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VIROQUA, Wis. (WKBT) — City officials celebrated the opening of Main Street Apartments Friday, a 65-unit workforce housing development that combines affordable apartments with a childcare facility for working families in western Wisconsin.

The development features housing units, retail space and a 6,000-square-foot childcare facility called the Bumble and Bloom Early Learning Center. The center will serve approximately 65 children ranging from six weeks to six years old.

La Crosse-based VARC will operate the early learning center, which city leaders say addresses a critical need for working families in the area.

Governor Tony Evers attended Friday`s ribbon-cutting ceremony and praised the community-wide effort that made the development possible...

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LA CROSSE (WKBT) — A $9,506,767 contract to reconstruct WIS 35 between the La Crosse/Vernon County line and Sunnyside Drive in La Crosse has approval from the DOT and Governor`s office.

The DOT made that announcement in a release Wednesday. Work begins on Monday.

The project includes pavement reconstruction, rebuilding the County GI/County K intersection, culvert replacement and replacing the Momon Creek bridge deck.

WIS 35 will remain open to traffic during construction, though County GI will temporarily close for railroad crossing improvements. Construction crews will maintain access to businesses and residences throughout the project...

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VIROQUA, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – Ever since its founding in 2005, Viroqua’s Wonderstate Coffee has been using its roastery to create coffees from all around the world. However, in 2015, Wonderstate decided they wanted to do more for the community… and the planet… by becoming one of the first roasteries in the world to utilize solar power. “Going solar, for us, was an opportunity to mitigate the stress we’re putting on the place where we live. It was also an opportunity to take that next step, take responsibility for the impact we’re having, and move the needle. We believe that business can be a force for positive impact.”

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SPARTA, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – The city of Sparta and Mayo Clinic Health System are celebrating the groundbreaking of a new expansion to the Mayo Sparta hospital. Mayo officials say the expansion will add 10 more comfortable inpatient rooms, allow for more staffing, and provide other benefits. “We also will be adding the services of infusion and inpatient pharmacy to our patients so they can get specialized medications, chemotherapy, here locally, and don’t have to travel so far to get those needed medications.”

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Key Findings:

• 58 - 60 new housing units annually must be developed in Vernon County to accommodate projected population growth.
  
  
• About 25% of households are cost-burdened or living in housing with at least one HUD-identified problem (e.g., overcrowding, incomplete facilities, or excessive costs).
  
  
• Rental housing, especially for lower-income and mobile populations, is a crucial piece of the housing ecosystem.
  
  
• Older adults face unique challenges, including affordability and accessibility in rental housing, even though many own their homes.
  
  
• • The county’s housing stock is aging, with 80% of homes older than 45 years and a limited mix of housing types.
  
  
• • Vernon County’s income distribution and commuter workforce suggest a need for housing that aligns with a variety of income levels and locations along key corridors.

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Standing on her porch, Vikki Braker pointed out her favorite lawn cutouts, arranged in a colorful scene: Silhouettes of two children... She figures more people get to enjoy her outdoor display than anything she keeps inside. Neat rows of brick bordered each decorative scene atop grass her son had trimmed. Even as she slows down in her yardwork, the 67-year-old can’t imagine giving it up.

But Braker does not own her yard, only the home that sits on top of it. She worries about who will soon control her well-manicured lot...   ...Full Story Here

Ken Notes: This is a real issue and these homeowners are being held hostage by corporate buyers who are quick to buy out the mom and pop park owners, raise rates, reduce services, and allows properties to deteriorate. The co-op solution is a good idea but needs community support.

LANSING, Iowa — The nearly century-old Black Hawk Bridge, a crucial link between Iowa and Wisconsin, is scheduled to close permanently on Monday, Oct. 20, at 7 a.m., allowing construction crews to accelerate work on its replacement span.

The Iowa and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation (DOT) announced the closure, stating that future construction phases for the adjacent new bridge pose a safety risk to the existing structure, also known as the Iowa 9/WIS 82 Mississippi River bridge. The permanent closure comes after months of intermittent shutdowns and emergency repairs triggered by movement detected in the bridge’s piers during the construction of the new foundation.

Ken Notes: To follow the Lansing bridge in detail the following link: 

Black Hawk / Lansing Bridge
Project Updates and Notes 

will keep you up to the minute including a live video of the project!

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Mississippi River Regional Planning Commision SouthWest NorthWest State Coulee Regional Business Center THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI MANUFACTURING ALLIANCE Vernon Co. Economic Development La Crosse Area Development Corporation SBDC La Crosse Economic Development Community Development Economic Development Economic Development Trempealeau County Economic Development The Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) Vernon Economic Development Association Workforce Connections, Inc. The Pierce County EDC EDC quarterly Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council Job and Business Development (JBD) Program Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority USDA Rural Development Wisconsin Xcel Energy Economic Development Economic Development

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ONALASKA, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – The La Crosse Area Builders Association (LABA) is giving a major boost to local high school trade programs, donating about $15,000 worth of tools and materials to 29 schools across the region.

Educators from each school will receive their new equipment during LABA’s general membership meeting on Tuesday, October 21, at The Golf Club at Cedar Creek in Onalaska. Nearly every school on the list plans to attend the evening banquet to accept their new tools in person.

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Ken Notes: THANK YOU!!!

Lake Pepin, the largest naturally occurring lake on the Mississippi River, is a beloved resource and important economic engine for the Wisconsin and Minnesota towns that border it.

Key Points:

• Lake Pepin is the largest naturally occurring lake on the Mississippi River. Silt, soil and clay from the landscape upstream have been filling it in at an alarming rate.
  
  
• The Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance has launched a project to examine how sediment erosion can be controlled in ravines and gullies.
  
  
• Ravines act like fast-moving highways, delivering sediment quickly into the lake.
  
  
• A retired Minnesota scientist will work with county conservationists and watershed groups to understand how to control those ravines.

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Wisconsin’s Fall Color Report.

The changing fall leaves transform Wisconsin into a landscape waiting to be explored by ATV or UTV. With outfitters renting rides and plenty of trails to explore, the options are endless. Here’s to autumn off-roading.

Time up your trail adventures with changing fall leaves

Seek out the most colorful spots with the help of Travel Wisconsin’s Fall Color Report. Let this resource be your trail companion for planning the perfect off-road adventure...

...Jackson County boasts over 100 miles of trails. Start your adventure at Black River State Forest — a heavily wooded property just outside Black River Falls. Plan your trip soon; the Jackson County trails are anticipated to close by October 26.

Bear Bogging Adventure Tours will get you geared up for the trip, too. The outfitter provides rentals in Black River Falls, Warrens and Hatfield. Make the Three Bears Resort your basecamp for in between riding. Stay in traditional guestrooms, suites or villas and spend your downtime having fun in the 60,000-square-foot indoor waterpark...

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VERNON COUNTY, Wis. — The Vernon County Energy District (VCED) hosted its inaugural Solar Tour on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, offering residents a hands-on look at solar installations across the region. Held from 9 a.m. to noon, the educational event showcased a range of systems—from utility-scale arrays to self-installed off-grid setups—highlighting how solar power is being used to meet diverse energy needs.

Participants learned the differences between grid-tied and off-grid systems and explored how solar energy supports homes, farms, businesses, electric vehicles, heat pumps, and appliances such as refrigerators, stoves and freezers..

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WEST SALEM, Wis. (WKBT) -- The West Salem School District broke ground on a $28 million career and technical education center and fitness facility at the high school, beginning construction on a project approved by voters in November.

The new education center will provide students with expanded opportunities to learn about construction and automotive fields, building on the district`s existing technical education programs.

The facility will also include a fitness center as part of the comprehensive project.

"West Salem provided support for this referendum, I think it shows the support for the trades and technical education we already provide and want to expand upon. I think that gives back to the community," said Principal Justin Jehn...

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    The tape binding Mitch Schiffer’s fingers evokes the appearance of aged drywall dust, frayed at the edges from a day spent navigating the challenges of construction. With a resolute exertion, he elevates a stud into position, squints one eye to ensure the level is accurate, and presses the wood against brick that has experienced more years of silence than commerce for nearly a decade.

On Main Street in De Soto, WI, windows of this nature rarely exhibit a polished sheen any longer. Instead, they have transformed into reflective surfaces - only capturing the transient headlights of passing vehicles over the years.

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Attracting, hiring and retaining quality workers continues to be a top priority for businesses across the 7 Rivers Region. Even with some current economic uncertainty, the demographics show that our region continues to age, and we need to attract younger families.

But we cannot attract those families without adequate workforce housing...

We are asking for your help to gather more information. ..

I know your time is precious. We wouldn’t ask for some of it without a good cause. Thank you for your consideration.
 

Employee survey

Employer survey

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MAP		Discover Wisconsin Great River Road Video

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LA CROSSE, Wis. — Area entrepreneurs and established companies can prepare for growth and development at the Wisconsin Small Business Summit & Celebrate Small Business Luncheon, scheduled for November 13, 2025, at the UW-La Crosse Student Union.

While the Vernon Economic Development Association (VEDA) primarily facilitates its local Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club monthly, the summit aligns with VEDA’s core mission to create sustainable economic growth and support the development and expansion of businesses throughout the region. VEDA was formed in January of 2006 and is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.

The full-day program runs from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and features dedicated educational tracks for both existing businesses and start-ups.

The educational workshops scheduled for the event include:

• Financial Management Cash Flow
• Taxes Preparing for 2026 and Beyond
• New Strategies in Digital Marketing
• Organizational Thinking
• Innovation Fostering the Creative Mindset
• Start Strong Strategies
• AI Impact and Trends in Business
• Show Me the Money
• Building a Scalable Business

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LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- The American Chinese restaurant chain Panda Express officially opened its doors in La Crosse with a grand opening community celebration that included charitable giving and free merchandise for early customers.

The new location brings 40 jobs to the La Crosse area, according to restaurant officials. General Manager Enzo Hellmeister expressed enthusiasm about the community`s response to the restaurant`s arrival.

"We`re very excited to bring back our name here and from what we`re seeing so far is a strong sentiment from the community, strong support," Hellmeister said.

As part of the grand opening celebration, Panda Express presented a $1,000 check to Wafer Food Pantry, demonstrating the company`s commitment to supporting local charitable organizations...


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FERRYVILLE, Wis. (WXOW) – A new factor has been added to the construction of the Wisconsin 82/Iowa 9 Mississippi River Bridge—better known as the Black Hawk Bridge. 

The bridge connects Crawford County, Wisconsin, to Lansing, Iowa. In early May, the bridge`s monitoring systems detected movement that exceeded its safety threshold.

The Iowa and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation then determined that future construction stages on the new bridge pose a risk to the safety of the existing bridge...

...An implosion of the remaining bridge structure is scheduled for mid-December, which will temporarily shut down the ferry service and force a 92-mile detour as the only connection between the two ends of the bridge...

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After two years of watching the giant 8-point, Mitch Stamm sealed the deal on his wide-racked target buck known as “2 Footer.”

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ONALASKA, Wis. (WKBT) — A Woodman`s employee has claimed the title of Wisconsin`s "Best Bagger" after competing against 19 other contestants from across the state.

Vicheka Oum won the annual Great Wisconsin Bag-Off competition held during the Wisconsin Grocers Association Innovation Expo on Sept. 20 in Wisconsin Dells, according to a release Monday.

Along with the state title, Oum received a $500 prize and an all-expense-paid trip to the national competition. Contestants bagged a 24-item grocery order into reusable bags and were judged on speed, number of bags used, grocery placement, weight distribution and style...

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ST. LOUIS (WBAY) - Wisconsin’s Festival Foods now has an out-of-state owner.

The CEO/chairman of Schnuck Markets announced closing on the purchase of Festival Foods and Hometown Grocers.

The three supermarket brands are now part of the newly-formed 1939 Group, owned by the Schnuck family, based in St. Louis.

Todd Schnuck said it brings the company to 164 stores -- 42 Festival Foods, 9 Hometown Grocers, and 113 Schnuck Markets. Hometown Grocers stores include Dave’s County Market, Denny’s Supervalu, Don’s Quality Market, Lake Mills Market, Lakewood Supervalu, Super Ron’s Food Center, Thompson’s County Market, Thorp Supervalu and Wittenberg Sentry Foods...

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Fall Foliage Color Map...

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Ken Notes: Lots of info in the article. Save this link...

The Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission (MRRPC) is proud to announce the Small Business Development Grant - Business Plan and Pitch Contest, a program designed to help entrepreneurs transform their ideas into thriving businesses.

In partnership with the UW-La Crosse Small Business Development Center and the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) - La Crosse Office, and with $18,000 in funding from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), MRRPC is offering training, resources, and support to strengthen the regional economy through entrepreneurship.

Program Highlights:

Business Plan Contest: Open to new or existing businesses in the MRRPC nine-county region. Participants will develop a detailed business plan (up to 24 pages, not including cover page) covering areas such as executive summary, company description, market analysis, organizational structure, products and services, marketing strategy, financial projections, and supporting materials.

Prizes Totaling $12,000!

Pitch Contest: The top seven business plan winners will advance to pitch their idea in a 5-7 minute presentation to a panel of judges for a share of an additional $6,000 in funding.

Eligibility:

• Entrepreneurs in the idea stage or startup stage
• Existing businesses seeking expansion, operational improvements, or new market opportunities
• Located within MRRPC’s nine-county region

Contact:

Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission
811 Monitor Street, Suite 201
La Crosse, WI 54603
Phone: 608.785.9396
Email: jon@mrrpc.com Website: www.mrrpc.com

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Monroe County Events Calendar	Crawford County Events Calendar Visitor Guide	Vernon County Events Calendar Visitor Guide
La Crosse County Events Calendar Visitor Guide	Trempealeau County Events Calendar Visitor Guide	Buffalo County Events Calendar
Pepin County Events Calendar Visitor Guide	Pierce County Events Calendar	Jackson County Events Calendar Visitor Guide

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Working together to make the Mississippi River Region a great place to live and work.

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Regional Guides

		2023 Wisconsin Campground Directory
	Explore La Crosse

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