(WisBusiness) WED News Summary — 19 Nov. 2008

From WisBusiness.com …

— State business leaders said that the state needs to stay on the offensive economically, preserve education funding, and find ways to reinvigorate lagging infrastructure projects to deal with the current economic downturn.

They also used a Tuesday forum on the economy to hint at a state stimulus plan piggybacking on a likely national stimulus, adding that should include expansion of a recommended the expansion of Act 255, a program that gives tax breaks to angel investments.

The state’s new Commerce secretary, Dick Leinenkugel, said the worst things to do during a recession would be to devastate education and forget about the importance of manufacturing to the state’s economy.

“We must continue to maintain investment in education, and can’t slip up in tough times,” said Leinenkugel, urging state businesses to approach state technical colleges. “We have a strong relationship between manufacturing and our state tech colleges, and they’re responsive to moving forward with the business world.”

Read WisBusiness coverage of the forum:

http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=141854

Listen to audio from the forum:

http://blogs.wispolitics.com/multimedia/audio/2008/11/081118EconPanel.mp3

The forum, which was moderated by Marquette Law School’s Mike Gousha, was presented by WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com in cooperation with Competitive Wisconsin, MMAC and Discovery World. Event sponsors included Quarles & Brady, the Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Marquette University Law School and We Energies.

— Miniature Precision Components has filed notice with the state about 94 permanent layoffs in Prairie du Chien coming in January.

See its announcement:

http://www.wisbusiness.com/1008/081118MPC.pdf

— The head of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities is urging state leaders to consider increasing financial aid for college students as part of a stimulus package.

“I want to repeat, WAICU urges that all Wisconsin students with demonstrated need be included in the stimulus package, regardless of whether they attend a UW campus, a Wisconsin private college, or a Wisconsin technical college,” wrote President Rolf Wegenke, whose group represents 20 schools.

Read the letter:

http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/081118_WAICU_letter.pdf

— Existing home sales in Wisconsin fell 16.7 percent in the third quarter compared to the same period a year ago, while median prices fell 5.3 percent to $160,000 during the three-month period, the Wisconsin Realtors Association announced.

See more:

http://www.wra.org/online_pubs/press_releases/2008/pr1118_hsgstats.html

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Press Releases
· AT&T: AT&T, Junior Achievement launch job shadow initiative in Madison area to help prepare students for the world of work
· Avalon Portfolio: Urges TomoTherapy to consider strategic alternatives, including a possible sale
· Dairy Business Association: Raises concerns over DNR policy change for commercial dairy approval process
· Knupp & Watson: Chosen by Einstein Wireless as agency of record
· RedPrairie: Sephora goes live with RedPrairie Warehouse Management System (WMS) in Utah distribution center
· U.S. Rep. Kagen: No taxpayer money for Chrysler until Wisconsin paper mills are up and running
· WPRI: Poll: Wisconsin residents are heavily invested in the stock market

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


TOP STORIES
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Oshkosh Corp. to build first China facility: Oshkosh Corp. broke ground Monday for a new manufacturing facility in Tianjin, China, to produce JLG access equipment for the Asian market. The company presently manufactures in 11 countries. In March, it opened a corporate office in Shanghai to set the stage for manufacturing the aerial work platform equipment in the country.
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20081119/APC03/811190482/1028

Wisconsin 3Q home sales, prices decline: Existing home sales in Wisconsin fell 16.7 percent and median prices in the state were down 5.3 percent in the third quarter compared with the same quarter last year, according to data released Tuesday by the Wisconsin Realtors Association. The association blamed the lower numbers on the national subprime mortgage crisis and subsequent financial crisis in the third quarter, which almost certainly pulled the fragile U.S. economy into recession, according to Michael Mulleady, chairman for the WRA.
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/11/17/daily17.html

Thilmany to shut down for 2 weeks: Thilmany Papers will take two weeks of market-related downtime this quarter. “We expect the downtime to be a temporary measure,” Russ Wanke, vice president and general manager, said in a statement Tuesday. The two-week shutdown will include four of six paper machines at Kaukauna and the Nicolet mill in De Pere.
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20081119/GPG03/811190609/1247

ThedaCare to begin $90 million project: The project is the first step in creating the Hospital of the Future, a three-year, $90 million initiative that includes the complete redesign of nursing units and patient rooms at the 160-bed Appleton hospital and 166-bed Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah.
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20081119/APC03/811190495/1028

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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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BIOTECH (back to top)
– BioLife Plasma Services to open new location in Green Bay
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20081119/GPG03/811190610/1247

ECONOMY (back to top)
– Even Madison’s unemployment rate is rising
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/314901
]

MANUFACTURING (back to top)
– Thilmany Papers opts for downtime in Kaukauna, De Pere
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20081119/APC03/811190484/1028

LABOR (back to top)
– Kaukauna attorney typifies today’s efficient mobile professional
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20081118/APC03/811180403/1028

SMALL BUSINESS (back to top)
– Couple’s restoration business earns kudos
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20081119/APC03/811190480/1028

REAL ESTATE (back to top)
– Calumet bright for home sales
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20081119/APC03/811190494/1028

– Investment firm pressures TomoTherapy about stock price
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/314946

– Housing sales in state remain down in third quarter
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/314975

RETAIL (back to top)
– Big changes in store for East Town Mall
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20081119/GPG03/811190608/1247

– Work begins on Appleton Medical Center addition
http://www.jsonline.com/business/34680694.html

REGULATION (back to top)
– State files complaint against R Construction of Kaukauna
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20081119/GPG03/811190607/1247

– Reuters: Comcast response to FCC query could bring fine
Reuters: Comcast response to FCC query could bring fine
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/314960

– BMW subsidiary taking Russ Darrow III to court
http://www.jsonline.com/business/34715099.html

TOURISM (back to top)
– Tough economy is hurting travel
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/34677519.html

UTILITIES (back to top)
– Focus on Energy saving $193 million in costs, state says
http://www.jsonline.com/business/34682774.html

FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top)
– Local banks, tech firms gear up for mobile banking
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/11/17/focus6.html?b=1226898000^1733814

– Wesson focused on uniting credit unions after merger
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/11/17/focus7.html?b=1226898000^1733816

MANAGEMENT (back to top)
– Brunswick Billiards names new president
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/11/17/daily19.html

BUSINESS COLUMNS (back to top)
– Mike Ivey’s Business Beat: Your home is worth less today than yesterday
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/314936

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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