2022 Roundup: Gov. Evers Completes 2022 72-County Tour of Wisconsin
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced that he has once again visited each of Wisconsin’s 72 counties in 2022—his third 72-county tour since taking office in 2019. With this year’s 72-county tour, the governor has visited all 72 Wisconsin counties in a year three times each since becoming governor, including in 2019, 2021, and now, 2022, as well as several counties in 2020 before the pandemic prevented travel for most of the year. Brief highlights from some of Gov. Evers’ stops in each county are available below.
“There’s extraordinary work happening in every corner of Wisconsin—from our smallest towns and villages to our largest cities—and it’s been a privilege for me to see so much of it firsthand. I’m also incredibly proud of how we’ve been able to support this good work through programs like our Main Street Bounceback Grant Program, the Healthcare Infrastructure Grant Program, the Neighborhood Investment Fund, and so many others. 2022 was a great year, and I had a great time visiting all 72 counties again—my third 72-county tour since taking office. I can’t wait to do it all over again in 2023.”
The below list is not exhaustive as the governor has had the pleasure of meeting with hundreds of individuals and countless businesses and organizations across Wisconsin and visited several counties on multiple occasions over the course of the last year. Members of the press interested in learning more about any of the governor’s visits to each county are encouraged to contact GovPress@wisconsin.gov for additional details and background.
Adams
On April 14, Gov. Evers visited the Adams-Friendship Area School District in Friendship. During his visit, the governor met with leadership and staff, including school counselors, psychologists, and social workers, to discuss the district’s efforts to address student mental health, the ongoing mental health needs of students, and how the district plans to use grant dollars to increase access to therapists and explore telehealth options. This was a part of the governor’s tour highlighting his “Get Kids Ahead” initiative that provided $30 million in total for school-based mental health resources for school districts across the state. Through both rounds of the Get Kids Ahead initiative, the Adams-Friendship Area School District received a total investment of $58,742 for additional mental health resources for kids this year. A photo of the governor’s visit to the Adams-Friendship Area School District is available here.
Ashland
On January 26, Gov. Evers visited the Bad River Reservation to highlight the Broadband Access Grant Program, funding directed by Gov. Evers through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Through this program, 83 projects across the state received grants in 2022 to expand access to high-speed internet. The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa received a more than $6 million grant to expand access. When complete, the Tribal offices and businesses, as well as a majority of homes on the Reservation, will have fiber to the premises service. Additionally, this expansion will help provide service to a small number of locations adjacent to the Tribe’s land in rural areas of Ashland County. A photo from this event is available here.
Additionally, on May 31, Gov. Evers visited Ashland High School for a thank you event with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to thank local public health officials from Ashland and Bayfield Counties, as well as Tribal Health officials from the Bad River Tribe and the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. They were joined by emergency first responders, healthcare providers, community health providers, pharmacists, and local volunteers. The governor thanked all those in attendance for their heroic and selfless work to save lives on the frontlines during the coronavirus pandemic. Photos of the thank you event at Ashland High School are available here and here.
Barron
On October 18, Gov. Evers visited Cumberland to highlight the state’s investments and support for the Cumberland community, including support for small businesses. While there, the governor visited the Cumberland Public Library to meet with local elected leaders and community members and to learn about programming put on by the library for the community. Following his visit to the library, the governor visited Roots Coffee Company, which received a Main Street Bounceback grant, and Louie’s Finer Meats, which received a Meat and Poultry Supply Chain Resiliency Grant. A photo from the governor’s visit to Roots Coffee Company is available here, and a photo from the governor’s visit to Louie’s Finer Meats is available here.
Bayfield
On May 10, Gov. Evers, together with Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes, visited several Main Street businesses, including Main Street Bounceback grant recipients Honest Dog Books and Silverwaves Jewelry in Bayfield. The visit was a part of the governor’s tour highlighting the first of two additional $25 million investments in the successful Main Street Bounceback grant program during National Economic Development Week. A photo of his visit to Honest Dog Books is here, and a photo of his visit to Silverwaves Jewelry is available here.
On October 18, Gov. Evers returned to Bayfield to visit additional local small businesses, including the Red Cliff Fish Company, where he was joined by Tribal citizens and officials from the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and State Rep. Beth Meyers (D-Bayfield). Red Cliff Fish Company is owned by the Tribe and sells freshwater fish from Lake Superior. Following this, the governor visited Apostle Island Booksellers and Sweet Sailing, a local candy shop. Photos of the governor’s visit are available here, here, and here.
Brown
In January, Gov. Evers visited the Broadway Business District in Green Bay. While there, he met with small business owners and grant recipients of several of the state’s small business assistance grant programs, including the governor’s Main Street Bounceback and Live Event Small Business Assistance grant programs. The governor stopped at Wonderful Things, a cooperative of businesses and creators, then Voyageurs Bakehouse, and ended the visit by meeting with business owners at Gather on Broadway. Photos of the governor’s visit to the Broadway Business District are available here and here.
Additionally, on June 28, Gov. Evers joined local officials for the groundbreaking of the new Discover Green Bay Visitor Center. After years of Republican legislators rejecting funding for the long-anticipated new visitor center in Green Bay, Gov. Evers was proud to support the project with a grant from the Tourism Capital Investment Grant Program. A photo from the groundbreaking event is available here.
Buffalo
On July 12, following the release of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access 2022 Report, Gov. Evers visited the town of Cross Town Hall to discuss expanding access to high-speed internet in Buffalo County. The town of Cross was highlighted by the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access for their highly engaged stakeholders who are focused on improving and providing essential internet access to township residents for years to come. A photo of the governor’s visit to the town of Cross is available here.
Burnett
On May 31, Gov. Evers visited Crooked Lake Park for an event with DHS to thank local public health officials from Burnett and Douglas Counties. They were joined by emergency first responders, healthcare providers, community health providers, local partners and volunteers, and pharmacists. The governor thanked everyone there for their selfless work throughout the coronavirus pandemic to save lives and help stop the spread of COVID-19. Photos of the thank-you event at Crooked Lake Park are available here and here.
Calumet
During June Dairy Month, Gov. Evers visited Holsum Elm Dairy, one of two sustainable dairy farms in Hilbert operated by Holsum Dairies. During his visit, the governor learned about the farm’s various watershed protection and stewardship initiatives, showcasing important efforts of farmer-led innovation in conservation. Photos of the governor’s visits are available here and here.
Chippewa
On February 21, Gov. Evers hosted a press conference at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Chippewa Falls to sign Executive Order #157, creating the Blue Ribbon Commission on Veteran Opportunity. Earlier this year, in his 2022 State of the State address, Gov. Evers announced he would create a Blue Ribbon Commission on Veteran Opportunity to develop comprehensive, long-term recommendations to help address challenges facing Wisconsin’s more than 300,000 veterans. The Commission was charged with identifying gaps in existing services, areas in need of robust investment, and reducing barriers to economic security, including efforts to expand access to higher education and job training, address housing insecurity, and increase mental and behavioral health support and substance use disorder treatment. The Commission’s final report was submitted to the governor in September. Shortly thereafter, the governor announced a $10 million investment based on the recommendations in that report for Wisconsin veterans and their families. Photos of the governor’s visit to the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Chippewa Falls are available here and here.
Additionally, on August 16, Gov. Evers visited Leinenkugel’s Brewery in Chippewa Falls with former Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Secretary Preston Cole and State Rep. Katrina Shankland (D-Stevens Point) to announce a new $10 million grant program to support the replacement, reconstruction, treatment, or abandonment of contaminated private wells. The program, based on the state’s Well Compensation Grant Program, expands eligibility beyond the current Well Compensation Program to support more private well owners and increase access to clean drinking water. With this $10 million investment and expanded eligibility criteria, it is estimated the program will help well owners address contamination in approximately 1,036 additional wells. While there, the governor took a tour of the brewery and discussed the importance of clean, safe water to the production of beer with CEO Dick Leinenkugel. Photos of the governor’s visit to Leinenkugel’s are available here and here.
And on September 20, Gov. Evers visited the Chippewa Falls Fire & EMS Station No. 1 with DHS Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake and Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) Secretary-designee Kathy Blumenfeld to announce$32 million in emergency medical services (EMS) Flex Grants were awarded to 442 EMS providers in nearly every county across the state, delivering on a promise made by the governor during his 2022 State of the State address. Photos of the governor’s visit to Station No. 1 are available here and here.
Clark
On June 7, during June Dairy Month, Gov. Evers and Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary Randy Romanski visited Holland’s Family Cheese in Thorp. Holland’s Family Cheese was a recipient of the Dairy Processor Grant Program. During their visit, the governor and secretary met with CEO Marieke Penterman and General Manager Kim Rabuck, who took them on a tour of the facility and shared their plans to utilize the grant funding to continue growing their business. Photos of the governor’s visit to Holland’s Family Cheese are available here and here. Additionally, on July 12, Gov. Evers visited Roehl Acres in Loyal for the opening ceremony of the 2022 Farm Technology Days. A photo of the governor at the 2022 Farm Technology Days is available here.
Columbia
On January 11, Gov. Evers visited small business grant recipients in Portage with State Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-West Point) and State Rep. Dave Considine (D-Baraboo). He started the visit at the Red Apple Restaurant, followed by stops downtown to The Flower Company and The Mercantile. Photos of the governor’s visits to Portage are available here and here.
Also, on February 3, Gov. Evers and DOA Secretary-designee Blumenfeld visited Wizard Quest in Wisconsin Dells to award the Wisconsin Dells Visitor and Convention Bureau with a $3.5 million grant for their project to develop a public entertainment plaza, also known as the Elm Street Plaza, in downtown Wisconsin Dells. The Elm Street Plaza aims to bring visitors and increased business to the downtown area and bolster the overall economic impact of tourism expenditures in the Wisconsin Dells area. Photos of the governor’s visit to Wizard Quest are available here and here.
Crawford
On January 19, Gov. Evers, together with WEDC Secretary and CEO Hughes, visited small business owners in Prairie du Chien at The Barbershop, which received a Main Street Bounceback grant, and The Sweet Tooth, which received grants from both the governor’s We’re All In and Main Street Bounceback programs. During his visit, the governor also stopped at the former Blackhawk Junction Mall. The city of Prairie du Chien is redeveloping the former mall into a vibrant commercial development and 96 affordable family apartments. This redevelopment project received a $250,00 grant from WEDC. Photos of the governor’s visit to Prairie du Chien are available here and here.
Dane
On February 24, Gov. Evers joined local leaders and organizations for a press conference at Madison College-Goodman South Campus to award more than $20 million in Neighborhood Investment Fund grants to the city of Madison and Dane County for community development projects, including supporting the Bayview Redevelopment Project, creating the new Madison Public Market, building the Urban League of Greater Madison’s Black Business Hub, establishing a Center for Black Excellence and Culture, and expanding programing with a new building for Centro Hispano. Additionally, in April, Gov. Evers attended the groundbreaking for the new Black Business Hub, which received $5 million from the Neighborhood Investment Fund grants announced in February. Photos of the governor at the Madison College-Goodman South Campus event are available here and here, and a photo of the governor at the Black Business Hub groundbreaking is available here.
On July 13, Gov. Evers went to Stoughton, where he visited several local businesses that received support throughout the pandemic, including Sun and Lace, which received a $10,000 Main Street Bounceback grant, Dune Gift and Home, which received a $2,500 We’re All In grant, and Grasshopper Goods, which also received a $2,500 We’re All In grant, all funded at the direction of Gov. Evers. Additionally, he visited Grand Inspired Home Gallery, which not only received a $10,000 Main Street Bounceback grant but the governor also announced during his visit that the city of Stoughton would receive a $76,100 Community Investment Grant to help renovate the Grand Inspired building.
Additionally, on September 13, Gov. Evers, together with WEDC Secretary and CEO Hughes and Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek, visited the Wisconsin Heights School District to meet some of the first GROW scholarship winners and hear how the effort is beginning to identify prospective teachers in high school and offer them education classes and classroom mentoring opportunities before graduation. The unique scholarship and training program was designed to help build the next generation of highly qualified rural teachers with new, additional investments thanks to Gov. Evers’ Workforce Innovation Grant Program. Photos of their visit to Wisconsin Heights are available here and here.
Finally, on November 15, during National Apprenticeship Week, Gov. Evers attended the Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership (WRTP) Apprenticeship Career Fair at the Plumbers Local 75 Training Center in Madison. The WRTP Apprenticeship Career Fair helps introduce high school students and young people to apprenticeship opportunities in the trades. While there, the governor encouraged students to take advantage of the fair to learn more about their opportunities after high school and highlighted the state’s successful Youth Apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship programs. A photo of the governor at the Apprenticeship Career Fair is available here.
Dodge
In June, and in celebration of Dairy Month, Gov. Evers visited High-Gem Holsteins and Normandes, a small dairy farm in Neosho and a recipient of the Wisconsin Farm Support Program. Gov. Evers directed $100 million into the Farm Support program throughout the pandemic to help support farmers who experienced economic challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic. More than 20,000 farmers have been helped through that program. During his visit, the governor also heard from owners Chris and Brenda Conley about the farm’s practices raising Holstein and Normande cattle and about their involvement in their local watershed group and community. Photos of the governor’s visit to Neosho are available here and here.
Door
On April 25, Gov. Evers visited Potawatomi State Park in Sturgeon Bay to announce the state would be moving forward with plans to renovate or reconstruct the observation tower at the park. The tower has been closed since 2018, and the governor committed to providing funding for this building project in his 2023-25 proposed Capitol Budget. Photos from the governor’s visit to Potawatomi State Park are available here and here.
In addition to another stop in May for the Destination Door County National Travel and Tourism Week Breakfast, the governor again visited Door County on September 14 with WEDC Secretary and CEO Hughes. While there, Gov. Evers and Secretary Hughes visited businesses in Sturgeon Bay during a statewide tour highlighting the successful Main Street Bounceback Grant Program and the governor’s additional investment of $25 million in the program, bringing the total investment to $100 million to help 10,000 businesses and nonprofits move into vacant storefronts. The governor and secretary visited The Marketplace, a shared retail space housing various small businesses under one roof, including Bliss, Lola May’s, SmithMaker Artisan Co., and Monticello on Jefferson. In 2020, the city of Sturgeon Bay received a $250,000 Community Development Investment Grant from WEDC to redevelop the former Younkers building into The Marketplace. Several of the tenant businesses received small business recovery grants from the Evers Administration, including Monticello on Jefferson, which received a Main Street Bounceback grant to expand into their new space. Following this, the governor and secretary visited Dancing Bear Toys and Little Luxuries, where they explored an extensive puzzle collection and made friends with their store pets, and Avenue Art and Co. On Third, as well as SOMI Gallery. Photos of the governor’s small business tour in Sturgeon Bay are available here, here, and here.
Douglas
On July 19, Gov. Evers visited Superior to meet with local leaders and visit main street businesses that received support from the state during the pandemic. He started his visit at Superior Waffles, which received a $10,000 Main Street Bounceback grant. Following this stop, he visited Blue Arrow Boutique, Cedar Barn, Framing by Stengl, The Stitchery, Jamrock Cultural Restaurant, and Sweeden Sweets. While at Sweeden Sweets, the governor was welcomed by the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northland—Superior Branch. Photos of the governor’s Superior main street tour are available here, here, and here.
Additionally, on August 18, Gov. Evers and U.S. Sen. Baldwin visited the Port of Duluth-Superior, where they received a tour of the docks from local businesses and discussed the importance of Wisconsin’s ports to the state’s commerce and economy. A photo of their visit to the Port of Duluth-Superior is available here. In September, the governor was joined by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Jill Underly for a visit to Northern Lights Elementary School in Superior during their statewide tour highlighting their shared priorities for the 2023-25 biennial state budget for K-12 public education. While there, they read the book “Creepy Crayon!” to fourth graders and helped serve lunch with Mayor Jim Paine and State Rep. Nick Milroy (D-South Range). Photos of the governor’s visit to Northern Lights Elementary School are available here and here.
Finally, in addition to a stop on campus for an event with President Joe Biden in March, the governor again visited UW-Superior on October 18. The governor hosted a roundtable discussion in the Yellowjacket Student Union, where he heard from students about how the school year was going and policy issues important to them, including bolstering access to mental health services, protecting LGBTQ rights, and increasing civic engagement of students and young people. Photos of the governor’s visit to UW-Superior are available here and here.
Dunn
On March 7, Gov. Evers visited Menomonie to announce a new Help for Homeowners Program that will provide more than $92 million in financial assistance to Wisconsin homeowners who have experienced financial hardship as a result of the pandemic. The governor again visited Dunn County on August 25 for a press conference at the Menomonie City Clerk’s Office to continue his tour highlighting his plan to support working families and address rising costs due to national inflation. The governor’s plan included using the state’s budget surplus to cut taxes 10% for working families, as well as several other proposals to provide tax relief to veterans and seniors, lower gas prices and cap insulin copays, and make caregiving and childcare more affordable. He was joined for the press conference by Mayor Randy Knaack and Tonia Kowieski, a parent of a diabetic child who would benefit from the governor’s plan to cap the copay for insulin. Photos from the governor’s press conference are available here and here.
Eau Claire
On April 7, Gov. Evers visited Northstar Middle School in Eau Claire to continue a tour highlighting his “Get Kids Ahead” initiative, an investment announced during his 2022 State of the State address and later doubled, providing a total of $30 million to nearly every school district in the state for school-based mental health services for kids. Photos from the governor’s visit to Northstar Middle School are available here and here.
The governor again visited Altoona on July 21 as part of his ‘Pothole Patrol’ tour, helping repair potholes and discussing his investments and efforts to improve local roads and highways. Since Gov. Evers took office in 2019, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), the Evers Administration has improved more than 4,600 miles of highways and roads, including more than 1,700 locally owned roads, across the state. Photos of the governor out on Pothole Patrol in Altoona are available here and here.
The governor also hosted two roundtable discussions in Eau Claire to hear from Wisconsinites. On August 23, the governor hosted a roundtable discussion at the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Eau Claire County during a tour highlighting his plan to provide support to working families and address rising costs due to national inflation. And on September 27, Gov. Evers hosted a roundtable discussion at UW-Eau Claire at Centennial Hall, where he heard from students about the issues that matter to them, from climate change to reproductive healthcare to college affordability and workforce challenges. He also visited Professor Rod Freitag’s political science course, State and Local Politics, where he met with a group of students majoring in criminal justice and social studies education and answered questions from students about his role as governor. He then visited the Study Abroad Fair on the Campus Mall to say hello to the students and organizations at the Fair. Photos of the governor’s visit to UW-Eau Claire, provided by UW-Eau Claire photography, are available here, here, and here.
Florence
In November, Gov. Evers visited Florence High School to meet with educators, staff, and students to discuss how the school year is going and to highlight his investments in K-12 public education to ensure schools have the resources to get kids caught up, to keep class sizes small, and support school-based mental health services for kids. Photos from the governor’s visit to Florence High School are available here and here.
Fond du Lac
On March 3, Gov. Evers stopped in Fond du Lac to announce the city of Fond du Lac would receive a $3.6 million grant, the city of Menasha would receive a more than $2 million grant, and the city of Neenah would receive a more than $4.3 million grant. The governor also announced Winnebago County would receive a more than $10 million grant to support an array of proposals that address local housing needs, improvements to a local senior care facility, and a comprehensive community redevelopment initiative. The grants were awarded through the Neighborhood Investment Fund Grant Program.
Additionally, on August 24, Gov. Evers hosted a roundtable discussion at Moraine Park Technical College in Fond du Lac to hear from Wisconsinites about his plan to support working families and address rising costs due to national inflation. He was joined for the roundtable discussion by Sue Luft and Amber from the Oshkosh Area United Way, Anna Mejia, a student at Moraine Park Technical College and parent, Fond du Lac County ADRC & Aging Division Manager Jacklyn Jaeckels, Colleen Steinbruecker and Terri Schutz from Family Connections, Angela Schmitz who is the owner Lily Pad Learning Center, Cathy Loomans from the Fond du Lac Senior Center, and Laurice Snyder who is the District Equity Coordinator at Fond du Lac Schools. Photos from the governor’s visit to Moraine Park Technical College are available here and here.
And on September 26, Gov. Evers joined leaders from SSM Health and the Ripon community for a ribbon cutting celebrating the new mental health outpatient day stabilization services at SSM Health Ripon Community Hospital. The new unit will provide assistance, services, and support for up to 23 hours for individuals experiencing mental health crises, filling a critical gap in care regionally and for the state. As announced earlier, the project was supported by a $158,000 grant from Gov. Evers’ Healthcare Infrastructure Capital Grant Program. Photos from the governor’s visit to Ripon are available here and here.
Forest
In November, Gov. Evers, together with Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) Secretary Emilie Amundson, visited A-Binoojii Day Care, which is operated by the Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Mole Lake Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and is located on the Mole Lake Reservation in Crandon. While there, he visited with staff, read with students, and highlighted the state’s investments into expanding access to affordable childcare and early childhood education through the Child Care Counts Program.
Throughout the pandemic, the governor and DCF directed more than $350 million to help stabilize Wisconsin’s childcare infrastructure through the Child Care Counts Program, supporting the demand for high-quality childcare and bolstering the early care and education workforce. Through this program, the state helped over 22,000 childcare professionals remain employed or become employed, over 3,300 providers stay open and continue providing care, and ensured 113,000 kids continued to have care.
Additionally, through this program, A-Binoojii Day Care received more than $41,000 to support their good work caring for kids in Forest County. Photos of the governor’s visit to A-Binoojii Day Care are available here and here.
Grant
On June 23, Gov. Evers visited Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in Fennimore to announce more than $6.6 million in grants to support youth apprenticeship opportunities, job training and upskilling in advanced manufacturing, and scholarships for students pursuing careers in education through the second round of the Workforce Innovation Grant Program. The $6.6 million investment supported projects across ten counties in Southwestern and Central Wisconsin with grants awarded to Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, the Wisconsin Heights School District, and the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County. Photos of the governor’s visit to Fennimore are available here and here.
The governor again visited Grant County on September 20 with DHS Secretary-designee Timberlake and DOA Secretary-designee Blumenfeld to hear from local EMS and emergency response professionals about the challenges facing the Hazel Green community and Grant County with regard to EMS testing, training, and recruiting and retaining their healthcare workforce. The visit occurred during a statewide tour announcing $32 million in EMS Flex Grants were awarded to 442 EMS providers in nearly every county across the state, delivering on a promise made by the governor during his 2022 State of the State address.
Green
On August 17, Gov. Evers, together with DNR Secretary Cole, visited Kaderly Farms in Juda on a tour highlighting the governor’s new $10 million investment into a well compensation program that will help support the replacement, reconstruction, treatment, or abandonment of contaminated private wells. The program’s criteria allowed for increased eligibility and access beyond the state’s existing well compensation program to help defray the cost of well contaminants for private well owners. While there, the governor took a tour of the farm with owner Jake Kaderly, who is the president of the Farmers of the Sugar River, which is a producer-led watershed group that shares and learns strategies from other farmers to be profitable, protect and increase soil functions, and improve water quality in the watershed. Photos of the governor’s visit to Juda are available here and here.
Green Lake
On September 12, Gov. Evers visited Walk the Dog, a local business in Green Lake that sells gourmet hot dogs and French fries, as well as an array of Wisconsin-themed gifts. A recipient of a Main Street Bounceback grant, co-owner Angela Zodrow used the funds to help decorate and prepare the store for its opening in July 2021. After hearing about Walk the Dog’s successes over the last year and meeting with Angela’s family, the governor went on to Princeton, where he visited Whimsy Mountain, a gift and home décor shop that also received a Main Street Bounceback grant. While there, owner Debbie May showed the governor the creative studio where they host group workshops and private events. The visits were made during a statewide tour highlighting the successful Main Street Bounceback Grant Program. Photos of the governor’s visit to Green Lake are available here and here.
Iowa
On January 19, Gov. Evers visited Dodgeville to visit the Access Community Health Centers-Dodgeville Dental Clinic. The clinic is expanding with the help of a $250,000 Community Development Investment Grant from WEDC. The expansion will allow the clinic to serve an additional 1,500 to 2,000 patients. Photos of the governor’s visit to Dodgeville are available here and here.
Iron
On March 31, Gov. Evers visited Aurora Up North, which is a flooring, décor, and accessories store in Mercer, during a statewide tour highlighting the successful Main Street Bounceback Grant Program. The store is one of two businesses—at the time—that received a $10,000 Main Street Bounceback grant in Iron County, making Iron County the 72nd county to have businesses that applied and were awarded grants from this program. The governor was there to highlight that every county in Wisconsin had benefitted from Main Street Bounceback grants. Photos of the governor’s visit to Aurora Up North are available here and here.
Jackson
On September 1, Gov. Evers and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Underly visited Melrose-Mindoro High School in Melrose, where they were joined by an , to welcome kids back to school. During the visit, district and school leaders guided the governor, state superintendent, and Sen. Pfaff through multiple classroom visits in their newly constructed elementary and middle school. From there, they continued to the high school to meet with students in a computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) class and students on their academic decathlon team. While there, the governor highlighted his $90 million investment in K-12 public schools funded through ARPA to help ensure schools have the resources to get kids caught up, to keep class sizes small, and support school-based mental health services for kids. Photos from the governor’s visit to Melrose-Mindoro High School are available here and here.
Jefferson
On June 4, Gov. Evers attended the Jefferson County Dairy Breakfast during June Dairy Month at the Jefferson County Fair Park Activity Center. While there, he met with community members, including local farmers and producers, and helped serve breakfast consisting of goods from across the Jefferson area. Jefferson County was a recipient of the governor’s Tourism Capital Investment Grant Program announced earlier this year. During his visit, the governor saw updates the county has made to the Activity Center using grant funding. A photo of the governor at the Jefferson County Dairy Breakfast is available here.
Juneau
In June, Gov. Evers visited Mauston to tour storm damage following severe weather the night before that produced a tornado and destroyed many homes in the Kountry Aire Estates Mobile Home Park, as well as the roof of a local business. A photo from the governor’s storm damage tour is available here.
Additionally, on November 30, Gov. Evers visited West Side Elementary School in advance of the dedication ceremony for their new building, which houses the elementary school and Mauston Montessori Charter School, for a tour. While there, he visited three classrooms and read the story “Snowmen at Night.” Photos from the governor’s visit to West Side Elementary School are available here and here.
Kenosha
On March 3, Gov. Evers visited Kenosha to announce more than $212.9 million has been awarded statewide through the Neighborhood Investment Fund Grant Program to address the needs of communities through long-term investments and economic recovery efforts. The city of Kenosha is receiving a $15 million grant to develop an Innovation Center that will focus on support for entrepreneurs and startups and provide educational and training opportunities. Kenosha County is also receiving a grant of more than $9.8 million for the relocation of the Kenosha County Job Center to ensure services are more accessible in the community.
Additionally, on June 15, Gov. Evers visited Kenosha to meet with local organizations, community members, and business owners. He started his visit with a stop at the Kenosha Boys and Girls Club to talk with staff and youth and to see the implementation of a Teen Center Music Program, which was supported by a Creative Communities Grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board. Following the visit to the Boys and Girls Club, Gov. Evers visited with local business owners and community members at Regimen Barbershop Collective, Kenosha Beauty Supply, and the Buzz Café. Photos of the governor’s visit to Kenosha on June 15 are available here, here, and here.
On December 13, Gov. Evers hosted the first of three listening sessions during his statewide ‘Doing the Right Thing’ listening session tour to hear directly from Wisconsinites on the issues that matter to them as he prepares his 2023-25 executive budget. Topics covered in the sessions include pressing issues facing Wisconsinites and their families: addressing rising costs and national inflation; supporting kids and public schools; ensuring healthcare is affordable and accessible; investing in high-speed internet and the state’s infrastructure and transportation systems; conservation and protecting Wisconsin’s natural resources; and bolstering the state’s workforce and building an economy that works for everyone. The event was hosted at the Civil War Museum in Kenosha. A photo from the Kenosha listening session is available here.
Kewaunee
On July 7, Gov. Evers visited Algoma City Hall, where he was joined by local leaders to announce four 2022 Wisconsin Coastal Grant Awards in the Kewaunee Area, including $30,000 for the Kewaunee County Land & Water Conservation Department, more than $16,000 to the Wisconsin Historical Society for the Hickory Dickery Dock: Archaeological Investigation of Historic Lumber Piers of Kewaunee County project, $30,000 for the city of Algoma, and $20,000 for the Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission. Following this press conference, the governor visited local businesses, including Caffe Tlazo and two businesses that received Main Street Bounceback grants, the Blue Yorkie Juicery and 3 Kiln Pottery. Photos from the governor’s visit to Algoma are available here, here, and here.
La Crosse
On April 20, Gov. Evers joined U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to discuss sustainable infrastructure in Wisconsin. First, they visited the West Salem Sewage Plan to discuss water quality and infrastructure challenges facing the community and the state. Following this, they went to La Crosse to ride the city’s new electric buses and discuss green transit infrastructure. Photos of the governor’s visit with EPA Administrator Regan are available here and here.
On July 20, Gov. Evers visited the Town of Campbell on French Island for a press conference with Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul to announce the state filed a lawsuit against three Wisconsin manufacturers and 15 other defendants for “wrongful, deceptive, and tortious conduct” that led directly to PFAS contamination of Wisconsin’s water, property, and natural resources.
Additionally, on August 30, Gov. Evers visited Northside Elementary School in La Crosse with State Rep. Jill Billings (D-La Crosse), where they highlighted the governor’s $90 million investment into K-12 education, which included $15 million to double his investment in the “Get Kids Ahead” initiative—bringing the total investment to $30 million—to expand access to mental health services in K-12 schools across Wisconsin, as well as $75 million designed to give districts flexibility to meet staffing needs, keep classroom sizes small, and provide other direct classroom support. Photos of the governor’s visit are available here and here.
Finally, on September 29, Gov. Evers visited UW-La Crosse, where he met with students and heard from them on issues concerning more sustainable, alternative forms of transportation and creating more walkable cities and bike paths, ensuring voting is easy and accessible so every eligible Wisconsinite is able to vote, and defending against legislation targeting the LGBTQ community. Following the roundtable discussion at the Student Union, Gov. Evers visited the Prairie Springs Science Center. The Prairie Springs Science Center is between two phases of construction to upgrade the facility to meet student needs. Gov. Evers included more than $92.7 million in his most recent capital budget proposal to complete Phase II of the project, but it was rejected by Republicans on the State Building Commission. To conclude his tour, he visited the new field house on campus. Gov. Evers was joined by State Sen. Pfaff (D-Onalaska), State Rep. Billings (D-La Crosse), and Chancellor Joe Gow. Photos of the governor’s visit to UW-La Crosse are available here, here, and here.
Lafayette
On February 17, Gov. Evers visited Lafayette County Emergency Medical Services in Darlington with DHS Secretary-designee Timberlake during a statewide tour highlighting his plan to support and stabilize Wisconsin’s EMS system, as announced during the governor’s 2022 State of the State address. While there, he received a tour from Director Shawn Phillips and met with frontline EMS workers. Photos of the governor’s visit to Darlington are available here and here.
Langlade
On July 26, Gov. Evers visited Antigo to continue his statewide ‘Pothole Patrol’ tour, where he repaired potholes on Virginia Street between 8th Avenue and 10th Avenue. He was joined by local leaders, including Mayor Bill Brandt, City Administrator Mark Desotell, and Lincoln County Board Chair and Vice Chair of the Wisconsin County Highway Association Kevin Koth, as well as regional WisDOT staff. Following his Pothole Patrol stop, Gov. Evers visited local area businesses, including Flowers from the Heart on 5th and Wildman Arts, to discuss how the Main Street Bounceback grants had helped support their recovery and growth. Photos of the governor’s visit to Antigo are available here, here, and here.
Lincoln
On January 5, Gov. Evers visited Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Schools in Irma in Lincoln County. This was the governor’s second visit to Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake. While there, he visited justice-involved youth and heard from staff about programming available to youth housed there, challenges the facility faces, and improvements made to support staff and kids there over the past four years. Photos from the governor’s visit to Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake are available here and here.
On March 30, Gov. Evers visited the Pine Crest Nursing Home in Merrill to announce a $5 million investment to make telehealth services, including mental and behavioral health services, more accessible by bolstering child psychiatry telehealth services and establishing neighborhood telehealth access points. Photos of the governor’s visit to Pine Crest Nursing Home are available here and here.
Manitowoc
On June 21, Gov. Evers visited Lakeshore Technical College in Cleveland, where he announced up to $19.5 million in grants through the Workforce Innovation Grant Program would be awarded to Lakeshore Technical College, the Wisconsin Forestry Center at UW-Stevens Point, and Northwood Technical College for projects that support long-term solutions to Wisconsin’s workforce challenges and promote workforce development across 22 counties in Wisconsin’s Northwestern, Northern, Northeastern, and Eastern regions. Photos of the governor’s visit to Lakeshore Technical College are available here and here.
Marathon
On March 15, Gov. Evers visited Wausau to announce a more than $50 million investment in community safety, including nearly $19 million for local and Tribal law enforcement agencies and funding to help alleviate the pandemic-related backlog of criminal cases through additional supports for public defenders and assistant district attorneys. A photo of the governor’s announcement at City Hall is available here.
On April 21, in celebration of Earth Day, Gov. Evers hosted a roundtable discussion with local leaders and stakeholders about environmental justice, resilience, and the release of the state’s first-ever Clean Energy Plan. A photo of that roundtable discussion is available here.
The governor visited Wausau twice in July alone. First, as part of his statewide ‘Pothole Patrol’ tour, helping repair potholes and discussing his investments in Wisconsin’s local roads and highways. Gov. Evers visited Wausau again on July 30 for the 5th Annual Hmong Wausau Festival to celebrate the countless social, cultural, economic, and historical contributions of Hmong Wisconsinites. Photos of the governor’s visit to Wausau are available here, here, and here, and photos of the governor at the Hmong Wausau Festival are available here and here.
Finally, on September 20, Gov. Evers visited the Mosinee Fire District with DHS Secretary-designee Timberlake and DOA Secretary-designee Blumenfeld for a tour of the facility and to announce $32 million in EMS Flex Grants were awarded to 442 EMS providers in nearly every county in the state. Photos of the visit to Mosinee are available here and here.
Marinette
On May 12, Gov. Evers joined Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Marinette for an event celebrating the opening of their newest facility, Building 34, which will allow them to build the next generation of Navy frigates. The governor announced that the state will be supporting the shipyard’s expansion with up to $12 million in state tax credits through WEDC. Photos of the governor’s visit are available here and here.
On July 21, the governor again visited Marinette to meet with small business owners and tour a local senior center. He started his visit at Café Green for lunch, followed by a stop at Main Street Antique Mall, which received a $2,500 We’re All In grant. He then visited the staff and members of the Marinette Senior Center to hear about their programming and the work they are doing for the community’s senior population. A photo of the governor at the Marinette Senior Center is available here.
Finally, on August 2, Gov. Evers, together with DHS Secretary-designee Timberlake, visited Peshtigo to announce an $8 million investment into supporting and stabilizing Wisconsin’s EMS providers across the state. While there, the governor visited the city municipal building, which received a more than $3 million grant to support the expansion of telemedicine accessibility in the area and the development of two new EMS facilities through the Neighborhood Investment Fund Grant Program, announced by the governor earlier this year. The governor also visited the Peshtigo Fire Museum with Mayor Cathi Malke to learn more about this important piece of Wisconsin history. Photos of the governor’s visit to Peshtigo are available here and here.
Marquette
On July 14, Gov. Evers visited Oxford for a roundtable discussion with the Marquette-Adams Telephone Cooperative (MATC), local business owners, and elected leaders to discuss broadband expansion efforts across Marquette and Adams Counties. The visit followed the release of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access 2022 Report. A photo of the governor’s visit to Oxford is available here.
Menominee
Gov. Evers visited the Menominee Indian Reservation in the village of Keshena twice throughout the year. On March 21, Gov. Evers visited to award more than $86 million in Diverse Business Assistance and Diverse Business Investment Grants to support small businesses in communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic that have historically had difficulty accessing credit and capital. Several organizations that work with Indigenous business owners and entrepreneurs received grant funds through this program, including First Nations Community Financial, Wisconsin Native Loan Fund Inc., and the Wisconsin Indigenous Economic Development Corporation. Photos of the governor’s visit in March are available here and here.
In November, Gov. Evers joined WisDOT and Menominee Nation Chairman Ron Corn Sr. to unveil new dual language highway signs on the Menominee Indian Reservation. The signs feature both English and the Menominee Language and underscore the state’s ongoing commitment to collaboration and partnership with the Tribal Nations and honoring Native cultures and languages. Photos of the governor’s visit in November are available here and here.
Milwaukee
On January 12, Gov. Evers visited several community service organizations in Milwaukee with then-interim Mayor Cavalier Johnson, including CORE El Centro, United Community Center, Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center with County Executive David Crowley, and the Zen Den, an art and sound therapy healing space that was made possible by a partnership between Peace Garden Project MKE and Mental Health America of Wisconsin. Photos of the governor’s January 12 visit are available here and here.
On March 15, Gov. Evers visited the Milwaukee County Courthouse to announce a more than $50 million investment in community safety, including nearly $19 million for local and Tribal law enforcement agencies, as well as funding to help alleviate the pandemic-related backlog of criminal cases through additional public defender and assistant district attorney support. A photo of the governor’s press conference at the courthouse is available here.
Additionally, in May, the governor met several recipients of the Main Street BouncebackGrant Program in Milwaukee, including Dairyland, Valor Aquaponics, Kawa Ramen and Sushi, Amano Pan, Anytime Arepa, Dawg City, Hot Dish Pantry, and Strega, all of which are located within downtown’s newly opened 3rd Street Market Hall, a multi-vendor food hall. Photos of the governor’s visits are available here, here, and here.
In June, Gov. Evers visited the Garden Homes Neighborhood in Milwaukee’s 53206 ZIP Code. He was joined by Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and State Rep. David Bowen (D-Milwaukee). During the visit, they went on a community walk and met with local residents and community leaders to discuss community safety, violence interruption efforts, and supports for youth in the summer. Photos of the governor’s community walk are available here and here.
Also in June, the governor hosted two press conferences at Milwaukee Turners with Attorney General Josh Kaul. First, to call on the Wisconsin State Legislature to act to repeal Wisconsin’s criminal abortion ban, and again, to announce the state filed a lawsuit challenging Wisconsin’s criminal abortion ban. The lawsuit came just days after the U.S. Supreme Court released a decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pa. v. Casey, upending nearly 50 years of a constitutional right to abortion that Wisconsinites and Americans have relied upon for almost five decades. A photo of the governor at Milwaukee Turners is available here.
Finally, on September 27, Gov. Evers visited UW-Milwaukee as students began the new school year to hear directly from young people about the issues they care most about, including climate change to reproductive healthcare to college affordability and workforce challenges. He joined faculty, undergraduate students, and post-graduate students for a discussion on his efforts to address the climate crisis, including through his Task Force on Climate Change and the state’s first-ever Clean Energy Plan, investments in community safety and violence prevention, and how the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is affecting reproductive freedom in Wisconsin. Following their conversation, the governor visited students and campus leaders at Bolton Hall, which houses multiple multicultural resource centers and other student organizations, including the Office of Undergraduate Research, the Student Success Center, and the Roberto Hernández Center. He then visited the UWM Student Union, where he spoke with staff and students from the LGBTQ+ Resource Center, the Women’s Resource Center, and the Military and Veterans Resource Center about how the resources provided by the organizations help students on campus. Photos from the governor’s visit to UW-Milwaukee are available here, here, and here.
Monroe
On June 16, Gov. Evers visited Tomah to meet with local business owners and recipients of various grant programs. Gov. Evers started the visit at Humbird Cheese Mart, which received a $5,000 grant through the governor’s Wisconsin Tomorrow Small Business Recovery Grant Program. He then went on to Families First of Monroe County, a nonprofit organization that received a Main Street Bounceback grant of $10,000. Gov. Evers ended his visit in Tomah at BP Smokehouse. BP Smokehouse received grants totaling $7,500 through rounds one and two of the We’re All In Grant Program, as well as a $5,000 grant through the Small Business Recovery Grant Program. Photos of the governor’s visit to Tomah are available here and here.
On September 8, Gov. Evers and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Underly continued a tour welcoming students, educators, and staff back to school with a visit to Tomah Middle School and Miller Elementary School, where Gov. Evers was formerly the principal. While there, they highlighted their shared priorities for the 2023-25 K-12 education budget, including investments to improve reading and literacy outcomes, expand access to student mental health services and school nutrition, invest in financial literacy and out-of-school programming, address the staffing shortages to help keep class sizes small, and increase per pupil and special education aids while holding the line on property taxes. Photos of the governor’s visit to Tomah are available here and here.
Oconto
On August 16, Gov. Evers visited Copper Culture State Park in Oconto, where he was joined by DNR Secretary Cole and State Rep. Shankland (D-Stevens Point) to announce a new $10 million grant program to support the replacement, reconstruction, treatment, or abandonment of contaminated private wells. The program’s criteria allowed for increased eligibility and access beyond the state’s existing well compensation program to help defray the cost of well contaminants for private well owners. Photos of the governor’s visit to Oconto are available here and here.
Oneida
On July 12, Gov. Evers visited Rhinelander City Hall with Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) Commissioner Tyler Huebner for a discussion with local leaders and broadband stakeholders about broadband expansion in Oneida County, including two grants that are working to expand access in the region. The grants discussed include a more than $2.2 million grant for Northwoods Connect and a grant of more than $2.7 million for Bug Tussel Wireless. The visit came following the release of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access 2022 Report. A photo of the roundtable discussion is available here.
On July 21, Gov. Evers again visited Oneida County with a stop in Minocqua for the IBEW State Conference. While there, he spoke to folks in the trades and emphasized his continued commitment to ensuring every worker in Wisconsin is valued and supported in the workplace and in expanding Wisconsin’s workforce through investments like the Workforce Innovation Grant program and through expanding apprenticeship opportunities. A photo of Gov. Evers at the IBEW State Conference is available here.
Finally, in addition to a stop at Rhinelander High School on September 8, on October 18, Gov. Evers visited Rhinelander to meet with small business owners, community leaders, and first responders. He visited Fun Factory Sweet Shoppe and met with the owner, George Rouman, as well as several employees. While there, Gov. Evers heard from Rouman about how he received $90,000 from the Movie Theatre Assistance Grant Program, which the governor announced in December 2021, to support the two movie theaters he owns in addition to the candy store. According to Rouman, this grant saved his business and allowed them to celebrate their 100th anniversary. After buying one of their specialty chocolate Hodags, the governor went on a tour of the Rhinelander Fire Department led by Fire Chief Brian Tonnancour. During the tour, he learned about the work they are doing in the community and how they are using the additional funding provided by Gov. Evers’ investments in EMS to purchase a new ambulance. Photos of the governor’s October visit to Rhinelander are available here and here.
Outagamie
On March 8, Gov. Evers visited Mosaic Family Health in Appleton to announce more than $7.9 million from the Healthcare Infrastructure Capital Investment Grant Program was awarded for capital improvement projects in the Appleton community to expand access to quality healthcare for low-income families, uninsured individuals, and those disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Also in March, Gov. Evers visited Partnership Community Health Center in Appleton to announce a $5 million investment to make telehealth services, including mental and behavioral health services, more accessible by bolstering child psychiatry telehealth services and establishing neighborhood telehealth access points. A photo of the governor’s visit to Partnership Community Health Center on March 30 is available here.
Additionally, on September 1, Gov. Evers, along with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Underly, visited Electa Quinney Elementary School in Kaukauna during a statewide tour to kick off the school year. While there, they visited various classrooms to greet students, educators, and staff on their first day back to school. The governor and State Superintendent Underly checked out some fourth graders’ newly organized desks, listened to a choir class’s rendition of the “Quinney School Song,” and joined kids at recess. Photos of the governor’s visit to Kaukauna are available here, here, and here.
Gov. Evers also visited the Hortonville-Hortonia Fire District with DHS Secretary-designee Timberlake and DOA Secretary-designee Blumenfeld to announce $32 million in EMS flex Grants were awarded to 442 EMS providers in nearly every county across the state, delivering on a promise made by the governor during his 2022 State of the State address. Photos of their visit to the Hortonville-Hortonia Fire District are available here and here.
Ozaukee
On November 22, Gov. Evers visited Port Washington to continue his tour highlighting small businesses and encouraging Wisconsinites to shop small during the holiday season. He started his visit at Halo Artisan Skin Care, where he toured the shop and made candles for the holiday season with the owner, Stacie. Following this, he visited Locally Inspired and chatted with Kelly, the owner, about how the Main Street Bounceback Grant Program helped her move her business into a new space. Finally, he had lunch at the Fork and Tap, where he visited with Port Washington Mayor Ted Neitzke. Photos of the governor’s visit to Port Washington are available here, here, and here.
Pepin
As students, parents, and educators returned to classrooms across Wisconsin after Labor Day, Gov. Evers and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Underly visited Caddie Woodlawn Elementary School in Durand during a statewide tour welcoming students back to school. While at Caddie Woodlawn Elementary School, they celebrated National Read a Book Day by reading the book “I Love Wisconsin: An ABC Adventure” with second graders and played a game of Wisconsin trivia with State Sen. Jeff Smith (D-Brunswick), which the governor proudly won. While there, they highlighted their shared priorities for the 2023-25 K-12 education budget, including investments to improve reading and literacy outcomes, expand access to student mental health services and school nutrition, invest in financial literacy and out-of-school programming, address the staffing shortages to help keep class sizes small, and increase per pupil and special education aids while holding the line on property taxes. Photos of the governor’s visit to Caddie Woodlawn Elementary are available here, here, and here.
Pierce
On May 26, Gov. Evers visited JM Watkins in Plum City. While there, the governor toured the facility and highlighted his investments in Wisconsin’s meat processors, including his $200,000 annual investment in the 2021-23 biennial budget, his $5 million investment of ARPA funds for meat talent development assistance to help grow the meat processing workforce, and his $10 million investment to create the Meat and Poultry Supply Chain Resiliency Grant Program. JM Watkins received a $50,000 meat processor grant for the construction of a new building and the purchase of a new smoker. Photos of the governor’s visit to JM Watkins are available here and here.
Additionally, on June 23, Gov. Evers visited West CAP, the western Wisconsin Community Action Program branch in River Falls, to announce more than $5 million in grants through the second round of the Workforce Innovation Grant Program will be awarded to the Wisconsin Community Action Program Association (WISCAP) and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, through the University of Wisconsin (UW) System Board of Regents, for training efforts that support long-term solutions to Wisconsin’s healthcare workforce challenges. A photo of the governor’s visit to West CAP is available here.
Polk
On May 10, Gov. Evers announced that he would invest an additional $25 million into the popular and successful Main Street Bounceback Grant Program. Following the announcement, the governor and WEDC Secretary and CEO Hughes visited several Main Street Bounceback grant recipients, including Brew & Sip and The Schweet Stop in Amery.A photo of his visit to Brew & Sip is available here. A photo of his visit to The Schweet Stop is available here.
Portage
On April 7, Gov. Evers stopped at Stevens Point Area Senior High School (SPASH) during a statewide tour announcing nearly every school district across the state, including more than 450 local education agencies, was awarded funds through the governor’s “Get Kids Ahead” initiative. While there, he visited with students, educators, and staff to hear about how the school year was going and how mental health issues have affected students in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Photos of the governor’s visit to SPASH are available here and here.
On May 11, Gov. Evers visited Main Street Bounceback grant recipients in Stevens Point, including Fall Line Outfitters and Caroline’s Bridal Boutique. He also visited Belt’s Soft Serve—the Home of the Large Cone. Photos of the governor’s visit are available here and here, and a photo of the governor at Belt’s with a Large Cone is available here.
Additionally, on June 21, Gov. Evers visited UW-Stevens Point to announce up to $19.5 million in grants through the Workforce Innovation Grant Program were awarded to Lakeshore Technical College, the Wisconsin Forestry Center at UW-Stevens Point, and Northwood Technical College for projects that support long-term solutions to Wisconsin’s workforce challenges and promote workforce development across 22 counties in Wisconsin’s Northwestern, Northern, Northeastern, and Eastern regions. Photos of the governor’s visit to UW-Stevens Point are available here and here.
Price
On March 9, Gov. Evers visited Park Falls to announce $20 million from the Healthcare Infrastructure Capital Investment Grant Program will support facility upgrades and modernization at the Marshfield Medical Center-Park Falls, which is a critical access hospital of Marshfield Clinic Health System, to expand access to quality healthcare for rural communities that have been historically underserved. Park Falls also received more than $5.6 million through the Neighborhood Investment Fund Grant Program for the construction of a new YMCA facility in the community. Photos of the governor are available here and here.
Racine
On March 11, Gov. Evers visited Racine to announce the city would be receiving $20 million from the Healthcare Infrastructure Capital Grant Program to support the development of the new Racine Community Health Center. The new center will help expand access to healthcare in the Racine community for low-income families, underinsured or uninsured individuals, and historically underserved communities. Photos from the announcement are available here and here.
On April 27, Gov. Evers visited local officials in Racine for the unveiling of the city’s new electric bus fleet. The city of Racine received more than $6 million from DOA’s Volkswagen Transit Capital Assistance Grant Program to fund the purchase of six electric buses and related infrastructure. Additionally, the city was awarded $3,183,723 from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Authority (FTA) Low or No Emission Vehicle Program (“Low-No Program”) to buy three additional electric buses, bringing the total to nine. Racine was the only city in the state to receive this allocation and one of only 41 other transit jurisdictions nationwide to receive this funding. Photos of the April 27 event are available here and here.
In addition to making a ‘Pothole Patrol’ stop in July to repair potholes on Arthur Avenue, Gov. Evers visited the Cesar Chavez Community Center and the Anthony Lane Community Oriented Policing (COP) House with Mayor Cory Mason on July 6. At the Cesar Chavez Community Center, the governor learned about summer programming for the community, including seniors and youth. At the COP House, the governor joined a community discussion about public safety and violence interruption with survivors of violence and law enforcement, as well as leaders from the city’s Credible Messenger Program, Voices of Black Mothers United, the Safe and Sound Organization, and Racine Unified School District. Their discussion included the state’s $800,000 investment in the Racine community to help support violence prevention and community safety throughout the summer months, with a special focus on youth programming. Photos of the governor’s visit to Racine are available here, here, and here. Photos of the visit to the Cesar Chavez Community Center and COP House are available here and here.
Richland
On July 28, during his statewide ‘Pothole Patrol’ tour, Gov. Evers visited Richland Center to repair potholes on E. 2nd Street with City Administrator Ashley Oliphant, Mayor Todd Coppernoll, Richland County Highway Commissioner Josh Elder, and the Richland Center Public Works Department. Photos of the governor’s visit to Richland Center are available here and here.
Rock
On February 23, Gov. Evers visited Beloit College in Beloit to announce a $9 million Neighborhood Investment Fund grant to support the creation of a Community Outreach and Engagement Center for the community. The Center will be focused on finding solutions to complex issues facing the community through collaboration with community partners. Photos of the governor’s visit to Beloit College are available here and here.
On March 9, Gov. Evers visited HealthNet of Rock County in Janesville to announce more than $4 million from the Healthcare Infrastructure Capital Investment Grant Program to expand services at HealthNet of Rock County’s Franklin Street clinic and to support Edgerton Hospital and Health Services’ new facility to increase access to mental healthcare, pediatric services, and more. Photos of the governor’s visit to Janesville are available here and here.
Rusk
On April 14, Gov. Evers visited Ladysmith Middle and High School in Ladysmith, where he met with district leadership, local school and mental health professionals, and community members to hear about the increased need for mental health programming for students and their plans for how to use the district’s allocation of “Get Kids Ahead” funds. This was a part of the governor’s statewide tour highlighting his “Get Kids Ahead” initiative to provide school-based mental health resources for students in nearly every school district in the state. A photo of the governor’s visit is available here.
Sauk
On January 11, Gov. Evers visited the Spring Green General Store and Arcadia Books in Spring Green. The Spring Green General Store and Arcadia Books were We’re All In small business grant recipients. He visited with the owners, Karin Miller and Nancy Baenen, respectively, and other community members. Photos from the governor’s visit are available here and here.
Also in January, Gov. Evers visited the Reedsburg Utility Commission in Reedsburg to highlight his investment in Broadband Access Grants that supported 83 projects across the state to expand access to fiber broadband internet. Reedsburg Utility Commission-Light Speed received more than $11 million in grants to serve the surrounding area, including Sauk and Iowa Counties. Photos of the governor’s visit are available here and here.
On April 21, in celebration of Earth Day, Gov. Evers and First Lady Kathy Evers visited Devil’s Lake State Park with DNR Secretary Cole. While there, they hiked with local environmental leaders and stakeholders and highlighted the new acquisition of more than 300 acres of land to be added to Devil’s Lake State Park. The DNR’s portion of the purchases—221 acres—was made possible thanks to $1.64 million provided by the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. Photos of the governor and first lady’s visit to Devil’s Lake are available here and here.
Finally, on November 18, the governor returned to the Spring Green General Store with the first lady as part of his tour visiting Wisconsin’s small businesses and highlighting the state’s investments in small businesses throughout the pandemic. While there, he did some holiday shopping with First Lady Kathy Evers, visited with local community members, and recorded a video encouraging Wisconsinites to shop small during the holiday season. That video is available here.
Sawyer
On February 2, Gov. Evers visited Hayward for a press conference at the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame as part of his tour announcing more than $20 million for capital tourism investments across the state. The Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame received a $42,174.29 grant to update museum facilities. Photos of the governor’s visit to Hayward are available here and here.
On July 7, Gov. Evers again visited Sawyer County by hosting a press conference at the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College’s Cultural Center on the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation to announce up to $4.6 million in grants through the Workforce Innovation Grant Program would be awarded to the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians to support water infrastructure in a 32-unit workforce housing development to be constructed by the Tribe in 2025. This housing project will create a variety of housing opportunities and will be situated to ensure residents have direct access to Tribal services, are close to area employers, and have transportation options that fit their needs, including public transportation routes and biking and walking paths. Photos of the governor’s visit are available here and here.
Shawano
On November 17, Gov. Evers visited the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Head Start-Shawano Center in Shawano and highlighted the state’s investments through the Child Care Counts Program. Photos of the governor’s visit to Shawano are available here and here.
Throughout the pandemic, the governor and DCF directed more than $350 million to help stabilize Wisconsin’s childcare infrastructure through the Child Care Counts Program, supporting the demand for high-quality childcare and bolstering the early care and education workforce. Through this program, the state helped over 22,000 childcare professionals remain employed or become employed, over 3,300 providers stay open and continue providing care, and ensured 113,000 kids continued to have care.
Additionally, through this program, the Shawano Center of UW-Oshkosh Head Start received more than $34,500 to support their good work providing care to families in Shawano County.
Sheboygan
On March 22, Gov. Evers visited Sartori Cheese to celebrate National Agriculture Day in his hometown of Plymouth—the Cheese Capital of the World—and to sign Senate Bill 827, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 207, to help bolster Wisconsin’s dairy exports. Wisconsin Act 207 allows DATCP to invest $883,160 from an existing, unused appropriation in the newly created agricultural exports program to promote dairy exports. Photos of the governor’s visit to Sartori Cheese are available here and here. The governor also stopped to see the new Cheese Capital of the World sign in downtown Plymouth and took a photo.
On July 18, Gov. Evers visited Sheboygan Falls for the groundbreaking of MilliporeSigma’s first lateral flow membrane production facility in the United States. The facility received more than $136 million from the U.S. Department of Defense, and the tests produced there will help expand domestic diagnostic testing while creating 60 new jobs in Sheboygan County. A photo of the event is available here.
Also in July, Gov. Evers visited Sheboygan during his statewide ‘Pothole Patrol’ tour, where he was joined by Mayor Ryan Sorenson, City Administrator Todd Wolf, leaders from the city of Sheboygan, and the Sheboygan Public Works Department, several town chairs from the region, and regional WisDOT staff as he repaired potholes on N. 31st Street. Photos of the governor’s visit to Sheboygan are available here and here.
Finally, on October 4, Gov. Evers visited Greenbush Town Hall in Glenbeulah for the ribbon cutting of the near completion of Wisconsin Highway 23 (WIS 23) between Fond du Lac and Sheboygan. While the WIS 23 project was enumerated in 1999, construction did not begin until 2019, and these costly delays negatively impacted thousands of people who rely on this highway. During those 20 years, there were 887 crashes along WIS 23, involving 340 injuries and 11 fatalities. Construction began in spring of 2019 to expand WIS 23 from U.S. Highway 151 in Fond du Lac east to County Highway P in Plymouth. The modifications include increased capacity, various intersection upgrades, and three new interchanges to improve safety and mobility. A photo from the ribbon cutting for WIS 23 is available here.
St. Croix
On February 17, following his State of the State address, Gov. Evers visited Baldwin Ambulance to continue his statewide tour highlighting his plan to invest $30 million in EMS providers across the state. The governor returned to St. Croix County in October to visit New Richmond Area Ambulance and Rescue in New Richmond to highlight how his investment had been increased to $46 million and to award New Richmond Area Ambulance and Rescue with a more than $35,000 investment of those funds for their life-saving work. Photos of the governor’s visit to Baldwin are available here and here, and photos of the governor’s visit to New Richmond are available here and here.
Additionally, on July 28, Gov. Evers visited Hudson as part of his statewide ‘Pothole Patrol’ tour to repair potholes. The governor was joined by Mayor Rich O’Connor, members of the Hudson Common Council, the Hudson Department of Public Works, and St. Croix County Highway Commissioner Rob Krejci. He received a demonstration from workers on “spray patching” to repair potholes. Photos of the governor’s Pothole Patrol stop in Hudson are available here and here.
Taylor
On March 31, Gov. Evers visited Pouring Cats & Dogs in Medford. Pouring Cats & Dogs received a $10,000 Main Street Bounceback grant. He was joined by WEDC Secretary and CEO Hughes, and the two received a tour of the business from owner Natalia Schmitt. Photos of the governor’s visit to Medford are available here and here.
Trempealeau
On April 12, Gov. Evers visited Arcadia Elementary School in Arcadia, where he announced the four local area school districts that make up the Trempealeau Valley Cooperative, including the School District of Arcadia, Blair-Taylor School District, Independence School District, and Whitehall School District, would be receiving “Get Kids Ahead” grants. Following the award of funds to each respective school district, the governor visited with first- and third-grade students to talk about their school year and what they were learning. This was a part of the governor’s tour highlighting his “Get Kids Ahead” initiative, a program that, with a second later investment, provided $30 million in total for school-based mental health supports for kids in nearly every school district in the state. Photos of the governor’s visit are available here and here.
Vernon
On January 25, Gov. Evers visited Vernon Communications Cooperative in Westby to highlight his investment in Broadband Access Grants, which supported 83 projects across the state that will expand access to fiber broadband internet. Vernon Communications Cooperative, awarded more than $5 million, will expand access into Crawford County. Photos of the governor’s visit are available here and here.
Additionally, on May 26, Gov. Evers visited Nordik Meats in Viroqua. While there, the governor toured the facility and highlighted his investments in Wisconsin’s meat processors, including his $200,000 annual investment in the 2021-23 biennial budget, his $5 million investment of ARPA funds for meat talent development assistance to help grow the meat processing workforce, and his $10 million investment to create the Meat and Poultry Supply Chain Resiliency Grant Program. Nordik Meats received a $25,000 meat processor grant through the 2021-23 biennial budget investment to expand their frozen storage, purchase a walk-in freezer unit and forklift, and increase labor. Photos of the governor’s visit to Nordik Meats are available here and here.
Finally, on August 2, Gov. Evers and DHS Secretary-designee Timberlake visited the Westby-Christiana Fire District to highlight the governor’s investments in EMS providers across the state, as announced during his State of the State address. The Westby-Christiana Fire District also received a $15,000 Healthcare Infrastructure Capital Grant earlier this year to purchase a new LUCAS CPR compression device. Photos of the governor’s visit to the Westby-Christiana Fire District are available here and here.
Vilas
On June 9, Gov. Evers, joined by his cabinet secretaries, participated in the 29th Annual Partners in Fishing event held at Lake of the Torches in Lac du Flambeau. This annual event brings together state and Tribal leaders, stakeholders, and environmental advocates to promote the conservation of Wisconsin’s natural and fishery resources. Before the fishing event, the governor and his cabinet toured a former boarding school to discuss Wisconsin’s history with Indian Boarding Schools, as well as the George W. Brown Jr. Ojibwe Museum and Cultural Center. A photo of the governor’s visit to Lake of the Torches is available here.
Walworth
On February 1, Gov. Evers visited Grand Craft Boats in Genoa City, where he met with the owners to learn about their company and even helped sand one of their vessels in production. Grand Craft Boats moved their production facility from Michigan to Genoa City with the help of up to $125,000 in performance-based tax credits over the next three years from WEDC. Photos of the governor’s visit to Grand Craft Boats are available here and here.
Additionally, on September 29, Gov. Evers visited UW-Whitewater, where he hosted a roundtable discussion with students to hear about the issues they care about, including increased resources for mental health, commonsense gun safety reforms, sustainability efforts on the UW-Whitewater campus, and support for future educators. After taking questions from student journalists, the governor walked through the University Center to the Warhawk Connection Center, where he met with students from the Black Student Union, Latinos Unidos, and other student organizations. He then listened to concerns about the need for renovations at Winther Hall, which holds the College of Education and Professional Studies. Gov. Evers included more than $59 million for this project in his most recent capital budget proposal, but, like the Prairie Springs Science Center project, it was rejected by Republicans on the State Building Commission. The governor was joined by State Sen. Janis Ringhand (D-Evansville) and State Reps. Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) and Don Vruwink (D-Milton). Photos of the governor’s visit to UW-Whitewater are available here, here, and here.
Washburn
On May 6 and 7, Gov. Evers attended the 2022 Governor’s Fishing Opener in Shell Lake to help celebrate the end of winter and the start of the 2022-23 fishing season in Wisconsin, as well as the vital role fishing plays in Wisconsin’s tourism industry. This event also coincided with National Travel and Tourism Week. In 2020, Wisconsin was third in the nation for out-of-state fishing licenses sold. A photo of Gov. Evers with his catch, a 21.5 in. Northern Pike, is available here.
Washington
On February 16, Gov. Evers visited the Kettle Moraine YMCA to host a press conference following his State of the State address to sign Executive Order #156, calling a special session of the Legislature to take up his plan to use a portion of the state’s, at that time, $3.8 billion projected surplus to provide a $150 surplus refund to every Wisconsin resident, provide targeted relief for childcare and caregiver costs, and invest in education while holding the line on property taxes. Photos of the governor’s visit to the Kettle Moraine YMCA are available here and here.
The governor also visited West Bend East and West High Schools in West Bend on April 11 as part of the governor’s tour highlighting his “Get Kids Ahead” initiative. This program provided $30 million in total for school-based mental health supports for kids in nearly every school district in the state. While there, he met with school and district leadership, community organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington County, and student representatives from several school clubs, including the Youth Impact Club, CREW, and Peer 4 Peers, which focus on student mental health and suicide prevention, support for incoming freshman, and youth leadership, respectively. Photos of the governor’s visit are available here and here.
Waukesha
On March 29, Gov. Evers signed Assembly Bill 82, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 210, at Waukesha North High School. Assembly Bill 82 was introduced in honor of Kai Lermer, a 16-year-old student-athlete at Waukesha North High School, who tragically passed away in 2019 after going into cardiac arrest while playing basketball due to an undiagnosed heart condition. Assembly Bill 82 requires the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction to work with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) and two pediatric cardiologists to develop and distribute information on the nature and risks of sudden cardiac arrest at school athletic events. The governor was joined by Kai’s family, friends, and loved ones for the bill signing. Photos of the bill signing at Waukesha North High School are available here and here.
On May 12, Gov. Evers and WEDC Secretary and CEO Hughes joined Milwaukee Tool in Menomonee Falls for a press conference to announce that Milwaukee Tool would be investing an additional $206 million and creating another 1,000 new jobs in Wisconsin. The governor also announced the state would be supporting the project with an additional $22.5 million in Enterprise Zone Tax Credits. Photos from the event at Milwaukee Tool are available here and here.
The governor again returned to Waukesha on September 13, where, together with WEDC Secretary and CEO Hughes, he visited several small businesses during a statewide tour highlighting the successful Main Street Bounceback Grant Program. They were joined by Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly, County Executive Paul Farrow, and local business leaders. The group first visited The Steaming Cup. Next, they visited Chef Pam’s Kitchen, which received a Main Street Bounceback grant, where the governor met three local artisans who have grown their businesses with the help of this commercial kitchen, including A to Z Dinners, Vegan Bakers Man, and Prairie Junction Farms. Following this, they visited the Waukesha Civic Theatre, where the governor announced that the city of Waukesha will receive a $250,000 Community Development Investment Grant from WEDC to support expansion efforts at the theatre designed to spur cultural growth and bring more visitors to the downtown area. Finally, the governor and secretary visited Martha Merrell’s Books and Toys. Photos of the governor’s visit to downtown Waukesha are available here, here, and here.
Finally, on November 21, the governor joined the Waukesha community, Mayor Reilly, Fire Chief Steve Howard, Police Chief Dan Thompson, County Executive Farrow, U.S. Sen. Baldwin, and many other local elected officials and local leaders in honoring the first anniversary of the 2021 Waukesha Christmas Parade Tragedy.
Waupaca
On February 21, Gov. Evers visited the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King to continue his tour following the signing of Executive Order #157, creating a Blue Ribbon Commission on Veteran Opportunity following his State of the State address. While there, he visited with veterans and staff members. Photos of the governor’s visit to King are available here and here.
Additionally, on June 29, Gov. Evers hosted a press conference at the New London City Council Chambers to announce up to $9.7 million in grants through the Workforce Innovation Grant Program would be awarded to the Waupaca County Economic Development Association and Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin for programs that support access to local options for employees and employers to arrange transportation for work, as well as programs that use a trauma-informed approach to workforce education and services to engage individuals from unserved and underserved populations in the local workforce. Photos of the governor’s visit to New London are available here and here.
Waushara
In April, Gov. Evers joined U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in Coloma to visit the IUOE Local 139 Apprenticeship Recruitment Day at the Wisconsin Operating Engineers – Training Center. While there, they emphasized the importance of apprenticeships to building a strong workforce and how the president’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) will provide billions of dollars in investments in Wisconsin’s infrastructure. Photos of the governor’s visit with U.S. DOT Secretary Buttigieg to Coloma are available here, here, and here.
Winnebago
On April 29, Gov. Evers, in celebration of Arbor Day, joined the city of Menasha for their 39th Annual Tree City Celebration. The Menasha Arbor Day celebration also serves as an opportunity for students to learn about the arboriculture industry and apprenticeship opportunities. While there, the governor announced the state has planted more than 9.3 million trees since Earth Day 2021, making progress on the governor’s Trillion Tree Pledge to plant 75 million trees by 2030 and conserve 125,000 acres of forest. A photo of the Arbor Day celebration in Menasha is available here.
On July 14, Gov. Evers visited Neenah to hear about programming at the library, visit main street businesses, and meet with local community members. He started the visit at the Neenah Public Library, where he joined the mayor for a tour of the space and to thank staff involved with the city’s free summer lunch program for kids. He then went to Bill Paul Ltd., a recipient of the Wisconsin Tomorrow Small Business Recovery Grant Program, as well as the Red Door Mercantile and The Natural Boutique. He then stopped for lunch at the Plaza at Gateway Park and Globe Coffee. He then visited the walkway on Lakeshore Avenue to see three new signs organized by the Neenah Historical Society honoring and recognizing the Indigenous Peoples of Wisconsin. Photos of the governor’s visit to Neenah are available here, here, and here.
Finally, on November 10, Gov. Evers visited Oaklawn Elementary School in the Oshkosh School District to highlight his investments in K-12 public schools, including the governor’s “Get Kids Ahead” initiative, which provided nearly every school district in the state with funding to support school-based mental health resources for kids. He visited classrooms and heard from students on the issues that matter to them, including the “Smart Cupcakes” class that shared their support of efforts to get more educators in the classroom. Photos of the governor’s visit to Oaklawn Elementary are available here and here.
Wood
On March 29, Gov. Evers visited Wisconsin Rapids to sign Senate Bill 507, now 2021 Wisconsin Act 211, designating the bridge on State Highway 13 and County Highway A over U.S. Highway 10 in Wood County as the Deputy LaVonne Zenner Memorial Bridge. Photos of the governor’s visit to Wisconsin Rapids are available here and here.
An online version of this release is available here.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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