The American Rescue Plan Act includes $28.6 billion in grants to support independent restaurants and bars. This grant program will be administered by the Small Business Administration. SBA has recently released a program guide, sample application, and further details about eligible business types and uses of the grant funds. SBA’s application period is expected to open in late April or early May; their online application portal is currently being tested by select applicants. The application process will open to all eligible businesses on the same date, but various amounts of grant funds are being set aside for priority businesses including those owned by women, veterans, and socially/economically disadvantaged businesses, and smaller businesses. This program will be very competitive, so it is recommended that interested applicants should be ready to apply when the program opens. Interested businesses are encouraged to view SBA’s website. Businesses that need assistance can contact SBA directly, or are also able to connect with Mary Kohrell in Calumet County, Ray York with the SBDC.

Gov. Evers has announced the state will award up to $420 million to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through the new Wisconsin Tomorrow Small Business Recovery Grant program, a collaboration between the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and the Department of Revenue (DOR). The effort, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), has the potential to help approximately 84,000 Wisconsin small businesses that have an annual gross revenue between $10,000 and $7 million. Under the program, small businesses would be eligible for grant awards of $5,000. 

Preliminary plans by WEDC and DOR call for targeting the program at Wisconsin small businesses, including those that started in 2020. Details of the new grants will not be finalized until federal rules for ARPA funds are in place. More information on when and how to apply will be posted soon at WI DOR’s website.

The governor’s announcement regarding Wisconsin Tomorrow Small Business Recovery Grants reflects the strategy of the new Wisconsin Tomorrow: Building an Economy for All report recently released by the WEDC, which calls for investments that advance economic well-being for individuals and communities. 

By David Norby, The Brillion News, April 15, 2021

The TIF (Tax Incremental Financing) District #1 in Hilbert is officially closed after the village voted last Wednesday. “The TID was very successful. We had $4.7 million overall in the TID. Apparently TID 2 is $18.9 million, so the TIDs have been successful,” Hilbert clerk-administrator Dennis DuPrey said.

Most of TID #1 was in the village’s downtown area. The TIF is subject to a final audit, which is currently being completed. TID #2 covers the area of the village closer to Sargento. “The surplus runs $209,755, which will be split out between the taxing districts,” DuPrey said. The surplus means the TID essentially paid for itself.

The Department of Workforce Development is helping 16 Wisconsin school districts purchase equipment to prepare students for careers in advanced manufacturing fields. Districts across the state are receiving more than $440,000 from DWD through the Expanded Wisconsin Fast Forward Technical Education Equipment Grant Program. The grants reimburse school districts for the purchase and installation of equipment, software, and instructional materials used in advanced manufacturing vocational and technical education. "As Gov. Evers says, 'What's best for our kids is what's best for Wisconsin,'" DWD Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek said. "We are working to ensure our state's high school students get critical training in advanced manufacturing fields to help address Wisconsin's skilled worker shortage. It's a real investment in our future."

A Kiel-based company is celebrating a milestone by making the city a little greener. Amerequip marked its 100th year of operations in 2020. As a way to give back, the company donated 100 trees to the city of Kiel. On Tuesday, Amerequip employees joined city workers to plant the first trees at Hingiss Park.

Amerequip donated 100 trees to the city of Kiel to celebrate its 100th year of operations. The first trees were planted in Hingiss Park, April 20, 2021. (WLUK/Mike Raasch)

The new shop is Mud Creek Coffee’s first in the Fox Cities and second overall. Mud Creek’s Stockbridge location at 106 S. Military Rd. has been a staple since it opened in 2006. Mud Creek had been looking to expand further into the Fox Valley, co-owner Mathew Wilber told The Post-Crescent, and took advantage of the opportunity in Sherwood.

The Buzz: Mexican Restaurant to Open in Former Source Public House Building in Menasha

By Brad Star, Appleton Post Crescent, March 16, 2021

A Fox Cities Mexican restaurant will soon open a new location in Menasha. El Jaripeo Mexican Restaurant is opening its new location at 890 Lake Park Rd. in the former Source Public House building in Menasha. A “coming soon” sign appeared in front of the building, which has been vacant since 2018, last weekend.

The Source, once a well-known restaurant and music venue in the Fox Valley, closed in late 2018. The business “was simply no longer financially sustainable,” owner Dennis Long told the Post-Crescent at the time. The Source, which opened in 2014, served food from local producers and hosted original live music several times a week.

By Janet Murphy, Tri-County News, Chilton Progress Edition, 2021

Grant Mortimer, president of Horst Distributing located at 444 N. Madison St. in Chilton, is looking forward to a successful 2021 as he and his employees celebrate the company’s 75th year in business.

Originally founded by Arthur J. Horst in 1946 as the Horst/Miller Company which focused on land surveying and landscaping, the company was later renamed Horst Engineering and Equipment Sales and shifted more to equipment sales and engineering. It finally became Horst Distributing in 1972, where they specialize primarily in turf maintenance equipment and supplies.

John Mortimer, Grant’s dad, joined the company in 1953 and became president upon Horst’s retirement in 1974. Grant said he started working at Horst in 1993 and took over for his dad in 1995, but noted John still comes in part time, adding, “He still gets the mail every morning and he’s our longest tenured employee at 68 years.”

Grant acknowledged that, despite the company being around for 75 years, many people don’t realize what his company actually does. He said, “We sell all new equipment to golf courses, municipalities, schools, landscapers, anything that anybody has to deal with turf. We sell the fertilizer, we sell the grass seed, we sell the chemicals to maintain it, we sell the mowers to mow it.” He noted that his sales territory covers the northern two-thirds of Wisconsin.

By Mark Sherry, Tri County News, April 15, 2021

Officials of Holweg Weber broke ground last Thursday behind one of their Kiel buildings on a project which will double the production space for longtime manufacturer H.G. Weber Co. Work is already under way on the 15,000 square foot expansion which will project at an angle (because of the railroad tracks) behind the Weber building on the north side of Fremont Street.

Keith Fischer, director of operations and project management at H.G. Weber, said this is the first major expansion at the company in 35 years. “It really is significant,” he said, saying the company was making a commitment to the community with this expansion.

Romain Savary, managing director of Holweg Weber, thanked the people in attendance at the groundbreaking and said it is not every day that a project of this scope is undertaken. He said while the past year has been unusual because of the pandemic, he thanked the City of Kiel officials on hand for their cooperation in helping the company with whatever it needed to plan and start the project. “Everyone has been very, very helpful with this project,” Savary said.

Ground was broken last Thursday behind H.G. Weber Co.’s building on the north side of Fremont Street. An expansion project is under way which will double the company’s production space in Kiel. Taking part in one of the ceremonial photos were (from left) Keith Raquet, Engineering Manager Robert Quillen, COO/Managing Director Romain Savary, Robert Werdeo Jr., Brian Fritz, Director of Operations & Project Management Keith Fischer, Diector of Sales & Marketing Brian Niemuth, Financial Controller Kathleen Fitzpatrick and Sarah Preissner. Mark Sherry photo

The Calumet County Public Health COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic (St. Martin Lutheran Church, 717 Memorial Drive, Chilton, WI) is open to all individuals, age 16 and over. Youth, ages 16 and 17, are required to have a parent or guardian with them to sign paperwork and be present during vaccination.

Appointments can be scheduled online (preferred method) beginning at 10:00 am on Mondays. The site registration site will remain open until all appointments are filled. Alternative registration can be made by calling (920) 849-1466.

Additional vaccine clinics in our regional area can be viewed here.

Calumet County currently offers a FREE drive-thru testing site utilizing a federal mobile testing unit operated by ThedaCare. This “self-swab” and appointment-only registration process operates

Individuals planning to use the test site must pre-register for an appointment at https://doineedacovid19test.com/.

The Calumet County Public Health Officer strongly recommends personal responsibility for the continued use of all measures identified by the WI DHS and the CDC. These measures include wearing a face covering (mask), social distancing, and frequent handwashing. For people who’ve been vaccinated, the county continues to recommend CDC guidelines: “We’re still learning how vaccines will affect the spread of COVID-19. After you’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, you should keep taking precautions—like wearing a mask, staying 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces—in public places until we know more.”

Employers are in the best position to protect their organization, customers, clients, and staff from COVID-19. WEDC encourages employers to review a state-created toolkit to help foster communication, develop policies, and/or implement programs to encourage vaccination against COVID-19 among their workforce to keep employees, their families, and the community safe and healthy.

Ray York of the Small Business Development Center serves Calumet County with business assistance to existing and start-up businesses throughout the county. Small Business Development Center services are available at no cost to businesses. Ray’s goal is to provide opportunity to clients by guiding them to make informed decisions to start, expand, or transition their business. He can be reached by phone at 920-946-9379 or email.

With Amy Baxter, Editor, Retail Leader

Mall vacancies continued to trend upwards during the first quarter of 2021, increasing from 10.5% at the end of 2020 to 11.4%, according to a Chain Store Age report.

Amazon stands above the top big box retailers Walmart and Target in the eyes of consumers, who view the e-commerce giant as a unique trendsetter in comparison with its leading retail competitors.

The May 12th Education and Talent Attraction Training Camp from 9:00 to 10:00 am will focus on best practices around upskilling and talent attraction methods, work of the industry alliances, and a real estate forecast as it relates to pandemic effects. 

Join an interactive Zoom discussion to get answers, resources, and referrals for your business questions.

Check out the CAP Services Facebook Events Page for registration information.

WWBIC offers classes statewide for new entrepreneurs, seasoned business owners, and anyone looking to improve their financial health.

One-hour, online classes, held in English and Spanish, are available in the following categories:

View the program offerings catalog, and sign up today!