That was embarrassing. 

The year was 2008 and I just wanted to have a respectable first dance at my wedding. The problem is... we were too young and dumb to put the kibosh on a choreographed routine. We just wanted to do the waltz and our instructor insisted we do a full-on Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers performance.

Jim paid hundreds of dollars and ultimately, he chickened out before our reception --
"Michelle... I just don't think I can dance like this in front of my friends!!"

We just stopped showing up... but luckily this VHS tape found its way into my hands while cleaning our basement. Too bad we never actually found out how the dance ended!​

Jimmy John's is celebrating its first-ever Customer Appreciation Day by selling subs for $1 on Thursday (4/21) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.​

You can only get one per person and in-store only. You can get the #1-#6, BLT and slims for $1. 

JJ's says subs are limited to one a person but if you'd like more than one $1 sub, you can go through the line as many times as you like or invite your whole group to the store. 

See a list of participating stores

All online orders will be full price. Same goes for pick up orders. Jimmy John's wants you to go to the store. Period.

Madison stores that are participating include:
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1791 Thierer Road
2807 University Avenue
1 N. Randall Avenue
527 State Street

WISC received more Murrow awards than any other small market station in the country. We don't do stories for awards but it is so humbling and exciting to receive recognition for excellence in journalism. 

WISC and KING in Seattle led the television categories across the country. 

In the large market television category, KING-TV in Seattle led the way with nine Murrows this year.  Among other categories, they took home awards in Overall Excellence, Feature Reporting and Investigative Reporting.

WISC-TV in Madison, Wisconsin took home eight Murrows, the most in the small market television category. This included wins in the Overall Excellence, Investigative Reporting and Newscast categories.

I'm very proud of the work we've done in the last year. The stories are often emotionally-charged and not at all worth celebrating because of the nature of the topics. However, the care and effort we put into some of our coverage can make a difference in how the public learns about stories... and that makes it rewarding to some degree.

From here, the regional winners move forward to the national competition. And to win the Overall Excellence award is really tremendous. 

Here is a list of winners from our region: 

Overall excellence
WISC-TV
WISC-TV
Madison, WI

Newscast
News 3 at 6: No charges in the death of Tony Robinson
WISC-TV
Madison, WI

Breaking News
Harrisburg School Shooting
KELO-TV
Sioux Falls, SD

Continuing Coverage
Kvalvog Family
WDAY-TV
Fargo, ND

Feature Reporting
Ashamed to Advocate: a Mother's Lesson in Love
WISC-TV
Madison, WI

Investigative Reporting
Veteran email breach
WISC-TV
Madison, WI

News Documentary
Trafficked
WDAY-TV
Fargo, ND

News Series
Marijuana, Behind the Money
WISC-TV
Madison, WI

Reporting: Hard News
Snow Plow Investigation
WLUK-TV
Green Bay, WI

Reporting: Sports
Fighting with Erin
WKBT-TV
La Crosse, WI

Use of Video
Dave Delozier
WISC-TV
Madison, WI

Writing
Michelle Li
WISC-TV
Madison, WI

Website
Channel3000.com
WISC-TV
Madison, WI

Have you ever gone back to your first house and asked to look around? Or stopped by the front yard to see if you could snoop in the back? Or taken a selfie when you're driving by? 

My husband and I spent about six months searching for our first home in Missouri. We scoured the web and in 2008, we printed off the homes we liked and asked our realtor to take us by. He would have a legal pad full of stapled print outs and would have to refer to each page as we asked a million questions. Now that we're living in our third house, technology has changed drastically.

I loved our old house. It was a place we picked carefully for our future. 

The fun thing about going back is that you see how the new homeowners have changed things! We were told the alley next to our house was public land... but it looks like they added a nice driveway!

Our neighbors also built a small fence after telling us we shouldn't build one because it wasn't the neighborly thing to do!  So funny. Our pergola in the backyard also looks like it's been the place of many gatherings.

It is truly a blessing to have lived so many places but I would say this has been my favorite house so far. 

Everyone is busy but we all can make a little time to help. This is one of the easiest ways.

​We live in such a busy world. Today, I had a coffee meeting scheduled with a community leader about four hours before I was supposed to even start my workday. I needed to shoot a promo for Race For the Cure, I had to attend a special news meeting about internal changes, I was set up to tape an interview with a guest, and I’m co-anchoring Live at 4 today. On top of my normal duties, I’m really booked solid. All day.

I am not alone. A lot of folks out there are booking themselves into craziness, whether it’s intended or imposed. It just happens.
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However, one thing I did on my way into work was very small but also very special. I dropped off some ingredients tonight to the Ronald McDonald House so families there will have a good, home cooked meal. As a member of the Junior League, we volunteer our time and donations to help the families staying in local hospitals for their sick children.
​
A group of us brings ingredients while another group volunteers to cook the meal. Since I am usually anchoring the news at dinner time, I choose to drop off ingredients.
I’m telling you this because unfortunately, there are always families staying at the RMH.

The great thing is you can help them with minimal effort. Everyone wants to help out someone else but often we find ourselves saying, “I wish I had the time.”
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If you’re interested, call the Ronald McDonald House in your area (in Madison the number is 608-232-4660.) Ask what the needs are and see if you can get a group coordinated at your work, church or school!