(WisBusiness) THURS News Summary — 16 Apr. 2009

From WisBusiness.com …

— WisBusiness columnist Jennifer Sereno reports that several regional experts say efforts to promote the state are having a positive impact on tourism in the state.

With an annual impact of some $13 billion per year, Wisconsin’s tourism industry represents an important source of jobs and income for state residents.

While 2009 won’t be an easy year, savvy tourism operators throughout Wisconsin are adapting to the changing demands of visitors and looking forward to the summer season with some optimism.

See more in her new column: http://blogs.wisbusiness.com/bizopinion/

— Land O’ Lakes is planning to close its Madison Dairy butter plant over the next 60 days, affecting 120 workers.

See the state filing: http://www.wisbusiness.com/1008/090415dairy.pdf

— A Madison-area company will soon be marketing an improved technology that may help doctors better detect infectious agents and diseases in people.

Genostx LLC of Middleton is a newly formed company that promotes the new technology named SPIDR, short for Spiral Isothermal DNA Replication. Thanks to SPIDR, Genostx was named one of the 50 semifinalists in the Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest. First prize for the contest is worth $50,000.

SPIDR is an improvement of the polymerase chain reaction, which exponentially amplifies a specific segment of DNA.

Dr. Abhey Vats, researcher and inventor of SPIDR, said the technology might replace PCR because it “tends to work even faster and uses minimal or very low cost equipment.”

See more in a new WisBusiness article: http://wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=155564 

— A poll of 600 likely voters found that 59 percent oppose the so-called oil profits tax proposed by Gov. Jim Doyle, and 89 percent believe it is likely the tax will be passed on to consumers.

Thirty percent of respondents said they support the tax, while 11 percent were undecided.

Doyle proposed the tax with an anti-pass-through measure that is designed to prohibit the targets of the tax, oil companies, from passing it on to the pump. Critics have said the anti-pass-through provision is unconstitutional and unenforceable.

Though the respondents were skeptical of the tax, 52 percent said it was likely to improve state roads. Fifty-one percent said it was likely to cause small retailers to close.

The telephone survey was conducted by Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates from March 10 to March 15. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percent.

See the polling memo: http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/090415oilpollingmemo.pdf

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Press Releases
· AG Van Hollen: Seeks intervention in Conserve School litigation
· Alliant Energy: Heads up for power lines
· DBA: Green Tier advancement project helps dairy producers and environment
· Hawks Nursery: Arbor Day memorial tree to be planted by Hawks Nursery in honor of Wisconsin landscaping pioneer
· Leinenkugel’s: Lends support to the Lake Delton Fish Restoration Fund with a donation and kick-off of a summer-long fundraising program
· MGS Mfg. Group: To introduce new multishot manufacturing products at NPE
· Milwaukee Press Club: Sports commentator and author Frank DeFord named Milwaukee Press Club’s 2009 Sacred Cat Honoree
· Office of the Commissioner of Insurance: Insurance commissioner reports on independent review for health insurance consumers
· RedPrairie Corp.: PetroLiance to lower costs, improve productivity with wireless Fleet Management support from RedPrairie
· SCORE: Register now — critical financial information for business survival
· Securant Bank & Trust: Accepts TARP funds to increase funds available for lending and growth
· UW-Madison: Art of the very, very small to debut at Dane County Airport
· White House: U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood announces $287,000 in economic recovery funds for Dodge County Airport
· Wisconsin Energy Corp.: Wisconsin Energy honored again as one of ‘World’s Most Ethical Companies’
· Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation: Keep the state’s deer herd in check
· WISPIRG: Report highlights the tax burden Wisconsinites shoulder because of tax havens, calls for restoring fairness to the tax code
· WMC: Thomas Industry move signals continued manufacturing crisis

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


TOP STORIES
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General Growth Properties declares bankruptcy: General Growth Properties Inc., the owner of Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa and other major retail centers across the country, has filed for Chapter 11 federal bankruptcy protection to reorganize.
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/04/13/daily39.html

With earnings down, Harley to cut more jobs : Battered by the recession, restructuring costs and a change in Wisconsin tax law, Harley-Davidson, Inc. Thursday reported a 37% drop in first-quarter profit and said it would cut an additional 300 to 400 manufacturing jobs.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/43090407.html

Land O’Lakes to Close Madison Dairy Plant: Land O’Lakes Inc. says it plans to close its butter plant in Madison and let go of 120 workers within the next two months. The Minnesota-based cooperative announced on Wednesday that the facility is no longer profitable.
http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=470&yr=2009

Securant Bank raises $5.1M in TARP funds: The parent company of Menomonee Falls-based Securant Bank & Trust will raise $5.1 million in capital through the U.S. Treasury Department’s Capital Purchase Program, which is part of the Troubled Assets Relief Program, or TARP.
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/04/13/daily28.html

Middleton Company’s Software To Be Used On Space Station: A Middleton firm is putting together plans for a NASA mission that involves a treadmill named after comedian Stephen Colbert. Orbitec in Middleton has been making training simulations for NASA since 2001. Orbitec software will show astronauts how the COLBERT, or Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill, works.
http://www.channel3000.com/technology/19193660/detail.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)
– New city Web site promotes Bronzeville
http://www.jsonline.com/business/43041187.html

ECONOMY (back to top)
– Food makers pass on savings to customers
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090416/GPG03/904160590/1247

– Milwaukee sets up stimulus Web site
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/04/13/daily31.html

– Nine Journal Sentinel employees take buyout
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/04/13/daily30.html

MANUFACTURING (back to top)
– R. R. Donnelley Co. to report earnings
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090416/APC03/904160512/1028

– Gehl May Have to Go into Bankruptcy
http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=471&yr=2009

– Briggs & Stratton reports 35% drop in profits
http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/43091592.html

– Koss earnings fall 79% in third quarter
http://www.jsonline.com/business/43063177.html

– Koss Corp.’s sales decline 19 percent
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/04/13/daily38.html

– Deere’s Horican plant to shift divisions
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/04/13/daily36.html

LABOR (back to top)
– Former flight attendant now helps home owners
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090416/APC03/904160506/1028

– Concert promoter to hire 1,000 part-time workers
http://www.jsonline.com/business/43037032.html

SMALL BUSINESS (back to top)
– Service is the soul of Morgan’s Shoes
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/447261

REAL ESTATE (back to top)
– Wisconsin Realtors Association campaign to push awareness of tax credit for first-time home buyers
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/447262

– Wisconsin bankruptcy filings up 35% through March
http://www.jsonline.com/business/43040722.html

– Six Flags pushes back interest payment
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/04/13/daily29.html

AGRIBUSINESS (back to top)
– From farm to table: Farmers’ Market produce on the menu in Chicago hotspots
http://77square.com/food/features/story_447238

TRANSPORTATION (back to top)
– Dodge County Airport to receive stimulus funds
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/04/13/daily35.html

RETAIL (back to top)
– Plant People open new store in Green Bay
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090416/GPG03/904160592/1247

TOURISM (back to top)
– Admirals attendance climbs 6.5 percent
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/04/13/daily37.html

UTILITIES (back to top)
– La Crosse power line supported
http://www.jsonline.com/business/43075887.html

FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top)
– Proposed state budget worries local insurance companies
http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/20090414/FON03/904140312/1327

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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