(WisBusiness) THURS News Summary — 11 Sept. 2008

From WisBusiness.com …

— The vast majority of businesses in the city of Milwaukee are opposed to a binding Nov. 4 referendum that will require them to provide a minimum amount of paid sick leave, according to a new survey by QPS Companies Inc., a Brookfield-based staffing and recruiting firm.

See more from Milwaukee’s Small Business Times:

http://www.biztimes.com/daily/2008/9/10/#milwaukee-businesses-oppose-proposed-sick-leave-mandate

— An Assembly committee’s vote to object to a DATCP rule putting a cap on price increases of consumer goods during times of emergency has the department secretary firing back.

The GOP-run Assembly Judiciary and Ethics Committee voted on a party-line 6-4 vote to object to the rule, which caps at 15 percent the amount goods like gasoline can be increased following an emergency. The rule was passed in 2006 with bipartisan support.

“Legislators who voted to reject DATCP’s price gouging rule are seeking to gut the very consumer protection law many lawmakers celebrated just two years ago,” Gov. Jim Doyle’s DATCP secretary, Rod Nilsestuen, said in a press release. “DATCP will not agree to gut what was once celebrated as such an important consumer protection measure.”

Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford, the chairman of the committee, said changes to the rule requested months ago went unheeded by DATCP. He said the regulations “go too far and need to be changed in order to help small businesses and protect consumers.”

— Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce gave 32 lawmakers — all Republicans — a perfect score on its 2007-08 legislative scorecard.

See the release:

http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=135568

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Press Releases
· Alliant Energy: ‘New economy’ rally calls for support of new flexible fuels plant, jobs and affordable electricity
· Citizen Action of Wisconsin: Primary results show continued momentum for health care reform
· Clean Wisconsin: Hires senior DNR official to lead environmental programs
· Dept. of Agricutlure, Trade and Consumer Protection: Statement re: Assembly Committee’s vote to reject rule to protect consumers from price gouging
· Dept. of Workforce Development Sec. Gassman: Wisconsin’s Model Apprenticeship Program key to meeting utility workforce needs, growing economy
· ept. of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection: Appoints 30 to newly formed Ag education and workforce development council
· Gov. Doyle: Proclaims October as “Co-op Month”
· Harris Bank: Completes integration of Ozaukee Bank and Merchants and Manufacturers Bankcorporation
· Nerites Corporation: Awarded Phase II SBIR Grant for Anti-Fouling Coatings
· Teamsters and Waste Management Conclude Bargaining Session for the Day
· Trane President Speaks to UW-Madison Faculty and Students on Green Building

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


TOP STORIES
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Oshkosh Corp. wins Army contract: The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command has awarded an $82.6 million contract to Oshkosh Corp. to rebuild 292 Heavy Equipment Mobility Tactical Truck A4s, or HEMTT A4s.
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/OSH03/809110397/1128&located=RSS

Report: MillerCoors close to Chicago HQ deal: MillerCoors LLC is close to signing a lease that would locate its headquarters on a prime piece of real estate in downtown Chicago, according to the Crain’s Chicago Business Web site. MillerCoors announced to The Business Journal in July that it would place the headquarters for the merged operations of Milwaukee-based Miller Brewing Co. and Golden, Colo.-based Coors Brewing Co. in Chicago, a neutral site. At the time, MillerCoors president Tom Long said the beer company would seek a downtown location, but a decision on a final site had yet to be made.
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/08/daily26.html

Lawmakers urge NewPage to sell Kimberly paper mill: group of Washington lawmakers is putting pressure on NewPage to sell its paper mill in Kimberly in order to keep the facility in operation. U.S. Reps. Tom Petri, R-Fond du Lac, and Steve Kagen, D-Appleton, along with U.S. Sens. Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl, sent a letter Friday requesting to meet with John Snow, chairman of Cerberus Capital Management, the company that owns NewPage. “By all accounts, the mill in Kimberly is a top facility with a good labor force and relatively new capital equipment,” they wrote.
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/WRT03/809110530/1844

Midwest Airlines lays off another 186: Midwest Airlines, the Milwaukee-based regional carrier that slashed almost 1,200 jobs from its workforce in July, will lay off another 186 employees in November at its hub base at General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee. The notice of the layoff was announced Tuesday by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/304228

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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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ECONOMY (back to top)
– Doyle plans to announce projects in Manitowoc
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/GPG03/809110583/1247

– Economic downturn stalling commercial, housing projects
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/08/story10.html?b=1220846400^1695682

MANUFACTURING (back to top)
– Wausau granite honors 9/11 victims in California
http://www.stevenspointjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/SPJ0101/809110603/1657&located=RSS

– Kagen, Petri to testify for papermakers
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/GPG0101/809110542/1207&located=RSS

– Big cuts, closure in paper industry; Little state impact seen from Europe firms’ changes
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/APC03/809110496/1028

– Worker shortage concerns manufacturers’ alliance
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/GPG03/809110582/1247

– Spending bill contains funds for Oshkosh Corp.
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/GPG03/809110579/1247

– Strategy led Kimberly-Clark’s success
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/APC03/809110490/1028

– JohnsonDiversey to invest $19 million to reduce emissions
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=793513

LABOR (back to top)
– Shifting Gears: A new type of building plan; Former construction worker makes a go of insurance
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/APC03/809110481/1028

– Teamsters, Waste Management still in talks; strike continues
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/08/daily24.html

SMALL BUSINESS (back to top)
– Longtime Winchester restaurant up for sale
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/OSH0101/809110396/1128&located=RSS

– Patent process pretty pricey
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/304371

REAL ESTATE (back to top)
– Bellin College of Nursing digs new Bellevue location
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/GPG0101/809110549/1207&located=RSS

– Brown County rethinking Packers field deal
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/GPG0101/809110555/1207&located=RSS

– JohnsonDiversey unit moving warehouse to Watertown
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/08/daily25.html

– Metro Milwaukee home sales continue to drop
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=793558

– Whitefish Bay condo proposal revised
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=793529

AGRIBUSINESS (back to top)
– Cheese-maker Sartori steps up recruitment efforts
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=793530

RETAIL (back to top)
– Dunkin’ Donuts wants back in Madison
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/304348

REGULATION (back to top)
РUnitedHealth’s McGuire to pay $30M to settle class-action suit
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/08/daily27.html

TOURISM (back to top)
– Study: Wisconsin one of America’s friendliest states
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/APC0101/809110497/1979/MNH03

UTILITIES (back to top)
– Power plant proposal wins coalition backing
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=793528

HEALTH CARE (back to top)
– Health care fix a joint effort
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/APC0101/809110495/1979/FON03

FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top)
– Baird bolstering ranks from other brokerages
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/08/story11.html?b=1220846400^1695691

– Harris Bank puts finishing touches on Wisconsin acquisitions
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=793557

BUSINESS COLUMNS (back to top)
– Editorial: Downsize failed mortgage giants
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/opinion/304340

Media Partners
—Channel3000
—Small Business Times
—Madison Magazine
—BusinessWeek

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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