What to Watch in 2012

• Wal-Mart’s Super Move

The long-in-the-works Wal-Mart supercenter will finally open in 2012. The project has already re-shaped the look of Egg Harbor Road, but will it re-shape the Sturgeon Bay retail climate as well?

• Bottomed Out?

The trades that once fed off the peninsula’s development boom have seen work dry up with the bursting of the real estate bubble. Nobody expects a big rebound anytime soon, but with housing stalled, where does that leave the tradesman who fed off the gold rush?

• Non-profit Pinch

High unemployment has forced many more people to rely on social services and charities to get by. But with less tax revenue and fewer charity dollars to go around, those services and non-profits are in greater need themselves. The year ahead is going to be challenging, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see several offices and non-profits face closure in a county that relies heavily on them.

• Budget Battles

Thought that was over? Think again. The impact of last June’s state budget deal has only begun to be felt by state and local governments. Expect more cuts in services we’ve come to expect.