Sunday, January 11, 2026

Garage with purple doors is no more

 
That was then.

Photos by Retiring Guy

This is now.



Related post:

Conservancy Bend Residences in Middleton Wisconsin: Final phase

 
Photo by Retiring Guy


Proposed plan

Renderings and map:  Middleton Plan Commission





AROUND TOWN MIDDLETON: Kromrey Middle School as seen from the Pheasant Branch Corridor path

  
Photos by Retiring Guy




Arrows indicate approximate locations of where photos were taken.




Other Around Town Middleton posts:
2026

2025
Stone sentinels.  (9/19)

2024
July-December 2024
In memoriam.  (10/19)

January-June 2024

November 2023

September 2023

June 2023

May 2023
Best double cheeseburger ever (Village Green).  (5/5)

April 2023

March 2023

February 2023

January 2023
Bathroom advice.  (1/11)
Vin Santo restaurant reopening date postponed again.  (1/7)

October 2022
The Club Tavern still sits empty (2022 edition)  (10/20)
According to a recent Next Door post, this apartment building allegedly has roaches. (10/15)

August 2022
"Tactical Urbanism" at the intersection of Elmwood Avenue and Middleton Street.  (8/29/2022)
The G Spot.  (8/11/2022)
July 2022
Turfbot mower.  (7/28)

May2022


January 2022

November 2021


September 2021
February 2021

January 2021

December 2020

November 2020

October 2020

August 2020

December 2019
Roman Candle survives the cut, even without the availability of convenient parking.  (12/12)
The Monona side of town.  (12/6)

November 2019
Bike rack at Sauk Trail Elementary School.  (11/8)
Not everybody's on board in the Meadows neighborhood.  (11/4)
 
October 2019
Matching car and garage door.  (10/11)

September 2019
Around Town Middleton: Bees love ornamental onion plants.   (9/4) 

August 2019
60-year-old resident arrested for armed robbery.  (8/21)
Staff and visitors may now park in the MCPASD Services Center lot .  (8/2)

June 2019
"ROAD WORK AHEAD" trumps "DRIVE LIKE YOUR KIDS LIVE HERE" on Park Street.  (6/27)
Free lunch Friday.  (6/24/2019)
CBD, just like everywhere else in Wisconsin.  (6/24)
 
February 2019
According to chapter 8.07 of the city ordinances....  (2/4)

January 2019
More than a snow fort, but not a standing-room igloo.  (1/2)
 
December 2018
This section of sidewalk was replaced in 1980.  (12/18)
The post office's new and improved self-service kiosk.  (12/18)

November 2018
Spell checker.  (11/19)

August 2018
Must be on a tight schedule.  (8/6/)

July 2018
What type of seeds?  (7/6)

June 2018
If it's not one thing, it's another.  (6/23)
Bloom Bake Shop to reopen as Bloom Bindery, a bakery/bookstore.  (6/15)

May 2018
The Tiedeman Pond frog chorus.  (5/15)

March 2018
Tiedeman Pond winter fish kill.  (3/30)
Hear that lonesome whistle blow.  (3/22)
Explosion on Elmwood Avenue.  (3/20)
Googling 'Henry Hubbard'.  (3/18) 
A not-so-faded Flo strikes a new pose.  (3/12)

February 2018





Middleton Shores redevelopment, Century Avenue in Middleton WI (January 2026 construction site visit)

 
Photos by Retiring Guy



Renderings of new construction
 

Dreams die hard: Former Vin Santo location to be repurposed as office space

 
Retiring Guy had hoped that a similar "special event" restaurant would take over the location.

Photo by Retiring Guy

Final dinner:  a belated 34th anniversary celebration, which took place on June 6, 2020.

Allen Bay apartments in Middleton Wisconsin (January 2026 construction site visit)

 
Photos by Retiring Guy





Middleton real estate news: Vacant for nearly 4 years, former Klinke Cleaners location to be occupied by Great Midwest Bank

 




CES 2026: AI pet Sweekar

 
Screengrab and headlineBusiness Insider, 1/1-/2026

Katherine Li reports:
A new AI pet from Chinese startup Takway AI, called Sweekar, debuted in the US at CES. Unlike most AI companions that exist entirely virtually, this creature has a physical form that appears to grow. 
Based on demo videos, the Sweekar starts out as a palm-sized, egg-shaped device with glowing ears. After an incubation period that can last up to two days, the shell appears to crack open, revealing a newborn digital creature. 
From there, Sweekar moves through a series of life stages. The baby phase lasts roughly five to seven days, followed by a teenage stage that can stretch from about three to six weeks. Eventually, the pet reaches adulthood, developing greater intelligence and a more defined personality, as well as more independence.  ($150)

  

Related posts:
January 2026

December 2025
Descent S1 Buoy.  (12/30)
Birdfy Bath Pro.  (12/30)

August-November 2025
Sony Bravia 10.  (8/11)

Back pages:
CES 2025 (series)
CES 2024 (series)
CES 2023 (series)

Will Jonathan Ross get away with murder?

 
Headline:  Daily Beast, 1/9/2026

Laura Esposito and Breaking Josh Fiallo report:
Jonathan Ross, 43, was the agent who fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, according to reports by multiple outlets. The killing left Good’s son by her late husband an orphan, led to immediate tensions in the city, and caused a political storm over ICE. 
Good had just dropped off her six-year-old son at school when she encountered ICE agents, one of whom later shot her point-blank in Minneapolis, her ex-husband told the Associated Press. She left behind three kids, a daughter and a son aged 15 and 12 from her first marriage, and a six-year-old son from her second marriage, which had ended with her second husband’s death.

Related post:

GET ME REWRITE: Techdirt slams GOP Louisiana Sen. U.S Bill Cassidy M.D. for being the spineless, cowering Slinky he is


Dr. Bill is chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP). He voted to confirm RFKjr as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He values his personal political survival over public health.

Headline:  Techdirt, 1/5/2026

Timothy Geigner reports: 
Rinse, lather, repeat. That is supposed to be the self-serving message on the back of a shampoo bottle, but it can easily be applied to Senator Bill Cassidy’s response to all the bullshit RFK Jr. continues to pull when it comes to vaccines. 
The last time we saw this was back in October of last year. In the wake of an absolutely insane press conference in which Kennedy and Trump decided to point the finger at Tylenol, of all things, as a major cause of autism spectrum disorder, Cassidy bravely took to social media and the radio to criticize the HHS Secretary for essentially not having a single fucking idea about which he was speaking… and then he did absolutely fuck all about it. And now, days after Kennedy’s CDC altered the agency’s childhood vaccine schedule recommendations, he’s once more out in public spilling all kinds of words in response.
A year later, Cassidy has still not taken responsibility for his actions.

Related posts:
January 2026

November-December 2025

August--October 2025

June-July 2025

But wait, there's more!!
March 2025
Chapter 1.  (3/10)   Censored
Chapter 2.  (3/10)
Chapter 3.  (3/10)
Chapter 4.  (3/11)
Chapter 5.  (3/12)
Chapter 6.  (3/12)
Chapter 7.  (3/13)
Chapter 8.  (3/14)
Chapter 9.  (3/14)
Chapter 10.  (3/14)
Chapter 11.  (3/14)
Chapter 12.  (3/14)
Chapter 13.  (3/15)
Chapter 14.  (3/18)
Chapter 15.  (3/19)
Chapter 16.  (3/19)
Chapter 17.  (3/21)
Chapter 18.  (3/22)
Chapter 19.  (3/26)
Chapter 20.  (3/28)
Chapter 21.  (3/29)
Chapter 22.  (3/30)

April 2025
Chapter 23.  (4/1/)
Chapter 24.  (4/2)

May 2025

June 2025
RFK Jr. Is systematically undermining vaccine science and endangering health while spineless Louisiana GOP U.S. senator Bill Cassidy M.D. dithers.  (6/27)

July 2025

MISCREANT PREACHERS: Tax fraud in the Name of the Lord (#227 in a series)

 
Photo and headlineChattanooga Times Free Press, 1/8/2026

Jules Feeney reports:
A Chattanooga pastor and former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball player will serve 30 months in prison after pleading guilty in federal court to defrauding a pandemic employment assistance program. 
A judge also ordered Ricky Lee Taylor Jr., 36, to pay a money judgment of more than $942,000 and $2.5 million in restitution to the United States, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District of Tennessee. 
Prosecutors said Taylor received approximately $1.8 million in loans from the Paycheck Protection Program for five businesses: Potter's Wheel Trucking, Ricky Taylor Basketball, Arena of Praise, Spirit Logistics and Reap Real Estate and Property.

Other miscreant preachers (which cover a multitude of sins):
January 2026
Joshua Price.  (1/10)
Bruce Neal.  (1/8)

December 2025 (15)
Enrique Molina.  (12/30)
John Paul.  (12/19)
James Watford.  (12/17)
Doug Overmyer.  (12/13)
Joseph Herzing.  (12/10)
Robert Sullivan.  (12/8)
Danny Varnadore.  (12/7)
Roger Scalice.  (12/6)
James Stockton.  (12/3)
Michael Martin.  (12/2)

November 2025 (16):
Mark Vega.  (11/28)
Stephen Santeli Castro.  (11/26)
Yersson Solarte.  (11/23)
Jason Allen.  (11/21)
Glenn Rosenbaum.  (11/17)
Adolfo Castillo.  (11/16)
Quintilo Segrero.  (11/14)
Matthew McGinley.  (11/11)
Eli Regalado.  (11/7)
Andrew Ervin.  (11/6)

October 2025 (15)
Robert L Carter.  (10/23)
Xamie Reyes.  (10/20)
Luis Sosa.  (10/19)
Silas Shelton.  (10/17)
Adrian David.  (10/9)
Virgil Mozee.  (10/7)
Robert Morris.  (10/3)
Ryan McElrath.  (10/2)

September 2025 (10)
Macario Garcia.  (9/26)
John McKinzie.  (9/20)
Isaac Tilden.  (9/19)
Diego Fuller.  (9/17)

August 2025 (7)
Neal Creecy.  (8/22)
Shelton Burkart.  (8/15)

July 2025 (11)
Eli Regalado.  (7/23)
Kenneth Flowers.  (7/18)
John Gibson.  (7/15)
Roy Andrews.  (7/3)

June 2025 (11)
Justin Rhodes.  (6/26)
Dominic Foor.  (6/14)
Ryan McElrath.  (6/10)
Jim Mustain.  (6/7)
Nathan Roach.  (6/3)

May 2025 (11)
Daniel Lamppin.  (5/30)
Alan Buresh.  (5/29)
Daniel Champ.  (5/13)
Paul Dyal. (5/11)
Leo Parker.  (5/8)

April 2025 (7)
Brad Swink.  (4/12)
Jaime Arriaga.  (4/10)
Darren Day.  (4/8)

March 2025 (17)
Joshua Lucero.  (3/26)
Jeffrey Summers.  (3/24)
Sergio Guardia.  (3/22)
Marvin Upton.  (3/21)
Rodger Strong.  (3/20)
Britt Taylor.  (3/19)
Daniel Menelaou.  (3/15)
Robert Morris.  (3/14)
Jose Saez Jr.  (3/12)
Waymon Jordan.  (3/8)

February 2025 (9)
Jesse Santos.  (2/26)
Ruel Barbee.  (2/16)
Lee B. Patrick.  (2/14)
Timothy Nall.  (2/7)

January 2025 (14)
John Fiedler.  (1/26)
James McMillan.  (1/25)
Jeffrey Merrow.  (1/18)
Johel LaFaurie.  (1/17)
Jeff Taylor.  (1/16)
Dallas Majewski.  (1/15)
Bruce Hollen.  (1/14)
Timothy Nall.  (1/9)
 
December 2024 (14)
Edward Monk.  (12/23)
Joshua Lough.  (12/22)
Ignazio Medina.  (12/20)
Anthony Odiong.  (12/19)
Vincent Bishop.  (12/9)
Arturo Alarcon.  (12/8)
Hunter Eubanks.  (12/7)
Roy Shoop.  (12/5)

November 2024 (19)
James McMillan.  (11/30)
Stephen Melton. (11/29)
Charles Sulivant.  (11/24)
Geoffrey Carter.  (11/22)
John Radcliff.  (11/21)
Garrett Harmon.  (11/20)
Edward R. Monk.  (11/16)
George Bell.  (11/14)
Jose Mora.  (11/13)
William Pounds.  (11/12)
Charles Randall.  (11/9)
Jackson Gatlin.  (11/7)
Charles Goff.  (11/1)

October 2024 (25)
Stephen Johnson.  (10/27)
Josh Howerton.  (10/26)
Craig Stone.  (10/26/2024)
Steven Lawson. (10/25).  
Scott Crenshaw.  (10/25)
Byron Copeland.  (10/25)
Josiah Anthony.  (10/25)
Ronald Goines.  (10/24)
Tony Cammarota.  (10/24)
Robert Morris.  (10/24)
Mike Buster.  (10/23)
Tony Evans.  (10/23)
Terren Dames.  (10/23)
James Randolph.  (10/23)
Matt Queen.  (10/18)
Roy Shoop.  (10/12)
Gabriel Mills.  (10/3)

September 2024 (16)
John Raymond.  (9/27)
Juan Barrios.  (9/23)
Demiro Johnson.  (9/22)
Glen Dean McCoy.  (9/22)
James Swanson.  (9/21)
William Dunfee.  (9/21)
Steven Lawson.  (9/20)
Rocky Goodwin.  (9/19)
William Johnson.  (9/17)
Tim Ballard.  (9/13)