Madison Mentions: The Newspaper Report Weekending July 20, 2008

Monday has arrived, so that means we once again turn to the yellowing stack of pulp cluttering the floor of Dane101's office to find out what newspapers and similar publications wrote about Madison over the last week. Note to readers, by "yellowing stack" we mean "Google News" and by "Dane101's office" we mean "coffeehouse."

University of Wisconsin-Madison Astronomers Ed Churchwell, Marilyn Meade and Brian Babler contributed to an investigation that revealed the Milky Way actually only has two spiraling arms and not four. The study, presented at the American Astronomical Society meeting in St. Louis, was made possible by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. The story was published on NASA's website.

Former Madisonian, Jeff DeMark, was written up in Northern California's Times-Standard for his one-man show "Hard as a Diamond, Soft as the Dirt" which takes "baseball as its starting point, the piece shows how DeMark used a trip to Tiger Stadium as a healing ritual to say goodbye to his deceased father." In 1996, the Wisconsin State Journal called DeMark's "Went to Lunch, Never Returned" the "Best Theatrical Show of the Year."

Progressive rock band Crack the Sky formed in the 70s and have struggled over the following many decades to crack the ceiling of moderate rock success. The band continues to play out and in a recent Beaver County Times profile the band referenced an incident in Madison which they insist inspired parts of the film This is Spinal Tap.

“We did that in an old theater in Madison, Wis., when we were opening for Journey,” Witkowski said.

NPR profiles the very American tradition of sending kids off to summer camp. The report includes one campers reflection on time spent at Madison's Camp Indianola.

The Peoria Journal Star editorial board is concerned that their city isn't bike and pedestrian friendly, so of course, they look toward Madison as a "stellar example" of what to aspire toward.

Madison will host the 2010 Transplant Games, an event that seeks to "demonstrate the success of transplantation, honor those who have given the gift of life, and call attention to the need for more organ donors." The Florida Times-Union recently highlight the story of one athlete that will be participating at the event.

Former WKOW weekend anchor and reporter, Mari-Ela David, has taken a big step up in the televsion news industry. According to the Honolulu Advertiser, she has been promoted to anchor for Honolulu's KHNL News 8 at 5 p.m. weekday newscasts.