Forward Janesville - TheReport - First Quarter 2018

10 • W W W . F O R W A R D J A N E S V I L L E . C O M 44. Moody’s, as well as Standard & Poor’s, have consistently assigned strong bond ratings to Rock County’s fiscal health and related management systems. The City of Janesville has a AA S&P rating for capacity to meet financial obligations and Moody’s Bond Rating for Rock County is Aa1. 45. We’re growing. The Janesville population is approximately 63,600 at present. 46. Rock County is located within 500 miles of one-third of all manufacturing operations within the U.S., and is served by three railroads: Union Pacific Railroad, Wisconsin & Southern and the Canadian Pacific Railway. 47. Need local air transport? Janesville’s Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport (KJVL) has been providing supply chain solutions to companies of all sizes for over 60 years. The airport provides air cargo, corporate aviation, and charter services at costs far below those found at larger commercial airports. 48. History buffs with a penchant for architecture have it good here. More than 20% of Wisconsin’s buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places are located in Rock County. 49. Average student-teacher ratios in Janesville (14.2) and Beloit (15.1) are lower than the national average . 50. Residential market activity in Rock County continued a three-year upward growth trend , with record setting price points recorded in 2017. 51. The cost of living in Janesville is exceptionally reasonable. The media sales price of a home in Madison is $264,000, whereas in Janesville it is $140,000. 52. You can also shop more. The Rock County sales tax rate is 5.5 percent as compared to the Chicago rate of 10.25 percent. 53. May as well save on gas, too. When average price per gallon is $2.977 in Chicago, Janesville clocks in at just $2.453 per gallon . 54. Get out of town for the evening and be back in time to get a great sleep, with Madison and Rockford less than 45 minutes away (and Milwaukee and Chicago just 1:20 and 1:54 minutes out, respectively). 55. The newly refreshed CAMDEN Playground is the largest accessible/integrated playground in the world . 56. Rock County has one of the highest per capita amount of green space in the state , with 26 parks that offer access to seven different bodies of water. 57. Downtown Janesville events just keep on growing. From weekly farmers’ markets and monthly On Top of Downtown events to an annual masquerade ball and the Jolly Jingle, 2018 is filled with opportunities for fun. Visit downtownjanesville.com to learn more. 58. Janesville’s second largest park, the 164- acre Palmer Park , just added a kid-friendly zip line in addition to the ever-popular wading pool. You can pick up the Ice Age Trail there, too, or exercise your pet in the special pet area at the edge of the park. 59. Beat the summer heat at the new Riverside Park splash pad, featuring ground sprays, group play stations and user-activated features that shoot out water in varied four-minute sequences. 60. This summer, Janesville residents may be the first in Wisconsin to enjoy an outdoor fitness court downtown, at the intersection of Court and River Streets, across from the new town square. The project would be funded by the city ($60,000), SSM Health ($40,000) and the National Fitness Campaign ($10,000). Watch for more details soon. 61. Always an icon of modern design and a remarkable resource for residents, the award-winning Hedberg Public Library keeps getting better. It recently launched a new online system and is the the throes of a significant fundraising campaign to fund additional improvements. 62. Celebrate the new industries calling Janesville home. Companies in med tech, distribution and logistics, metal fabrication, food processing and health care have relocated to or expanded in Janesville since 2010. 63. Get your summer fix of cream puffs and cheese curds—and see some darn cute animals and remarkable student projects—at the Rock County 4-H Fair in Janesville. The oldest all-youth 4-H fair in the United States , this year’s event will be held July 24-29, 2018. 64. UW-Rock County will merge with UW-Whitewater this summer , allowing students working on degrees at UW-Rock County to earn diplomas from UW-Whitewater. This move is part of the UW System’s restructuring plan, which calls for four-year campuses to absorb two-year campuses. UW-Rock County will remain at its current location, but its students and staff will become part of UW-Whitewater following the merger. 65. Blackhawk Technical College is one of three local university options with outstanding programs. For example, did you know Blackhawk Technical College (BTC) nursing students are the best in the state? According to the Wisconsin State Board of Nursing, BTC nursing students scored a 95.7 percent on the most recent National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The score was the best in Wisconsin outranking notables such as Milwaukee Area Technical College, Fox Valley Technical College, University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh and Carroll University. 66. As always, Bessie the Cow continues to happily greet visitors exiting I-90 at Highway 26 on Janesville’s Northeast side , inspiring selfies and smiles. 67. The Ice Age Trail runs through Janesville, o ffering some of its most interesting terrain, including Devil’s Staircase . The Devil's Staircase segment of the Ice Age Trail travels along and up the side of the bluffs by the Rock River in Riverside Park. This mile and a half segment of the trail blanketed by native wildflowers in the spring is for foot travel only and is family friendly. Pets are welcome on the trails from September 16 through May 14. 68. Cycle to your heart’s content. The Rock County Bikeway offers more than 200 miles of paved county roads. 69. Fancy a pint? Now you can tour Gray’s Brewing Company or taste some local brew at Rock County Brewing Co. 70. Not a fan of lager? No need to whine … red, white or rose, Rock County offers at least five local wineries to suit just about any palette. 71. Today’s employer landscape is far more diversifie d, with 36 percent in metal fabrication, 27 percent in logistics, 18 percent in information technology, 9 percent in the food industry and the remaining 9 percent in a variety of other sectors.