Snapshot
Ella Hanley
Sherman struts his stuff
A wild male turkey has been hanging out at Olbrich Gardens since last spring. ‘We live in harmony with Sherman,” says director Tanya Zastrow.
Jake Piper
Children’s African Story Hour demystifies narratives about Africa
The free monthly event at Pinney Library aims to teach elementary-aged children about countries and cultures on the African continent.
Jan 14, 2026
Colin Droster
‘We need these stories’
Women share their stories of struggle and empowerment at ¡Yo Quiero Dinero! Our Stories Have Value, an annual storytelling event hosted by Midwest Mujeres.
Dec 5, 2025
Lauren Hafeman
Regrets in ink
A dragon, mauling a unicorn, inked on a buttock. That is just one of the tattoos competing in this year’s Worst Tattoo Competition.
Oct 7, 2025
Dylan Brogan
Object lessons
The Tenney-Lapham Yard Sale is an annual tradition. For one couple, it’s a chance to get rid of stuff…and acquire more.
Sep 6, 2025
Tommy Washbush
Paul’s in perpetuity
There are businesses you’d never guess are operating quietly out of people’s Madison homes. This is the story of a basement bookseller.
Jul 8, 2025
Liam Beran
Protests, produce and peanut butter
Hundreds of demonstrators brought food donations for local residents in need to James Madison Park on April 19.
May 3, 2025
Mary Langenfeld
Cold water therapy
Cold plunging, the practice of immersing oneself in very cold water, isn’t new. But it is trending.
Apr 5, 2025
8:00 AM
Tommy Washbush
‘A tinkerer’s paradise’
A magical storage space now, the third floor of the Madison Children's Museum will, with the help of a recent multi-million grant, be turned into another floor of exhibits.
Jan 7, 2025
9:00 AM
Courtesy Ryan Matthes
Sign of the times
A creative, interactive yard sign is counting down the days until the election and getting attention in an east-side neighborhood.
Oct 11, 2024
3:00 PM
Tommy Washbush
Heard it through the Greenbush grapevine
Before the city of Madison razed the old Greenbush, Italian families salvaged their grapevines, some of which are believed to have been brought from Sicily.
Aug 5, 2024
11:00 AM
Hannah Ritvo
Raising the bar
The vibrant mural was inspired by the women of the Ndebele tribe of South Africa, who cover the exterior walls of their homes with brilliant murals and ornate designs all done by hand.
Jun 5, 2024
5:00 PM
Josh Ducommun
Working 9-5
All of the members of Ability Ambassadors have an intellectual or developmental disability, and some have more than one. All are employed and all live independently.
Apr 10, 2024
1:00 PM
In the April issue
50 years and counting
Isthmus was founded in 1976 by Vince O’Hern and the late Fred Milverstedt. The first issue was eight pages long and featured a shot from the movie ‘Taxi Driver’ on the cover. It’s changed a lot over five decades.
50 Moments in 50 years
Madison has undergone enormous change since Isthmus published its first issue in April 1976 and the paper has chronicled that evolution with care and affection. Here are some of the stories from the last half-century of Isthmus coverage.
Making the news
Former news editor Bill Lueders on living up to his charge to make sure that ‘news-minded people find the paper worth reading.’
Welcome to arts heaven
Dean Robbins, who steered Isthmus’ cultural coverage for more than two decades, looks back on ‘arts-critic heaven.’
The way we were
Revisit Madison's past with a collection of Isthmus file photos from the '70s, '80s and '90s.
