Through the main doors of the nearly finished Madison Youth Arts Center — or MYArts, the new $29 million, four-story home for Madison Youth Choirs and Children’s Theater of Madison — kids are first greeted with a glowing array of multi-colored lights lining the ceiling. Judging from these first few steps into the new building on the near east side, it’s clear designers wanted to welcome and engage children, to capture their attention and ignite their imaginations.

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(Photo credit: Steven Potter)

Whether it’s a dog, cat, bird, or even a pig, our pets are a part of our families.

And when they pass away, we may want to keep something to help remember them, like an old collar or their favorite toy.

In some cases, people may want a part of the pet itself — perhaps a tooth embedded in a ring, a small bone on a necklace, or some of their fur preserved in a glass pendant.

For that one-of-a-kind memorial, some people turn to a specialized artist in Madison named Lisa Lauren.

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(Photo credit: Steven Potter)

As the country grapples with a racial reckoning, local activists, organizers and officials weigh in on Madison’s documented disparities and what criminal justice reform could mean here.

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Over the years, Girard Thomas has gotten used to being stopped and questioned by police.

As a Black man, he feels like law enforcement sees his skin color and pegs him as an “easy target.” The threat of being harassed or arrested is nearly constant.

“It’s always there, every time you step out your front door,” says the 35-year-old Madison resident and father. “It can happen anywhere and at any time.”

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Photo credit: Steven Potter

A new group in Madison, called Solace Friends, is reaching out to help those experiencing homelessness during the most vulnerable, final moments of their lives by creating a hospice home for the homeless community.

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Photo credit: Steven Potter/WPR