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This Weeks Articles for 7/10/2025 ...

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Shemekia Copeland to Headline 2025 Blues on the Chippewa

Festival leverages the power of music to promote positive change, features contemporary blues artists.

Blues on the Chippewa will return to the shores of the Chippewa River this year, with an expanded lineup of national and local musicians alike — all incorporating contemporary influences.

Shemekia Copeland is set to headline the free-to-attend festival at 8:30pm on Thursday, July 31. Copeland will be the first headliner to perform, followed by Hot Like Mars on Friday, Aug. 1, and Rico McFarland on Saturday, Aug. 2...

Blues on the Chippewa will be held from July 31-Aug. 2 in Durand, Wisconsin. Visit the Blues on the Chippewa festival website online to learn more about the event lineup and new announcements.

Event Website:

https://www.bluesonthechippewa.com/

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Ken Notes: Please See our events calendars below or HERE for complete list of the events in your community.

Fundraising campaign for new La Crosse apartments gets $1 million head start

A new La Crosse housing development which will offer apartments to both people with disabilities and able-bodied tenants has started a public fund-raising campaign. The Haven on Main is seeking $500,000 in donations from the community to help build 70 housing units.

Lansing, Iowa native Michael Rea and his wife Brandy attended a fund-raising meeting in La Crosse on Monday, and announced they have already donated a million dollars to the Main Street housing project. The Reas live in the Kansas City area, and they head a foundation that helps families with special needs, mostly in that metro region. They have a teenage son with special needs, and Brandy Rea says her interest in the Haven arises from concerns about how to help him live more independently...

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	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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Raising Cane’s sets opening date for La Crosse store… and they are officially hiring!

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – As soon as it was announced that La Crosse was getting a Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers franchise, the Coulee region was all aflutter.

“Have you ever had it?” “Where is it going?” “When is it opening?” “They only serve chicken fingers?” “Are they hiring?”

In order, yes, 3740 State Road 16, August 19th, yes… well… and sides, and yes!

For those of you who prefer more linear journalism, Raising Cane’s is… “one of the fastest-growing restaurant brands, with over 900 restaurants in over 40 states. They are known for their ONE LOVE® – craveable Chicken Finger meals – that include the iconic ‘Cane’s Sauce’… named the #1 most craveable sauce in the restaurant industry and most craveable chicken.”...

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UW-River Falls associate professor receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award

Chris Holtkamp, associate professor of community and environmental planning at UW-River Falls, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award. Beginning in January, he’ll spend five months in Reykjavik, Iceland developing a graduate course at Agricultural University.

RIVER FALLS – Chris Holtkamp, an associate professor of community and environmental planning at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to bring his expertise in sustainable development and regional planning to the Agricultural University of Iceland.

Holtkamp will travel to Reykjavik, Iceland next January and spend five months working with the planning and design program at the Agricultural University, developing a graduate course focused on sustainable regional development to ensure activities align with the values and priorities of rural communities...

For more information about the community and environmental planning degree program at UWRF, visit uwrf.edu/programs/community-and-environmental-planning. For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit fulbrightprogram.org.

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Ken Notes: Congrats Chris! But Iceland in January? I would have thought a sustainable regional plan for Hawaii...

Driftless Music Fest set for eclectic Saturday

This Saturday July 12th

VIROQUA, Wis. (WXOW) — The Driftless Music Festival is set to return to Eckhart Park in Viroqua, offering free family fun this weekend. The festival promises a blend of music and community spirit.

"It`s super family-friendly and there`s just music all day long," Christina Dollhausen said. "There`s something about being under those oak trees in Eckhart Park in Viroqua and along with the community and visitors that come. It`s just there`s smiles everywhere from the way back of the park all the way to the road."

Dollhausen highlighted the diverse lineup of performances that attendees can expect.

"That`s the beauty of the Driftless Music Festival," Dollhausen said. "We bring in five different eclectic bands, all different genres. So you may hear something that you`ve never really heard before."...

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Are we at an inflection point in community economic development? The 4th Wave.

Communities are rethinking how they approach economic growth and development. Instead of focusing solely on jobs and businesses, many are asking, “What makes this a great place to live? Why would people want to live here?”

During this webinar, we will explore a growing trend in community economic development where investing in people, places, and quality of life is just as important as traditional business and job-focused strategies. Drawing from 50 years of national data, Steven Deller, Ph.D., will explore evidence that jobs increasingly follow people, and what that means for the future of community economic development practitioners and, more importantly, our communities.

Presenter: Steve Deller, Ph.D.

Event information
Date Tuesday, July 22, 2025
Time 1 - 2 p.m. Central time
Location Webinar
Cost Free

Contact

Brandon Hofstedt, University of Minnesota Extension program leader, community economics hofstedt@umn.edu or 612-624-2281

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The Great River Road

MAP		Discover Wisconsin Great River Road Video

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7 Rivers News

PDFmyURL converts web pages and even full websites to PDF easily and quickly. Today, many of those villages and towns have empty storefronts, aging housing, and declining school enrollment. There may be a lack of local leadership or a plan to revitalize the community.

That’s why the 7 Rivers Alliance is once again accepting applications for strategic planning services and plans to continue offering the assistance. We invite communities and organizations within our region to apply to develop a strategic plan to focus on a specific project involving community-wide economic growth or organizational goals with the support of experienced professionals and engaged citizens.... ...Full Story Here

Ken Notes: Lot of data in their newsletter...

This Small Village Is The Cheese Curd Capital Of Wisconsin

In the rolling fields of Western Wisconsin, there`s a town where cheese curds are a way life. Ellsworth, with a population of just over 3,000, proudly claims the title of Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin. The designation was made official in 1983 by former Governor Anthony Earl. This vibrant village in Pierce County draws visitors from across the country, thanks to a cooperative creamery that transformed a humble dairy product into a regional icon.

The Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery began in 1910, when local dairy farmers banded together to process their milk with purpose and precision. More than a century later, 200 farms supply the creamery with milk, which is converted into over 160,000 pounds of curds daily. Considering the surprising amount of milk it takes to make cheese (10 pounds of milk per pound of cheese), that`s an impressive yield of rich, comforting goodness. The golden bites — mild, squeaky, and lightly salted — are best savored when their signature bounce is at its peak. The distinctive squeak comes from elastic proteins that briefly resist the bite, a sign of impeccable freshness.

Each curd is a marvel of Midwestern agriculture. The milk travels only a short distance from farm to vat, where it`s swiftly shaped into its final form. From production to packaging, the process moves quickly to ensure every curd retains its signature quality. Devoted fans often eat them straight from the bag — slightly chilled, subtly salty, and full of charm...

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Ken Notes: Worth the trip! The cheese store is also fantastic! MMMMMMMMMMM...

New exhibit showcases historical La Crosse landmarks

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WEAU) - The La Crosse County Historical Society will soon be giving community members a trip down memory lane with a new exhibit.

“Reflections of La Crosse” will show 27 paintings created by local document painter Marion Biehn.

A majority of the pictures show historical buildings that are not around anymore. Others are paintings of local iconic landscapes.

Historical society officials say the exhibit is a tribute to the nostalgia of La Crosse.

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Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Due Soon

The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) is the State of Wisconsin’s program for what is now the federal Transportation Alternatives (TA) set-aside Program. With certain exceptions, projects that met eligibility criteria for the Safe Routes to School Program, Transportation Enhancements, and/or the Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities Program are eligible TAP projects...

2026-2030 Solicitation Timeline

Please note, the project review and awarding timeline are an anticipated schedule and is subject to change.

Project solicitation opens: Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Application deadline: Friday, October 31, 2025 by 5:00 pm

MPO Project Ranking/Prioritization Deadline: Refer to your respective WisDOT region and MPO contacts

Local Resolution of Support due to WisDOT Local Program Manager: by December 29, 2025

Statewide Committee Review and Selection: January – April 2026

TMA Review Committees: Projects located in a TMA are ranked and scored by TMAs committees which have their own timeline

Awards Approved and Announced: May – June 2026

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Ken Notes: Many more details at the link. ALL applications are now submitted online.

Tourism Resources and Events in Our Region

Monroe County Events Calendar	Crawford County (Driftless Wisconsin) 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.