SBCP and Monona Bank host Crop Insurance Info Meetings Jan. 26 & Feb. 9-10

January 18, 2023, EVANSVILLE, Wisconsin— The deadline to purchase or make changes to crop insurance for the 2023 growing season is March 15. To help local farmers fully understand their options, State Bank of Cross Plains (SBCP) and Monona Bank – combining in February to become Lake Ridge Bank – invite farmers to attend one of three Crop Insurance Info Meetings held in late January and early February:

Thursday, January 26
Begins @ 10 AM
Rex’s Innkeeper, 301 N. Century Ave.
Waunakee

Thursday, February 9
Begins @ 10 AM
Johnson Tractor, 1110 US 14
Janesville

Friday, February 10
Begins @ 10 AM
Koning event Center, N3051 WI 81
Monroe

This is a FREE public event. You do not need to be a customer of State Bank of Cross Plains or Monona Bank to participate. A complimentary lunch will be served after each presentation, and all attendees will be entered into a drawing to win a Grain Moisture Tester, valued at $200.

Space is limited, so anyone interested should visit sbcp.bank/crop-meetings or call 608-835-1248 to reserve a spot.

The meetings will be hosted by crop insurance specialists Jessica Sarbacker, Heather Golz, Rachel McDonald, Emily DeLong, and Lisa Runnels. Topics covered at each meeting include:

• FSA Updates: What is new in government programs?

• 2023 Crop Insurance and Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) Updates: Tips for evaluating your coverage as the cost to grow a crop continues to rise.

• Lake Ridge Bank tools for farmers, along with an overview of interest rates.

• What does the merger mean to you? As SBCP and Monona Bank become Lake Ridge Bank, learn about what changes, what stays the same, and what new benefits will be introduced.

In addition, each meeting will feature a local expert to discuss current ag industry topics: Yahara Pride Farms in Waunakee, Farmers on the Rock in Janesville, and Badger State Ethanol in Monroe.

“Like most business owners, farmers appreciate guidance on how to best tailor benefits to fit their unique needs,” says Sarbacker, who leads the bank’s crop insurance team. “The program options can be overwhelming, so we are here to answer questions, share insights, and help farmers determine the best path forward for their farm business.”

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In February 2023, State Bank of Cross Plains and Monona Bank will merge to form Lake Ridge Bank, offering a full range of business and personal financial services, including business, real estate, agricultural, and consumer lending; crop insurance; wealth management; and financial advisory services. For more information, visit lakeridge.bank.

For additional information, please contact Mark Schellpfeffer at 608-223-5141.

Wisconsin Union: Music Virtuosos Geneva Lewis, Evren Ozel Will Perform Program Spanning Centuries and Continents Jan. 27 at Memorial Union

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 18, 2022

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

DOWNLOAD PHOTOS: https://www.genevalewisviolinist.com/copy-of-media-1.

READ RELEASE ONLINE: union.wisc.edu/about/news/geneva-lewis.

MUSIC VIRTUOSOS GENEVA LEWIS, EVREN OZEL WILL PERFORM PROGRAM SPANNING CENTURIES AND CONTINENTS JAN. 27 AT MEMORIAL UNION

MADISON – Pure, honest, remarkable and from the heart — these words have been used to describe the artistry of violinist Geneva Lewis. She will perform with pianist Evren Ozel on Jan. 27 at 7:30 p.m. CST at Shannon Hall in Memorial Union as part of the Wisconsin Union Theater’s Concert Series.

Patrons can purchase virtual and in-person tickets online, by phone at (608) 265-2787 or in person at the Memorial Union Box Office. Wisconsin Union members, guests under the age of 18, and University of Wisconsin–Madison students, staff and faculty are eligible for discounted tickets.

The program will feature the following compositions:

• Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 7 by Fazil Say
• Violin Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 96 by Ludwig van Beethoven
• Violin Sonata by Douglas Lilburn
• Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1, Sz. 75 by Béla Bartók

Lewis has become known in part for the incorporation of contemporary and lesser-known artists in her performances, both of which are reflected in the Jan. 27 program. For instance, while Lilburn is an influential composer and famous music figure in New Zealand, musicians rarely perform Lilburn’s music outside of New Zealand. And the program spans centuries of compositions, ranging from 1812 to 1997.

Audience members will hear her perform the program on a c. 1770 Zosimo Bergonzi violin on loan from the Guarneri Hall NFP and Darnton and Hersh Fine Violins.

This dynamic artist has captivated audiences since the age of 11 with a career that includes performing with ensembles around the world, such as the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.

In an interview with the American Symphony Orchestra, Lewis said, “I just really want to make art that I believe in, and I want to connect with people and hopefully just share a lot of experiences through that music.”

Joining Lewis for this performance, Ozel began studying music at the age of 3, before most children even learn to read when his father discovered that the artist had perfect pitch. Hailing from the Midwest, this gifted, internationally renowned artist now performs with creativity and passion around the globe, earning praise for his smooth and engaging artistry and countless recognitions.

Ozel’s awards include scholarships from the Chopin Foundation of the United States and YoungArts Foundation, 1st prize at the Boston Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, and 2nd prize at the Thomas and Evon Cooper International Competition.

Audience members will have the opportunity to experience his precise and passionate musical interpretations as he performs on the Wisconsin Union Theater’s historic Steinway Concert Grand Piano.

“The performance by Geneva Lewis and Evren Ozel promises to be nothing short of captivating with its bringing together of these two chamber music stars,” Wisconsin Union Theater Director Elizabeth Snodgrass said.

The Wisconsin Union Theater also invites the public to a free studio class featuring Geneva Lewis on Jan. 26 from 1-2:30 p.m. The team will provide additional details here.

Additional Wisconsin Union Theater 2022-23 season performances include PILOBOLUS Big Five-OH! on Feb. 1; Imani Winds on Feb. 5; Cécile McLorin Salvant on Feb. 7; Samara Joy on Feb. 16; Immanuel Wilkins on March 25; Anthony McGill with the UW-Madison Symphony Orchestra on April 4; and the Danish String Quartet on April 18.

The Wisconsin Union’s Wisconsin Union Theater co-presents its season with the UW–Madison student-led Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) Performing Arts Committee in a continuation of a decades-long performing arts collaboration and student leadership effort.

Patrons can click here to learn more about the Jan. 27 performance by Lewis and Ozel.

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About the Wisconsin Union Theater

For more than 80 years, the Wisconsin Union Theater has served as a center for cultural activity in the heart of the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. The Theater hosts performances in multiple locations, including Memorial Union, and has an extensive history of remarkable performances. The Wisconsin Union Theater is committed to social justice and works to create an equitable, diverse, and inclusive place for all who engage with the Theater’s programming, events, and activities. The Wisconsin Union Theater is part of the Wisconsin Union, a membership organization that blends study and leisure to create unique out-of-classroom opportunities. Learn more: union.wisc.edu/wisconsin-union-theater.

About the Wisconsin Union Directorate Performing Arts Committee

The Wisconsin Union Directorate Performing Arts Committee is part of the Wisconsin Union’s leadership development program for UW–Madison students and supports the Wisconsin Union Theater’s mission of serving students through the performing arts. By helping to program the Theater’s annual season of performing arts presentations, the students learn about program curation, relationship-building, marketing, communications, budgeting, and production. Learn more: union.wisc.edu/get-involved/wud/performing-arts.

Agrace: January 2022 Update

Volunteers Needed for Agrace Adult Day Center

Volunteers are needed to provide companionship to clients at the Agrace Adult Day Center. Agrace will host orientation for new volunteers Thursday, February 9, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at its Madison campus. Pre-registration is required. To register, call (608) 327-7163 or visit Agrace.org/Volunteer and fill out an application.

Agrace Offers Grief Support Group Options in February

In February, Agrace is offering professionally led, in-person and virtual (accessible with a tablet, computer or smartphone) grief support options.

• Spouse/Partner Loss Support is a grief support group series for adults whose spouse or partner has died. The six-week series meets Thursdays, February 2 to March 9, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Agrace Grief Support Center. The eight-week series meets Fridays, February 3 to March 24, from 10 a.m. to noon. Pre-registration is required.

• Bridges is for adults grieving the death of any loved one. Meetings are held every other Wednesday at the Agrace Grief Support Center. In February, meetings are February 1 and 15, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Pre-registration is required for each session.

• Bridges (virtual) is for adults grieving the death of any loved one. Meetings are held every other Wednesday. In February, meetings are February 8 and 25, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. via Zoom. Pre-registration is required for each session.

There is no fee for these programs if a participant’s family member was in hospice care in the past 12 months; fees for others can be lowered or waived, if needed. Pre-registration is required; call (608) 327-7118 with questions or to register.

Get Expert Customized Grief Support—by Text

Agrace now offers thoughtful, customized text messages from a service called Help Texts. It’s free and you can sign up even if you are also receiving grief support individually or in a group. To sign up or learn more, visit HelpTexts.com/Agrace.

Agrace Adult Day Center Offers Daytime Care

Do you care for or know an older adult who cannot—or chooses not to—stay alone all day? The new Agrace Adult Day Center in Madison gives seniors the reassurance and comfort of having others with them throughout the day. It’s especially helpful for people who have dementia or trouble with their memory. It’s a welcome break for family caregivers, too. Learn more at (608) 327-7303 or Agrace.org/AdultDayCenter.

WPS Health Solutions: Navy Lt. VanAnh McCormick saluted for Operation Fan Mail

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
DeAnne Boegli
Vice President of Communications
608-512-5754
deanne.boegli@wpsic.com

Navy Lt. VanAnh McCormick saluted for Operation Fan Mail
Program is sponsored by WPS Health Solutions and the Green Bay Packers

MADISON, Wis.—Jan. 9, 2023—The Green Bay Packers and WPS Health Solutions paid special tribute this week to Navy Lt. VanAnh McCormick in conjunction with the Jan. 8 game against the Detroit Lions. Operation Fan Mail, the program that recognizes military families and veterans at each Packers home game, marks its 16th season in 2022.

Born in Chicago, then living in Ohio, then in Florida, McCormick followed her immigrant father’s lead in supporting the Packers. Her father came to Wisconsin from Vietnam in the 1980s to attend college. He quickly became an American football fan and began rooting for the home team.

McCormick took part in the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps while in high school in Florida. Upon graduation in 2009, she received an ROTC scholarship to attend Loyola University in Chicago. She joined the Navy in 2013 when she graduated from Loyola University. She then served on the USS Jason Dunham, a destroyer based in Norfolk, Va. In 2015, she was selected for nuclear training and went to Charleston, S.C. She was then assigned to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in Norfolk in 2016. Following a three-month deployment, McCormick went to Naval Reactors Headquarters in Washington, D.C. for shore duty, where she trained prospective officers for all the aircraft carriers. In 2020, she attended department head school in Newport, R.I. Following that, she was selected to be a weapons officer and is now assigned to the USS Forrest Sherman in Norfolk. She has been awarded one Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals.

McCormick attended the game with her husband, Dr. Michael McCormick, who was born and raised in Appleton, Wis. The two are celebrating their birthdays as well as their seventh wedding anniversary. Also in attendance were McCormick’s aunt, Julie Maxwell, and Julie’s husband, Jereme Maxwell.

As the honoree for Operation Fan Mail this week, McCormick also received four tickets to the game and a $150 Packers Pro Shop gift card, courtesy of WPS.

The program, which debuted in 2007, is designed to honor families with a member who is on active duty or a member who is a veteran. The Packers and WPS Health Solutions will host a family at each 2022 season home game and recognize the members on the video boards during pregame activities. A total of 157 individuals, families, or groups have been recognized through the program since it began.

The Packers and WPS Health Solutions invite interested families, or friends of eligible families, to submit an essay, 500 words or less, on why a particular family should be saluted this year. Families intended for recognition are those that have a member serving on active duty, or a member who is a veteran. The family member can be a spouse, mother, father, son, daughter, or sibling.

Essays can be sent to Operation Fan Mail, P.O. Box 10628, Green Bay, WI, 54307-0628 or online at operationfanmail.com.

About WPS Health Solutions^®

Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPS Health Solutions), founded in 1946, is a nationally regarded benefits administrator for a variety of U.S. government programs and a leading not-for-profit health insurer in Wisconsin. WPS Health Solutions serves active-duty and retired military personnel, seniors, individuals, and families in Wisconsin, across the U.S., and around the world. WPS Health Solutions, headquartered in Madison, Wis., has more than 3,100 employees. Within the enterprise, there are three divisions: WPS Government Health Administrators, WPS Military and Veterans Health, and WPS Health Insurance/WPS Health Plan/EPIC Specialty Benefits. For more information, please visit wpshealthsolutions.com.

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Dane Buy Local Research

January 3, 2023

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Colin Murray, Executive Director, Dane Buy Local

(608) 729-7342/office • (608) 712-3440/cell • colin@danebuylocal.com • danebuylocal.com

Madison, WI – Dane Buy Local solicited the help of Civic Economics, an economic analysis and strategic planning consultint firm, to analyze data and provide a report on the local economic effects of dollars spent at locally owned businesses versus national chains in Dane County, Wisconsin.

Dane Buy Local surveyed both local retailers and restaurants about their business practices with regard to revenue recirculation. The results showed collectively, the retail businesses return 47.4% and the restaurants return 60.7% of their generated revenue to the Dane County, Wisconsin, economy.

For comparison purposes, Civic Economics analyzed the annual reports of major national retail chains finding the stores return an average of 13.6% of their generated revenue to the local markets which host their stores. Additionally, the annual reports of three major national restaurant chains were analyzed, finding they averaged 30.4%.

Civic Economics presented the results of the surveys and annual report analyses to Dane Buy Local, the City of Madison, the City of Sun Prairie, the City of Middleton, and Dane County, in addition to the Indie Impact Study Series. The information they provided details the economic impact of independent retailers and restaurants versus national chains on the Dane County, Wisconsin, economy.

For the complete report with graphics, go to https://danebuylocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dane-County-Indie-Impact-2022.pdf

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