— A top presidential economic advisor is touting the impact of “Bidenomics” on Wisconsin’s small business community.
Jared Bernstein, chair of President Biden’s Council of Economic Advisers, yesterday told WisBusiness.com the president’s plan for continued economic growth involves “growing the economy from the bottom up and the middle out.”
His remarks came after Biden yesterday gave a speech in Chicago focused on his vision for the U.S. economy, which the White House is calling “Bidenomics.” Bernstein said that concept includes various policies that “speak directly” to small businesses across the country.
Bernstein said Biden’s economic policies aim to promote competition, arguing “too many industries” are dominated by the largest companies.
“Doing things like getting rid of some of the non-compete clauses that make it difficult for workers to go from one job to another, making sure that businesses — particularly small businesses, often from communities of color — have access to capital through the Small Business Administration,” he said. “These are high priorities for the president.”
He also underlined the impact of federal funding for infrastructure projects in Wisconsin, including ports, roads and bridges. He noted the $35 million that was announced last year for road improvement projects across the state, as well as the $80 million to replace the Wisconsin River Bridge and other structures in Columbia County.
“Unsnarling those [supply] chains has been a huge priority for this president, and it means goods can get to market, food can get from the farm to the port, and out there into the world,” he said.
See coverage of Biden’s remarks in headlines below.
— In the latest episode of “WisBusiness.com: The Show,” Victor Fernandes of IQDecide talks about the young company’s category winning entry in the 2023 Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest.
IQDecide topped the competition’s information technology category with a process that uses artificial intelligence to improve how patients decide what cancer treatments are right for them.
“There’s a lot of information, quantitative information, that’s available in the clinic but it’s not being optimally used by the oncologists,” Fernandes said. “That’s what we see, and that’s what we want to fix.”
He also addresses potential concerns about the impact of AI, noting his company’s technology isn’t used to perform “high-stakes” clinical care decisions. While it’s used to quickly analyze large amounts of data, such as medical images, the final decision is always made by care providers in partnership with patients.
The show also previews upcoming events hosted by the Wisconsin Technology Council.
Watch the latest episode here: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2023/wisbusiness-the-show-with-victor-fernandes-of-iqdecide/
See coverage of this year’s contest: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2023/sixline-semiconductor-wins-2023-govs-biz-plan-contest/
— More than a third of registered voters tapped in the latest Marquette University Law School Poll are very concerned about PFAS in their drinking water.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a group of long-lasting chemicals that have been used in a wide array of household products as well as firefighting foam. They have been linked to various human health problems, including cancer.
The poll found 34 percent of respondents are very concerned about these chemicals, 35 percent are somewhat concerned, 19 percent are not too concerned and 9 percent aren’t concerned at all. Respondents in Milwaukee County generally expressed higher levels of concern.
Meanwhile, a little over half of respondents said they’re either very concerned or somewhat concerned about the safety of the water supply in their community. The poll found 22 percent of registered voters are very concerned, while 29 percent are somewhat concerned, 31 percent are not too concerned and 19 percent aren’t concerned at all.
The latest survey, conducted June 8-13, included 913 registered Wisconsin voters with a mix of online responses and phone interviews.
Other questions in the poll focused on political candidates and the state and federal government, as well as policy issues such as abortion and state aid for local government bodies.
See the full results here: https://www.marquette.edu/news-center/2023/marquette-law-poll-of-wisconsin-voters-finds-gov-evers-approval-up.php
— Three Wisconsin hospitals have been ranked among the top 100 cancer hospitals in the country by Newsweek magazine.
Madison-based University of Wisconsin Hospitals, or UW Health, was ranked 30th in the country. In a release from the health system, UW Carbone Cancer Center Director Dr. Howard Bailey says the ranking reflects the “outstanding people” working at the center.
“The experts here are leaders in bench-to-bedside medicine, turning cutting-edge research into personalized treatments for our patients,” he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Mayo Clinic’s Eau Claire facility came in at No. 40 in the list, and Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee was No. 79.
See the full rankings here: https://www.newsweek.com/rankings/americas-best-cancer-hospitals-2023
See the UW Health release: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2023/uw-health-carbone-cancer-center-named-one-of-americas-best-cancer-hospitals-2023/
<br><b><i>Top headlines from the Health Care Report…</b></i>
— State health officials are urging caution after identifying the state’s first case of West Nile virus this year.
<i>For more of the most relevant news on COVID-19, reports on groundbreaking health research in Wisconsin, links to top stories and more, sign up today for the free daily Health Care Report from WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com.</i>
Sign up here: http://forms.gle/o8FtqTLviGJPja8C9
— The state Department of Children and Families has announced $2.5 million in grant funding for efforts to expand child care options in Wisconsin.
The agency yesterday announced the funding through the Dream Up! program, going to nine teams across the state. DCF says it received 29 applications for funding, and selected recipients with a focus on “areas deemed child care deserts.”
Each of the nine recipients will receive $75,000 to “evaluate, plan, sustain, and expand” existing child care resources in the area, as well as new child care programs. The rest of the funding is being reserved for $5,000 stipends for child care providers that submit business improvement plans during the strategic planning process, according to the agency.
Recipients include: the city of Mauston; the village of La Farge; Langlade County Economic Development; Child Care Resource and Referral in Calumet County; United Way of Portage County; the Hmong Institute in Dane County; United Way of Sheboygan County; Wood County Health Department and the Latino Entrepreneurial Network.
See the release: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2023/dcf-announces-dream-up-cohort-3-grant-recipients/
— Local officials are touting an award given to Port Milwaukee, which recognized higher international shipping totals through the port last year.
The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation recently presented Port Milwaukee with the Robert J. Lewis Pacesetter Award, according to a release. It’s the 15th such award given to the port.
Port Milwaukee saw an increase of 28 percent in international tonnage levels between 2021 and 2022 as pandemic-related supply chain disruptions and other economic impacts began to wane, the release shows.
Port Milwaukee Director Jackie Carter says the port will “keep working to create jobs and revenue, deploy transportation solutions for our customers, and support business needs around the globe, as we move our maritime economy into the future.”
See the release:
Carter was the featured guest in a recent edition of the “Talking Trade” video podcast. Watch that episode here: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2023/talking-trade-with-jackie-carter-port-of-milwaukee/
#TOP STORIES#
# Midwest drought: Corn and soybeans suffer as forecasters expect no quick relief for farmers
# Report: Wisconsinites lost $24.4 million to investment fraud last year
# Menominee Nation among first tribes to get funding to build small businesses
#TOPICS#
# AGRIBUSINESS
– Wisconsin’s spring weather showcases unpredictable patterns: varied precipitation and temperature extremes
http://wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=634&yr=2023
# BANKING
– Bank of America to enter Wisconsin market
– Bank of America names president of Wisconsin as company plans expansion into state
# CONSTRUCTION
– Law enforcement and transportation agencies collaborate for construction crew and motorists safety during I-43 construction
# ECONOMY
– Local economic development groups, Wisconsin employers embrace DEI
– Biden is eager to run on the economy — ‘Bidenomics’ — but voters have their doubts
# EDUCATION
– Madison school custodians get $3.20/hr raise, but budget deficit grows
# ENVIRONMENT
– ‘Worst air quality in more than a decade’: Wisconsin communities continue to deal with wildfire smoke
# HEALTH CARE
– Vivent Health opens new downtown Milwaukee clinic
# MANUFACTURING
– Harley-Davidson promotes from within for new CFO
– Ope Brewing reaching max capacity in just one year of operation: Beer Biz MKE
# POLITICS
– Future of Wisconsin’s top election official unclear after deadlocked commission vote
– Republicans seek aid for northern counties after court ruling barred them from taxing property that previously fell out of tribal ownership
– Tax cuts and University of Wisconsin funding up for state Senate vote
# REAL ESTATE
– Northwestern Mutual, guaranteeing limited public access to building, gains another OK to take over street
– Milwaukee is the 6th most affordable large U.S. metro area for renters, study says
# TOURISM
– Stevens Point ready for spotlight as pro golf fans arrive for USGA Senior Open
# PRESS RELEASES
<i>See these and other press releases:
https://www.wisbusiness.com/press-releases/ </i>
Sen. Hesselbein and Sen. Bare: Applaud passage of school bus bill
