TUE AM News: Evers, PSC announce $43.2M in broadband grants; HSHS closing Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls hospitals this month

March 12, 2024

— State officials have rolled out $43.2 million in new broadband grants, funding dozens of projects expanding access to high-speed internet in Wisconsin.

In a release yesterday, Gov. Tony Evers and the Public Service Commission announced the funding for 30 projects across the state. These efforts will expand broadband access for about 16,000 residential and business locations in Wisconsin, according to the announcement.

Evers notes the PSC has awarded grants to connect 410,000 homes and businesses with new or improved broadband services since 2019. The guv has now allocated more than $345 million in state and federal funding for this purpose.

He argues the state “must remain steadfast” in its efforts to close gaps in affordable internet access.

“In this day and age, that means helping folks log on to work, go to school, buy groceries, order prescriptions, see the doctor, connect with friends and loved ones, and so much more,” he said in a statement.

The newly announced grants include funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, as well as about $1.3 million from previous ARPA broadband allocations. That additional funding is leftover due to “administrative savings and underspending” on previous projects, the release shows.

Individual grants range from just over $220,000 to more than $4 million, and each project includes matching funds. For projects awarded through the Capital Projects Fund, a total of $68 million in matching funds is paired with the nearly $42 million in awards. About $1.8 million in matching funds are paired with the other $1.3 million from the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund.

The single largest project by dollar amount is being undertaken by ECE Fiber, with a $4.2 million award and $5.2 million in matching funds. It will use fiber connections to reach 909 residential locations and 562 business locations across municipalities in Burnett, Douglas and Washburn counties.

Yesterday’s allocations come after Evers and the PSC late last year announced the Capital Projects Fund Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program had received 124 applications requesting $221.6 million. Compared to the $42 million that was available at the time, that was the highest ratio of requested dollars to available funding for any grant round in the past 10 years or so.

See the release, the full list of awardees and a map of project locations.

— Hospital Sisters Health System has announced it will be closing its Eau Claire hospital on March 22, earlier than originally expected.

In a message posted to the health system’s website, HSHS said it’s working with the state Department of Health Services to “ensure patient care transitions are well-planned” and done safely. The new closure date for HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire is the same day HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls is set to close, according to the message.

Meanwhile, Prevea Health continues to wind down its operations in western Wisconsin as well, with its last day of patient care remaining April 21.

“While the March closure of Sacred Heart is sooner than originally announced, our decision is based on our top priority: our commitment to maintain safe, quality care for our patients,” HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital President and CEO John Wagner said in a statement.

See more in Top Stories below.

Top headlines from the Health Care Report…

— The Department of Veterans Affairs has opened a new outpatient clinic in Oconomowoc, the agency announced.

For more of the most relevant health care news, reports on groundbreaking research in Wisconsin, links to top stories and more, sign up today for the free daily Health Care Report from WisPolitics and WisBusiness.com.

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— Bank assets in Wisconsin fell by more than half a billion dollars over the course of 2023, according to figures from the state Department of Financial Institutions.

The DFI release shows total assets for the 119 state-chartered banks in Wisconsin fell to $67.08 billion from $67.66 billion in 2023. Over the same period, net loans increased 3.11% to $48.5 billion, marking a $1.5 billion increase.

Meanwhile, net operating income fell to $605.6 million from $764.7 million, according to DFI.

DFI Secretary Cheryll Olson-Collins says state-chartered banks experienced “modest earnings decline and tightening liquidity” last year, due to high interest rates and continuing loan growth.

“While some asset quality indicators have weakened, capital levels remain robust and continue to support the state’s economy and communities,” she said in a statement. “Overall, the year-end financial indicators for Wisconsin’s state-chartered banks remain sound and show our banks remain financially stable.”

See the release.

— UW-Milwaukee Waukesha will close its doors in spring 2025, the university announced, making it the fifth of the state’s two-year campuses to either suspend in-person classes or shut down entirely.

UW-Green Bay Marinette, UW-Milwaukee Washington County and UW-Oshkosh Fond du Lac have ended in-person classes and UW-Platteville Richland has closed its doors.

The school is closing in response to a directive from the Universities of Wisconsin, according to yesterday’s release, due to declining enrollment, changing demographics and budget challenges.

The university will create a UWM University Center in partnership with Waukesha County Technical College to facilitate the transition. It will allow Waukesha County students to get an associate degree from WCTC or continue a four-year degree with UWM, as well as graduate degree opportunities.

“UWM’s highest priority is student success,” UWM Chancellor Mark Mone said. “As student demands change, universities must change. The UWM University Center at WCTC allows us to put the student first and ensure a stronger future for UWM.”

Waukesha County Exec Paul Farrow praised the WCTC partnership.

“The innovative action taken today by UWM and WCTC is what is best for Waukesha County,” Farrow said. “It provides certainty for planning purposes and creates a consistent pathway to access higher education for our residents. I am optimistic for the future of higher education in Waukesha County.”

See the announcement.

— The Wisconsin Technical College System has announced the search committee for the system’s next president.

The announcement comes after WTCS President Morna Foy last week announced she will retire this year after 26 years with the system.

In a release yesterday, the system released the names of search committee appointees, which includes WTCS board members and representatives of the Southwest Wisconsin Technical College District Board and Northcentral Technical College.

The board will look nationwide for Foy’s successor, according to Foy’s retirement announcement. A system spokesperson said she aims to leave the position in the summer or fall.

See the full list of committee members in the release.

— John Ridley, the Oscar-winning screenwriter and director from Milwaukee, says he’s inviting lawmakers to a screening of his new film “Shirley” this week in part to push legislation that would provide tax credits for movie and television production in Wisconsin.

“Would love to shoot in Wisconsin, but practically you really can’t do it,” Ridley told “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics. “You’re going to go where the credits are going to afford you truly the most bang for your buck in production.”

A bill introduced late this session would provide up to $5 million a year in tax credits for film and TV production companies. The bill’s authors say Wisconsin is just one of five states that don’t offer such incentives and are promising to re-introduce the legislation next session.

“Look, it’s a very competitive business,” Ridley said. “I don’t want people to be pollyannaish about it, you turn on these tax credits and film companies show up, but it’s a relatively low-risk, high-reward proposition. Why would you not do it? I’m not picking on the Foxconn deal that Wisconsin entered into a few years back, but there was a substantial outlay before any jobs could potentially arrive, and I don’t think those jobs arrived in any way equivalent to what people had expected or what was promised.”

“Tax credits are only enacted once a production company is local and once they start filming, once they start spending,” Ridley said.

“Shirley” will debut on Netflix later this month and profiles Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress.

See more from the show.

— The America’s Seed Fund 2024 Road Tour will stop in Madison on July 18 as part of a national tour that will connect technology entrepreneurs to the country’s largest source of early-stage funding.

According to a release, the host for the Madison stop is the Center for Technology Commercialization, which is partnering with StartingBlock Madison to host the event.

The Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs comprise America’s Seed Fund.

“This is a rare opportunity for Wisconsin entrepreneurs to engage face-to-face with the SBIR and STTR program leaders,” CTC Director Margaret Ramey said in a statement. “We are excited to host this event again and hope that researchers, startups and small businesses attend to get a better sense of how the SBIR/STTR programs can launch their innovation towards commercialization.”

During the visit, agency representatives will conduct one-on-one meetings with small businesses and startups, take part in panel discussions, present on SBIR/STTR technology areas and share insights into how agencies make funding decisions.

The event costs $20 and registration is required.

See more at Madison Startups.

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