Oakwood Village Prairie Ridge campus marks 25 years of meeting needs in Madison

State, county and local leaders gathered at Oakwood Village’s Prairie Ridge campus on Wednesday, July 30 to mark a quarter century for this community that serves older adults.

In 2000, longtime local nonprofit Oakwood Village responded to growing demand with the launch of a new continuing care community, on an 18-acre site 10 miles east of downtown Madison. Oakwood Village Prairie Ridge has expanded in the years since, and now offers nearly 300 apartments, multiple stages of assisted living support, memory care, and skilled nursing. Residents also enjoy a gym, salon, outdoor spaces, a volunteer-run store, and multiple restaurants.

Dane County Executive Melissa Agard, Congressman Mark Pocan, and Madison Deputy Mayor Katie Crawley joined Oakwood leadership and residents for a joyful celebration in the campus’ Tree of Life Chapel. A highlight was the multiple residents in attendance who have lived at Prairie Ridge since its founding.

“Over the past quarter century, this campus has served as a cornerstone for countless families across Dane County,” Agard said. “… As County Executive, I’m especially grateful for partners like Oakwood Village, who share in our mission of building a Dane County where everyone can thrive.”

President and CEO Jan Hamilton-Crawford emphasized that Prairie Ridge is more than just buildings: It’s a living community of laughter, friendships, dedicated caregivers, and peaceful surroundings, a place where dignity and independence take center stage. The ceremony was a chance not just to reflect on the past, she said, but to renew a commitment to a future that prioritizes well-being and happiness.

“I am grateful today that our community, this greater Madison area, gets to have such a beautiful facility that continues to understand the needs of our community and the needs of the residents who come here,” Joy Mortensen-Wiebe, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America South Central Synod, said in a recorded message for those in attendance.

About Oakwood Village

Oakwood Village is a nonprofit, continuing care community with two campuses in Madison, Wisconsin. For over 75 years, this community has helped older adults lead lives of personal growth, happiness, health, and security.

Dupaco Foundation awards $250,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations

DUBUQUE, Iowa – The Dupaco Foundation awarded $250,000 in grants to 35 nonprofit organizations across Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin.

Support provided through the Nonprofit Grant Program will make a direct impact in the following areas:

• Affordable housing and homeownership
• Upskilling and reskilling
• Small business development

“The Dupaco Foundation board believes that strong communities are built through opportunity, equity and collaboration,” said Joe Hearn, Dupaco Foundation Secretary and President/CEO of Dupaco Community Credit Union.

“These grants are more than financial support – they’re investments in people, in potential and in the future of our region. We’re proud to stand alongside these nonprofits as they create lasting impact.”

The 2025 grant recipients are tackling some of the region’s most pressing challenges—from housing insecurity to workforce development—by delivering innovative, community-rooted solutions. Together, these organizations serve thousands of individuals and families, helping to build stronger, more resilient communities.

2025 Dupaco Foundation Nonprofit Grant Awardees:

• Bluff Strokes Art Center, Dubuque, IA – $5,000
• Catherine McAuley Center, Cedar Rapids, IA – $10,000
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Dubuque, IA – $5,000
• Christian Community Development (DBA House of Hope), Waterloo, IA – $5,000
• Common Wealth Development, Madison, WI – $5,000
• Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, Dubuque, IA – $20,000
• Community Solutions of Eastern Iowa (CSEI), Dubuque, IA – $5,000
• Dubuque Community YMCA Crisis Services Shelter, Dubuque, IA – $5,000
• Dubuque St. Vincent de Paul, Dubuque, IA – $5,000
• Feed Iowa First, Cedar Rapids, IA – $20,000
• Four Mounds Foundation-HEART Partnership, Dubuque, IA – $10,000
• Four Oaks Family and Children’s Services, Cedar Rapids, IA – $10,000
• Friends of St. Mary’s (DBA Steeple Square), Dubuque, IA – $5,000
• Friends of the Family, Waterloo, IA – $5,000
• Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity, Des Moines, IA – $5,000
• Hills & Dales, Dubuque, IA – $10,000
• Hope Community Development Association (Hope CDA), Cedar Rapids, IA – $10,000
• Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity, Waterloo, IA – $10,000
• Key City Creative Center, Dubuque, IA – $5,000
• Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI), Des Moines, IA – $5,000
• Madison Northside Planning Council, Inc., Madison, WI – $5,000
• NewBo City Market, Cedar Rapids, IA – $5,000
• Oakridge Neighborhood Services, Des Moines, IA – $5,000
• ONE Cedar Valley, Waterloo, IA – $5,000
• One City United, Waterloo, IA – $10,000
• Operation Empower, Dubuque, IA – $5,000
• Operation Fresh Start, Madison, WI – $5,000
• Presentation Lantern Center, Dubuque, IA – $10,000
• Project IOWA, Des Moines, IA – $5,000
• Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Foundation, Inc., Fennimore, IA – $10,000
• The Arc of East Central Iowa, Cedar Rapids, IA – $5,000
• The Dream Center, Iowa City, IA – $5,000
• The Fountain of Youth Program, Dubuque, IA – $5,000
• The Iowa Center, Des Moines, IA – $5,000
• United Way of Dane County, Madison, WI – $5,000

The Foundation board reviewed 115 applications from nonprofit organizations designated as 501(c)3 public charities. Proposals were evaluated on several factors, including program alignment with the foundation’s focus areas, how the plan addresses the need, potential for measurable outcomes and impact.

This marks the second year of the Dupaco Foundation Nonprofit Grant, which awarded $250,000 to 29 organizations in 2024. Since its inception in 2012, the Dupaco Foundation has distributed over $3.2 million in grant funding throughout Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin.

Information regarding the 2026 cycle of the Dupaco Foundation Nonprofit Grant program will be available in early 2026. To learn more about the Dupaco Foundation and its impact, visit www.dupaco.com/ways-we-give.

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ABOUT DUPACO FOUNDATION:
Dupaco R.W. Hoefer Foundation, also known as Dupaco Foundation (the “Foundation”), is a tax-exempt private foundation described in Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). The Foundation is a separate legal entity from Dupaco Community Credit Union (the “Credit Union”) and is governed by its own Board of Directors and officers. The Foundation was established in 2011 to honor the retirement of 47-year employee and long-time Dupaco Community Credit Union President and CEO, Robert W. “Bob” Hoefer. The Foundation is designed to carry on the Bob Hoefer tradition of providing personal financial assistance and coaching to help hardworking and financially prudent people recover from unforeseen life events and to increase their opportunities for financial stability. Learn more at www.dupaco.com/foundation.

More MMSD Students Taking, Passing AP Courses Than Ever

MADISON, Wis.—Students across the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) achieved record levels of success on Advanced Placement (AP) exams this year, reflecting steady growth in both participation and performance.

This spring, 2,043 MMSD high schoolers completed a total of 4,521 AP exams, reflecting a 10.7% rise in student participation and an 18.9% increase in total exams taken over the previous year. Even more impressive: 80.2% of students scored a 3 or higher, up from 76% the year before. The average exam score also climbed from 3.40 to 3.54, out of a maximum score of 5.

“These are the strongest AP results we’ve seen to date, and they’re evidence of what’s possible when high expectations are paired with high levels of support,” said Tim Peterson, MMSD’s director of assessment. “Our students are continuing to take on academic challenges, and they’re delivering. That speaks volumes about their drive to achieve, as well the commitment of MMSD teachers and school leaders to their success.”

AP courses are designed to reflect the rigor of introductory college classes. Students who score a 3 or higher may earn college credit or advanced standing, depending on the policies of the colleges they attend. Participation alone has also been linked to improved postsecondary enrollment and persistence.

The sustained upward trends are the result of both student effort and years of intentional work to expand access across the district’s comprehensive high schools.

“More students are seeing AP as an option that belongs to them,” Peterson added. “We’ve invested in outreach, academic coaching and AVID, and it’s making a difference. Our educators have built a foundation that allows students from all backgrounds to succeed in these courses.”

MMSD offers a wide range of AP classes across its high schools, covering subjects in math, science, English, history and music theory, among others. The district has also partnered with schools to remove barriers to entry and to ensure that historically underrepresented students are supported throughout their AP experience.

Families interested in learning more about Advanced Placement offerings are encouraged to review course catalogs on their high school’s website or speak with their school counselor.

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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.

New Research Reveals Opportunity for Energy Planning Today to Prevent Energy Cost Increases and Disproportionate Cost Burdens

The study is published in the latest edition of the journal Nature: Scientific Reports. Read the online version of this press release here.

BOSTON – July 29, 2025 – A new study published Sunday in Scientific Reports, a Nature Portfolio journal, analyzes the relationship between increasing building electrification and the energy burden for the remaining gas utility customers over time. Whether building electrification is market-driven or policy-driven, this analysis is intended to support energy regulators and planners in proactively considering and avoiding the worst-case scenarios. The study, “Effects of uncoordinated electrification on energy burdens for natural gas customers,” introduces a novel framework to quantify these affordability risks, with relevance for policymakers and communities nationwide. The paper was authored by Jaime Garibay-Rodriguez, Morgan R. Edwards, and Ann F. Fink from the University of Wisconsin, and Zeyneb Magavi of HEET, a thermal energy innovation institute.

The research highlights that who chooses electrification (and when) significantly impacts the bills of those who remain in the gas system. The affordability impacts are starkly different for (1) an approach with the wealthiest electrifying first, (2) an approach with the lowest-income electrifying first, or (3) an approach that is random. Ongoing investment in natural gas infrastructure through pipeline replacement amplifies this challenge and, coupled with an uncoordinated approach to electrification, significantly increases the financial burden on the progressively fewer remaining gas customers. This analysis demonstrates that state energy regulators have a window of opportunity to mitigate these impacts through policy and proactive planning and that whether building electrification is market-driven or policy-driven, the presence of an existing gas utility indicates a need for policy interventions to ensure a managed or coordinated transition.

Key Findings from the Study:

• Potential for Rising Energy Burdens: Analyzing existing Massachusetts data and policies without further proposed policy interventions, if higher-income households electrify first, the number of energy-burdened households currently in the gas system (spending at least 6% of income on energy) could increase from 411,000 currently to peak at 540,000 households by 2040 due to rising gas system infrastructure costs per customer.
• Potential for Significant Bill Increases: With approximately 45% of households electrified, those with gas utility service that do not electrify could face a similar average increase in energy bills over the next 15 years due to rising gas infrastructure costs per customer, relative to current costs. This figure can escalate to 60% in Massachusetts and 36-105% nationally (for the top 50 utilities with leak-prone infrastructure) when gas system infrastructure investments such as pipeline replacement programs occur simultaneously with increasing building electrification.
• Disproportionate Risk for Vulnerable Communities: The study found that leak-prone natural gas infrastructure and planned pipeline replacements are currently disproportionately located in Massachusetts communities with a higher representation of low-income households and renters. These groups can therefore be seen as at greater risk of being locked into costly natural gas systems and facing increased energy burdens. Alternately, this geographic distribution could also potentially present a greater opportunity for addressing affordability risk through strategic redirection of infrastructure investment.
• National Implications: Across the U.S., for the 37 million households served by the top 50 gas utilities with leak-prone pipelines, the number of energy-burdened households could rise from 7.7 million today to 8.8 million under the combined policy of uncoordinated electrification and pipeline replacement.

“Our findings highlight the importance of coordinating the transition to building electrification, particularly during the period when existing energy systems, such as natural gas, will continue to operate alongside new electric systems like heat pumps,” said Garibay-Rodriguez, lead study author and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin’s Climate Action Lab. “Policymakers face a difficult challenge because much of the aging and failing infrastructure, such as gas distribution pipelines, has exceeded its useful life, requiring major investments to keep it operating safely and efficiently. This challenge is particularly relevant given the ongoing energy affordability issues facing energy-burdened households.” 

“Massachusetts offers a compelling case study,” notes Edwards, Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin and leader of the Climate Action Lab. “It has a long track record of leadership in energy policy and a wealth of policy-relevant data available to support studies like this. HEET has been an invaluable research partner in this work and a leader in compiling and publishing open data that makes studies like this one possible.”

“Our country has a long tradition of successful energy transitions. No one in my town still thinks we should be using whale oil or coal in our homes. That said, whale oil was not a regulated utility so this paper highlights a pretty novel question. What happens when an energy transition drives customers off of existing utility infrastructure? Can we maintain affordability for customers on both sides of this kind of transition?” said Magavi, the Executive Director of HEET. “The University of Wisconsin team has produced a useful framework to help us think that out ahead of time.”

The paper emphasizes that prioritizing early electrification for lower income households is helpful in mitigating immediate burdens, but does not fully address the long-term risks of a utility death spiral that could render the gas system financially unsustainable. The utility death spiral is a cycle in which declining gas demand leads to higher rates for remaining customers, driving more customers to leave the gas system. The findings suggest that an effective heating energy transition will require coordinated, neighborhood-scale strategies that proactively manage the high fixed costs of legacy infrastructure. This could involve prioritized electrification in areas with aging gas infrastructure and innovative policy solutions that address the interdependencies between gas and electricity systems.

The full paper can be found at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09543-5 

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About the University of Wisconsin
The Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is a leading academic institution in improving the design, implementation, and evaluation of public policy and the practice of governance. The school began as the Center for the Study of Public Policy and Administration at UW–Madison in 1967 as part of the Department of Political Science. In 1983, the Wisconsin Legislature formally separated the center from the Department of Political Science. The school officially opened in 1984, now named after Robert M. La Follette, the former Wisconsin governor and U.S. senator who is regarded as one of the most celebrated figures in the state’s history. Today, the La Follette School offers domestic and international master’s degrees in public affairs as well as certificates for undergraduate students. La Follette School faculty, alumni, students, and staff extend the practice of the Wisconsin Idea across the state and around the world through research and outreach that inspires evidence-based policymaking, impacts society’s pressing problems, and advances the public good.

About HEET
HEET is a nonprofit focused on thermal energy innovation institute driven systems change. Founded in 2008, HEET works to find practical solutions to the complex problems humanity faces – beginning with our own homes. How we keep our homes comfortable in an affordable, safe, and sustainable way matters. In 2017 HEET proposed the first gas utility thermal energy network, which today has launched a growing new global industry. We believe in an affordable, safe, and ethical energy system that meets the needs of all, from low-income communities to gas utility workers to future generations. For more information, visit https://www.heet.org/.

Oak Bank Celebrates 25 Years of Growing Dane County

A Quarter-Century of Local Commitment, Trusted Relationships, and Community Impact

Madison, WI — In a financial world defined by automation and consolidation, Oak Bank in Fitchburg is proudly celebrating 25 years of doing business differently—by staying personal, local, and deeply connected to the Dane County community.

Since opening in 2000, Oak Bank has chosen to grow not by adding branches, but by building relationships. With a single location in Fitchburg, the bank has become a trusted financial partner for hundreds of local businesses and families—proving that success doesn’t require scale, but sincerity.

“It’s really not about the number of branches,” says executive chairman and founder Bob Gorsuch. “It’s about the people who stick around, develop strong relationships, and get involved in their communities.”

That belief has guided Oak Bank’s approach for 25 years. While many banks expanded regionally or merged into larger corporations, Oak Bank stayed rooted in Dane County. The result: a half-a-billion-dollar institution built on trust, accessibility, and personalized service.

“When you call us, you talk to a real person—someone who knows your name and your business,” says Oak Bank President & CEO Terry Taylor. “That’s not a tagline—it’s our culture. Oak Bank is powered by people who live here, care about this community, and show up for it every day. That’s what makes us different, and it’s what makes this 25-year milestone so meaningful.”

Oak Bank’s mission goes well beyond banking. Its team members are actively involved in local nonprofits, schools, libraries, and neighborhood initiatives. From sponsoring park programs to volunteering in community events, Oak Bank doesn’t just serve the area—it strengthens it.

“When we started, we saw so much potential in Fitchburg,” Gorsuch reflects. “We wanted to serve that area with a unique focus on relationships and problem-solving. And once we proved that model, we were able to serve clients throughout Dane County and beyond, with just one branch.”

Today, Oak Bank is a proud cornerstone of Dane County’s business community—a steady partner through change, a supporter of local growth, and a reflection of what’s possible when you put people first.

Stop by their lobby on August 14th for a sweet treat to celebrate their milestone and see for yourself.

About Oak Bank
Founded in 2000 and located in Fitchburg, Oak Bank is a full-service community bank serving individuals and businesses throughout Dane County. With a people-first philosophy and a commitment to personalized, relationship-based banking, Oak Bank has built a legacy of trust, integrity, and impact over 25 years. Visit www.oak.bank to learn more.

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