Bit by bit over the last two decades, the University of Wisconsin-Madison's iconic Washburn Observatory has been restored to its original sheen.

The dome was refurbished in the 1990s and the building itself was restored and updated in 2009. And this week, a final but crucial touch up -- the cleaning and refurbishment of the glass lenses and the brass cell that holds them in the 240-inch-long telescope tube -- was completed with the help of John Augustine, an antique instrument specialist from Parkman, Ohio.

"There aren't too many guys who do this kind of thing," explains Jim Lattis, director of UW-Madison's Space Place and the official custodian of the observatory and its antique refracting telescope.

In a further effort to address the achievement gap in Madison the Urban League of Greater Madison will run a summer program to prepare low-income students and students of color for ACT college entrance exams. 

The Urban League hopes their ACT College Readiness Academies will address the achievement gap by encouraging students to apply to college. Vice President of Learning for the Urban League, Nichelle Nichols, explained that low-income students and students of color generally have lower ACT scores and turnout than their peers.

Who said class is boring? Come to The Sett at Union South on Wednesday, May 9 for "Beer Class" and learn all about the history of craft beer in Wisconsin.

As part of the 10-day Madison Craft Beer Week," the class will talk about Leinenkugel's’s, New Glarus and Capital breweries, among others, and where craft beer industry is heading.  

The event will feature tastings as well as a Sett pint glass to take home.

Tickets are $5 at the door.

Madison Craft Beer Week is an annual celebration promoting Madison's thriving craft beer culture, showcasing the Madison area’s breweries, restaurants, pubs, caterers, retailers, entertainers and other businesses with ties to the craft beer community.  

For more information on Craft Beer week, visit http://www.madbeerweek.com/.