Ideas

The ongoing dispute about the number of jobs in Wisconsin took another turn today with the release of new federal statistics that show Wisconsin lost 21,400 jobs from April 2011 to April 2012, ranking last in the nation for job creation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Frances Richman, executive director of the Milwaukee Symphony Youth Orchestra has announced she will retire as of December 31, 2012 after serving as executive director for 24 years.

I’m in favor of unions. Their purpose is to represent their constituency. Enlightened union leadership’s job is to see that the union constituency is enabled to do their jobs more effectively through education and a creative work environment.

A healthy manufacturing sector is key to better jobs, rising productivity and higher standards of living. Today, U.S. manufacturers, both small and large, are locked in a fierce global battle for customers with China, Japan, Germany and others.

Appleton Papers Inc. and Hicks Acquisition Company II Inc. today announced a definitive agreement under which Appleton will engage in a business combination with Hicks in a transaction valued at $675 million.

After a long slump since the housing market crash that led to the Great Recession, the metro Milwaukee housing market is finally regaining a balance between supply and demand.

A “ground blessing” ceremony will be held today for the School Sisters of St. Francis’ project to build a 72-unit independent senior and assisted apartment building on the grounds of the sisters' St. Joseph Center campus at 1501 S. Layton Blvd., on the south side of Milwaukee.

The Walker administration today took the unprecedented step today of releasing preliminary employment numbers that indicate Wisconsin may have created 23,321 jobs in 2011.

Brookfield-based Inlanta Mortgage continues to expand by opening new offices Marshfield and De Pere, Wis, and Schaumburg, Ill.

Douglas Dynamics Inc., a Milwaukee-based designer and manufacturer of snow and ice control equipment for light trucks, reported a first quarter net loss of $4.3 million, or 19 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $0.8 million, or 4 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.