Fire Chief Retires + Charges Made in Car Crash + Mushroom Party

Hello, neighbors! It's me again, Molly, your host of the Madison Daily.

Song of the Day: "Everywhere" by Fleetwood Mac.

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First, today's weather:

An afternoon shower. High: 69 Low: 50.

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Here are the top stories in Madison today:

1. Madison's fire chief is retiring. Chief Steven Davis has has worked for the city for 32 years and been fire chief since 2012. Most recently, Chief Davis oversaw the launch of CARES, a new emergency response initiative for those having a nonviolent crisis — such as a mental health crisis. (The Cap Times)
2. Formal charges have been filed against the Madison man who crashed into three teens. In early October, 30-year-old Eric Mehring was involved in a vehicle accident which killed one Madison and two Middleton teenagers. Mehring has been charged with "three counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, three counts of second-degree reckless homicide and two counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety." (Channel3000)
3. The Wisconsin Science Festival, running from Oct. 21 to 24, will include a 15-acre corn maze, film screenings and talks with scientists. The festival is putting an extra special spotlight on fungi — with several fungi themed events — partly because the University of Wisconsin-Madison is a leader in fungal diseases. (Wisconsin State Journal)
4. Madison entrepreneur, Amarion James, is proposing a "scaled-back" club and restaurant combination which would be located on Capitol Square. James submitted his application with the name "The Southern Skillet Bistro and Ultra Lounge," at 7 W. Main St. — a space that has been vacant since April 2019. (Wisconsin State Journal)

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Today in Madison:

• The 4 Elements of Great Storytelling — Social Media Breakfast Madison. (8 a.m.)
• 15th Annual Local History and Historic Preservation Conference — Wisconsin Historical Society. (9 a.m.)
• Communication and Delegation Skills — Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce. (9:30 a.m.)
• 68th Annual Dinner — Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce. (4:30 p.m.)
• Night To Remember — Freedom Inc. (6 p.m.)
• Book Discussion — Hawthorne Branch Library. (6:30 p.m.)
• Marisa Anderson and William Tyler — Arts + Literature Laboratory. (7 p.m.)

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Madison Patch Notebook

• Fetch Wisconsin Rescue has a pup up for adoption: "Look at this face! Samanda is a sweet, silly pup who loves her people, belly rubs, toys, and learning new tricks." (Facebook)
• Madison Audubon speaks on the Sandhill Crane bill: "One bill has attracted the attention of Wisconsin's bird lovers with its creation of a hunting season for Sandhill Cranes." (Facebook)
• Orpheum Madison says mark your calendars: "Just announced: Tig Notaro: Hello Again March 16 | Madison, WI. Presale begins Thursday at 10 a.m. (code: TIG22). Tickets on sale Friday at 10 a.m. bit.ly/TigNotaroMadison." (Facebook)
• Wisconsin Veterans Museum shares some history: "The A-2 flight jacket is an icon of American style. It entered service in 1931, replacing the button-front A-1 jacket previously worn by U.S. Army flight crews." (Instagram)
• Wisconsin Wetlands Association invites you to take a break and learn: "#ICYMI, butterfly expert Mike Reese joined us for last week's Wetland Coffee Break to talk about several Wisconsin wetland habitats and the butterflies that you could expect to find there." (Facebook)
• Dane Arts spotlights an artist: "Next up in our DABL featured artists campaign: Tina Mark Tina (she/her/hers) is a self-taught artist and current graduate student in the UW-Madison Cancer Biology PhD program. " (Facebook)
• Madison Museum of Contemporary Art has an upcoming event this week: "Join us this Friday at 6 p.m. in The Shop for a show by Madison's own stand-up comedian Craig Smith! Comedians often have a knack for revealing and discussing hard truths, and that's why MMoCA invited Smith to perform as part of the third and final phase of AMENDS, the interactive art exhibition by internationally renowned artists Nick Cave and Bob Faust." (Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you around! If you're enjoying these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Molly Carmichael

About me: Hey there! I'm a recent UW-Madison graduate and a fan of all things local. Send me your Madison newsletter articles, events or ideas.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Madison Daily? Reach out anytime to madison-wi@patch.com.