From WisBusiness.com …
— President Barack Obama is today scheduled to lift restrictions on federal funding of stem cell research enacted by the Bush administration.
Gov. Jim Doyle applauded Obama’s plans.
“Wisconsin is the home of embryonic stem cell research, and I have always fought to keep politics away from science, so that researchers have the freedom they need to make life-saving advances,” he said in a prepared statement. “We are at the ground floor of a field of discovery that represents tremendous promise to improve and save lives. Lifting the restrictions on federal funding for this field is a decision I have long advocated and fully support.”
See Doyle’s release: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=151425
Ed Fallone, president of Wisconsin Stem Cell Now, made the following statement in response to the news:
”This is a day that my family, along with other families of those stricken with chronic disease or disability, has been praying for over the last several years. We applaud President Obama and his commitment towards renewing American leadership in medical research and the search for cures.”
See the WSCN press release: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=151496
— Mark Neumann, a former science teacher who made his money in homebuilding before going into politics, has been back making money as a homebuilder. He said his company is going strong and had its second- or third-best February on record.
“We’ve had to cut back on operational expenses and we’re not spending money on some of the things we’d like to,” said the 55-year-old. He lives in Nashotah and runs The Neumann Companies.
“But we are supplying a quality house. With the help of our subcontractors and suppliers, we’ve been able to bring our prices down by 10 to 15 percent. Which is really what the market is looking for and with those price reductions, those houses are in fact selling.”
Neumann wouldn’t provide details but said he will announce plans later this month to begin building houses that actually produce energy. He said that will keep him busy.
“That home directly relates to environmental problems… and our dependence on foreign oil,” he said.
Outside the business realm, Neumann, a former GOP congressman for the 1st Congressional District, is leaning towards jumping into the 2010 run for guv. If he runs, he’d likely be in a primary against Milwaukee Co. Exec. Scott Walker, who’s been preparing to run against Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle.
See more from a new WisBusiness interview with Neumann later at http://www.wisbusiness.com
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HOW THE FEDERAL STIMULUS AFFECTS WISCONSIN, WITH GARY WOLTER
Thursday, MARCH 12, 2009
11:45 a.m. at the Madison Club
Gary Wolter is serving as head of the Wisconsin Office of Recovery and Reinvestment. He is also chairman, president and CEO of Madison Gas and Electric.
The 2009 luncheon series is sponsored by The Wisconsin Bankers Association, The Ho Chunk Nation, WHD Government Affairs, Flaherty & Associates, Wal-Mart and Xcel Energy.
The event is open to the public, and the price for lunch is $15 for WisPolitics.com subscribers and Madison Club members, $19 for the general public. Call the Madison Club to register at (608) 255-4861. The luncheons start at 11:45 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m.
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Press Releases
· 4-C: Announces new board members, hires and changes
· Alliant Energy: Warmer weather exposes potential safety hazards
· American Association of Railroads: Rail anti-trust bill will impose confusing, overlapping regulatory scheme
· Dane County: To re-open bidding process for new “green” county nursing home
· DATCP: A.D.D. Grant application deadline extended to May 1
· DATCP: State and federal funds available for technical assistance, education and research in management intensive grazing
· Dept. of Transportation: Frozen road declaration ending statewide as spring thaw restrictions implemented
· Focus on Energy: Wisconsin sees record number of renewable energy systems installed in 2008
· Gov. Doyle: Statement on President Obama’s plan to lift embryonic stem cell ban
· Integrys Energy Group: Affirms strong financial position in light of Standard and Poor’s credit rating action
· Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service: Despite economy, organic farming conference proves successful
· President Obama, Vice President Biden, U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood: Announce availability of more than $81.6 Million in public transportation investments for Wisconsin
· Quarles & Brady: Wisconsin governor appoints Quarles & Brady attorney to council
· RedPrairie: Sponsors first comprehensive Carbon Disclosure Project supply chain report
· UW-Madison: Medical student invited to White House for health care reform forum
· UW-Madison: Meeting, deadline approach for Kauffman internship program
· Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance: Biodiesel Basics #24 – Biodiesel good for Wisconsin’s air quality
· Wisconsin Credit Union League: Wisconsin credit unions win third Governor’s Award for youth-run, in-school branches
For these and more releases visit http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Content=82
TOP STORIES
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USDA says key crop prices continue drop in Wis. : The U.S. Department of Agriculture says Wisconsin farmers are seeing prices for key crops continue to drop. Its National Agricultural Statistics Service says it expects prices in Wisconsin for milk, calves, corn, soybeans, oats, potatoes, alfalfa and other hay to drop from January to February.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WI_FARM_PRICE_DROPS_WIOL-?SITE=WIMAD&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
All Wisconsin Retirement System pension checks to see a cut in May : Retirement payments will shrink by 2.1 percent, effective May 1, for the 146,000 retirees whose pensions are funded solely by the Core Fund, the primary pension account, the state Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) said Friday. The reason: the stock market’s skid in late 2008.
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/441883
Trachte Building Systems extends 51 layoffs, cuts 14 other jobs : The company, which designs and develops self-storage buildings, had announced six-month layoffs of the sheet-metal workers beginning last Oct. 3 and Dec. 19. Now, those layoffs are expected to be longer than six months, Trachte said in a letter to the state Department of Workforce Development.
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/442000
Sonic Foundry makes $2 million sale: Buinevicius said the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia has ordered nearly $2 million of the company’s Mediasite lecture capture technology to enable recording from 150 classrooms.
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/03/02/daily77.html
Obama expected to lift stem cell limits : Little more than 10 years after University of Wisconsin-Madison researcher James Thomson first isolated and cultured human embryonic stem cells, President Barack Obama is poised Monday to reverse Bush-era restrictions on federal funding in a field that holds huge potential but generates intense controversy.
http://www.jsonline.com/business/40883402.html
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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)
– Web site helps Wisconsin farmers sell to grocers
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WI_LOCAL_FOOD_GROCERS_WIOL-?SITE=WIMAD&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
ECONOMY (back to top)
– Plant closing tears at heart of small town
http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/40936432.html
LABOR (back to top)
– Union pickets WTMJ studios during Conan O’Brien visit
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/03/02/daily76.html
SMALL BUSINESS (back to top)
– State regional 2009 Small Business Champion awards announced
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/441940
– Recession, reputation help build Pewaukee firm
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/03/09/smallb1.html?b=1236571200^1790443
INVESTING (back to top)
– Some state stocks are winners
http://www.jsonline.com/business/40929032.html
REAL ESTATE (back to top)
– Local home building remains in doldrums
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/441844
– Aurora sells 4 medical office buildings to REIT
http://www.jsonline.com/business/40881847.html
– Alterra lakefront rent could rise $10,000
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/40933717.html
AGRIBUSINESS (back to top)
– Mega-Dairy Farm Being Proposed in Taylor County
http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=290&yr=2009
– Wisconsin trout farms see drop in price, sales
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20090308/OSH03/90307090/1167
– Wisconsin honey crop smaller but more valuable
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WI_WISCONSIN_HONEY_WIOL-?SITE=WIMAD&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
TRANSPORTATION (back to top)
– High-speed rail drives Obama’s transportation agenda
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/442090
TOURISM (back to top)
– State tourism conference expected to draw 1,000
http://www.rivervalleynewspapers.com/articles/2009/03/08/business/02biz2.txt
HEALTH CARE (back to top)
– Economic turmoil could hurt blood banks
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090309/GPG0101/903090527&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL
FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top)
– Prospera Credit Union marks 75 years serving Fox Valley region
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090308/APC03/903080525/1028
– Some credit unions expect loan losses
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/442001
Media Partners
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National Business Roundups ( back to top)
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–ABC BUSINESS NEWS: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/business/
–GOOGLE NEWS: http://news.google.com/news/en/us/business.html
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