🏮 Madison’s patio paradise

😷 Whooping Cough on the Rise

• In the last eight weeks, there have been 43 cases of whooping cough in Dane County. These cases have primarily been in teenagers.
• According to Public Health Madison & Dane County, vaccines are an effective measure against whooping cough and there are often no reported cases for many months out of the year. Check your vaccination status and practice good hygiene to prevent whooping cough.
• This follows a report that COVID-19 cases are also on the rise in Dane County. So here’s your reminder to stay home if you’re sick, cover your coughs, and wash your hands. [PHMDC, Cap Times]

📦 New Amazon Facility

• Cottage Grove will soon be home to a new $200 million Amazon distribution center. This 3-million-square-foot facility will break ground in September after a two-year delay. The project is expected to be done in 2028.
• This Amazon facility is expected to generate $5 million in property taxes and create more than 1,000 jobs. [15 WMTV]

🎉 See Capitol Square’s Newest and Historic Statue

• On Saturday there will be a gala event for the unveiling of former Wisconsin Secretary of State Vel Phillips’ statue. This will be the first statue of a person of color at the Wisconsin State Capitol.
• Civil rights advocate Michael Johnson came up with the idea and worked to raise $700,000 to cover the costs of the statue.
• Related: City Cast Madison talked with Michael Phillips, son of Vel Phillips, about the importance of the statue. [Channel 3000, City Cast Madison 🎧]

Madison is home to so many women-owned businesses that you might not even know one of your favorite spots is owned by a woman. Here are just a few that you can find around town.

Ancora: Tori Gerding is the owner of what will soon be four Ancora coffee shops. (She also owns Lola’s Hi-Lo Lounge with her husband Matt and chef Evan Dannells.) These coffee shops are also popular places to grab a bite to eat.

Every Bitch Needs a Scrunchie: Kenzie Beam opened her boutique/coffee shop on the first floor of the Roundhouse Apartments near the UW-Madison campus. Her business started as an online shop with pop-up events and she opened her brick-and-mortar store this past April. 626 Langdon St.

Giant Jones Brewing: This local brewery in Madison is owned by spouses Erika and Jessica Jones. They started producing beers in 2018, creating high-ABV drinks that combine classic and modern flavors. 931 E. Main St.

Good Day Shop: Sarah Artz founded the Good Day Shop, a boutique curated with ethically sourced home and lifestyle products. 1925 Monroe St.

Where Are Madison’s Best Patios?

There are a ton of patios to enjoy during Madison summers. Cap Times photographer Ruthie Hauge has been cataloging local outdoor gathering spaces in what started as a pandemic passion project but has grown into the ultimate list of Madison-area patios. City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin caught up with Ruthie to get the scoop on the latest and greatest patios in our city and beyond.