Hayward, Wis. — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin announced Tuesday businesses across northern Wisconsin may be eligible for federal disaster loans due to the mild winter weather.

Joel Harrison, partial owner of the New Moon Ski and Bike Shop in Hayward, said he knows several businesses in the resort town are feeling the economic blow from the lack of snow.

“I can’t imagine that there’s businesses that will survive without some kind of support,” said Harrison. Harrison said his business is down 60% so far this year. “We have, at least as cross-country skiers, we can get by with a small deck of manmade snow,” said Harrison. “You can tell our shops really quiet when it shut down and it’s really busy when that track is open. That’s what we’ve been living on this year.”

[Adapted from: Wisconsin business has positive outlook after federal loan announcement, Feb. 20, 2024, The Star News Today]