Wisconsin Union Will Begin Phased Reopening of the Memorial Union Terrace on June 22

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE          

Contact Information:
Shauna Breneman, Wisconsin Union
Phone: (608) 262-8862
Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu

WISCONSIN UNION WILL BEGIN PHASED REOPENING OF THE MEMORIAL UNION TERRACE ON JUNE 22

MADISON – The Wisconsin Union’s Memorial Union Terrace, the largest outdoor restaurant in Madison, will begin a phased reopening on June 22 with new protocols to ensure patrons and team members can practice physical distancing and follow other health guidance related to COVID-19.

During the initial reopening on-site restaurant operations, University of Wisconsin-Madison students, staff and faculty, Wisconsin Union members, Wisconsin Alumni Association members, and active duty U.S. service members can make a 1 ½ hour reservation for a dining area at the Terrace at no extra cost. Other patrons can purchase a $5 one-day pass to make a reservation. In this initial phase of reopening, the Terrace will operate at no more than 25 percent capacity. One ID or guest pass is needed per reservation.

All community members and visitors can purchase an annual or lifetime Wisconsin Union membership. Membership prices begin at $55 for an annual membership. Wisconsin Union membership and purchases at Memorial Union help support the Union’s ability to provide experiences, facilities and services as well as student leadership opportunities.

Patrons can reserve seating at the Terrace through OpenTable and order food and beverages to enjoy on-site through Grubhub. Food and beverages will be delivered to patrons dining on-site. The reserved spaces will be open daily 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., weather-permitting.

A patron can make a dining reservation beginning at 9 a.m. the day of a planned visit. Reservations will only be accepted for the current day. Each reservation will be for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

“We are beginning a thoughtful, phased reopening that includes a reduced capacity to allow for physical distancing, cashless operations and other safety and health measures,” said Mark Guthier, associate vice chancellor for student affairs and Wisconsin Union director. “We look forward to welcoming more guests back ideally later this summer.”

Tables on the Terrace will be at least six feet apart. Patrons are asked to not alter tables’ or chairs’ placements. Patrons and team members are also expected to follow physical distancing guidelines whenever possible.

The Wisconsin Union will practice many additional safety protocols in light of COVID-19, including the removal of self-service areas, the requirement that all employees wear gloves and masks, the availability of additional hand sanitizing stations, not permitting outside food or beverages, and scheduled cleanings of seating areas between reservations.

The Wisconsin Union’s custodial team members have received training regarding pathogen cleaning, including how to correctly sanitize and clean potential biohazards. Union cleaning protocols include frequent cleaning of high touch areas, such as doors, sinks and tabletops.

Temporary fencing near the Terrace will remain in place until further notice to help ensure adherence to capacity guidelines and the availability of seating areas for those with reservations. Interior spaces in Memorial Union will remain closed until further notice. During their reservations, customers can access some interior restrooms.

The Wisconsin Union team will continue to offer pick-up food and beverage items from Union South and Memorial Union through Meals To-Go.

In determining when and how the next phase of reopening will occur, the Wisconsin Union will work with campus leadership and take into consideration public health guidance and how the initial phase of reopening proceeds. The Wisconsin Union team is assessing potential Terrace season programming.

For more than 110 years, the Wisconsin Union has welcomed Union members; UW-Madison students, staff, and faculty; and guests to enjoy experiences for a lifetime. The Terrace has been part of the Wisconsin Union experience for more than 90 years.

Those interested in learning more about Terrace season may visit terracesummer.com.

-###-

About the Wisconsin Union

The Wisconsin Union enhances the lives of members and visitors through recreational, cultural, educational and social opportunities. Formed in 1907, the Wisconsin Union is a membership organization that blends study and leisure to create unique out-of-classroom opportunities. Learn more about the Union and its tradition of providing experiences for a lifetime: union.wisc.edu.

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/about/news/terrace-2020. 

Per Mar Expands Security Services

Contact:
Cassondra Billingsley, Per Mar Security Services, 563-549-6635

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2020

Per Mar Expands Security Services

DAVENPORT, Iowa – Per Mar Security Services, a leading provider of total security solutions for residential and commercial clients based in Davenport, IA, has expanded its commercial security services to adapt to the needs of clients due to COVID-19.

“I am proud of the team to quickly adapt to the COVID-19 challenges we all face in order to bring to market these products which provide a safer environment for our clients, their customers and employees,” said Chris Edwards, President of Per Mar’s Electronic Security Division. “We were asked to deliver a combination of technology and physical security solutions to meet the needs of our customers and we have done exactly that.”

New security services include temperature checks and pre-screenings by Security Officers, thermal imaging cameras, and integrated security. Per Mar Security Officers are also handing out masks at the doors of retailers. The new service offerings are detailed below.

Per Mar’s New Commercial Security Services:

• Temperature Checks & Pre-screenings

Prior to staff, customers, and visitors entering a building, Security Officers can:

• Administer pre-screening questions.
  • Take temperature readings.
  • Enforce sanitizing protocols that have been put in place like offering masks, gloves and hand sanitizer.

• Thermal Imaging Cameras

Per Mar uses an Elevated Body Temperature Detection System that provides fast, accurate mass screening for elevated temperatures. The system is non-invasive, non-contact, and fast. If a temperature is detected over the threshold allowed, an alert will be sent to the appropriate person to act on it. The system also allows clients to set up custom messages to tell the person with a high temp what to do. 

• Integrated Security

This affordable solution efficiently expands a company’s security coverage by combining monitored intelligent video technology, which has the ability to use a business’s existing cameras and infrastructure, with Per Mar’s uniformed Security Officers. When Per Mar’s intelligent video technology is triggered, live video goes direct to Per Mar’s Monitoring center and on-site Security Officer(s), allowing both to see the unauthorized access in real time. If there is a real threat, an on-site Security Officer can respond right away, and the Monitoring Center agent can immediately dispatch authorities to the location.

In addition to offering new security services, Per Mar has also adapted to the changing landscape by offering free, virtual security consultations for homes and businesses as well as social distanced, in-person security consultations.

About Per Mar Security Services

Established in 1953, Per Mar Security Services is the largest, family-owned, full-service security company in the Midwest with more than 2,400 team members, operating in 23 branch locations. The company provides full-service security solutions for homes and businesses including security officer services, smart home automation, burglar and fire alarms, access control, security cameras, alarm monitoring, investigative services and background checks. For more information about Per Mar Security Services, please visit permarsecurity.com.

Goodman Community Center Executive Director departing

Madison, WI June 12, 2020 – After more than 31 years of dynamic leadership, Becky Steinhoff has decided to step down as Executive Director of the Goodman Community Center.

“The board of directors will forever be grateful for her vision and dedication that gave our community this great gift,” said GCC Board President Souphaphone Maddox. “Under Becky’s leadership, the Center has grown from a small neighborhood center into a beautiful and important resource the greater Madison area cherishes. People from all walks of life and all ages come for programs, services and resources that make their lives – and our community – stronger.”

Read more

Timpano Group launches survey project to explore workforce strategies beyond the pandemic

Contact: Melanie Schmidt, Timpano Group president, mschmidt@timpanogroup.com, 608-695-7320

Madison, WI – June 12, 2020 – Timpano Group has joined forces with Blue Rock WI to explore workforce strategies through and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The project is designed to gather insights from employers and employees about reactions to the pandemic, impressions about remote working as a viable path for progress, and general opinions about what should shape new norms in management.

The project involves surveys open for public input through June 22, interviews, and secondary research. Data gathered will be distilled into an informational report available free for interested parties across sectors, sizes, and industries at the end of the month.

Links to the surveys can be found at https://bit.ly/workbeyondcovid. Responses are confidential and anonymous.

Timpano Group Chief Strategist Melanie Schmidt shared that the project was borne from a perceived gap in actionable information from which organizations could figure out their particular path forward. “We want to move beyond platitudes and surface strategies that can inform better ways of innovating organizational performance,” said Schmidt. “That kind of constructive innovation means asking people working in organizations how they would do things differently based upon what they’ve learned and experienced in the last several months.” Schmidt continued by asserting that the pandemic shone a spotlight on challenges already existing in organizations and this project will provide inspiration for organizations needing to move beyond the pandemic response.

For more information, contact Melanie Schmidt at insights@timpanogroup.com or via phone at (608) 695-7320.

About Timpano Group: Timpano Group is a creative consultancy focused on helping organizations align their strategies, systems, people, and processes to achieve intended results. President and Chief Strategist Melanie Schmidt facilitates progress for her clients across sectors in organizations of varying sizes and interests. She lends particular expertise in strategic thinking, practical planning, talent management, and change leadership. More information is available online at www.timpanogroup.com.

WPS Health Solutions partners with TriWest Healthcare Alliance to begin health care delivery in VA Community Care Network Region 4

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
DeAnne Boegli, Director of Communications
608-977-7343
deanne.boegli@wpsic.com

WPS Health Solutions partners with TriWest Healthcare Alliance to begin health care delivery in VA Community Care Network Region 4

MADISON, Wis.—June 11, 2020—WPS Health Solutions has joined TriWest Healthcare Alliance in beginning health care delivery under the new Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Care Network (CCN) in Region 4, encompassing 13 western U.S. states. WPS is a subcontractor, providing claims processing services for the contract.

Health care delivery began June 8 in Montana and Eastern Colorado and will expand to 11 more states by the end of August 2020.

“WPS is pleased to be able to continue to support our veterans, TriWest, and the Department of Veterans Affairs with the highest level of service,” said Rani Connely, Vice President for WPS Military and Veterans Health.

The Region 4 team at WPS consists of about 350 people, including remote claims processors and staff in West Frankfort, Ill., and Rothschild, Wis., along with business and technology staff in Madison.

The Community Care Network (CCN), created by the MISSION Act of 2018, is a network of credentialed community health care providers that work with VA medical professionals. The purpose of CCN is to help ensure veterans are provided the care they need when they are unable to receive that care at a VA medical facility. CCN is designed to strengthen partnerships with community care providers, ensure robust care coordination, and improve veterans’ access to health care they have earned through their service.

Once fully implemented by late August 2020, CCN will replace the Patient-Centered Community Care (PC3) Program as the preferred national network VA uses to purchase care for veterans in their community. TriWest’s current network serves as a critical bridge until CCN is fully deployed to ensure veterans continue to receive the care they need.

“VA deserves enormous credit for its collaboration and steadfast approach in staying focused on the tasks at hand in launching the new community care network despite the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said David J. McIntyre Jr., TriWest President and CEO.

For more information, please visit: www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE

About WPS Health Solutions

WPS Health Solutions is a nationally regarded government contractor and a leading Wisconsin not-for-profit health insurer. The WPS Health Insurance division offers affordable health plans and benefits administration. The WPS Government Health Administrators division administers Part A and B Medicare benefits for millions of seniors in multiple states, and the WPS Military and Veterans Health division serves millions more members who are active in the U.S. military, veterans, and their families. Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPS Health Solutions) has been based in Madison, Wis., for more than 70 years. For more information, please visit wpshealthsolutions.com.