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This Weeks Articles...

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Developer unveils housing tower as final piece to transform Near East Side block

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Ken Notes: I so miss the days when OM and Judge Doyle were the BIG stories. ALSO I am looking to reboot my Radio Show "Development Matters" this fall but need a sponsor. So if you are interested in helping the lone fiscal conservative lamb live among the voracious liberal talk radio media wolves give me or or Mike Crute a call. Actually his bark is worse than his bite...

Sheila Nyberg, the head of economic development and tourism in Clark County, gave Abbotsford’s city council a short refresher course last week on everything that her organization does to promote business development in the area.

The city has not yet paid its annual dues to the Clark County Economic Development Corporation and Tourism Bureau for 2020, and before voting to do so, the council wanted to hear from Nyberg. She spoke at a July 22 committee of the whole meeting.

The CCEDC is a private, non-profit organization that acts as both a tourism bureau and a business promoter for all of Clark County — and parts of Marathon County in municipalities like Abbotsford that are divided along county lines...

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Ken Notes: First I like the new direction Missy Hughes has taken WEDC, but I would still advocate for partially funding at least one local economic development professional in every county and major cities. These local professionals could then be trained to work with WEDC on behalf of there communities. This may be even more important now that WEDC offers even more and better programs to rural and smaller communities. Covid budgets will have all communities looking for ways to cut and ED professionals are low hanging fruit...

Hello Ken,

I find these very informative. As an FYI, local economic development organizations are growth facilitators and work with a variety of partners, not just WEDC. WEDC does not do local economic development directly, nor should they, but benefits from having a strong local EDO work with with. EDOs are also strong partners to universities, technical colleges, K-12, cities/towns/villages, county, SBDCs, utilities, etc. and these relationships are made stronger with a local EDO - without total reliance on the state.

Our organization is happy with many of the things that WEDC is doing, and value this partnership.

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Ken Notes: Jason Thank you for the note. I thought I would respond publicly since I believe you have outlined the role of the local economic development professional very well. In fact the mention of the Universities, Tech, k12, and Utilities are often forgotten, yet play a huge role in local economic development.

My goal to have local EDO`s partially funded by the State through WEDC in not to change this dynamic in fact I would hope to strengthen it. My observation is simply in times of budget tightening by a County or Municipalities EDO`s are often seen as low hanging fruit and cut or eliminated which I am sure we both agree is bad. By having the State help fund them especially in the area of benefits, I believe we can do much to preserve and strengthen local EDOs.

In exchange WEDC could help with the continuing education of the professionals serving their communities while local professionals could bring special needs to the attention of the State. Local EDO`s would continue to function locally with an even stronger relationship to the state. We also need to remove partisan politics from the equation..

If anyone reading my comments feels I am suggesting the State assume the role of local EDO`s my apologies because that is NOT what I would like to see. I am an advocate for partnerships, an art form totally lost in the current political climate. Thanks for reading and your note. Also Oshkosh in on a roll, congrats.

Ken

Wisconsin`s unemployment rate fell to 8.5% in June, compared with 12.1% in May, according to a report released by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

There are still more than 260,000 people out of work across the state, the report shows. The report also shows Wisconsin added 104,600 non-farm jobs, and 99,300 private-sector jobs in the month of June..

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press release: The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority is now welcoming applications for the rural affordable workforce housing pilot.

A webinar to answer questions about the application process will be held July 24 at 1 p.m. Information about the initiative including the rural affordable workforce housing initiative plan and application documents can be found here; registration for the free webinar is available here.

The pilot will work with stakeholders from at least three rural communities to develop partnerships and processes that ultimately will benefit communities statewide.    ...more

Ken Notes: Please share this and thanks Isthmus for first promoting this program...

 Abbotsford will not be paying its annual dues to the Clark County Economic Development Corporation this year after the city council voted Monday to withhold funding for 2020.

The vote to deny the $3,397 in dues was a close one, 4-3, with one member absent.

Alds. Jim Weix, Roger Weideman, Brent Faber and Lori Huther voted to withhold the funding, while Alds. Dennis Kramer, Dale Rachu and Frankie Soto voted against the motion. Ald. Mason Rachu was not in attendance.

Council members who voted to deny the funding said they felt like the CCEDC has not done enough to promote business development in Abbotsford.

“I think we can get by without it. I don’t know for sure, but we’ve got a good team here that’s aggressive about getting industry in,” said Ald. Weideman, referring to city officials’ efforts to bring in new businesses.

Ald. Weix agreed. ...
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Ken Notes: This is what I am talking about -- and it is wrong, WEDC can do something to help without taking over the role of the local EDO here.

 “Founded in 1976 by George and Candy Gialamas, The Gialamas Company specializes in Class A Commercial Real Estate. Old Sauk Trails Park, is one of the most prestigious business parks in Wisconsin; containing numerous office buildings supplemented by restaurants, hotels, financial institutions, a childcare facility and a walking/jogging trail system....
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...A sponsor of Wisconsin Development News

— The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation is announcing the lineup for its “Endless Frontier” series highlighting Midwest research and development and building assets for the national economy.

The series is a partnership between WARF, UW-Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Technology Council and Michael Best Strategies.

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Ken Notes: This will be a great series....

MADISON – The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced the release of its eWorkBoard, a new virtual workplace bulletin board. The DWD eWorkBoard includes posters on a variety of topics including minimum wage law, fair employment, and more.

For decades, DWD and other agencies informed workers of their rights by requiring employers to display physical posters in the workplace. To better meet the diverse and changing needs of Wisconsin`s workforce, DWD has developed a virtual bulletin board to display these posters. The eWorkBoard does not replace the traditional workplace bulletin board, but instead provides today`s more mobile workforce the opportunity to view these materials directly from their smartphone or home computer.

To browse DWD’s repository of workplace posters and other resources, visit the new DWD eWorkBoard at dwd.wisconsin.gov/eworkboard.

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Ken Notes: A tech savy company could easily create eboards at work that would display these posters along with info about the company picnic and items for sale by employees. This data would display at work as well as on any devices the employees use i.e. phones, tablets, tvs... I would be happy to set one of these up for anyone interested.

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Ken Notes:Apply Today as the deadline is July 31...

(WLUK) -- The final round of federal unemployment benefits are being sent out this week.

“A lot of people are really concerned and want to see that benefit extended to keep our families and our communities afloat,” said Department of Workforce Development Secretary Caleb Frostman.

People who received unemployment insurance were given $600 a week on top of the state’s unemployment benefits.

Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development would like those federal payments continue.

“If 8,9 or 10 percent of Wisconsin families don’t have that supplement, that’s going to be a large chunk of Wisconsin’s workforce that, if they’re still unemployed, will receive a maximum of $370 a week which is really challenging," said Frostman. "Even to make it in Wisconsin, but let alone to help keep our economy afloat.”...

Bank salaries for Ken Notes...

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Ken Notes: I support this, but it should e based on a percent of actual wages. I know many who were actually making more with the stipend and unemployment than without. Same with PPP loans, companies were paying some employees 100% of their salaries to stay home. I guess I would like to see a Nation that could bend together rather that separate into winners and losers. We should have learned this in the last recession but there are those who thrived and those who will never recover. All Bank executives that we all bailed out still make 10`s of millions each even though their "salaries" are all bellow one million.

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Ken Notes: I again need to point out that WEDC has quickly morphed into a strong advocate for all Wisconsin businesses. Seven years ago I used the analogy of needing to turn the ship around because it was in rough waters, Missy as captain has done just that.

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Ken Notes:We need help here, but first we need to assess the total damage.

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Other companies better learn that lesson, or they will follow suit

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Ken Notes: An interesting read and some very good points. I believe we can not overlook foreign competition and price points as a strong factor in the collapse as well. I refuse to shoot the wounded, and want to thank Briggs & Stratton for all the good they did for Wisconsin, they will be missed.

Audited documents will determine whether company receives tax credits agreed to in 2017 contract

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Ken Notes: Remember at the time we were not allowed to look at the agreement, so now we will see how carefully it was written. What employees qualify, where must they live, and so many more details. If I can make a prediction - There will be language open to interpretation that will not serve us well...

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed an executive order earlier this month to create the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access.

In September, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin will begin accepting applications for $24M in broadband expansion grants...

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Ken Notes: This sounds great but the actual cost to a rural internet desert is millions per. This is also 24 million that will be paid to companies making millions per day on the service they already provide. Since they will still charge the customer at the other end, we are in fact paying them to provide service on which they will profit.

We need to trade the "access rights" to high profit urban density for providing rural systems that are not profitable. We need leadership and direction and while I applaud the task force, I am not sure they are positioned to play hardball with the existing vendors. Also for the record we are talking about roughly 5% of the State population not able to access high speed internet, I promise if we suggest limiting the profits of the nine major provider until they provide 100% coverage they will lay cable, dual pair copper, and 5G towers 24/7. The providers can fix this - we can not!

MADISON – A growing number of citizens from across Wisconsin—including small business owners, local leaders and sports and entertainment figures—are declaring “We’re All In” for working together to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The We’re All In initiative is an effort by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. and its partners to create a “community of communities” in support of public health and safety measures. The initiative aims to reach every person in every corner of Wisconsin through social media, advertising and other outreach efforts and give them opportunities to actively participate in the state’s recovery effort....
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Despite lingering questions surrounding Foxconn Technology Group’s contract for billions in state tax credits, the Taiwan-based company reports it created enough jobs in southeast Wisconsin last year to be eligible for state aid.   ...more

Ken Notes: Like I said...

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Ken Notes: Interesting but remember the power companies are now our environmental friends and need to lead the charge. We can and should hold their feet to the fire but doing this without them is not an option...

Wisconsin has joined a lawsuit against a new environmental regulation passed by the Trump administration curtailing states` ability to reject federally permitted projects that may cause pollution in bodies of water or wetlands. 

Attorney General Josh Kaul announced Tuesday afternoon that he joined 20 other attorneys general in opposing the change to the Clean Water Act, which he contends violates both the Administrative Procedure Act and the Clean Water Act...

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Ken Notes: I will ask again how can we depoliticize environmental issues...

ASHWAUBENON - Once booked with a packed schedule of concerts and events, the Resch Center remains unused since March 13 — the last day of the State High School Girls Basketball Championships.

Now, as the 2020 pandemic barrels on, half of the staff at the center`s management company, PMI Entertainment, is laid off. 

PMI notified the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development it would have to lay off 31 employees as of July 1. It could have been worse, PMI`s chief operating officer, Brendan Bruss, said. PMI received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan of more than $1.2 million that helped it keep employees on the payroll for months and postpone layoffs...

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Ken Notes: Very difficult decisions here. I really think we needed to call an economic time out rather than try to fund the continuation as normal. What happens if this continues for several more months and businesses default on their PPP commitments. Yet of some companies this seems very likely while for other the loans may not have been necessary at all. The Resch Center is a perfect example here...

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SCS - At the forefront of sustainable environmental solutions for over 40 years and ...A sponsor of Wisconsin Development News

Why would a global program for tech startups tackling risk decide to make Wisconsin its home? And how does a partnership with a Fortune 300 insurance company help support success for the startups?

When the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) – an innovative nonprofit that has created programs in support of early stage startups worldwide – decided to partner with the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Madison-headquartered American Family Insurance for only its second U.S. location, it gave a nod to the ever-growing recognition that the region is fast becoming a hub for technology and innovation.

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Ken Notes: We need to work together on this, we have WRP II ready to go. Great examples of what can happen in Exact, Promega and EPIC among others. Strong support from the Tech Council, new venture capital resources, and WEDC. A world leader UW system and so much more... CDL welcome and thanks for doing business here!

Empty big box stores surrounded by acres of crumbling blacktop parking lots litter communities throughout Wisconsin. Collectively, these properties are classifi ed as brownfields.

The reasons for these empty buildings are varied. Some chains have closed down completely, others moved to bigger locations a few miles down the road, others fell victim to shifts in traffic patterns — turning once prime commercial real estate into a backwater.

Regardless of why these building sit vacant, they present a real challenge to communities by creating blight. The vacant buildings cast a pall of decay over otherwise thriving areas. This is further aggravated by the vacant stores typically being in high visibility areas. Often at the same time these stores sit vacant, new construction is taking place elsewhere in the community.

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Ken Notes: While it is never on the radar screen the time to discuss this is when the development is being forst approved. You can add to the approval process how the building will be handled after it is no longer in use. I also always established a minimum assessed value for the life of the building. This allows you to continue to tax the property after it has been vacated.

The City of Milwaukee is looking into using tax dollars to finance a homeownership assistance program.

The Milwaukee Common Council on Tuesday approved legislation directing the commissioner of the Department of City Development to prepare a report on the feasibility of using tax incremental financing for a homeownership assistance program...
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Ken Notes: I like this in principal but believe the private sector Habitat For Humanities can do a better job than government programs, so I would partner with them and ask for more and smaller homes. If we used well designed stick built mini homes and apartments as part of the mix we could make a huge dent in homelessness and affordable homes. 200 to 400 sq feet is better that a doorway on the street or having to commute 30 miles into the city. They could also create pride of ownership, a desire to move up, and by integrating these developments into existing communities we could create both socioeconomic and race diversity. I love the idea of creating a TIF District in neighborhoods with established or potentially new housing, retail or commercial development.

 Representatives from some of the largest venture capital funds in the Midwest and the U.S. have been assembled to judge Startup Wisconsin Pitch at Summerfest Tech in September.

Summerfest Tech, now in its third year, will be virtual this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It will take place on Sept. 2.

The startup pitch competition is being produced by Startup Wisconsin and sponsored by Wauwatosa-based accounting and consulting firm Wipfli. Originally said to be a $20,000 competition for winning teams, the cash prizes will now be just $15,000. ...
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RIPON, WI. JULY 22, 2020 – The City of Ripon is receiving a $190,000 state grant to help in the renovation of a vacant former grocery store into an indoor urban vertical farm produce operation with the potential for retail operations and a future rooftop garden.

The Community Development Investment (CDI) Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) will support the expansion of Ernessi Farms’ urban vertical farm produce operation using the vacant space.

“A vibrant blend of businesses is vital to a community’s overall economic success, and the urban vertical farm redevelopment will serve as a catalyst for future development and investment in the Ripon community,” said Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of WEDC. “I congratulate the community for working together on this important project that will serve as a foundation for future economic growth and for the collective good of the local economy.”

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Ken Notes: Here is a great use for an older building...

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Welcome 2020 WDN sponsor Kraus-Anderson Construction Company. Please check out the link to view the amazing projects they have developed from idea to completion.

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – As the Verso Corp. paper mill quickly approaches a planned shutdown this month, local, state and industry leaders continue looking for ways to keep it up and running, including by finding someone to buy it.

State Rep. Scott Krug, R-Nekoosa, said because there are valuable assets inside the mill, he is optimistic the Miamisburg, Ohio-based papermaker will be able to sell it and that there are a couple potential buyers interested in the facility.

Verso announced in June it would stop production at its paper mills in Wisconsin Rapids and Duluth, Minnesota, indefinitely while "exploring viable and sustainable alternatives for both mills." As a result, Verso said it would lay off 902 employees at the Wisconsin Rapids mill starting July 31. ...

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Ken Notes: This is a perfect project to partner on with existing mills, federal dollars, and state support by way of tax credits...

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The papermaking industry has ties to other industries like forestry, trucking and construction, and Verso’s decision to indefinitely idle two of its mills affects those industries it works with.

Verso announced in June it would stop production at its paper mills in Wisconsin Rapids and Duluth, Minnesota, indefinitely while "exploring viable and sustainable alternatives for both mills."

In its announcement, Verso said options for the two mills included restarting operations if market conditions improve, selling the mills or closing them permanently...
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Ken Notes: I do worry that the holding costs of these complexes may be low enough that the owners can wait for the market to change...

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development has now disbursed more than $3 billion in unemployment insurance benefits, mostly to state residents who have lost their jobs due to economic fallout caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The state has paid $3.02 billion to about 463,500 claimants, according to a recent report. Since March 15, DWD has received over 800,000 unemployment insurance benefit applications...

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GREEN BAY — Louisville technology services firm Interapt is teaming up with the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and global education provider General Assembly to launch a new tech training pathway for people in the Green Bay area.

With unemployment at an all-time high in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the software engineering program will provide tuition-free technical training to a class of 25 individuals, giving them an opportunity to develop the technical skills needed to kickstart a new career in data science, software development, digital marketing, UX design, robotic process automation, information technology and other tech related fields.
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Waukesha County through the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) is launching the Small Business Assistance Grants Program to assist micro  businesses impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

$170,000 has been approved by the CDBG Board for small business assistance grants – up to $10,000. These dollars will be able to assist a minimum of 17 businesses in Waukesha County.

The funds have been made available to Waukesha County from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the Federal CARES Act.

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 Model showcases nationally acclaimed interior designer Tom Stringer Design Partners

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Ken Notes: Every packer fans dream home. I woner if they can throw in season tickets...

MADISON – Three projects that will provide housing to extremely low-income elderly and disabled residents have been awarded a total of $1.9 million in National Housing Trust Fund financing by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority.
The projects, in Ashwaubenon, Bristol and Milwaukee, previously received highly competitive federal 9% or state 4% housing tax credits administered by WHEDA. The housing trust fund awards expand the number of units available to vulnerable residents with incomes at or below 30% of the area median income by addressing the financing gap between what it costs to build the units and rents that are affordable for the residents.

“We are pleased to provide this critical financing to the partners working to build and rehabilitate these properties,” said Joaquín Altoro, WHEDA CEO. “National Housing Trust Funds make it possible to expand housing opportunities for some of our most vulnerable community members. This source of funding supports construction and rehabilitation of housing that would not otherwise be available for extremely low-income households.”
The 2020 awardees include:
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The 21-island archipelago in Lake Superior is the closest thing Wisconsin has to a national park.

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Ken Notes: I sort of want to keep this a secret, it is beautiful...

The pandemic could change the nature of school for the better

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Ken Notes: They do know this is Wisconsin????

The owner of the former General Motors plant site says it intends to give the city plans later this year on how it will tackle the next phase of demolition and clearing of the 240-acre industrial property.

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Ken Notes:My guess is they are looking for an economic engine to drive the next phase of the project. Unfortunately those talks need to take place behind closed doors. Patience...

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Ken Notes: Great read, sorry to see them go...

Epic Systems employees decried Tuesday the Verona-based company’s decision to call workers back to the office while the COVID-19 pandemic still rages, claiming that CEO Judy Faulkner is ignoring advice from public health officials.

Most of Epic’s nearly 10,000 employees will be required to return to the health software company’s campus by Sept. 21, according to a statement made in conjunction with the Industrial Workers of the World labor union and released to public officials and news media...
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An initiative to build profitable farm businesses in Wisconsin is launching with events this summer and fall.

Financial management boot camps and customized consulting for farm-based entrepreneurs will be provided by the Food Finance Institute (FFI) and the Wisconsin Small Business Development (SBDC) Network. Both programs are part of the University of Wisconsin System’s Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship.

To broaden the impact, the initiative will start by creating a pool of specially trained farm-focused consultants who have the skills and expertise to address complex farm financial situations and diverse business models. These consultants will be trained in July and August to provide one-on-one consulting to farm-based businesses across the state...

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Ken Notes: We should require CAFO`s to better protect their environment.

Schools in the city of Milwaukee that have approved plans will be allowed to reopen in the fall under a new order the city`s Health Department expects to issue either this week or next.   

Limits on capacity and a focus on ensuring that necessary accommodations are made for people who are high risk will be part of the order, Milwaukee Health Commissioner Jeanette Kowalik said during a virtual news conference Tuesday...

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MADISON - Wisconsin`s massive backlog for unemployment benefits could get far worse if Congress passes a new relief package from Republicans in the U.S. Senate, a top official in Gov. Tony Evers` administration says.

Senate Republicans are proposing a $1 trillion coronavirus relief bill known as the HEALS Act which would, among other measures, cap federal unemployment assistance to 70% of workers` pay instead of extending a weekly $600 unemployment subsidy through January as Democrats have proposed.

Department of Workforce Development Secretary Caleb Frostman said the state`s system to process unemployment claims — which has been overwhelmed since the pandemic hit — would all but grind to a halt...
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Ken Notes: Both sides are right here. We have designed our systems in relative darkness at the State level. This means we have little options to upgrade and reuse the data in meaningful ways. We could fix this with some modern computer expertness at the helm but, not in time. I suggest porting the data from both DWD and revenue into a system that could turn out new reports that could show the 70% number by SSN and then rebuilding a payment system around that. Still will take more that a few weeks but it could be done for everyone who paid taxes at least...

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Ken Noetes: We need to help tourism, our campgrounds are filling up but hotels and more "crowd dependent" venues continue to struggle. I was talking to some musicians and they are all looking for anything to bridge the gap. Again winners and losers will not help as much as working together...

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Ken Notes: It is fair to mention that for some the $600 provided a bit of a disincentive to go back to work, while for others it was much needed.

   
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FREEPORT, Ill. — Are you curious about hemp variety performance in the Midwest? Would you find value in a publicly accessible variety evaluation tool?

What about receiving significantly discounted cannabinoid testing in exchange for data sharing via university and private partnerships?

The goal of a project between University of Illinois Extension and the University of Wisconsin-Madison will be to provide insight into agronomic performance and cannabinoid development of industrial hemp varieties across Illinois and Wisconsin.

Industrial hemp is a fast growing, annual herbaceous plant which can be used to produce fiber, grain and cannabinoids.

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Notes:I``ll ask the 64 thousand dollar question, can a Wisconsin farmer grow product with a higher THC content and then ship it to Illinois for sale.

MADISON, WI. July 28, 2020—To help Wisconsin companies continue to grow their exports even while international travel is limited, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is organizing a virtual Global Trade Venture that will connect Wisconsin exporters with potential buyers, distributors and other partners in South Korea.

The virtual Global Trade Venture to South Korea will consist of online meetings taking place from Nov. 2 to Dec. 4, 2020. This is the second virtual Global Trade Venture organized by WEDC; the first one, connecting Wisconsin companies with potential partners in Germany, is taking place in late September and early October.

Registration for the South Korea virtual trade venture is open now through Sept. 18. Interested companies are encouraged to register early so Wisconsin’s trade office in South Korea has plenty of time to research potential partners and set up meetings.
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MADISON – The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority has updated online information about the rural affordable workforce housing pilot to reflect community inquiries.

The pilot will work with stakeholders from at least three rural communities to develop partnerships and processes that ultimately will benefit communities statewide. Following two webinars to introduce the project and engage with stakeholders, WHEDA received a number of interesting and unanticipated questions, prompting helpful updates to the application materials and FAQs, which can be found here.

The updates include:...
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uch of the news about the COVID-19 pandemic has been trending somewhere between bad and awful.

Within the last week, the United States recorded daily death counts unseen since May, bringing the total to more than 150,000 people. About half of the 50 states had outbreaks serious enough to warrant more restrictions. In Wisconsin, all but a few of the state’s 72 counties reported a surge in positive cases as the state inched closer to 1,000 deaths...
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Stay up to date by reading our MadREP Report, a bi-monthly newsletter that features regional economic development news, events and opportunities.

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OSHKOSH – The city will receive a $250,000 state grant to help turn the former Gibson Auto Body into an event venue downtown.  

The community development investment grant will convert the 100-year-old building to the Gibson Social Club for weddings, meetings and other social gatherings, according to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

The building was most recently an antiques and salvage company called Crescent Moon. It was purchased by Eric and Kristen Hoopman, who plan to preserve historic elements and use salvaged materials in the new design. It’s renovation will include a catering kitchen, bathrooms and three bars, including one a mezzanine level.

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WEDC’s Hughes offers answers as report assesses COVID-19 impact on state’s economy

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Dane County ED
		STATE STRATEGIES FOR GROWING BUSINESSES AND CREATING JOBS	ED TOOLS
			Health Tech Capitol
		APA WI

Madison Area Chambers

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GREEN BAY - A Madison-based organization will offer free virtual job training in August to Wisconsin residents seeking work and then connect participants to hiring companies.

The organization, gener8tor, says it is starting the program specifically to help job-seekers improve their technology skills.

Those who complete the program will earn a certification. New North, a regional partner to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. serving 18 counties in northeastern Wisconsin, will connect certificate-holders to local companies hiring.

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Ken Notes: If there is a program like this in the Madison area I would be happy to teach any of these platforms...

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Ken Notes: I used the analogy of trying to access the damage while still in the eye of the hurricane... We will not know the total extent of the damage until Covid 19 passes which could be a while. I want to make sure we have resources then to fix the real damage... As for now we need to call an economic time out...

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Ken Notes: I am still looking for a place to camp this weekend.

APPLETON - A Wisconsin health care developer intends to construct a $20 million outpatient medical facility in Appleton`s Northeast Business Park.

Luther Group of Elm Grove didn`t identify the occupant of the two-story, 40,000-square-foot building in documents submitted to the city. It is requesting a waiver from the city regarding repurchase rights and a variance for street access.

"They are repping a medical entity," said Karen Harkness, Appleton`s director of community and economic development. "We do not know who that is. That`s fine. We don`t need to know who it is."

Harkness said the secrecy is due to competition in the medical field...

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Ken Notes:One word of caution, these outpatient facilities can take profits away from your local hospitals that provide inpatient and more importantly emergency medical facilities. This is not always in the best interest of overall health care. Just and observation...

Core Spaces, the development team behind a controversial Langdon Street apartment development, is “disappointed” following the Madison Plan Commission’s denial of its application for demolition and conditional use earlier this week.

The commission voted 7-1 to deny the application from Core for The Hub 2 at 126 Langdon St., saying the proposal failed to make substantial changes during the application process to address concerns voiced by nearby residents, the Urban Design Commission and Plan Commission. Those concerns included the size of the building compared to the neighborhood — home to many UW-Madison fraternities and sororities — traffic and deliveries issues....
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Ken Notes: I am out of the loop on details here, but I hope we are not returning to "protest" driven development.

Beloit’s jobless rate was the sixth highest rate among the 34 largest communities in Wisconsin. Milwaukee had the highest unemployment rate in June at 12.8%, down from 15.7% in May. Fitchburg had the lowest rate at 6.8% in June, down from 8.4% in May.

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For Madison (OnFocus) – Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary-designee Randy Romanski announced today the creation of the new Wisconsin Agriculture Youth Council. The application and additional details are available at AgYouthCouncil.wi.gov.

The purpose of the Wisconsin Agriculture Youth Council is to encourage young people to engage with state government and increase their awareness of DATCP’s role in Wisconsin’s agriculture industry. The Council will be comprised of 15 Wisconsin high school seniors from across the state who represent a variety of interest areas in Wisconsin’s agriculture industry.

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University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s Lifelong Learning Institute Encourages Learning as Lifelong Pursuit

GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (July 27, 2020)—At the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, learning is a lifelong pursuit, and the member-led Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) isn’t going to let coronavirus get in the way of delivering enriching and engaging classes in a safety-conscious way for members.

LLI is a 20+-year strong membership program developed by retirees for retirees. Susan Pike, Program Specialist, and volunteers on the curriculum committee, worked diligently and creatively with a network of instructors developing courses in formats best suited to the subject matter. Instructors include existing and retired faculty, local experts and enthusiasts. Class formats encompass online live, online recorded and outdoors. Topics cover art, fitness, government, health, history, reading, writing, science, nature, religion, special interest and travel...

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Businesses responding to the July COVID-19 Wisconsin Business Impact survey expressed extreme caution in business and personal travel plans.

The Madison Region Economic Partnership, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., the state’s eight other regional economic development organizations and UW-Oshkosh released results yesterday from its fourth statewide survey.

For the first time, respondents were asked to share their perspectives on business and personal travel during the pandemic, with 65 percent of respondents eliminating all non-essential travel for the remainder of this year, and more than one-third already deciding to do the same in 2021.

Personal travel has also decreased for 70 percent of respondents...   ...more

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I will keep this page updated and at the top of WisconsinDevelopment.com until the crisis passes.

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