🌱 Patch AM: How one Appleton refugee family built six thriving Fox Valley restaurants

Morning Appleton! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• How one Appleton refugee family built six thriving Fox Valley restaurants
• Need after-hours care for your kids in Appleton now?
• How does Appleton’s gas price stack up against other Wisconsin cities?

Today's riddle: How many sheep does it take to make a sweater? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Saturday: Cloudy, with a high of 37 and low of 35 degrees.
• Sunday: Rain, then snow late, temps: high: 38, low: 19. ⛄️ Brr!
• Monday: Windy; snow, 1-2", with a high of 24 and low of 5 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Spectrum News 1 Wisconsin reporters share their favorite 2025 stories (spectrumnews1.com) — One standout story for Appleton readers follows Yee Vue, who arrived in Appleton as a 4-year-old refugee and now helps run six Fox Valley restaurants rooted in her family’s cooking traditions. The broader roundup highlights uplifting and hard-hitting 2025 stories from across Wisconsin, from community heroes and youth programs to technology on farms and the NFL Draft in Green Bay.
   

2. Patients in Green Bay, Appleton got new options in 2025, with more on the way (greenbaypressgazette.com) — Families in Appleton now have a new pediatric urgent care option at Children’s Wisconsin’s clinic on Evergreen Drive, open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The piece also highlights new mental health and orthopedic walk-in services plus a planned rehab hospital in the broader Green Bay–Fox Valley region.
   

3. How gas prices have changed in Wisconsin in the last week (gazettextra.com) — Appleton drivers are currently paying about $2.50 per gallon for regular gas, among the higher metro prices in Wisconsin this week. A statewide dip has brought the average to $2.45, well below last year’s prices and far from 2022’s record highs.
   

4. Wisconsin housing assistance organizations receive $2 million in grants (fox11online.com) — Appleton organizations are sharing in $2 million in statewide housing-assistance grants, including funds for the Outagamie County Housing Authority’s parking lot work and Pillars’ replacement of 23 aging water heaters. The broader program supports dozens of shelters and housing groups across Wisconsin serving vulnerable residents.
   

📸 Around Appleton

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📣 Appleton Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Sunday December 28

• Hockey: Boys JV Tournament
  Champion Center , Grand Chute, WI
• Hockey: Boys Varsity Tournament
  Champion Center , Grand Chute, WI
• Grounded and Resilient: Moving Meditation in Nature
  1000 Islands Environmental Center , 1000 Beaulieu Ct , Kaukauna
  9:00 am

Monday December 29

• Basketball: Girls Varsity Game
  Just A Game Field House - Wisconsin Dells, WI
• Wrestling: Boys Varsity Invitational
  University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
  9:30 am

Tuesday December 30

• Basketball: Boys Varsity Invitational
  Concordia University , Mequon
  9:00 am

Wednesday December 31

• The Prince Experience: Waverly Beach New Years Eve
  Waverly Beach Bar & Grille , N8770 Fire Lane 1 , Menasha
  7:00 pm

Saturday January 24

• USA Powerlifting Wisconsin Warrior
  3003 W Prospect Ave , Appleton
  2:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Appleton PatchAM possible:

• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Did anyone happen to see the man & his little dog on the corner of E Calumet st by Walmart Christmas Eve day.
  I was working & couldn’t stop. I was wondering if anyone knows anything about him. If he’s unhoused or just panhandling? (Nextdoor W Pine St)
• Hi ~ I am looking for a caregiver for a 40 year old female with CP!
  START IMMEDIATLY! Please do not reach out if you are not reliable ( don't have transportation, are unable to start at 7a, or just going to start and… (Nextdoor Pacific/Winona Way)

• Taco Bell posted a job opening for Assistant Manager WI in Appleton. Apply here.
• O'Reilly Auto Parts posted a job opening for Merchandiser/Stocker - Hub in Appleton. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Appleton here.

Ok Appleton! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I have no idea. I didn’t even know sheep could knit.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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