— Gov. Jim Doyle says Hitachi is looking to install a demonstration wind turbine in Wisconsin that has the potential to create state jobs. Doyle is in the middle of a trade mission to Japan and China. During a conference call from Tokyo, Doyle said if the demonstration is successful the company could pick the United States, and maybe Wisconsin, for large-scale manufacturing. Doyle also visited a Tokyo hospital to dedicate a new piece of radiation therapy equipment made by a Wisconsin company. See more: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=170216 — A report from the State Office of Credit Unions says the state’s 245 credit unions grew by $1.2 billion in the first half of this year, a 6.5 percent increase. Their net income was $41.5 million, less than the $62.1 million they had made at the same point a year ago. But overall the report says Wisconsin’s credit unions showed solid performance despite extremely challenging markets. See the report: http://www.wdfi.org/_resources/indexed/site/fi/cu/MidYear2009CUBulletin.pdf — The U.S. Senate is expected to vote today on the nomination of a Wisconsinite to be counsel for the U.S. Small Business Administration. Winslow Sargeant, a Madison businessman with venture capital experience, was nominated by President Barack Obama. Sargeant holds a doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin. Senate sources are not expecting Sargeant’s nomination to generate heavy opposition — if any at all. — The Senate voted 23-9 to approve legislation allowing the Public Service Commission to set uniform standards for the siting of power-generating wind turbines and farms. Sen. Jeff Plale, D-South Milwaukee, one of the authors of the legislation, said the bill requires the PSC to take into account the health of local residents when deciding where the turbines or farms will be located. He pointed out the bill doesn’t set the rules for siting. “There is a misconception that this bill sets the standards,” he said. “What this bill does is it gets the ball rolling.” The Assembly plans to take up the bill today. — The Senate also approved on a voice vote tougher penalties for violating Wisconsin’s Do-Not-Call regulations. The current penalty is $100; the bill would up that to at least $1,000, but no more than $10,000. The legislation also would allow those who suffer damages as a result of a violation to sue for injunctive relief and actual damages or for $500 per violation, whichever is greater. — Families USA found in a new study that health care premiums in Wisconsin rose 4.6 times faster than earnings between 2000 through 2009. Over the period, health insurance premiums went up 93.6 percent, while earnings rose 20.4 percent. See the report: http://www.familiesusa.org/resources/newsroom/press-releases/2009-press-releases/wi-costly-coverage.html — The Wisconsin REALTORS Association announced John Flor has been selected as its new chair, taking over for Michael Mulleady of Minocqua. Flor, the managing broker of Six Lakes Realty in Chetek, begins his one-year term Oct. 1. See the release: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=170238 — Kathy Collins has been named as the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network regional director in Madison. Collins has worked with hundreds of companies over the past ten years as the technology and financial development manager in the Commerce Division of Business Development. See the release: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=170255 — The Wisconsin Department of Justice has settled a lawsuit against NewPage Wisconsin System, Inc., for violations of state air pollution control laws at its Wood County pulp and paper mill in 2006. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, NewPage Wisconsin System, Inc., has agreed to pay penalties and assessments totaling $28,000 for the violations. See details: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=170269 — Four advanced pieces of scientific laboratory equipment with a total value of approximately $1 million now are available for use by University of Wisconsin-Madison stem cell and other researchers at several campus departments and centers due to a donation by the private nonprofit WiCell Research Institute. See details: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=170252 ************************* TOP EXPERTS TO DISCUSS WIS. GREEN JOBS FUTURE “Green Jobs: Growing Wisconsin Employment” is part of a series of forums at Discovery World and aims to assess Wisconsin’s future in the green jobs market. The forum, sponsored by the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters, UW-Milwaukee, We Energies, Wisconsin Environmental Initiative and Johnson Controls, begins at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 9 a.m. Breakfast begins at 7:15 a.m. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett will provide remarks about his city’s efforts to cultivate green jobs. Confirmed panelists include: The event is organized by WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com with the help of MMAC, Discovery World, and UW-Milwaukee. More sponsorship opportunities are available; contact Jim Greer at 608-237-6296 or greer@wispolitics.com. The event is open to the public, and the price is $30 per person. But WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com subscribers, members of the Wisconsin Academy, the UW-Milwaukee community, and members of MMAC and Discovery World are able to attend for $20 per person. The price includes the breakfast buffet but not parking. ************************* TOP STORIES Medicare contract remains in limbo; no explanation for delay: A Medicare claims administration contract worth $277 million over five years remains in limbo eight months after it was awarded and then quickly suspended, and neither the two companies competing for the contract nor the government agency that needs the work done will explain the hold-up. Doyle optimistic about Asian investment : Gov. Jim Doyle expressed optimism on Tuesday that his trade mission to Japan and China will ultimately produce economic benefits for Wisconsin despite the worldwide recession. Gas prices continue to come down: Gas prices in Wisconsin are gradually coming down, and Madison is leading the way in cheap gas.
************************************************************ See commentary from around the state and columns from WisBusiness contributors Jennifer Sereno, Kevin McKinley, Tom Burzinski, Gregg Hoffmann, Tom Still and Steve Jagler: ************************************************************ TECHNOLOGY (back to top) – S.F. firm buying Milwaukee’s GuestBridge for $3M
ECONOMY (back to top) – Study: Milwaukee recovery will wait until 2015
MANUFACTURING (back to top)
LABOR (back to top)
REAL ESTATE (back to top) – Realtors group calls for tax credit extension
AGRIBUSINESS (back to top)
RETAIL (back to top)
REGULATION (back to top)
HEALTH CARE (back to top) – Voters approve Dunn health center funds – Wis. agency funds prescription-drug collections – Health co-op names WPS Health as partner
MANAGEMENT (back to top) – Madison architecture firm sets new leadership PRESS RELEASES (back to top) For these and more releases visit http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Content=82 |
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