Meet your county coroner

From this report by State Journal reporter George Hesselberg, Dane County's new medical examiner from New York City says, "I expect I will have a lot fewer subway deaths.”

Dr. Vincent Tranchida, Dane County's new medical examiner, in his Public Safety Building office in Madison, Wis., Friday, Jan. 28, 2011.

Meatless Loaf of the Gods

“Meatless Loaf of the Gods” at Monty’s Blue Plate Diner is made with a recipe from the Moosewood Restaurant and consists of shredded carrots, mushrooms, onions, Cheddar cheese, garlic and spices. It’s served with a ginger-cashew sauce.

Green Bay - Packers = ?

Traveled back to my old stomping grounds the other day with reporter Barry Adams, set on uncovering what Green Bay might be without the Packers, and what the area offers to a city that's far more diverse than the rest of the state (and the nation) believes it to be.

I think it's a challenge to go back to a place you used to live or work and try to make pictures showing what's special or unique, all in one day.

A mural painted in 1911 depicting Fort Howard in 1850 adorns an entryway of the Brown County Courthouse in Green Bay, Wis., Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2011. Green Bay is the oldest city in Wisconsin.

KI worker Kerry Lamal pulls down nickel plated chair legs at the KI plant in Green Bay, Tuesday. KI had sales upwards of $615 million last year.

The Broadway District in Green Bay has undergone a tremendous revitalization over the past two decades, now featuring Kavarna, a vegetarian coffeehouse housed in an Egyptian revival art deco building, shown Tuesday.

The revitalized North Broadway Street in Green Bay is shown through the window of Parisi's Delicatessen, Tuesday.

Leicht Memorial Park, the frozen Fox River, Ray Nitschke Memorial Bridge, and downtown Green Bay is shown in this photo taken from the clocktower of Titletown Brewing Company, Tuesday.

Warren Nelson's comeback

From State Journal reporter Patricia Simms:

"Warren Nelson — entertainer, writer, musician — spent 288 days in the Bayfield County Jail and doesn't want to go back.

But sometimes — just sometimes, he said Thursday — he misses the jailhouse stories and the enforced camaraderie.

Nelson, 63, who founded Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua in Bayfield, developed a public radio show and earned musical acclaim in the Midwest for his historical theater and evocative songs, is working his way back."

Warren Nelson, musician and founder of Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua, talked about his struggles with alcohol and the criminal justice system during an interview at the Madison Concourse Hotel Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011. He will perform new songs at the hotel Friday night.

A House Divided

The premise of a new horror movie set in Wisconsin: There's at least one household in Madison where Green Bay Packers fans are outnumbered... by (duh duh DUH) Chicago Bears fans.

Subzero

It was -4ºF this morning on my drive into work. It had warmed up to a balmy 3º when I took this picture.

A crowd of University of Wisconsin students brave near-subzero temperatures while walking north on North Park Street on the Madison, Wis., campus, Friday, Jan. 21, 2011.

Wisconsin 69, Indiana 60

I'm sure Bo Ryan didn't wake up yesterday thinking that Indiana was going to give his Badgers trouble. The Hoosiers, 1-5 in the Big Ten, led Wisconsin for all of the first half and remained a thorn in the Badgers side in the second.

Players of the Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team pump themselves up before playing Indiana at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday evening, Jan. 20, 2011.

Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor (11) is fouled on the baseline by Indiana's Verdell Jones III (12) while also guarded by Jeremiah Rivers (5) in the first half.

From left, Wisconsin's Mike Bruesewitz (31), and Indiana's Christian Watford (2), Jordan Hulls (1), and Derek Elston (32) scrap for a rebound in the first half.

From left, Indiana's Jeremiah Rivers (5), Jordan Hulls (1), Wisconsin's Josh Gasser (21) and Jon Leuer (30) go after a loose ball late in the second half.

MLK Day at the Capitol

Members of the Masons' Capital City Lodge, No. 2, of Madison, prepare to march as part of the honor guard at the beginning of "Heal The World," the 31st Annual State of Wisconsin tribute and ceremony honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in the Capitol rotunda in Madison, Wis., Monday, Jan. 17, 2011.

Director Dinorah Marquez warms up her group, Latino Arts Mariachi Juvenil, from Milwaukee, with a practice session in a Capitol foyer before performing at "Heal The World."

Those in attendance joined hands during a singing of "We Shall Overcome."

With the words, "Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!", Sedric Morris, Jr., 12, ends a recitation of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I have a Dream" speech, concluding the program.

The Birds

Had a fun little day in Prairie du Sac and Sauk Prairie last week photographing eagles along the Wisconsin River. I've never seen so many eagles in my life.

Each January the birds congregate en masse to feed and roost. As writer Barry Adams says, "The birds haven't packed up and left town...All they care about at this time of year is survival. And that is done by congregating near open water close to agricultural land and isolated roosting sites."

Exploring Lake Wingra

Kelly and Skyler Peterson, both 20, explore frozen Lake Wingra while ice fishing with their father, John, of Cottage Grove near Vilas Park in Madison, Wis., Monday afternoon, Jan. 10, 2011.

Science teacher going to Antarctica

Monona Grove High School science teacher Juan Botella explains light absorbancy and transmission as freshman Jack Hegge lends a hand at the dry-erase board during class in Monona, Wis., Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010.

Rose Bowl: Game Day

The big day. Wisconsin falls to TCU, 21-19.

Wisconsin fan Ryan Mulcahy, second left, of Minneapolis, throws during a game of beer bong with friends near the Rose Bowl before the BCS game between Wisconsin and TCU in Pasadena, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011.

Four Navy Super Hornets fly over the Rose Bowl stadium at the end of the national anthem before Wisconsin took on TCU in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011.

Wisconsin Badgers running back Montee Ball (28) breaks loose on a 40-yard run in the first quarter.

Wisconsin Badgers defensive tackle J.J. Watt (99) gets jammed up by TCU Horned Frogs offensive tackle Marcus Cannon (61) in the first quarter.

Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Scott Tolzien (16) throws a completed pass to Wisconsin Badgers tight end Lance Kendricks (84).

Wisconsin Badgers running back John Clay (32) scores a touchdown on a 1-yard run against TCU in the first quarter.

Wisconsin Badgers running back James White (20) runs the ball against TCU in the second quarter.

Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Devin Smith (10) gets the foot of TCU Horned Frogs wide receiver Jeremy Kerley (85) in the second quarter.

Wisconsin Badgers punter Brad Nortman (98) flies upfield for a first down on a fake punt past TCU's Curtis Clay (2) blocked by Wisconsin's Ethan Hemer (87) in the second quarter.

The second half didn't get any easier for Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Mike Taylor (53), cornerback Niles Brinkley (29), and cornerback Jay Valai (2) can't get a hand on TCU Horned Frogs running back Ed Wesley (34) in the third quarter.

The UW Marching Band watches as TCU Horned Frogs cornerback Greg McCoy (7) defends Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Nick Toon (1) in the third quarter. Toon dropped the ball upon hitting the ground and the pass was ruled incomplete.

Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Scott Tolzien (16) is sacked for a loss of 8 yards by TCU Horned Frogs linebacker Tank Carder (43) in the third quarter. The sack resulted in fourth down and 14.

Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Scott Tolzien (16) hands off to Wisconsin Badgers running back Montee Ball (28) in the third quarter.

Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Niles Brinkley (29) and cornerback Devin Smith (10) can't get to TCU Horned Frogs wide receiver Jeremy Kerley (85) in the fourth quarter.

Wisconsin Badgers defensive tackle J.J. Watt (99) dives after TCU Horned Frogs running back Matthew Tucker (29) in the fourth quarter.

Wisconsin Badgers running back Montee Ball (28) dives for the end zone on 4-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter. The touchdown brought the score to 21-19 TCU, and a two point conversion attempt afterward failed.

TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Andy Dalton (14) and linebacker Tank Carder (43) admire the the game trophy after defeating the Wisconsin Badgers in the Rose Bowl game.

Surrounded by TCU celebration, Wisconsin Badgers defensive tackle J.J. Watt (99) walks off the field after Wisconsin lost to TCU.

Wisconsin Badgers defensive tackle J.J. Watt (99) and cornerback Devin Smith (10) walk off the field after losing to TCU.

Rose Bowl: The day before the game (and parade)

Rose Bowl coaches Bret Bielema of Wisconsin, left, and Gary Patterson of TCU pose for pictures with the bowl's trophy during press conferences at the Los Angeles Marriott Downtown in Los Angeles, Friday morning, Dec. 31, 2010.

Connie Skelton of DeForest, Wis., looks for bare spots to fill in with roses as her husband Jim, far right background, helps carry extra flowers while doing some volunteer decorating of a Honda castle parade float near the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., Friday afternoon, Dec. 31, 2010. Those in charge of the decorating work on the float were seeking volunteers from spectators and found an expert in Mrs. Skelton, who was once a florist.

A crowd gathers along Seco Street to see parade floats that will be part of Saturday morning's Tournament of Roses Rose Parade.