• Interstate 41 Corridor

Brown, Calumet, Outagamie, Winnebago, Fond du Lac Counties

Legislature approves funding for UW-Green Bay library project

The Committee on Joint Finance of the Wisconsin State Legislature approved $96 million in funding for the removal of the current University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Cofrin Library to be replaced with the new Cofrin Technology and Education Center.

This is the first state-funded UW-Green Bay major academic capital project to proceed to this point in the budgeting process in more than 20 years (the most recent being Mary Ann Cofrin Hall, dedicated in September of 2001). If the full legislature approves the building and the budget is signed by Gov. Tony Evers, the school will complete the process to have the building funded. The school said the final approval could come before the end of summer.

In addition to the Cofrin Research Center, the committee approved $247,500 annually of tribal gaming funds for the First Nations Studies Program and $109,300 annually of tribal gaming funds for two years for STEM camps for Oneida students.

Oshkosh Corp. unveils line of electric fire, emergency vehicles

Oshkosh Corp.’s fire and emergency segment unveiled the Volterra platform of electric vehicles with the introduction of two new trucks under the Pierce Manufacturing and Oshkosh Airport Products brands.

The first Pierce Volterra zero-emissions pumper was placed on duty with the City of Madison Fire Department, making this the first electric fire truck in service in North America. The Volterra pumper is serving front-line duty at Station 8, the City of Madison’s busiest fire station, supporting a population of over 250,000. Over the next several months, the Striker Volterra performance hybrid aircraft rescue and fire fighting vehicle will be showcased at airports across the United States.

The Pierce Volterra zero-emissions pumper and Striker Volterra performance hybrid ARFF vehicle feature patented Oshkosh Corp. battery electric vehicle and hybrid vehicle technologies. Both platforms facilitate the addition of an internal combustion engine to provide continuous and uninterrupted power to the pumping system or drive system.

• The Lakeshore

Door, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Sheboygan Counties

Kohler launches new line dedicated to clean energy

Kohler Power debuted a new clean energy offering with the launch of Kohler Power Reserve energy storage systems, a milestone in the company’s global initiative to support sustainability innovations and drive continuous improvement within the housing industry.

The line offers customers a modular backup system to store and access the clean energy produced by their home’s solar systems for additional energy savings. Kohler offers both AC- and DC-coupled units, allowing installers and dealers to service all customers with a single brand and for users to access the type of power source/output required for their homes without purchasing additional accessories.

Homeowners also can access and manage their stored solar power in the Kohler Power Reserve system through an app that provides real-time insights into power flow for the home. For non-solar-powered homes, the system offers a way to store energy from the grid during times of lower rates and then rely on the batteries for power during peak rate periods while providing the home with backup power in case of a power outage.

Door County awards contract for broadband engineering assessment

The Door County Economic Development Corp. board of directors awarded broadband infrastructure engineering assessment contract to Finley Engineering Co. of Altoona, in collaboration with CCG Consulting. Finley offers services throughout the United States in the fields of broadband/telecommunications electric power, and related industries.

As Door County struggles with broadband service issues, and with the demand for bandwidth projected to increase substantially over the coming years, DCEDC continues to work with municipalities, private companies and local foundations to fund a comprehensive assessment of the broadband infrastructure, along with possible short- and long-term solutions.

The objective is to develop a comprehensive strategy that will provide reliable broadband service up to 1 gigabit to every residence and business in Door County. If technologies that are not scalable to 1 gigabit or greater are used or recommended to provide an interim solution for the unserved, such technologies must be considered transitional only, not permanent solutions, said DCEDC Executive Director Steve Jenkins said.

The goals of the study are to understand what is currently available, where the infrastructure serves, capacity and who owns the infrastructure; identify voids or deficiencies in service; determine the appropriate organizational structure for broadband service; and identify options in providing service both in the short term and long term, along with possible financing plans and strategies.

As part of the process, DCEDC is asking residents and businesses to complete a broadband survey. Residents can visit surveymonkey.com/r/FVV2P3H, and business owners can visit surveymonkey.com/r/F7LXNBK.

• West Central

Shawano, Waupaca, Waushara, Marquette, Green Lake Counties

Weyauwega receives $93K grant to redevelop Main Street building

The City of Weyauwega is receiving a $93,000 state grant to help renovate a vacant downtown building into commercial space and apartments. The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. awarded the project a Community Development Investment Grant.

The City of Weyauwega is working with the owners of the property for the project. Significant remodeling of the building is needed to eliminate the dilapidated interior and repair the damaged roof. After renovations, the building will hold two commercial spaces on the first floor and two two-bedroom apartments on the second floor.

The renovated building will offer two storefronts with a main entrance vestibule on Main Street, and the apartments will have a private entrance on Main Street. The project is expected to be completed in June of 2022.

Nueske’s opens second store in Wittenberg schoolhouse

Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats has opened a second retail store.

The shop is housed in Wittenberg’s first schoolhouse, built in 1882. The building was destined for demolition until Nueske’s late owner Bob Nueske, who was a history lover, bought the building and had it moved to the current location in 1992. The building took eight years to refurbish and had been Nueske’s Antique store from 2000 to March 2020.

The new Schoolhouse Market is a retail store that will feature products from local producers throughout Wisconsin. Nueske’s is partnering with over 40 of these producers. The store will feature food items including local fudge, candy, snack foods and many items that will complement the meat and bacon products from Nueske’s Company Store. The store also will offer alpaca apparel items.

• The Northwoods

Florence, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto Counties

Tyco receives approval for PFAS contamination cleanup plan

Wisconsin environmental regulators signed off on Tyco Fire Products’ plans to treat PFAS contamination in groundwater stemming from its fire training facility in Marinette. While the plans were approved, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources warns the system will reduce, but not eliminate, the so-called forever chemicals in groundwater and surface water over the next 30 years.

The contamination is linked to Tyco’s use of firefighting foam that contains PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The Marinette manufacturer conducted testing and training with firefighting foam containing PFAS at its facility from the early 1960s through 2017.

Tyco, which is part of Johnson Controls International, submitted its plan for a groundwater extraction and treatment system in February. The system includes a series of nine wells that will be installed to pump contaminated groundwater into pipes that will deliver it to a treatment system on the property. The company aims to build the treatment system and get it up and running by the end of the year.

The system will not clean up pollution throughout the entire area or address the contaminated wells in the Town of Peshtigo. The DNR is asking for a separate plan or monitoring system for that.

Menominee Indian Tribe receives $1.5 million in CARES grant funds

The Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration awarded a $1.5 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to the Menominee Indian Tribe in Keshena to develop economic recovery strategies that will strengthen, diversify and add resilience to the regional economy.

“This investment will allow the tribe to hire staff, conduct an economic development assessment of the Menominee Reservation, and create a plan to respond to the coronavirus pandemic and future economic disruptions,” said Molly Ritner, EDA chief of staff.

This project is funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, which provided the EDA with $1.5 billion for economic assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus.