Municipalities are struggling to keep pace with rapidly rising home prices, creating the largest gap between local property tax assessments and market values in recent years.
That’s according to a new report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum. The report says the gap between assessed and market values has spawned concerns about the fairness of Wisconsin’s property tax system.
When property reassessments do occur, the report says many will see “huge increases” in their assessed property values. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll see the same increase in property taxes.
Over 800 Wisconsin municipalities have assessed values for the properties in their borders that are lower than 80 percent of their market value, according to the report. That’s the largest gap since at least 2011.
Ari Brown, a researcher for Wisconsin Policy Forum and the report’s author, said the main cause for that gap is “the hottest housing market in recent memory” over the last few years.
“When property values are rising so quickly, it is hard for local assessors to keep up with that,” he said. “There’s just a lack of supply and housing right now to meet demand.”
On top of trying to catch up to a booming housing market, revaluations can be a major expense for local governments, on top of other necessary costs like infrastructure investment, Brown said. A revaluation is a program undertaken by a municipality to appraise all property within its boundary to its full and fair value.
For example, a full revaluation for the city of Rhinelander — which has a population of roughly 7,800 — would cost nearly $160,000, according to the report.
Staffing constraints also make it difficult for local governments to catch up on assessments, said Jerry Deschane, executive director of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities.
“Municipalities are trying to do their job — they’re trying to catch up,” he said. “But there’s a limited number of human beings out there, called state-certified assessors, and there are not enough of them to go around.”
The report said Wisconsin is one of only eight states which assesses property values entirely at municipal level, as most dedicate that responsibility to counties.
From a budgetary perspective, Brown said making Wisconsin counties responsible for revaluations could ensure they’re done more frequently. But that may not solve the entire problem.
“You still need the staff to do that,” Brown said. “A full revaluation requires individual assessors going into every single home in the community to basically run a checklist of what is in this home? What makes up the value of this home? Even if there was the budget, you still don’t have to worry about getting the staffing to do all of that.”
If every property in a community were equally under-assessed, it wouldn’t necessarily lead to an unfair distribution of property taxes, the report said. But the gap between market and assessed values may mean that some neighborhoods or types of properties are more likely to be paying more or less than their fair share, the report added.
“In a suburban community that is growing but doesn’t necessarily have the ability to hire a local assessor, they might run into problems,” Brown said. “One new neighborhood that has been built very quickly, now has really high market values. And the other already existing neighborhoods haven’t been reassessed, so they might be under paying relative to those new homeowners.”
Brown added that Wisconsin’s hot housing market has widened the gap between assessments of commercial and residential properties.
He said commercial property assessments are typically closer to their market value than those of residential properties. That means commercial property owners may be overpaying on property taxes relative to homeowners.
Commercial property was assessed at least 10 percentage points higher than residential in 59 of those communities, meaning that commercial property owners appeared to be overpaying property taxes relative to homeowners.
“It’s not going to be more (of an issue) depending on where you are,” Brown said. “It might not mean more than a few dollars of underpay or overpay each year, but It’s definitely something that can impact residents’ pocketbooks.”
Residents in communities that have done revaluations recently may feel a sense of sticker shock when they see their new assessed property value. In the Fox Valley’s city of Neenah, for example, assessed residential property values went up by 37 percent from 2022 to 2023.
But that doesn’t mean every homeowner’s property taxes will go up by 37 percent. That’s because a municipality’s property tax levy is tied to net new construction.
“Local governments in the state — with a couple of important exceptions — can only raise overall property taxes each year by the rate of net new construction, which is just taking the value of any new construction in the municipality, and dividing it by the total property value of that municipality,” Brown said.
That means the less new construction a municipality has, the less they can raise their property taxes, and vice versa. Deschane said assessments really only determine a property owner’s share of the tax levy.
“If all the houses in a municipality go up in value by the same amount, the amount of taxes those houses pay really shouldn’t go up,” he said. “Property tax assessments alone don’t make the tax levy go up.”
GEORGETOWN — For the 60th year of the Coal Bucket game, there will be a small twist.
This year’s schedule moved the game from its traditional Week 9 spot to Week 4, but Westville coach Guy Goodlove said it doesn’t matter where the game is placed.
“Back in 2000 and 2001, I believe it was the second game of the season, so this has happened before when it moved up in the season,” Goodlove said. “The game creates a great atmosphere for High School Football, so it can be played in the first game of the year or last game of the year.
“But with a game like this, you have to be mentally prepared and physically ready to play. We have had teams go in 0-8 and 1-7 and given no chance to win, but we get a win, so the old saying ‘take the records out’ is true for this game. Kids that haven’t done anything all year does something here and I have had kids that have never caught a pass and they catch 4-5 passes and score 2-3 touchdowns and you wonder where it came from.”
Georgetown-Ridge Farm/Chrisman coach Dwayne Grider played for the Buffaloes, so for him, it is a change of pace.
“Playing the Coal bucket is odd to play this time of the year for some of us old timers,” Grider said. “It usually builds up toward the end of the year. I hope the mystique doesn’t go away and it doesn’t go away for the players, especially the five seniors that we have.”
The Buffaloes are 0-3 overall and in the Vermilion Valley Conference, but are coming off their best performance in some time in a 27-20 loss at Clifton Central last week.
“I didn’t get to go to the game, and he team and the two coaches that were left behind to take that task on short notice, performed wonderfully,” Grider said. “Our captain, Rylan Mosier ran the defense, (assistant coach) Bryce Herrin ran the offense and Steve Silwa was up in the press box. We almost pulled it off and I couldn’t be more proud of them. If we didn’t make some key mistakes, we could have got it.”
Goodlove saw tape of the Clifton Central game and knows that the Buffaloes are going to be a different team than last year.
“They play the game like they have a chip on their shoulder and they have so much to prove,” Goodlove said. “They will come out and be very physical and play hard and they are fighting for every inch on the field. I am impressed with the Mosier kid, he goes after it. He runs over people and he is flying all over the field. He’s as good as a player as there is in the conference.
“Caiden Burress, George Carswell and the quarterback (Maddox Kochevar) has been very impressive. They want to play and they have nothing to lose and they play their hearts out. Those kids in the trenches are battling tooth and nail for what they are getting and it will be a dogfight. If you are going to gain a yard, you are going to earn that yard. They are playing hard and they want to make something good happen to the program.”
The Tigers are 2-1 after losing to Momence 34-14 last week at home.
“Momence was physical and very athletic,” Goodlove said. “When we loaded up the box, they passed the ball, when we had players in coverage, they ran the ball. When you had Brogan Halpin and Tyrell Aultman covered, No. 3 (Eddie Ferreira), 4 (Terence Aultman), and 5 (Marchello Draine) made the plays. No. 54 (Nick Charbonneau) was as good as a lineman we have seen all season. Teams getting ready to play Momence should not underestimated them and it will take a good team to beat them.”
Grider said that after being close to victory last week, it would be great to get his first win as GRFC head coach at the Coal Bucket.
“Last week, I have no words with how they fought adversity,” Grider said. “Practice is upbeat and I told the guys that if we are going to win our first game, this would be the game because it will be the biggest and a wonderful time to get that first win.”
Grider also said it would be a great win for Mosier, one of those five seniors and the unquestioned star of the team.
“His drive can not be compared. A player like him does not come along often,” Grider said. “He’s very dedicated. He watches game film constantly and his work ethic is incomparable. He has the respect of the whole team and he is their leader. It takes several people to tackle him and he runs the defense. He should be a player that plays at the next level.”
Friday’s game will be at Georgetown for the first time since the 2018 season. The game was at Westville for the 2019 and 2022 seasons with the 2020 and 2021 games cancelled because of Covid.
We stressed that we have to be ready because this game is a rivalry and it gives the seniors bragging rights for the rest of their lives and its a great game to be in,” Goodlove said. “We enjoy playing at Georgetown with the fans on top of the field. It is usually 4-5 people deep around the sidelines and it brings a great atmosphere and our kids and their kids are pumped for the game. A lot of people come to the game and it is an rowdy atmosphere and we look forward to it.”
“We have a lot to play for in front of our hometown,” Grider said. “The year before last year, we canceled the game and now we get to play here at home. We have a lot to prove and the kids have a lot to fight for. We took a pounding last year, but we were young. We matured a little bit. When Westville comes to town, we are going to surprise them. Playing at home is different. They have been doing a lot of work at the school and the kids are going to perform very well and the score will work itself out.”
While the game enters its 60th year, the rivalry has gone longer than that but it has mostly been friendly recently.
“It is hard to believe that the game has been around for 60 years, but this rivalry goes back before the Coal Bucket,” Goodlove said. “I have heard some of the old timers say they had to suspend the game for a few years because it got too heated. Today, I am glad it is just a game and it stays on the football field.”
The game starts on 7 p.m. on Friday and will be broadcast on WHRK-FM 94.9.
Iroquois West at Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin
Time — 7 p.m. Friday
Records — Iroquois West 1-2 overall, 1-2 in Vermilion Valley Conference. BHRA 2-1 overall, 2-1 in Vermilion Valley Conference.
Radio — WITY-AM 980 and WITY-FM 99.5
Summary — The Blue Devils will try to keep their home record perfect as they welcome the Raiders. BHRA has scored at least 40 points in their two home games but face a challenge as Iroquois West has won its only away game in a 42-0 win over Watseka.
Watseka at Salt Fork
Time — 7 p.m. Friday
Records — Watseka 1-2 overall, 1-2 in Vermilion Valley Conference. Salt Fork 2-1 overall, 2-1 in Vermilion Valley Conference
Summary — The Storm have fought back from an opening week loss by not allowing a point in the last two games.
Oakwood at Clifton Central
Time — 7 p.m. Friday
Records — Oakwood 2-1 overall, 2-1 in Vermilion Valley Conference. Clifton Central 1-2 overall, 1-2 in Vermilion Valley Conference.
Summary — Oakwood has picked up two big wins at home, but hits the road in the battle of the Comets. Oakwood has scored over 60 points in the last two weeks, while Clifton Central has scored 42 points all season.
Hoopeston Area/Armstrong-Potomac at Momence
Time — 7 p.m. Friday
Records — HAAP 1-2 overall, 1-2 in Vermilion Valley Conference. Momence 3-0 overall, 3-0 in Vermilion Valley Conference.
Summary — The Cornjerkers have scored only 16 points this season and they might need that and then some against the Redskins, who are returning home after beating Westville last week to take leadership in the VVC.
Flanagan at Schlarman Academy
Time — 3 p.m. Saturday
Records — Flanagan 1-2 overall, 0-2 in 8-Man Football Central 1. Schlarman 1-2 overall, 0-0 in 8-Man Football Central 1.
Summary — After a two-game road trip, the Hilltoppers will return home to start conference play against Flanagan. Both teams are on two-game losing streaks, so both teams are looking to get back on track for conference season.
Attica at Fountain Central
Time — 7 p.m. Friday (Eastern)
Records — Attica 0-4 overall, 0-2 in Wabash River Conference. Fountain Central 3-1 overall, 2-0 in Wabash River Conference.
Radio — WKZS-FM 103.1
Summary — The Mustangs have rolled since a first-week loss and hope not to hit a bump before a matchup with Seeger next week for the top of the WRC. The Red Ramblers are trying to get their first win since the shortened 2020 season.
Riverton Parke at North Vermillion
Time — 7 p.m. Friday (Eastern)
Records — Riverton Parke 1-3 overall, 0-2 in Wabash River Conference. North Vermillion 2-2 overall, 1-1 in Wabash River Conference.
Summary — The Falcons return to Gibson Field coming off a close loss. The last time that happened, North Vermillion beat Covington and are looking for more luck against the Panthers, who have scored a total of 16 points the last two games.
Seeger at Parke Heritage
Time — 7 p.m. Friday (Eastern)
Records — Seeger 3-1 overall, 2-0 in Wabash River Conference. Parke Heritage 2-2 overall, 1-1 in Wabash River Conference.
Summary — The Patriots have scored at least 35 points in each of the last three games and can continue to make a statement in the WRC against the Wolves, who have already beaten their win total from last season.
South Vermillion at Covington
Time — 7 p.m. Friday (Eastern)
Records — South Vermillion 2-0 overall, 3-1 in Wabash River Conference. Covington 2-2 overall, 0-2 in Wabash River Conference.
Summary — With the Trojans’ offense stuck in gear with quarterback Wyatt Moncrief out the last two weeks, they return home to face a tough challenge in the Wildcats, who have scored at least 35 points in each of its games.
Here are snapshots of three children, each born with a special talent:
Sara (15) is shy, quiet and emotionally sensitive. She loves to draw and paint pictures of horses, zebras and tigers. Her parents rarely comment about her drawings. There are no artists in her family.
Michael (10) has lightening quick reflexes and amazing coordination. He plays basketball, soccer and baseball. His family and grandparents attend every game. His father is the coach of his baseball team.
Zach (11) spends a lot of time in his room, writing stories about alien monsters and space travel. He is also writing a novel about a boy who builds a time machine and travels 1,000 years into the future. Zach’s parents do not read much, so there are few books, magazines or newspapers at home. Zach’s parents do not ask to read his stories.
Now that you know a little about these children, answer this question: Which child, would you predict, will still be active in their activity (drawing, sports, writing) five years from now? Yes, it is Michael, but why? Michael’s talent in sports will be developed because his family is committed to him. Going to all his games and being a father/coach will nurture Michael’s ability so it can grow. What happened to Sara and Zach? Well, no one followed the recipe. What recipe?
Recipe for cooking talent in children:
1. Select one child, boy or girl, under age 10, who has an interest in music, art, dancing, writing, sports, acting or crafts. Be on the lookout for the “hidden artist,” the child who collects and stashes objects such as: downy tufted milkweed pods; cracked geodes; smoky mother-of-pearl shells; pop bottle caps; light brown, black veined monarch wings; robin’s eggs. (Cooking hint – never forget that all children have some gift or talent. It is up to the cook, using special seasonings, to bring the talent out.)
2. Add one grown-up (two is better), large size, who is 100% committed to the child (may substitute with grandparent, uncle, aunt, or another supportive adult).
3. Slowly mix, once a week, lessons, taught by a teacher, for what the child is interested in. The child’s teacher must be kind, gentle and funny.
4. Blend in (do not beat!) slowly, 15-30 minutes practice time, each day. A kitchen timer which “dings” helps children complete practice time.
5. Once fully cooked (may take 6-12 months) all young artists/athletes/writers must have an outlet for performing their work or having their creations viewed, read, heard, published or recorded.
6. Sprinkle final dish with sweet community support. Voila! Serve with ice cream.
This was the recipe my mother used for me. When I turned 8, she took me to speech classes so that I could overcome my fear of public speaking.
At 10, my mother set up cello lessons and by 12, I was studying classical music with a University of Illinois professor. My mother drove me to every lesson, attended all concerts, and supported every aspect of my music and speaking development. While she had no formal training in the arts, she knew the basic recipe – talent in children must be developed, nurtured and supported, if it is to survive and grow.
Every child, regardless of their background, IQs or economic status has, hidden inside of them, talents, skills and unique abilities.
Only under the proper conditions will a child’s gifts flourish. What would happen if all children received the recipe of family and community support and fully developed their talents? Well, Sara’s paintings could be hanging in an art museum, and our local bookstore might have Zach’s latest novel entitled “The Boy Who Traveled Through Time.”
(The content of this article is for educational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for treatment by a professional. The characters in this story are not real. Names and details have been changed to protect confidentiality.)
Dr. Richard Elghammer is a clinical psychologist in Danville, Ill., and Crawfordsville, Ind.
He received specialty training in child, adolescent and family psychology at Riley’s Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis and completed his clinical internship at Indiana University School of Medicine.

The Mighty House team outside the new branch in Morecambe
An estate agent has celebrated its upcoming 10th birthday by opening a new branch in Morecambe town centre.
Mighty House opened on the corner of Victoria Street and Skipton Street on Monday September 4.
The firm already has two branches in Lancaster – on Bowerham Road and Market Street.
Mighty House said the opening in Morecambe shows their “ongoing commitment to serving the property needs of individuals and families across the region”.
“It’s hard to believe where the years have gone but in November 2023, Mighty House will be 10 years old,” said Peter Charnley, managing director of Mighty House.
“Our expansion into Morecambe is a significant step forward in our mission to provide top-tier property services for the Morecambe and Heysham area.
“The Mighty House team have a wealth of experience in the property market and support clients in selling, buying, investing, letting or renting.
“We even have a growing service offering and managing short term lets/air b n b accommodation. We have consistently delivered excellent service as evidenced by National Awards and phenomenal reviews.”
Mighty House recently won best letting agent in the North of England in the UK Property Awards. Their sales teams have previously won best Estate Agents in Lancaster for three years.
Victoria Street has long been known as one of the main locations for estate agents in the town, with several other property businesses operating on the street.
The Beef House Dinner Theatre will present the final show of its 27th Summer Season, “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.” starting Sept. 15.
“R.E.S.P.E.C.T.” pays tribute to icons such as Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Whitney Houston, Natalie Cole, Tina Turner and many more featuring more than 30 soul, pop and R&B hits.
Five talented vocalists and dancers from Danville make up the cast of this original production. Audience favorites Ky’Eshia Maze and Ja’Nyla Phipps lead the cast. Maze last appeared as Marley in “Escape to Margaritaville” and has also been featured in “From Memphis to Motor City,” “ELVIS” and the 2002 Beef House Christmas Show. Phipps recently made her BHDT debut in “Escape to Margaritaville.” Alexis Johnson, Ter’Ryan White and Lexxus Tetter make their BHDT debuts in “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.”
The show will celebrate the journey of more than 15 Black female artists from Ella Fitzgerald to Patti Labelle and Big Mama Thornton to some great disco divas like Donna Summer. Each performance will raise the roof and bring down the house with original choreography by Tierra Brown.
Doors open at 6 p.m. EDT for the evening show on Sept. 15. The show will begin at 8 p.m. EDT after the buffet dinner. On Sept. 16 and 17, doors open at 12:30 p.m. EDT for a buffet lunch and the matinee show is at 2 p.m. EDT.
All seats are $63 per person including the show, buffet meal, salad, famous Beef House rolls, dessert, soft drink and tax. Call 217-499-5355 or visit www.beefhouserolls.com for reservations.
The Beef House is located off Interstate 74 at exit 4 on Ind. 63 near Covington, Ind.
One of Commercial Drive’s favourite gelato shops was aflame on Tuesday, and has shut down indefinitely as a result.
Dolce Amore, found at the intersection of Commercial Drive and Graveley Street, suffered a significant fire early this morning.
The shop shared the news, alongside a video of the damage, in an Instagram post.
“They say; life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans. We can’t believe how accurate it is, we were talking and planning bigger and more exciting things for Dolce Amore yesterday, but today, we woke up with the most devastating news,” states the post. “There was a massive fire at Dolce Amore that started this morning, and we still don’t know the exact reason. Luckily, it began very early hours, and no one got hurt by the fire. That being said, we will need some time off to heal and repair our one and only clubhouse. We will see you soon.”
The video shows broken glass, blackened floors, a scorched menu sign, and a shop that, while not totally destroyed, is definitely in disarray. As such, the Little Italy location is closed until further notice.
Those hoping to enjoy some Dolce Amore gelato—and support the business—can still do so by heading to its location in North Vancouver at 113 2nd Street W.
Michael Witgen’s deep research of Indigenous and early North American history is evident in his 2021 book “Seeing Red: Indigenous Land, American Expansion and the Political Economy of Plunder in North America.”
A finalist for this year’s Pulitzer Prize in History, the book examines colonization of a region now known as the Midwest and was previously known by settlers as the Northwest Territories.
“I think the history of Wisconsin’s colonization is new to most people,” said Witgen, a citizen of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe, in an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Central Time.”
“In grade school, you tend to learn about Indians through the story of the Trail of Tears in the Southeast. You learn that there was a hunger for land, Indians were facing pressure and they were forcibly removed. But that’s not what happened in the Northwest Territories,” he continued.
The U.S. government planned to remove Indigenous people from the Northwest Territories in 1852. After getting wind of the government’s plans, tribal leaders took an arduous journey to Washington, D.C. and negotiated directly with President Millard Fillmore.
“One of my distant relatives was on that trip,” Witgen said. “It’s an amazing example of Ojibwe people fighting to remain in their homelands. That’s part of the story of why Native people in Wisconsin didn’t get removed.”
Witgen, a Columbia University history professor, discussed with “Central Time” how the U.S. government used money circulation and forced treaties to colonize, but not remove, people Indigenous to the region.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Rob Ferrett: A huge part of the book is about how Native Americans reacted to the push to populate states in the Northwest with settlers from out east. What were some of the key points in your research?
Michael Witgen: There are several key points. There wasn’t a lot of population pressure in 1837 for the northern Wisconsin territory, but the U.S. basically tells the Native people that they have to cede it or it’ll be taken from them. And so they do.
The Native peoples are compensated something around 13 cents per acre, which the U.S. can then sell under the Northwest Ordinance for $1 an acre. It made an enormous amount of profit. That property would often enter circulation as private property, undeveloped for 10 or 15 years, where it can then sell for, say, $80 an acre.
So there was this massive transfer of land and wealth from Native people through the federal government to individual settlers in the United States. This process facilitated colonization by creating a monopoly on land sales and making that land really affordable to most people in order to encourage immigration.
RF: How else did the U.S. financially benefit from the forced appropriation and distribution of land?
MW: The federal government took the wealth as well as the land, plundering the resources of the Indigenous population in order to economically develop the state and territory.
People in states like Michigan and Wisconsin quickly discovered that having Indians in place as a colonized subject was way more lucrative than kicking them off and taking over their land.
The federal government forced treaties requiring Indigenous people to cede land in exchange for cash. Usually, however, around 90 percent or more of the payment went to traders or merchants who claimed that Native peoples owed them money from the fur trade.
Merchants would take that money from the government and invest in their own businesses. Many were then hired by the government. They made money by claiming the cash payments as debt and by providing the federal government with provisions that were also part of the annual payment for land sales.
There was a lot of money to be made in not removing the Indians. That cash helped people develop the infrastructure of the businesses in the state economy.
RF: The way English settlers defined land management and ownership did not match up with how other cultures lived. Because of that, the English felt they had a right to the land. This idea feels like it lies at the heart of westward expansion, including what happened in the Northwest territories.
MW: Absolutely. The “doctrine of discovery” is the idea that when Europeans arrived in the Americas, in North America in particular, they’d found a new uninhabited world because it didn’t have recognizable forms of property or private property like you would have in Western Europe.
At some point, settlers had to come to grips with the fact that the land they thought was empty was in fact occupied by Indigenous people. Following through with their plan meant they had to actively work to colonize Native people in their homeland.
RF: What do you make of current land issues related to the descendants of the tribes you write about?
MW: I’m interested in the Land Back movements.
A lot of the land in northern Wisconsin, northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula was ceded when there wasn’t demand for it. A lot of that land has been passed into public trust for counties or universities. When they were ceded, these lands were sold or given to the U.S. and then used to fund the endowments for land grant universities. Part of the public infrastructure of the U.S. comes from this transfer of land.
Reckoning with that, coming to grips with it and giving the land back if possible is a really interesting recognition of the colonial history of the U.S. while undoing some of its legacies.
RF: Do you want to see wider efforts to share the history that you recount in your book?
MW: Absolutely. I don’t think people realize the extent to which history, particularly in the Midwest, is an Indigenous history. American history is intertwined with Indigenous history in a way that can’t be separated. There’s a connection that Native people have to land that is still here today that precedes America. This is really important for people to think about when tribes exercise treaty rights now.
Foxconn Technology Group is looking to sell two properties that were once meant to become “innovation centers,” employing hundreds of people.
After Foxconn announced plans to build a manufacturing facility in the village of Mount Pleasant, the company pledged to expand across the state with innovation centers in Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Eau Claire and Racine.
At the time, the company said each innovation center would employ between 100 and 200 people, with the Milwaukee center employing around 500 people. But those plans were essentially put on hold in 2019.
Now, Foxconn says it’s turning its focus to the “ongoing business activities” in its Science and Technology Park in Mount Pleasant, rather than innovation centers.
The company’s properties in Green Bay and Eau Claire have been listed for sale, almost five years after the company paid nearly $12 million to purchase both. In a statement, Foxconn said selling its Green Bay property, known as the Watermark building, will add to the vibrancy of the city’s downtown. It did not comment on the Eau Claire listing, nor did the company provide information on its plans for its other properties outside of Mount Pleasant.
According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, three of the Watermark’s six floors are in use, two of the first-floor retail spaces are occupied and two are vacant. Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich said on social media he hopes a potential sale will “lead to better utilization of a fantastic waterfront building.”
Jeff Mirkes, executive director of Downtown Green Bay, shared similar sentiments. Had Foxconn’s plans for an innovation center progressed, he said it would have had a positive impact on downtown Green Bay.
“Without a doubt, we take a look at what could have been, but in business — large and small — businesses always deviate from their plans,” he said. “We had a worldwide pandemic that also may have contributed to some of the changes in their business plans. We really want to look ahead to the potential because there is so much potential for this property.”
Mirkes said the Watermark’s position near the Fox River and the CityDeck riverfront boardwalk makes it an attractive property for potential developers. He also said it’s possible, if not probable, that the building could find a new life in time for the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, which is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of people to Wisconsin.
“I’m confident that a quality developer with the capital and a plan can implement a resurgence for the property,” he said.
In Eau Claire, Community Development Director Aaron White said Foxconn owned about 15,000 square feet in a mixed-use property, known as Haymarket Landing. He said Foxconn’s portion of the building has been vacant for years, and the potential sale opens the door to new development.
“The innovation center concept really would have been a really nice addition to downtown, bringing some job and technical opportunities that would have fit very well for the area,” he said. “With that not moving forward, making sure that space is in the hands of a developer or an owner who will actively engage in filling it, managing it, maintaining it and keeping it full is definitely the best case for the city.”
At its flagship facility in Mount Pleasant, Foxconn now produces data servers and devices for solar arrays that convert energy generated into usable electricity.
Earlier this year, Foxconn announced a partnership with We Energies to build a 2,000-panel solar array in Mount Pleasant. In May, Microsoft closed on a $50 million land purchase on property originally intended for Foxconn’s Mount Pleasant development, which will be used to build a $1 billion data center.
Foxconn says it has invested over $1 billion in Wisconsin and created approximately 1,000 jobs. Initially, it promised to hire 13,000 people and produce large flat-screens.
The company’s contract with the state was scaled back by Gov. Tony Evers, after the 2017 pact signed by former Gov. Scott Walker would have given Foxconn nearly $3 billion in state tax credits. The new deal offers up to $80 million for 1,454 jobs created by 2024.
Foxconn’s production of devices for solar arrays, known as microinverters, was disclosed in a financial report from California-based Enphase Energy last month. Enphase listed Foxconn as one of its manufacturing partners producing microinverters.
In a statement, Fooming Fu, president of Foxconn Industrial Internet USA, said producing clean energy solutions in Wisconsin aligns with the company’s commitment to sustainability throughout its global operations.
“This new partnership with Enphase also creates the opportunity for additional growth in Wisconsin, as Foxconn continues to meet customer demands that can succeed in the United States,” Fu said.
A new faculty member at Northeastern State University plans to grow the institution’s jazz department and the music scene in Tahlequah.
Jordan VanHemert, NSU director of jazz studies and commercial music, hails from the Columbus State University’s Schwob’s School of Music in Georgia. VanHemert said that while he was at the Georgia college, he was also the director of jazz studies and held a similar position to the one at NSU.
He said he wanted to be a part of the RiverHawks team because of NSU’s storied history with jazz education.
“Honestly, [it has] the rich tradition of jazz education, and this position has been occupied by some really incredible people in my field, who are very well known,” said VanHemert. “I wanted to be a part of the history, and I wanted to be a part of bringing it into the future.”
VanHemert has always enjoyed the genre, and has been hooked on not only jazz, but the saxophone, since he was a small child.
“When I was really young, my grandfather passed away and my family inherited all of his CDs,” said VanHemert. “I just listened to all of them in a row, and I stopped when I hit ‘The Essential Charlie Parker.’ That one was really incredible to my development and I was hooked.”
The Michigan native hopes to bring several elements to NSU, including his teaching experience and his exposure to the music realm from his standpoint as an active musician. VanHemert is a recording artist and performs all across the U.S. He has interacted with people at the top of his field, and he hopes to pass their knowledge onto his students.
Through the connections VanHemert has made over the years, he wants to enhance relationships for students through the new Live at the Jazz Lab series. This series will bring internationally and nationally renowned artists to the community, offering a mixture of performances from students, faculty, and these touring acts.
“I don’t believe that your zip code should prevent you from hearing great art,” said VanHemert.
Some of the acts will provide students with master classes to further their education.
Since the Jazz Lab is embedded into the community, VanHemert wants to create a place where NSU students and residents can gather and experience live jazz music.
“It’s my belief that jazz is music of the people,” said VanHemert. “It’s music of community, and the thing that’s most important about it is that jazz education [should offer] enough opportunities for students to interact with musicians who are full-time professionals, because those people are the torch carriers to that musical tradition.”
VanHemert said he mainly looks forward to the opportunity to build a “program of distinction” and to partner with NSU students, faculty, and the community at-large.
“You know they always say, ‘It takes a village,’ right? But I truly do believe that, and I want to build this program – yes, for our students, but also because a thriving jazz program will greatly benefit the community and the cultural scene of the community and the economy, as well,” said VanHemert.