🌇 Enjoy this sunset time while it lasts. We fall back for daylight saving time this weekend.
Plan Ahead
No boring weekends
There’s a lot to do in Madison. | Photo by @honeyoliveblaire
Take out your calendar, grab your day planner, or text all your friends — these are the top events we recommend heading to this month. Madison Hmong New Year | Saturday, Nov. 1-Sunday, Nov. 2 | 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | Alliant Energy Center | $5 | Celebrate Hmong heritage with performances, food, fashion, and cultural exhibits during this vibrant two-day festival. Over 15,000 people come to this event from all over the nation. Madison Marathon | Friday, Nov. 7-Wednesday, Nov. 12 | Times vary | Downtown Madison | $93+ | Lace up for the full or half marathon that winds through Madison’s scenic downtown, lakes, and neighborhoods, finishing at the Capitol Square. Heads up: online registration closes today. Wisconsin Badgers vs. Illinois Football | Saturday, Nov. 22 | All day | Camp Randall Stadium | $200+ | The Badgers close out their home schedule with a fierce Big Ten matchup sure to pack Camp Randall with red and white.
Incogni can help remove your personal information from the web. | Image via Incogni
Using hidden cameras, the BBC caught workers at a scam call center laughing at the people they were tricking.
The disturbing truth? Scammers don’t pick phone numbers at random. They buy your data from brokers.
Once your data is out there, it’s not just calls. It’s phishing, impersonation, and identity theft.
That’s why Incogni stands out. The data removal service deletes your personal info from the web, then continuously monitors and removes new data as fresh threats emerge.
It wouldn’t be a visit to Rhinelander without paying a visit to the city’s mascot. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons
History
What is that thing? Well, it’s not a phantom chicken — though apparently those lurk around Wisconsin, too. Find out the name of the cryptid pictured above.
Edu
The Madison School Board has approved its 2025-26 budget, outlining funding for 25,557 students across the district. Review the full plan to see how the district plans to spend nearly $574 million on operations. (Wisconsin State Journal)
Real Estate
This 1925 cottagecore home is on the market for the first time in 62 years — and it’s a showstopper. Think arched doorways, sun-soaked rooms, and a screened-in porch overlooking a half-acre of lush privacy. Stalk it on Zillow.
Closed
Two West Side chain restaurants closed abruptly this month. Bonefish Grill and Outback Steakhouse join four other recently closed restaurants — like 107 State. Which one will you miss the most? (Wisconsin State Journal)
Seasonal
Farewell, sunburst chairs. The iconic colorful chairs dotting the University of Wisconsin’s Memorial Union Terrace are being removed for the season. See them in their winter homes. (Wisconsin State Journal)
Gallery
A giant yellow submarine and witches in the river. See what else is worth looking at around Madison this week. (Wisconsin State Journal)
Number
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Category
City
Traffic is a nightmare
At least the traffic comes with a view. | Photo via Canva
Forget ghosts and ghouls, Madison traffic might be the scariest thing you’ll face this halloween. Commuters lost an average of 52 hours to congestion in 2024. That’s s 7% worse than the year previous.
By the numbers
According to a recent report from Texas A&M Transportation Institute, a trip that would take 20 minutes without traffic takes...
24 minutes with traffic
25 minutes in the peak direction
30 minutes to plan for a punctual arrival
When is the worst time to drive?
Traffic is at its worst between 3 and 6 p.m. on weekdays. In the morning, 6-9 a.m. can also be dicey.
But the hands-down worst time to commute? 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. 2.1% of the area’s weekly delay happens around then.
A foaming toilet cleaner you’ll be sad you didn’t make the switch to sooner. Splash Foam Cleaner is the fast, hands-free way to clean toilet rings, stains, and grime. The best part? It does all the hard work for you. Read: No more toilet scrubbing in your future.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
