What can you find in this week's Isthmus? Highlights from the latest issue follow:
- Dining: André Darlington braves Madison's spiciest dishes; Kyle Nabilcy locates fine fare for far-flung night owls; Adam Powell lists Madison's culinary must-trys for visitors; Julia Burke offers a guide to Sichuan cuisine; Linda Falkenstein uses the Isthmus restaurant database to find eateries that are vegetarian-, gluten-free-, tap beer- and kid-friendly; plus, capsule recaps of the last year in Isthmus food and drink reviews and a calendar of upcoming food fests.
- Kenneth Burns, Phil Davis and James Kreul go around the world with the Wisconsin Film Festival, reviewing a dozen movies from near and far.
- Judith Davidoff investigates the expulsion of a freshman honors student from East High under the school's zero-tolerance policy.
- Joe Tarr reports on the unsuccessful effort to return 17-year-old offenders to the juvenile system.
- Pat Dillon asks how Madison can move toward racial equality: Local social justice leaders weigh in.
- Stu Levitan mounts a spirited defense of the Madison Landmarks Commission.
- Cameron Connors ponders the absurdity of life in Broom Street Theater's W8iting for G-Dogg.
- Katie Reiser swoons over Balanchine choreography in Madison Ballet's Repertory II.
- Jessica Steinhoff speaks with touring acts coming to Madison after successful shows at SXSW.
- Joe Engle laughs along with Sweden's Movits!, which blends hip-hop with humor.
- Dean Robbins approves of a father's tough-love approach in the Fox sitcom Surviving Jack.
- Kenneth Burns loves the acting, but not the writing, in The Face of Love.
- Scott Renshaw wants to slap Jason Bateman's cruel character in the spelling-bee comedy Bad Words.
- Mike Seidel uncovers the dwindling number of smelt fries in the Madison region.
- Linda Falkenstein talks to chef Kipp Thomas, now manning the helm at Pooley's.
- Mary Bergin makes a pilgrimage to Denver to discover what's new in the world of legal pot commerce.
- Tell All intervenes in a philosophical argument between a gay woman and her straight friend.
- Dan Seiter weighs the possibilities for the Brewers this coming season.
