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Volume 7, Issue 17, Sep 9, 2024
 Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, Eau Claire, Wis. 
Published the first business day of each week
Business Advocate Past Issues
Public Meetings Calendar
Chamber Events Calendar
The Chamber's Advocacy Principles
The Chamber's 2024 Business Issues Agenda
"Talking Po!nt" Podcast
How to become a Chamber investor
Contact: Scott Rogers, VP Governmental Affairs
rogers@eauclairechamber.org
Chamber Business Hours: Mon-Thu 7:30a-4:30p, Friday 9 a.m.-Noon

In this issue:
 • Sonnentag grand opening milestones this week, special ticket
    offer for Chamber investors
 • Housing First advocates open registration for film screening, business lunch
 • Local Candidates Training Workshop Oct 3
 • State, national, and economic stories
 • Food for thought
 • Mark your calendar
Note on article links: A subscription is required for those marked with "$"
Publications known to have article limits or other access restrictions for non-subscribers are marked with "+"

Tomorrow! Last chance to register...
Making a Difference - Your Voice in Government
   Understand how government works, what decisions are made at each level (local, state, and federal), and how to be effective when you want to weigh in on an issue that’s important to you. Includes information on offices and issues on the November 5 General Election ballot.
Presented by the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, Chippewa Valley Home Builders Association, REALTORS® Association of Northwestern Wisconsin, and Young Professionals of the Chippewa Valley.
 • Tuesday, Sep 10, 3:30-5:30 p.m., Chamber offices
    Click here for details and to register

Eggs & Issues: Fall Election Outlook with Bill McCoshen
   With the November 5 election approaching, join us to preview the election's outlook for key offices at both the state and federal levels. We'll hear from Bill McCoshen of Michael Best Strategies, one of the state's top political experts. He will assess Wisconsin's statewide and legislative contests to provide us with clues to watch for as the campaign unfolds.
 • Friday, Sep 27, 7:00-8:30 a.m., CVTC Business Education Center
    Click here for details and to register

Also for your fall calendar...
• CVTC/Chamber Business Community Breakfast - Tuesday, Sep 17
• Local Candidate Training Workshop - Thursday, Oct 3
• Business After Hours - Monday, Oct 7
• Legislative Candidates Meet-and-Greet - Thursday, Oct 10
• "Bravo to Business" Awards - Wednesday, Oct 23
• Eggs & Issues: Planes, Trains, Automobiles, and Transit - Friday, Oct 25
• Election Day - Tuesday, Nov 5
• Economic Outlook Luncheon - Tuesday, Nov 12
• Eggs & Issues: Election Analysis, Charles Franklin, Marquette Poll - Fri, Nov 15

Sonnentag Grand Opening this week...
Deep discount offer for Chamber investors for Thursday concert
   The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is set to have the ribbon cutting and grand opening festivities this week for the new Sonnentag Event Center. The $122 million complex encompasses 226,000-square-foot and includes the main venue with seating up to 5,000, the indoor field house large enough for a full  size football practice field, the Center for Health and Wellbeing, and the Mayo Clinic Health System Diagnostic Imaging & Sports Medicine Center.
   The ribbon cutting and open house will be at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday. Major concerts are scheduled Tuesday evening with comedian Brian Regan and Thursday night with singer Chris Young. There will also be a community open house 5:00-8:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
   As acknowledgement for the Chamber's partnership with UWEC, Chamber investors can take advantage of a deeply discounted last-chance offer for Thursday's concert. See details below.
Details:
Sonnentag Center Ribbon Cutting & Grand Opening
• Thursday, Sep 12, 11:00 a.m., 1075 Menomonie Street, Eau Claire
   Click here for Grand Opening details
   Events and tickets
Special concert offer for Chamber investors only
   Chris Young with special guest Mackenzie Carpenter
   Thursday, September 12, 7:30 p.m.
   Tickets originally priced at $79.50 are $40, those at $49.50 are $25
   Click here to access the discount (no code needed)

More information:
The Sonnentag, UWEC’s Massive New Venue, Ready for Grand Opening (Volume One)
The Sonnentag Celebrates Grand Opening with a Week of Events (Leader-Telegram $)
UW-Eau Claire, WEAU partner to bring grand opening week at The Sonnentag to community, western Wisconsin (UWEC)
UW-Eau Claire climbs in Wall Street Journal Best Colleges list for 2025 (UWEC)
UWEC jumps in Forbes’ best colleges ranking (UWEC)

Meeting this week...
Full public meetings schedule

Eau Claire Board of Education
• Monday, Sep 9, 7 p.m. Meeting information

Eau Claire City Council
 • Monday, Sep 9, 6 p.m. Public Hearing Agenda Packet (25 pages)
 • Tuesday, Sep 10, 4 p.m. Legislative Session Agenda Packet (220 pages)
    Link to videos of city meetings (City of Eau Claire)
    City Council Online Comment Form (City of Eau Claire)
    Contact information: City Council members (City of Eau Claire)
City Budget: Budget Process and Current Documents (City of Eau Claire)
Adopted 2025-2029 Capital Improvement Plan (City of Eau Claire)
City of Eau Claire News Updates (including weekly City Manager's Update)

Altoona Plan Commission 
• Tuesday, Sep 10, 5:30 p.m. Meeting information

Altoona City Council
• Thursday, Sep 12, 6 p.m. Meeting information

Homelessness: "Housing First" advocates sponsoring
evening film screening, business luncheon on September 17
   Several local organizations interested in pursuing a "Housing First" approach to homelessness are sponsoring a public screening of the film, "Beyond the Bridge: A Solution to Homelessness," at the Pablo Center on Tuesday evening, September 17. They are also inviting business people to attend a luncheon event the same day with Milwaukee County Housing Administrator James Mathy, who is featured in the film.
   Milwaukee and Houston are the two cities whose approaches are the focus of the documentary. Produced by filmmakers Don Sawyer and Tim Hashko, the film details the involvement of law enforcement, judicial systems, business communities, service providers, volunteers, and city & county leadership. The evening event "will include post-screening panels and Q&As... and the opportunity for community members to discuss, together, how they can begin addressing homelessness."
   The local showing is sponsored by Eau Claire Community Foundation, Home for Good of Eau Claire, the Pablo Foundation, Pablo Center at the Confluence, and the Center for Racial & Restorative Justice at UWEC.
Business luncheon
   The sponsors are also inviting local business people to a luncheon with Mathy, who they say will talk about "innovative strategies and best practices that reduced unsheltered street homelessness by 92% over 5 years," in Milwaukee, including "action steps, data-driven and evidence-based strategy and measurable reductions in homelessness."
More information:
Business Lunch with James Mathy: A Housing First Plan to End Chronic Homelessness
 • Tuesday, Sep 17, 12:00-1:00 p.m., Forage
    Click here for information and to register (no charge, limited to 50)

A Screening of Beyond the Bridge: A Solution to Homelessness
  • Tuesday, September 17, 6:00 p.m., Pablo Center at the Confluence
     Free Screening & Live Q&A, Click here to reserve a seat
Film About ‘Housing First’ Approach to Homelessness to Be Screened in E.C. (Volume One)
New Documentary Highlights Milwaukee’s ‘Housing First’ Homelessness Strategy (Urban Milwaukee)
Latest “Point In Time Homeless Count” survey shows significant jump in homelessness (WEAU 13 News)

More local stories...

Open house Wednesday for Highway T reconstruction project (Leader-Telegram $)

35th Annual Fall Festival to Sprawl Throughout Downtown E.C. Sep 14 (Volume One)

Valley’s First ‘Welcoming Week’ Aims to Highlight Immigrants’ Positive Impact (Volume One)

Local childcare challenges for families and workers (Leader-Telegram $)

County team works to prevent child deaths (Leader-Telegram $)

New Venture Academy School opens (WEAU 13 News)

Gov. Evers visits Manz Elementary School in Eau Claire (Leader-Telegram $)

BIRD IS THE WORD: E-Scooter Rental Firm Lands in E.C. (Volume One)

Mega! Co-Op reintroduces itself to Chippewa Valley, brings community pumps for local schools (WQOW News 18)

Eau Claire Marathon and Royal Credit Union Announce New Title Sponsorship and 10K Charity Classic Race Transition (Royal Credit Union)
E.C. Marathon Takes Reins of Charity Classic, Also Launches ‘hall-EAU-ween 5K’ (Volume One)

North, Memorial High Schools Get Turf Football Fields (Volume One)

Dunn and Pepin County aim to purchase part of Chippewa Valley State Trail (Leader-Telegram $)
Our View: Trail purchase is fantastic opportunity (Leader-Telegram editorial $)

CF Committee approves emergency road repair money (Leader-Telegram $)