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This Weeks Articles...

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As rural Wisconsin’s fortunes have declined, its political importance has grown.

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Ken Notes: Please read or listen to this. An audio version is available at the link. Get big or get out is the wrong approach. An audio version is available at the link. It is so sad, so true and so fixable. We will look back at this time with deep regret and sorrow in 20 years. Our farmers built Wisconsin, made us famous, and now are going bankrupt as an alarming rate.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s $161.6 million capital budget reflects constrained choices due to the coronavirus pandemic and a commitment to affordable housing and public transportation — priorities of her administration.    ...more

If you live in rural Wisconsin, you know how bad the internet service can be. More than 40 percent of rural residents lack access to high speed internet, according to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin.

Nationally, about 31 percent of rural households lack access. Actual percentages might even be higher due to poor FCC mapping, experts say.

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Ken Notes: I will try this one more time. We must immediately begin negotiations with the cell and fiber backbone providers to mandate rural service in exchange for access to our urban areas. There is more than enough profit to do this.

The state should not invest in rural access because they do not have enough money but they have more than enough leverage if they work with all the communities. Anita gets this, Colorado is doing this, there is an initiative established to do this, Homeland Security suggest it is imperative we do this, Federal Communications Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel supports this -- yet Wisconsin is doing nothing excepting gifting money to the infrastructure developers for cable they have to lay anyway. Call your state rep or the governor and ask for the state to join the 5G Securing Rural Engagement Initiative NOW. Tomorrow is too late....

The Sheboygan County Economic Development Corp. announced that Brian Doudna, the executive director of the Wisconsin Economic Development Association (WEDA), will become the SCEDC’s new executive director.

Doudna has served as WEDA executive director since 2014.

“It is with great pleasure and excitement that we welcome Brian Doudna as our new executive director,” said Gary Dulmes, SCEDC chair. “He has extensive experience in the economic development field, and we were impressed that he has strong collaboration and strategy skills that will support our communities, businesses, entrepreneurs, residents and organizational initiatives.”...
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Ken Notes: Great choice. Dane would you remind him that he is now in charge of getting me my Ryder Cup Tickets for 2021!

OSHKOSH - School districts` back-to-school plans could impact the availability of Wisconsin`s workforce, according to 43% of business representatives in a statewide survey.

"When we asked about school opening policies, we weren`t surprised a significant number of business owners were expressing some level of concern," said Jeffrey Sachse, interim director of UW-Oshkosh`s Center for Customized Research and Services, which administered the survey. "That has to be tempered in one part just because of the relatively late nature of when districts actually announced their reopening strategies."...

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Ken Notes: This could be huge and it is not even on the radar screen. Also not being considered is the mental health issues for both our youth and adults tied to staying at home. Covid has increased the wealth gap, housing gap, opportunity gap and so much more. Plus we may have prematurely poured money into the mix before we knew where the damage occurred.

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Ken Notes: One more time! TIME OUT -- we need to use our resources to make renters, owners and businesses whole buy working with banks and using our resources to pay interest on loans to delay all of this until the economy returns to normal. If everyone could borrow JUST what the need to survive we would be in a position to evaluate where we are as Covid passes. As it now stands we are throwing upwards of five trillion dollars into the wind with no idea of where it is needed most.

The company said it intended to create a "world-class, industry-leading product development and manufacturing campus for medical imaging."

WEST MILWAUKEE, Wis. —

GE Healthcare announced Wednesday it is investing $50 million in its West Milwaukee facility.

The company said it intended to create a "world-class, industry-leading product development and manufacturing campus for medical imaging."

GE Healthcare said it will consolidate it`s 1,500 Waukesha employees to the facility on West Electric Avenue and Research Park in Wauwatosa in the coming years.

The company also intends to sell parts of its Waukesha campus and move jobs to other locations.

The Magnetic Resonance buildings and teams will remain in Waukesha...

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Ken Notes: Great news for Wisconsin!

Organizations can apply for grants of up to $100,000

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Like Beyoncé, Oprah and Rihanna in the entertainment world, Judy in the Madison-area tech world is the singular name everybody knows, hugely respects and sometimes fears. She is Dane County’s tech superstar. Farsighted, detail-oriented, obsessive yet collaborative, Judy is just like these other titans. She is a true phenomenon.

So, yeah, there was an excited buzz in the air at Memorial Union’s Shannon Hall last year on Sept. 14 as Judith Faulkner, founding genius of the Verona-based medical software giant Epic Systems Corp. (2019 revenue: $3.2 billion), made a rare public appearance at the Cap Times Idea Fest....
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Ken Notes: Great Read!!! My biggest fear is that while Judy is a billionaire many time over, if she ever wants to spend they money she will have to cash out, and Google, Amazon, and others would be standing in line with truckloads of cash for her. She has said never, but billions?????

 “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

Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaroneck, N.Y., Sept. 14-20, 2020    ...more

Ken Notes: Of course if you are working from home it is on the golf channel and NBC...

A recent survey by the National Restaurant Association showed that 33% of Wisconsin restaurants are unlikely to be in business six months from now if pandemic restrictions continue.

The association surveyed 3,500 restaurant operators from Aug. 26 to Sept. 1, and called the results "stark for Wisconsin and nationally."

Prospects for Wisconsin restaurants looked slightly better than the nationwide number — 37% — of restaurants that reported they were unlikely to still be operating in six months if no additional relief is available from the federal government...
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Ken Notes: I will miss Charleys on Main in Oregon....

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Ken Notes: I ran this at the top because one of all time favorite podcasts is the How I Built This with Jerry Murrell. Well worth the 37 Minutes. I am still looking for a radio sponsor for returning to the air this fall with Development Matters....

Camping and visits to state parks are up dramatically.

Since mid-March, visits to state parks totaled over 6.4 million. Weekend attendance on May 16-17 was up 44 percent compared to the previous year. 

That percentage continued to rise to 52 percent by June 13-14 as camping reopened on state properties. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recorded a dramatic uptick in camping reservations with 73 percent of campsites reserved July 1-31 in 2020 compared to 62 percent in the same period last year. 

Fishing and turkey licenses also saw substantial increases — 14 percent and 10 percent, respectively, over 2019...
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Ken Notes: I will mention this again, camping is the great equalizer both racially and socioeconomically. We should form public private partnerships to exponentially increase the number of visitors to our state. Tourism should demonstrate how we can and should get along. We need to integrate our neighborhoods and communities like our State parks.

MADISON, Wis. — Dane County Executive Joe Parisi demanded Wednesday that the University of Wisconsin-Madison immediately send all undergraduates living on campus home in an attempt to contain the coronavirus.

Colleges across the country have been grappling with outbreaks in recent weeks after choosing to return to in-person instruction. But UW System schools took a major financial hit after shutting down this spring and system President Tommy Thompson insisted on opening campuses this fall despite the warning signs.

Campus infections have been rising over the last month. According to UW-Madison data, 1,044 students and 26 employees have tested positive for the virus since Aug. 6...

See Also:

UW shifts to remote learning for 2 weeks, quarantines 2 residence halls

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Ken Notes: We need to find new ways to deal with this, closing the economy is not working, nor will closing our UW System. I like the more measured approach taken by the UW. Countries that have done best seem to attack the hot spots, traced the virus at every onset, and have created a trust in the system to deal with the problem. I always have found value it looking at what works...

n an attempt to secure $3 million for the public market project, Madison will apply for a federal grant to replace a stream of funding that has declined in value because of the pandemic.

Madison’s City Council signed off Tuesday on a resolution that authorizes the city to apply to the U.S. Economic Development Administration for a grant to help fund the construction of a $13 million public market. ..
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A neighborhood meeting has been scheduled for Oct. 1 to involve area residents in a discussion about a revised proposal to build a nine-story apartment building on 414 E. Washington Avenue.

LZ Ventures’ proposal is a revised submission after its first attempt to develop the parcels of land around the old Klinke Cleaners on East Washington Avenue was denied by the Plan Commission in August.

The revised proposal is to demolish seven existing structures from 402-414 E. Washington Ave., and build a nine-story apartment building with 148 living units and 1,226 square feet of commercial space. The previous proposal called for a 10-story building with 156 units, which area residents said would be too large and out of scale with the surrounding area...
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...Former Wisconsin GOP Governor Tommy Thompson, amid the pandemic, has stepped up to become interim president of the UW System. His initial steps make clear that “interim” should be dropped. Thompson wisely asked former Democrat Assembly Speaker Tom Loftus and Republican Scott Neitzel, Walker-appointed head of the Department of Administration, to co-chair a transition team. Then Thompson focused on strengthening the UW System ($500 million in cuts under Walker). He spoke truth to the GOP-led state legislature: “They don’t trust the university and therefore they feel it’s their responsibility to keep us down. And, we have, as a system, been apologizing and I don’t want to apologize anymore.” Thoughtful ideas were proposed by Thompson: more tuition aid for low-income and working class students, increase the UW System budget and explain to the public how the UW System is an economic engine helping rural and urban areas...   ...more

Ken Notes: I try to avoid politics in WDN favoring seeking solutions instead. But I was a Tommy guy in my past political life, and he does lead, and for the record he also listens even to those who disagree with him.

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LWA Overview

The Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program is a federal program that provides an additional $300 per week to eligible claimants who certify that they are unemployed or partially unemployed as a result of COVID-19.

If approved, this new LWA payment would be in addition to Regular Unemployment Insurance (UI), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), or Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) payments currently available to unemployed Wisconsin workers.

Claimants do not need to file a separate application to receive LWA.

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When I told my Board Chair that I intended to step down to launch my consultancy, he initially considered the process of a national search. I remember giving him "the look" and saying, "Really? Your next CEO is right here...and you know it."

A year previously, we had been able to snare Deb Archer from Visit KC as our VP of Sales. We had help in the process, as she was dating a Madison guy. But, from the moment she joined our team, it was clear to me that, one day, she would lead it and Madison`s visitor economy. And, for just over 25 years she has done just that...and then some...
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Ken Notes: I have always been a fan of Deb and believe she will be missed. It is now incumbent on all of us to restore Madison to the tourist and entertainment destination she built. Failure is not an option...

Wisconsin small business owners are invited to register for the Lieutenant Governor’s Small Business Academy conference. This event will run from 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Oct. 6 -7 and from 8:30 a.m. until noon on Oct. 8.

This multi-day virtual conference focuses on providing Wisconsin entrepreneurs and startups with an opportunity to connect with financial and technical resource providers, learn the tools needed to start and grow a business, and network with their peers.

Information about the agenda and program details will be added later, and an update will be sent to anyone already registered. Contact info@sbeacademy.com with any questions.

To register for this event, click here.

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MADISON, Wis. – U.S. Reps. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who are the primary House of Representatives sponsors of the “Endless Frontier Act,” will headline a Sept. 16 webinar on how research and development investment can build a stronger economy.

The webinar is part two in the Shaping the ‘Endless Frontier’ series, which is defining Midwest research and innovation assets and explaining how the proposed $100-billion federal investment can build on those resources to the benefit of the nation.

The series draws its name from the “Endless Frontier Act,” which has been introduced in both houses of Congress with bipartisan sponsors, including Reps. Gallagher and Khanna. The act (S.3832 and H.R. 6978) proposes expansion of the National Science Foundation, $100 billion for advancing science and tech R&D, and $10 billion for regional technology hubs. Those hubs would help to launch companies, revive U.S. manufacturing and create jobs that jump-start communities...    ...more

Ken Notes: This is a great idea, and Covid has demonstrated that we need more research and rapid response options. Big numbers, but I have seen what the UW, RP I and II, Mortradge and other Madison research entities can do with the investment...

Developers behind some of the Milwaukee area’s food halls say they see room for more in the region.

Generally, food halls offer consumers a model similar to a cafeteria or food court, but they are driven by local concepts. The exact definition varies; arguably, the Milwaukee Public Market and the Sherman Phoenix fall within the food hall category.

Speaking during a virtual Wisconsin Retail Conference panel hosted by the Commercial Association of Realtors Wisconsin, two local developers who have created food halls addressed the opportunity in the market. Cindy Shaffer’s firm Shaffer Development created the Mequon Public Market as an amenity for its Spur 16 development. The market opened in June 2019 and houses 10 vendors...

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Ken Notes: I love the idea of a Madison Public Market, but I wish there were some business and development people behind the project. Also we should be visiting some of the better facilities currently operational...

MILWAUKEE - Until a COVID-19 vaccine is readily available, the fight against it takes the form of virus testing.

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Ken Notes: Game changer!

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development secretary Caleb Frostman has resigned at the request of Gov. Tony Evers, according to a release from Evers` office.

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Ken Notes: New blood might be good here, but I hate the practice of having to fall on the sword for problems you did not create. Caleb was not responsible for an antiquated computer system that should have been updated years ago. Nor was he responsible for the staff levels the budget allocated pre-pandemic.

I remember working for the state as a computer consultant 25 years ago, my job was to travel to every county and plug in a piece of hardware for the child support data system, problem was only on county had a computer that the device fit into. Paul Jaden comes to mind, he finds problems at WEDC and is asked to take the blame for them instead of fixing them...

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Bucks announced a big development in the Deer District on Wednesday, Sept. 9. A premium boutique hotel will sit directly north of Fiserv Forum at Juneau and Vel R. Phillips Ave.

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

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4. Gain learning spaces by repurposing...
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6. Review educational efficacy of learning spaces...
7. Consider different learning modalities and pedagogies...

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Ken Notes: Great column! I would add one note, for many students the best learning experience can be outside the classroom. Apprenticeship or Work Study programs should be the norm for almost half our students who still enter the workplace without post secondary training. We need to rethink education from the ground up.

A new organization is working to help support and grow businesses throughout the Northwoods.

The GRID was recently awarded nearly $100,000 in grants to help with its launch. GRID stands for Guiding Rural Innovation and Development.

The GRID is currently based out of Nicolet College. Toni Van Doren is the business solutions coordinator at the college. She wants the GRID to be the place business owners and startups can reach out to for connections and solutions.
Credit Nicolet College

“They don’t have to know what questions to ask, they don’t have to know where to go, they don’t have to know the right people because that what the GRID does. It connects them to those people, those innovators, those small business owners to the right resources when they need them,” said Van Doren.

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Ken Notes:This is beautiful country, I hope they can find tourism, ag, manufacturing, and construction options rather than mining. Just a thought...

U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher said a new bill he is pushing will not only revitalize industries, but transform them.

The bipartisan bill, co-sponsored by the Green Bay Republican, calls for $100 billion to build resources in advancing science and technology research and development nationwide.

It also proposes expansion of the National Science Foundation and $10 billion for regional technology hubs. Those hubs would help to launch companies, revive U.S. manufacturing and create jobs that jump-start communities....
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Developer Joe Krupp is weighing how to move forward with his proposal for a four-story, 188-unit apartment complex on the city’s east side after the Plan Commission denied his application on Monday night. ...
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Ken Notes: If the city wants to make a dent in housing, they need to acquire some land and do an RFP for some small/micro market rate units that have sub 1K rents...

It`s been about six months since business closures and pandemic-induced economic challenges sent Wisconsin`s unemployment rate from 3.1% in March to 13.6% in April.

Since then, the unemployment rate has been decreasing. Preliminary Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Thursday indicates a 6.2% August unemployment rate.

Is Wisconsin`s economy recovering? Here are five key things to know about where our state economy stands now...
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Ken Notes: Good read and great overview of where we are now and where we are headed. I can`t stop thinking about the 3 trillion we have spent without identifying where the real problems are. We have exponentially widened the gap between the have and have nots with little planning to fix it. We have not yet begun to see the overall impact of Covid... My crystal ball says it will get ugly...

A Northwoods organization created to spur entrepreneurship and business growth recently received $95,000 in grants to advance economic development in the region. 

The funds will go to support the Guiding Rural Innovation and Development, or The GRID, initiative, currently based at Nicolet College.    ...more

Ken Notes: Let me pitch an old idea of mine, why not use tax incremental financing to develop our rural and tourism areas while using some of the revenue to protect and create more public lands. The lack of space prevents a full outline of the details but I would be glad to explain it to anyone who is interested....

SHEBOYGAN - Johnsonville is expanding its operations in Sheboygan County.

According to a news release, Johnsonville purchased the 200,000-square-foot facility where sock maker Wigwam Mills has been manufacturing.

The sausage company will use the new space on Crocker Avenue to expand cooking innovations and increase production of its fully cooked sausage products, the release said.

With growth in that segment of the business over the last few years, Johnsonville said it is exceeding its current manufacturing capacity on its Sheboygan Falls campus...

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Notes: BRATS truly a Wisconsin love story...

Hank Aaron’s home run record stood for 33 years before it was broken. The Sears Tower was the world’s tallest for a quarter century before it was topped.

The 25-story Ascent apartment development in Milwaukee is poised to claim the world record for tallest timber-structured building upon its completion in summer 2022, and Tim Gokhman of the development team recognizes that title will not be permanent. Other contenders are already out there, including a 40-story headquarters office for Atlassian in Sydney that`s anticipated for a 2025 completion....
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Ken Notes: I love this project!...

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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.

“That was really cool,” says Ben Cox, a postdoctoral fellow in the BerbeeWalsh Prototype Pathway at the Morgridge Institute for Research.

Cox is reflecting on a novel medical device, a phantom for testing medical imaging systems, designed and developed in 2016. The phantom, which is now a patented WARF technology, was part of a project he and several colleagues developed to reduce the radiation needed to calibrate machines, making the process cheaper and safer.

But Cox could be talking about any other project he’s helped develop in the Prototype Pathway, a specialized arm of the Morgridge Fab Lab that unites the expertise of senior staff engineers with the tenacity of engineering students.
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Ken Notes: I believe many of the solutions to Covid 19 will come through Madison. WARF, RP I and II, The UW, and Morgridge not to mention the private companies are leading the charge...

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Gov. Tony Evers announced an $8 million grant program aimed at helping the Wisconsin tourism industry amid a decline in tourism due to the COVID-19 pandemic on Sept. 14.

The Tourism Relief to Accelerate Vitality and Economic Lift (TRAVEL) stimulus grant program will be funded through the CARES Act.

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Ken Notes: Here is yet another example of fixing a problem without knowing the overall impact. What we need to do is create programs, space, and support for bringing more tourists to Wisconsin post Covid. We dropped the Escape to Wisconsin tag line, but I promise after Covid we will look good to the Chicagoan`s looking for calmer waters. While 8 million sounds good this is a 22 Billion dollar industry. So one half of one percent??..

The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says the WI Farm Support Program received 4,672 applications as of Monday.

DATCP Secretary-designee Randy Romanski said 3,249 of those applications were already approved by the time the application window closed, since the Department of Revenue reviewed them on a rolling basis throughout the application period. Romanski said he expects that number to rise as DOR continues to work through applications.

Romanski also said 45% of all applications came from farmers in the $10,000-30,000 income range, who were not eligible to apply in the first round. He added that the funds are still expected to be handed out on a sliding scale based on income, and those payments will be disbursed in mid-September.
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Ken Notes:Award winning and designed by our own Erdman, it is nice to see them back in the lead designing state of the art health care facilities...

WISCONSIN — Governor Tony Evers announced a new $8 million TRAVEL grants program in support of the tourism industry in Wisconsin.

The new grant program, Tourism Relief to Accelerate Vitality and Economic Lift (TRAVEL) stimulus grant program, is aimed at helping local tourism organizations navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The tourism industry is among the hardest hit by COVID-19,” said Gov. Evers. “The TRAVEL grants are designed to sustain local operations, staffing, and relief stimulus activities to drive immediate spending and reinforce safe travel in support of local businesses across the state.”...

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MADISON, Wis. —

After WISN 12 News Investigates helped a West Allis veteran get his unemployment benefits after waiting six months, the newsroom has been inundated with requests to help dozens of other people who are still waiting for their benefits.

Secretary Caleb Frostman told WISN 12 News since March, they`ve "paid about 510,000 people about $3.6 billion. There are 96,000 claimants in Wisconsin still waiting on at least one payment in our adjudication area, so we`re making progress week over week, continuing to grind through those oldest claims first, but obviously we`ve got continued work ahead of us, as we continue to grind down the mountain of claims that have piled up since COVID hit Wisconsin."

Frostman said unemployment jumped from 3% in March to 13% in April and they weren`t prepared.

They hired 1,300 extra staff members to handle the claims and could hire even more.

WISN 12 News asked why some workers have heard anything about their claim in weeks or even months....

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PLATTEVILLE, Wis. — The U.S. Economic Development Administration has awarded a competitive grant to help finance an innovation hub in southwest Wisconsin, according to a press release.

The more-than-$500,000 federal investment is being matched by local partners, including University of Wisconsin-Platteville, which is spearheading the initiative to develop the Innovation Driving Entrepreneurship Accelerator, or IDEA Hub, of Southwest Wisconsin.

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Ken Notes: Congrats!

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“We say no to good ideas every day.” -Tim Cook

A few weeks ago, I penned an open letter to Burger King here on LinkedIn, in response to the burger chain’s recent #CowsMenu advertising campaign, which aimed to bring attention to their efforts to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint of the beef they serve. I actually commended Burger King because it’s not often an American fast food chain takes a stand when it comes to a major environmental issue.


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Ken Notes: I know, more a WDNGreen.com Article, but our development community should know I am not alone in my quest for cleaner sustainable farms.

MANITOWOC – The City Council’s Committee of the Whole will consider a proposal tonight by the Boys & Girls Club of Manitowoc to buy the former downtown Mirro site for $1.

Plans call to build a $3 million to $4 million Club center on the vacant property in the 1500 block of Washington Street. The Mirro Aluminum Company closed its doors in 2003 – which had employed thousands since 1909 — and the building sat empty. In 2016, the city of Manitowoc acquired the site and demolished the building nearly three years ago.

Under the proposal, the city would clean up contaminants for an estimated $253,000 and continue to monitor the site via state guidelines. It would work with Club administrators to submit grants for clean up funding.

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Ken Notes: Brilliant!

PROJECT SUMMARY:  The Oregon School District built a 126,000 square foot new construction elementary school, Forest Edge Elementary School in 2020. The key sustainability requirement of the new elementary school was to be a zero-energy building. This is defined as “an energy-efficient building where, on a source energy basis, the actual annual delivered energy is less than or equal to the on-site renewable exported energy” as defined by the U.S. Department of Energy. It will be the first net zero energy school in the state of Wisconsin, offsetting 100% of all on-site energy needs.
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Ken Notes: Wow, this is a great project and demonstrates what new construction should look like...

The four-story, 2.6 million square foot Amazon distribution center is located in the Ryan Business Park in Oak Creek.

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Ken Notes: Congrats!

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Ken Notes: And more at the link...

Wisconsin cities across the state offered coronavirus relief grants to local businesses to make up for losses during the economic shutdown.

In southeast Wisconsin, Tu Casa Mexican Restaurant of West Lincoln Avenue, Milwaukee was one recipient of 548 established small businesses that received a RESTART grant from the city...   ...more

Ken Notes: With interest rates so low, I wish we made all of our investments now in the form or no interest delayed payment loans. Then at the end pandemic we could evaluate what we need to forgive in part or in whole. As it stands now we have given trillions in grants and businesses are still failing, while others did not need the grants in the first place. I asked a friend why his successful manufacturing facility took a large PPP (first round) loan when he had little or now slowdown. His reply was because his competitors had and the money was just sitting there.

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. -- The City of Platteville has been named a finalist for a state award for its collaboration with the private sector in the construction of a $14.1 million residential and commercial development project.

Wisconsin Economic Development Association will name the winner of a Community and Economic Development award in the public-private partnership category on Wednesday, Sept. 16, according to a press release....
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MilliporeSigma (Burlington, Mass.) announced a $65 million expansion of its high-potent active pharmaceutical ingredient (HPAPI) and antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) manufacturing capabilities and capacity at its facility near Madison, Wisconsin. This investment will allow large-scale manufacturing of increasingly potent compounds that have the potential to treat cancer. Completion is expected by mid-2022 and should add approximately 50 full-time jobs starting in 2021.

MilliporeSigma’s new 70,000-square-foot commercial building will be one of the largest dedicated HPAPI manufacturing facilities specifically designed to handle single-digit nanogram occupational exposure limit materials. The facility will incorporate containment areas to produce next-generation linker and payload materials for ADCs. The project is an addition to the company’s Madison campus, which was the first commercial ADC facility in North America designed to handle highly active materials. It will join MilliporeSigma’s established campus in St. Louis, Missouri, which specializes in ADC bio-conjugation, active pharmaceutical ingredients, excipient and adjuvants manufacturing...
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Ken Notes: They win my award for most psychedelic logo hands down! I am guessing this will happen at the Verona location....

Komatsu is using construction of its mining company’s future Milwaukee headquarters as an incubator for new smart technology to guide its earth-moving equipment. 

That Komatsu construction technology debuted in early March at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 trade show in Las Vegas. Wisconsin contractors are using that technology now as they dig foundations and move dirt for new office and manufacturing facilities for Komatsu Mining Corp.’s new headquarters in Milwaukee’s Harbor District...

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Ken Notes: I must confess to being a bit of a hypocrite in that I love the company and the new headquarters but do not want large mines in Wisconsin...

While The Tinsmith’s grand opening will look a little different, the venue, like many others, is taking an inventive approach to the upcoming wedding season in the wake of COVID-19.

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Ken Notes: Older article but the recent video was interesting...

David Egan benefited as one of first preschoolers at UW-Madison`s Waisman Center

When David Egan was born, 43 years ago this week – Sept. 17, 1977 – his parents, John and Kathleen Egan, doctoral students at UW-Madison, saw apprehension on the faces of the medical professionals who delivered the baby at St. Mary’s Hospital. The sense of unease was punctuated when a doctor said, “Your son has Down syndrome. I am so sorry.”...   ...more

Ken Notes:READ THIS! What an inspiring story and individual. Doug Moe wrote the article and brought this to my attention and I am better for it, thank you....

Merck announced the expansion of its high-potent active pharmaceutical ingredient (HPAPI) and antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) production capabilities and capacity at its facility in Madison, Wisconsin, US, in September 2020.

With an estimated investment of $69m (€59m), the expansion will facilitate large-scale production of increasingly potent compounds for potential cancer treatment...

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Ken Notes: Far more details this week... Still no mention of Verona where the facility actually is...

New technology that transforms cow manure into water clean enough to be discharged into local waterways is now at work in the town of Springfield.

Dane County Executive Joe Parisi said the $1.6 million Nutrient Concentration System, which is likely the first of its kind in the United States, aims to preserve farm families’ way of life while also cleaning area lakes.

“By partnering with farmers and industry leaders, we are able to explore new technologies to manage manure while improving farmers’ bottom line and protecting our local water resources,” Parisi said in a statement Tuesday. “In order to continue to make progress toward our water quality goals, we need to address these challenges head on as a community.”...
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Ken Notes: You do not need to get this fancy, you just need to digest and heat the effluent, you are left with a product you can sell or use for bedding. This is cost effective and would work at EVERY CAFO in the state. Ultra filtration is cool but expensive and requires more energy. I get frustrated when we get too far ahead of the curve, especially when we have affordable tech that works!!!

   
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The money will help small businesses and entrepreneurs affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Dawn Fischer, owner of Wilkins and Olander said, "going into this like everybody else we had no idea what to expect. We made some adjustments, all things considered it was a pretty good season considering it was a pandemic."

Now with an unusual summer season winding down, there remains uncertainty for the fall.

Fischer siad, "I hope the people still come, the tourists still come up and everyone continues to support small businesses, restaurants, retail all alike. It`s been a trying year and we really hope for the best."..

See Also:

Door County businesses in line for federal aid

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The WEDC is partnering with the Kenosha Area Business Alliance to administer loans through its Disaster Recovery Microloan program.
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Ken Notes: And the gun rights group raised 50K for the defense of the lad that shot two people, seems to be the magic number. Is anyone else ready for 2020 to just go away....

MADISON - The core services Wisconsin`s 267 local chambers of commerce offer their members vary from city to town to village.

Whether they focus on advocacy, tourism, economic development, entrepreneurship, young professionals, workforce or organizing community events, they all play an important role in our state that should be recognized.

According to a press release Wednesday morning, that is why Gov. Tony Evers has proclaimed September as Chambers of Commerce Month in Wisconsin. Evers made the proclamation at the request of the Wisconsin Chambers of Commerce Executives (WCCE), a division of the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) - the state chamber that offers professional development and advocacy for local chambers of commerce...
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Democratic state Sen. Janis Ringhand and state Rep. Mark Spreitzer both received the 2020 Champions of Economic Development Award from the Wisconsin Economic Development Association.

The award is presented to legislators who promote economic development through effective policies and are committed to making the state a better place, according to a news release...
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A Milwaukee-based startup focused on easing the pain of daily insulin shots recently celebrated its best sales month after working for two years to take its needle-stabilizing product to the pharmaceutical market.

Steady Shot is an add-on for diabetes insulin pen needles. The device connects to standard pen needles and holds the needle steady during the injection process, offering users the ability to reach more injection sites and control their blood glucose levels...

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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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Madison’s City Council adopted a $750,000 program to support diverse and traditionally underrepresented small business owners and entrepreneurs. 

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Ken Notes: Indiana?? come on guys we need you back at home. We all promise to replace our Dewalt stuff for stuff made in Wisconsin....

Two teams from the University of Wisconsin–Madison won a combined $1.5 million in provisional funding in a national competition to help boost the middle class.

The two teams, Connect Rx and Opportunity Calculator, competed in the final round of the Alliance for the American Dream Challenge on Sept. 10 against teams from three other universities. The alliance, sponsored by Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic initiative founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt, awarded Connect Rx $1 million and Opportunity Calculator $500,000 for their innovative ideas to help raise the net income of 10,000 Dane County families by 10 percent. The awards are provisional based on the successful completion of grant agreements and other requirements...

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Ken Notes: Go UW...

The Kenosha Area Business Alliance lured another Illinois manufacturer to its business park in Salem, announcing R+D Custom Automation will bring 60 jobs to the state next year.

The 82-acre Salem Business Park was developed to attract smaller-scale manufacturers, rather than the companies building massive distribution centers along Interstate 94. R+D Custom Automation, based in Lake Villa, Illinois, will invest $6 million in a 62,000-square-foot facility in the business park to consolidate its operations, according to a Tuesday press release....
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Kenosha’s Bear Real Estate Group could join the swell of development activity in Milwaukee’s Harbor District as it seeks a mixed-use rezoning for a large industrial property.   ...more

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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Communities across Southeast Wisconsin will receive over $3.3 million in CARES funding Wednesday to address the needs of those affected financially by COVID-19.

Rep. Bryan Steil announced that Janesville, Racine and Kenosha will all receive the federal assistance, as well as Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. According to a news release, Steil said he was glad to see these communities getting the assistance they need during this difficult time.

“Families and workers continue feeling the health and economic impacts of coronavirus,” Steil said. “Workers are out of work through no fault of their own and families are concerned about making ends meet.”

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The Wisconsin Court of Appeals Tuesday reinstated a lawsuit challenging a deal that would trade part of Kohler-Andrae State Park for other lands so Kohler Company can build another golf course along Lake Michigan.

The state’s Natural Resources Board in 2018 approved a land trade Kohler had negotiated with the Department of Natural Resources — nearly 10 acres west of the park for 4.6 acres of the park, and easement over another 1.8 acres of the park.

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Ken Notes:Can we please step back and look at the economic benefits this project would bring to the state! Kohler has done so much for the state, their offer is more that fair, they could develop the site they own with much more environmentally challenging options without approvals from the state, and they donated the land to the state in the first place.

DELAVAN, Wis. (WMTV) - They may not have won the top prize, but two Wisconsin business owners are still celebrated their accomplishments on Tuesday.

Co-owners and CEOs, Jeff Peterson and Mark Becker, are two of the nominees for the National Small Businesspersons of the Year award. The pair first landed the statewide honor for their growth and development of their company, Geneva Supply Inc., in Delavan, Wis.

They missed out on the national award Tuesday during the virtual announcement, but said it was an honor to represent the state.

“It means so much, I don’t want to say that we needed to be validated, but it was so great to have a whole bunch of people at Geneva Supply to be part of something so much bigger within the state that they live and have so much pride in,” said Peterson...
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Ken Notes: Congrats!!!

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Findorff, builders of Wisconsin`s finest projects...and ...A sponsor of Wisconsin Development News

ARBOR VITAE - Co-owners of North Fork Fin and Filet, Joe Reed and Christie Terkelson, are taking a leap of faith as they open their brand new restaurant in Arbor Vitae.
Their goal is to honor the community and the history of the 50 year old building, which used to house the Plantation Supper Club.
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Situated on the western shore of Lake Michigan 75 miles north of Chicago, Port Milwaukee is looking to enhance its position as a Midwest transportation hub with development of a new agricultural export facility.

Under an agreement approved by harbor commissioners in August, The DeLong Co. Inc., headquartered in Clinton, Wisconsin, is to develop the facility on a 3.9-acre tract along Port Milwaukee’s inner harbor and lease it for at least 30 years...

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The Westby City Council approved the initial resolution for general obligation bonds not to exceed $950,000 for community development projects in tax increment districts at its meeting Tuesday, Sept. 15. The amount is what the city will borrow for expansion of the industrial park.

Mayor Danny Helgerson said the bond amount is for the city’s 20 percent share for the expansion. A Wisconsin Economic Development Association grant will cover 80 percent of the $4.3 million project...

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The first building of a new multi-family apartment complex in the Dells is scheduled for completion sometime next year.

Stony Acres Apartments broke ground at its location at 801 Jones Rd. in early August with the first apartment scheduled for completion in 2021. The construction of the first building is the initial phase in adding a potential 150 market rate unit apartments in the Dells...
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MADISON, Wis. – September 8, 2020 – Alliant Energy was named a Top Utility in Economic Development by Site Selection magazine. The annual list recognized the company for its contribution to community development, job creation and partnerships with institutions of higher learning in the areas the company serves. For the second year in a row, Alliant Energy is the only Wisconsin energy company to make the list .

“We are guided by our purpose to serve customers and help build strong communities,” said David de Leon, President of Alliant Energy’s Wisconsin energy company. “We partner with the communities we serve, nonprofit organizations and local economic groups to bring our purpose to life.”..
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Ken Notes:Congrats...

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JSD provides complete services in Planning & Development, Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Water Resources, Landscape Architecture, Construction Services, Surveying & Mapping, and Environmental Services. Offices in Madison - Milwaukee - Kenosha - Fox Valley & Wausau.

Possible redevelopment to the downtown area took a step forward Tuesday, Sept. 1 with the Lake Mills City Council proceeding with TID #8, a financing tool for the city to fund infrastructure investment and other eligible projects to facilitate private development.

“Approval of this document does not obligate you to what is shown here,” said Dustin Wolff, city planner. “This is the tool; the city has used successfully for a number of years in the Industrial Park and other areas (in town).”

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Southeast Wisconsin’s property values increased 5.6% last year, the highest rate in 10 years, and Kenosha and Racine counties were among the tops in the state for value increases from new construction.

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Ken Notes: Article is behind paywall but the 5.6 checks out...

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has received $1.9 million dollars for continued funding of the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP) and Turkey Hunting Access Program (THAP). Funds were authorized under the 2018 Farm Bill and are administered and provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

For those interested in making their land available for public access, the VPA-HIP program provides opportunities to increase public access for quality hunting, fishing and wildlife observation on private lands...

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Ken Notes: Please be very careful when someone offers assistance for a fee. Deal ONLY with advisors you know and trust.

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

News flash: Longtime Milwaukee conservative talk radio host Charlie Sykes is voting for Joe Biden this November, as he recently told Wisconsin Public Radio.

Sykes, of course, has become one of the country’s better known Never Trumpers. After stepping down from 23 years as a right-wing zealot on talk radio, he quickly built a national reputation by dramatically recanting some of his views and blasting Republican President Donald Trump. That and the publication of his book, How the Right Lost Its Mind, helped win Sykes a gig as a contributor on liberal MSNBC and a position as editor-at-large at The Bulwark, a conservative publication that opposes Trump,  while also doing occasional op eds for the New York Times.

“Whether you want to talk about fiscal prudence, free trade, American exceptionalism — one after another, those values were jettisoned, not to mention just the damage that’s been done to the American political culture by four years of Donald Trump,” Sykes told WPR reporter Elizabeth Dohms-Harter...
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Ken Notes: I do not know if my readers still get to the bottom of WDN so I feel I am on safe ground here. On the record I am a fiscal conservative but have never been a fan of CS. He single handedlly killed High Speed Rail, Working for a stronger educational system, and much more. and now I am also sure that Hell Has Frozen Over...

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Ken Notes: WDNews relies on the actual journalism provided by your local media outlets. Without these partners we can not bring you the unbiased news, leads and updates you need to thrive in Wisconsin. Support your local media...

Land & Space Development Database

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Ken Notes: Tom Daykin is the source for ED news in MKE. This is a permanent link to articles in his blog which is updated daily...

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