(WisBusiness) THURS News Summary — 23 July 2009

THU WisBusiness News Summary
23 July 2009
Exclusively for WisBusiness Subscribers



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From WisBusiness.com …

— After two strong years for the state’s agriculture industry, this summer has many state farmers grappling with adversity.

Dick Gorder, a Mineral Point dairyman and vice president with the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, has a mixed and mildly optimistic assessment of the situation.

On the down side, Wisconsin agriculture is suffering from depressed milk and grain prices, as well as a downturn in export markets. Worse, some farmers in the northern two-thirds of the state are facing near drought conditions that could result in reduced harvests.

On the upside, however, fuel prices are less than 50 percent of what they were last year, falling from $4.33 a gallon to as low as $1.63 this spring. And futures markets are trending up are rising on anticipation that the nation will come out of its deep recession by early next year.

See more in a new WisBusiness interview with Gorder:

http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=165211

— Columnist Kevin Reardon says business owners on the brink of retirement are facing potentially the worst conditions for selling or handing off a business in decades.

But Reardon says their circumstance should serve as a lesson to their younger and future business owners to build an exit plan that works under both sunny and stormy conditions.

See his newest column for tips on making an exit plan: http://blogs.wisbusiness.com/bizopinion/2009/07/re-setting-business-exit-plan-in-tough.html

— June saw local unemployment rates rise in all of Wisconsin’s 12 major metro areas, but 11 of the state’s 72 counties had a decrease in the jobless rate.

The local unemployment report from the state Department of Workforce Development also finds that 15 Wisconsin cities reported double-digit employment in June, with Beloit topping the list at 18.6 percent.

Workforce Development Secretary Roberta Gassman says students and others entered the job market looking for summer employment in June, leading to a seasonal bump in the jobless rate.

See the DWD release on local unemployment rates: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=165175

— Forty years and one week after humans first walked on the moon, visitors to the country’s biggest annual air show will be able to see a piece of the lunar surface in person.

NASA is bringing a moon rock to EAA AirVenture, the Experimental Aircraft Association’s fly-in, held in Oshkosh, Wis., July 27 to Aug. 2. The rock is part of a larger exhibit that celebrates NASA’s contributions to space exploration, aeronautics research and Earth science.

See the release for details: http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?STORY=/www/story/07-22-2009/0005064553

TOP STORIES
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Aircraft maker to build plant in Sheboygan County : Sheboygan County Memorial Airport would become the manufacturing site for a proposed new jet – a project officials say could create more than 2,000 local jobs within 10 years – under a long-term agreement the county is preparing with Oostburg’s Morgan Aircraft, the county administrator said Wednesday.
http://www.jsonline.com/business/51407752.html

Strike begins at Bemis plant in W. Indiana : Hundreds of workers have gone on strike at a western Indiana factory after union officials say members overwhelmingly rejected a contract offer.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IN_BEMIS_STRIKE_WIOL-?SITE=WIMAD&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Time Warner Cable to add 125 telemarketers: Time Warner Cable Inc. announced Wednesday that it is adding 125 employees to the company’s marketing department, which is housed in its downtown Milwaukee office.
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/07/20/daily46.html

Gannett to close Fondy printing plant: Gannett Wisconsin Media will close its printing and production plant in Fond du Lac, leaving 47 employees without jobs.
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/07/20/daily45.html

Business park planned for Verona : A 200-acre commercial and industrial park is planned on Verona’s southeast side. Liberty Business Park will be developed east of Highway 18-151, roughly between Highway M and Whalen Road, on property annexed to the city on July 13. About 20 acres of the park are north of Whalen Road.
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/459315

Madison’s tech sector is growing : In what proponents see as a sign of growing strength in the local tech sector, nine companies focused on biotechnology and information technology recently became new tenants of University Research Park or its Near East Side offshoot, the Metro Innovation Center.
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/459307

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VISIT BIZOPINION FOR BUSINESS-RELATED COMMENTARY

See commentary from around the state and columns from WisBusiness contributors Jennifer Sereno, Kevin McKinley, Tom Burzinski, Gregg Hoffmann, Tom Still and Steve Jagler:
http://blogs.wisbusiness.com/bizopinion

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BIOTECH (back to top)
– Cellular Dynamics adds senior researcher
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/07/20/daily39.html

ECONOMY (back to top)
– Federal agencies steer business meetings to less glitzy locales
http://www.jsonline.com/business/51441277.html

MANUFACTURING (back to top)
– Niagara shaken from NewPage mill closure
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090723/GPG03/907230554

– Denali Flavors expands Moose Tracks plant
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/07/20/daily37.html

LABOR (back to top)
– Brown County unemployment rises to 8.5 percent in June
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090723/GPG03/907230558

– Unemployment creeps up in Oshkosh, county
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20090723/OSH03/907230379

– Milwaukee: Area unemployment rate jumps to 9.8 percent
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/07/20/daily44.html

REAL ESTATE (back to top)
– $5 million state grant promise jumpstarts Bradley Center renovations
http://www.jsonline.com/business/51437402.html

– West Allis retail space to be converted to apartments
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/51310027.html

TRANSPORTATION (back to top)
– Schneider National receives Kimberly-Clark carrier award
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090723/GPG03/907230556

– AirTran pulls in a second-quarter profit
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/07/20/daily32.html

– Marten Transport’s 2Q net income jumps
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/07/20/daily36.html

– Clunker cash creating big buzz
http://www.jsonline.com/business/51441267.html

TOURISM (back to top)
– Large events help buffer Oshkosh from tourism downturn
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20090723/OSH0101/907230382/Large-events-buffer-Oshkosh-from-downturn&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

UTILITIES (back to top)
– Orion names new president
http://www.jsonline.com/business/51398532.html

– Veolia names CEO for Milwaukee-based division
http://www.jsonline.com/business/51398257.html

HEALTH CARE (back to top)
– Grand theft Rx – how did it happen?
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/459366

– Survey: Doctors see jump in cancellations
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/07/20/daily41.html

– Surgeon sues LasikPlus over firing
http://www.jsonline.com/business/51436747.html

FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top)
– Banks report using govt. assistance for loans
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20090720/OSH03/90719043

MANAGEMENT (back to top)
– Stanek, Sullivan named to NML board
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/07/20/daily42.html

– Veolia names new CEO of solid waste division
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/07/20/daily40.html

PRESS RELEASES (back to top)
· DWD: June local unemployment rates announced
· Harley-Davidson Museum: Race to the Harley-Davidson Museum for “Family Day” on Sunday, July 26
· Metcalfe’s Sentry: Local grocer leads effort for energy independence
· Nationally recognized cheese carver helps showcase Wisconsin cheesemakers at local Sam’s Club
· Orion Energy Systems: Announces key management addition with appointment of president and chief operating officer
· Partnerships for Sustainability: Leading law firm, Reinhart, joins ‘Partnerships for Sustainability’
· PSC: Issues draft environmental impact statement for Glacier Hills Wind Park project
· UW-Madison: Software tool helps web developers identify seizure-causing content
· Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians: Ailing economy affects Wisconsin health care
· Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health: Area organizations come together to highlight need for health care reform
· Wisconsin Innovation Network: Virent Energy CEO Edwards to speak on energy industry at July 28 WIN-Madison

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

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