(WisBusiness) WED News Summary — 24 Sept. 2008

From WisBusiness.com …

— Calling it “a story that I guess I can tell now that President Bush is almost out of office,” former Gov. Tommy Thompson on Tuesday told the World Stem Cell Summit in Madison about an internal Bush administration battle over stem cell research that happened when he was serving as secretary of Health and Human Services.

Thompson said he spoke with George W. Bush during an Oval Office lunch before the president’s August 2001 address to the nation on federal stem cell policy. He said the president knew Karl Rove opposed embryonic stem cell research, while Thompson supported it.

“We debated for an hour. I finally turned to the president with my closing remarks … ‘You can double the money for NIH, you can give more money for cancer research, but if in fact you do not allow the funding for embryonic stem cells you will always be remembered as the person who stopped research on stem cells,’” Thompson said.

Thompson recounted his argument: “Mr. President every person has someone in their family has Parkinson’s, or Alzheimer’s, or spinal cord injury, or cancer, or any other disease that stem cells might cure.

“Everybody has someone in their family or a special friend that that stem cells might cure. Mr. President, it gives them hope,” he said.

See the full story and other posts from the Stem Cell Summit:

http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=136796

— A new analysis from the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance says that over the past 25 years growth in tax dollars going to the UW has trailed overall state spending, state school aid, and inflation.

The analysis also finds that state funding increases for higher education, including technical colleges, over the past ten years ranked Wisconsin 44th in the country, and over the past five years the state ranked 49th. Funding growth in surrounding states also tended to rank in the bottom half, except this year when Iowa ranked 18th and Minnesota 9th.

Commenting on study findings, WISTAX president Todd Berry said, “While politicians of both parties have increased total state spending and funding for other programs, they have made higher education a lesser priority.”

See the press release for more:

http://www.wistax.org/news_releases/2008/2008_19.pdf

— G&K Services, Inc., which owns and operates an industrial laundering facility in Green Bay, has agreed to pay $330,000 to settle state claims under Wisconsin’s air pollution laws. The judgment resolves charges that G&K Services failed to comply with certain requirements for handling air emissions at its Green Bay facility from 2004 to 2007.

According to the Department of Natural Resources, G&K Services cooperated with DNR and promptly fixed all deficiencies after DNR identified them, and is now in compliance.

— Six small businesses will share $30,000 in Wisconsin Trade Project Program grants to market their products at international trade shows.

See the list of businesses:

http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=136934

****************************************
THANKS TO OUR WISBUSINESS SPONSORS

****************************************

QUICK LINKS
Use these links to jump directly to a news summary topic
Technology | Biotech | Economy | Manufacturing | Labor | Small Business | Investing | Real Estate | Agribusiness | Transportation | Retail | Regulation | Tourism | Utilities | Health Care | Financial Services | Management | Business Columns |

Press Releases
· AG Van Hollen: Green Bay company settles state lawsuit over environmental violations for $330,000
· AG Van Hollen: Top ten consumer complaints of 2007
· Clifton Gunderson presents “Play IT Safe” – a free webinar for financial institutions
· Dept. of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection: Local areas can apply to host land use workshops
· Dept. of Commerce: Governor Doyle announces funding to increase export development for Wisconsin small businesses
· Dept. of Workforce Development: Secretary Gassman gives MATC students tour of new Internet employment site, explores opportunities awaiting them
· Sylvan Dell Publishing: Awards educational resource grants to schools in Wisconsin
· Wisconsin Fair Trade Coalition: Fair trade priorities at AFL-CIO state convention
· Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, Wisconsin Apollo Alliance: Labor leaders embrace Wisconsin Apollo Alliance Clean Energy Agenda

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


TOP STORIES
*************

Wisconsin manufacturers outperformed others in trade report: An examination of economic output and employment in eight industrial states released Tuesday found that Wisconsin’s manufacturing sector has weathered the last decade better than most places and the U.S. overall. From 1997 to 2007, manufacturing output in Wisconsin grew by 28.5%, unadjusted for inflation, compared with 26.2% nationally, according to the United States Business and Industrial Council. The Washington, D.C.-based group represents 1,500 companies, most of which are family-owned manufacturers.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=798409

Great Lakes Compact Approved by Congress: The U.S. House of Representatives approved the eight-state Great Lakes Compact agreement on Tuesday, which ensures more sustainable uses of the Great Lakes, which contain 90 percent of the fresh surface water in North America. The vote was 390-25, and President Bush has said he will sign it into law. The Senate had already okayed the measure last month and it was approved individually by the legislatures of each of the Great Lakes states.
http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=1157&yr=2008

Pension fund sues Oshkosh Corp.: An institutional investor has filed what could become a class action lawsuit against Oshkosh Corp. that alleges the company omitted material information from quarterly reports and informational releases that led to a more than 30 percent decline in the stock price in one day.
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/OSH03/809240456/1167

Ocean Spray expansion opens: Four years ago, cranberry giant Ocean Spray purchased the Northland Cranberries processing facility in the Wisconsin Rapids West Side Industrial Park. More than 100 jobs and a $90 million investment later, that site now is home of the largest cranberry processing plant in the world, Ocean Spray President and Chief Executive Officer Randy Papadellis said.
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/MNH0101/809240760/1732&located=RSS

************************************************************
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
************************************************************

BIOTECH (back to top)
– Wisconsin Unveils Funding for Biofuel Research
http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=1156&yr=2008

ECONOMY (back to top)
– American Finishing in hiring mode
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/APC03/809240563/1028

– Wall Street woes hit home
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/306160

– Holiday sales season expected to be not so jolly
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/306063

MANUFACTURING (back to top)
– Town of Weston weighs request to allow portable asphalt plant
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/WDH0101/809240702/1581&located=RSS

– Union for papermaker Appleton rejects contract
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080923/APC03/80923191/1028

– Regal Ware brings production back to Wisconsin from China
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=798432

– VJS Construction taking off with hangar business
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/22/focus2.html?b=1222056000^1703421

LABOR (back to top)
– Police merger panel tries to pre-empt labor strife
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/APC0101/809240583/1004&located=RSS

– Working Mother honors S.C. Johnson
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/22/daily11.html

SMALL BUSINESS (back to top)
– CEO Roundtable offers ideas for small businesses
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=798431

REAL ESTATE (back to top)
– Appleton targets foreclosure houses
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/APC0101/809240582/1004&located=RSS

– Last vestige of Allouez supper club is removed
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/GPG0101/809240716/1207&located=RSS

– Agency overseeing multimillion-dollar projects lacks staff, official budge
http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/editstaging/306164

AGRIBUSINESS (back to top)
– Local Areas Can Apply to Host Land Use Workshops
http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=1158&yr=2008

– Virent nabs sweet success
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=798410

TRANSPORTATION (back to top)
– Survey: Business travel faces cutbacks next year
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/22/daily15.html

RETAIL (back to top)
– Outagamie County opens State 15 land to retail
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/APC0101/809240584/1004&located=RSS

UTILITIES (back to top)
– Grants power energy research
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/WDH0101/809240700/1581&located=RSS

– Emergency funds provided for energy assistance
http://www.fdlreporter.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/FON0101/809240520/1289&located=RSS

HEALTH CARE (back to top)
– Saint Joseph’s offers new cardiac test
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/MNH0101/809240414/1732&located=RSS

– Global partnerships help Clinic broaden scope
http://www.stevenspointjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/SPJ0101/809240551/1657&located=RSS

– UW Hospital and Clinics gets kudos
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/306191

FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top)
– A&W chain banks on state for its rebirth
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/APC03/809240567/1028

– MATC offers emergency loans after Edamerica delays payments
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=798493

– 2 new VPs join Journal Sentinel
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=798405

MANAGEMENT (back to top)
– HR professionals see roles as talent managers
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/APC03/809240568/1028

– Timm resigns as Mount Mary College president
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/22/daily12.html

– Integrys begins to seek successor to Weyers
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/22/daily10.html

BUSINESS COLUMNS (back to top)
– Jim Stingl: Just put that mortgage debt on my tab
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=798423

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

(c)2008 WisBusiness.com.
All rights reserved. Reproduction or retransmission of this publication, in whole or in part, without the express permission of WisBusiness.com is prohibited. Unauthorized reproduction violates United States copyright law (17 USC 101 et seq.), as does retransmission by facsimile or any other electronic means, including electronic mail.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR