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Welcome, welcome back to Mid-Mornings on Civic Media.
My name is Greg Wach.
I am your host, your pal, and you're coming to live for any park you've ever seen.
on the board right now.
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Still lots coming ahead, including a 1035 after the bottom of the hour news.
We've got an interview with Hellcat Tattoo in Madison.
Their owners and employees talking about.
Opening up a shop is all female run shop.
It is wonderful.
I talked to them about this as pre-recorded interview, but we're happy to have them on the show today talking about not only what they do, why they open the shop, but how they are a part of the community giving service to their community, which brings us to our next guest.
talking about service of the community.
We are speaking with the executive director of Serve Wisconsin.
Kyle Clower is on the show this morning.
Kyle, welcome so much for being here.
We really appreciate your time.
And how are you doing today?
Let's start there.
Let's start with an easy one.
How are you doing today?
Doing great today.
Thank you so much for having me on this morning and giving me the opportunity to share about the wonderful work that are
programs do across the state.
Excellent.
Well, let's start right there.
Tell us about Serve Wisconsin.
It's mission, it's history.
Tell us about what you do with this organization.
Sure.
Thank you so much.
So, Serve Wisconsin is the common name for the Wisconsin National and Community Service Board we were created in 1994.
And what happens is when
the US government created the AmeriCorps program in the 90s.
It had come out of a kind of bipartisan history of President George H.W.
Bush had his thousand points of light and a national service focus.
And then during the early parts of the Clinton administration, they created what's now known as AmeriCorps.
And so when they did that, each state, the goal was for each state to create a commission to help in the administration of the programs, to help with the selection of the programs, because we would best know what local
needs are and what's going on in our communities versus having everything come down from one national program.
So what we do is we help administer and do the monitoring and support for AmeriCorps programs throughout the state and then have the other mission of just promoting volunteers in general throughout communities.
And so that, I love hearing that.
Cause like AmeriCorps is, you know, speaking, I have some friends who've done AmeriCorps.
That's a, you sign up.
Can you give us, I don't, don't allow me to, to butcher the, the mission of America.
Can you tell us what AmeriCorps is?
I feel like that's a word that's very much in the common language, but it might not be something everybody understands as far as volunteering versus this is a program you signed up for and it's a opportunity for growth and learning throughout the country.
Yeah, exactly.
So I think a lot of people are familiar with the Peace Corps, created in the 1960s, where you go and you commit to do service abroad for a few years.
With AmeriCorps, the creation is you're doing dedicated service at nonprofits, the goal of helping communities improve in a variety of different ways.
So when you're doing AmeriCorps, people often, people think of young people that sign up to do a year of service, and sometimes a year more, where you might be doing tutoring in a school.
You might be doing conservation work.
building houses, helping at health clinics, doing these pieces.
And really it's a program for folks of all ages, well folks that are throughout life in the middle of changing, like changing careers that have retired and want to still give back and want to do something on a more long-term basis.
And so you commit and you're serving with an organization.
You are receiving a living allowance while you're serving.
At the end of your service, you're eligible for a
Segal Education Award from the federal government that helps pay for either college tuition or payoff that really proves student loans And so it's a really structured service program You will know you might say I'm gonna go and I'm gonna serve this year and be doing work doing literacy tutoring or I'm gonna serve Just a summer term up at Easter Seals Camp in the Dells helping kids and adults with disabilities have an accessible summer camp experience or I'm gonna be doing a conservation crew so it's There's a ton of different things you can do but it's that get
At least we are giving a dedicated period of your time and you're making a difference in community through these different organizations.
Really quick, Kyle.
You said this is an opportunity available to people of all ages.
Yes.
So with the AmeriCorps, people often think of it as just younger folks.
There's one national program that travels the country doing a lot of like disaster recovery and conservation work.
That one is dedicated just to 18 to 24.
But every other program, if you are
17 slash 18 or older, you can serve and do.
And so we'll have folks that may be retired teachers that want to retire full time at the classroom, but still want to be actively working with students day to day.
And so they'll do literacy tutoring and math tutoring or support there or folks that are doing something else.
They want to serve at different nonprofits.
That I honestly like.
That's mind-blowing to me, because as you stated, when I thought AmeriCorps, and all my friends who did AmeriCorps were all in college, and I thought, oh, that's an 18 to 22-year-old thing, and it's great, and it serves a purpose, but I didn't know, and I think that's important for the listeners to hear right now is that, especially for retired folks, there can be a place of
All right, I'm retired.
Now what?
I don't want to sit in my house all day, but these are programs they can take part in if they want to be of service in their community using maybe retired teachers or something like that, using their expertise to help others.
That's fantastic.
And I talk about that all day long.
What is the state of AmeriCorps right now in Wisconsin?
I'll touch on it very briefly just because I'm not trying to.
I never want to make these kind of conversations.
political, but the facts are what they are.
We had, there was, there was funding problems with the federal government, the governor of Wisconsin awarded, I believe $9.3 million.
Where are we at right now with AmeriCorps in Wisconsin as far as funding and just the mission overall?
Yes, I'll give you kind of a background.
So the nine point three million dollars is federal funding that the governor announced so our board is so our board is appointed by governor evers or There we have some members who are appointed by Walker as well.
So our board is a board of community members across the state that represent different backgrounds and interests of from service community the business community from education other places and so
That money came to support 20 different AmeriCorps programs that are doing work in counties throughout the state, as well as supporting our Volunteer Generation Fund grant, which, so our AmeriCorps programs are those where I just talked about, where people are out doing that active service.
Our Volunteer Generation Fund, we often can do many grants and small grants to nonprofits to help support volunteers in general throughout the state.
And so that's another piece that's another part of our mission.
Most of our mission focuses on those AmeriCorps programs, but that's another component as well.
Now, if you're just joining us, by the way, we were speaking to Kyle clower clower, clower, my apologies.
The executive director of serve Wisconsin, we're talking about what serve Wisconsin does for the community for Wisconsin, the AmeriCorps program.
But now I want to let, let's shift for a moment away from AmeriCorps.
And there is also with your group, just opportunities to find ways to volunteer in their communities.
And what do people, what do people do?
to find those opportunities and maybe one of the things that people maybe face challenges and deciding how to give their time.
How do you help people with those decisions and find the right place for them?
So one of the pieces we do is we partner with the United Way of Wisconsin and there is a website called volunteerwisconsin.org and it was just full written out.
You can go there, you can find and then what happens is all of the local United Ways and Volunteer Centers
any volunteer project organization that wants to post projects where they need volunteers or where they are, people can actively then go look to find service opportunities, can go there and they can match up and find those opportunities.
Because that's the real pieces.
There's folks that are able to give a long-term project that service, but there's also people that may have particular interests.
Maybe they really care about working with animals or doing food security or helping people with housing and security.
And you can go and you can look up exactly
search the county you want to go to, search the date you're looking for and find those opportunities.
And that's a big part of our goal is just to find how do you promote the opportunity to serve and make a difference, whether it's through one of our programs or just a local one off community opportunity.
Yeah.
So we have a wonderful senior producer here.
Tucker is our senior producer and he is a former AmeriCorps member himself.
And I want to ask this on behalf of him as they put in our notes.
You've already spoken about the benefits of what you do to the state.
Are there programs?
Are there things that are needed more?
Are there services that are needed more through volunteering that the state could use people's help on that you're really seeking out to fulfill those roles that people can listen now and maybe reach out and give their time and expertise to us?
Is there something that we were looking for this?
And if you can help, please do so.
I think as far
As our program is concerned, we're always looking for folks throughout the different programming.
I wish there was something direct, but if you're interested in education, you want to try to make a difference in student lives.
We have programs throughout the state that are doing literacy and math tutoring.
If you are passionate about outside, there are folks that we have multiple conservation crews and we're looking for folks.
We have folks that are, I think you said you're in Racine,
correct?
So we have folks that are serving at the Racine Zoo doing the science education in schools all throughout the Racine area.
It really can depend on it's finding that interest where it's not like that.
If there's something you want to explore, it's also a good way to get that background experience because one of the great pieces about AmeriCorps, especially for folks that are just out of high school or just out of colleges, you can take on a challenge and a service area there.
maybe I want to be a teacher.
We have a lot of folks that want to go into the medical field that'll serve in clinics for a year.
People that want to do other pieces and you find that way that you can explore the piece.
You get a lot of leadership training and other training and a lot of hands-on experience that lets you figure out this is what I really want to do or I know that's what I thought I want to do but this isn't the field I necessarily want to do.
I want to go this direction instead and so it becomes a great way for doing a lot of career development as well.
I think that's fantastic too, because you know, especially in today's day, well, no, honestly, Kyle, it's not even today's day and age.
It's the age old thing of I can't get a job without experience.
I can't get experience without a job.
And these are maybe opportunities where you can find that experience.
And then one, you're giving back, which is fantastic.
But also it can go on a resume.
And I think two, it allows, especially when we're talking about young people,
that opportunity to find out what they really want to do.
And, and this is a, this is a far separate conversation, but I feel that, you know, 18 is a very young age to tell a child or, or insist a child say, Hey, what do you want to do for the rest of your life?
AmeriCorps volunteering can give you that opportunity to find your passion and your love.
I mean, a friend of mine joined AmeriCorps and he signed up.
for Habitat for Humanity.
As far as I know, he still works for them years later.
So there are those places and opportunities to really find your heart and passion.
And if it's rooted in volunteerism and it's rooted in service, I think that's all the better.
And Kyle, I will put
serve Wisconsin as well as volunteer Wisconsin in our show notes today.
So if anybody's listening and they want to check it out, they can go to civicmedia.us slash shows.
We're still posting under matinee on air for now.
That'll be changing soon, but you can go there and find links to talk to find out more about this information, whether you want it for yourself, pass it on to a loved one.
But this is really.
It's community-based, but it's also goal-based and it really can help people get out there and and help and learn for themselves.
But we have a very special day coming up next Monday.
Dr. Martin Luther King Day is coming up and we're going to speak to Kyle on the other side of the break of what that means for the country, but also what it means for service, what it means for you and how you can be a part of that day and what it is intended as far as being part of your community, but more on the way with Kyle Clower.
not talk today, Kyle.
It's not your name.
It's all me today.
Kyle Clower is the executive director of Serve Wisconsin.
We're going to be talking more about being a part of your community and servicing your community on the other side of the break.
If you have any questions, comments.
No complaints who complains about volunteering 8 5 5 7 5 2 4 8 4 2 8 5 5 7 5 civic is the number Don't go anywhere.
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My name is Greg Bach.
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Welcome.
Welcome back to mid mornings on civic media.
My name is Greg Bach, along with Calvin B on the boards.
We are coming to you live from.
We have the owners and employees of Hellcat Tattoo
wonderful discussion we had with them about not only the history of their shop, but also how they to service in the community, how they provide help and just be good stewards of that neighborhood that they are in, but more with that after the 1030 news.
And of course, this shouldn't be a thing today.
It is the Monkeying around edition.
And then after me, don't, don't go away.
Stay around Tom Hartman from 11 to two.
We got John and Gordy from two to five and then from five to eight, Mr. Pete Schwabba with the nightlight.
So lots of great programming ahead.
Wonderful that you are here today.
Wonderful to have Kyle Clower here today.
He is the executive director of Serve Wisconsin, and we've been talking about what their mission is.
The AmeriCorps program, which they are in charge of here in Wisconsin, found out that you don't have to be of a certain age to be a part of AmeriCorps.
It's not just high school and college, and it's not just
People my age of 40 something years old, it's fine.
I'm 48.
I'm not trying to hide that.
But also, Kyle, during our secret show, which you can catch if you watch the live stream, you talked about another program.
You don't run it yourself, but you wanted to give a shout out to this group.
It's AmeriCorps seniors, correct?
Correct.
So AmeriCorps seniors is they have three different programs.
One's called RSVP.
It's retired seniors volunteer program.
And that is just for folks 55 and older.
They're all throughout the state.
There's huge programs in
All Corners is a big one in Racine, for example.
There's a huge one here in Dane County.
A lot of these are over 50 years old and they're just doing volunteer work at tons of locations throughout the community.
They also have, there's also programs called Foster Grandparents
where
folks are working with young folks on the school level, often people that are on, that it's not folks that are getting direct services, but could you, but these are folks who can use assistance that might be
just above that level where you have to require reading intervention or math intervention, and you can really help build up those kids that don't necessarily get that.
And then there's also a senior companions program that helps.
It's seniors helping seniors in a variety of ways.
And so huge thing throughout the state.
There's a ton of the folks.
There's 7,000 folks that volunteer with these programs every year.
So a big shout out to those programs and the work that all those volunteers are doing.
If there are any seniors out there who would like to volunteer their time to make me understand math, I'm happy to feed you and house you for a night because I still want to learn about logarithms, but it might be too late.
But that's not the point.
The point is we're talking about service here in Wisconsin, talking about how we can volunteer and be of service to our communities.
And next Monday, the 19th, I'm going to, is it the 19th?
Cause I've been getting
everything
wrong today as far as Adrienne.
Yep.
You're okay.
Trust yourself, Greg.
The 19th of this month, January the 19th is Dr. Martin Luther King Day.
It is also designated as a day, one of two days of service here in the country.
What does serve Wisconsin do on those, on that day, on national days of service to help, you know, put out the word in, in echoing the mission of Dr. Martin Luther King?
So our goal is to try to spread awareness about all the different projects that are out there.
So some of our programs directly are doing that.
We actually are
helping support through our volunteer generation fund grants.
Some of those mini grants are going to some of those MLK Day projects.
So for instance, up in Green Bay this year, they are packing different care packages that can support neighbor, like individuals in need.
They're doing it at the Brown County Library at the Central Library.
I know that City of Milwaukee is working at a school in Milwaukee and they are having a giant gathering where they're doing, usually what they'll do is repainting, redoing a lot of like
classroom and hallway and other cleanup and maintenance other pieces that can't necessarily get done.
But what our goal is is to try to spotlight and share as much about the different opportunities that are out there for folks to go there.
So, for instance, I'm hoping this year to be actually up in Green Bay to help support that program since it's one of the ones that through one of our our BGF grants and really want to help support the program.
And so you'll have a lot of folks turn out for pieces all over the state.
And so if you can look online, that volunteer Wisconsin website, you can look
locally on United Way websites or just Google MLK project near me.
And the best part is the whole legacy of service that Dr. King provided about anybody can be great because anybody can serve.
If you can't serve on MLK day, you can serve any day of the year.
So if it's something that I get it for, sometimes it's hard for me when I have younger kids where some of the service projects may not have kid project pieces to it.
There may be other pieces where you can find ways to give back.
on other days and other ways.
The other big national day of service is 9-11 day of service.
Congress designated that as the other big day of service.
But look at that as a big focus.
Nationally this year is we're celebrating the 250th anniversary of our country if you're using Duck Street Independence as your start date.
And so when you have that is one of the big missions from the America 250
organization is to try to make this a year of service and really dedicate.
They're trying to track volunteer hours up the country and really have people dedicate their time as a year of service.
And so that's kind of where people can look and find ways to give, not just on MLK Day.
Let's say service is amazing, whether you want to serve with one of our programs as a recovery coach, help folks in recovery from substance abuse or helping homeless and runaway youth or like said, helping students, helping.
folks at free and charitable clinics, or you're doing individual service one day at a food pantry for MLK Day, or just because you have the two hours to give and you want to help your community, all of that is important and all that matters because it makes us a better and more united community.
You know, that my question was, what is a serve Wisconsin's mission in 2026?
But I think you just completely answered that question.
Good work, Kyle.
That's why you're the executive director.
Kyle Clower is the executive director of serve Wisconsin.
Kyle, all of that information, your website, as well as America, uh, uh, volunteer Wisconsin will be in the show notes tonight.
Today.
If you want to check that out, folks, if you want to find out more, go to civicmedia.us slash shows look under matinee on air.
We'll, we're still posting there, but you can find out all about serve Wisconsin.
Kyle, thank you so much again for your time today.
We really appreciate your expertise on the matter and we, you know, come on back if there's anything to report.
That'd be great.
And just thank you for letting us share about the difference people can make in the wonderful American programs we have.
Absolutely.
Our pleasure.
When we come back, we'll be speaking to the owners and employees of Hellcat Tattoo in Madison about their shop being small business owners, as well as how they give back to the community as well.
That's all coming up after the 1030 news.
Don't go anywhere.
Grab some snacks, grab some water, stay hydrated.
You're listening to Mid Mornings on Civic Media.
Stay tuned and stay close.
very excited to have our next guests here from the Hellcat tattoo company in Madison.
We are talking to the owner, Michaela Thompson, as well as a whole crew of crew of people.
Michaela, welcome to the show.
How are you doing today?
I'm
doing great.
How are you?
I'm doing quite well.
Can you introduce us to the rest of your, of your gang there?
Yes.
I am Michaela and this is Grady Lurkey, Grace Krejczyk and Erica Studi with me.
And those are all the artists there at the shop that you
have.
Not all of us, but some of us.
There are seven girls total.
Wow.
Okay.
So, and, and I'm, I will use your parlance, seven girls.
And, and what we have, what I was told, and one of the reasons we're talking to you, we want to talk to more, you know, community businesses.
You know, I think politicians can talk all day long.
Small business is the backbone of our communities.
And it's true, but we don't know a lot of them.
And we want to talk to more of our small business owners.
That's why we're talking to you.
And one of the things about Hellcat tattoo company is that you are woman owned, correct?
Yes.
Absolutely.
Awesome.
And there's seven artists altogether.
Wonderful.
Now, how long has the tattoo shop been around?
So we just finalized everything and opened March 1st.
Yes.
We started opening this shop, I'd say Christmas time, working on stuff.
And then we fully opened in March.
And do you all have, are you all from other shops?
What's your experience?
Is it like, we'll start with you, Michaela.
Like what is your experience in tattooing?
What brought you to where you are today?
Well, I started at a couple of different shops.
I was at like,
four shops before this one.
I actually started because I went to art school and I was like the dorm room person who did everything.
I did like hair, I did piercings, I did stick and poke tattoos.
It was not the best idea.
It did get me into tattooing and I love for art more.
Okay.
And Grady, what got you into tattooing?
How long you've been doing
it?
It'll be five years for me in March.
I started tattooing in Madison in 2020, 2021, and met most of these gals in Madison.
We worked together at a shop, and then we all transitioned over to Hellcat, February of 2025, or March of 2025.
Yeah, yeah.
Excellent.
We're coming up on a year.
Listen, time is a construct.
It's all made up.
I cannot remember what
I had for
breakfast yesterday or a year ago.
So I get you.
I understand that.
Grace, what brought you to Hellcat?
What brought you to the world of tattooing?
It was a little, it was very unexpected actually.
Did you just wake up one day
with a gun in your hand going, I want to do
this.
I started working as a receptionist at our old location and the manager, now one of the owners here was joking with me and being like, oh, you could definitely do this, blah, blah, blah.
So I was like, oh yeah, right, whatever.
Like you're just, you're making stuff up, whatever.
Now I'm here.
So
you're there.
All right.
And you're, you're, I mean, I imagine if, if that person told you, Hey, you could do that.
You have an artistic background.
You can, you know, it's not like they just looked and go, I like
the cut of
your jib.
You should tattoo
people.
Yeah.
Lots of stuff in high school, nothing college based, but I started picking it back up when I was receptioning.
So
that's great.
And Erica, finally, last but not least, Erica, what got you, how long you've been doing it?
What brought you to Hellcat?
So I've been doing this a little over three years now.
I did my apprenticeship in Madison.
I've been in Madison my whole life.
Joined the crew at what was formerly Iron Quill.
Again, most of these ladies here worked there.
And from there, we decided to open up our own thing.
And here we are.
What has been the, you know, what has been the, the reception from the community?
I mean, tattoo shops are big.
There are a lot of tattoo shops out there.
What, two part question.
What has been the reception from the community and how do you set yourselves apart from the other shops in the community while, you know, being in the industry and being welcoming and not like, you know, you're not trying to close competition, but you got to succeed.
The community has loved us.
I love the community.
We're in a great spot.
I will say for every single one of our flash days, there has been this singular group that is first in line, waits outside like an hour before we open, brings everyone hand warmers.
If it's cold out like rain ponchos, they're just great.
That's Wisconsin.
That's just Wisconsin.
You look cold.
Here's a hand warmer.
You look hungry.
Here's a snack.
That's what we do here before
you
get poked by a needle.
Exactly.
And for those who don't watch the live stream and watch me, first of all, you're welcome.
Second of all, you may not know I have a lot of tattoos.
I am very tattooed.
I'm very akin to that world.
Tell people what a flash day is.
So each artist will draw, like either stay on theme or just random stuff, depending on if it's like a price range.
Like for the food drive, we did 100.
max.
So each thing was like a smaller tattoo.
But we just kind of draw our own art and then people come to get our art.
And usually it's limited time only designs.
So
I know that from the
from the shops here in where I live in southeastern Wisconsin and Milwaukee, whenever they announce a flash day, it's lines out the door.
People want to just go in and get one.
And it's, I think it's as much as getting the tattoo, but being in the moment, it's that own story of like, I just got up and I just did it because I could.
And I think, you know, one of the big, when you don't have tattoos, but you are curious, and I know that all of you have heard this before is this.
Exactly.
Well, paraphrase it.
I want to get a tattoo, but I just don't know what I want to put on my body because they think to themselves, I have to put something on there that means something.
And not only that, it will mean something forever.
But I can say that when I got to my like ninth, I'm like, yeah, put that on for cool.
Let's
do it.
I mean, that's just kind of how it is.
Once you get into it, you kind of let go of that fear of, oh, maybe I won't like this band for the rest of my life.
Yeah, it's more like you start to see the empty spaces rather than the things that you have so you want to fill that
and yeah Yeah, for me I know that like it for me my tattoos are very symmetrical like I have you know a tattoo on each thigh each shin or each calf One here in the center might like so there's a very symmetrical thing about it So I think about the areas that don't abide by that symmetry.
I'm like must put more But
I guess the, you know, what are you?
So I'm older.
I'm, I'm assuming I'm older than all of you, which is fine.
It's fine.
But I started, I started getting tattooed before Milwaukee had it legally done.
I had to go to a different city.
I mean, it was legal and it was clean.
Don't get me wrong.
There were, there were, you know, it was, it was fine, but there was an aesthetic back then.
And it's still there, which is very, can be very much like you walk into place.
It's like gothic black skull tattoo.
And you feel like this is,
Oh, okay.
I feel like I'm some, I'm someone's like journal right now.
It feels very just, but I feel like there's a new trend, not a trend, but just, just open, fun, very, I can look at, I'm looking at the live stream right now.
It's a very bright shop.
There's fun stuff on the walls and there's kind of a letting go of that like dark demonic thing that you have to have with your tattoo shops.
Cause that's not necessary
anymore.
I do think there's like an underline of that dark aesthetic still, but with the more genres of people getting tattoos these days, there's a lot more brighter styles.
And when it comes, and I know this for, for my experience too, when it comes to the personality of the tattoo artist, when someone's looking to get a tattoo, what are the big questions you want them to ask you?
What are the things that, what are the things that people want to do?
What do you want them to say when they're sitting down in a consultation?
Mostly just like the space they want to fill, their kind of idea of it, because I do think that some people go to an artist for their art style, but they do have kind of like an idea of what they want.
And so it does kind of have meaning in it.
So just like discussing what this tattoo is to them to get an idea of what they want, because then it's like more original.
I think that one of the things too is, as you know, and please correct me if I'm wrong, is that if you are the customer, as I've been the customer, the client is that if you don't also vibe with the tattoo artist, it's okay to get up and be like, all right, cool.
And then find
some, you shouldn't feel
compelled to go with them just cause they're the first place you went to.
Yes, correct.
Yeah.
Now.
with a lot of local businesses, and I see this a lot with tattoo shops.
There's a definite buy-in and investment in the community.
And you were talking earlier before we went on the air about what you do for the community.
And you just had a food drive, correct?
Yes.
Can you tell me more about that?
So it was, we donated everything to the River Food Drive over on this side of Madison.
And the community was really,
graceful with like bringing into all of their canned foods and non-perishables and stuff.
I was honestly like, we brought out one tote and I was expecting like maybe like half the tote would be full.
But
then I walk up to like when the line fully came in and we're running onto two totes.
Like I had to go grab another tote.
It was great.
And then like the money afterwards, you know, it was great to be able to write a check and give it to them.
Then I felt nice.
And that, I mean,
I'm not disparaging any other state in the union.
They're all fine.
It was Minnesota is okay, I guess, but I also feel like that's a very Wisconsin thing.
It's like bring, bring a dish to pass, bring a canned good, bring, you know, bring, come help and people show up.
And it's not just one particular type of individual.
It's individuals who want to get their 200th tattoo or cover, you know, get a face tattoo.
They're like, I still want to give a canned good to someone in need because I've been in need and I know this helps.
And I think that's something we want to highlight too is how
Though we are out of, I think, a particular set of judgments for tattoos.
You know, I know when I was younger, it was very much, well, how are you going to get a job?
I'm like, I've had jobs.
The problem solved.
And don't have to worry about that.
But I feel like that people need to know that shops like yours, industries like yours, are also about investing into the community and putting back something because, you know, it's where you live.
Yeah.
We're planning on doing other
drives in the future, like we're wanting to do one for the Humane Society and the Madison Vilas Zoo, I believe.
Yeah, so we want to do that as well.
And it's also like being on Atwood Avenue.
There's so many restaurants and bars around us with great food and little shops and stuff.
So when people are done here, we also like recommend places to go and then they go there afterwards because usually, you know, when you get a tattoo, you're
wanting to spend the rest of the day doing something.
Yeah.
I just want to be like, when can I take this plastic off?
I want to take this plastic
off right now.
I want people to see it.
I
want it to look the best it will ever look.
I want it to look great.
Yeah, I mean, I think that's wonderful.
And that's why we want to have these conversations with businesses like yours and going forward because I truly believe
businesses are the backbone of our, our, our small businesses are the backbone of our communities.
And seeing stuff like that is really, really wonderful.
Now you've been open for a little less than a year.
You said officially, what do you see coming for 2026?
Anything big on the, on the horizon?
Well, our next flash day is a Valentine's day flash.
Um, it's on the second week of February, that Saturday, but we want to do like a little kind of happy one year.
flash day party type thing where people can come celebrate with us.
Um, I'd say just going off of what we've done this year and making it better.
Wonderful.
That is going off, making it better.
We'll leave
it right
there.
That is absolutely wonderful.
We're talking to Michaela Thompson and Grady Lurkey.
Grace Kretchik.
Got it?
And Erica Studi from Hellcat tattoo.
We really appreciate your time and stopping by and talking to us about this.
And we will make sure that when we put this out to the world, it will be in the show notes so people can stop by the shop, visit, get a consultation, then Hey, get a tattoo.
It hurts, but not as much as you think it is.
And you don't have to tattoo your boyfriend's name on your arm.
Tattoo whatever you want.
That's what I say.
Just go for it.
Go for it now.
But thank you so much for being a part of this.
Thank you for stopping by.
We appreciate you.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
All right.
Coming up after the break, we're going to have more with news.
We're going to have more with talking.
We're going to be talking about audio sorbet.
So don't go anywhere.
You listen to Matt and air on air on civic media.
Stay tuned.
Stay close.
You're listening to Civic Media.
Find the latest news, information, and archives of all your favorite shows on the Civic Media website, civicmedia.us.
Welcome, welcome back to matinee around there.
No, it's not.
Sorry.
Mid mornings on civic media.
Sorry.
I heard the last segment and I got back in my old brain.
Sorry about that is mid mornings on civic media.
My name is Greg Bach.
I am your host.
I'm your pal.
We're coming to you live from radio park here in Racine.
If you want to be part of the conversation, 855-752-484-285575 civic leave a comment on that live stream.
Hope you're enjoying the show so far after we are done.
Don't go anywhere.
We've got lots of great programming ahead, including Tom Hartman from 11 to two, John and Gordy from two to five, and then Pete Schwabba from five until eight.
That is nightlight closing out the evening on the talk side, but great.
Well, actually not closing.
I shouldn't even say that.
There's great programming after Pete Schwabba.
So really it's about sticking close.
Get that civic media app in your life.
You can stream anywhere in the world.
And we'd love to have you part of the day, part of the conversation.
And really, really appreciate it.
I hope you got a lot out of the conversations we had today.
I want to thank Madeline Anderson and Steven Petri from the Milwaukee Public Museum talking about their last year on Wells Street.
Thank you very much to the person who... They didn't... Calvin's on the board, by the way.
I wasn't corrected on where the museum was from the texture, who did not identify themself.
I was simply told it was not there.
And that is not a learning opportunity, my friend Calvin.
I don't think that's a learning opportunity.
I was wrong.
I was wrong about that.
I was wrong about where the new location is.
But you've correct me.
Tell me about how I'm wrong and I will learn and move on from there.
That sounds fairly, you know, that feels like a reasonable request, right?
You know, Greg, I think you were wrong and that's all I have to say about
it.
Aw, man.
Not
fair.
You're right.
Maybe the person didn't know where it was, but they knew.
But they
sure knew that I was
wrong.
But they
just knew it didn't sound right.
Still, I appreciate though.
I learned something.
I really, really appreciate that.
Uh, let's see here folks.
Uh, like we said, we got great, great show for you today.
We're really happy you're here taking a look at the calendar for tomorrow show.
We have got, oh my goodness.
We have got, uh, Peg Sandin, who is the CEO of death with dignity, a group that discusses options as far as, you know, uh, compassionate.
Basically, they're out of Oregon.
People who are in Oregon, it's legal to end your life by choice.
And Peg will be here to talk more about that as far as what that means.
And if you have questions on that, please get in contact with us.
You can also send an email, new email address right to me, gregg.bock at civicmedia.org, gregg.bock at civicmedia.org.
If you have any questions for Peg, show up for the show on the live stream or the text line.
This is a very important topic.
I have a lot of questions myself about this, but that's going to be in the 930 area after the 930 news.
And then in 10 o'clock,
Jim Santella is here.
He is the host of amicus, a law review.
He is going to be here to talk about all the major things in the world of law.
Probably going to be speaking once again, Minneapolis and Minnesota, possibly talking about the slap lawsuit coming out of Madison that he's discussed earlier.
And then JR Radcliffe with sports.
Absolutely nothing to discuss about sports this week, right?
Right.
Nothing going on with sports.
Sorry about that.
But that's all coming up tomorrow morning at nine AM back here with mid mornings.
But right now it's almost 10 56.
Oh my gosh, Jane would be Craig.
Waking in her boots right now Calvin it's time for another edition of this shouldn't be a thing
If you ever have a thing that should not be send it into Calvin and me, you can send it to Greg.Bach at civicmedia.org, Greg.Bach at civicmedia.org.
Send us your TISBAT suggestions, your guest suggestions, subject suggestions.
We'd love to hear from you.
We do read them.
And if we want to employ them, love to hear about that.
I did get some information on ICE that we'll be discussing probably tomorrow from a listener, but that's all for the next day.
Right now it is the Monkeying Around Edition.
This actually has
two stories, one from dext, dexterto.com by Zachary Fairfax.
The headline is, oh man, the headline disappeared because it's all full of ads.
Several monkeys, loose in St.
Louis and authorities have no clue how they got there.
Uh, yeah, they, they're running around and this is becoming a real story.
I heard it on Jimmy Kimmel last night because there's another story I want to share in, in, in partner with this.
So the St.
Louis Department of Health and Animal Care and Control confirmed January 9th that multiple monkeys were spotted roaming through North St.
Louis neighborhoods near O'Fallon Park.
Initial reports suggested at least four animals were seen by residents on Rudd Budd Avenue and they have no idea how they got, how they got there.
No idea who the owner is.
And there's a new problem in the fact that
And this is in the AP.
Monkeys are on the loose in St.
Louis and AI is complicating efforts to capture them.
That is by Heather Hollingsworth on AP.
These multiple monkeys are all over the place and people are sending in pictures to the cops of...
AI generated pictures of monkeys to quote, help the verb, the verbant monkeys were spotted near a park in northern part of the city, prompting rumor after rumor.
People have been reporting, capturing the monkeys, even posting fake pictures online to bolster the claim.
But as of month, as of Monday, the monkeys remain at large.
It's.
It's been a lot in regard to AI and what's genuine and what's not people are just having fun Like I don't think anyone means harm, but the police have actually said this is not helping the investigation or capturing these monkeys Please don't send us AI generated images of the monkey right now Animal control is working with primate experts from the st.
Louis zoo to find them capture them But residents have been urged to stay away from the monkeys and call for help instead a news release said they are intelligent
and social, but maybe unpredictable and aggressive under stress.
So if you were in St.
Louis and you see a monkey, call the cops, don't engage, don't take a picture or a selfie and don't send an AI generated image of yourself with the monkey.
But well, don't send the cops.
You can send us Greg, Greg dot, pocket civic media dot us.
That'd be really funny.
But that brings us to the conclusion of another installment of
This shouldn't be a thing.
As always, I want to thank Calvin.
I want to thank Tucker.
I want to thank engineering.
I want to thank traffic.
I want to thank all of those individuals because without them, I am sitting in front of a computer that doesn't work talking to a mic that's not turned on.
I want to thank everyone who called, texted, live stream commented.
I want to thank our guests.
Without any of you, there is no us and is
appreciate it.
And we are grateful for you and your time.
As we said tomorrow, we'll be continuing our conversation at nine AM with peg sand or a 9 30 a peg Sandin from death and dignity, Jim Santel in the second hour and JR Radcliffe with sports, but don't go anywhere.
Still lots of great programming after us is Tom Hartman following the news, but you have yourself a wonderful day.
If you're driving in the snow,
Drive safely, drive logically.
Red lights are not suggestions.
You've been listening to Mid Mornings on Civic Media.
My name is Greg Box.
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