This Page Contains 4 Weeks Data - Click Here For This Week

News and Notes from MRRPC
Click Here To Read Online

ThisWeek - 4 Weeks - Search - Index -

This Weeks Articles for 5/12/2026 ...

...Full Story Here

Norwegian culture core of Westby’s Syttende Mai celebration

Norwegian heritage will be celebrated at Westby’s 58th annual Syttende Mai festival, May 15-17.

The three-day event is a way for people to mark Norwegian Constitution Day and reflect on the ancestors who settled in the area.

If you go
What: Syttende Mai
Where: Westby
When: May 15-17
More information: www.facebook.com/WestbySyttendeMai

Event highlights

Marx said the celebration’s activities are much the same as in years past.

The Noske Tent, set up on Market Street, will be the spot for live music. High Mileage will be on stage from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 15, and Blue Collar 40 from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 16. “These are two local very popular bands people like to listen to.”

Syttende Mai buttons are required for admission into the tent. Buttons can be purchased at local businesses for $10 prior to May 15; on the days of the performances, entry is $15 for a button...

...Full Story Here

Grant money looks to bring new people to Wisconsin

Two areas in the region are getting help from the state to try to attract new people to move there.

Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) announced 17 communities are receiving a total of $5 million in Talent Recruitment Grants.

The grants are designed to bring new workers and their families into the state to improve the workforce.

Driftless Development, Incorporated in Crawford County is one of the recipients. They’re getting $500,000 in grant funding.

Their efforts, according to the state, offers a “forgivable mortgage structure to incentivize long-term residency.” It goes on to say the program “prioritizes retention as heavily as recruitment.”

“Crawford County has real momentum. Employers are actively recruiting from out of state, visitors fall in love with the area, and community partners across every sector are ready to act,” said Nikki Dudley, Executive Director of Driftless Development...

...Full Story Here

La Crosse Farmers Market returns to weekly schedule at new location

LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- The La Crosse Farmer’s Market is moving once again, according to organizers.

Fridays 3:30 to 7 PM
Hmoob Community and Cultural Center
1815 Ward Avenue

• The La Crosse Farmers Market begins its weekly Friday schedule at the Hmoob Community and Cultural Center starting May 8
• The market operates from 3:30 to 7 p.m. every Friday through October at 1815 Ward Avenue
• This marks another location change for the market, which has moved multiple times in recent years due to safety concerns and declining attendance

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — After years of relocating from venue to venue, the La Crosse Farmers Market has found what organizers hope will be a permanent home at the Hmoob Cultural and Community Center.

The market will operate from the center located at 1815 Ward Avenue, marking another chapter in the market's recent history of frequent moves that have taken it from Cameron Park to Burns Park to City Hall's parking lot...

...Full Story Here

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

...Full Story Here

2026 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts

Wisconsin dairy breakfasts celebrate June Dairy Month. Agri-View is publishing a calendar weekly in print, as well as online, with updates as we receive them.

To list a dairy breakfast email information at least two weeks in advance to agriview@madison.com with breakfast name, date, time, location including street address and cost if any. Also include contact information for more event information. If the event's information has changed, please email agriview@madison.com with that change.

Interactive Dairy Breakfast Map Here

...Full Story Here

Ken Notes: Please make sure your event is on the list.

Crawford County passes resolution demanding detailed information on MariBell Transmission Project

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. — The Crawford County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution demanding detailed information from the developers of a massive high-voltage transmission line proposed for the Driftless Area, joining a growing wave of local governments mobilizing against the project.

Passed during the board’s Feb. 17 meeting, the resolution formally requests that Dairyland Power Cooperative and GridLiance Heartland reply to 18 specific document requests by March 15, 2026. The requested documents range from detailed maps outlining routing preferences to information regarding environmental sensitivities and projected impacts on electric customer bills...

Ken Notes: There is a website for the project HERE!

...Full Story Here

Fans of the Little House books will love this hidden gem in Wisconsin

Every great story has to start somewhere, and for one of the best-known pioneer voices in American literature, that beginning unfolded in the Big Woods of western Wisconsin. If you’ve ever wanted to do a deep dive into the origin story behind the Little House books, this literary destination in Pepin, Wisconsin, belongs on your bucket list. Devoted Laura Ingalls Wilder fans travel for miles just to stand where the iconic author’s journey began. I recently took a scenic drive down to this charming Mississippi River town to visit the sites for myself, and I think they definitely reflect the pioneer spirit of Wilder’s books.

The Real-Life Inspiration Behind the Story

Before the open prairies of Kansas and the Dakotas, or the banks of Plum Creek, there was the Big Woods. Laura was born right here in Pepin County in a log cabin on February 7, 1867. Her earliest childhood memories of cozy winter nights and playing with her sister Mary all stem from her time living in the cabin between the villages of Pepin and Stockholm, Wisconsin. Wilder’s first book, Little House in the Big Woods, detailed her childhood experiences in the Pepin area and became an almost-immediate success.

...Full Story Here

Mississippi River groups tell feds to act on nitrate contamination

Mississippi River conservation groups are among a broad coalition urging the federal government to take action against nitrate contamination in drinking water, which they say has reached “crisis levels” and is a public health emergency.

Nitrate, which forms when nitrogen-rich sources combine with oxygen, has long been found in the country’s surface waters and groundwater, where it can end up in people’s drinking water. Consuming water with elevated levels of nitrate is linked to birth defects, thyroid problems and some cancers.

Agricultural fertilizer and manure are the most common sources of nitrogen to groundwater, with septic systems and lawn fertilizers also contributing. An April analysis from the Environmental Working Group found that about 18% of the U.S. population from 2021 to 2023 used drinking water from community systems with 3 milligrams per liter (mg/L) or more of nitrate, the threshold at which the Environmental Protection Agency says indicates contamination.

Advocates say nitrate contamination has struggled to capture public attention but is costly and hazardous to those it affects.

A May 5 letter to the Department of Health and Human Services and the EPA was signed by 80-plus groups, about a third of which are located in or focused on the Mississippi River basin. It calls on the agencies to “immediately identify and eliminate sources of nitrate pollution in drinking water and provide funds to communities to reduce nitrate to safe levels.”.. ...Full Story Here

Best Practices...

Wisconsin dairy farmers are driving sustainability through a three-pronged approach—advanced research, land stewardship, and elite cow care—ensuring environmental and economic viability. By collaborating with the Dairy Innovation Hub and adopting technologies like cover crops and methane digesters, farmers are reducing water usage and protecting soil, while 99% of these operations remain family-owned.

Research & Innovation

Dairy Innovation Hub: Launched in 2019, this partnership across three UW campuses (Madison, Platteville, River Falls) supports over 260 projects focusing on land/water, human health, animal welfare, and farm business.
Efficiency Gains: Due to innovations in crop production and nutrition, producing a gallon of milk in 2017 required 30% less water and 21% less land than in 2007.
Waste-to-Resource: Wisconsin leads in on-farm bioenergy systems like methane digesters, which turn manure into renewable energy.

Land Stewardship

Soil Health: About 60% of Wisconsin dairy farmers use cover crops to prevent erosion and nourish the soil, while many employ no-till or reduced tillage techniques.
Water Management: Farmers commonly recycle water up to four times, utilizing it for cooling or cleaning before returning it to the land.
Local Feed Production: Most crops fed to Wisconsin cows are grown on surrounding fields, limiting transportation emissions.

Cow Care & Comfort

Health-Focused Management: Farmers emphasize that healthy, comfortable cows produce higher-quality milk. This includes balanced diets developed with nutritionists and specialized veterinary care.
Comfort Technology: Sand separation technology is used to clean and reuse sand for bedding, reducing bacteria and keeping cows cool.
Nutrient Management: Some farmers use specialized planting techniques to add cover crops like rye into the cows' diet while holding soil in place.

These efforts, supported by organizations like the Dairy Business Association and Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW), ensure the state's $52.8 billion dairy industry continues to prosper.

...Full Story Here

The Great River Road

MAP		Discover Wisconsin Great River Road Video

...Full Story Here

Coon Valley American Legion leads effort to wipe out all school lunch debt at Westby Schools

WESTBY, Wis. – Recently, Westby Schools Superintendent Steve Michaels was honored to accept a generous donation from the Coon Valley American Legion that made a meaningful difference for our students and families.

After learning about student lunch debt across Wisconsin, Legion members Roger and Jessica reached out to better understand how the Westby Area School District supports its students. For more than a decade, the district has remained committed to ensuring every child receives a healthy meal—regardless of their lunch account balance—because no student should ever feel singled out or go without...

...Full Story Here

UW-La Crosse breaks ground on $190 million STEM facility expansion

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has begun construction on a $190 million project that will transform the campus's science and health education capabilities, marking a significant investment in Wisconsin's workforce development.

Phase two of the Prairie Springs Science Center construction project will replace Cowley Hall with a state-of-the-art facility featuring 30 new laboratories, classrooms and specialized learning spaces. The new building will connect to the existing Prairie Springs facility, creating an integrated hub for science and health education...

...Full Story Here

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

...Full Story Here

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.