• Interstate 41 Corridor
Brown, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Outagamie, Winnebago Counties
Changes coming in transit services
GO Transit and Valley Transit both announced operational changes that will take effect this summer.
GO Transit, the public transportation service in the Greater Oshkosh area, will implement route modifications effective Aug. 1; fare changes will also take place by late summer.
“At GO Transit, we’ve listened to our community and are evolving to better cater to our riders and the city,” said Steve Tomasik, transit operation manager. “The route modifications and fare changes demonstrate our commitment to continuously elevate the overall travel experience and provide dependable and efficient service for all.”
On Aug. 1, modifications will be made to routes 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7, with additional changes to “paired/interlined” routes at the downtown Oshkosh transit center to minimize transfers.
By the end of summer 2024, regular one-way fares will increase to $2 per one-way trip, and senior and disabled fares will be $1. A monthly pass will be available for $40 and offer unlimited rides per month. These fares are consistent with public transportation systems in the area. In addition, GO Transit will introduce new day passes that will cost $4 and offer unlimited rides on the specified day.
The Fox Cities’ Valley Transit announced it will transition from fixed-route buses to utilizing VT Connector, an on-demand micro transit service, after 6 p.m. on weekdays and after 1 p.m. on Saturdays.
Currently, VT Connector supplements Valley Transit’s bus service by providing trips when riders live or work outside regular bus route locations or need transportation before or after normal operating hours. Under the new proposal, VT Connector would become the primary mode of public transportation during these non-peak hours, requiring passengers to schedule their rides at least two hours in advance.
Lower traffic and difficulty finding drivers were the reasons provided for the transition.
Project SEARCH grads help expand workforce
A group of students spent nine months learning new skills and trying new work opportunities at Ascension St. Elizabeth through Project SEARCH, a collaborative program overseen by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD)’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
“The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development is excited to celebrate the state’s nearly 200 Project SEARCH graduates, who have explored new skills, expanded their opportunities, and earned a great sense of accomplishment in the work they have done over the past nine months,” said DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek.
The graduation ceremony at Ascension St. Elizabeth in Appleton marked the completion of a nine- to 12-month immersive work experience. The interns recounted their hands-on experiences and talked about their future career opportunities.
In addition to the host site, the local internship experience was made possible by partners including the DWD’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Appleton Area School District, VPI, Inc., Lakeland Care, Community Care and TMG Wisconsin. Statewide, 28 employers are participating in Project SEARCH this year.
Project SEARCH is a collaborative effort among state vocational rehabilitation agencies, area schools, local employers and long-term care organizations to help interns acquire marketable, competitive and transferable skills that lead to employment. The interns complete multiple 10-week rotations to maximize exposure to different career paths and learn both employability skills in a classroom and hands-on job skills in the business environment.
Started at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in 1996, Project SEARCH has provided workforce training to more than 1,800 Wisconsin residents since its statewide launch in 2008.
• The Lakeshore
Door, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Sheboygan Counties
Progress Lakeshore presents awards
Progress Lakeshore held its annual Excellence in Economic Development Awards breakfast and presented the awards listed below.
The Corporate Investment Award for a business that has made a positive economic impact on the community through capital investment, product innovation and enhancing the workforce was presented to The Inn on Maritime Bay. The Inn made a multi-million-dollar investment into the hotel, which breathed new life into downtown Manitowoc. It is operating now under the Ascend Hotel Collection brand. Honorable mention was presented to Allstates Rigging.
The Entrepreneurial Achievement Award recognizing an individual or emerging small business was presented to Executive Concierge. The business started as a one-person operation back in 2023, but it has grown into a five-person team. Two honorable mentions were presented to CRusched and Mishicot Managers.
The Neighborhood Development Award was presented to Mike Howe Builders for The Preserve at Lincoln Park. This award recognizes innovative real estate development or reuse projects that are purposely built or adaptively reused to enhance the community. Specifically, this project took a former hospital site that was abandoned since 2013 and transformed it into a single-family home development. Honorable mention was presented to Dollar General.
The city of Two Rivers was presented with the Community Enhancement Award for the Central Park West 365 project that turned a local park into a hub for year-round activities. It included a splash pad and an ice skating rink equipped with artificial ice for consistent use, alongside a new pavilion providing amenities like restrooms and concessions. Honorable mention was presented to CESA 6 College and Career Readiness Division.
The Economic Accelerator of the Year Award was presented to Brandon Bartow of Bartow Builders. The award recognizes an individual or organization that has played a key leadership role in economic development, workforce development, entrepreneurship, community collaboration, and/or business retention and expansion. Bartow Builders started with two people and now employs 25. Bartow has transformed a historic downtown Manitowoc building into a thriving restaurant employing more than 40 individuals, diversified with the purchase and expansion of Carpets Plus, and continued downtown property development. Honorable mention was presented to Jamie Dahmer.
Welding rodeos expected to boost shipbuilding recruitment
Northeastern Wisconsin Technical College has been awarded $579,181 from the Department of Navy’s Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Education and Workforce Program and will use the funds to create a “Welding Rodeo.”
The program aims to attract and grow a new talent pool to bridge the workforce gap in Northeast Wisconsin’s shipbuilding sector. Home to six of the Great Lakes’ eight shipbuilders, Northeast Wisconsin’s shipbuilding industry is grappling with a shortage of qualified workers to meet the rising demand.
The U.S. Navy’s 30-year plan proposes up to 404 manned and 204 large, unmanned vessels in the naval fleet.
“As the maritime sector continues to grow, NWTC remains at the forefront of this expansion. Yet, to navigate the industry’s evolving landscape, we need to anticipate and embrace the challenges ahead,” said Meridith Jaeger, NWTC vice president of college advancement.
NWTC will launch the Welding Rodeo: Experiences in STEM Education program that will include STEM career fairs, hands-on welding workshops, welding competitions for every skill level and a metal sculpture contest with proceeds funding scholarships.
“The Welding Rodeo not only addresses the immediate demands of our growing maritime industry, but also serves as a blueprint for other skilled trades to thrive across our region and beyond. This initiative will not only bridge the gap between talent and opportunity, it forges new connections between communities and the maritime sector,” Jaeger said.
The Welding Rodeo is projected to begin in fall with annual events taking place in both Marinette and Sturgeon Bay, home to Fincantieri Marine Group shipyards.
NWTC has collaborated closely with the maritime sector since World War II by offering tailored training to shipbuilders and working with workforce development agencies to grow the industry. NWTC has trained nearly 15,000 new hires and incumbent workers through its North Coast Marine Manufacturing Training Center. The college has a longstanding partnership with Fincantieri Marinette Marine and has recently expanded to also provide specialized training through NWTC’s Sturgeon Bay campus for Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding.
• West Central
Green Lake, Marquette, Shawano, Waupaca, Waushara Counties
Lavender farm wedding venue planned near Wittenberg
Vicki and Joseph Oboikovitz plan to create a private reception venue at a lavender farm they established in the town of Birnamwood, three miles north of Wittenberg.
The 39-acre property was acquired in 2018, and the family planted more than 200 lavender plants. Since then, they have planted additional lavender gardens as well as complementary annuals and perennials. Renovations include a large steel shed with glass garage doors that open into the gardens, as well as a patio. It includes a bridal party suite and groom’s quarters. There is grass space for seating as well as parking for up to 150.
Plans include hosting a “Lavender Fest” in July to include family events such as face painting, petting zoo, lavender workshops, food trucks and artisan vendors. Future plans include an expansion to add a boutique and gift item section and honey bee farm section.
License approved for Shawano TV station
Another TV station may be coming to the area and possibly offer a popular subchannel.
According to FCC.gov records, the call letters WMEI were approved to a potential television signal with Shawano as the city of license, although the origination of the signal appears to be a tower northeast of Morrison in Brown County.
The station’s licensee is listed as TV-49, Inc. but rabbitears.info reports the operator as Weigel Broadcasting, a company out of Chicago that owns a number of networks including MeTV, which features classic television shows.
Although no public announcement has been made, it could mean that MeTV will return to Northeast Wisconsin television. MeTV had been a digital subchannel for NBC26 until 2022.
In addition to MeTV, Weigel Broadcasting owns other channels including Catchy Comedy (formerly known as Decades featuring classic TV shows), H&I, Start TV, Dabl and the upcoming MeTV Toons, which features classic animation.
As of press time, WMEI has only a construction permit and a transmit channel designation (Channel 31) from the FCC. There is no timeline on when the station will sign on.
• The Northwoods
Florence, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto Counties
Fund awarded for EV charging stations
Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced $23.3 million has been awarded to 53 projects throughout Wisconsin to support construction of fast-charging electrical stations.
The projects are being funded through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program and are part of the more than $78 million the state is expected to receive over the next five years.
Locations include 12 sites in Northeast Wisconsin. The selected applicants include fuel retailers, hotels and restaurants. Two Tribal Nations will receive more than $800,000 in funding, and 13 selected sites will be installed in disadvantaged communities. Wisconsin is the first state to award NEVI funds to a Tribal Nation. WisDOT anticipates construction may begin at some locations as early as late summer.
Northeastern Wisconsin locations include Kwik Trip stores in Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Crivitz, Marinette, Bonduel and Green Bay as well as sites in Neenah, Sheboygan, Manitowoc and Wausaukee.
This comes as, in March, Evers signed legislation enabling WisDOT to receive and administer the more than $78 million in federal NEVI funds available to Wisconsin to bolster the state’s EV infrastructure.
The charging stations will be built along Wisconsin’s Alternative Fuel Corridor, reaching all corners of the state, to support the more than 23,000 EVs registered in the state, as well as travelers and visitors.
