There was aged cheese, a scuba diving scavenger, a trip to Horicon Marsh and a tour of a new military museum near Kenosha.
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Marge Gibson, of Raptor Education Group, gives Wanda Vredenbregt an up-close view of an immature bald eagle just moments before it was released in January at VFW Park in Prairie du Sac. Gibson released four eagles that day.
Tony Hook, seen here in January, shows off a rare 40-pound block of 20-year-old white cheddar he had been aging, along with 24 other blocks, in his 38-degree storage cooler in Mineral Point. At $209 per pound, this block was worth $8,360.
Glass jars are placed on a pouring table at Door County Candle Co. north of Sturgeon Bay for Jake Vander Velden to partially fill. The company has raised more than $1 million for aid efforts in Ukraine with the sale of its blue and yellow candles.
Fishing lures amassed by Ed Bieber, many retrieved from his dives into the Menominee and Fox Rivers, fill the walls of the dining room of his Marinette home. Known as "Ed the Diver," Bieber is making a living finding, refurbishing and reselling lures full time.
Jim Liedtke is a former cardiologist who started woodcarving after retiring in 1997. His wife, Caroline, paints many of her husband's carvings. The couple have let the artwork take over their living room.
The v, a cruise ship that can hold 375 passengers and 256 crew, holds position in August just off Algoma in Kewaunee County.
Ukrainian photographer Iva Sidash speaks in October at the opening reception for “The Wall: Witness to the War in Ukraine,” an exhibit at Roberta's Art Gallery at UW-Whitewater. Sidash, 29, had been a street, documentary and news photographer, but in February 2022 she began photographing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
See the Wisconsin State Journal photo staff's favorites of 2023
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Visitors attend a show hosted by Hip-Hop Collective at The Rigby Pub in downtown Madison, Wis., Friday, March 17, 2023. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Quincy Burroughs (5) runs with the ball during warm-ups at Camp Randall Stadium before the game against Nebraska in Madison, Wis., Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
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Revelers celebrate the approaching end to the UW-Madison academic year during the annual Mifflin Street Block Party in Madison, Wis. Saturday, April 29, 2023. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
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(From left) Reservoir Dolls’ Raina Atwell “Skullz B Kraken,” Shelby Weidenkopf “Shelby Cobra,” and Lydia Black “Eowound of Roharm,” right, share a laugh before competing against Unholy Rollers in a Madison Roller Derby bout at Keva Sports Center in Middleton, Wis., Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers Devyn Robinson (10) spikes the ball in the first set against Minnesota at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL
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Dancers with UW-Madison perform during the 2023 “Moonshine” event in the Margaret H’Doubler Performance Space of Lathrop Hall on the campus of UW-Madison in Madison, Wis. Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. The annual gathering is a celebration of Black History Month and features live music and contemporary theater and dance performances that include West African, Afro-Caribbean, and Hip-Hop dance forms. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
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Otto Lydic, 6, of Madison, fishes from a pier on Lake Monona near Olin Park during an outing with his brother and great-grandfather in Madison, Wis., Monday, June 5, 2023. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Mount Horeb/Barneveld's Owen Krimmer (13) runs on to the field with his teammates before the game against Monroe at Mount Horeb High School in Mount Horeb, Wis., Friday, Aug. 25, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL
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Despite the day’s blustery winter weather conditions, Isaac Andrus takes advantage of the recently-opened waters of Fowler Lake during a jet skiing outing in Oconomowoc, Wis. Saturday, March 25, 2023. An avid outdoor sports enthusiast, Andrus said he suffers from a “self-diagnosed thrill-seeking disorder.” JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
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Jamieson Weiss, 11, of Sun Prairie, plays with bubbles from Magical Bubbles during the Dane County Fair at Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., Friday, July 21, 2023. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate and goaltender for the women’s hockey team Cami Kronish leans against the NCAA Women’s Hockey National Championship trophy before the 2023 commencement ceremony at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., Saturday, May 13, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL
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State of Wisconsin Department of Administration workers Mindy Fude and Steve Walker raise a Progress Pride Flag atop the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, Wis. Thursday, June 1, 2023. Earlier in the day, Gov. Tony Evers signed an executive order authorizing the flying of the banners on state buildings throughout the month, recognizing the rights of members of the LGBTQ community. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
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Nicholas Carter, right, coach for the Generals, helps Destin Hooks, 8, with his batting stance during practice for teams with the Black Men Coalition of Dane County's Youth Baseball League, which provides equipment to participants free of charge and requires no fees, at Elver Park in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, June 7, 2023. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers Temi Thomas-Ailara (12) approaches the ball in the third set against Ohio State Buckeyes at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL
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Members of the Waunakee 1,600 meter relay team gather following their third place finish in the event during Division 1 finals competition the second day of the 2023 WIAA State Track and Field Meet at Veterans Memorial Field Complex in La Crosse, Wis. Saturday, June 3, 2023. Pictured clockwise from upper left are William Garcia-Heinrdich. Andrew Regnier, Isaiah Jakel and Jake Bova. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
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Betty Hayes-Baxter, 93, who has taught dance since 1947 and has been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-ever dance teacher, holds a dance class for preschoolers in her basement studio in Avoca, Wis., Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers guard AJ Storr (2) celebrates after dunking the ball and getting a foul called on Marquette Golden Eagles in the second half at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
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Patt Nowak shares an open-window drive along East Washington Avenue in Madison, Wis. with her cat, Harley Quinn, whom she calls as her “little adventure kitty,” Monday, Oct. 23, 2023. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
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Sam Dancer, of Quincy, Illinois, kisses his wife, Jen, and daughter, Star, 2, after competing in the men 35-39 Pulling Power event during the CrossFit Games at Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Green Bay Packers safety Darnell Savage (26) and linebacker Eric Wilson (45) react in the second half at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL
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Drawing onlookers from UW-Madison’s Winter Carnival gathering, students Grace Bowen, left, and Lily Anderson take a dip into Lake Mendota while participating in a fundraising event for the Theta Tau Xi engineering fraternity on campus in Madison, Wis. Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. Joining others in an exercise organized by the Wim Hof Club of Madison, a local organization dedicated to touting the benefits of cold water immersion. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
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Fourth to eighth-graders with the Holy Family Cross Country team huddle up after practice at Lake Farm County Park in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. The team consists of 68 homeschool students from the area in grades fourth to 12th. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Mount Horeb/Barneveld's Trenton Owens (2) scores a touchdown against Monroe at Mount Horeb High School in Mount Horeb, Wis., Friday, Aug. 25, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL
Photo6
The UW Arboretum will host a family nature program Sunday, including a walk and activities from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
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To prepare for an upcoming competition in St. Paul, Michael Busche, instructor with the Badger Ballroom Dance Team, a competitive ballroom dancing organization at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and team member Berta Armacanqui find an open space to practice on the third floor at Central Library in downtown Madison, Wis., Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers forward Steven Crowl (22) attempts to shoot the ball as Michigan State Spartans center Carson Cooper (15) puts his hands in Crowl’s face in the second half of the game at the Kohl Center in Madison , Wis., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL
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After surviving a 2010 earthquake that claimed the lives of more than 200,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands more, Haitian native Mona Augustin, pictured at his home in Madison, Wis. Monday, March 13, 2023, is dedicated to improving the lives of others through his music. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
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Carol Allen plants geraniums in a window box on the second floor above The Bramble Patch, the business her daughter owns, in downtown New Glarus, Wis., Tuesday, May 16, 2023. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers Gulce Guctekin (21) attempts to kick the ball to keep it in play during the fourth set in the third round of the NCAA tournament in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
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Undeterred by temperatures in the upper teens, freshwater surfing enthusiast Nataliie Seitz carries her board toward the waters of Lake Michigan during a sunrise outing at Bradford Beach in Milwaukee, Wis. Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
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Sarah Sant’Ana leads a zen training class as she walks by students practicing zazen, or zen mediation, at Daikozen-Ji in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, May 30, 2023. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Former firefighter Dale Emmerich of Middleton runs with athlete John Bodeau of Eden Prairie during IRONMAN Wisconsin on Mid Town Road in Verona, Wis., Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL
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Ashley Rounds and her son, Cedar, 2, share dance amid “Twilight Twinkle,” an immersive artwork by artist Ben Smith during a visit to GLEAM | Art in a New Light exhibit at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wis. Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. The annual outdoor art exhibit, featuring light installations from local, regional and international designers continues Wednesday-Saturday evenings through Oct. 28. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
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(From left) Sam Steinich, of Mount Horeb, plays in the Wisconsin River with her daughter, Amelia, 2, and son, Elliot, 6, with Shayne Crank, 8, of Sauk City, at right, at Riverfront Park beach in Sauk City, Wis., Thursday, July 20, 2023. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs (87) catches a touchdown pass against New Orleans Saints cornerback Isaac Yiadom (27) in the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL
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As seen through a vehicle window, rain falls on a pedestrian walking past "Flamingo Swirls," a mural work by local artists Liubov Szwako "Triangulador" and Oh Ya Studio, in Madison, Wis. Monday, May 8, 2023. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
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(From left) Ashley Sinkula, from Palmyra, with her daughter, Blakely, 9, and friend DeAnn Stritzel, from Whitewater, ride their horses on a path around a field of sunflowers at Silverwood County Park in Edgerton, Wis., Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers Devyn Robinson (10) celebrates after a wild rally in the third set in the fourth round of the NCAA tournament at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
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Fans of the West Salem High School boys basketball team cheer a score by the team during the opening day of the WIAA State Basketball Championships at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. Thursday, March 16, 2023. Twenty teams from five divisions will vie for their respective titles during the three day run of the annual tournament. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
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Makayla Wittmer, 9, and her sister, Mariah, 5, right, from Woodburn, Indiana, wait with their brother as he prepares to show his Standardbred horse, at left, that is up for auction during the Midwest Select Draft and Driving Horse Sale at Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, April 5, 2023. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Finja Phaneuf, 13, picks berries from a tree during the Spring Harbor Green House Garden Program at Spring Harbor Middle School in Madison, Wis., Friday, June 23, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL
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“Icehenge,” an environmental art installation erected by a group of friend and volunteers on Rock Lake in Lake Mills, Wis., draws the interest of Alida Rompleman as she explores the structure Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. Constructed from ice harvested from the lake and dependent on weather conditions, the creation has been a semi-regular addition to the winter landscape for more than a decade. The work also coincides with this weekend’s Knickerbocker Ice Festival, a community event named after the company that harvested ice from Rock Lake in the early 1900’s. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
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Marylou Wiegold, of Wonder Lake, Illinois, hugs the Shriners bear before the start of the Big Top Parade and Circus Celebration in downtown Baraboo, Wis., Saturday, June 24, 2023. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
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Fans wait in line for the Wisconsin Badger-Oregon Ducks volleyball match, as the reflection of the court is seen from the window at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers Gulce Guctekin (21) jumps into the arms of setter Izzy Ashburn (11) during the match against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at the UW Field House in Madison, Wis., Friday, Oct. 13, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers defender Caroline Harvey (4) poses for a portrait at the LaBahn Arena in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin Badgers guard Chucky Hepburn (23) makes his entrance onto the court before the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023. SAMANTHA MADAR, STATE JOURNAL
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In a scene reminiscent of Stonehenge, a pedestrian passing a stone fence along the eastern shoreline of Lac La Belle is silhouetted by a setting sun Tuesday evening in Oconomowoc, Wis. as exceptionally warm weather moved into the upper Midwest Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Barry Adams covers regional news for the Wisconsin State Journal. Send him ideas for On Wisconsin at 608-252-6148 or by email at badams@madison.com.
