December 2022 Unemployment at 2.7%

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On January 25th, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced the preliminary December 2022 unemployment rates for Wisconsin’s 72 counties and the 35 cities with populations greater than 25,000 residents. St. Croix County’s December rate was estimated at 2.7%, which is higher than the final rate of 2.6% for both November and October. One year ago, the county’s unemployment rate was estimated at 2.2%.

DWD said preliminary unemployment rates from November to December declined or stayed the same in 42 of the 72 counties. Rates declined or stayed the same in 31 of the 72 counties year-over-year. The current rates range from 1.6% in Dane to 6.0% in Iron.

Preliminary unemployment rates from November to December decreased in all of Wisconsin’s 35 largest cities. Year-over-year, the rates declined or stayed the same in 22 cities. Rates ranged from 1.7% in Sun Prairie to 3.2% in Milwaukee.

The five counties with the lowest unemployment rates in December include Dane (1.6%), Calumet (1.7%), Fond du Lac (1.8%), Green (also at 1.8%), and Ozaukee (also at 1.8%). Iron had the highest rate in December at 6.0%, followed by Adams (5.0%), Forest (4.8%), Burnett (4.7%), and Bayfield (also at 4.7%).

St. Croix, Pierce, and Polk counties comprise Wisconsin’s Greater St. Croix Valley. In addition to St. Croix’s rate of 2.7%, December’s preliminary rate in Pierce was 2.9% and Polk’s rate was 4.0%.

St. Croix and Pierce counties are included in the 15-county Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MN-WI metro area. The December 2022 unemployment rate for the Twin Cities was estimated at 2.6%, which is higher than November’s final rate of 1.9% and October’s final rate of 1.7%. The unemployment rate for the Twin Cities was 2.4% in December 2021.

Nearby Washington County in Minnesota reported a preliminary rate of 2.3% for December, while Dakota County, MN reported a rate of 2.5% and Chisago County MN had a rate of 3.8%.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate for Wisconsin in December was estimated at 3.2%, which is lower than the final rate of 3.3% for both November and October. One year ago, the state’s seasonally adjusted rate was 3.1%.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate in Minnesota for December was estimated at 2.5%, which is higher than November’s final rate of 2.3% and October’s final rate of 2.1%. Minnesota’s seasonally-adjusted rate one year ago was 3.0%.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate in the U.S. for December was estimated at 3.5%, which is the lower than November’s final rate of 3.6% and October’s final rate of 3.7%. One year ago, the U.S. rate (seasonally adjusted) was estimated at 3.9%.

Wisconsin’s preliminary (seasonally adjusted) labor force participation rate for December was estimated at 64.7%, which is lower than November’s final rate of 64.9% and October’s final rate of 65.3%. One year ago, Wisconsin’s labor force participation rate was 66.4%. The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) labor force participation rate for the U.S. in December was estimated at 62.3%, which is higher than the final rate of 62.2% for both November and October. One year ago, the labor force participation rate in the U.S. was 61.9%.

December’s estimates are preliminary and are subject to revision within the next few weeks.

Rodeoing in Madison

SCEDC BLOG

Rodeoing in Madison

BY BILL RUBIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Wiki says George Strait is one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. His authentic cowboy image and back-to-roots sound earned him the title, King of Country Music.

One of Strait’s best known songs is Amarillo by Morning. It’s a tale of a rodeo cowboy and his life on the road. The song goes, “Amarillo by mornin’, up from San Antone. Everything that I got is just what I’ve got on. I ain’t got a dime, but what I’ve got is mine; I ain’t rich, but Lord, I’m free. Amarillo by Morning, Amarillo’s where I’ll be.”

There is no evidence, however, that Strait ever spent any time inside the state capitol in Madison. Maybe his entourage passed through Madison’s belt line in the middle of the night, but the tour bus was not sighted inside Capitol Square, framed by the capitol and a series of one-way streets.

Meanwhile, about four hours northwest of downtown Madison is the St. Croix Valley. Residents and businesses in St. Croix, Polk, and Pierce counties enjoy an exceptional quality of life and pro-business advantages. Two of the three counties, St. Croix and Pierce, are included in the federal definition of the 15-county Twin Cities Metro Area. Polk County may be added to the metro area in the near future. The 3.75 million residents of the Twin Cities include a few rodeo cowboys, trailers, bucking stock, and wannabe urban cowboys.

A metro area encompassing two states is not without confusion. Does Minnesota claim St. Croix and Pierce? St. Croix and Pierce claim nothing west of the pristine St. Croix River. Wisconsinites have long said, “Nice place to visit, but (fill-in-the-blank with a metro punchline).” The late Kitty Rhoades of Hudson proudly called her legislative district Winnesota. Former State Rep. Dean Knudson, also from Hudson, reminded capitol colleagues he represented the most populated area of the state, in reference to the Twin Cities metro area. Take that Milwaukee. You too, Madison.

Growing regions like the St. Croix Valley invariably have long lists of wants and needs. Many require assistance beyond the hometown legislators. The wish-list includes funding for transportation projects, broadband, health and human services, and even modernizing how state aid is distributed to units of local government in the form of shared revenue.

About this time each year, civic-led advocacy groups begin their respective treks to Madison. Examples include Superior Days and the Chippewa Valley Rally. In the fall, La Crosse promotes Oktoberfest in the Capitol. All pound their drums and this includes folks with the St. Croix Valley Legislative Day effort, whether individually or as a group. The St. Croix Valley has great senators and representatives. Several have earned leadership roles in key committees, but they cannot do it alone. They need civic groups to spread the word and pound the drum.

One long-time participant of the St. Croix Valley’s advocacy effort insists he’s working on a tune even the King of Country Music would admire. It has the working title, Madison in My Rear View Mirror. If Strait’s rodeo character can make it to Amarillo, then Winnesota’s brave souls can safely return to the St. Croix Valley’s twinkling lights after six hours in the capitol. Wish them luck.

Good news for Strait fans. He’ll be playing at American Family Field in Milwaukee this June after a two decade absence. No word if his playlist includes Madison in My Rear View Mirror.

EDC Names Top Businesses for 2022

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St. Croix EDC Names Top Businesses for 2022

Aaron Sundeen, president of St. Croix Economic Development Corporation (EDC), announced the EDC’s selection of Keystone Medical Technologies, Inc. (rural Somerset), Croix Valley Foods (City of Hudson), and Isometric Micro Molding, Inc. (City of New Richmond) as recipients of the 2022 Business of the Year awards in St. Croix County, Wisconsin.

They will be honored during an awards dinner scheduled for Thursday, February 16, 2023, at Ready Ready’s (R&D Catering), 1492 131st Street in New Richmond starting at 5:00 o’clock p.m. with check-in, networking, and cash bar. Click here to purchase your tickets or RSVP.

“Congratulations to this year’s winners,” said EDC President Aaron Sundeen. He added, “The award recipients represent a diverse group of successful businesses that bring local, national, and global recognition to St. Croix County, Wisconsin.”

About the 2022 Honorees

Keystone Medical Technologies is the 2022 Emerging Business of the Year (based in St. Croix County and in business for five or fewer years). The company was launched in 2021 and manufactures custom tubing solutions including extrusion, polyimide tubing, and coated wire used in medical devices and components. Keystone’s senior management has over 60 years of combined experience in the medical device industry in all aspects of developing and manufacturing medical devices and components. Adam Sutton is the founder/CEO of Keystone Medical Technologies. Learn more at keystonemedtech.com.

Croix Valley Foods is the 2022 Small Business of the Year (29 or fewer employees). Croix Valley Foods was launched 13 years ago by Damon and Lu Holter. The business started in 100 square feet of leased space in the back of a meat market and has grown into new, modern 20,000 square foot facility. The company produces steak sauces, marinades, barbecue sauces, dry rubs, and Bloody Mary seasonings. The award-winning sauces and rubs are all-natural, gluten-free, and MSG-free. Products are shipped around the world, as evidenced by Croix Valley receiving one of three Governor’s Export Achievement Awards last October in recognition of their global business development success. Damon and Lu are fiercely competitive. Damon is a world champion by winning the sandwich category at the 10th annual World Food Championships in Dallas, Texas last November. He also provides culinary content for national publications and has been featured on Travel Channel’s “American Grilled”.  Damon also hosted numerous episodes for Outside Television Network’s “Fired Up Food” and competed on the Food Network’s “Family Food Showdown”.  Lu also competed at the World Championships as well as on television programs such as the Food Network’s “Family Food Showdown”, “BBQ Brawl” and “Guy’s Grocery Games”. Learn more at croixvalleyfoods.com.

Isometric Micro Molding is the 2022 Business of the Year (30 or more employees). In 2021, Donna Bibber and Wayne Shakal purchased Isometric Micro Molding from owner-founder Mike Hudalla, becoming CEO and President respectively. Isometric Micro Molding, a division of Isometric Companies, Inc., has grown to be the largest and fastest growing medical-focused micro molder in the United States and North America. With over 33,000 square feet of manufacturing space within two facilities, Isometric Companies completes all micro manufacturing processes in-house. This unique capability allows for the complete control over each project, full transparency (watching parts run, auditing clean rooms where parts are molded), as well as the highest level of risk mitigation for its customers. Isometric is certified as ISO 13485: 2016. They serves numerous medical device industries, including markets for diabetes, intraocular, vascular, neuromodulation, orthopedic, and drug delivery devices. Capabilities include 3D micro printing, micro molding, micro tooling, micro automated assembly, and CT scanning. Learn mote at isomicro.com.

Event Details

This is the 29th business awards program conducted by St. Croix EDC. The event is open to the public but reservations are required. Check back for more details and registration link.

About St. Croix EDC

The EDC was established in 1994 as a public-private business league that operates as the independent economic development arm of St. Croix County, Wisconsin. Reflective activities include marketing and communication, business retention, business expansion, business recruitment, new business incorporations, workforce development, and advocacy on behalf of business and industry. Initiatives taken by St. Croix EDC help improve the business climate of St. Croix County, allowing businesses, large and small, to grow and prosper.

For more information, contact William Rubin or Nita Dusek at (715) 690-2110.

Census Bureau: Urban, Rural, Country, Rock ’n Roll

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Census Bureau: Urban, Rural, Country, Rock ’n Roll

BY BILL RUBIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Star Wars has nothing to do with Donny and Marie Osmond and neither has anything to do with the U.S. Census Bureau. Until now, that is.

The opening crawl of the Star Wars film series begins, “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…..” For old timers, the late 1970s isn’t exactly ancient history and a variety show called Donny & Marie could have been the center of a TV galaxy for millions of viewers. The brother-sister act ruled Friday night television with comedy skits, celebrity spots, and of course, songs.

A reoccurring segment was the so-called Concert Spot. Marie insisted she was a little bit country by performing a country music song, and Donny, who was a little bit roll and roll, would sing a popular rock ’n roll tune. Oh those two kids. What did they grow up to be?

Meanwhile, the Census Bureau is the primary statistical agency for the U.S. government. The Bureau goes back to another galaxy far, far away when Thomas Jefferson ordered the first census count in 1790. The U.S. Constitution requires a census every ten years and the results determine the number of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives for each state along with the annual distribution of hundreds of billions of federal funds.

The results of the 2020 Census are now seeing the light of day. One topic is the classification of urban and rural areas. On one hand, Census said our nation’s urban population increased by 6.4 percent between 2010 and 2020. However, Census also announced it changed the way urban areas are defined.

Let’s set the stage. St. Croix and Pierce counties in Wisconsin are included in the federal definition of the 15-county Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MN-WI Metropolitan Area, a/k/a the Twin Cities Metro Area. Urban right? Tell that to the young lady on a $500,000 tractor in the middle of a few hundred acres of corn or beans or the operator of a five generation dairy farm and its 1,500 cows. Their perspectives are pretty rural. But to empty nesters wishing to be closer to grandchildren, St. Croix and Pierce may be ideal landing spots for urban qualities in small town settings. The Really Big Cities are across the St. Croix River in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Going back over 100 years, the Bureau used the threshold of 2,500 residents to define urban. As of late 2022, the revised definition is 5,000 residents. A community under 5,000 can still be classified as urban if it has at least 2,500 housing units.

Population in St. Croix’s Hudson, New Richmond, and River Falls are all above 5,000. They’re urban by virtue of both the Twin Cities Metro Area designation and their 2020 population estimates. Baldwin, with around 4,300 residents, was previously designated as urban, but is now rural. Ditto for Prescott (4,333) and Ellsworth (3,350) in Pierce County and Amery (2,962) and Osceola (2,765) in Polk County.

Confused? Don’t be. If you understand Star Wars and Donny & Marie, it’s possible to understand the Census Bureau. Urban or rural, Wisconsin’s St. Croix Valley has plenty of wide open spaces and metro amenities to enjoy.

November 2022 Unemployment Rate is 2.6%

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St. Croix County’s November 2022 Unemployment Rate is 2.6%

On December 21st, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) announced the preliminary November 2022 unemployment rates for Wisconsin’s 72 counties and the 35 cities with populations greater than 25,000 residents. St. Croix County’s November rate was estimated at 2.6%, which is the same as October’s final rate, but lower than September’s final rate of 2.9%. One year ago, the county’s unemployment rate was estimated at 2.1%.

DWD said preliminary unemployment rates from October to November declined or stayed the same in 57 of the 72 counties. Rates declined or stayed the same in eight of the 72 counties year-over-year. The current rates range from 2.2% in Dane to 4.8% in Menominee.

Preliminary unemployment rates from October to November decreased or stayed the same in all of Wisconsin’s 35 largest cities. Year-over-year, the rates declined or stayed the same in 11 cities. Rates ranged from 1.8% in Sun Prairie to 4.0% in Milwaukee.

The five counties with the lowest unemployment rates in November include Dane (2.0%), Calumet (2.1%), Green (also at 2.1%), Iowa (also at 2.1%), and Marathon (also at 2.1%). Menominee had the highest rate in November at 4.8%, followed by Iron (4.6%), Adams (4.5%), Forest (4.1%), and Bayfield (also at 4.1%).

St. Croix, Pierce, and Polk counties comprise Wisconsin’s Greater St. Croix Valley. In addition to St. Croix’s rate of 2.6%, November’s preliminary rate in Pierce was 2.7% and Polk’s rate was 3.3%.

St. Croix and Pierce counties are included in the 15-county Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MN-WI metro area. The November 2022 unemployment rate for the Twin Cities was estimated at 1.9%, which is higher than October’s final rate of 1.7% and the same as September’s final rate of 1.9%. The unemployment rate for the Twin Cities was 2.2% in November 2021.

Nearby Washington County in Minnesota reported a preliminary rate of 1.7% for November, while Dakota County, MN reported a rate of 1.8% and Chisago County MN had a rate of 2.2%.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate for Wisconsin in November was estimated at 3.3%, which is the same as October’s final rate, but higher than September’s higher final rate of 3.1%. One year ago, the state’s seasonally adjusted rate was 3.1%.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate in Minnesota for November was estimated at 2.3%, which is higher than October’s final rate of 2.1% and September’s final rate of 2.0%. Minnesota’s seasonally-adjusted rate one year ago was 3.1%.

The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) unemployment rate in the U.S. for November was estimated at 3.7%, which is the same as October’s final rate, but higher than September’s final rate of 3.5%. One year ago, the U.S. rate (seasonally adjusted) was estimated at 4.2%.

Wisconsin’s preliminary (seasonally adjusted) labor force participation rate for November was estimated at 64.9%, which is lower than October’s final rate of 65.3% and September’s final rate of 65.6%. One year ago, Wisconsin’s labor force participation rate was 66.4%. The preliminary (seasonally adjusted) labor force participation rate for the U.S. in November was estimated at 62.1%, which is lower than October’s final rate of 62.2% and September’s final rate of 62.3%. One year ago, the labor force participation rate in the U.S. was 61.9%.

November’s estimates are preliminary and are subject to revision within the next few weeks.