— Wisconsin’s unemployment rate has dropped for the third consecutive month, according to the state Department of Workforce Development. “We continue to see signs elsewhere of an economic turnaround,” DWD Secretary Roberta Gassman said in a prepared statement. “At the same time, we know many people are out of work. We are committed to doing all that we can to keep the economy moving forward and help job seekers and displaced workers gain employment.” The unemployment rate for August was 8.4 percent, down 0.4 percentage points from July’s 8.8 percent and down 0.8 percentage points from June’s 9.2 percent. See details: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=170494 — How biotechnology companies can thrive in the difficult economic conditions and prepare themselves for the unprecedented opportunity of the coming decade is the theme of the Biotechnology Vision Summit 2009, being held on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at the Madison Marriott West. The summit is being hosted by BioForward and will take the place of its annual conference. Registration for the meeting remains open, with registration information available at http://www.bioforward.org. Early-registration pricing ends today. See details: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=170524 — Members of a new council that will advise the state agriculture department on the purchase of agricultural conservation easements, part of the efforts to protect Wisconsin farmland, were announced today. Secretary Rod Nilsestuen today announced his nominations for twelve members of the Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement (PACE) Council. State law requires a council to be formed to advise the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection on administration of the PACE component of the Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative. The purchase of agricultural conservation easements allows local governments or non-profit conservation organizations to permanently protect farmland. By working with willing sellers, a conservation easement is placed on eligible land that ensures productive agricultural land remains available for future generations of farmers. See details: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=170555 — Semba Biosciences in Madison has received a $250,000 Technology Venture Fund loan from the Department of Commerce for equipment and working capital to expand its capabilities into additional product lines and international distribution. See details: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=170505 ************************* TOP EXPERTS TO DISCUSS WIS. GREEN JOBS FUTURE “Green Jobs: Growing Wisconsin Employment” is part of a series of forums at Discovery World and aims to assess Wisconsin’s future in the green jobs market. The forum, sponsored by the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, UW-Milwaukee, We Energies, Wisconsin Environmental Initiative and Johnson Controls, begins at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 9 a.m. Breakfast begins at 7:15 a.m. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett will provide remarks about his city’s efforts to cultivate green jobs. Confirmed panelists include: The event is organized by WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com with the help of MMAC, Discovery World, and UW-Milwaukee. More sponsorship opportunities are available; contact Jim Greer at 608-237-6296 or greer@wispolitics.com. The event is open to the public, and the price is $30 per person. But WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com subscribers, members of the Wisconsin Academy, the UW-Milwaukee community, and members of MMAC and Discovery World are able to attend for $20 per person. The price includes the breakfast buffet but not parking. ************************* TOP STORIES Wausau Paper to consolidate units: Wausau Paper announced Thursday it will consolidate its specialty products and printing and writing businesses into one business unit as part of a cost-cutting move. Marinette Marine positioned for large Navy contract: Workers toiled Thursday on the modular sections of steel and aluminum that will make up the next Lockheed Martin Littoral Combat Ship as it is being built at Marinette Marine Corp. Wisconsin unemployment drops for third month: Wisconsin’s unemployment rate dropped for the third month in a row in August. Even so, the 8.4 percent rate reported Thursday by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development was much higher than a year ago. In August 2008 unemployment was just 4.6 percent. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will thin ranks: Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has offered voluntary severance packages to a segment of its 2,700-person work force, but the firm isn’t saying how many have accepted. The deadline for responses is today.
************************************************************ See commentary from around the state and columns from WisBusiness contributors Jennifer Sereno, Kevin McKinley, Tom Burzinski, Gregg Hoffmann, Tom Still and Steve Jagler: ************************************************************
BIOTECH (back to top)
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MANUFACTURING (back to top) – A.O. Smith buys interest in Chinese firm – Most employees return to Patrick Cudahy
LABOR (back to top)
REAL ESTATE (back to top) – Cudahy wanted to control design, construction of UWM lakefront project – Moderne loans get preliminary nod but face questions
AGRIBUSINESS (back to top) – Wisconsin Assembly Passes H1N1 Resolution
TRANSPORTATION (back to top)
RETAIL (back to top) – Harleys men’s store moves to a new home
REGULATION (back to top) – State still paying troubled day care provider – US charges Wis. bait farmers with importing fish
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