As part of our ongoing efforts to help northern Wisconsin recover in the wake of damaging floods two weeks ago, we spoke with response teams, tribal leaders, as well as county and local leaders from throughout northern Wisconsin.  Specifically, we held meetings on Monday in Ashland and Hayward. 

These meetings with local leaders help us hear directly about the needs and concerns of their communities affected by the storm, so we are better equipped to help them recover from this natural disaster.  I was on site two weeks ago, and our teams have been on the ground since to maximize the response. 

We’ve mobilized response teams, and we’re utilizing every resource possible at the local, state, and federal level to get the people in these communities back on their feet.

This includes requesting a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Preliminary Damage Assessment, which is one of the necessary first steps to receiving federal disaster assistance. FEMA officials arrived in northern Wisconsin on Monday night and began their assessment on Tuesday.

Our state – including areas affected by the floods – remains open for business. Families and visitors to Wisconsin are encouraged to call ahead and check conditions before they cancel their vacation or travel plans.  Attractions in northern Wisconsin are open for business. 

Check out the Ready Wisconsin website below for continual updates about conditions in northern Wisconsin. 

Last week, the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) released Wisconsin’s latest jobs numbers, which indicate our state added 49,000 private sector jobs over the year and almost 11,000 in the month of June.

Our state is working – literally.

Wisconsin’s unemployment rate also holds steady at a 15-year low of 4.2 percent, while, the national unemployment rate increased to 4.9 percent.

Did you know Wisconsin was one of only ten states in the nation with a lower annual average unemployment in 2015 than in 2007 when the recession began?

At 68.5 percent, our labor force participation rate also significantly outpaces the national rate.

To top it all off, total employment is hovering at record levels in Wisconsin…and we plan to keep it that way!

On Monday, we traveled to Oshkosh for our annual visit to the “World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration,” EAA AirVenture.

Every year, thousands of aviation enthusiasts representing more than 80 countries flock to Oshkosh for EAA AirVenture. With over 10,000 aircrafts flying into the airport throughout the week, Wittman Regional Airport briefly becomes the busiest airport in the world!

EAA AirVenture boasts fun events for the whole family and serves as a major tourist attraction in Wisconsin. Throughout the week, visitors are spending their money on things like food, lodging, and gas – all of which stays in the Oshkosh community and has a positive impact on the area and our state as a whole.

The event also gives us the chance to highlight Wisconsin’s aviation and aerospace cluster, which is one of the industries we highlight when we go on trade missions around the world.

EAA AirVenture is a great opportunity for us to make connections and demonstrate to international businesses all our state has to offer in this growing field.