FROM PAGE 3 we need to change is that people are going from Eau Claire east,” Walker said of travel patterns, though he said Stanley had seen some ‘residue” from housing developments in Chippewa Falls.

Additionally, the Chippewa Valley had lost out on a pet food supplier “to Iowa,” while the Canadian National railroad had Walker and his office working on a supply chain analysis of potential future customers and volume before the railway operator would commit to another rail spur. Said analysis is still in process, Walker said.

“We’re working with the railroad and also trying to get Stanley Industrial Park up to par,” he said, saying that attendees “would be hearing some more about that later.” As to contemporary news, Walker said that a lot of businesses in the Chippewa Valley change hands as mom and pop entrepreneurs had gone on to be bought by equity or venture groups, with outside management. “You’re going to see some more change hands on that,” he said. Large meat processors forced to change their model as COVID outbreaks had shut down plants had resulted in demand for small meat processors and new businesses being started.

“We’re very busy with revolving loan funds, he said. That wasn’t all, however. “The last thing is, we’re going forward with HATCH,” Walker said after the program was postponed leading to local entrepreneurship suffering. “If you’re not familiar with Hatch its our Shark Tank to pitch business ideas in front of investors,” he said of the program to be brought back in May. Walker then went on to offer three examples to counter the sentiment that hatches didn’t happen locally.

As one example, Walker gave the example of someone who had wanted to improve dry food packaging and whose products were reportedly at Target (though without naming the person). A second example that Walker gave of a local entrepreneurial ‘Hatch’ was Smart Care, which he said was “booming” in the wake of COVID. The last and final example given was a Unicycle business. Following Walker’s update was the news that the Miss Stanley contest will tentatively kick off in April, with Darla Ziwisky and Nikki Prahl running the contest, with applications to be available at the Stanley-Boyd High School office. Olivia Hoel has served in the role for two years after the contest was not held last summer. So what about the Stanley Rodeo and such?

“If we have to be socially distanced, then the rodeo probably won’t happen,” Chamber representative Jaimie Keeku made known, “because we need those stands packed.” Louie Eslinger as the theater representative said that he had talked to Chippewa County Health Officer Angela Weideman and that it looked like summer activities were a go—it was just a matter of how to do them safely. He would be consulting again with Weideman on Friday, he said. At this point in the meeting Koenig spoke up and shared that the school had been working with the health department, for which presenting a plan gave the best chance of getting approved. Just going to the health department and asking, sans a plan, was likely to result in ‘no,’ Koenig said. But of basketball?

“No one’s asked me about the alumni basketball tournament,” the district superintendent for Stanley-Boyd reported last Thursday. Alex Zamarripa of IGA brought up the sign on its property, which though not made by IGA was on their building, peeling and split as to the mural. The owners of IGA had asked him about it recently, he said. “That’s our handshake coming into town,” Zamarripa shared, while Koenig said the school (from which art students painted said mural) didn’t want a contest to replace it – just an idea.

“We’d prefer not,” he said of running a design contest for a new mural to replace what time and nature had let decay. The Easter Egg Hunt was touched on, while Andrea Hazard of Forward Financial said the bank was still processing PPP loans. Those who know someone in need, should send them Forward’s way she said. Last but not least, Debbie’s on Broadway also came in for brief mention.

“They wouldn’t have to ship it,” Mayor Haas said of the beef supply for Debbie’s, as the Derks family is involved in dairy beef and could supply the needed meat cuts. Stay tuned for a Courtesy update as the local car dealership continues to progress toward opening.