https://www.momentumwest.org Momentum West News Feed Tue, 21 Jul 2026 12:52:43 +0000 en-US https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68305/business-101-at-three-neighborhood-lemonade-stands https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68305/business-101-at-three-neighborhood-lemonade-stands Fri, 10 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0000 Now that the Dairy Month promotions of June have passed, Wisconsin's 1.27 million milk cows can relax and go about their daily routines. Bring on real summer activities. July means neighborhood lemonade stands and they represent Free Enterprise 101 and the Basics of Entrepreneurship rolled into a couple hours of... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68297/st-croix-health-has-broken-ground-on-its-new-hospital-south-of-highway-8 https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68297/st-croix-health-has-broken-ground-on-its-new-hospital-south-of-highway-8 Fri, 10 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0000 St. Croix Health has broken ground on its new hospital south of Highway 8 in St. Croix Falls, marking the start of construction on a 100-acre campus designed to replace the aging facility and position the health system for decades of growth.Parking shortages, aging infrastructure, and limited space for expansion... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68302/city-of-eau-claire-looks-to-buy-230acre-parcel-for-175m https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68302/city-of-eau-claire-looks-to-buy-230acre-parcel-for-175m Thu, 09 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0000 The City of Eau Claire intends to purchase over 230 acres of land along County Highway EE –  within the Town of Union in Eau Claire County – for $1.75 million.As shared in the City Council agenda packet for the Tuesday, July 14 meeting, the City plans to sign a... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68303/cheteks-stardust-drivein-theater-lights-up-once-again https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68303/cheteks-stardust-drivein-theater-lights-up-once-again Wed, 08 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0000 Drive-in movie theaters are fewer and further between these days, and after Eau Claire’s Gemini Drive-In shuttered in 2015, the next closest outdoor movie destination became Chetek’s Stardust Drive-In Theater (995 22nd St.).Longtime owner Nicholas Meyer (not to be mistaken with Volume One publisher, Nick Meyer), alongside his family, saw... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68298/dream-to-destination-how-6four-accord-is-creating-the-chippewa-valleys-newest-agritourism-experience https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68298/dream-to-destination-how-6four-accord-is-creating-the-chippewa-valleys-newest-agritourism-experience Wed, 08 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0000 What began as an entrepreneurial vision and opened it’s doors in October 2025 -6Four Accord is quickly becoming one of the Chippewa Valley’s most unique destinations. Nestled just outside Cameron, Wisconsin, 6Four Accord is redefining what it means to visit a unique gathering place. More than a reindeer farm, it... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68295/scholarship-supports-internship-opportunities-for-uwriver-falls-political-science-and-international-studies-students https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68295/scholarship-supports-internship-opportunities-for-uwriver-falls-political-science-and-international-studies-students Tue, 07 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0000 In 2023, University of Wisconsin-River Falls Political Science Professors Moira Lynch and Davida Alperin (now retired), recognized a need.“Political science and international studies majors recognize the important value of completing an internship while earning their degree at UWRF,” Lynch said. “Internship opportunities bridge the gap between the educational and professional... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68294/lakeshore-college-summer-camp-introduces-children-and-teens-to-handson-indemand-jobs https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68294/lakeshore-college-summer-camp-introduces-children-and-teens-to-handson-indemand-jobs Fri, 03 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0000 In mid-June, roughly a dozen young teens wearing white chef coats lined up at stations inside a classroom resembling a real industrial kitchen.They gingerly cut slices of avocado, cucumber and mamenori — soy paper — before finally using a bamboo sheet to roll the ingredients into a log of sushi.Their... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68307/amerys-first-hotel-in-decades-breaks-ground-plans-for-2027-opening https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68307/amerys-first-hotel-in-decades-breaks-ground-plans-for-2027-opening Thu, 02 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0000 After roughly three decades of false starts and at least eight years of work by one local couple, Amery broke ground this week on the city's new hotel, a $12 million, 60-room Best Western Plus that developers say will open next year.Ron and Debbie Anderson, longtime Amery furniture retailers, hosted... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68292/dont-go-it-alone-navigating-global-expansion https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68292/dont-go-it-alone-navigating-global-expansion Thu, 02 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0000 Global expansion can feel like a gamble or a shot in the dark—but with the right support, it can feel strategic and intentional. This was the message of a panel at Summerfest Tech that highlighted the resources Wisconsin offers for home-grown companies looking to expand internationally and, on the other... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68299/rail-logistics-and-redevelopment-a-vision-for-future-growth https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68299/rail-logistics-and-redevelopment-a-vision-for-future-growth Thu, 02 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0000 Recently, CEDC hosted Wisconsin State Representative Rob Summerfield for a Business Expansion, Attraction, and Retention (BEAR) visit at B&L Transport to discuss the company’s continued investment at the former frac sand processing facility and explore opportunities to strengthen the site’s long-term economic potential.During the visit, B&L Transport provided an update... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68301/royal-credit-union-tractor-supply-co-add-to-chippewa-crossing-growth https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68301/royal-credit-union-tractor-supply-co-add-to-chippewa-crossing-growth Thu, 02 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0000 Over the past two weeks, two incoming developments have been announced for the growing commercial corridor off of Chippewa Crossing Boulevard and Hwy 29.The first, Tractor Supply Co., shared its groundbreaking plans for a 21,930-square-foot “prototype store” at 715 Chippewa Mall Dr., Chippewa Falls – which required the purchase of... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68306/still-learning-still-growing-juniors-kitchen-owner-eyes-whats-next https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68306/still-learning-still-growing-juniors-kitchen-owner-eyes-whats-next Thu, 02 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0000 Jesus Saavedra Sanchez isn't done building Junior's Kitchen. Now in his second year as owner, the Amery restaurateur is still tweaking the menu, still reading what his customers want, and still figuring out what his restaurant will become — and he wouldn't have it any other way.All around Amery, small... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68300/opening-doors-sharing-stories-building-opportunity https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68300/opening-doors-sharing-stories-building-opportunity Wed, 01 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0000 Sometimes the most valuable economic development happens not in a boardroom, but on a shop floor.Recently, CEDC, in partnership with the New Auburn Area Development Corporation (NAADC), hosted a Collaborative Showcase that brought together more than twenty business owners and community leaders for a day centered on connection, collaboration, and... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68304/eau-claire-named-one-of-americas-best-small-cities-in-dataheavy-report https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68304/eau-claire-named-one-of-americas-best-small-cities-in-dataheavy-report Tue, 30 Jun 2026 05:00:00 +0000 For some folks, seeing the city of Eau Claire in “Best Places to Live” and adjacent rankings is an immediate trigger for an eye roll. For others, it sparks a bit of civic pride, or is filed somewhere in a brain folder labeled “fun facts.”Whichever pool you fall into, this... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68293/dwd-announces-grant-program-to-strengthen-healthcare-workforce https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68293/dwd-announces-grant-program-to-strengthen-healthcare-workforce Mon, 29 Jun 2026 05:00:00 +0000 The Wisconsin Department of Workforce (DWD) announced a new grant program that will fund projects to address healthcare workforce challenges in Wisconsin's rural communities. The Workforce Innovation Grant: Healthcare Employment, Access, and Rural Transformation (WIG: HEART) Program will award up to $150 million in grants over four years to nonprofit... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68031/uwec-program-fosters-success-for-future-blugolds https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68031/uwec-program-fosters-success-for-future-blugolds Wed, 17 Jun 2026 05:00:00 +0000 College brings its fair share of worries for students, but concerned Blugolds may find a helping hand on campus.UW-Eau Claire’s Fostering Success Program seeks to aid students without familial or financial support, and those who have been unhoused or in foster care. According to Fostering Success Program Specialist FranChesca Riley,... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68027/construction-camp-introduces-young-students-to-careers-degree-paths https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68027/construction-camp-introduces-young-students-to-careers-degree-paths Tue, 16 Jun 2026 05:00:00 +0000 On a cloudy Tuesday morning, eight middle school Construction Pathways campers with UW-Stout Polytechnic’s summer STEAM experience watched a crane lift an air conditioning unit onto the new Aspirus Clinic that is being built in Chippewa Falls.  The site tour, led by the Boldt Company, introduced the campers to different... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68028/ashley-cadrex-apogee-among-companies-benefiting-from-engineering-students-prototypes https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68028/ashley-cadrex-apogee-among-companies-benefiting-from-engineering-students-prototypes Mon, 15 Jun 2026 05:00:00 +0000 UW-Stout Polytechnic mechanical engineering student Dominick Marco faced several challenges when he became team leader for the second semester of a capstone project on behalf of Cadrex Manufacturing Solutions.In addition to designing and building a prototype that would automatically assemble a plastic latch and a steel bracket into a completed... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68032/hudsons-chapter2books-ted-blank-luxury-team-up-for-literary-cruise https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68032/hudsons-chapter2books-ted-blank-luxury-team-up-for-literary-cruise Mon, 15 Jun 2026 05:00:00 +0000 Hudson’s Chapter2 Books and Ted Blank Luxury Travel & Adventure partnered to start a two-week Transatlantic journey for literature lovers in St. Croix and Pierce counties that starts in New York November 2027 before setting sail.Chapter2 Books owner Gillette Kempf and Karla Thoennes, an advisor for Ted Blank Travel, spent... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68290/applications-are-being-accepted-for-federal-opportunity-zone-designation https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68290/applications-are-being-accepted-for-federal-opportunity-zone-designation Fri, 12 Jun 2026 05:00:00 +0000 The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) announced that applications are now being accepted for eligible low-income census tracts to be designated as an Opportunity Zone, a federal designation aimed at spurring long-term investment in low-income urban and rural communities.Municipalities, counties, Tribal governments, and other public entities should identify economically disadvantaged... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68291/how-wisconsin-is-shaping-the-future-of-food-and-beverage https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68291/how-wisconsin-is-shaping-the-future-of-food-and-beverage Thu, 11 Jun 2026 05:00:00 +0000 Many of the world’s most recognizable food and beverage brands have a presence in Wisconsin. That presence reflects generations of agricultural strength, industry expertise and a well-established ecosystem built to support innovation, production and growth. Nearly 14 million acres of farmland support a diverse network spanning dairy, meat, grains and... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68030/three-wtcs-colleges-recognized-among-nations-top-performers https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68030/three-wtcs-colleges-recognized-among-nations-top-performers Wed, 10 Jun 2026 05:00:00 +0000 The Aspen Institute has named Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) one of just 10 finalists for the 2027 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s premier recognition for community and technical colleges.CVTC was one of three Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) colleges named as semifinalists earlier this year. Mid-State... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68029/built-here-growing-here-celebrating-local-investment-in-chippewa-county https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68029/built-here-growing-here-celebrating-local-investment-in-chippewa-county Mon, 08 Jun 2026 05:00:00 +0000 The Chippewa Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) joined community leaders, business partners, and members of the Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce on Monday to celebrate the continued growth of Water’s Edge Cheese Curds with a ribbon cutting for its new production facility in the Lake Wissota Business Park.The event marked... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68025/120-years-later-the-journey-continues-for-taylors-falls-scenic-boat-tours https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68025/120-years-later-the-journey-continues-for-taylors-falls-scenic-boat-tours Fri, 05 Jun 2026 05:00:00 +0000 More than a century after 17-year-old Carl Muller launched sightseeing tours on the St. Croix River, the family business he started is preparing for its next chapter. As Taylors Falls Scenic Boat Tours celebrates its 120th season, a fifth generation is helping carry the legacy forward.Owners Amy Frischmon and Dan... https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68021/trump-announces-19-million-to-modernize-wisconsin-coal-plant https://www.momentumwest.org/news-and-media/p/item/68021/trump-announces-19-million-to-modernize-wisconsin-coal-plant Thu, 04 Jun 2026 05:00:00 +0000 A coal plant in central Wisconsin will receive millions of dollars in federal funding to undergo modernization after it was kept open longer than initially planned.President Donald Trump announced $425 million in Defense Production Act funding to extend the lives of 13 U.S. coal plants. That includes a $19 million...