News and Notes from MRRPC
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This Weeks Articles for 2/4/2026 ...

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https://www.news8000.com/lifestyle/health/crawford-county-launches-lung-health-campaign-to-combat-high-cancer-death-rates/article_7a758d4a-e9ff-4c20-8725-8a2b0db7a92b.html

https://vernonreporter.com/driftless-area-water-study-to-offers-well-testing-for-up-to-1200-residents-in-three-counties/

https://www.wizmnews.com/2026/02/03/dnr-libraries-offer-day-passes-to-state-parks/

https://www.wxow.com/news/la-crosse/st-clare-health-mission-announces-plans-for-a-new-clinic/article_35f14fbd-e231-4737-ac79-e8f462c714a1.html

https://www.piercecountyjournal.news/stories/science-and-technology-innovation-center-opens-ushering-in-a-new-era-of-stem-education-at-uw-river,176157

https://www.piercecountyjournal.news/stories/uw-river-falls-hosts-800-high-school-students-for-science-olympiad-border-battle,176156

https://www.wisfarmer.com/story/news/2026/02/02/market-demand-for-cottage-cheese-soars-and-wi-cheese-plants-scramble-to-keep-up/88481886007/

https://vernonreporter.com/city-of-viroqua-officials-weigh-lease-option-for-vfw-land/

https://vernonreporter.com/new-report-finds-cover-crops-pay-off-in-wisconsin/

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MRRPC Launches Small Business Development Grant Program: Turning Ideas into Action

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!

1st Place: $5,000
2nd Place: $3,000
3rd Place: $2,000
4th Place: $1,000
5th Place: $500
6th Place: $250
7th Place: $250

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

All applications must be submitted by:
February 13th at 12:00 PM to jon@mrrpc.com.

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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Jon Notes: Please share this with local businesses that have fewer than 24 full time equivalent employees, both new and existing small businesses operating in our 9 county region can submit their plans...

Driftless Area Water Study to offer well testing for up to 400 wells in three counties

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. — The Conservation and Health Departments of Crawford, Richland, and Vernon Counties have announced the 2026 phase of the Driftless Area Water Study (DAWS). This year, the project will provide comprehensive groundwater testing at no cost to 400 households within the three-county region to establish a scientific baseline for regional groundwater/drinking water health.

Participants were identified through a rigorous selection process conducted by the UW-Stevens Point Water and Environmental Analysis Lab (WEAL). Using Wisconsin DNR records, researchers filtered for specific well construction criteria and applied spatial weighting to ensure the study accurately represents the region’s complex fractured karst bedrock and sandstone aquifers...

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Demand for protein rich cottage cheese spurs Wisconsin plant conversion, layoffs

A market demand for cottage cheese is driving the temporary closure and conversion of a cheese plant in Trempealeau County, resulting in temporary layoffs for its workers.

A news release from Associated Milk Producers Inc. said the transition project will include a period of production downtime while the plant converts from producing cheddar cheese to making cottage cheese. AMPI issued a layoff notice on Jan. 30 to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, stating that temporary layoffs would begin on March 31, 2026, and last until the transition project is completed in the fourth quarter of 2026. The plant is expected to reopen in early 2027.

AMPI President and CEO Sheryl Meshke noted that the company is working with impacted employees to provide access to resources, training, and opportunities to apply for jobs at other AMPI facilities...

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Ken Notes: Soon our region will be home to the only two cottage cheese plants in Wisconsin. Westby and Blair will keep Wisconsin on the map for cheese production.

New report finds cover crops pay off in Wisconsin

A new five-year study is quantifying the benefits of conservation practices such as cover cropping using data from farmers across Wisconsin.

Researchers say the project is one of the region’s most comprehensive farmer-led datasets on regenerative agriculture. Spearheaded by the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, research scientist Mrill Ingram explaind that the data show engaged growers met standards for combating erosion, protecting water quality and building soil health, as well as for producing high-quality forage.

She said she hopes the findings can address the slow adoption of the practice by showing how farmers are successfully using cover crops.

“When you look at the supremely efficient, very structured corn and soybean production, making changes in that context is very hard,” she said. “And yet people are making it. And they’re making it because of climate change, because of the cost of fertilizer, because they can see the water running off their fields and they care what it looks like.”

Participating farmers ranged from newcomers to those with decades of experience. The data covers more than 200 agriculturally-diverse fields across 45 counties.

Ingram said her organization created an interactive dashboard to help farmers make more informed conservation decisions on their own fields.

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Ken Notes: Interesting Article. You can use our "Share This" link to post on your Facebook Page or send this article to farmers in the area.

UW-River Falls hosts 800 high school students for Science Olympiad Border Battle

RIVER FALLS – Braving frigid temperatures, around 800 students from 31 high schools across Wisconsin and Minnesota gathered at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls on Saturday to flex their mental muscles and compete in the Science Olympiad Border Battle.

While the extreme cold kept some of the most distant schools from attending, some of which travel from as far away as North Dakota, the event’s director, UWRF Chemistry Professor Jamie Schneider, was happy to see a busy, bustling event as students competed in 28 separate activities using nearly every building on campus.

“I love the energy, I love the enthusiasm,” Schneider said. “They’re competitive, but it’s about learning. Sometimes people think Science Olympiad is just all these kids that just want to do science, but for a lot of them, it’s about being part of a team.”...

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St. Clare Health Mission announces plans for a new clinic

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WXOW) – St. Clare Health Mission announced plans to open a new clinic Tuesday. The announcement comes amid a significant increase in patient numbers and recent changes in health insurance eligibility.

Over the past five years, St. Clare Clinic has seen almost a 200% growth in patients. With recent changes in health insurance eligibility, the clinic expects the number to increase even more.

The new clinic aims to meet this demand and continue providing accessible health care to the community.

"You know, when you pack people in like sardines, they don`t feel like an individual, they feel like a number," said St. Clare Health Mission Campaign Co-Chair John Lyche. "And at the end of the day, we all want to be treated as an individual, and this will help that happen. Unfortunately, the need isn`t going away—the need is increasing—but at least for now, this will fulfill the need."...

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Regional Economic Development Entities

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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Crawford County launches lung health campaign to combat high cancer death rates

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. (WKBT) — Crawford County health officials are launching a new campaign to save lives after discovering residents die from lung cancer at higher rates than people elsewhere in Wisconsin.

The Crawford County Health Department announced the "Let`s Talk Lungs" campaign to address what officials call a troubling gap in survival rates. While the county diagnoses lung cancer at rates similar to the state average, more patients die from the disease locally.

Lung cancer ranks as the third most common cancer diagnosis in Crawford County, per health officials. The higher death rate has prompted the health department to focus on three key areas: early detection, reducing smoking and vaping, and testing homes for radon gas.

Health officials emphasize that lung cancer becomes much more treatable when doctors catch it early. Adults at higher risk should talk with their doctors about lung cancer screening, particularly those with a history of smoking...

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City of Viroqua officials weigh lease option for VFW land

VIROQUA, Wis. — The Viroqua Common Council moved behind closed doors on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2026, to debate a potential lease agreement for 40 acres of land owned by the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post but emerged without a finalized deal. But the discussion and meeting indicates the potential for city residents to still have public access to the property is still a possibility.

The property located on the south side of the city has been the subject of intense public interest since late 2025 when the VFW announced financial difficulties might force a sale.

Before going into closed session, Keith Yahn representing the VFW Board presented a counter proposal to the city during the open portion of the meeting. He stated that the organization came up with a monthly lease payment number of $1,600 to help cover operating costs and necessary capital improvements...

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The Great River Road

MAP		Discover Wisconsin Great River Road Video

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DNR, libraries offer day passes to state parks

The Wisconsin DNR and libraries around the state are teaming up to offer residents a chance to check out not a book, but a day pass to a state park, forest, or recreation area.

More than 120 libraries in the state are part of the project where library cardholders can check out daily vehicle admission passes at no cost.

Along with the pass, cardholders can also get an informational kit on the state park system with maps, stickers, and accessibility information.

There are two area libraries that participate with the DNR.

One is the La Crosse Public Library at 800 Main in La Crosse.

The other is the Shirley M. Wright Memorial Library in Trempealeau.

You can find a Wisconsin state park, forest, or trail by following this link. ...

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Science and Technology Innovation Center opens, ushering in a new era of STEM education at UW-River Falls

RIVER FALLS – Monday, Jan. 26 marked a day years in the making when the University of Wisconsin-River Falls new Science and Technology Innovation Center (SciTech) opened for its first day of classes.

“We had about two years of design and two and a half years of construction,” said Alan Symicek, chief facilities officer at UWRF. “So this is really exciting to see students in here today.”

Symicek said energy conservation was a major focus of the state-of-the-art facility. The building is also designed to be flexible so that it can be adapted to changing science and technology far into the future.

"I fully expect this building to be here 100 years from now serving our students,” Symicek said...

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Tourism Resources and Events in Our Region

Western Wisconsin Regional Outdoor Recreation Plan for Rural Areas 2025

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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Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission (MRRPC)

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

The Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission provides planning and economic development services to improve the region`s environment, economy and quality of life. We serve a nine county region, providing studies and planning services, resources and data to help with your grant applications or reporting needs, and business loans.