

Harmony Bar: The Brothers Burn Mountain, MoonHouse, 9:45 pm. High Noon Saloon: Cindy Set My Hair on Fire, Super Tanker, 5:30 pm; Terrapin Flyer, 9:30 pm. Ivory Room: Katy Marquardt, Jim Ripp, Peter Hernet, dueling pianos, 8 pm. Knuckle Down Saloon: Valerie B & the Boyz, 8 pm.

Laura Jane Grace Friday, April 14, UW Memorial UnionFredric March Play Circle, 8 pm

When Tom Gabel started Against Me! in 1997, few expected it to grow into the influential punk rock juggernaut it is today. After coming out as transgender to Rolling Stone in 2012, Tom Gabel now goes by the name Laura Jane Grace and has become an outspoken advocate for a severely marginalized group. Grace will talk about being trans in Trump’s America, and play a few acoustic Against Me! jams. Free, but tickets required; for availability, call the Memorial Union Box Office at 608-265-2787.

JACKIE GREENE

MAJESTIC 4.14

Liliana’s Restaurant, Fitchburg: John Vitale, Marilyn Fisher & Ken Kuehl, jazz, free, 6:30 pm. Liquid-Ruby Lounge: DJ Chamo, 10 pm Fridays. Louisianne’s, Etc., Middleton: Johnny Chimes, New Orleans piano, free, 6:30 pm Fridays-Saturdays. Lucille: DJ Radish, free, 10 pm. Majestic Theatre: Jackie Greene, Adam Greuel & Russell Pedersen, David Luning, 9 pm. Merchant: DJ Tanner Savage, free, 10:30 pm. Monona Yoga: Supersonic Soul Circle, kirtan, donations, 7 pm. Nomad World Pub: GGOOLLDD, DJ Lovecraft, 8 pm. Parched Eagle Brewpub: Common Chord, free, 7:30 pm. Rex’s Innkeeper, Waunakee: Riled Up, rock, 8:30 pm. Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Middleton: John Widdicombe & Cliff Frederiksen, jazz, 6 pm. Sconnie Bar: Sweet Delta Dawn, Grateful Beth, 9 pm. Tip Top Tavern: Tani Diakite & Afrofunkstars, 10 pm. UW Memorial Union-Rathskeller: The Velveteins, greenhaus, free, 9 pm.

THE ZOMBIES

UW Union South-Sett: UW Low Brass Ensemble, 9 pm. Varsity Bar, Sun Prairie: Open Mic, 10 pm Fridays. VFW-Cottage Grove Road: Kristi B, 7:30 pm.

BARRYMORE 4.15

Those Poor Bastards Friday, April 14, Mickey’s Tavern, 10:30 pm Wisconsin will export its top-notch countrygoth-metal hybrid to Europe next week when Lonesome Wyatt and the Minister cross the sea to rain doom on the Netherlands, Germany, Norway and even Moscow to close the tour. Send them off in style by helping make Mickey’s as gloom-laden as possible. With Madison black metal duo Tubal Cain (late of the much-missed Antiprism).

DEMETRI MARTIN

Wil-Mar Center: The Ramona Tribute: Wild Hog in the Woods concert with Peter and Lou Berryman, Lisa Johnson, Skip Jones, Stephen Lee Rich, John Duggleby, 8 pm.

FA I RS & FEST I VA L S Mid West Music Fest: 4/14-15, LaCrosse. $45 adv. midwestmusicfest.org.

FUN D RA I S ERS RSVP for Black Tie Bingo: North/Eastside Senior Coalition benefit, 6-9:30 pm, 4/28, Cherokee Country Club, with food, silent auction. $40. RSVP by 4/14: trosbeck@nescoinc.org. 243-5252.

B O O KS

Alchemy Cafe: Nuggernaut, funk/jazz, free, 10 pm. Art In Gallery: Carbon Bangle (EP release), Beefus, Gauss, Tarek Sabbar, 7 pm.

ORPHEUM 4.20

Babe’s: Richard Shaten, free, 8:30 pm Fridays. Bos Meadery: Brian Koenig, metal/jazz, free, 6:30 pm. Bowl-A-Vard: Denim ‘n Leather, classic rock, 9 pm. Brink Lounge: The Moon Gypsies, rock, 9 pm. Brocach-Monroe Street: The Currach, 6 pm Fridays. Cafe Carpe, Fort Atkinson: Chicago Farmer, 8:30 pm. Cargo Coffee-East Washington: County Highway PD, Americana, free, 7:30 pm. Chief’s Tavern: Cool Front with Jon French, 6:30 pm.

ISTHMUS.COM APRIL 13–19, 2017

Club Tavern, Middleton: Blue Olives, blues, 9 pm.

THE FLAMING LIPS

Our #1

ORPHEUM 4.21

WIN TICKETS @ ISTHMUS.COM/PROMOTIONS

Crossroads Coffee, Cross Plains: Tom Waselchuk & John Parrott, 7 pm. Delaney’s: Bob Kerwin & Doug Brown, jazz, free, 6 pm. Essen Haus: Gary Beal Band, free, 8:30 pm. First Unitarian Society Auditorium: Madison Bach Musicians, “St. John’s Passion” by Bach, 7:30 pm (lecture 6:45 pm). Also: 7:30 pm, 4/15. Fisher King Winery, Verona: Teddy Davenport, free, 6:30 pm. The Frequency: The Gran Fury, Cold Black River, Subatomic, 9 pm.

Built To Last!

Teju Cole Friday, April 14, Central Library, 7 pm

One of today’s most powerful voices in prose (the novel Open City) and nonfiction, Teju Cole visits Madison for a presentation based on his new collection of essays, Known and Strange Things, which brings fresh insight to topics ranging from politics to Shakespeare. Cole will also deliver the Saturday keynote at the UW African Studies Program conference “Pleasure and the Pleasurable: In Africa and the African Diaspora.”

SEARCH THE FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS AT ISTHMUS.COM

Line Breaks Festival Through Sunday, April 16, Overture Center

COME DY Monkey Business Improv: 7 pm, 4/14, Yahara Bay Distillery, Fitchburg. $20 ($18 adv.). 275-1050.

A RT EX H I B I TS & E VE N TS Design 2017: Annual juried student exhibit, 4/14-23, UW Nancy Nicholas Hall-Ruth Davis Design Gallery (reception 5-7 pm, 4/14). 262-8815. McFarland Hungry Hungry Artists: Works by Indian Mound Middle School students, 4/3-30, Java Cat (reception 4-6 pm, 4/14). 223-5553. Dakota Mace: “We Weave What We See,” MFA exhibit, 4/14-21, Art Lofts (reception 6-8 pm, 4/14). 262-1660. Night Light: Art openings for exhibits by Polka Press, “Tarot Art Show,” Justus Roe, Katarina Riesing and Thomas Hellstrom, 8-11 pm, 4/14, Central Library, plus tarot readings, art activities & more. 266-6300.

sat apr 15 MU SI C

Lil Wayne Saturday, April 15, Orpheum, 8 pm

Lil Wayne is a rock star in every sense of the term. The legendary emcee born Dwayne Carter has built a reputation not just on his lean-soaked antics, but also on his ceaseless output of music and massive influence on contemporary hip-hop. And this year, Weezy is set to release Tha Carter V, his 13th album in total. The third of “Tha Carter” series currently lives on Rolling Stone’s ever-changing “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” With CyHi the Prynce. 1855 Saloon, Cottage Grove: David Hecht, free, 7 pm. Art In Gallery: Minus 9, Tom Grrrl, The Momotaros, The Smells, DJ Lauden, 8 pm. Bos Meadery: Our Friends the Savages, Full Vinyl Treatment, The Werewolverine, rock, free, 7 pm. Brink Lounge: Missbehavin, rock/country, 9 pm. Cargo Bike Shop: Casey Day, free, 9 am Saturdays.

ITZHAK PERLMAN with pianist Rohan de Silva

SAT, APR 29

Photo: Lisa Marie Mazzucco

UW-Madison is the only major university that offers a full-ride scholarship for hip-hop artists, the First Wave program. The annual Line Breaks Festival showcases their prodigious talents. See the renowned touring ensemble, films, poetry and music by some of the city’s most passionate young artists. All performances are free and open to the public. See full schedule at linebreaks.wisc.edu.

Club Tavern, Middleton: Pilot, free, 9 pm. Come Back In: MoonHouse, free, 9 pm. Crystal Corner Bar: Get Back Wisconsin, “The Road to Sgt. Pepper” concert, 9 pm. Essen Haus: Gary Beal Band, free, 8:30 pm.

MadCity Sessions: Lo Marie & Grupo Candela

APR 13 FREE

The Frequency: Porky’s Groove Machine, Bird’s Eye, Koo Koo Kangaroo, 9 pm.

SERIES SPONSOR

SHOW SPONSOR

GET SOCIAL PRESENTED BY

GODFREY KAHN S.C.

GET SOCIAL $15 PRE-SHOW MIXER

Harmony: Wurk, Jaedyn James & the Hunger, 9:45 pm. Hop Garden, Paoli: Dave & Jenny Goodell, free, 2 pm. Ivory Room: Katy Marquardt, Jim Ripp, Peter Hernet, dueling pianos, 8 pm.

APR 29

Itzhak Perlman with pianist Rohan de Silva

MAY 2 MA

National Geographic Live: Among Giants: A Life with Whales with Flip Nicklin

MAY 6

Wild Sound: Third Coast Percussion with Glenn Kotche (of Wilco)

SERIES SPONSOR

Knuckle Down Saloon: Alex Zayas, 9 pm. Lakeside Street Coffee House: Michael Gruber, fingerstyle guitar, free, 9:30 am Saturdays.

The Expendables

Lazy Oaf Lounge: Saturday Morning Cartel, 10 pm. Liliana’s: John Widdicombe & Stan Godfriaux, 6:30 pm.

Saturday, April 15, High Noon Saloon, 9 pm

Liquid: DJay Mando, 10 pm.

With their effortless combination of reggae, ska and punk rock, the Expendables can win a crowd pretty much everywhere. The long-running Santa Cruz-based quartet has toured with artists ranging from the soulfully funky G. Love and Special Sauce to ska-punk lifers Less Than Jake, so it’s safe to say that there’s something in their sound for everyone to enjoy. With Washington, D.C., punk/hip-hop hybrid RDGLDGRN and San Diego reggae crew Tribal Theory.

Lucille: DJ Fuzzy Duck, free, 10 pm.

The Zombies

Merchant: DJ Tanner Savage, free, 10:30 pm. Mickey’s Tavern: Droids Attack, Falcon Arrow, Mamora, rock, free, 10:30 pm.

SERIES SPONSOR

Nomad World Pub: DJ Chamo, Latin, 10 pm Saturdays. Paoli Schoolhouse: Krause Family Band, free, 6 pm. Tip Top Tavern: Willma Flynn-Stone, drag, 10 pm. Tricia’s Country Corners: Your Mom, 9 pm.

LIMITED AVAILA

MAY 9 –14 MA

The Book of Mormon

JUN 2

The Second City Summer Blockbuster

Tyranena, Lake Mills: Strangled Darlings, 7 pm. UW Memorial Union-Der Rathskeller: Vundabar, Slow Pulp, free, 9 pm. Yetti’s, Edgerton: Cool Front with Jon French, 9:30 pm.

B OOKS / S POKEN WORD Madtown Author Daze: Meet & greet with 30 authors of multiple genres, 11 am-4 pm, 4/15, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, with music by Lee de Falla. Free. sunmoonarts.com.

BILITY

SERIES PARTNER

THURSDAY: GET SOCIAL $15 PRE-SHOW MIXER

SERIES SPONSOR

SHOW SPONSOR

GET SOCIAL PRESENTED BY

GODFREY KAHN S.C.

GET SOCIAL PRESENTED BY

GODFREY KAHN S.C.

GET SOCIAL $15 PRE-SHOW MIXER

Writing & Performance: Urban Spoken Word workshop for youth, 2 pm, 4/15, Sherman Avenue United Methodist Church. 332-4643. Celebrate Poetry: Listen or read your own verse selections, 2 pm, 4/15, Ashman Library. 824-1780. Urban Spoken Word: Final round of slam season, 7 pm, 4/15, Genna’s. $10. 332-4643.

OVERTURE.ORG | 608.258.4141

➡

APRIL 13–19, 2017 ISTHMUS.COM

Saturday, April 15, Barrymore Theatre, 8 pm Nearly 50 years ago, the Zombies recorded the epochal Odessey and Oracle LP. But the group split before the album was released, and more than a year before “Time of the Season” belatedly became a hit in the U.S. in 1969 (it never did make it in their native England). For the 2017 tour, the current incarnation of the band — including lead singer Colin Blunstone and keyboardist Rod Argent — welcomes back fellow founding members Chris White and Hugh Grundy to play the classic album in its entirety. See story, page 31.

Majestic Theatre: Twiddle, Midnight North, 9 pm.

SERIES SPONSOR

37 RECOMMENDED WHEN USED FOR REPRODUCTIONS SMALLER THAN 2.25” WIDE.

■ ISTHMUS PICKS : APR 15 - 18 COM EDY 2201 Atwood Ave.

THURSDAYS H 8:30PM H FREE

Tate’s Blues Jam FRI, APR 14 H 8PM H $7

Valerie B. & The Boyz

BEST FUNK DANCE BAND AROUND

SAT, APR 15 H 9PM H $8

Alex Zayas SPANISH BLUES STAR FRI. APR. 21

Cash Box Kings

SAT. APR. 22

Boom Boom Steve

2513 Seiferth Rd. 222-7800 KnuckleDownSaloon.com

Kids in the Rotunda: Fox & Branch, 9:30 am, 11 am & 1 pm, 4/15, Overture Center. Free. 258-4141.

(608) 249-4333 FRI. APR. 14

The Brothers Burn Mountain

Easter Hat Parade: Hat-making workshop, 10 am, 4/15, Capitol Kids & Madison Children’s Museum; parade around Capitol Square at noon. Free. 280-0744.

9:45 pm $7

Easter Egg Hunt: 10 am-noon, 4/15, America’s Best Flowers, Cottage Grove, with Easter Bunny visit. Free; bring food pantry donations. 222-2269.

MOONHOUSE ____________________________________

w/ special guest

SAT. APR. 15

SUN. APR. 16: CLOSED FOR EASTER ____________________________________ WED. APR. 19

6-8pm $5 suggested

Cork ‘n Bottle String Band

____________________________________

THUR. APR. 20

8pm $12 adv, $15 dos

THE PEOPLE JON WAYNE Dirty Revival BROTHERS BAND & THE PAIN

WISCONSIN UNION THEATER

LOS ANGELES GUITAR QUARTET Apr. 22, 2017

Kid Disco: With DJ Nick Nice, plus easter egg hunt, 10:30 am, 4/15, Great Dane-East. 442-1333.

9:45 pm $7

w/ Jaedyn James & the Hunger ____________________________________

David Freeman Saturday, April 15, Brink Lounge, 8 pm

David Freeman returns to bring the laughs to the Brink. His Bashonomical Comedy Show’s “Spring Fling” will help balance April showers with a hearty helping of humor. “Showman” is known for his go-getter attitude both on and off-stage, producing numerous shows in the Madison area. Tickets are only available in advance at bashonomical.com. With MsCutNup, Stevie, music by Gary Flesher Jr.

ART EXHIBITS & EV ENTS

TransLiberation Art Coalition Spring Show Saturday, April 15, High Noon Saloon, noon-4 pm

This first-of-its-kind event will highlight the art, music, literature and food created by Madison’s transgender, gender-queer and non-binary community. Queer political punk band Token Minority kicks off the show, followed by a reading from The Calm and the Storm, author Cali Juniper’s latest autobiographical novella. Local artists will also have works on display. Admission is free. See story, page 30. Who You Lookin’ At?: Dane Arts Mural Arts exhibit of works by Madison & Sun Prairie alternative high school students, 4/15-5/28, Overture Center-Playhouse Gallery. 258-4169.

ZAKIR HUSSAIN

SP ECIAL EV ENTS Turkish Night: Madison Association of Turkish Students event, 7:30 pm, 4/15, UW Union South-Varsity Hall, with music, dance & cultural activities. Free. facebook.com/events/122735938263184.

with Rahul Sharma Apr. 27, 2017

K I D S & FA MI LY

The Great Egg Hunt and Spring Spectacular: Handson activities for all ages, 2-4 pm, 4/15, Aldo Leopold Nature Center, Monona. $10. RSVP: 216-9370.

sun apr 16 MUS I C Asbury United Methodist Church: Hymn Sing, 3 pm. Bos Meadery: Open Mic, free, 2 pm Sundays. Liliana’s: Cliff Frederiksen, jazz, 10:30 am Sundays. Mickey’s Tavern: Pollinators, Overlake, free, 10:30 pm. Tip Top Tavern: Open Mic, free, 9 pm Sundays.

mon apr 17 MUS I C Cafe Coda: Blues Jam, 7:30 pm Mondays. The Frequency: Neon Bone, The Moguls, Hell Muff, 8:30 pm. Funk’s Pub, Fitchburg: Project M Challenge, 105.5 FM local band competition, 6 pm Mondays, 4/17-5/15. Harmony Bar: David Landau, 5:30 pm Mondays. Malt House: Material Boys, bluegrass, free, 7:30 pm. Up North Pub: The Pine Travelers, free, 7 pm.

S PO K EN WO RD Pundamonium: “Pun slam,” 7 pm, 4/17, High Noon Saloon. $6. 268-1122.

tue apr 18 MUS I C

International Physique League Midwest Championships: Pre-show noon-2 pm, finals 3:30-5:30 pm, 4/15, Bartell Theatre. $30. mibolife-publishing.ecwid.com.

SP ECTATOR SP ORTS UW Men’s Rowing: Minnesota/MSOE dual, 9 am, 4/15, Lake Mendota. 262-1440.

DANCING

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Apr. 30, 2017

USA Dance-Madison: Ballroom dance, 7:45-10 pm, 4/15, Prairie Athletic Club, Sun Prairie. $13 (lesson 7 pm). 836-4004. Contra Dance: Music by Suite for the Feet, caller Steve Pike, 7:30-10:30 pm, 4/15, Grace Episcopal Church. $7 (lesson 7 pm). 692-3394. Wisconsin Tango Milonga: 8 pm-midnight, 4/15, Tempo Ballroom & Latin Dance Studio. $10 (beginner lesson 7 pm). 622-7697.

FARM ERS’ M ARKETS UNIONTHEATER.WISC.EDU 608.265.ARTS TM

The Anonymous Fund

Evjue Foundation

Dane County Farmers’ Market: 6:15 am-1:45 pm Saturdays, 4/15-11/11, Capitol Square; and 8:30 am1:45 pm Wednesdays, 4/19-11/1, 200 block Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 455-1999. Westside Community Farmers’ Market: 7 am-1 pm Saturdays, 4/15-11/4, corner of University Avenue & University Row (behind UW Health). 628-8879.

The Districts Tuesday, April 18, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm

Formed in tiny Lititz, Pennsylvania, in 2009 (while its members were still in high school), the Districts could be described as “precocious.” After all, what better word is there for a band that’s churning out throwback garage rock more ramshackle, urgent and downright fun than bands who have been together twice as long. Their last full-length, the John Congleton-produced A Flourish and a Spoil, was released in 2015. With Abi Reimold.

➡

from the creator of SLEEPWALK WITH ME, MY GIRLFRIEND’S BOYFRIEND and THANK GOD FOR JOKES

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TO THE PROMISED LAND APRIL 22-30 The Playhouse at Overture Center A young African-American girl’s experience growing up

Arts + Literature Laboratory: Jon Mueller, Jason Kahn, Sheba, 8 pm.

Tiny Band, 5:30 pm; Number #1 Band Very Good, We Should Have Been DJs, Once a Month, 8:30 pm.

Cafe Coda: Night of the Improviser with Hanah Jon Taylor, 7:30 pm Tuesdays.

Ivory Room: Connor Brennan, piano, free, 8 pm.

Crescendo: The Wooks, Carley Baer, 7:30 pm.

Malt House: Don’t Spook the Horse, free, 7:30 pm.

Crystal Corner Bar: David Hecht & the Who Dat, 9 pm. Malt House: Onadare, Irish, free, 7:30 pm. Mickey’s Tavern: Forget the Times, free, 10:30 pm. Nomad World Pub: Ben Ferris Octet, jazz, free, 6:30 pm; New Breed Jazz Jam, free, 9 pm Tuesdays. Ohio Tavern: Blythe Gamble & the Rollin’ Dice, 7 pm. Up North Pub: The Lower 5th, rock, free, 7 pm. UW Humanities Building-Mills Hall: Twisted Metal, UW horn ensemble, free, 7:30 pm. UW Humanities Building-Morphy Hall: UW Blue Note Ensemble, Jazz Standards Ensemble, 7:30 pm. UW Old Music Hall: UW Opera Workshop, scenes by University Opera students, free, 7:30 pm.

movement is overlapped with

TO THE PROMISED LAND

Richard Russo Support your local library and meet an acclaimed novelist while doing it! Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Russo will be the guest of honor at this year’s Lunch for Libraries fundraiser at Overture Center, with proceeds supporting the 15th annual Wisconsin Book Festival (currently wait list only: frodriquez@mplfoundation.org). If you didn’t score a ticket, Russo will also discuss his latest novel, Everybody’s Fool, at a free evening event at the Central Library.

ART EXHIBITS & EV ENTS YWCA Mural Dedication: New work by students & Dane Arts Mural Arts, 5 pm, 4/18, 101 E. Mifflin St., 11th floor. 658-3736.

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Nomad World Pub: DJ Mike Carlson, free, 9 pm. Uno Chicago Grill-Crossroads Drive: Northern Comfort, bluegrass, free, 6 pm. UW Humanities Bldg-Mills Hall: Pro Arte Quartet, free, 7:30 pm.

S PEC TATO R S PO RTS UW Softball: Doubleheader vs. Minnesota, 3 pm, 4/19, Goodman Softball Diamond. $5. 262-1440.

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Tuesday, April 18, Central Library, 7 pm

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FOR YOUNG ADULT AUDIENCES

Me and Julio, Fitchburg: Briana Patrice Trio, 6 pm.

BOOKS

in Milwaukee during the civil rights

Majestic Theatre: Blackbear, 9 pm.

Arrington de Dionyso (also of Old Time Relijun) plays various saxes and other instruments as part of the free jazz protest music collective This Saxophone Kills Fascists. He’s also a respected visual artist who recently suffered a deluge of online attacks and death threats from “Pizzagate” conspiracy trolls, all because he painted a mural years ago at Comet Ping Pong in Washington, D.C. Hear his fiery sax honk down the alt-right with the power of artistic expression. With Curved Light, Louise Bock, Feeding Behavior. Bandung: Louka, 7 pm. Harmony Bar: Cork ‘n Bottle String Band, 6 pm. High Noon Saloon: Reverend Rectifier & the Sinners,

Waka Flocka Flame Thursday, April 20, Liquid, 9 pm

Atlanta rap royalty Waka Flocka Flame hit the scene in 2010 as a gritty Gucci Mane protege who helped drive the city’s regional trap sound to the height of popularity. In recent years, he’s capitalized on a shift into electro-fueled party rap. With DJ Whoo Kid, BoodahDARR, Knick Symo, DJay Mando.

UW Varsity Band Thursday, April 20, Kohl Center, 7 pm

The James Bond soundtrack song “Nobody Does It Better” is the theme for the marching band’s 44th annual spring concerts, which also feature music from Broadway to the Beach Boys, special guest jazz trumpeter Grant Manhart and, of course, the UW Spirit Squad and Bucky Badger. Even more notable is the return of conductor Mike Leckrone from doublebypass heart surgery over the winter. Help welcome him back with some rousing crowd participation at the Kohl Center. ALSO: Friday-Saturday, April 21-22, 7 pm. Bos Meadery: Nøå, BaskET, DJ Kayla Kush, free, 7 pm. Brink Lounge: Common Chord, Americana, free, 7 pm. Harmony Bar: Jon Wayne & the Pain, People Brothers Band, Dirty Revival, 8 pm. High Noon Saloon: Animals (Pink Floyd tribute), Natty Nation, Thee Grateful Dub Band, 8 pm. Stoughton Opera House: Asleep at the Wheel, 7:30 pm. Also: 7:30 pm, 4/21. Twist Bar and Grill: Gerri DiMaggio Jazz Unit, 5 pm.

CO MEDY Demetri Martin: 8 pm, 4/20, Orpheum Theater. 250-2600. Tom Rhodes, Hannah Hogan, Turner Barrowman: 8:30 pm on 4/20 and 8 & 10:30 pm, 4/21-22, Comedy Club on State. $15-$10. 256-0099.

n EMPHASIS

The Habitats work as seed starters or full-time indoor gardens.

R E G I S T R AT I O N NOW OPE N 3 8 TH A N N U A L

Shine on LED Habitats’ next-generation grow lights BY LINDA FALKENSTEIN

S AT U R D AY, J U LY 2 9 JAM E S MAD I SO N

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APRIL 13–19, 2017 ISTHMUS.COM

It’s a fact of Wisconsin gardening. To get a jump on the season, seedlings for many tender plants need to be started indoors well before it’s safe to put them in the ground. This is nearly the only option for anyone experimenting with more obscure heirloom seedlings that commercial nurseries are unlikely to sell. Rigging a light to coax your tiny plants to grow indoors is not difficult, but the average DIY setup is not conducive to maximum growth. Now two Madison science educators have improved the in-home illumination setup by crafting an attractive, effective and energy-saving alternative with their LED Habitats (ledhabitats.com). “We go by the motto ‘To know a plant, grow a plant,’” says Hedi Lauffer, who started LED Habitats with her husband, Dan, and with help from her brother, Tom Fulker. The Lauffers have long been involved in science education. With UWMadison’s Wisconsin Fast Plants program, they worked to get plants into elementary and secondary schools. “We needed highquality light for growing plants in classrooms,” says Lauffer. After LEDs started being viable for horticultural lighting, “We were struggling to find a well-made LED grow light,” says Lauffer. Cheaper, off-the-shelf LEDs use less expensive drivers, which essentially wear the bulbs out before they need to die. The Lauffers ended up having fullspectrum LEDs, calibrated to be most beneficial for plant growth, custom-made in Wisconsin, along with the circuit boards. The chips have an extremely long life with minimal energy drain, because of the quality drivers. Lauffer estimates the LEDS will last for 50,000 hours.

“It’s like art meets science,” Lauffer says. “It’s like looking at plants out in full sunlight; it’s beautiful.” Fulker, a custom furniture-maker in New Mexico, designed the LED Habitats cabinet. The lights are held together in a “dome” unit; a zig-zag design on the side allows the dome to be raised or lowered to change the intensity of the light, depending on the needs of the plant. LED Habitats look a little bit like a bookcase crossed with a shoe-shine stand, but with a minimalist, Scandinavian aesthetic. The cabinets are made in the U.S. from sustainablyharvested wood from Alabama and are available in three stains: maple, walnut or cherry. The smaller version ($299) easily fits on a kitchen counter; there’s also a larger “pro” version ($699). “We’re committed to this not being a disposable product,” says Lauffer. In order to cope with developments in LED technology, the plan is to replace lights in the domes as a unit — that way, whatever happens with LEDs, the dome will still fit into the Habitats. “It’s real removable; it’s almost IKEA-esque, the way it comes in and out.” LED Habitats come with custom seed mats — one loaded with “power greens,” one with herbs and one with edible flowers. Power greens are red cabbage, Chinese cabbage, fast-flowering brassica, mizuna and Siberian kale; these can be harvested at microgreen stage, baby greens stage or kept growing to transplant outside at 7-9 weeks. They also come with an eco-friendly tray set and soilless potting mix. Seed mats are also sold separately, as are trays and LED grow lights. Dan Lauffer is still with Wisconsin Fast Plants, but Hedi is now working on LED Habitats full-time. LED Habitats are not yet sold in any stores locally, but they ship free and, perhaps best of all, come fully assembled. Take that, IKEA. n

PA D D L E & P O R TAG E

■ CLASSIFIEDS

Housing

Come visit Nordic Ridge in Stougthon. Just 15 Minutes south! Open House SATURDAY 11-1PM #1794699. NOT AN ORDINARY RANCH! A flowing floor plan gives you plenty of options! This feature rich home packs a punch with two finished levels, four bedrooms, three baths and over 2,200 SF finished. You’ll appreciate the pond and rural views from the large windows that will flood the interior with sunshine. Lower your family’s housing expenses with a new energy efficient and maintenance free exterior. Nothing to do but move in, the deck and kitchen appliances are all included! $379,900 Licensee interest. Directions: Hwy 51/138 to south on Hoel Ave. to east on Korgen to 2101 Korgen, Stoughton. 608-873-8700 – www.matsonhomes.com

Buy-Sell-Exchange Matching people and property for over 20 years. Achieve your goals! Free consult. www.andystebnitz.com Andy Stebnitz 608-692-8866 Restaino & Associates Realtors ALL AREAS Free Roommate Service @ RentMates.com. Find the perfect roommate to complement your personality and lifestyle at RentMates.com! (AAN CAN) Near bus route and Hilldale Mall. 1-yr lease. Off-street parking. 74 Merlham Drive cindyhaq@gmail.com Bright. Charming. Washer/dryer. Free cable. Ready for you to move in! Hardwood floors. Utilities included. A beauty! 3 bdrm., 2 bath, unfurnished. All real estate advertised is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, or status as a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking; or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. Isthmus will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are on an equal opportunity basis.

Jobs

Greenscapes Madison is the premier place to work in landscaping. Stop by Funk’s this Thursday, April 13 from 1:30 to 4:00 pm for free soda, appetizers and “Speed Interviews.” Speed Interviews are a casual, fun way to teach you more about our company and learn a little about you too. Positions we’re looking for include: 1) Summer Interns - landscape, horticulture, and construction fields 2) Full-time and part-time Laborers 3) Full-time, year-round Laborers, Forepersons and Crew Leads 4) Green Thumbs - enjoy designing planters, annuals or working with flowers? No resumes are required; just stop by to learn more! We’re currently offering $200 new hire bonuses, paid on your 2nd paycheck. No nights or weekends - we work Monday through Friday! We offer a great working environment, competitive pay, a full benefits package at 30 hours per week, opportunity to advance and a fun group of people to work with. Aren’t able to attend? Simply call us at 608-835-1777 or email us at info@greenscapesmadison.com to arrange a different time to meet with us. Thank you for your interest in working outside this summer! Positions start at $12 per hour and go up from there to $22+ hour based on experience and work ethic. Woman with physical disability looking for assistance with housekeeping, meal prep, grocery shopping & light personal care assistance. Preferably a female applicant with a flexible schedule. 12 hrs/wk at $12.50/hr. Call Allie at (608) 242-8335 ext 3143. Woman with physical disability in Middleton needs assistance with chores, cleaning, and errands up to 12 hrs/wk. Pay rate is $12.50/hr. Must pass criminal background check. Call (608) 772-5960 to apply.

There’s never been a better time to reach out to those in need. We’re seeking quality people who wish to make a difference by providing companionship and in-home help to the elderly. Flexible P/T day, evening and weekend shifts. No certification required. Home Instead Senior Care: (608) 663-2646. LOCAL DRIVERS WANTED! Be your own boss. Flexible hours. Unlimited earning potential. Must be 21 with valid U.S. driver’s license, insurance & reliable vehicle. 866-329-2672 (AAN CAN) Volunteer with UNITED WAY Volunteer Center Call 246-4380 or visit volunteeryourtime.org to learn about opportunities The Catholic Multicultural Center is seeking a Bilingual Employment Search Assistant. Work 1-on-1 with individuals to develop or update a resume, compile work history information, fill out job applications, follow job leads, and assist Spanish speakers with completing and understanding job forms in English. Looking for an out-of-the-box volunteer opportunity? Meet with 4-5 business leaders in Madison to share the good work that United Way of Dane County is doing and talk strategy to raise more dollars and engage employees! They provide all the training – learn more about being an Account Executive on our website: https://www.unitedwaydanecounty.org/ about-us/careers/internships/ Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) is an international youth-led and planned volunteer event that celebrates youth volunteerism every April. Established in 1988, GYSD is the largest service event in the world, and the only day of service dedicated to children and youth. This event fosters a sense of community and the importance of volunteerism with creativity and compassion. We invite you and your family and friends to help us celebrate Global Youth Service Day on April 21-23 by volunteering at one of the projects on VolunteerYourTime.org.

Services & Sales PREGNANT? CONSIDERING ADOPTION? Call us first. Living expenses, housing, medical, and continued support afterwards. Choose adoptive family of your choice. Call 24/7. 877-362-2401 CHECK OUT THE FOUNDRY FOR MUSIC LESSONS & REHEARSAL STUDIOS & THE BLAST HOUSE STUDIO FOR RECORDING! 608-270-2660 www.madisonmusicfoundry.com

Happenings Al. Ringling Theatre, Baraboo WI, Saturday, May 6 at 7:30pm ART Live Performance Series Presents the Dylan Doyle Band! Roots, Rock and Jazz! alringling.org AIRLINE CAREERS begin here – Get started by training as FAA certified Aviation Technician. Financial aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 800-725-1563 (AAN CAN)

Health & Wellness Swedish Massage For Men, providing immediate Stress, Tension and Pain Relief. Seven days a week by appt.—same day appointments available. Contact Steve, CMT at: ph/text 608.277.9789 or acupleasur@aol.com. Gift certificates available for any reason or season @ ABC Massage Studio! MAKE THE CALL TO START GETTING CLEAN TODAY. Free 24/7 Helpline for alcohol & drug addiction treatment. Get help! It is time to take your life back! Call Now: 855-732-4139 (AAN CAN) Awesome Massage from the heart, gift certificates available; Hypnotherapy: Quit Smoking! Lose Weight! Remove Anxiety, Etc Ken-Adi Ring 608-444-3039 www.Wellife.org

Madison College Performing Arts

ISTHMUS.COM APRIL 13–19, 2017

Presents

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JONESIN’

n SAVAGE LOVE

“They’re Getting Along Great” — in this puzzle, at least. 10 11 12 15 18

ACROSS

1 Animal that can follow the first word in each of this puzzle’s four theme entries 4 Folklore automaton 9 Steering wheel theft deterrent, with “The” 13 “Cheerleader” singer 14 Biblical landing site 16 1980s tennis star Mandlikova 17 Group that gets called about illicit facsimiles? 19 Fix a feature, e.g. 20 ___ buco (veal entree) 21 Canines often metaphorically sacrificed 23 Weather report stats 27 Kleenex crud 28 Classic 1971 album that closes with “Riders on the Storm” 31 Rapper Biggie

P.S. MUELLER

35 Jointly owned, maybe 36 Animal who says “Baa, humbug”? 39 2003/2005/2007 A.L. MVP, familiarly 41 Elevator or train component 42 Blacken, as a steak 43 Where to dispose of cooking grease and tropical oils? 48 Apr. number cruncher 49 Plan so that maybe one can 50 Mischievous 52 Breakfast side dish 54 Gambling game played in convenience stores 55 Fifties fad involving undulation 59 “Terrible” ages 63 Conservation subj. 64 Product of a betweenbuildings cookoff?

68 Ointment ingredient 69 Illinois city symbolizing Middle America 70 “Funeral in Berlin” novelist Deighton 71 Kentucky senator Paul 72 Put up with 73 Animal that can follow the second word in each of this puzzle’s four theme entries DOWN

1 2 3 4 5 6

Couturiere Chanel “Cornflake Girl” singer Tori Contents of some jars Empty space El Dorado’s treasure Magic’s NBA team, on scoreboards 7 City north of Pittsburgh 8 Big name in Thanksgiving parades 9 Extremely speedy mammals

Stow, as on a ship Hand or foot, e.g. Aptly titled English spa Wee Acronym popularized by Drake 22 ___ of Maine (toothpaste brand) 24 Three-letter “Squee!” 25 Failure of diplomacy 26 Moved stealthily 28 Does nothing 29 Haloes of light 30 Made music? 32 Clingy critter? 33 Made like a kangaroo 34 Prevent infestations, in a way 37 The shortest month? 38 Practical joke 40 Record producer with the 2017 single “Shining” 44 Site of Bryce Canyon 45 Old-school “Fuggedaboutit!” 46 “Call Me Maybe” middle name 47 Horse’s brownish-gray hue 51 Unironic ankh wearer at night 53 Fillings for some donuts? 55 Consider officially, as a judge 56 Bruins’ alma mater 57 “On Golden Pond” bird 58 Novel necessity 60 Like joker values 61 Another word for margarine 62 Illumination Entertainment’s other 2016 film (besides “The Secret Life of Pets”) 65 History class division 66 Counterpart of yang 67 Philandering fellow LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

Hard limits BY DAN SAVAGE

I’ve read your column for as long as I’ve had access to the internet and been interested in sex, so here goes: I’m a 27-yearold male with a 42-year-old girlfriend. We met at work; we were both going through divorce. At the beginning, holy moly! My dream girl in the bedroom. We’ve been together for a year, and the sex is still the best I’ve ever had — she says she feels the same — but it’s vanilla. I am assertive and in-control in the bedroom, which works for both of us, as she prefers to be passive and wants me to make moves or switch it up. I want to do other things, but she doesn’t want to do anything anymore other than missionary-position sex. Anal, oral, watching porn together, bondage, voyeurism — she’s not up for any of it. There’s always an excuse: “I’m not young like you,” “I’m not flexible like you,” “I have done that before and don’t like it, no, no, no.” Do I just suck it up and be grateful for what I have or what? She Hates Options Totally, Desires One Way Now

My girlfriend and I have been together for about 18 months. We’re both 29 and are in the process of creating a future together: We live together, we have a great social life, we adopted a dog. We’re compatible, and I do love her. However, our sex

life could be a whole lot better. I like sex to be kinky, and she likes it vanilla. She is adamant about monogamy, while I want to be monogamish. I feel strongly that this is who I am sexually, and my sexual desires are not something I can change. My girlfriend thinks I’m searching for something I’ll never find and says I need to work through it. Because we are so compatible in every other aspect of our relationship, should I keep trying to work past the unsatisfying sex? Needs Advice, Want Threesomes Divorce courts are filled to bursting with couples who made the same mistake you and your girlfriend are currently making — a mistake that gets harder to unmake with every dog you adopt or lease you sign. You’re not sexually compatible, NAWT — and sexual incompatibility is a perfectly legitimate reason to end an otherwise good relationship. The importance of sexual compatibility in sexually exclusive relationships (the kind your girlfriend wants) cannot be stressed enough. Sexual compatibility is important in open and/or monogamish relationships too, of course, but there are work-arounds in an open relationship. The gaslight bar is set so low these days that I’m going to go ahead and accuse your girlfriend of gaslighting you: There are people out there who have the kind of relationship you would like to have — it’s a lie that no one has a GGG partner or a successful monogamish relationship — and I have it on good authority that many of these people are straight. You’ll never find everything you want, NAWT, since no one gets everything they want. But you’re too young to settle for the girlfriend you’ve got. You’ve already made the dog mistake. Get out before you make the child mistake. n For more of Savage Love see Isthmus.com. Email Dan at mail@savagelove.net or reach him on Twitter at @fakedansavage.

APRIL 13–19, 2017 ISTHMUS.COM

She wants you to be in control and switch it up but doesn’t want to do any of the things you suggest when you take control and attempt to switch things up. Hmm. Either you’re bad at everything you’ve attempted other than missionary, SHOTDOWN, or she has a very limited sexual repertoire and/or actual physical limitations or health issues she hasn’t divulged to you. Considering the age difference here, and considering that this is a post-divorce rebound relationship for you both, the odds are stacked against anything long-term. I don’t mean this relationship is doomed to fail. What I mean is this: You’ll probably be together for another year or two before parting ways. While most people would define that as a “failed relationship,” anyone who’s been reading my column for as long as he’s been interested in sex can tell you that I don’t define failure that way. If two people are together for a time, if they enjoy each other’s company (and genitals), if they part amicably and always remember each other fondly and/or remain friends, their relationship can be counted as a success — even if both parties get out of it alive and go on to form new relationships. In the meantime, SHOTDOWN, enjoy the amazing vanilla sex for as long as it lasts — which could be forever. Anyone who’s been reading my column for as long as he’s been interested in sex knows that I’m not always right.

JOE NEWTON

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