(WisBusiness) MON News Summary — 24 Aug. 2009

Mercury says manufacturing operations will leave FDL in 2 to 3 years: Following a union vote this morning to reject contract changes that company officials say would have kept Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac, Mercury Marine issued the following statement: “Union workers at Mercury Marine voted this morning to reject a contract proposal that company officials said was necessary to keep Mercury in Fond du Lac.
http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/20090823/FON0101/90823015/1985

Potential loss of Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac has ripple effect in Fox Valley: With Mercury Marine union workers rejecting a package of wage and benefit cuts, the door appears open for the outboard engine maker to move manufacturing and white-collar jobs to Oklahoma.
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090824/APC0101/908240508/1979

Payday legislation seeks to reign in niche lending industry: David Caldwell of Oshkosh has a love-hate relationship with the payday lending industry. He loves how speedy they are when he finds himself strapped for cash. He hates how hard it is to pay them back. A bill proposed by state Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, seeks to offer relief for those caught in Caldwell’s position by placing a 36 percent cap on the interest rate payday lenders can charge.
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20090824/OSH0101/908240340/

Harley looking outside Wisconsin at 4 sites for assembly plant : Harley-Davidson Inc. says it has settled on four sites where it might move motorcycle production away from its York, Pa., assembly plant.
http://www.jsonline.com/business/53963162.html

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http://blogs.wisbusiness.com/bizopinion

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TECHNOLOGY (back to top)
– New company refocuses Kimberly-Clark technology
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090822/APC03/908220606/1028/

BIOTECH (back to top)
– Dohmen’s $1M to help fund museum
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/08/24/story4.html?b=1251086400^1968661

ECONOMY (back to top)
– Eau Claire: Area firms among fastest-growing in U.S.
http://www.leadertelegram.com/story-business.asp?id=BKUI62200IE

– Sour economy taking chunk out of gambling revenues
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/463094

– Wisconsin job cuts not as severe as region, nation
http://www.jsonline.com/business/53956127.html

MANUFACTURING (back to top)
– Leaders not ready to give up on Mercury
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20090824/OSH0101/90823051/1987

– As Harley cuts staff, the key is not to hurt product development
http://www.jsonline.com/business/54008112.html

LABOR (back to top)
– Green Bay hires first black police officer
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20090824/OSH0101/90823028/1987

SMALL BUSINESS (back to top)
– Dine Out Inc. buys Fein Brothers assets
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/08/17/daily97.html

INVESTING (back to top)
– MGE Energy boosts dividend for 34th year
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/08/17/daily95.html

REAL ESTATE (back to top)
– State awards grant for WaterMark project
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090822/GPG03/908220550

– Madison: City gets serious about planning for large former fertilizer plant site despite economy
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/462550

– Shorewood project gets brownfield grant
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/08/17/daily91.html

AGRIBUSINESS (back to top)
– Cranberry farmers anticipate big harvest
http://www.stevenspointjournal.com/article/20090823/CWS0101/908230457/1657/SPJ01/

– Cross Country: Dairy farm’s demise draws huge auction crowd, prices
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/462847

– Blight threatens potato, tomato crops
http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/463101

RETAIL (back to top)
– In sputtering economy, pawnshops are king
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/463157

FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top)
– Insurers to bid on BadgerCare
http://www.jsonline.com/business/54371692.html

MANAGEMENT (back to top)
– Bert Garvin joins ATC as vp, gen. counsel
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/08/17/daily96.html

PRESS RELEASES (back to top)
· Burger Boat Company: Successful sea trial for “SYCARA IV”
· Dept. of Commerce: Gov. Doyle announces $100,000 brownfield grant for Shorewood development
· Dept. of Commerce: Governor Doyle announces $565,000 brownfield grant to River Vision Partnership
· Godfrey & Kahn: Attorney Timothy F. Nixon authors book on understanding fraudulent transfers
· Hoffman LLC: Designs Wisconsin Public Service Corp.’s first green service center
· Hoffman LLC: River Crest Elementary School earns LEED® Gold
· K-Sun Corp.: Wisconsin commerce secretary visits K-Sun in Somerset
· MGE Energy: Company has paid cash dividends for more than 100 years
· Natural Resources Foundation of Wis.: Wisconsin’s bat ecologist puts his money where his bats are with new endowment
· UW-Stevens Point: University links to Public Radio with new campus studio
· Vision Beloit: Presents “Business 101 Series”
· Wisconsin Bankers Association: Wisconsin bankers help keep farmers on the farm

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