The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on western Wisconsin businesses and non-profits, and community response to those challenges, will be the primary topics of discussion on “The West Side” at 10 a.m. Friday (May 1).
The Wisconsin Public Radio program will also feature an update from reporter Elizabeth Dohms-Harter on the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic in western Wisconsin. It can be heard on The Ideas Network stations of WPR: 88.3 WHWC-FM/ Menomonie-Eau Claire and 88.7 WRFW-FM/ River Falls.
Program host Dean Kallenbach will be joined by David Minor, president of the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce, which is taking a leadership role in a new Chippewa Valley Economic Recovery Task Force; and Kerry Kincaid, spokesperson for Together Chippewa Valley, a new coalition of non-profits formed to address community needs.
Also joining the discussion will be Elaine Coughlin, community manager for CoLab, a co-working space in downtown Eau Claire. CoLab will house its first group of six new startup businesses, operating under WiSysVentureHome-Eau Claire, a new startup hub that combines statewide resources with community initiatives to help local entrepreneurs.
Friday’s program will also include an interview with Sue Bornick, executive director of the Eau Claire Community Foundation, and Karen Hebert, interim executive director of United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley. The two organizations teamed up to create the COVID-19 Quick Response Community Fund, which has provided grants to local non-profits in the past few weeks.
“The West Side” is broadcast each Friday on the two stations of The Ideas Network and via an online live stream at wrfw887.com/listen-live.html. Listeners may call in at (800) 228-5615 with questions and comments during the program.
Archives of “The West Side” are available at wpr.org/programs/west-side.