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A national safety group gave nine Wisconsin hospitals a "D" this spring. Most hospitals in the state earned a "C" or better.

WISCONSIN — A new hospital safety report released Thursday shows 17 hospitals in Wisconsin earned “A” grades based on their ability to protect their patients from often preventable harm.

The Leapfrog Group’s Spring 2025 Hospital Safety Grades are a biannual ranking that assigns a “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” to all general hospitals in the United States based on their ability to protect patients from medical errors, accidents, injuries and infections.

Out of 67 hospitals evaluated in Wisconsin, 17 earned an A, 13 earned a B, 31 earned a C, and nine received a D in the Spring 2025 safety grades. Most hospitals fall in the C range.

Grade A

Grade B

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Grade C

Grade D

You can see the full rankings here.

Across the nation, 11 hospitals have earned "A" grades on all 27 evaluation rounds over the 13 years of the report card.

They include: Mayo Clinic-Phoenix in Arizona; French Hospital Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente Orange County-Anaheim Medical Center in California; Endeavor Health Elmhurst Hospital, Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital and University of Chicago Medical Center in Illinois; Saint Anne’s Hospital (Massachusetts); Inova Loudoun Hospital, Sentara CarePlex Hospital and Sentara Leigh Hospital in Virginia; and Virginia Mason Medical Center in Washington.

Leah Binder, the president and chief executive of The Leapfrog Group, said “A” grades should be a source of pride for hospitals, but she warned them not to “rest on that laurel.”

“Patient safety is a relentless, never-ending quest to put patients first,” she said in a news release. “That’s why Leapfrog is highlighting the hospitals across the U.S. that have earned Straight A’s for over two years. Sustaining an A over multiple years reflects a deep-rooted commitment to patient safety.”

The top five states with the highest share of Straight A hospitals since spring 2023 are Utah (29 percent), Connecticut (29 percent), New Jersey (27 percent), Rhode Island (22 percent) and Virginia (20 percent).

States with no Straight A hospitals for consistent performance over the past five grading cycles are Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming and Washington, D.C.

The states with the highest percentage of A Grades for spring 2025 are Utah, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, South Carolina and Virginia.

Brew City is an incredible destination in its own right. With more than 30 breweries, a world-class art museum, and a public market that rivals Pike Place, you could spend years exploring Milwaukee. However, sometimes we all need to take a little break from what’s familiar and challenge ourselves a bit. This guide offers you five easy day trips you can take from Milwaukee.

1. Delavan Lake: A Hidden Gem

Delavan Lake is often overlooked in favor of its larger cousin, Geneva Lake. Growing up just a couple of hours away in Chicago, I was shocked I hadn’t even heard of it until last year. Delavan Lake is a quiet alternative for a laid-back getaway.

Book a dinner cruise on the 76-foot Lake Lawn Queen, play a round of golf at Majestic Oaks Golf Club, or explore Delavan’s quaint downtown. If time allows, consider spending the night at Lake Lawn Resort. It’s the perfect family-friendly stay, reminiscent of a present-day version of the lodge from Dirty Dancing.

Cait was hosted by Lake Lawn Resort as part of their trip to Delavan Lake. All opinions and thoughts expressed in this content are their own.

2. Kenosha County: Step Back in Time

Kenosha County is known for hosting the massive Bristol Renaissance Faire. July through Labor Day, this 30-acre festival welcomes nearly 200,000 visitors. Guests can try their hand at archery and crossbows, among other old-fashioned games. Alternatively, hop on “muscle-powered” rides or feast on giant chicken legs as you browse the markets. In addition to its iconic fair, Kenosha County is home to attractions including the Kenosha Public Museum, Mars Cheese Castle (pick up your cheese curds here!), Simmons Island Beach, and the Dinosaur Discovery Museum.

3. Madison: Wisconsin's Second City

As the state’s second-largest city, Madison offers its own distinct vibe. Tucked between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, the small metropolis is bustling with University of Wisconsin–Madison pride. Your "must-do" attractions include a Capitol Tour, exploring the eight-block-long State Street and Union Terrace areas, and sampling local treats at the Dane County Farmers’ Market.

4. Green Bay: Home of the Cheeseheads

Love them or hate them, the Green Bay Packers have a fantastic fan base. The pride of local cheeseheads is evident from the houses outside of Lambeau Field. Nearly all of the homes near the stadium are decorated to support their beloved team. Even if football isn’t your jam, the team’s gift shop is a lot of fun to explore. Other things to do that don’t involve the leather ball include the Bay Beach Amusement Park, Green Bay Botanical Garden, and Captain’s Walk Winery.

5. Geneva Lake: A Summertime Classic

Geneva Lake has long attracted the rich and famous. Even the likes of Frank Sinatra, the Wrigleys, and Matthew McConaughey have enjoyed relaxing getaways on these Wisconsin shores. Geneva Lake offers a variety of activities, including boating, swimming, water skiing, and other water sports.

In addition to time spent on the water, visitors can enjoy strolling through the charming downtown area. There are seemingly endless boutiques, restaurants, and breweries to explore. During my last visit to Geneva Lake, the local breweries were creating beers from the cicadas that had emerged in massive numbers that summer.

Milwaukee is full of incredible things to do, but don’t miss out on the rest of the Badger State. These five easy day trips from Milwaukee are well worth the adventure. Do you have any other favorite day trips you’d recommend? We’d love to hear about them!

Briefs

The activities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents around the Milwaukee County Courthouse continue to spur controversy. Late last week, ICE agents arrested Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a 30-year-old Mexican immigrant accused of misdemeanor battery. Flores-Ruiz appeared in Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan’s court on April 18, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

Now, the FBI is investigating whether Dugan helped an undocumented immigrant avoid arrest after that immigrant appeared in her courtroom. Although the immigrant hasn’t been identified, Flores-Ruiz, whose immigration status is unclear, “appears to match the description,” the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

On April 23, Dugan declined to comment on the investigation or possible legal proceedings. ICE officials referred questions to the FBI’s Milwaukee office, which also declined to comment. The Journal Sentinel reported that an email sent by Chief Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Carly Ashley said that ICE agents came to the Milwaukee County Courthouse on April 18 with an arrest warrant. Dugan wasn’t mentioned in Ashley’s communication, which went on to say that ICE agents arrived in the morning, identified themselves to security, and went to the sixth floor where Dugan’s courtroom is located.

Ashley said that the agents were asked to wait until court proceedings were over, and that their actions were consistent with draft policies. Dugan responded to the email, however, saying “a warrant was not presented in the hallway on the 6th floor,” the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Instead, unnamed sources in the story said that Dugan didn’t hide a defendant, but rather took the defendant and an attorney to a side door which led to a private hallway into a public area on the sixth floor.

It was the third time since March that ICE agents arrived at the courthouse to conduct arrests. Two arrests were made in March and April, with one of the individuals arrested after appearing in family court for a hearing on a domestic violence restraining order, which was ultimately dismissed.

Rep. Ryan Clancy (D-Milwaukee) said that Dugan acted in “defense of due process by preventing ICE from shamefully using her courtroom as an ad hoc holding area for deportations.” Clancy added that “we cannot have a functional legal system if people are justifiably afraid to show up for legal proceedings, especially when ICE agents have already repeatedly grabbed people off the street in retaliation for speech and free association, without even obtaining proper warrants.”

While Clancy praised Dugan, Rep. Bob Donovan (R-Greenfield) said “I have never seen a more irresponsible act by an officer of the court, let alone a judge, if true.”

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WISCONSIN — It may seem the universe is smiling down on Wisconsin during a rare triple celestial conjunction that will look like a smiley face from Earth in the predawn hours of Thursday and Friday.

The National Weather Service forecast in Milwaukee calls for:

Thursday: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 55. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday: Showers before 10am, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm between 10am and 1pm, then a chance of showers after 1pm. High near 56. North wind 5 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

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Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. North wind 10 to 15 mph.

During the so-called “smiley face conjunction,” Venus and Saturn will appear as two eyes over the thin crescent moon that looks like an upturned smile. To see the spectacle, look low in the eastern sky about an hour before sunrise.

But be aware, the window to see the smiley face conjunction is short.

The alignment occurs around 4:30 a.m. Central Time, about an hour before sunrise. The spectacle will be visible low in the eastern sky from anywhere in the world with favorable viewing conditions. Mercury may be visible as well.

If you’re lucky, you may also see a few meteors streaking across the sky. The predawn hours are ideal for shooting star chasers. The Lyrid meteor shower will be a couple of days past its peak and will continue through April 26. It’s known for fast meteors with glowing trains.

The ancient Eta Aquariid meteor shower began April 19 and runs concurrently with the Lyrids. This shower is the more prolific of the two, offering about 30 shooting stars an hour. These fast meteors also leave rains that can last anywhere from several seconds to minutes, according to NASA. The shower peaks overnight May 4-5 and rambles on until month’s end.

Also according to NASA, Earth’s hothouse twin planet Venus will continue to rise low in the east before dawn, looking a little higher each morning through the month. All month, Mars shines bright and looks reddish in the nighttime sky all month, according to the agency.

Federal officials plan to start collecting next month on federal student loans in default. Here's what WI residents need to know:

William Bornhoft, Patch Staff

WISCONSIN — The Department of Education plans to begin collecting next month on federal student loans that are in default, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of borrowers in Wisconsin.

About 5.3 million borrowers are in default on their federal student loans, the Education Department said in an announcement Monday that marks the end to a period of leniency that began during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Federal student loan debt in Wisconsin totals $23.3 billion (yes, billion), or about $32,628 per student, according to Education Department data.

About 775,700 student loan borrowers — or about 13.5 percent of all residents — live in Wisconsin. Of those borrowers:

“American taxpayers will no longer be forced to serve as collateral for irresponsible student loan policies,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement

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McMahon said former President Joe Biden had gone too far when he cancelled loans for more than 5 million borrowers, waiving more than $183.6 billion in student loans through expanded forgiveness programs. Biden’s actions came after the U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of his signature proposal for broad relief.

“Going forward, the Department of Education, in conjunction with the Department of Treasury, will shepherd the student loan program responsibly and according to the law, which means helping borrowers return to repayment — both for the sake of their own financial health and our nation's economic outlook,” McMahon said.

Beginning May 5, the department will begin involuntary collection through the Treasury Department’s offset program, which withholds government payments — including tax refunds, federal salaries and other benefits — from people with past-due debts to the government. After a 30-day notice, the department also will begin garnishing wages for borrowers in default.

The decision to send debt to collections drew criticism from advocates, who said borrowers had experienced whiplash and confusion with the changing student loan policies between the Biden and Trump administrations

“This is cruel, unnecessary and will further fan the flames of economic chaos for working families across this country,” said Mike Pierce, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center.

Already, many borrowers have been bracing for obligations coming due.

First-term President Donald Trump paused federal student loan payments in 2020 as a temporary relief measure for borrowers. Biden extended the pause multiple times through 2023, and a final grace period for loan repayments ended in October 2024. That meant tens of millions of Americans had to start making payments again.

Borrowers who don't make payments for nine months go into default, which is reported on their credit scores and can go to collections.

Along with the borrowers already in default, around another 4 million are 91 to 180 days late on their loan payments. Less than 40 percent of all borrowers are current on their student loans, department officials said.

Layoffs at the Federal Student Aid office at the Education Department have made it harder for students to get their questions answered, even if they wanted to pay their loans, according to Kristin McGuire, executive director for Young Invincibles, a group that focuses on economic security for younger adults.

And questions are swirling about certain income-driven repayment programs after a February court ruling blocked some of the payment plans.

Borrowers in the more lenient, Biden-era SAVE Plan were placed in forbearance, in which borrowers receive relief from payments but still accrue interest. The Education Department in February took down applications for income-driven repayment programs — which tie a monthly payment to a person's income level — only to bring them back online a month later.

“Things are really difficult to understand right now. Things are changing every day,” McGuire told The Associated Press. “We can't assume that people are in default because they don't want to pay their loans. People are in default because they can't pay their loans and because they don't know how to pay their loans.”

For borrowers in default, one step to avoid wage garnishment is to get into loan rehabilitation, Betsy Mayotte, president of The Institute for Student Loan Advisors, told The AP.

Borrowers must ask their loan servicer to be placed into such a program. Typically, servicers ask for proof of income and expenses to calculate a payment amount. Once a borrower has paid on time for nine months in a row, they are taken out of default, Mayotte said. A loan rehabilitation can only be done once.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.

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