Local personality

Longtime UW-Madison band director Michael Leckrone directed his final concerts last weekend. Leckrone is retiring after 50 years at UW. Jordyn Noennig compiled a list of five ways Wisconsinites can celebrate the band director who is credited with starting many traditions at UW. There might even be a few Leckrone bobbleheads still available.

The great outdoors

Earth Day is Monday, April 22. The day has a strong connection to the Badger State. It was created by former governor and U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson in 1970.

Across the state, people have mobilized to clean up trash that is littering the streets and parks. There are more than 1,300 organized cleanup events across Wisconsin, and you still have time to sign up for one.

What's on tap

Wisconsin breweries are turning out some vibrant beers lately. Vibrant in color. Kathy Flanigan writes about a purple beer that Vennture Brewing created as a tribute to Prince. The beer is actually based on a cocktail from Bittercube Bar & Bazaar.

What else is happening in Wisconsin

Wisconsin ink

Do you bring your Wisconsin pride everywhere you go in the form of a tattoo? Share a photo of it. We'll feature it in the newsletter.

Patrick Casey loves the Milwaukee Bucks. He moderates an online community of fellow fans on Reddit called r/MkeBucks. I've written about him before in the newsletter because this isn't his first Bucks tattoo. He got one last year as part of a challenge to get people to sign up for a Bucks meet-up. This retro Bucks logo tattoo is part of the same challenge, but in 2019.

Casey wrote:

We ended up having about 150 people at the r/MkeBucks second-annual meet-up in March (for the March 26 Bucks vs. Rockets game)—about double the amount from last year! That means we hit our main ticket goal, which meant we got to have some awesome group experiences for attendees (that our Bucks sales rep was awesome at helping us set up!), including cutting down the net and shooting free throws postgame. It also meant that I had to, as I promised, get a retro-style Bango tattoo—and the basketball Bango is holding had to incorporate the image that we at r/MkeBucks call “Plumlee Face.”

Contact Lainey Seyler at (414) 224-2863 or lainey.seyler@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @lainey_seyler.