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8º | Partly cloudy | 6% chance of snow | Sunrise 7:24 a.m. | Sunset 4:52 p.m.
 

🛸 The truth is out there

Look up to the skies, Madisonians. Something’s out there.
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The earliest recorded UFO sighting in Wisconsin dates back to 1897. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Glenn Grothman believes.

A US representative from Wisconsin’s 6th congressional district, Grothman recently proposed legislation establishing a federal clearinghouse to collect and report sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects (now termed Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, or UAPs).

“Since I was a child, unidentified objects in our airspace has been a topic of interest,” Grothman said, who wrote the bill with Rep. Robert Garcia of California. He continued, “With the majority of Americans believing that the government has suppressed information on UAPs, our bipartisan effort highlights our need for transparency from the federal government regarding UAPs.”

Dane County’s citizens have seen their fair share of UAP activity, and you can file a report of your own if you see one.

One well-known local sighting was in 1987. An article from the Sheboygan Press stated, “Dane County has had the highest concentration of such sightings in the country recently.” Some were skeptical of these alien visits. In the same article UW-Madison astronomy professor Mark Slovak remarked, “Why would they visit? Unless they’re lost, bored, or whatever.”

That same year in Belleville, police officer Glen Kazmar and his friend Jeff Furseth saw a tight cluster of flashing lights that remained motionless in the sky. The two called the Dane County Sheriff’s office asking if anyone had reported the object. Kazmar described them as a “close-knit cluster of red, blue, and white lights.”

A Dane County sheriff’s deputy from Verona and a deputy from Green County joined them, watching awe-struck. “I keep an open mind on stuff like that,” Kazmar said after.

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The historic Washburn Observatory on the UW-Madison campus was completed in 1881. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons

You, too, can be awe-struck at UW-Madison’s Washburn Observatory.

On the first and third Wednesday of each month, and every Wednesday June through August (weather permitting), the UW-Madison Astronomy Department offers free public observing. Hosted by graduate students, the viewing sessions are informal. No lectures or tours are given, but maybe a visitation will transpire.
Events
Thursday, Jan. 18
  • Toddler Dance Party | Thursday, Jan. 18 | 10-10:45 a.m. | Sequoya Library, 4340 Tokay Blvd., Madison | Free | Dance to “Ice Ice Baby” with your, well, baby.
  • Music Bingo | Thursday, Jan. 18 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Starkweather Brewing Company, 2439 Atwood Ave., Madison | Free | Have fun playing this classic game with a musical twist.
Friday, Jan. 19
  • Cross Country Luminary Trail | Friday, Jan. 19 | 5-8 p.m. | Lussier Family Heritage Center, 3101 Lake Farm Rd., Madison | Free | With all the snow on the ground, put it to good use.
  • The Sh!show | Friday, Jan. 19 | 8 p.m. | The Forward Club at Bresse Stevens Field, 917 E. Mifflin St., Madison | $10 | A chaotic stand-up comedy show.
Saturday, Jan. 20
  • Onesie Bar Crawl | Saturday, Jan. 20 | 4-11:59 p.m. | Red Rock Saloon, 222 W. Gorham St., Madison | $5 | Come in a onesie, leave with one great story to tell later.
  • Madison Roller Derby | Saturday, Jan. 20 | 5-9 p.m. | Alliant Energy Center, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Wy., Madison | $0-$20 | Enjoy some full-throttled mayhem on the track.
Sunday, Jan. 21
Monday, Jan. 22
  • Job Assistance | Monday, Jan. 22 | 12-3 p.m. | Central Library, 201 W. Mifflin St., Madison | Free | Looking for a new job this new year? Your job hunt starts here.
Tuesday, Jan. 23
Events calendar here
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News Notes
Outdoors
  • Get out your cross-country skis, sleds, and snowshoes. Dane County and Madison Parks are offering a permit-free weekend this Saturday, Jan. 20-Sunday, Jan. 20. Winter activities that normally require a permit will be free so that visitors can try out new recreation options. (Verona Press)
Weather
  • The Madison Fire Department is urging residents to stay safe during this frigid winter blast. Be sure to clear dryer and furnace vents of snow to avoid carbon monoxide buildup inside the home. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be lethal. (Channel 3000)
Biz
  • Those lamenting the loss of the city’s oldest watering hole, the Silver Dollar Tavern, will still be able to say cheers at the bar, technically. The tavern’s 1930s mahogany bar top is being incorporated into an event space at the new Wisconsin History Center that is scheduled to open in 2027. (OnMilwaukee)
Cause
  • Free Bikes 4 Kidz Madison is free of their old name and has expanded its mission. Now called Bikes for Kids Wisconsin, the organization will continue to give away bicycles to kids but also increase bicycle-based transportation for everyone through access, low-cost sales and service, and education. (Channel 3000)
Development
  • A Middleton development will be powered by geothermal and solar energy. The Belle Farm Neighborhood, between Parmenter Street and Graber Pond on Middleton’s north side, will include 150 single-family homes and 730 multifamily units. With commercial space, community buildings, and more, the development hopes for carbon neutrality. (Wisconsin State Journal)
Community
  • Olbrich Botanical Garden’s famed Royal Thai Pavilion is getting a much-needed makeover this winter. The pavilion, built in 2002, is the only one of its kind in the US. The $1.4 million conservation is being overseen by Kalam, a company that specializes in the rehabilitation, restoration, and preservation of historical buildings around the world. (Wisconsin State Journal)
Plan Ahead
  • Things will be red hot in Milwaukee this July. The 2024 Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival lineup has been announced. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jelly Roll, The Offspring, Cypress Hill, and many more acts are scheduled to perform July 25 through 28. Presale has already begun.
Traffic
  • “It would be gouda if you slowed down,” a Madisonian highway sign might say. No longer. The US Federal Highway Administration is banning funny electronic messages on highways. They’ll be phased out over the next couple of years because, the FHA states, “they can be misunderstood or distracting to drivers.” (USA Today)
Finance
  • Erasing interest on purchases and balance transfers into 2025 can really make a difference. Throw in no annual fee, and there’s no wonder why thousands are lining up for these cards.*
 
History

The local who invented Lincoln Logs

Who invented Lincoln Logs? You might be suprised to know.
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Lincoln Logs were invented sometime around 1916. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Frank Lloyd Wright wasn’t the only architect in the family. His second son, John Lloyd Wright, also created something (but on a much smaller scale than, say, Monona Terrace).

He invented Lincoln Logs. Yes, that’s right, the famous toy that’s now part of the National Toy Hall of Fame.

They were invented sometime around 1916-1917 when John was working in Japan with his father on the famous Imperial Hotel. The foundation of the building was designed with interlocking log beams, which gave John an idea.

He started a toy company, got a patent for a “Toy-Cabin Construction,” and started producing Lincoln Logs.

Now owned by Hasbro, you might be able to find them at big box retailers or these local independent shops:
The Buy

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“The 5-Minute Gratitude Journal.” Written by happiness and relationship coach Dr. Sophia Godkin, this journal inspires gratitude with prompts to answer every day — and it only takes five minutes.
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The Wrap
 
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Today’s edition by:
Jonathan
From the editor
Do I believe there’s alien life? Yes. Do I believe they’ve visited Earth? Maybe, but not in any way we’d recognize. Have you always been a Doubting Thomas, Shipley? Yes, but the movie Fire in the Sky gave me pause.
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