— The national unemployment rate rose to 9.7 percent in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. That’s the highest rate since 1983. Although job losses continued in many of the major industry sectors in August, the declines have moderated in recent months. See the labor statistics release: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm — The Wisconsin Farm Bureau is pushing for policy changes to improve market prices for dairy farmers. The solutions include moving excess dairy products out of government warehouses and onto the world market and making lines of credit available to cash-strapped dairy farmers. Later this month the Farm Bureau will take nearly 30 of its members to Washington D.C. to lobby for these and other farm policies with Wisconsin’s congressional delegation and federal officials. See details: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.Iml?Article=169192 — WisBusiness columnist Kevin McKinley says waiting to take Social Security payments can pay off in the long run with bigger monthly payments. But he also says you should take your Social Security payments sooner rather than later if you need the money to survive. Others who should consider it early are those in poor health, or who have been made poorer by a decline in the stock market. He says delaying payment is probably smarter if you enjoy good health and better genes, don’t necessarily need the money, or are still working into your sixties. Read his new column: http://blogs.wisbusiness.com/bizopinion/2009/09/deciding-when-to-take-social-security.html — Small- and medium-sized businesses seeking practical steps that improve top-line revenue streams and bottom-line efficiencies through sustainable business practices are invited to attend “The Sustainable Case for Business” event Sept. 10 at The Pfister in Milwaukee. Executives responsible for their companies’ operational efficiency and environmental impact will gain practical knowledge of how to get started in sustainable business practices that contribute directly to profitability. See details: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.Iml?Article=169145 *************************
David W. Hadley, vice president of state regulatory relations at Midwest ISO, is keynoting the forum, which will take place at The Madison Club. The event begins at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 9 a.m. with breakfast starting at 7:15 a.m. The event is presented by American Transmission Company and Xcel Energy. Wisconsin Industrial Energy Group is an event partner. Panelists for the event include: Additional sponsors include Dairyland Power Cooperative, Wisconsin Public Service Corp. and We Energies. More sponsorship opportunities are available; contact Jim Greer at 608-237-6296 or greer@wispolitics.com. The event is open to the public. General public tickets cost $10. The ticket price includes breakfast. TO REGISTER GO TO: http://www.esurveycentral.com/TakeSurvey.asp?SurveyID=5117l3337o6KG ************************* 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
Biomass plant approval at Domtar paper mill hinges on Public Service Commission review: A proposed biomass-fueled power plant at the Domtar paper mill in Rothschild must undergo months of investigation by state regulators before it can gain approval. Union streams in for third Mercury Marine vote: Television crews lined the street outside the Labor Center on Thursday afternoon as several hundred Mercury Marine union workers stopped in to vote for a third time on a contract offered by the company. Mercury plant in Oshkosh will close Oct. 1: Mercury Marine plans to close one of its two Oshkosh facilities Oct. 1 under a plan that was in place before Mercury began looking at consolidating of its Fond du Lac and Stillwater, Okla. operations. Oshkosh Corp. subsidiary gets Air Force order: The U.S. Air Force has placed an order worth $19.7 million with Oshkosh Corp. to build 15 rescue and firefighting trucks and 21 snowblowers for use at bases around the world.
************************************************************ See commentary from around the state and columns from WisBusiness contributors Jennifer Sereno, Kevin McKinley, Tom Burzinski, Gregg Hoffmann, Tom Still and Steve Jagler: ************************************************************
ECONOMY (back to top)
LABOR (back to top) – UWM report finds huge mismatch between job seekers, openings
SMALL BUSINESS (back to top) – Small businesses need to get ‘fair share’ of stimulus aid, lieutenant governor says
REAL ESTATE (back to top) – Madison: Hotel plans on the edge?
AGRIBUSINESS (back to top) – Wisconsin Farm Bureau Adopts New Dairy Policies – 2 Milwaukee families find the organic call of the land irresistible
TRANSPORTATION (back to top)
RETAIL (back to top) – H&R Block will convert 500 company offices to franchises – As vacancies rise, Towne Centre files for bankruptcy
REGULATION (back to top)
TOURISM (back to top) – Wis. Dept. of Tourism launches Fall Color Report
FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top) – Landmark Credit Union announces fourth merger this year
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