Door County Economic Development Corporation kicks off Buy Local initiative

• The Door County Economic Development Corporation kicked off its Buy Local Campaign with a special reception at Stone Harbor Resort Oct. 21. About 60 people signed up to join the Door County Buy Local group, and 15 people joined the steering committee. The initiative was launched to encourage residents to seek out services locally and to remind them of the products and services that businesses in their own community provide. There are several industries in which Door County “leaks” spending into neighboring counties that could stay in the local community, such as electronics and appliances.

• The Wellness Center of Door County hosted “Health Care 101: What Health Care Reform Means to Women and their Families,” on Oct. 19 at Stone Harbor Resort. The presentation highlighted the ways health care reform will improve access to care for many women and lower costs. Sara Finger, Director of the Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health, and Rachel Currans-Sheehan from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services were both in attendance to present information and answer questions.

• The Gibraltar School Board recommended that the Door Community Auditorium’s sublease agreement with American Folklore Theatre (AFT) be shifted next year to accommodate school performances. AFT will have access to the auditorium a week earlier next year, on Aug. 21, with access also ending a week earlier, on Fall Fest weekend, Oct. 15.

• The Door and Kewaunee Business and Education Partnership’s Computer Numeric Control (CNC) regional training center committee recently presented a proposal to Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, asking the college to expand CNC training programs in the Door/Kewaunee region to address documented needs and grow a skilled workforce through the creation of a CNC training center. Expanding the CNC training opportunities in Door and Kewaunee counties will expose the CNC field to high school students, provide entry-level training to high school students, and upgrade the skills of the local workforce. NWTC is considering the proposal and will work with the committee over the next few months.

• The U.S. Department of Justice announced the award of $1,859 to Door County to reimburse the cost of incarcerating undocumented criminal aliens who have committed serious crimes. The award helps offset the costs of federally mandated programs provided by the county at local cost.