Tips to prevent home burglaries Away for the Holidays?, by Response Insurance Just about everyone looks forward to this time of year, including burglars. With many people away visiting friends or just out of the house shopping, there are many good prospects for break-ins. Experts agree that it is a vulnerable time for homeowners. "People are busy and distracted," says Ray Palermo, director of public relations for Response Insurance. "As they race out the door, they are not thinking about what they leave behind." Palermo offere... MORE >>

Hanukkah, eight-day Jewish festival, begins Dec. 21 by Steven M. Morrison Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival, will begin at sunset on Sunday, Dec. 21, corresponding to the Jewish date of 24 Kislev 5768. The holiday concludes at sunset on Monday, Dec. 29 (2 Tevet 5769).  The Jewish year follows a lunar-solar cycle.  Hanukkah, therefore, can occur anytime from late November to early January.  Because it usually occurs in December, it is sometimes called the "Jewish Christmas." But the two holidays have nothing in common, other than the t... MORE >>

Diwali, the festival of lights by from www.hinduism.about.com Deepawali, or Diwali, is certainly the biggest of all Hindu festivals. It’s the festival of lights (deep = light and avali = a row; i.e., a row of lights) that is marked by four days of celebration that literally illuminate the country. Each of the four days in the festival is separated by a different tradition, but what remains constant is the celebration of life and its goodness. Diwali can be traced back to ancient India, when it was likely an important harvest festival. Howev... MORE >>

Happy Birthday, Mike! On Monday, April 28, we will celebrate Mike's 43rd birthday. Mike died July 9, 2006, following a courageous battle.  To honor his final request, last year we established the Michael Harrington McKinney (MHM) Student of Promise Award at the Madis... MORE >>

Standout brothers stick together on and off the court ... MORE >>

Interview with Ernest Jennings: UW band director a force on campus, in the community by Joi C. Ridley ... MORE >>

Slain activist's legacy and dreams live no through parents, foundation, world-famous play "My Name is Rachel Corrie" ... MORE >>

Committed to her constituents by A. David Dahmer  Vic Bankston with Ida Wyman, one of the seniors that is very near and dear to her in District 14 Vic Bankston strives to be hands-on problem solver whenever she sees people in need. "You shouldn't have to wait on some legislator for months or ... MORE >>

"Senior Idol" competition in the works by A. David Dahmer The Club TNT Anna Mae Mitchell "Senior Idol" competition is coming soon!  It’s your chance to show the community that life gets more interesting and exciting after age 55. Committee members gathered at Old Country Buffet on Madison’s east side March 4 to lay the groundwork for a elaborate contest that will culminate in a Finals Competition at the 2008 Dane County Fair July 16-20. Categories will include vocal, dance, instrumental, and comedy. The c... MORE >>

MMSD Recognition Awards ceremony marks 25th year from Ken Syke, Madison Metropolitan School District Each year for the past 25, the Madison Board of Education has honored outstanding individuals in a special ceremony that has grown into a communitywide celebration. This year, 14 Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) employees and two citizen volunteers will receive the Distinguished Service Award (DSA), the District's highest honor for meritorious contributions to students and schools. In addition, 13 MMSD employees in eight categorie... MORE >>

Dr. Suess Day celebrated at Chavez Elementary scroll down... ... MORE >>

Obama tells Madison it’s time for a change ... MORE >>

Fabu is Madison's newest poet laureate by Pamela Gates Close to 100 admirers, from the very young to the young at heart, came downtown to the central library on a bitterly cold Packer Sunday to welcome local poet Fabu as Madison's official poet laureate. Fabu will be in this position for the next three years, doing pretty much what she's been doing already, as Andrea Musher, who was stepping down from the office, said. That is, Fabu will be working to make poetry a part of the everyday life of the city, particularly among the yout... MORE >>

Alternative winter break: Chiapas, Mexico by Meredith Alt... MORE >>

New book encourages African Americans to confront and overcome their secret pain: Depression ... MORE >>

NBC-15’s Evrod Cassimy: Multitalented journalist turning heads in Madison ... MORE >>

Wisconsin Community Fund’s 2007 Community Change Maker awards: Carol Lobes, Joe McClain lauded for activism   by Pamela Gates As Wisconsin Community Fund (WCF) Executive Director Bruce Moffat observed, it was "a who's wh... MORE >>

Madison honors the life and legacy of Otis Redding by A. David Dahmer Otis Redding was a singer of such commanding ... MORE >>

The Steeles debut in Madison: Gospel powerhouse group to perform a Special Holiday Concert  by A. David Dahmer The Steeles, a world-famous family gospel group from the Twin Cities, have sung at prestigious locations throughout the world. But their first trip to Madison as a group has got them energized. "We are just so excited... MORE >>

4th annual Fall Gospel Fest a hit by Rose Johnson-Brown People Building Opportunity through Grace and... MORE >>

Centro Hispano's 18th annual banquet: "Celebrating the gift of opportunity" ... MORE >>

Veterens for Peace hold Miracle Mile at Olbrich Park On Veterans Day, Sunday, Nov. 11, over 200 people gathered at Olbrich Park on Atwood Ave... MORE >>

City Channel 12 covers LGBT lifestyles What's it like being a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT) older adult? Are there any issues in being older and also a member of the LGBT community? What barriers have you faced "coming out" and living as an LGBT teenager in Madison and Dane County? Where have you felt safe? As a young LGBT individual, when you think ahead about growing older, what do you see happening?     These are just some of the many questions raised and explored in this month's special half-hou... MORE >>

Revamping and Revolutionizing how we bring minorities to Wisconsin By A. David Dahmer Getting minorities to come to Madison from all over the nation has never been easy. Over the years there have been some creative ways to promot... MORE >>

Six honored at Club TNT Water Bearer award ceremony ... MORE >>

New initiative focuses on economic empowerment By A. David Dahmer There are tons of business expos and job fairs available to people who want and need them, but none are specifically geared toward African American women. Until now. The first annual Black Women’s Business Expo and Job Fair is set for Saturday, Nov. 3, 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Hotel, 706 John Nolen Drive. ”Several minority women went to the Women’s Expo held last Novem... MORE >>

PVD and PAD: A serious pain in the leg By St. Mary’s Hospital Imagine you’re out for a walk and start to feel tightness and pain in your calf muscles. It must be that you haven’t exercised in a while, right? But then it continues every future walk you take. Maybe it’s just bad circulation. More than likely, however, it’s caused by a silent but potentially dangerous condition called peripheral vascular disease or PVD. PVD, as the name implie... MORE >>

Maintaining healthy memory By Anita Martin Nearly 35 folks gathered at the Allied Boys and Girls Club Oct. 20 to learn more about memory and to get their questions answered. The speaker, Dr. Cary E. Gleason, also addressed how to maintain the brain and how to cope with memory changes. Dr. Gleason is an associate scientist and licensed clinical neuropsychologist with the Section of Geriatrics and Gerontology in the University of Wisconsin School o... MORE >>

Adtec gives advice on job searching By Dana Pellebon The good news is that theMadison employment market is hot and there seems to be a higher demand for employees. The bad news is that those employers are fighting... MORE >>

Group opposes demolition of Palestinian homes Co-founder of Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions speaks in Madison By A. David Dahmer  ... MORE >>

Wisconsin Book Festival’s Fred McKissack Jr. By A. David Dahmer “My goal is to write books that are worthy of being read," says author and writer Fred McKissack Jr. "There are few things in life that are really enviable, and it’s an enviable thing to have a kid learn from something you've done and feel that they want to know more.” Originally from St. Louis, Mo., McKissack will be returning to Madison for the sixth annual Wisconsin Book Festival this weekend to give a series of presentations. The Festival’s theme is “Dom... MORE >>

Butler wins pageant and spot in Wisconsin pageant history  By Chris Daniels    University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate student Michelyn Cynthia Butler was chosen as Miss Wisconsin-USA at the conclusion... MORE >>

Area minority business owners share perspectives By Anita Martin Business owners are some of the busiest people around, but six local business owners made the time to share their perspectives with The Madison Times. They talked about their products and... MORE >>

Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Bart Starr Charitable Gala Bart Starr, the legendary Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame quarterback and head coach, talked about the amazing power of mentoring a child as he headlined a Ch... MORE >>

First annual Neighbor H.O.O.D. awards honors those dedicated to the community ... MORE >>

African American Ethnic Academy set to kick off fall programs ... MORE >>

UW invites all of us to FREE Diversity Forum Sept. 28 ... MORE >>

Fabiola Hamdan: Tireless community advocate for social justice ... MORE >>

Kneaded Relief spa pampers and promotes wellness. by Dana Pellebon In today’s busy times, relaxation seems to be a luxury rather than a necessity. Kneaded Relief Therapeutic Day Spa wants to change that. "Put yourself on the calendar," says co-owner Duke Harvey. Since the start of the business in 1997, owners Nichol Schumacher and Duke Harvey have wanted to revitalize the spa industry. With their move to Fitchburg in January 2007, the culmination of their vision is realized. Nestled in a preserve off East Cheryl Parkway, Kneaded ... MORE >>

Customers prefer cuts with Style and Grace. by Maria Bibbs Taylor Smith has been cutting heads in Madison since 1950. At 83 years old, he holds the distinction of being the city’s first Black barber. Most people at the Style and Grace barber and beauty shop where he works affectionately call him “Smitty.” Y... MORE >>

Desire for fitness burns strong in former Madison firefighter’s life. ... MORE >>