(WisBusiness) FRI News Summary — 29 Aug. 2008

From WisBusiness.com …

— There’s nothing like a winning season to pump up ticket sales.

The Milwaukee Brewers have sold 3 million ducats in 2008 — a milestone for the pennant-contending team — and another month remains before the playoffs. The previous ticket record, set last season, was 2.9 million.

The Brewers have sold out 21 consecutive home games and have 37 sellouts on the season overall. Both marks are all-time highs for the franchise. Through 65 home games, the team’s average attendance is 37,994, which ranks 9th best in all of Major League Baseball.

Brewers Executive Vice President Rick Schlesinger called the 3 million mark “an incredible number.”

See the release:
http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=134599

— A judge has awarded Sawyer County cranberry grower William Zawistowski $549,000 to pay his legal expenses fighting a suit by neighbors who objected to his farming practices and challenged the state’s Right to Farm law.

The Wisconsin Farm Bureau praised the jurist’s decision, which ends a long court battle. Earlier, a judge ruled that Zawistowski’s farming operation was not a nuisance.

Bill Bruins, president of the group, said “We could not be happier with how today’s award closed the book on a drawn-out and unnecessary legal attack on a Wisconsin farmer and protects our right to farm. This is certainly a great day for Wisconsin agriculture… and sends a loud and clear message that law-abiding Wisconsin farmers have protection from frivolous lawsuits under our state’s Right to Farm Law.

“This law continues to be vital to maintaining our state’s vibrant $51 billion agriculture industry,” he added.

See release: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=134615

— In case Milwaukee residents hadn’t noticed — or heard — Harley-Davidson Inc.’s 105th Anniversary Celebration is in full throttle, with thousands of bikers rumbling into the area from across the globe.

More than 100,000 people are expected to attend the festivities, which include a parade, several block parties, a festival at the Henry W. Maier Festival Grounds and several other celebrations.

The festivities will be capped off Saturday night with a concert by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band at the lakefront.

See story: http://www.biztimes.com/daily/2008/8/28/#harley-party-kicks-into-gear

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WISBUSINESS LUNCHEON: Georges Rioux, Canadian Consul General to Chicago
Monday, September 8, 11:45 am, The Madison Club

WisBusiness.com, The Madison Club and Madison Magazine present “The Madison Business Luncheon” on Monday, September 8, with featured guest Georges Rioux Canadian Consul General to Chicago.

Learn more about the Canadian Consulate General in Chicago: http://geo.international.gc.ca/can-am/chicago/menu-en.asp

This event is open to the public, and the price for lunch is $19. Call the Madison Club to register at (608) 255-4861. The luncheon starts at 11:45 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m.

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Press Releases
Brewers break 3 million mark
Fiserv MyMoney Banking Application Built on Facebook Platform Wins
Jefferson Wells Acquires The Gelber Organization
MedPro Installs 1000th Ultrasound System Worldwide
Metavante Charts Course to Prevent Fraud
UW-Whitewater is strong, campus on the move
Wisconsin Task Force on Arts and Creativity in Education Seeks Public Input at Forum in Madison

For these and more releases visit http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Content=82


TOP STORIES
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Joy Global buys Chinese mining equipment manufacturer: Mining equipment maker Joy Global Inc. is buying a Chinese company for $22 million. Joy said its subsidiary, China Mining Machinery, is acquiring all outstanding shares of Wuxi Shengda, which employs about 450 in its facility in Wuxi, China. The deal is expected to close during the fourth quarter of the year, subject to regulatory approvals, Joy said. “The acquisition of Wuxi Shengda provides us with a foothold in the China market for domestic equipment and will allow us to better serve that country’s local and regional mining industry,” Mike Sutherlin, Joy president and CEO, said in a statement. In May, Milwaukee-based Joy Global raised its 2008 earnings forecast as demand for mining equipment continues at high levels.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=788700

Brewers top 3 million in ticket sales: Baseball fans are filling Miller Park in record numbers this season. The Milwaukee Brewers said Thursday the team has reached the 3 million mark in total tickets sold for the season. The Brewers have sold out 21 consecutive home games so far, and have 37 sellouts for the season overall, both all-time highs for the club. Through 65 home games, the Brewers average attendance is 37,994. That ranks ninth-best in all of Major League Baseball. The Brewers previous high for home attendance in one season was set last year at 2,869,144.
http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2008/08/29/wi/11wis.txt

Strike isn’t trashing Harley bash: Teamsters admit timing of action was intentional … As thousands of Harley-Davidson motorcycles roared into Milwaukee, Waste Management customers hosting and serving the hordes Thursday expressed only muffled rumblings. Hotel and tavern managers reported their garbage disposal remained under control as a strike against the waste hauler by Teamsters Local 200 continued through its third day. Area retailers and hospitals reported the same, while municipalities warned their residents that residential garbage and recycling pickups would be delayed by the strike, launched by about 240 Waste Management drivers on Tuesday.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=788702

Train travel spikes in state: High demand could help spur service expansion to Fox Valley … Wisconsinites are jumping on trains at record-shattering highs — and that demand could help the state expand train service into the Fox Valley. Two Amtrak trains now run through Wisconsin. The popular Hiawatha track, which takes passengers between Chicago and Milwaukee, scored 607,000 rides in the last 10 months. That’s up 24.2 percent from the year before. The state also reported an all-time monthly record passenger count on that track in July, with 78,644 rides. That is a 37.6 percent increase over the same month last year. “The public is clamoring for this kind of thing. We have got extremely strong demand for our service,” said Randy Wade, passenger rail manager for the state Department of Transportation.
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080829/APC0101/808290514/1003/APC01

Cranberry producer awarded funds back after legal battle: There’s one state cranberry grower who’s expecting a lot more than just a good harvest this year. On Thursday, Bayfield County Circuit Court Judge John Anderson awarded $549,000 to be paid back to William Zawistowski–the Sawyer County farmer who was unsuccessfully sued by a group of local property owners for allegedly releasing phosphorus from the application of fertilizer into Musky Bay, which flows into the Lac Courte Oreilles. The issue all started back in 2004 when former Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager filed charges against Zawistowski on behalf of 15 out-of-state property owners. The case was shot down by a local judge. Then two years later, an appeals court judge also determined that ‘the pollution hasn’t reached the point of being a public nuisance.’
http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=1053&yr=2008

Business development group wins $1M grant: The Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation announced Thursday that it was awarded $1.1 million by the U.S. Department of the Treasury Community Development Financial Institutions. More than $205 million was requested by 225 organizations for the 2008 round of funding. In a competitive review process, only $54.2 million was awarded to 44 organizations. WWBIC was one of three organizations nationwide to receive the top award of $1.1 million. Wendy Baumann, WWBIC president, said the organization will use the award to capitalize its revolving loan fund, build capacity, strengthen staff, and expand programs. WWBIC, established in 1989, is an economic development corporation providing business education and access to capital for entrepreneurs.
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/08/25/daily40.html?surround=lfn

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WISBUSINESS FEATURED COLUMNISTS

– GREGG HOFFMANN: Contributor, WisBusiness.com

– TOM STILL: President, Wisconsin Technology Council

– JENNIFER SERENO: Senior manager, Wood Communications Group

– STEVE JAGLER: Executive editor, Small Business Times

– TOM BURZINSKI: IT executive and consultant
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TECHNOLOGY (back to top)
– Apple fans overlook flaws
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/302608

BIOTECH (back to top)
– UW researcher makes hearing loss breakthrough
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/302594

ECONOMY (back to top)
– County poverty rate rose in 2007
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/302615

– Economy is still struggling
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/302609

– Milwaukee groups get Treasury funding
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=788701

MANUFACTURING (back to top)
– USS Freedom to be delivered
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080829/GPG03/808290655/1247

LABOR (back to top)
– Cedarburg, Grafton garbage collectors on strike
http://www.gmtoday.com/news/local_stories/2008/Aug_08/08282008_11.asp

– July incomes drop by largest amount in 3 years
http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/ECONOMY?SITE=WIMAD&SECTION=HOME

– Union leader knows the mill
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080828/APC03/808280484/1028

– Economy, desire to work keeping many in their jobs longer
http://www.gmtoday.com/news/business/front/bizfeature.asp

SMALL BUSINESS (back to top)
– Kenworth goes green with revamped trucks
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080829/GPG03/808290652/1247

INVESTING (back to top)
– Stock futures fall after personal spending data
http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WALL_STREET?SITE=WIMAD&SECTION=HOME

– Oil rises on fears Gustav will hit Gulf
http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OIL_PRICES?SITE=WIMAD&SECTION=HOME

– Harley rumble ‘rings’ NYSE closing bell
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/08/25/daily36.html?surround=lfn

REAL ESTATE (back to top)
– Slow home sales create opportunity for new property managers
http://www.gmtoday.com/news/local_stories/2008/Aug_08/08282008_10.asp

– La Crosse County among state’s lowest in property value growth
http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2008/08/29/news/z01alead.txt

– City stands firm in foreclosure case
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=788744

– Homes are casualties of I-94 reconstruction
http://www.dailyreporter.com/item.cfm?recid=20049417&snippet=t&forward=%2Fitem%2Ecfm%3Frecid%3D20049417%26snippet%3Df

AGRIBUSINESS (back to top)
– Prices Down on NASS Cheese Survey
http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=1056&yr=2008

TRANSPORTATION (back to top)
– Metro plans service, route changes
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/302657

– Airport adds low-fare tracking feature
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/302555

RETAIL (back to top)
– 88 companies involved in ‘green Bucky Book’
http://www.madison.com/tct/77square/city/302633

– Wireless provider to enter Wisconsin market
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/302553

– Famous Footwear HQ exit from Madison hits Brown Shoe earnings
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/302530

REGULATION (back to top)
– Slow construction may limit taxes
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=788748

TOURISM (back to top)
– Business execs join crowd at Harley celebration
http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2008/08/29/wi/04wis.txt

– This weekend is last big splash at pool, beaches
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/302543

UTILITIES (back to top)
– Town balks at sharing wind revenue
http://www.dailyreporter.com/item.cfm?recid=20049427&snippet=t&forward=%2Fitem%2Ecfm%3Frecid%3D20049427%26snippet%3Df

– Stormwater projects aim to fix Arboretum runoff woes
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/302522

HEALTH CARE (back to top)
– Health care question going on Altoona ballot
http://www.leadertelegram.com/story-news_local.asp?id=BHK5LCA7F5F

– Arndt joins Bellin Health
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080829/GPG03/808290656/1247

FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top)
– U.S. judge to rule in dispute over bankruptcy
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080829/GPG0101/808290685/1207/GPG01

– NWTC tries to ease pinch in grants
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080829/GPG0101/808290691/1207/GPG01

– Jefferson Wells acquires tax consulting firm
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/08/25/daily34.html?surround=lfn

– Accounting company seeks name change
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080829/APC03/808290518/1028

– Feds allege bank fraud scheme via yacht deals
http://www.gmtoday.com/news/front/topstory02.asp

MANAGEMENT (back to top)
– A time to give: Union leader issues a call
http://www.gazettextra.com/news/2008/aug/28/time-give-union-leader-issues-call/

– Senior execs buy Trans-Coil
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=788699

– Marquette to name office building after Zilbers
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/08/25/daily38.html?surround=lfn

BUSINESS COLUMNS (back to top)
– Tom Still: State must keep pace with work needs
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080826/GPG0706/808260552/1269/GPG06

Media Partners
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National Business Roundups ( back to top)
–YAHOO FINANCE: http://finance.yahoo.com/
–CNBC BUSINESS NEWS: http://www.cnbc.com
–ABC BUSINESS NEWS: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/business/
–GOOGLE NEWS: http://news.google.com/news/en/us/business.html

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