News briefs

New tool for understanding PFAS contamination in Wisconsin
BROWN COUNTY – Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), recently announced the launch of the PFAS Interactive Data Viewer, which is a new tool to understand how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are impacting Wisconsin’s lands and waters.

The PFAS Interactive Data Viewer is an interactive mapping tool that combines multiple types of data into one resource and shows where PFAS have been found in Wisconsin.

The announcement comes as the state recognized the 50th anniversary of the federal Clean Water Act Oct. 18 and earlier this week, Gov. Evers and the DNR announced the state will start collecting and disposing of at least 25,000 gallons of PFAS-containing firefighting foam waste from fire departments throughout Wisconsin.

“The more information we can gather about how PFAS are affecting communities and individuals across the state, the better we can work together to get resources out to folks in these impacted areas,” said Gov. Evers.

“With the unprecedented funding flowing into our state from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and with the investments we’ve been able to make at the state level, there are more resources than ever to help communities address these issues, including this new mapping tool, which contains incredibly valuable information to help advance our fight to address PFAS contamination in Wisconsin.”

PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals used for decades in numerous products, including non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers, stain-resistant sprays, and certain types of firefighting foam. These contaminants have made their way into the environment through spills of PFAS-containing chemicals, discharges of PFAS-containing wastewater to treatment plants, and certain types of firefighting foams.

Be Safe campaign highlights resources for victims of domestic violence
GREEN BAY – October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and on Tuesday, Oct. 18, community partners launched the Be Safe campaign, an initiative focused on reaching those dealing with domestic abuse to ensure they know local help is here and available.

“In the greater Green Bay area, we are creating a collective response to fighting domestic violence.

“The campaign provides victims with a quick way to connect to local resources to help them be safe,” said Renita Robinson, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion at Prevea Health.

The campaign promotes an easy to remember phone number 920-212-SAFE and website 920212SAFE.com that domestic abuse victims, as well as their family and friends, can use to connect with local help.

Those calls and messages will be answered 24/7 by the experienced staff at Golden House, Brown County’s comprehensive domestic violence shelter and support.

“We’ve learned that many victims of domestic abuse do not know where to turn for local help,” said Golden House Executive Director Cheeia Lo.

“We want all those dealing with domestic violence right now to know that we are here and we can help. All they need to do is reach out. We are here.”

The Be Safe campaign is truly a community initiative.

“There is power in partnerships,” said Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich. “For this campaign, nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies and local businesses are working together to raise awareness about the free, local help available for those affected by domestic violence.”

Brown County organizations joining the campaign as partners include Bellin Health, Prevea Health, Cellcom, the City of Green Bay, the Green Bay Police Department, Brown County and Golden House.

Everyone in the community is encouraged to follow the campaign on Facebook and Instagram and share the content so that more people can be reached.

Titletowntech invests In Stemloop

GREEN BAY – TitletownTech, a venture capital firm formed out of a partnership between the Green Bay Packers and Microsoft, is expanding its portfolio with its investment in Stemloop, a Chicago-based biosensor company developing novel technology for applications across environmental monitoring, biomanufacturing and human health.

The funds will enable Stemloop’s commercial launch of its first product, the µSense™ Lead-in-Water Test, and allow the team to make key investments for rapid manufacturing scale up, as well as key hires in R&D and business development.

Stemloop’s µSense™ Lead-in-Water Test repurposes biological mechanisms to create sensors that detect lead in drinking water.

The 30-minute test allows anyone to detect lead (>=5 ppb) in the comfort their own home without the delay of traditional laboratory testing.

“We’re delighted to announce our investment in Stemloop,” said TitletownTech Managing Director Jill Enos. “Stemloop’s cell-free biosensor technology has exciting applications across a variety of industries and reflects our commitment to finding innovative solutions to meaningful problems.”

Stemloop’s scientific co-founding team has published many peer-reviewed biosensor technology articles in top scientific journals, like Nature and ACS Synthetic Biology. Additionally, the team’s work has been featured by Scientific American, Axios, Forbes and the Daily Beast.

“We’re thrilled to receive this support from TitletownTech to continue expanding our operations,” said Stemloop Founder and CEO Khalid Alam.

“Information is at the heart of solving the lead-in-water crisis, and by delivering accurate information at scale, Stemloop’s product provides critical answers.

That’s what our biosensor platform is all about – utilizing nature’s sensing superpowers to respond to hard-to-detect challenges.”

Stemloop presented its µSense™ product at Chicago Water Week 2022 and is actively seeking additional commercial partners to pilot the test. For more information, please visit Stemloop.com/usense.
Test kits are not yet available to the general public.

Limestone, cement continue to lead the way for the Port of Green Bay
GREEN BAY – There were 190,083 tons of cargo shipped through the Port of Green Bay in September, bringing the total cargo shipments for the 2022 shipping season to 1.3 million tons.

Limestone and cement were again the top cargos moving through the Port in September with 72,453 tons of domestic limestone imported and 45,936 tons of cement imports.

At 1,303,956 tons shipped through the end of September, total cargo is down about 5% from a year ago.

“While we have dropped a bit behind the 2021 year-to-date tonnage total, we remain cautiously optimistic we will hit our annual target of 2 million tons,” said Dean Haen, Port of Green Bay Director.

“With 3-plus months remaining in the shipping season, continued imports of limestone, cement and coal, along with salt and petroleum products should get us close to our target.”

In addition to limestone and cement, September shipments included 35,986 tons of imported coal, 18,882 tons of petroleum products imports and 5,222 tons of petroleum products exports. The Port also saw the first deliveries of liquid asphalt (6,500 tons) and carbon anodes (5,104 tons) of the year in September.

Sixteen ships, including one Canadian vessel, moved through the Port in September. For the 2022 shipping season there have been 114 ship visits compared to 129 through September in 2021.

2022 Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference
GREEN BAY – The 2022 Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference (UMISC) biennial conference will be held at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay, WI, Oct. 25-27.

This year’s conference is a hybrid event with both in person and virtual participants. The conference will kick off with opening remarks from Secretary Preston Cole of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Amaad Rivera-Wagner, Green Bay Mayor’s Chief of Staff, and Maria Otto, Green Bay Conservation Corps Coordinator.

The three day conference features plenary sessions, topical sessions, posters, exhibits, workshops and field trips.

“Everything we have accomplished to address invasive species has been due to collaboration … facing the future and working together,” says Doug Jensen, UMISC Co-Chair and AIS Prevention Planner with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

“This program showcases interconnectedness and multidisciplinary efforts. It will expand our knowledge on the latest policy, research and outreach, and will inspire local, state and regional cooperation to improve invasive species management across the Upper Midwest and beyond.”

This conference provides opportunities to network with natural resource professionals, researchers, business representatives, land managers, nonprofits and land owners.

Visit UMISC.net for more information.

DMV reminds voters how to obtain ID
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) reminds voters how to obtain valid identification for voting ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm elections.

Valid identification includes a driver license, identification card, military or student ID card, etc.
There is no separate “voter ID.”

A federally compliant REAL ID card is not required for voting purposes.

Anyone unsure if their identification meets the requirements should visit the Wisconsin Elections Commission at bringit.wi.gov to check.

To obtain identification to show at the polls for voting, begin online.

A list of the required documents to bring to a DMV Customer Service Center is available at wisconsindmv.gov.

If the required documents needed for an ID are not readily available, DMV has a process, called the Voter ID Petition Process, to obtain the necessary information.

This process, available free of charge, may be used to quickly obtain a receipt valid to take to the polls for voting while the remaining documents or verifications are obtained.

Anyone with questions related to obtaining an ID to vote should call DMV’s toll-free Voter ID hotline at (844) 588-1069.

Questions regarding voter eligibility, poll locations, voter registration information or other election information can be directed to the Wisconsin Elections Commission at elections.wi.gov
Start your application now at wisconsindmv.gov or at a local DMV Customer Service Center.
To find a DMV, check hours, services and wait times, visit wisconsindmv.gov\centers.

Itagaki joins BayCare Clinic Radiology
GREEN BAY – Interventional radiologist Michael W. Itagaki, MD, is the newest member of the BayCare Clinic Radiology team.

Itagaki earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Urbana-Champaign, completed a residency in radiology at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, completed fellowship training in vascular and interventional radiology at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle and has more than a decade of experience at hospitals in Washington state and Hawaii.

Board certified in interventional radiology/diagnostic radiology by the American Board of Radiology, Itagaki practices at Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Green Bay.

Ajam to join Prevea
BROWN COUNTY – Dr. Yousaf Ajam, a board-certified neurologist, will join the neurological care team at Prevea in Green Bay, Oconto Falls and Sturgeon Bay.

A graduate of the Shifa College of Medicine, Ajam completed his training in neurology at University of Texas Medical Branch and completed his fellowship training in clinical neurophysiology at the New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Ajam specializes in comprehensive neurological care with a special focus in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology (EEG and neuro monitoring).

North Shore Bank reactivates free coin counting and exchange
BROWN COUNTY – North Shore Bank will offer free coin counting and exchange at all 43 of its branches through Oct. 31 in order to assist with coin circulation.

This announcement comes in response to a recent plea from the U.S. Coin Task Force, created in 2020, to address COVID-19 related disruptions to normal coin circulation, for the public to #GetCoinMoving during the month of October.

“While North Shore Bank hasn’t faced any disruptions, the national coin circulation interruptions continue and can be an issue that impacts local businesses and consumers as well. It’s our hope that those who previously didn’t take advantage of the free coin counting, or have accumulated more coin, will bring it in so that together, we can assist local businesses that rely on coin to operate,” Susan T. Doyle, senior vice president of retail banking at North Shore Bank, said.