Vendors await word from Madison Public Market
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Participants from program that supports small businesses launched by women and BIPOC entrepreneurs seek spots
When the Madison Public Market opens in 2023, participants from a program designed to help launch small businesses owned by people of color, women and first generation immigrants hope to be among the vendors to benefit from the 500,000 visitors and $16 million in local sales expected annually. “I am a Black small business owner. The great thing about the market is that it offers a place where Madison can come into these spaces and see us,” said Judy McNeal, owner of
QB’s Magnetic Creations. “There’s no other place in Madison where you walk into the door and see this many minority business owners, especially not a black business owner.”
McNeal is one of the participants in the MarketReady Program who have been anxiously awaiting word on whether they’ll have a spot in the marketplace since spring 2020, when the first phase of the MarketReady program concluded.
Dane County Parks works with residents to allow bow hunting in Black Earth Creek
Officials reduce archery hunting grounds in natural resource area due to neighbors’ safety concerns
Over the past year, residents of the Prairie Home Estates and surrounding neighborhoods have worked with Dane County Parks to develop a plan to allow bow hunting in the Black Earth Creek Headwaters Natural Resource Area and help control chronic wasting disease. Dane County Parks opened Black Earth Creek to hunting turkey and deer during the regular archery hunting season, which goes from the middle of September to early January. Only hunters who follow the Department of Natural Resources’ safe hunting regulations and have permits from the Dane County Parks permit lottery are allowed to hunt in the park.
Ice Age Trail grows with donation to buy more land
Private foundation will match public contributions to conserve historic treasure
A private Milwaukee foundation announced it will match up to $400,000 in donations that members of the public make to the Ice Age Trail Alliance to support the nonprofit's effort to preserve segments of the Ice Age Trail. The pledge from the Paul Fleckenstein Trust will jump-start efforts by the Ice Age Trail Alliance, a nonprofit, volunteer organization whose mission is to create, support and protect the many segments of the Ice Age Trail, to conserve land in the Madison area and move closer to its goal of purchasing 500 miles of trail connectors that are still privately owned. “We rely on public funding to acquire land,” said Kevin Thusius, the alliance’s director of land conservation.
‘Incredibly difficult’: Statewide workforce shortage challenges Dudgeon-Monroe neighborhood restaurants
Business owners struggle to keep doors open as COVID-19 pandemic continues
Kettle Black Kitchen is sandwiched between a coffee shop and a hair salon in the heart of Dudgeon-Monroe. Through the large window at the back of the restaurant, owner Brian Hamilton’s cherry red face is visible as he furiously mops the linoleum floor, a pot of parsnips bubbling on the stove beside him. A “Help Wanted” sign hangs in the front window.