By Danielle Hale, Chief Economist, realtor.com

Each year we analyze over 16,000 zip codes based on the time it takes properties to sell and how frequently homes are viewed in each zip code on realtor.com®. These are the hottest zip codes of 2020.

 Milwaukee Business Journals, Nick Williams – Reporter, September 2020

"At the CSI, what we're doing to help with this holistic education is to begin with the 'why,'" said Mary Bunzel, executive director of the Connected Systems Institute. "Why do manufacturers need to implement automation at all? On the inside of the factory, it's to make them more reliable to produce more quality goods, to close safety gaps and things like that. That's where we begin, with education, along with financial measurements of how you can benchmark and assess your progress, in addition to all of the traditional IoT courses that you hear about – the AI, robotics programming, cloud services, cybersecurity, all of that."

Click to learn more about UW Milwaukee’s Lubar School of Business Connected Systems Challenge for Directors and Senior Managers.

Voting in the contest to determine the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin is underway once again in the annual competition sponsored by Wisconsin Manufacturer’s and Commerce and Johnson Financial Group. More than two dozen northeast Wisconsin manufacturers were among the nominees for the 2020 Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest. Round One voting concluded on September 20, and the top 16 list is announced on September 21. Remember to cast one vote daily to help decide the winner!

With Mike Troy, Editor, Retail Leader

Just in time for the holidays, Walmart has a launched an advertising campaign for its new Walmart+ membership program, which launches nationwide on Tuesday. Unlike Amazon's similarly priced Prime program with extensive benefits, Walmart+ is limited to free delivery and a 5 cent a gallon discount on gasoline at roughly 1,500 locations. The new ad campaign positions Walmart+ as a "different kind of membership."

There's nothing political about Meijer's commitment to teachers. The retailer extended one of the industry's most generous discount programs to educators helping make a difference in the lives of students.

With digital privacy concerns growing, Amazon named the former head of the National Security Agency to its board of directors.

For approximately 60 years, the SBA has honored the nation’s 30 million small businesses that create two of three net new jobs and their advocates during National Small Business Week.

WEDC’s Office of Rural Prosperity is excited to partner with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin in announcing a new Broadband Connectors Pilot Initiative. 

Through this pilot, WEDC will work with six communities during fall 2020 to foster a better understanding of the type(s) of technical assistance they need most to apply for state, federal or private broadband programs. The lessons learned from this initiative will then be shared with communities throughout the state through incorporation in Wisconsin’s Playbook for Broadband Progress.

To be eligible to participate in WEDC’s Broadband Connectors Pilot initiative, applicants must be one of the following -- local government (city, village, town or county), tribal government, or school district.

The application period will be September 21-30, 2020. 

Business counseling is available through the Small Business Development Center. Ray York is eager to serve entrepreneurs and start-ups that are considering going in to business, and it isn’t too late for businesses feeling the effects of COVID-19 to contact the SBDC. Use the online contact form, or reach Ray by phone (920-946-9379) or email.

By Ed Byrne, The Brillion News, September 17, 2020

The state Department of Administration has awarded the Village of Hilbert two major grants that total over $700,000 and will go to turn the former Bel Brands cold storage

warehouse, on the south side of Chestnut Street between Seventh and Eighth into a property for new development.

The “white elephant” warehouse has been idle and vacant for several only to the village for redevelopment. The grants are both Community Development Block Grants. One, for public facility blight removal, is for $491,933. The other is for $214,853, and came through Calumet County, which had the funds left over.

The Bel Foods property is on the east side of State 57/32 (Eighth Street) and is considered prime property for redevelopment.

The old Bel Brands complex in Hilbert has many additions, plus a small office building, all boarded up and waiting for demolition. Grant money will flip the property for new development. It is in the State 57/32 highway corridor. (Ed Byrne/BN)

By Ed Byrne, The Brillion News, September 10, 2020

The new Village Meadows Subdivision, on the south side of Hilbert west of the St. Vincent de Paul stores, is taking shape. One home is framed in, and work on construction of another home is expected to begin soon.

The first street, which runs from Eighth Street (State 57/32) to the west, is roughed in and topped with gravel. It will not be paved for two years, to allow the ground to settle completely first. The sub-grade utilities are all in. There are several street lights – designed on a 1920s mode – and there is a large storm water detention pond that looks more like a decorative pond.

The Village of Sherwood recently approved the rezoning of land currently used as the High Cliff Golf Course 18^th fairway for development of a private, 55+ age-restricted housing complex that is to include 44 duplexes.

The development will be called the Cottages at High Cliff.

The Brillion News, September 17, 2020

According to the National Weather Service forecasts, the arrival of the fall season will not be postponed by COVID-19. Because it’s definitely on its way, the Brillion Redevelopment Authority (RDA), will once again be asking residents and business owners to join in the Decorate-a-Street Light Pole contest within the downtown business district.

Contest rules - Contact the City Center to obtain full rules and reserve one of the 16 downtown light poles. They will be reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis.

After 61 years of service to Chilton and the surrounding area, Schmidt’s Clothing located in the Northside Shopping Center is closing due to owner Rita Holst’s retirement. A closeout sale was held to shrink its inventory.

Associated Bank announced it is closing or consolidating 14 branch locations in Wisconsin, including a branch in Appleton due to the increased utilization of digital banking services.

The Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC) has launched a COVID-19 Rural Business Revival Grants Program in the Fox Valley region of Wisconsin to assist single mothers who are racial and ethnic minorities who own micro and small businesses that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 economic crisis. Micro and small business assistance grants up to $5,000 will be made available to help a minimum of five eligible business owners in rural areas of Outagamie, Calumet, Shawano and Waupaca counties.

To help Wisconsin companies make connections in South Korea, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is organizing a virtual Global Trade Venture consisting of online meetings between Wisconsin companies and potential partners in South Korea, from November 2 - December 4, 2020. Among world economies, South Korea is the 12^th-largest overall, with a GDP of $1.7 trillion and a population of 52 million. South Korea ranked eighth among Wisconsin export destinations in 2019, receiving a total of $545 million in Wisconsin exports. Top categories of exports from Wisconsin to South Korea in 2019 were industrial machinery (19%), medical and scientific instruments (14%), meat products (11%), electrical machinery (6%) and pharmaceuticals (5%).

Dates: Thursdays, September 24 - November 19, 2020 | 5:30 - 8:30 pm

Location: Zoom

Fees: $200 with successful application, plus book purchase $50. Due to safety concerns, the enrollment fee is temporarily reduced to accommodate each ETP participant to buy their own book.