(WisBusiness) TUES News Summary — 7 Apr. 2009

From WisBusiness.com …

— As the public-private group Forward Wisconsin wanes, an Eau Claire businesswoman is helping the state market itself as head of the Department of Commerce’s new Division of Global Ventures.

Mickey Judkins is a former president of the Eau Claire Economic Development Corporation who has operated the Details women’s clothing store in that western Wisconsin city  for 32 years. She also owns a related on-line business called detailsdirect.com .  

Judkins says her division is now “responsible for attracting investment to Wisconsin both domestically and internationally.”

She says that’s going to be done by — in her words — “very surgically targeting leading companies in industries where Wisconsin has a competitive advantage.” Those areas: precision manufacturing, biotechnology, nanotechnology and advanced agriculture.  

She’s also promoting the state’s universities and  what she calls their “world-class” research and development.

One of her big missions will be the upcoming BIO gathering, set for May 18-21 in Atlanta.

She says her duties in Georgia will include scheduling meetings for Gov. Jim Doyle and state Commerce Secretary Dick Leinenkugel with key executives to talk about Wisconsin and “why we think it would be important for them to grow here.”  

Read more in a new interview with Judkins: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=154618

— Three state businesses have notified the state about a total of 374 possible layoffs.

* Dove Health Care in Glendale is permanently closing its 1633 West Bender Road facility on or after July 14, with 144 related layoffs set to begin on or after June 7.

See the filing: http://www.wisbusiness.com/1008/large/090604dove.pdf

* Latitude Corp. in Verona may layoff up to 113 individuals beginning on or after June 5.

See the filing: http://www.wisbusiness.com/1008/large/090406latitude.pdf

* International Paper is closing a facility in Cedarburg between June 2 and June 16, resulting in 117 layoffs

See the filing: http://www.wisbusiness.com/1008/large/090406intpaper.pdf

— The state Public Service Commission has issued the final Strategic Energy Assessment – Energy 2014, which includes recommendations for a more regional and coordinated approach to energy generation, transmission and renewables planning, as the country moves closer to enacting comprehensive greenhouse gas regulation.

In the final report, PSC staffers are to prepare a detailed statewide analysis that evaluates how Wisconsin utilities might go about cost-effectively meeting medium-term greenhouse gas reduction targets. The staff analysis will describe potential power plant additions and retirements, possible repowering and fuel switching, and any other measures or costs that may go into complying with a national cap and trade program. This analysis will then be made available for comments from utilities and other interested stakeholders.

“Federal greenhouse gas regulations are coming,” said PSC Chair Eric Callisto. “We need to have a comprehensive, least-cost strategy that will enable Wisconsin to comply with new climate change regulation in as cost-effective a manner as possible. The analyses that we will undertake as part of Energy 2014 will, at least in part, help this state meet that challenge.”

See the PSC release for more: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=154592

— Gov. Jim Doyle said members of the International Olympic Committee were “very impressed” by the possibility of high-speed rail connecting Chicago to Madison and beyond. Chicago is vying to host the 2016 Olympic Games, and Madison would be the site of cycling competitions if the Illinois city is chosen.

Doyle testified before the committee’s Evaluation Commission Monday in Chicago. He told reporters in a conference call following the hearing that he spoke with commission members individually following his testimony about the rail line, which Doyle is hoping will get built using federal stimulus funds.

“They were very interested in the potential of high-quality, high-speed passenger rail connecting Chicago to Madison,” said Doyle, adding that if federal funds are available, the line could extend from Madison to the Twin Cities.

Doyle said Wisconsin “has an enormous stake” in Chicago landing the Olympics. Besides the benefit of Madison hosting the cycling events, there would be spillover for state hotels and other tourist attractions. He also said some teams may use facilities in southeastern Wisconsin for pre-Olympics training.

Doyle said the commission is expected to make its decision some time this fall.

*See a press release about Doyle’s testimony: http://wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=154530

*Listen to the conference call: http://wispolitics.com/1006/090406Doyleolympics.mp3

— Actor and Green Bay native Tony Shalhoub — who wrote a letter last month asking  Doyle to keep the state’s tax credits for film production in the 2009-2011 budget — is featured in a new Web video hyping the economic impact of moviemaking.

The star of TV’s “Monk,” along with others who worked on the independent film “Feed the Fish” this winter, said the tax credits allowed for an unusual economic boon to Door County last winter, when tourism dollars usually dry up.

“If this movie does well, which we believe it will, we will want to come back to Wisconsin with larger budget projects, and there are already some things in the pipeline,” Shalhoub says in the 10-minute video. “But we need these tax incentives to stay in place.”

*See the Film Wisconsin statement: http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=154598

*Watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VROgSx2FD4A

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