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City Cast Madison

Rob Thomas

What’s the deal with the ticket prices at Jerry Seinfeld’s upcoming show at Overture Hall. (

Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images For Good+ Foundation

Do you know who was behind the fake poll in the Democratic primary? (

Universities of Wisconsin officials said Monday 

they are willing to freeze tuition at its universities for the 2027-29 biennium

, and restrict any increases to the rate of inflation for two years beyond that.

In exchange for the freeze, the UW system wants the state to invest an additional $190 million in aid. Here’s the details of the plan, and how Wisconsin got here in terms of state aid for higher education. [WPR]

Called the “4-Year Tuition Pledge,” the plan was detailed Monday by Board of Regents President Kyle Weatherly and interim UW system President Renée Wachter. The move is part of the larger budget proposal for the upcoming biennium, and would mean that 

a four-year undergraduate student starting college in fall 2027 would see declining tuition

 (relative to inflation) over their four-year academic career.

But, Weatherly said it would be difficult to implement a freeze without that $190 million commitment.

The idea will be presented during budget negotiations in the fall to the state Legislature, and the decision may likely be up to Wisconsin’s next governor, Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany or 

Democrat Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley

Tiffany pledged that if elected governor he would reinstate the tuition freeze

 in response to recent increases in tuition and state aid. [News 3, 🎧 City Cast Madison, Daily Cardinal]

: Tuition freezes are nothing new in Wisconsin. In 2013, Republican Gov. Scott Walker signed a tuition freeze into law that lasted nearly a decade. The 

Republican-controlled Legislature voted to lift the freeze in 2021

, but the Board of Regents opted to extend it another two years because of expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic that the families of students faced. In 2023, 

the Board of Regents raised undergraduate tuition by 5%

The freeze saved students thousands of dollars, but 

critics say the lost revenue threatened the financial stability and educational quality of UW universities

🎒 Another Way To Make College Affordable:

 University leaders have been criss-crossing the state in the last week in hopes of building support for their budget goals. Weatherly and Wachter are 

also proposing a new program called Wisconsin Work and Learn

, which would eliminate tuition for in-state students who earn at or below the median household income if they commit to work or enroll in an internship, apprenticeship, or some other kind of career prep. [WMTV]

The Universities of Wisconsin propose a 2027–29 tuition freeze and inflation-capped increases, conditional on a $190 million state funding increase.

Will UW-Madison Students Get Another Tuition Freeze? 

UW Floats Tuition Freeze in Exchange For State Aid

On the City Cast Madison podcast, we break down some of the biggest Madison news of the week. Find new episodes every Friday.

City Cast Madison: Madison's News Podcast

Madison News

 makes no secret of her love for the Milwaukee Brewers. She and her husband have season tickets, heading to American Family Insurance Field a dozen times a season to see the team play.

she designed a T-shirt to be given away at the Aug. 12, 2025 game

, and even got to throw out the first pitch. Now, she’s turning that T-shirt design, called “Seventh Inning Stretch,” into a mural that’s being unveiled today at 2 p.m. at McKee Farms Park in Fitchburg.

who was on the City Cast Madison podcast in 2024

 talking about the Chappell Roan-themed haunted house she helped create in the neighborhood, is an in-demand Madison artist. She’s created several other murals around town, and was artist-in-residence in the Madison Public Library’s Bubbler.

As she put the finishing touches on the mural last week, she talked about bringing her Brewers love to life:

It’s the same design, just reformatted. The Brewers originally approached me to do a mural, but then we couldn’t find a wall in the area. Then the T-shirt opportunity came up. So I thought, let’s design the T-shirt, but make sure that the design coordinates with the eventual mural.

What was your inspiration for the design? Who are these people?

They’re just fans that I see myself when I go to games. Just kind of vibing with the crowd. You always make friends with the people around you. All the little moments that happen in the crowd.

I like the idea of putting a lot of details in it. Every time you come back, you might notice something new.

Did you have anyone specific in mind for these people?

The person wearing the “Brew Crew” shirt is actually my likeness. I have that sweatshirt. And that’s my husband next to me. We always link arms and sing [“Take Me Out to the Ball Game”]. Interestingly, the two guys sitting next to us look like the two guys who sit next to us in our season tickets. Not intentional.

I usually go to a handful every year. But since I’ve been working with the Brewers, it’s really excited our interest in going to actual games. I’ve always listened to them on the radio. One of my birthday presents this year was this old-school antenna radio. But going to the games has definitely picked up.

Maybe a couple of years? It’ll be here for a while. 

There will be a celebration for this on Aug. 17

. Some Brewers people are going to come, I think a couple of mascots will be here. We’re going to be having some giveaways, including some of the T-shirts. They were only available at that game last year, so this is your chance.

Madison artist Emily Balsley unveils her new "Seventh Inning Stretch" mural at Fitchburg’s McKee Farms Park, inspired by her Brewers T-shirt design.

Milwaukee Brewers Mural Unveiled in Fitchburg

Madison Artist Knocks It Out of the Park With Brewers Mural

Find the best of everything that Madison has to offer.

Madison’s Best

Madison's Best

Blackened mahi-mahi from Jolly Bob’s. A morning bun from Ovens of Brittany. A She-meh-neh late-night burrito from Burrito Drive. And, as of last month, 

These are just a few of the Madison dishes that now live on only in our memories, as the restaurants that once served them are now long gone. On 

, the team commiserated about the restaurants, bars, and cafes that we still miss. It’s a healing process, trust me.

Pour One Out for Madison’s Best Bygone Bars and Restaurants

We also asked our readers and listeners to share their favorite defunct restaurants, and dozens of you responded. Here are some of your old favorites you just can’t let go of. Thanks to everybody who wrote in!

 Besides delicious food, there was a great bar that limited their margaritas to three per person, for good reason!” – Elizabeth B.

Nick Schaivo and his family were so wonderful and kind and the place was magic! Really magic! Nick, his mom Rose Marie, and dad Tony and the amazing bar! Simply magic is what it was and I have not been able to find the magic anywhere.” – Danielle V.

. It was my go-to spot for working lunches and their hummus was the only I could get without garlic. Their specials were always great and I loved their falafel sandwiches.“ – Molly C.

 that was located in the basement of Porta Bella during the 70's. There were always lines of people waiting for a table snaking down the staircase. The walls of the stairway were covered in vintage travel posters. The basement restaurant was dark and moody and hung with rewired antique light fixtures. The food was so good. I would always get a Garibaldi and a Schlitz, and the waiting in line was part of the fun.” – Linda M.

 I worked there as a server, bartender and host…and it was delicious! The best margaritas, queso fundito, pork tenderloin, venison, pecan encrusted halibut, corn soup…I could go on and on!” – Anna T.

“The first thing that came to mind while reading your article was the cottage cheese salad at 

. I have tried to replicate [it] but it’s always missing a small something.” –Trudy B.

 (aka Cafe Momo)! Not for any particular drink or food (though it was all good), but the ambiance: dark, cozy, neighborhood bar but classy. A perfect place to meet up with people, and they often had great bands, too!” – Lis S.

“Every time my husband and I plan a date one of us says ‘Wish we could just go back to 

.’ We used to joke that you needed a passport to get in, the rum drinks and vibe felt like you were transported to an island!” – Caitlin R.

 on State Street. Their croissants were then and still are the best ever. Paired with their Turkey Almond soup you had the perfect lunch.” – Deirdre D.

! I loved eating outside on their roomy, shady patio. Despite being on East Washington Avenue it was a pleasant quiet place to gather with friends, family and even my dog.” – Kate L.

. Fantastic for tapas, basque cake, and perhaps the best burger I've ever had. I believe my now wife and I were their last customers, on the Halloween night of 2020.” – Leo B.

. It was the place to go to get a huge slice for cheap and pretty yummy too!” – Gabriela V.

. They had THE BEST quiche I have ever had. I loved how cozy the space was and all the different people you would see there on a weekend morning.” – Ryan L.

. The original. Jazz, grand piano, chimichurri sauce and homemade bread and the best bartenders. Will always be my favorite restaurant in Madison.” – Kelly K.

 in Monona had the best fish on Friday's. The fish was beautifully fried as were their signature potatoes, also fried served with sour cream. My late mother, always a stickler for hot food, would rave not just about the excellent food but the temperature of it.”

 It was possibly the very first restaurant to close during COVID. Their old space next to The Plaza has been vacant ever since as well. I’ve wished someone would interview the old owners to see what they are up to. My dream is that their recipes are magically bestowed to another restaurant or food truck where we can eat the pad Thai again.” – Stacy H.

We also asked our readers and listeners to share their favorite defunct Madison restaurants, and dozens of you responded. Here are some of your old favorites you just can’t let go of, from Ovens of Brittany to Burrito Drive to Jolly Bob's.

Remembering Madison's Bygone Restaurants and Bars

These Madison Restaurants Are Gone But Not Forgotten

The latest on the best and newest restaurants and bars in Madison. We'll help you find where to eat, drink, and socialize.

Madison Food & Drink

Food & Drink

City Cast Madison staff

Tomorrow is Election Day for the August primary! Are you ready? 

, host Bianca Martin and producer Jade Iseri-Ramos take a deep dive into Tuesday’s election.

They talk about who’s running statewide and in Madison, and 

tell you everything you need to know in order to vote Tuesday

, including polling location hours, what you need to register at the polls, and how to return an absentee ballot. Don't forget, you can also find your ballot, polling, and more election information at the 

What You Need To Know For Tomorrow’s Primary Election

Bianca also revisits clips from our interviews with five of the candidates for governor (the only one who didn’t come on the show was Tom Tiffany – there’s still time, Tom!) If those clips whet your appetite, here are links to our full interviews. Listen to them all, and then make a plan to vote!

There are still seven candidates in the running for Wisconsin governor. Find out where they stand on the issues. 

Interviews with Wisconsin’s Candidates for Governor

Listen to Our Interviews with Wisconsin’s Candidates for Governor

Whether it’s bluegill, perch, or walleye on your plate, the fish fry is a hallowed and battered tradition in Wisconsin. In a recent survey by 

, nearly half of respondents said they sit down to a fish fry at least once a month.

It feels like the fish fry has been around since forever – but 

, host Bianca Martin talks to Madison writer Jeff Oloizia about his cover story for 

on how climate change and global economic trends may be threatening our beloved fish fry.

How the Climate Is Changing Wisconsin Fish Fry

For now, at least, the fish fry is thriving in the Madison area. Here are some of our favorites around town. If we missed your Friday favorite, email us at 

 and let us know why your fish fry rules!

Oloizia spent time in the east side pub studying its wildly popular fish fry while reporting for his article, and with good reason. Honored as “Madison’s Best Fish Fry” by both 

, Dexter’s serves up wild-caught North American fish in non-GMO sunflower oil, with Madison Sourdough rye bread on the side. If you just can’t wait until Friday, they have a limited fish fry on Wednesdays, too.

It’s like having fish fry out on the farm in this historic Fitchburg location. Not only can you get fish fry in the elegant Stone House restaurant or rustic Stable Grill, but on Friday nights they have an outdoor fish fry under the Paddock Tent.

Come out to this restored 19th-century farmhouse in Middleton and indulge in cod (battered or unbreaded), perch (beer-battered or breaded), or walleye (beer battered or hashbrown encrusted) on Friday nights, with a long list of “standard” and “premium” sides to choose from.

This favorite on East Washington Avenue offers fish fry on Tuesdays and Fridays. Drink specials include $8 sangria on Tuesdays and $8 Old Fashioneds on Fridays. Cheers!

Fish fry isn’t just for Friday at Oakcrest. This west side classic serves fried perch and cod dinners (including kids’ menu versions) Wednesday through Friday. The baked cod dinner, however, is just on Friday.

The food at this Regent Street institution is all really good, so it’s no surprise that the fish fry would punch above its weight too. The 

 rhapsodized about the breaded bluegill, but there’s also walleye, perch, cod, and Cajun shrimp, and you can get a great fish sandwich too.

This north side dive bar (complimentary) is famous for its fish fry, serving up perfectly breaded and seasoned fish with potato or fries, cole slaw, and a dinner roll.

Why wouldn’t a high-end seafood restaurant get in on the fish fry game? Tempest serves mouth-watering walleye or yellow perch (or whatever is fresh) along with house-cut fries and homemade tartar sauce. A step up, but worth treating yourself.

What’s your favorite Madison fish fry?

Friday fish fries are a tradition in Wisconsin, and Madison has lots of options. Here are some of our favorites, including Dexter’s Pub, Quivey’s Grove and Tempest Oyster Bar.

Madison’s Best Fish Fries

The Best Fish Fries in Madison

authorities cleared out the memorial and encampment 

that took over the intersection of South Baldwin and Williamson streets in the wake of the July 22 police shooting of Corey Ruiz.

, District 6 Ald. Davy Mayer, who represents the neighborhood and has been in close contact with both protesters and residents throughout, talks to host Bianca Martin about his perspective on the memorial and the lingering effects the 12-day saga will have on his neighborhood. [WPR, 🎧 City Cast Madison]

TKTK

Here’s what happened on Tuesday morning, how things got to this point, and what comes next.

Eyewitnesses said city crews with forklifts, buses, and garbage trucks

 arrived at the encampment at 4:30 a.m. and asked people occupying the site to leave.

police in riot gear moved in, and multiple people were arrested

 for allegedly trying to impede the teardown, while others were cited and released. Bystanders' videos showed protesters throwing objects at city workers and police, and police deploying pepper spray.

City crews and police officers took down tents and removed items from the site, carting them away in city trucks. Many items were moved to nearby Demetral Park, including the raised fist statue donated from George Floyd Square in Minneapolis.

City sweepers moved in at 8 a.m. to clean the intersection, and a small memorial was set up on the sidewalk on South Baldwin Street. By 9 a.m., traffic was flowing through the intersection for the first time in nearly two weeks.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said 50 or so unhoused people who were living at the site were given the option of being taken to a hotel and a “significant majority” chose to do so.

“Let's focus our energy on the hard work of sustainable change,” Rhodes-Conway said 

in a video message released after the encampment was taken down

. “Holding government accountable for progress should not mean harming the community we all share.” 

The intersection remained open for about five hours until it closed at 1:30 p.m. Police said people were in the roadway and engaged verbally and physically with officers. Police released aerial footage of 

one altercation between officers and interim independent police monitor Aeiramique Glass

. [Cap Times, Instagram, City of Madison, News 3]

The memorial site, which some called the Corey Ruiz Autonomous Zone, grew organically out of the protests that filled the intersection of South Baldwin and Williamson streets on 

 after Ruiz was shot and killed by a Madison police officer.

In addition to protesting the killing and calling for the arrest of the officer involved, protesters set up tents, distributed mutual aid, and even set up Little Free Libraries with revolutionary literature.

For the first few days, city officials expressed support for the memorial encampment as being a place for supporters to grieve. But after about a week, the tide of public sentiment seemed to start to turn.

While owners of many nearby businesses expressed public support for the protesters, they started to complain that having one of Madison’s most-traveled intersections blocked was causing them to lose money. 

 were set up to accept donations to those businesses.

City officials began escalating statements at about the same time as well calling for the encampment to end. On 

said in a statement that the encampment was not “sustainable or safe

,” saying emergency vehicles had to be rerouted around the intersection, and pointing to rising health and safety concerns at the intersection.

 after allegedly punching a protester, kicking signs and shouting racial slurs at other protesters. [GoFundMe, City of Madison, Fox 47]

Rhodes-Conway openly called on the encampment to end

, and said the city was planning for a “peaceful transition.” State Rep. Francesca Hong, currently the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination in the governor’s race, 

 that the protest movement needed “a transition from the physical boundaries of the encampment to advocacy for durable change.”

One of the lead organizers of the protest, Clyde Mayberry, posted a message on social media Monday purporting to be a statement from Ruiz’s family, 

saying it was time to downsize and relocate the memorial

The next day in the early morning hours of Aug. 4, city crews moved in to swiftly dismantle the memorial and reopen the intersection. [City of Madison, Instagram, Facebook]

Ruiz’s family says they want to create a temporary memorial at the intersection, as well as a permanent memorial at a location meaningful to Ruiz and his family. 

A GoFundMe has been set up for the family

All four officers involved in the shooting are on administrative leave while Ruiz’s death is being investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice. Madison’s interim independent police monitor Aeiramique Glass 

is also conducting an investigation and has subpoenaed Madison police for records

And while the memorial may be gone, it’s clear the protests in Ruiz’s name will continue. On Monday night, 

a protest outside the Capitol organized by Freedom Inc.

 moved to Madison City Hall, where protesters used ladders to climb the building and display a large sign reading “Arrest the Killer Cop.” [GoFundMe, 🎧 City Cast Madison, WKOW]

Madison authorities dismantle the Corey Ruiz encampment at Baldwin & Williamson. District 6 Ald. Davy Mayer discusses the fallout on City Cast Madison.

Corey Ruiz Memorial Site Taken Down By Madison Police

Madison Police Clear Ruiz Memorial and Encampment Site

Jade Iseri-Ramos

The local LGBTQ+ nonprofit OutReach will hold its annual 

 at Warner Park. You can expect drag performances, rainbow swag, and tons of vendors. Plus, we’ll have a tent so come say hi and grab a sticker!

. There will be more than 25 shows across nine venues featuring local and touring comedians, and all ticket prices are $15 (plus fees) or less. It’s a great way to see all the comedy gold the city has to offer.

🍻 Pregame the Great Taste of the Midwest

I’ve never been motivated enough to snag tickets to the Great Taste of the Midwest, but it’s a big deal. Tickets for the 

event are long sold out, but don’t fret because several local spots are hosting 

. There are seriously so many parties that I’m not going to even try to list them!

Olbrich Botanical Garden will undergo a sonic transformation for 

. The installation is curated by composer JG Everest and organized by the community curation project LAB^4 at Arts + Literature Laboratory. Small speakers will be placed throughout the garden, each playing a different portion of the same song while musicians from the Free Range Orchestra roam through the garden and play along. This is a free event, though there are 

a few workshops that require registration.

When he’s not dispatching bad guys as John Wick or traveling through time as one-half of Bill & Ted, Keanu Reeves plays bass with his band Dogstar. 

Dogstar is coming to Madison to play The Sylvee

Summers in Madison are full of neighborhood festivals and the fun continues into August. This weekend is the bluegrass-centered 

 at Lake Farm County Park. The weekend of 

Discover the best events, festivals, and activities in Madison this August 2026. Don't miss out on the ultimate summer highlights—plan your perfect month today!

August 2026 in Madison: Your Ultimate Guide to Summer Fun

Madison’s Best: Your Guide To August 2026 in Madison

This week's news quiz dives into everything from a new downtown restaurant to a big shake-up at UW-Madison. Can you get every question right? 

Madison, Explained

Test Your Madison News Knowledge!

Rob Thomas

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