(WisBusiness) THURS News Summary — 5 Feb. 2009

From WisBusiness.com …

— Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton is giving the opening address at the 2009 Governor’s Conference on Economic Development at 8:30 a.m. today at the Monona Terrace Convention & Community Center.

Also scheduled to speak today: state economist Dennis Winters, Commerce Secretary Richard Leinenkugel and Jerold Franke, vice chair of the board of directors of Forward Wisconsin

See the full conference agenda: http://www.weda.org/calendar/conferences/2009-gov-conf/thursday.html

— The backers of a new study at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee say their work dispels some myths about the recent condo boom in downtown Milwaukee, parts of the east side, and the Third and Fifth wards.

The results indicated that condo owners in these parts of the city are not mostly retirees and young singles. “We found that while the popular assumption about who is behind condo growth had some merit, condo owners in this area were on average middle-aged professionals, many of whom have children,” says Stephen Percy, director of the UWM Center for Urban Initiatives and Research (CUIR), one of the authors of the study.

Also, the notion that visiting Chicagoans or others from out of state are fueling the Milwaukee condo boom is not well-supported. Only a small fraction of owners primarily reside outside the Milwaukee area. Most owners use their condo as their primary residence, and the vast majority of resident owners previously resided in Milwaukee or its suburbs.

See more on the study: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=148076

— Supporters of Milwaukee’s paid sick leave ordinance called upon the city attorney’s office and the mayor to oppose the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce’s request for a temporary injunction to delay enactment.

The MMAC’s request will be heard Friday in Milwaukee Circuit Court.

The ordinance, passed by referendum Nov. 4, is scheduled to take effect Feb. 10. It will require employers with more than 10 workers to provide up to nine days of paid sick leave per year to employees who work in Milwaukee. For smaller businesses, the requirement is up to five days per year.

Milwaukee 9to5, the group that led the signature drive to get the binding referendum on the ballot, is defending the validity of the ordinance, along with the city attorney’s office, against the MMAC challenge. In a response filed Wednesday, however, the city attorney’s office said it does not oppose the request to delay enforcement until the legal questions surrounding it are decided by the courts. The filing also noted that the city does not concede any of the MMAC’s arguments against the ordinance.

A group of about 15 people, led by 9to5 organizer Sangita Nayak, delivered a stack of letters and several hundred signatures to Mayor Tom Barrett urging him to call upon the city attorney’s office to fight the temporary injunction request.

See more: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=148077

— Listen to complete audio of this week’s WisBusiness luncheon with former Third Wave Technologies executive Kevin Conroy: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=148064

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Press Releases
· American Society for Quality: Engineering image problem could fuel shortage
· Better Environmental News: Wisconsin lost one-third of conservation reserve lands in last two years
· Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation: February newsletter
· Inner View: Named NARI 2009 Regional CotY™ Winner and 2009 Local Madison CotY Winner
· Lt. Gov. Lawton: To launch 2009 Governor’s Conference on Economic Development
· Midwest Environmental Advocates: Wisconsin ethanol plants continue to violate Clean Water Act
· North Shore Bank: To open branch in Mequon this summer
· Quarles & Brady: Welcomes experienced health law attorney
· UW-Madison: Paper industry executive to lead Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative
· UW-Madison: Vet medicine launches a new approach to E. Coli food safety
· UW-Oshkosh: Event brings together aerospace entrepreneurs and venture capitalists
· Wisconsin Better Business Bureau: Ethics award workshop offers competitive advantage
· Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corp.: Energy initiative leader unveils new web site
· Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association: Health centers propose strategies for increasing access to primary health care

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


TOP STORIES
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Stimulus package could create 74,000 jobs in state: The federal stimulus package being pushed by President Barack Obama includes a promise to create 74,000 jobs over the next two years in Wisconsin.
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/02/02/daily55.html

Wausau Paper cuts 60 salaried jobs on order slowdown: Wausau Paper has cut 60 salaried jobs at nine facilities because of a slowdown in orders over the last five months. Company spokesman Perry Grueber says the move affected 50 workers and will keep 10 positions from being filled.
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090205/GPG03/902050629/1247

St. Joseph’s in West Bend lays off 29: St. Joseph’s Hospital in West Bend has laid off 29 employees and will cut the hours of 70 additional staff members, the hospital announced Wednesday. The lay offs are part of a comprehensive plan to decrease expenses, Michael Laird, president and CEO, said in a written statement.
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/02/02/daily56.html

Cummins layoffs hit Stoughton: The drumbeat of layoffs has hit the Cummins Emissions Solutions plant in Stoughton, the former Nelson Industries. About 15 engineers and sales professionals were let go there this week as part of a larger cutback throughout Cummins’ global operations, said spokesman Mark Land.
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/436670

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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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TECHNOLOGY (back to top)
– Some stations making the early switch
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WI_DIGITAL_TV_TRANSITION_WIOL-?SITE=WIMAD&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

– Local NewTunes wants to be player in online music
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/436454

BIOTECH (back to top)
– Life after Great Wolf includes search for alternative biofuel source
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/436700

ECONOMY (back to top)
– Time Warner Cable cuts minimal in state
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090205/APC03/902050482/1028

– Banks holding Overture loan talk tough, raise foreclosure option
http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/436736

– Doyle delays submitting state budget
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/02/02/daily54.html

– Private sector shed a half million jobs in January
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/02/02/daily51.html

– College seniors lose job offers in poor economy
http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/39111932.html

– Stimulus money sought to support water projects
http://www.jsonline.com/business/39065972.html

– Bergstrom writes letter to Obama with auto sales idea
http://www.jsonline.com/business/38998077.html

MANUFACTURING (back to top)
– Cruiser Yachts announces one-month stoppage
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090205/GPG03/902050628/1247

LABOR (back to top)
– Former Plexus employee plies skills anew in health care
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090205/APC03/902050465/1028

– Obama’s cap on bank salaries not a big factor in Wisconsin
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/436701

INVESTING (back to top)
– School Specialty to report earnings
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090205/APC03/902050466/1028

– Badger Meter reports record earnings
http://www.jsonline.com/business/39106507.html

REAL ESTATE (back to top)
– County, northeast Wisconsin home sales below average
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20090204/OSH03/902040410/1167

– Port Washington demands action from developers
http://www.jsonline.com/news/ozwash/39121927.html

AGRIBUSINESS (back to top)
– Ag Census Numbers Shows Changes in State Agriculture
http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=149&yr=2009

– 2008 was a good year for state cranberries
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/436748

– Mach One to buy Ceres for $8 million
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/02/02/daily46.html

RETAIL (back to top)
– Pier 1 to cut jobs, may close 125 stores
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/02/02/daily49.html

– Pick ‘n Save to fill Good Hope Home Depot space
http://www.jsonline.com/business/39093122.html

UTILITIES (back to top)
– Utility faces a new challenge
http://www.jsonline.com/business/39121367.html

FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top)
– Freddie Mac launches plan for high-risk loans
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/02/02/daily48.html

– Central States Mortgage sues founder, former execs on fraud claims
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/39045452.html

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

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