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Today’s Forecast

35º | Cloudy | 15% chance of sleet | Sunrise 7:28 a.m. | Sunset 4:39 p.m.
 

Healthy holidays

Madisonians: Have a healthy holiday season
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Winter is here. It’s time to take stock of our physical health and be wary of winter’s dangers. | Photo by 608today
Winter’s wrath is nearly upon us. Though it’s been unseasonably warm these last months and we’ve only had a few measurable days of snow, Jack Frost is always lurking.

That said, it’s time to take stock of our physical health and be wary of winter’s dangers.

🥶 Hypothermia

Each year in the US, about 1,330 people die of cold exposure, essentially freezing to death. You might picture Leonard DiCaprio in some sort of terrible “Revenant” situation, but cold-related deaths and illnesses occur anywhere, cities included.

Avoid hypothermia and frostbite by:
  • Wearing several layers of loose, warm clothing
  • Limit the amount of time you’re outside
  • Change out of wet and/or cold clothes ASAP, especially hats, gloves, and socks
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Be careful in the cold. About 1,330 people die nationally every year of cold exposure. | Photo by 608today

🫀 Heart stressors

Low temperatures increase the risk of heart attacks. In reaction to cold, your blood vessels constrict to conserve body heat. This increases your blood pressure, adding stress to your heart. Your blood platelets start to clump, raising the risk of a blood clot.

The American Heart Association reports deaths every year among people shoveling their sidewalks. Anyone with a history of high blood pressure, heart disease, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, or a history of smoking should be wary.

Some precautions one can take:
  • Dress warmly
  • Avoid strenuous activities if you don’t do them regularly
  • Eat a healthy diet
  • Limit alcohol and tobacco use
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About 200,000 people nationally receive medical treatment from winter sports. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons

🛷 Stay safe playing outside

Sixteen snowmobilers died in Wisconsin in 2022, according to the DNR. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 200,000 people nationally receive medical treatment from winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and sledding.

Though outside play can be fun, it can also lead to serious injury. You can avoid spills and sprains:
  • Sled feet first and away from busy roads and parking lots
  • Wear a helmet
  • If you fall, try to land on your rear
  • If renting equipment, make sure it fits properly before use
More dangers lie ahead
Asked

What do you least like to get cold?

A. Feet
B. Hands
C. Head
    Feel the glove
    Events
    Thursday, Dec. 14
    • “All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914" pre-performance discussion | Thursday, Dec. 14 | 6:30 p.m. | Overture Center for the Arts, 201 State St., Madison | $25-$38 | At select performances of “All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914,” Wisconsin Veterans Museum Curator of History Kevin Hampton will lead a pre-performance discussion.*
    • Teen Hot Salsa Tasting | Thursday, Dec. 14 | 4:30 p.m. | Middleton Public Library, 7425 Hubbard Ave., Middleton | Free | Go to the library and you’ll be hot chip.
    Friday, Dec. 15
    • Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley | Friday, Dec. 15-Saturday, Dec. 16 | 7:30 p.m. | Bartell Theatre, 113 Mifflin St., Madison | $15-$25 | Find out what happened after the last page of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.”
    • Mama Digdown’s Brass Band | Friday, Dec. 15 | 8-11 p.m. | The Bur Oak, 2262 Winnebago St., Madison | $20-$25 | Feel like you’re in NOLA, but stay right here in Madison with some brass band bombast.
    Saturday, Dec. 16
    • Holiday Craft & Cookie Sale | Saturday, Dec. 16 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | Memorial United Church of Christ, 5705 Lacy Rd., Fitchburg | Free | Eat a cookie, support a university in Bethlehem.
    • Foeder Beer Release Party | Saturday, Dec. 16 | 2 p.m. | Young Blood Beer Company, 112 King St., Madison | Cost of purchase | Drink some oak-aged beers with some local folks.
    • Masquerade: Blacklight Underwear Party | Saturday, Dec. 16 | 9 p.m. | Crucible, 3116 Commercial Ave., Madison | $8 | Holiday mayhem, including underpants and Krampus.
    Sunday, Dec. 17
    • Looking for Winter Birds | Sunday, Dec. 17 | 1:30-3:30 p.m. | UW-Madison Arboretum, 1207 Seminole Hwy., Madison | Free | Spend a family-friendly afternoon outside looking for our feathered friends.
    Events calendar here
    Click here to have your event featured.
     
    News Notes
    Sports
    • The hunt for a national championship continues for the UW-Madison women’s volleyball team. The team is in the Final Four for the sixth time and will play tonight for a chance to take home the title. The national semifinal game is in Tampa, against Texas, at 8:30 p.m.
    Holiday
    • Back by popular demand, a Black Santa will be at the Progress Center for Black Women today from 4 to 8 p.m. The center’s previous Santa event, held at the Madison Children’s Museum had 1,400 in attendance. (Madison365)
    Traffic
    • There will be one less place to park come Dec. 27. That’s when the State Street Campus Garage on Lake Street will close. The Frances Street side of the garage will remain open, though space will be limited. It’s all to make way for redevelopment in the area. (WMTV)
    Edu
    • The National Academy of Inventors announced that UW-Madison researchers David Beebe, Guang-Hong Chen, and Yoshihiro Kawaoka have been named to its 2023 class of fellows. It is the highest professional distinction awarded solely to inventors.
    Weather
    • If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, keep dreaming. With El Niño in effect, local weather forecasters don’t have high hopes that we’ll be blanketed with the white stuff by the time Santa arrives. In fact, there’s only a 10% chance, at best. (WKOW)
    Health
    • According to the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging, Wisconsin has the highest death rate due to falls among older adults countrywide. There’s no definitive reason as to why, but winter weather conditions and the state’s drinking culture may contribute to the high numbers. (Wisconsin Public Radio)
    Feel Good
    • Children at UW Health American Family Children’s Hospital got some holiday cheer this week from the Wisconsin Army National Guard. The local soldiers donated teddy bears to the hospital. “We want the children to know that their local Wisconsin Army National Guard soldiers care about them,” SPC Kayla Schult said. (Fox 47)
    Announced
    • Mingos will have more to cheer for next year. USL League One will have its first in-season cup competition in 2024. Forward Madison FC will compete for a trophy and prize money. Their first competiton match will be on April 24 against Lexington SC.
    Health
    • SSM Health Express Virtual Care is affordable + available to anyone. Whether you’re an established or new patient, they’ve got you covered. Choose from two online healthcare options to access care on your time: Speak to a trusted SSM Health provider through a virtual visit or fill out a five-minute questionnaire to receive a treatment plan. Get started.*
    Wellness
     
    Sports

    Game on

    The sporting life for Madison’s disabled community
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    Local athletes, like those on the Mad City Badgers, can participate in National Wheelchair Basketball Association tournaments. | Photo via Mad City Wheelchair Sports.
    This coming weekend, athletes from across the Midwest will meet for the 2nd annual MadCity Invitational. Middle-school to high-school-aged youth with physical disabilities will take part in a National Wheelchair Basketball Association tournament at the Verona High School gymnasium.

    The only tournament of its kind in the area, it was founded by the local nonprofit Dairyland Sports as a way to establish a home tournament for the local MadCity Badgers.

    There are several local organizations providing sports and recreational activities for the disabled.

    Madison Adaptive Cycling
    The nonprofit provides an outdoor cycling experience for differently-abled individuals of all ages.

    Madison School and Community Recreation
    MSCR offers affordable, community-based recreation, social, physical, and educational programs for individuals of all abilities.

    Special Olympics Wisconsin
    The organization provides year-round sports training and competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports.

    There are a great many more recreational opportunities available.
    The Buy

    The Buy 12.14.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
    A tried-and-true gift recommended by our editors. Think: cozy slippers, cordless vacuums, and weighted blankets.
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    The Wrap
     
    Jonathan Shipley 2.jpg

    Today’s edition by:
    Jonathan
    From the editor
    I haven’t been a Wisconsinite long but I did make it through my first winter last year with flying colors (so said a lifelong Wisconsin dairy farmer I befriended).

    What will happen this year? There’s no telling. I just know I’ll be wearing a big coat.

    608today editor Jonathan Shipley in a winter coat.png
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