Wisconsin

Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame walkway upgrades could be complete in time for RNC

Published

7 months ago

May 10, 2024

Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame walkway upgrades could be complete in time for RNC

Brian Lammi

Work on the first phase of improvements planned for the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame‘s Walk of Fame in downtown Milwaukee will begin soon and could be completed in time for the Republican National Convention on July 15-18.

“That continues to be our goal, to have everything in place by then,” said Brian Lammi, owner and board chairman of the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame. “We’re very excited about the design.” Milwaukee-based Rinka is the design firm for the project.

The Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame plans to spend more than $1 million on improvements to its walkway, which is located along the west side of Vel R. Phillips Avenue between West State Street and West Kilbourn Avenue in downtown Milwaukee.

First announced last year, the initial phase of improvements to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame’s Walk of Fame will include a 160-square-foot video screen attached to the southeast corner of the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, at the south end of the walkway. The video screen will show highlights of the careers of hall of famers and clips from the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame induction banquet and golf outing.

“As people are walking by or driving by they should get a good view of the 74-year-old history of the Hall of Fame,” Lammi said.

The video screen will also provide an opportunity for sponsorship messages and for messages from fans.

“It will be an interactive way for fans to participate with the Hall of Fame,” Lammi said. “We plan to open it up for fans to do things like a birthday message or celebrate their favorite youth sports team. There will be ways that fans can participate as those video boards can change throughout the year.”

The initial phase of the walkway improvement project will also include the addition of eight double-sided backlit boards that will show images of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame inductees and will be placed on top of columns lining the walkway. The signs will be created by De Pere-based Jones Sign.

The Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame also plans to host numerous events to make use of and draw attention to the walkway.

“Our goal is to start featuring press conferences, maybe do some basketball shootouts or putting contests or other ways that people can experience and be a part of the walkway and really trying to drive consistent traffic for that walkway,” Lammi said.

Ideas for additional improvements to the walkway are still being discussed but could include interactive touch screens to engage fans and help tell the stories of the hall of fame inductees, Lammi said.

Founded in 1951, the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame stopped adding bronze plaques for inductees a few years ago because space was running low to display them, they are extremely heavy (weighing 250 to 400 pounds each), some have been degraded by years and the elements, and today’s fans prefer to engage with modern forms of media, Lammi said.

“We felt more interactive, interview-focused videos or backlit images on stationary boards would be a better way to celebrate inductees moving forward,” Lammi said. “We just don’t think continuing to place these bronze plaques, which people aren’t necessarily paying a lot of attention to, was the best way to tell the story for these inductees.”

Menasha-based insurance company Network Health has become the presenting sponsor for the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame walkway, and the Hall of Fame’s golf outing. Milwaukee-based Zizzo Group is also a sponsor. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available, Lammi said.

“We’ve got a wide range of opportunities for organizations to share their stories and messages with the community,” he said.

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Wisconsin

Gas prices drop lower during busy holiday travel season in Wisconsin

Published

4 hours ago

November 26, 2024

Press Room

Gas prices drop lower during busy holiday travel season in Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – Gas prices are the cheapest they’ve been since the pandemic, just as people prepare to travel for the holidays.

According to AAA Wisconsin, the average gas prices is $2.86 per gallon in the state, a new low since 2020.

”We’ve had so many disruptions in the last four to five years between Covid and then the Ukraine conflict that has sent prices either far down or bringing them to historic highs,” AAA Director of Public Affairs Nick Jarmusz said. “We kind of forget what normal is.”

He said the low cost at the pump is a result of peak summer travel season ending, an even supply and demand for fuel and fewer global crises.

”Right now we’re in a pretty favorable balance between lower demand and pretty plentiful supply and no real disruptions to speak of,” he said.

Gas prices drop lower during busy holiday travel season(Marcus Aarsvold)

People can save more money at the pump if they drive the speed limit.

”By sticking closer to the speed limit, avoiding aggressive driving in situations, you can actually increase your fuel efficiency by about 40% or up to 40%,” Jarmusz said. “Which can add up to pretty significant savings.”

If trends continue, he also said prices might drop even more. ”Really, I would not be surprised to see these prices continue to go down,” Jarmusz said. “I don’t think we’ve seen the lowest prices we’ll see this year yet.”

According to AAA the best times to travel before Thanksgiving on Thursday is in the morning hours on Tuesday and Wednesday. Roads will be busiest in the afternoons.

Click here to download the WMTV15 News app or our WMTV15 First Alert weather app.

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Wisconsin

Game 12 Wisconsin football two-deep for Minnesota Gophers game Nov. 29 at Camp Randall Stadium

Published

12 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Press Room

Game 12 Wisconsin football two-deep for Minnesota Gophers game Nov. 29 at Camp Randall Stadium

MADISON – A look at the unofficial two-deep for the Wisconsin football team heading into its game against Minnesota at 11 a.m. Friday at Camp Randall Stadium.

OFFENSE

Quarterback

1 – Braedyn Locke, 6-1, 205, redshirt-soph.

2 – Mabrey Mettauer, 6-4, 230, fr.

Running back

1 – Tawee Walker, 5-9, 218, sr.

2 – Darrion Dupree, 5-10, 205, fr.

Receiver

1 – Bryson Green, 6-3, 213, sr.

2 – C.J. Williams, 6-2, 196, jr.

Receiver

1 – Vinny Anthony II, 6-0, 188, jr.

2 – Quincy Burroughs, 6-2, 212, r-soph.

Slot recever

1 – Will Pauling, 5-10, 187, r-jr.

2 – Trech Kekahuna, 5-10, 187, r-fr.

Tight end

1 – Riley Nowakowski, 6-1, 243, r-sr.

2 – Tucker Ashcraft, 6-5, 255, soph.

Left tackle

1 – Jack Nelson, 6-7, 316, sr.

2 – Barrett Nelson, 6-6, 302, r-soph.

Left guard

1 – Joe Brunner, 6-5, 313- r-soph.

2. – James Durand, 6-5, 305, r-fr.

Center

1 – Jake Renfro, 6-3, 302, r-sr.

2. – Kerry Kodanko, 6-2, 308, r-sr.

Right guard

1 – Joe Huber, 6-5, 310, r-sr.

2 – JP Benzschawel, 6-6, 312, r-jr.

Right tackle

1 – Riley Mahlman, 6-8, 308, r-jr.

2 – Kevin Heywood, 6-8, 325, fr.

DEFENSE

Line

1 – Ben Barten, 6-5, 308, r-sr.

2 – Elijah Hills, 6-3, 282, sr.

Line

1 – Curt Neal, 6-0, 290, r-soph.

2 – Cade McDonald, 6-6, 285, r-sr.

Outside linebacker

1 – Darryl Peterson, 6-1, 248, r-jr.

2 – Aaron Witt, 6-6, 247, r-jr.

Inside linebacker

1 – Jake Chaney, 5-11, 233, sr.

2 – Tackett Curtis, 6-2, 228, soph.

Inside linebacker

1 – Christian Alliegro, 6-4, 240, soph.

2 – Jaheim Thomas, 6-4, 245, r-sr.

Outside linebacker

1 – Leon Lowery, 6-3, 252, r-sr.

2 – Sebastian Cheeks, 6-3, 230, r-soph., or John Pius, 6-4, 250, r-sr.

Cornerback

1 – Ricardo Hallman, 5-10, 185, r-jr.

2 – R.J. Delancy III, 5-11, 193, r-sr., or Jonas Duclona, 5-10, 190, soph.

Strong safety

1 – Hunter Wohler, 6-2, 218, sr.

2 – Owen Arnett, 5-11, 210, r-jr.

Free safety

1 – Preston Zachman, 6-1, 212, r-sr.

2 – Austin Brown, 6-1, 210, jr.

Cornerback

1 – Nyzier Fourqurean, 6-1, 190, r-sr.

2 – R.J. Delancy, 5-11, 193, r-sr., or Xavier Lucas, 6-2, 198, fr.

Nickel back

1 – Austin Brown, 6-1, 210, jr.

2 – Max Lofy, 5-10, 188, r-sr.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Punter

1 – Atticus Bertrams, 6-3, 225, soph.

2 – Gavin Meyers, 6-1, 198, r-sr.

Field goal kicker

1 – Nathanial Vakos, 6-1, 205, jr.

2 – Gavin Lahm, 6-0, 213, jr.

Kickoffs

1 – Gavin Lahm, 6-10, 213, jr.

2 – Nathanial Vakos, 6-1, 205, jr.

Long snapper

1 – Cayson Pfeiffer, 6-0, 205, sr.

2 – Duncan McKinley, 6-2, 222, r-sr.

Holder

1 – Gavin Meyers, 6-1, 198, r-sr.

2 – Atticus Bertrams, 6-2, 225, soph.

Punt returner

1 – Vinny Anthony II, 6-0, 188, jr.

2 – Hunter Wohler, 6-2, 218, sr.

Kickoff returner

1 – Vinny Anthony II, 6-0, 188, jr.

2 – Trech Kekahuna, 5-10, 197, r-fr.

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Wisconsin

Where Wisconsin's class of 2025 ranks nationally after big-time addition of QB Carter Smith

Published

20 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Press Room

Where Wisconsin's class of 2025 ranks nationally after big-time addition of QB Carter Smith

Wisconsin football’s recruiting performance is far better than the current on-field product, to say the least.

Luke Fickell’s team has now lost four straight games after Saturday’s 44-25 defeat at Nebraska. It is just 5-6 on the season and 3-5 in Big Ten play, desperately needing a season-closing victory over Minnesota to clinch bowl eligibility.

There is more context behind that on-field performance, including the recent firing of offensive coordinator Phil Longo and historic blowout losses to rivals Iowa and Nebraska sandwiching hard-fought losses to top-ranked teams. That context doesn’t help the general trend of poor play.

But for those still optimistic about the Badgers’ future under Luke Fickell, the biggest calling card is his recruiting performance.

Wisconsin made headlines on Sunday when it landed a commitment from four-star class of 2025 quarterback Carter Smith. Smith is ranked as 247Sports’ No. 15 quarterback in the class and No. 164 overall player. Beating Florida State for his commitment was a statement for Fickell and his staff — even doing so after firing Longo just seven days earlier.

The addition of Smith brings Wisconsin’s class of 2025 to 25 total commitments — eight of which coming from blue-chip players. Notably, it rose the group four spots up to No. 21 in 247Sports’ national rankings.

The Badgers now boast the eighth-highest-rated class in the Big Ten, trailing just Ohio State (No. 2 overall), Oregon (No. 8), Michigan (No. 9), USC (No. 11), Penn State (No. 15), Washington (No. 18) and Nebraska (No. 20). The No. 21 ranking is an impressive follow-up after Luke Fickell finished the 2024 class with 247Sports’ No. 25 overall class and a Blue-Chip Ratio of 50%.

Smith’s addition continues a growing debate about how to weigh Wisconsin’s on-field struggles with its recruiting success. In reality, the 2025 football season will be somewhat defined by the performance of the 2024 recruiting class and another crop of transfers. If that strong recruiting doesn’t lead to improved on-field play, the clock may start ticking on his tenure.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

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