Fab Lab Announcement at Southern Door High School

Earlier this week I had the honor and privilege of joining the WEDC Vice President of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Aaron Hagar and local leaders yesterday as they visited Southern Door High School to announce grants that will allow Southern Door to start or expand Fab Labs. Fab Labs, or fabrication laboratories, provide schools with the ability to purchase equipment for instructional and educational purposes. These high-tech workshops are necessary to provide opportunities for our students to explore all career and educational options after high school.

The WEDC will be providing grants of up to $25,000 to individual school districts or $50,000 to groups of two or more school districts. The grants are awarded on a competitive basis and demand is high. In the 2017-19 budget, Governor Walker proposes an additional $1 million in Fab Lab funding.

I thank Governor Walker and Lt. Governor Kleefisch for their continued support and leadership on workforce issues. Providing schools with the tools they need to create a more vibrant and effective workforce is crucial. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on ways we can prepare students for the workforce.

Wisconsin is home to the most Fab Labs in the nation! For more information, you can click here.

The above picture shows Aaron Hagar, WEDC Vice President of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, presenting a proclamation to Patti Vickman, Superintendent of Southern Door County School District.

Meeting with Governor Walker

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to sit down with Governor Walker to discuss the state budget and important issues that affect our district. We had a great discussion on the TMDL study, groundwater contamination, funding for Bay Shipbuilding in Door County, educational funding and many other issues that are of interest to our district.  I was happy with the level of support he expressed on these issues that are so important to our district.

Tourism Committee Meets for Public Hearing

Earlier this week, the Assembly Committee on Tourism held a public hearing on two bipartisan bills, Assembly Bills 180 and 181, both of which I am a co-sponsor of. AB 180 increases the maximum dollar amount per mile that the DNR may pay to counties for actual expenses related to maintaining snowmobile trails.

AB 181 increases the amount of moneys appropriated from the conservation fund to the DNR for the all-terrain vehicle safety program, under which the DNR may provide funding to groups that promote the safe operation of ATVs. AB 181 also expands the ATV safety program to include groups that promote the safe operation of utility terrain vehicles and requires DNR to annually determine the amount necessary to fund the program.

Snowmobiling and ATV's bring crucial tourism dollars to northern Wisconsin. Wisconsin is known for our pristine ATV and Snowmobile trails and it's important that we continue to provide those!