Patience is a virtue. And Madisonians have displayed a lot of it when it comes to the Madison Public Market project.
It's taken nearly two decades to turn the year-round public marketplace in Madison into a reality, and we're so close to the finish line now.
Leave it to construction delays to make us wait just a tad longer. We were supposed to welcome the market this summer, but MPM CEO Keisha Harrison says the new goal is Nov. 1.
"Everyone appreciates the reuse of the former Fleet Building and its transformation into a space that reflects the community," Harrison says. "That said, everyone wants the market to be open already so they can enjoy the space." Read the full piece — one of dozens, if not hundreds, of news stories to run over the years — about the latest update on the market project. It's obvious that Madison is excited and ready for this kind of community space.
While you wait, dig into this month's newsletter, which asks a lot of questions this time around, from thinking twice about how we pay at the Dane County Farmers' Market to why we're not eating more bugs (intentionally, of course). Neil Heinen also asks a question in his latest: Are books and music becoming too simple?
That's the thing about developing deeper understandings and gaining context — the more we learn, the more questions tend to arise. Undoubtedly, that's a good thing.
From Neil Heinen: There have been a couple of stories in the last year that I felt I needed to pay attention to, that perhaps they might explain some things. The first was a widely reported study in the journal Scientific Reports that found melodies of popular songs have gotten simpler over time, and over a more recent span of time, lyrics to songs have gotten simpler, angrier and more repetitive. The second story reported a decline in book reading by K-12 students in the United States. Both worry and sadden me.
💳 Are you paying with plastic at DCFM? It costs Dane County Farmers' Market vendors more than you think. Digital payment options often come with steep costs. We spoke with two longtime vendors about what it means for their businesses. Read more
🦗 Why aren't we eating more insects? Short answer: It's because humans are slow to change, especially when food is involved, says Valerie Stull, a UW–Madison scientist who researches edible insects and sustainable food systems. Food Editor Emma Waldinger digs in — literally — on the "superpowers" of bugs and their nutritional potential. Read more
💵 What does Wisconsin's minimum wage from 2009 mean today? Well, for one thing, it means not a whole lot has changed. Wisconsin has not moved its minimum wage above $7.25 an hour, the federal minimum, since 2009. At the start of 2025, 21 states raised their minimum wages including our neighbors: Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota. Read more
☕ Why is a cup of coffee getting so expensive in Madison? Coffee drinkers are feeling the pinch as a cup of coffee climbs in price. A large part of the growing sticker price comes from increased labor costs and a taste for complex drink orders, but after a series of natural disasters, the beans are also becoming more expensive to grow and roast. As climate disasters change green coffee bean supply, Madison roasters and coffee shops grapple with the fallout. Read more
When Madisonians want their voices heard on issues, they speak out. Revisit memorable demonstrations in Madison from 1960-2024 in this historical timeline.
Archive dive: In our April 1987 issue, retired Wisconsin State Journal editor Harold McClelland tells the story of their former office on Carroll Street.
I'll leave you with one final question: What do you think is Madison's signature food? Philadelphia has the cheesesteak, New Orleans has the po'boy … but what is Madison's culinary claim to fame? We know this might be polarizing, but we've come up with a winner. What do you think?:
