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May has arrived, bringing spring weather and fun along with it! Here are our top picks for the weekend:

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1. NOW OPEN: Margie’s Garden

3. May the Fourth Activities

6. DAY TRIP: Richardson Tulip Festival

1. NOW OPEN: Margie’s Garden

Boerner Botanical Gardens, 9400 Boerner Dr., Hales Corners, WI 53130May 1-October 31, 2024, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.Admission: Adults $9 (Milwaukee County resident $8); Juniors (3-12) / Students / Military / Disability $6; Children 2 and Under FREE

Margie’s Garden opened for the season on May 1. This enchanted children’s garden is located at Boerner Botanical Gardens (included with paid admission). Perennials are already visible in the gardens, and annual flowers will arrive in early June.

Features include alphabet and numbers gardens; interactive musical instruments and sound makers; a potting shed where kids can play in the dirt; play houses, slides, a giant caterpillar and birds nest to play on, and accessible paths that are wheelchair and stroller friendly.

Margie’s Garden >>

2. Member Swap Weekend

May 4-5, 2024Admission: FREE for participating museum members

It’s Milwaukee’s museum Member Swap Weekend! For this weekend May 4-5) only, If you’re a member at one participating museum, you can use your membership card to get into a different participating museum for FREE!

Participating museums include Milwaukee Public Museum, Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, Milwaukee Art Museum, Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum, and Charles Allis Art Museum. Please check each organization’s website for hours of operation.

Not a member? Member Swap Weekend is the perfect time to sign up!

Member Swap Weekend >>

3. May the Fourth Activities

Celebrate this special Star Wars day (May 4th) at one of these events:

“May the Fourth Be With You” Star Wars Art ClassCreative Chaos, 3127 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53208Saturday, May 4, 2024, 1:30-2:30 p.m.Admission: $20In this thrilling class, participants will embark on an artistic journey through the galaxy far, far away as they create Star Wars-themed artwork. From iconic characters like Darth Vader and Princess Leia to legendary starships like the Millennium Falcon, participants will have the opportunity to let their imaginations soar as they bring their favorite elements of the Star Wars universe to life on canvas.

Milwaukee Festival Brass Presents “May the Fourth Be With You”Carney Performing Arts Center, Pius XI High School, 135 N. 76th St., Milwaukee, WI 53213Saturday, May 4, 2024, 7 p.m.Admission: Adults $15; Seniors $12; Children Under 18 FREEThis all-Star Wars themed concert will be filled with the iconic music of John Williams and other composers who have lent their craft to the Star Wars saga. The program will feature music from each of the Star Wars trilogies, as well as music from the more recent streaming programs within the Star Wars canon. There may even be a surprising mash-up of a very familiar Star Wars melody and an iconic big band tune!

May the Fourth Star Wars Spelling BeeAmerican Science and Surplus, 6901 W. Oklahoma Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53219Saturday, May 4, 2024, 7-9:30 p.m.Admission: FREEMay the Fourth be with you … because that’s the only way you’ll be able to spell “Paodok’Draba’Takat Sap’De’Rekti Nik’Linke’Ti’ Ki’Vef’Nik’NeSevef’Li’Kek” during the Annual Star Wars Spelling Bee at American Science and Surplus! This free public event is fun for casual fans and super nerds of all ages. Prizes will be awarded, and costumes/roleplay is encouraged. The store will close at 6:00 p.m., and then re-open at 7:00 p.m. for this event.

100 Best Things To Do With Kids in Milwaukee

From quirky museums to professional sports games and cozy indoor play cafes, there are so many great things to do in MKE with your whole family.

Events Calendar

Dive into our Events Calendar for an exciting array of daily activities perfect for kids and families, all handily sorted by location.

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The list came out ahead of Mother's Day, one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants specializing in the late-morning meal.

Patch Staff

WISCONSIN — Three spots in Wisconsin are ranked in a new list of the best places to grab brunch from the crowdsourced business review site Yelp. The list came out ahead of Mother’s Day, one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants specializing in the late-morning meal.

The top-ranked Wisconsin restaurant is Mad Rooster Cafe in Milwaukee, ranked 47 on Yelp’s Top 100 Brunch Spots 2024.

The other two are Honey Butter Cafe in Franklin (ranked 58) and SweetDiner in Milwaukee (ranked 88).

The 100 featured restaurants cater to a wide range of tastes with their diverse menus. These menus offer an assortment of items, ranging from classic brunch dishes like eggs Benedict, French toast, and mimosas, to fusion menus that blend ethnic dishes with American favorites, Yelp said in a news release.

Reservations are always a good idea, especially for Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday, May 12. Six of the top 10 restaurants on the list report that Mother’s Day is their busiest day of the year, Yelp said, noting that its own data confirms that. In 2023, Mother’s Day reservations surged 79 percent from the previous Sunday.

Find out what's happening in Milwaukeewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

To compile the list, Yelp looked at businesses in the breakfast and brunch category, searching for terms such as “brunch” and “Mother’s Day,” and then ranked the restaurants on multiple factors, including how often those words were mentioned in ratings and reviews in the past three years.

Adjustments were made for restaurants with multiple locations, with only the highest-rated restaurant included. Yelp also limited the number of restaurants per state to add geographic diversity.

For more about these and other eateries on the ranked list, check out Yelp’s Top 100 Brunch Spots 2024.

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Amy Hummel's "big dream" was to win one game of "Jeopardy!," she shared with producer Sarah Foss in a YouTube video the show posted Tuesday.

Now, the Milwaukee ER doctor is at five wins — a feat she never dreamed of achieving.

After locking in her fifth consecutive "Jeopardy!" win Tuesday, Hummel's total earnings reached six figures and she got an invitation to the "Tournament of Champions."

Tuesday's game was a real nail-biter. Going into Final "Jeopardy!," Hummel was tied with opponent Laura Bligh, a webmaster from Vienna, Virginia. But, in the end, Hummel was victorious.

"Amy Hummel, five-day 'Jeopardy!' champion. How does that sound?" Foss asked the doctor in the YouTube video.

"I still, I don't think it's real. Like I'm going to wake up and I'm going to come in for my first day," Hummel replied.

Here's a look at Tuesday's game and Foss' interesting interview with Hummel:

Final 'Jeopardy!' from April 30, 2024

The standings heading into Tuesday's Final "Jeopardy!" were Hummel and Bligh each with $7,600, and Bryan Carrasco, a mortgage loan originator from Columbia, Missouri, with $3,200, according to a clip the show shared on YouTube.

The Final "Jeopardy!" clue was: "Maybe because he was too baroque, Bernini was rejected as a name for a member of this group created in 1983."

Hummel's answer: "Who are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?" Correct!

Wagering everything, Hummel finished the game with $15,200. Her five-day winnings total is at $100,994.

Carrasco also got it right. Wagering $3,918, he ended the game at $6,398.

Bligh didn't know the answer. But, wagering $0, she came in second place with $7,600.

What Amy Hummel was hoping to achieve on 'Jeopardy!'

"What were your hopes or expectations, or what were you hoping to accomplish here on the Alex Trebek stage?" Foss asked Hummel in the YouTube video.

"I think my hope, my like big dream was to win one game, and then be able to go home, saying that I had won a game," Hummel said. "But honestly, I was just thrilled to be here and have it work out that I could come. This was not even on the table, whatsoever."

"Five-game champion wasn't even in the dreams? Foss asked.

"No," Hummel answered.

What it's really been like for Amy Hummel on 'Jeopardy!'

You know how ducks look calm on the surface, but their feet are paddling like crazy underneath the water? That's what being on "Jeopardy!" is like, according to Hummel.

In the YouTube video, Foss revealed that Hummel's games thus far didn't happen over the course of five days with a weekend in between, but rather, 24 hours.

"It's been a really long 24 hours," Hummel told her. "And, a dream come true. Sorry it's cliché, but."

What Dr. Amy Hummel plans to do with her 'Jeopardy!' winnings

With Hummel's winnings still less than her student loan balance, "a large chunk" will be going to that, she told Foss. Plus, she plans to donate some and go on a nice trip.

How Dr. Amy Hummel will prep for 'Tournament of Champions'

Having not seen "Tournament of Champions" before, Foss asked Hummel what she'll be doing to study up on it.

Hummel said she'll probably watch some prior "Tournament of Champions" and go through her 300,000-question flashcard deck, which she had previously been doing.

According to the show's website, Hummel is one of three contestants eligible for the next "ToC" so far.

How to watch Milwaukee ER doctor Amy Hummel on 'Jeopardy!'

Hummel will be the returning champion on Wednesday's episode of "Jeopardy!" The episode will air on WDJT CBS58 Milwaukee at 6 p.m. CT.

She'll be taking on Weckiai Rannila, an Albuquerque engineer, and Nils Cousin, an attorney from Washington, D.C.

News

New passenger train arrivals and departures in a partnership with Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois

ST. PAUL, Minn., and CHICAGO – Tickets are now available for a second daily Amtrak service between the Twin Cities and Chicago, via Milwaukee: new state-sponsored Borealis trains originate from St. Paul at midday and from Chicago in the late morning. Travelers seeking a more comfortable, sustainable and productive choice than driving will have double the current rail options, starting May 21, 2024.

Amtrak Borealis coach fares start at $41 each way between St. Paul and Chicago for adults, with everyday discounts for children ages 2-12, students, seniors, veterans, military personnel and families, groups, and others.

Amtrak Borealis trains will offer Coach and Business Class in addition to a café car featuring regional items. Customers will enjoy wide reclining seats with ample legroom, no middle seats, free Wi-Fi, and views of the Mississippi River between St. Paul and La Crosse, Wisc., in daylight in both directions across Wisconsin.

The trains will make the current Empire Builder stops between St. Paul and Milwaukee and Hiawatha stops between Milwaukee and Chicago (see schedule). Another benefit of the Amtrak Borealis service is a new eastbound Amtrak origination from Ramsey County’s Union Depot in St. Paul.

“A second daily passenger rail service connecting St. Paul to Chicago via Milwaukee is a welcome addition to our transportation system, providing more choices and travel flexibility for passengers,” said Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger, Minnesota Department of Transportation. “We appreciate our partnerships with communities, federal, state and local governments, the host railroad CPKC, and Amtrak that were needed to get this service on-track, and to provide another safe, reliable transportation option. We look forward to continuing these partnerships as we work toward further building out passenger rail options in the Midwest.”

“This route includes eight stations in Wisconsin, and doubling the frequency of the service will better connect the many businesses, universities and tourist attractions along this corridor,” WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said. “This expansion is thanks to the work WisDOT was able to do together with Minnesota, Illinois and Amtrak, as well as the opportunities provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. We will continue to work with federal and state partners to explore more passenger rail options in Wisconsin.”

“We are proud to collaborate with neighboring states and our federal partners to offer more Amtrak service in the Midwest,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “Ensuring passenger rail that’s safe, reliable and accessible is one of the many reasons Illinois continues to distinguish itself as the transportation hub of North America under Gov. JB Pritzker.”

The new service is sponsored by the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Amtrak now operates 29 state-supported routes with 18 state partners.

“Through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification Program we are working with grantees on dozens of other possible new Amtrak routes,” said President Roger Harris. “Thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, interest from state transportation departments and others for new or expanded Amtrak service across the country is at an all-time high.”

“This is a win for passenger rail expansion in America, and more importantly, it’s a win for a growing number of Americans who rely on passenger rail and benefit from it,” said Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose. “Investments in rail have long helped Midwesterners and the region’s economy, and this new service will mean additional access for people traveling between Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois while contributing to economic growth.

“The Federal Railroad Administration applauds the strong partnership between the states and Amtrak, and through President Biden’s infrastructure package, we know even more progress is underway,” Bose added.

Rep. Gwen Moore, Wisconsin

“I will always support increasing access to clean, affordable, and efficient transportation options. Improving inter-city train services in Wisconsin and across the nation brings many economic benefits. I’m excited for the job opportunities and improved tourism that an additional daily train will bring for my constituents and others traveling throughout our region, as well as the improvements to our region’s collective carbon footprint. ”

Rail Passengers Association

“There were years when it seemed as if today’s announcement would never take place, and yet here we are today celebrating a new round trip that will transform transportation in this busy corridor,” said Jim Mathews, Rail Passengers’ President & CEO. “Passenger trains mean trips that are taken off of highways and out of the sky, saving lives, limiting pollution, and opening up new possibilities. These new trains also mean new trips that would not have otherwise taken place at all, producing direct returns for the communities they serve.”

The Association produced an economic-benefits analysis in 2019 suggesting that some 60% of passengers for the new service would come from diverting automotive trips as those passengers leave their cars behind, limiting pollution, and easing congestion. The Association estimated that 90,000 people who would otherwise use personal automobiles would be taken off the roads every year, saving $32 million across the region in highway maintenance costs alone.

WISCONSIN — Several hospitals in Wisconsin were given top safety grades in The Leapfrog Group’s spring 2024 Hospital Safety Grades released Wednesday.

The independent, nonprofit watchdog group assigned safety grades, ranging from “A” to “F,” for 3,000 general hospitals on how well they prevent medical errors, accidents and infections.

Wisconsin hospitals were graded as follows:

The Leapfrog Group, which grades hospitals twice a year, also ranked the 10 states with the highest number of “A” hospitals. Utah tops the list, followed by Virginia, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Alaska, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina and Maine, respectively.

For the first time this spring, the watchdog ranked the top 25 metropolitan statistical reporting areas according to the number of “A” hospitals. The top three metro areas are Allentown, Pennsylvania; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and New Orleans, Louisiana.

Nationwide, hospitals showed improvements over their fall 2023 performance in both reducing hospital-acquired infections and improving patient experiences, the report said.

Hospital-acquired infections and preventable errors kill about 250,000 people a year in the United States, making patient safety problems the nation’s third-leading cause of death, according to a summary of peer-reviewed research published in the global health care journal BMJ.

Hospital-acquired infections soared to levels not seen since 2016 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since that spike, 92 percent of hospitals showed improved performance on at least one of three dangerous infections, the report said.

Central line-associated bloodstream infections were down by 34 percent, and both catheter-associated urinary tract infections and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections decreased by 30 percent.

Despite the improvements, “patient safety remains a crisis-level hazard in health care,” Leapfrog Group president and CEO Leah Binder said in a news release.

“Some hospitals are much better than others at protecting patients from harm, and that’s why we make the Hospital Safety Grade available to the public and why we encourage all hospitals to focus more attention on safety,” Binder said.

Patient experiences have worsened since the pandemic, and while the spring report shows improvement, patients don’t report the same level of confidence they had before the pandemic, according to the report.

Patient experience is measured through the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to publicly report how hospital patients measure the care they received.

The five measures are nurse communication, doctor communication, hospital staff responsiveness, communication about medicines and discharge information.

“Patient experience is very difficult to influence without delivering better care, so these findings are encouraging,” Binder said. “We were also pleased to see the decrease in preventable infections, which cause terrible suffering and sometimes death. When we look at these positive trends, we see lives saved — and that is gratifying.”