Bergstrom Automotive Earns Prestigious Great Place to Work® Certification

(Neenah, WI – November 5, 2025) – Bergstrom Automotive is proud to announce it has earned the Great Place to Work® Certification, joining a global community of exceptional workplaces. This milestone reflects Bergstrom’s ongoing commitment to fostering an outstanding workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered. The certification recognizes organizations that prioritize employee satisfaction, fairness, and a positive, thriving workplace culture.

The Great Place to Work Certification is built on insights gathered directly from employees through a fully anonymous survey, giving an authentic view of the workplace culture. This rigorous, research-backed process not only validates a company’s commitment to its team but also helps attract top talent, strengthen employee engagement, and showcase a culture where people thrive.

“We have a terrific team who care about our guests and each other,” said John F. Bergstrom, Executive Chairman, Bergstrom Automotive. “Together, we all focus on creating an environment where we all enjoy coming to work and we win by focusing on serving our guests to the highest of levels.”

According to Great Place to Work research, employees at Certified™ workplaces are 4.5 times more likely to report having a great boss, 93% more likely to look forward to coming to work, and twice as likely to feel treated fairly in terms of compensation and promotions.

About Bergstrom Automotive

Bergstrom Automotive, headquartered in Neenah, Wisconsin, is one of the top automotive retailers in the U.S. and the largest in Wisconsin. The company employs over 2,500 teammates statewide and proudly represents 34 automotive brands across 60 facilities. Guided by a commitment to outstanding guest service, Bergstrom sells and services Acura, Alfa Romeo, Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, FIAT, Ford, Genesis, GMC, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar, Jeep, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Ram, Sprinter, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo.

About Great Place To Work®

As the global authority on workplace culture, Great Place To Work® brings 30 years of groundbreaking research and data to help every place become a great place to work for all. Their proprietary platform and For All™ Model helps companies evaluate the experience of every employee, with exemplary workplaces becoming Great Place To Work Certified™ or receiving recognition on a coveted Best Workplaces™ List.

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Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm Named 2025 Best Places to Work: Law Firms

Madison, WI – November 5, 2025 — Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm is proud to announce its selection as one of the 2025 Best Places to Work: Law Firms, an honor recognizing firms that prioritize employee well-being, professional growth, and a culture of care.

With offices in Madison, Baraboo, and Eau Claire, Pemberton stands out for its unwavering commitment to creating a supportive, purpose-driven environment—where the same compassion extended to clients begins within the walls of the firm itself.

What It Means to Be a “Best Place to Work”

The annual Best Places to Work: Law Firms recognition, awarded by Best Companies Group, highlights law firms that excel in employee satisfaction, stability, benefits, flexibility, belonging, and professional development. For Pemberton, being recognized isn’t just about workplace perks—it’s about building a culture rooted in empathy, accountability, and community impact.

“Being named one of the Best Places to Work is especially meaningful to us because it reflects who we are at our core,” said Attorney Will Pemberton, Founder of Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm. “We’ve always believed that when you take care of your people—your team, your clients, your community—everything else follows. This award isn’t just about what we do, but how we do it: together, with purpose and care.”

A Culture Built on Care

Pemberton’s workplace philosophy mirrors the same promise made to every client—the Pemberton Promise—to provide relentless advocacy with genuine compassion. Employees are encouraged to grow personally and professionally through mentorship, continued education, and community engagement. The firm frequently supports charitable events and local causes, from sponsoring children’s programs and school drives to organizing community outreach efforts like coat collections, random acts of kindness initiatives, and annual holiday events.

“Our culture is built around showing up for others,” added Pemberton. “Whether that’s helping a client rebuild their life after an accident or handing out backpacks at a local park—our purpose is the same: make a difference.”

A Legacy of Excellence

In addition to its workplace recognition, Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm continues to earn accolades for its outstanding results and client care. The firm has received honors such as America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigations, Best Truck Accident Lawyers in Madison (Expertise.com, 2022), and Lawyers of Distinction.

Attorney Will Pemberton himself holds a “Superb” rating on AVVO, a Preeminent Client Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and has been named among the Top 100 Trial Lawyers and Top 5% of Attorneys in the U.S. on Super Lawyers for 10 consecutive years.

Driven by Results—and by Heart

Pemberton’s results speak to its dedication to clients and community alike, with notable
settlements including:

• $1,262,500 for life-threatening injuries in a car accident
• $250,000 for a motorcycle accident involving extensive surgeries
• $150,000 for a dog bite resulting in surgical bone repair
• $105,000 for a slip-and-fall in an icy workplace parking lot
• $1,000,000 for wrongful death in a fatal car accident

These victories represent more than just numbers—they reflect lives restored and justice
delivered, powered by a team that believes deeply in what they do.

About Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm

Founded in 2006 by Attorney Will Pemberton, the firm was built on a simple principle: represent the people. From its first office in Baraboo to its newest location in Eau Claire, Pemberton has grown into one of Wisconsin’s most respected personal injury law firms, known for securing exceptional results while remaining deeply rooted in community values.

As a Best Place to Work, Pemberton continues to cultivate an environment where employees thrive, clients feel heard, and the community benefits from a firm that leads with integrity.

For those who have been injured or are seeking meaningful careers in law, Pemberton Personal
Injury Law Firm offers both compassion and opportunity.

Contact Information

• Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm
• Baraboo Office: 315 Broadway St, Suite 100, Baraboo, WI 53913
• Madison Office: 5609 Medical Cir, Suite 4, Madison, WI 53719
• Eau Claire Office: 221 W Madison St, Suite 104, Eau Claire, WI 54703
• Phone: 608-FIGHT-4U | Website: pembertonpi.com

MMSD Takes Steps to Modernize Math Instruction

MADISON, Wis.—The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is taking important steps to update its math curriculum and ensure all students receive a consistent, high-quality education in the subject.

District leaders and teachers have developed new math course pathways for four-year-old kindergarten (4K) through grade 12, and are set to begin selecting updated instructional materials for grades kindergarten through eight. The current materials have been in use for more than a decade and no longer reflect the latest standards or best practices for teaching and learning.

“By the time new materials are adopted, our current resources will have been in use for 11 years, which is beyond the typical curricular shelf life of seven years,” said Quinn Marx, director of K–8 math and science. “We are looking for a resource that is structured to embed equitable math teaching practices, including discourse routines that promote equity of voice and … a sense of agency for all students.”

The updated course pathways will help create greater alignment across all schools and ensure that every student, regardless of the school they attend, has opportunities to take higher-level math courses.

To support this work, MMSD has opened a Request for Proposals (RFP 4155) to review and select new K–8 math resources. The process will identify resources that meet state standards, promote understanding and fluency, and support the needs of all learners, including multilingual students and students with disabilities.

“Mindset matters, and how we engage in implementing any new materials is going to be critical to student success,” said Becky Kundert, senior executive director of curriculum and instruction. “We’ve learned a lot from our recent adoption of biliteracy and literacy curriculum [and] we have unpacking protocols and an internalization process that we use across all content areas. For this, we’ll leverage some of the practices that our staff already know well.”

New math materials are expected to be introduced in middle schools for the 2026–27 school year and in elementary schools for 2027–28, following an extensive review and evaluation process.

“This is a long-term investment in the future of math learning in Madison,” said Cindy Green, assistant superintendent of strategy and innovation. “We’re building systems that support teachers, empower students and make high-level math accessible for everyone.”

The Math Task Force, composed of teachers and district leaders, plans to make a recommendation to the Board of Education in February, with a formal vote on the new curriculum later that month.

For more information regarding mathematics instruction in the district, please visit the MMSD website.

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About the Madison Metropolitan School District

The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is the second-largest school district in Wisconsin, serving more than 25,000 students across 52 schools. The district’s vision is that every school will be a thriving school that prepares every student to graduate ready for college, career and community. With more than 6,000 teachers and staff, MMSD is committed to ensuring the district’s goals and core values are held at the center of its efforts, so students can learn, belong and thrive. For more information, visit mmsd.org.

Delayed SNAP Benefits Cause Significant Increases in Demand at Area Food Pantries

MADISON — Six of Dane County’s largest food pantries are already seeing the impacts of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) delays. SNAP, known as FoodShare in Wisconsin, provided benefits to nearly 65,000 people in Dane County in 2024. As America’s most extensive anti-hunger program, it gives out monthly government benefits to low-income households to help them purchase food. Even before SNAP benefits lapsed over the past weekend due to the federal government shutdown, many area food pantries began seeing increases as people turned to them to fill anticipated gaps. This comes on top of significant increases in demand that Dane County food pantries have already experienced over the last several years.

“The disruption to the SNAP program is already creating additional pressure as we enter our busiest time of year,” reports Rhonda Adams, Executive Director of The River Food Pantry. “The River provided nearly 500 grocery orders and over 900 take-home meals in a single day last week, even before benefits were delayed. That is our busiest day ever outside of a holiday week. We are bracing for a surge in need, both among current clients and families who have not been visiting a pantry. I spoke to people waiting for their groceries last week, and most worried about how they will replace the meals that FoodShare covered, even with the support available from local pantries.”

Other food pantries are also seeing significant increases in visitors. “Last Tuesday, we saw our highest number of customers ever in our food pantry,” said Goodman Community Center’s Director of Food Resources, Francesca Frisque. “This included a large number of new shoppers who had never visited our pantry before. The rest of the week continued to be high, and we anticipate more this week.”

Food pantries are bracing for hard weeks ahead. Yesterday in response to a federal judge’s order to release a contingency fund, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that this contingency fund would only cover $4.6 billion of November’s SNAP benefits, roughly half of what is typically distributed. No timeline was provided to when people would receive these benefits.

Despite these challenges, Dane County food pantries want to emphasize to community members impacted by the delay and partial payment of FoodShare benefits that they are prepared to do everything possible to ensure continued access to basic food. They are seeing firsthand the strain that the delay in benefits, along with the disruption and confusion from constantly changing information, is putting on families.

“People are worried. We’re hearing concern from both those who need help and those eager to offer it,” said Ann Maastricht, Executive Director of Sunshine Place. “Sunshine Place and our partner pantries across Dane County have food and support available, and together with community support, we are making sure everyone who needs help can get it.”

For now, food pantries are filling a critical gap. Although they can do this for a short time, food pantries can’t be the permanent solution. “Food pantries and SNAP are intended to work together to combat food insecurity,” said Chris Kane, Senior Director of Client Services at St. Vincent de Paul — Madison. “Food pantries cannot replace SNAP. According to Feeding America, for every one meal provided by food pantries, the SNAP program provides nine meals. That is too large a gap for the charitable sector to replace.”

Community members can give now to their local food pantry to make sure pantries continue to have food to meet the surge in demand. Even after the SNAP crisis ends, community support will still be important as we head into the holiday season. “Crisis or not, hunger doesn’t take a break,” said Marcia Kasieta, Business and Development Director at Badger Prairie Needs Network. “Even when SNAP funding begins to return, record-setting need will continue. And with more federal cuts on the horizon, even more vulnerable families will be affected. Dane County has one of the most organized and collaborative food pantry networks in the country — but we rely on the strength and generosity of our wider community to help lift our neighbors through tough times.”

Cash donations enable pantries to target their buying to the most-needed items and to purchase in bulk at lower prices than retail. Most pantries also accept donations of nonperishable food. Check your local food pantry’s website for more details about giving or to see information about volunteer needs they may have.

“WayForward Resources and other local pantries have already seen an incredible response from the community,” said Ellen Carlson, Executive Director of WayForward Resources. “Thank you. We appreciate the monetary and food donations, the offers to volunteer and the concern and support that have all come our way. It is essential. Please continue to partner with us during the delay and reduction in SNAP benefits–and into the future so that we can build a strong community together.”

About the Food Pantries:

About Badger Prairie Needs Network
Founded in 1986, Badger Prairie Needs Network (BPNN) is a volunteer-powered 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to end hunger and reduce poverty in Dane County. In addition to operating one of the region’s most collaborative food pantry and food recovery programs, BPNN offers a range of wrap-around community services including pro bono legal assistance, onsite social workers through Joining Forces for Families, a commercial kitchen, community meals, and job-training programs in partnership with the Latino Academy of Workforce Development. Demand for food assistance continues to reach historic levels. In 2025, BPNN is on pace to support more than 95,000 neighbors — nearly triple pre-pandemic levels. Learn more at bpnn.org.

About the Fritz Food Pantry at Goodman Community Center
Located on Madison’s east side, the Goodman Community Center strengthens lives and secures futures, through programs focusing on food security, older adults, children ages 3–19, and building community. The Fritz Food Pantry at the Goodman Community Center provides groceries for more than 350 households every week. We believe everyone should have access to a variety of healthy, fresh foods, regardless of their income level, and we’re proud to provide this valuable service to anyone in our community who needs it. The pantry is open three days a week and all are welcome. No pre-registration is required. Learn more at goodmancenter.org.

About The River Food Pantry
The River is South Central Wisconsin’s busiest food pantry. Services include free groceries for pickup or delivery, to-go meals, online grocery orders, mobile meals, and after-hours food lockers. The River also recovers food and resources—that would otherwise go to waste—from local retailers. Since 2006, The River has grown to serve over 3,500 people every week in pursuit of its vision: a fully nourished community. Learn more at www.riverfoodpantry.org.

About St. Vincent de Paul — Madison
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison is a membership organization dedicated to helping our neighbors in need. They offer services such as food, prescription medicine, clothing, furniture, household goods, storage lockers and guidance to neighbors in need. Seven St. Vinny’s Thrift Stores across Dane County help fund these services and provide direct charity through a furniture, household goods and clothing voucher program. St. Vincent de Paul — Madison is currently accepting new volunteers during their “Volunteers Are Magic” drive with Magic98. Please visit https://svdpmadison.org/event/magic98-volunteer-drive/ to learn more.

About Sunshine Place
Located in Sun Prairie, Sunshine Place is a community resource serving Dane County and surrounding areas. The nonprofit provides a one-stop shop for support, offering its own programs focused on food, housing, and basic needs, alongside co-located partner agencies that provide additional wraparound services. The largest of Sunshine Place’s programs is the Sun Prairie Food Pantry, a full-choice pantry open six days per week and serving households across Dane County and beyond. The pantry also provides community-based food distribution to children in Sun Prairie and nearby communities through neighborhood and school partnerships. Learn more at https://sunshineplace.org.

About WayForward Resources
WayForward Resources focuses on creating food security and housing stability. Located in Middleton, their food pantry and clothing center are open five days a week to anyone in Dane County. WayForward’s housing stability programs provide case management, referrals, and financial assistance to community members living in the Middleton-Cross Plains School District and part of the west side of Madison. Learn more at wayforwardresources.org.

MMSD Highlights Homelessness Awareness Month with Community Support Efforts

MADISON, Wis.—Throughout November, the Madison Metropolitan School District’s (MMSD) Transition Education Program (TEP) is recognizing Homelessness Awareness Month by inviting the community to support students and families experiencing housing instability.

For the 2024–25 school year, as many as 1,304 MMSD students and 141 non-school-aged children met the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act’s definition of “homeless”: those lacking a “fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.” That total represents approximately 5% of the district’s total enrollment, underscoring the scope of the challenge within the Madison community.

“Each of our students deserves stability, belonging and a sense of safety,” said Superintendent Dr. Joe Gothard. “Homelessness affects every aspect of a child’s well-being and education, and it’s our shared responsibility as a community to ensure every student has what they need to learn and thrive.”

As it does every year throughout November and December, MMSD is accepting donations of clothing and personal care items to help meet the needs of students and families. Requested items include hair and skin care products, laundry soap, body wash, deodorant, feminine hygiene items, toothpaste and toothbrushes, socks (any size), hair accessories, coats, boots, waterproof gloves and snow pants. Donations may be made at the Doyle Administration Building (545 W. Dayton St.) or at individual schools across Madison.

Later this month, MMSD also plans to create a visual representation of the students and families who have experienced homelessness in the past year. The display will be located outside the Doyle building, and will serve as a reminder that housing instability affects children and families throughout our community.

“Homelessness can look different for every family, but what remains constant is the need for care and connection,” said Jani Koester, TEP resource teacher. “The display will represent real students, each with their own story, resilience and hope. Our goal is to make sure every one of them feels seen, supported and valued.”

TEP supports students and families experiencing homelessness throughout the school year. Community members interested in contributing to its ongoing donation center or learning more are encouraged to contact tep@madison.k12.wi.us.

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About the Madison Metropolitan School District

The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is the second-largest school district in Wisconsin, serving more than 25,000 students across 52 schools. The district’s vision is that every school will be a thriving school that prepares every student to graduate ready for college, career and community. With more than 6,000 teachers and staff, MMSD is committed to ensuring the district’s goals and core values are held at the center of its efforts, so students can learn, belong and thrive. For more information, visit mmsd.org.