Portage County Connects

State Building Commission approves $75 million for UW-Stevens Point science facility

The State Building Commission approved a $75 million request Thursday to construct a new science center at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The governor’s capital budget for 2013-2015 recommended the $75 million to construct a new chemistry and biology education… Read More »

Delta Dental Invests in Biotechnologies That May Change Oral Health

Someday we may be able to prevent cavities by simply rinsing our mouth with a solution that kills the bacteria that cause cavities — and if that happens, we’ll have Delta Dental and Dr. Wenyuan Shi, Chairman of Oral Biology… Read More »

Where the Roads Meet — Commercial Crossroads Opportunities

Location. Location. Location. It’s often touted as critical to the success of a business. And Dan Mahoney, Village of Plover Administrator, would agree. According to Mahoney, the location of the Portage County Business Park and Crossroads Commons retail area is… Read More »

Investing in Technologies that Improve Health & Wellness

When most people think of Delta Dental, they think “dental plans.” And, indeed, Delta Dental provides employers around the nation with dental plans and assistance in administering their programs and reporting systems — in essence, helping employers improve efficiencies that… Read More »

The Suites@201 Reserve earns LEED gold certification

One of the greenest buildings in Central Wisconsin has earned high marks for sustainable construction from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

The Suites@201 residence hall at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point was awarded a Leadership in Energy and Environmental… Read More »

MSTC’s New Stevens Point Campus to Generate Revenue for Local Businesses and Career Opportunities for Residents

Higher education is on the move — literally. In the midst of its Centennial Celebration, Mid-State Technical College (MSTC) held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Stevens Point Campus — to be located in the former Centerpoint Mall. When completed,… Read More »

The economic strengths of a diverse agricultural community — Portage County.

Okray Family Farms, Inc. has been around since 1905 when Joseph Okray started a trading company on the Public Square in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Like many families in the early twentieth century, Joseph did a small amount of farming to… Read More »

Bringing Advanced Metals Manufacturing Back to the U.S. — and Portage County

According to Dave Worth, President/CEO of the Worth Company, imported goods have long presented a challenge to American manufacturers in all industries. What varies, notes Worth, is the country producing the majority of imported goods to the U.S. “In the… Read More »

Marshfield Clinic to Start Work on New Stevens Point Facility

Construction of the new Marshfield Clinic facility in Stevens Point will start in September.

A groundbreaking ceremony kicking off construction will be at 10 a.m. on Sept. 10 at the 4100 Highway 66 location (near the airport). The event is… Read More »

Biofuels patent issued to UW-Stevens Point researchers

A patent that opens the door for the creation of biofuels from abundantly available plant fiber has been issued to researchers at the Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology (WIST) at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

WIST’s first patent is for… Read More »

UW-Stevens Point in top ten of Midwestern public universities

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is again ranked as one of the best public universities in the Midwest according to the U.S. News and World Report.

The magazine’s 2013 rankings place UW-Stevens Point tenth in the top tier of Midwestern… Read More »

2011 Portage County Arts & Culture Non-Profit Organizations Economic Impact

The below information was voluntarily provided to the Arts Alliance of Portage County by participating Portage County non-profit organizations. This information is compiled annually to quantify the economic value of arts & culture programming in Portage County.

Annual Organizational Budgets:… Read More »

The Arts Mean Business in Portage County

There are several $3M industries located in Portage County, Wisconsin. Although the arts and culture sector may not be the first that comes to your mind, the arts mean business. In 2009 the Arts Alliance of Portage County in partnership… Read More »

A Message from Chuck…

The following is an excerpt from Chuck Nason’s presentation on “The Pressures from Without” at the November 17 Power Breakfast (shared with his permission). Mr. Nason is Chairman of the Board for Worzalla Publishing Company.

This is not a… Read More »

Oh the places you can go (sustainably)…with isoprene.

Never heard of isoprene? Most of us haven’t and yet it’s an organic compound that plays a major role in our lives. Isoprene is a colorless, odorless gas found naturally in our breath and the environment — it is emitted… Read More »

Assistance Available for Communities Working on Comprehensive Community Plans

In 2000, the State of Wisconsin passed a law requiring every municipality (town, village, city and county) to have a long-range “comprehensive plan” in place. As part of the planning, communities review where they are, what housing, transportation, economic development,… Read More »

A New Way of Connecting with One Another in Portage County — Bike and Pedestrian Paths

It all began with occupants of the Portage County Business Park expressing interest in getting connected — literally — with bike and pedestrian paths. Notes Jeff Schuler, Portage County Planning and Zoning Director, “People came to us looking for better… Read More »

County Wide Farm Preservation Planning Benefits Business Development Planning

During the next 18 months, Portage County will be working on its county-wide farmland preservation plan. Basically, Wisconsin requires all counties to have a plan in place that discusses how agriculture works in their communities and to present means of… Read More »

Blenker Expands Business to Serve Larger Region

Since opening in 1974, Blenker Cos. has changed and grown to meet the demands of customers in the construction industry.

Originally a remodeling business, over time the family-owned and operated company added construction, manufacturing, contractiong and trucking.

But when a… Read More »

Marten Machining — Wisconsin Technical Public Education System Is Our Lifeline

Networking in 1984. Take yourself back to 1984. The Internet was in its infancy. Cell phones were bulky and for “the few.” From a 2011 perspective, it’s difficult to imagine how you could start a small business in Stevens Point,… Read More »