Dance the night away: Franz Ferdinand’s Tonight a dance-rock gem. ARTS
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University of Wisconsin-Madison
SAY IT AIN’T SO, BO: FIVE STRAIGHT LOSSES Badgers lose at home against Purdue, marking their longest losing streak under Bo Ryan. SPORTS Complete campus coverage since 1892
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Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Budget crisis harmful to unemployment fund By Jen Winter THE DAILY CARDINAL
PHOTO COURTESY UWBADGERS.COM
Mark Johnson, the head coach of the Wisconsin women’s hockey team and the top scorer on the “Miracle on Ice” U.S. hockey team, will return to the Olympics in 2010 as the U.S. women’s coach.
Women’s hockey coach to lead Olympic team By Nico Savidge THE DAILY CARDINAL
U.S.A. Hockey announced Tuesday that Wisconsin women’s hockey head coach Mark Johnson will lead the U.S. women’s national team at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010. Johnson, who has coached the Badgers to two national championships since starting at Wisconsin in 2002, said he is thrilled to have the opportunity. “Obviously it’s going to be the experience of a lifetime,” he said. “I can’t wait to roll my sleeves up and start the process.” Johnson is widely known for being the top scorer on the “Miracle on Ice” U.S. hockey team, which won a gold medal at the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y., after beating a
U.S.S.R. team many considered the best in the world. He reflected on that experience, which inspired the 2004 film “Miracle,” and the bond that legendary coach Herb Brooks inspired among his players.
“Obviously it’s going to be the experience of a lifetime.” Mark Johnson head coach UW Women’s Hockey
“As those friendships started to strengthen, as we got closer to Lake Placid, we really became a team,” he said. “That’s the
vision I want to [have] with this group.” When asked about Brooks’ notoriously tough style, Johnson said, “My approach might be a little bit different, but we are certainly hoping the results will be the same.” Johnson’s father, “Badger” Bob Johnson, coached Wisconsin to three men’s national championships and led the U.S. Olympic hockey team in 1976. His motto, “It’s a great day for hockey,” still hangs in the Kohl Center. “His enthusiasm was always there,” Johnson said about his father, who passed away in 1991. “He would certainly be smiling here today with this opportunity that I’ve been presented with.” johnson page 2
Harsher laws possible for Wis. drunk drivers By Jessica Feld THE DAILY CARDINAL
State Senate Democrats announced plans to strengthen penalties for repeat drunk drivers by introducing a new bill Monday. According to a statement released by the bill’s authors, state Sen. Jim Sullivan, D-Wauwatosa, state Sen.
John Lehman, D-Racine, and state Sen. Jeff Plale, D-South Milwaukee, the proposed law would make it a felony to drive drunk after three previous offenses, or after two previous offenses occurring within the past five years. Kevin Brady, spokesperson for Plale, said the legislation comes
Wisconsin Drunk-Driving Laws Now: A first drunk-driving offense is a citation, and the second, third and fourth offenses are misdemeanors. The fifth offense is a felony. If the bill is passed: A third drunk-driving offense charged within five years of the first offense would be a felony. A fourth offense at any time would be a felony.
in response to a growing concern among the senators’ constituents over issues of repeat offenders and accidents caused by drunk driving. “Drinking and driving is a crime that causes damage and destroys lives,” Sullivan said in a statement. “It’s a problem that won’t go away without an aggressive legislative intervention.” The proposed bill acknowledges drunk driving is a complex issue and approaches it on multiple levels, according to Mike Brown, spokesperson for Lehman. “The bill tries to strike a balance between both punishment and treatment, recognizing
A recent audit of the Wisconsin Unemployment Reserve Fund shows the effect of economic difficulties facing the state. It reached an all-time high of $1.9 billion in 2000, but the fund is expected to be depleted by February. The fund provides unemployment benefits to workers, mostly through taxes paid by employers. Created in 1932 by former Gov. Philip La Follette, it was the first program of its kind in the country. Dick Jones, agency liaison for the Department of Workforce Development, said legislation passed in March 2008 increased the amount of money employers pay into the fund, with further increases in 2011 and 2013. According to Jones, these increases have not been enough. “In the fall we saw a spike in claims, and they have continued
to increase to the point where we are now seeing claims in record numbers,” he said. On Tuesday the Joint Committee on Finance passed two companion bills to help address the situation.
“We are now seeing claims in record numbers.” Dick Jones agency liaison Department of Workforce Development
John Anderson, spokesperson for state Sen. Mark Miller, DMonona, said the bills will “allow the state to tap into federal money that will allow extended benefits unemployment page 2
RESTAURANT EEK Eat classy on a student budget. During Restaurant Week, participating restaurants will offer three special, fixedprice, three-course menus for just $25 per person (beverages, tax and gratuity not included). Some restaurants are also offering a three-course lunch menu for $15 in addition to the dinner special. To see which restaurants are participating and for
more information, visit madisonmagazine.com/winterrestaurantweek.
PICK OF THE DAY Blue Marlin
Offering a four-course chef’s tasting every night, Blue Marlin, 101 N. Hamilton St., offers a unique fine-dining experience indoors and out. The menu features primarily seafood dishes ranging from oysters in the half shell to seared sea scallops with a potato-parsnip-rutabaga gratin. The chef’s tasting consists of four courses, each featuring seafood, seasonal ingredients and dessert, all for $42. Add a wine pairing to each course for an additional $16. Experience all Blue Marlin has to offer during Restaurant Week. Pick and choose from several options per course to create a three-course meal of exotic and tantalizing cuisine. Begin with an appetizer of sesa-
me-encrusted tuna, shrimp cocktail or Spanish scallop and shrimp seviche. For a rich, soul-satisfying main course, try butter-poached scallops with Jerusalem artichoke risotto and port-cherry reduction sauce. Or try the seared salmon with grilled broccoli and cauliflower and creamy herb gnocchi. The panseared mahimahi is partnered with wild rice, sun-dried tomato, fennel confit and roasted garlic butter. To find out what’s for dessert, visit madisonmagazine.com/winterrestaurantweek. To learn more about Blue Marlin, visit thebluemarlin.net. Dinner is served from 5 to 10 p.m. To make reservations, call (608) 255-2255.
KYLE BURSAW/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Jerusalem artichoke risotto and chocolate cheesecake with berries.
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“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”