Happy Friday, Madison. In today’s edition: Garver holiday market, a family crafting event, a pancake breakfast fundraiser, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

📰 In the news

How classrooms bridge polarization: In a UW–Madison policy course, students practice deliberative discussion over debate, hearing from bipartisan lawmakers. The class will be a foundational requirement for an undergraduate major debuting in fall 2026 — read the full story.

Signals beneath the soil: A new Nature Microbiology study from UW–Madison shows viruses shape carbon cycling and can signal whether peatlands are natural, damaged, or recovering, including samples from Scotland’s Flow Country — read the full story.

Study habits in flux: As finals begin, UW-Madison students lean on AI tutors like ChatGPT. A study says 86% use AI, while tutors report growth and emphasize human guidance still drives the biggest gains — see what students and tutors say.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Identity theft is up 25%: Last year, Americans lost $12.5 billion to ID theft & fraud, and the stories behind those numbers are brutal. My friend just told me his dad’s on his fourth replacement credit card. Other folks have woken up to empty bank accounts or their personal info dumped online after a breach. Aura catches these kinds of attacks early by monitoring for new accounts, weird money movements, leaked data, and other red flags so you’re alerted before things blow up — learn more about it here.

Highlights this week

• JD McPherson rocks Christmas at Majestic
• Celebrate winter solstice in vintage glamour
• Dive into NutKracken’s underwater holiday circus
• Shop local at DCFM Holiday Farmers’ Market
• Volunteer for Madison Christmas Bird Count
• This pet insurance plan reimburses up to 90%
• A tiny hearing aid is taking the US by storm

🫶 We got your back

AI growth spurs city scrutiny: Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, backed by 10 alders, is pushing a one-year moratorium on data center zoning permits while the city writes rules for the booming industry. The pause, a first in Wisconsin, targets energy, water and land-use impacts. No Madison projects are pending, but interest is rising. Learn what’s being proposed.

Big step for safe water: Wisconsin just awarded more than $159 million to 29 municipalities to replace lead service lines, aiming for cleaner drinking water. The funding flows through the DNR’s Lead Service Line Replacement Program, backed by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With hundreds of thousands of lead lines statewide, the state also earlier this year tightened its lead-poisoning threshold to expand help. Read the full story.

Willy Street hair magic: Need a quick shape-up or a whole new vibe? Since 1996, Cha Cha Beauty & Barber on Willy Street delivers inclusive, easygoing service, sharp cuts, and color from classic to audacious, all tailored to real-life maintenance so you leave looking great… and keep it that way.

Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I decided to take Hers’ online quiz. They recommended a Biotin + Minoxidil green-apple gummy for regrowth and overall hair health. The whole thing was surprisingly easy: just verify who you are and a licensed provider signs off. Here’s the quiz if you want to check it out.

Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, their curated kits are worth a look.

📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Today

🍂 Fall Exhibition Celebration @ Madison Museum of Contemporary Art | Friday (12/12) at 6:00pm – If you’ve been waiting to swap yardwork for culture, the opening of A Broad Sweep of Sky delivers, with Grant Wood, John Steuart Curry, Thomas Hart Benton, and more tracing Madison ties and pre-Twitter politics. Cash bar, live music, Iconic, Sabina Ott, plus member tours.

🔆 Full Light @ University of Wisconsin-Madison | Friday (12/12) at 7:30pm – Local pros Magnum Opus are lighting up a holiday ballet, and your ticket also helps a local charity. Trade mall carols for real pirouettes, bring the nice sweater, and collect some culture, good cheer, and karmic points. Date night approved, in-law proof.

This weekend

🍳 Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser @ American Legion Post 501 | Saturday (12/13) at 8:00am – Take a break from your own griddle and hit this donations-only pancake and sausage breakfast for American Legion Post 501. Fluffy stacks, sizzling links, juice, and coffee, and your plate supports local scholarships and programs, which pairs nicely with maple syrup and civic pride.

🛍️ Garver Holiday Market 2025 @ Garver Feed Mill | Saturday (12/13) at 12:00pm – Garver hosts a cozy holiday market with handmade gifts, local makers, and a community choir singing carols you know. Sip a seasonal cocktail or Ledger coffee, grab bites from Garver Lounge, Ian’s, and Roll Play, then wander more Garver spots, free admission included.

✂️ A Family & Friends Crafting Event @ History Maker Space | Saturday (12/13) at 4:00pm – Trade scrolling for scissors at a cozy Capitol Square craft session where you can whip up 3D snowflakes, ornaments, and a pint-sized Evergleam that would make Grandma grin. Sip cocoa, raid the gift shop, soak up vintage holiday nostalgia, and reserve ahead.

❤️ Holiday Market @ Rusty Dog Coffee | Sunday (12/14) at 11:00am – Holiday shopping needs caffeine, chocolate, and a touch of chaos, so the third annual My Favorite Things takes over Rusty Dog Coffee Roastery with Art & Sons and a lineup of makers, eats, and beer. Free entry, sip espresso, Filipino eats, shop gifts, no dogs.

🎼 Ravel / Noël @ Asbury Church | Sunday (12/14) at 3:00pm – Christmas concert season calls, and this one pairs Handel choruses with the world premiere of Homage a Ravel by Donald Fraser, commissioned by Festival Choir, honoring Ravel at 150. Come for choral and orchestral glow, stay for cookies, coffee, and that touch of cultured smugness.

🎷 A Jazz Community Celebration @ North Street Cabaret | Sunday (12/14) at 3:00pm – Grab a seat for WORT-FM’s Tunes for Toni, a jazz love letter to the behind the scenes hero who kept Madison’s scene humming. Eighteen top locals will rotate on stage, and depending on her medical news, you’re either toasting remission or pitching in.

Next week

🍲 Community Meal Session @ Sern Sapp Restaurant | Monday (12/15) at 5:30pm – An intimate Lao family-style dinner at Sern Sap, this off-the-menu meal seats just 25 and includes a beer or wine. Reserve a spot for $65, enjoy experimental courses with neighbors you actually like, and the restaurant is closed to everyone else, cash tip preferred.

🎓 Badgers on Tap @ Leopold’s Books Bar Caffe | Tuesday (12/16) at 6:30pm – Nothing says Madison like a drink at Leopold’s and a quick hit of Badger lore. Historian Kacie Lucchini Butcher serves a flash talk on UW history, then you can flex that alumni brain with trivia, bingo, and prizes, no foam finger required.

🎻 Hunt Quartet Recital @ Arts + Literature Laboratory | Tuesday (12/16) at 7:00pm – Give your streaming queue a night off and let four strings do the talking. The Hunt Quartet, the crew that serenades Dane County classrooms, brings Ravel and Schubert to Arts + Literature Laboratory, free with a suggested donation. Real music, real hush, real nice.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 12/12 Candlelight Concerts @ Monona Terrace – 6:30 pm
• 12/13 A Christmas Carol @ Overture Center – 2 pm
• 12/13 All Ages Improv Show @ Glass Nickel Pizza – 5:30 pm
• 12/14 The Pigeon Gets a Big Time Holiday Extravaganza @ Madison Youth Arts – 1 pm
• 12/14 The North Street Jazz Jam @ North Street Cabaret – 7 pm
• 12/15 UW Russian Folk Orchestra Performance @ Verona Public Library – 6 pm
• 12/18 Derrick Stroup @ Comedy on State
• 12/19 Ryan Meisel Quartet and more @ North Street Cabaret – 8 pm
• 12/20 Ben Ferris Octet @ North Street Cabaret – 5:30 pm
• 12/21 Stella Cole @ Atwood Music Hall – 7:30 pm

🏠️ Price is right – Madison edition

How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).

Listed by: Judy Kalscheur (Restaino & Associates)

A contemporary Aldo Partners build in a vibrant Madison pocket, this 3-bed, 2.5-bath features a sun-filled, smart plan. Expansive windows overlook a landscaped, fenced backyard. Polished concrete floors, Amish-crafted white oak cabinetry, quartz counters, stainless appliances, and a custom media console with floating shelves keep it sleek.

Upstairs adds maple floors, a laundry with new washer and dryer, and an owner’s suite with walk-in closet and glass tile walk-in shower. Carport plus a one-car detached garage, original and ideal for gear. Close to cafes, parks, and bus lines.

Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →