Viewpoints

Mayor Tom Barrett announced that Milwaukee has joined President Barack Obama’s Better Buildings Challenge, pledging to reduce the city’s commercial energy consumption 20 percent by 2020.

Wisconsin's economy could get a boost if Congress moves quickly to take advantage of new trade opportunities with Russia. Congressional inaction, on the other hand, would allow other countries' companies to get into the market first and gain a competitive edge over companies from Wisconsin and the United States.

Veolia Environmental Services launched its women in leadership program last October as a way to help increase diversity at its senior leader table. Last week, the company expanded that program further with its recycling ambassador sponsorship of the U.S. Women's Open in Kohler.

The standard advertising proposition works something like this:

The four-county metropolitan Milwaukee housing market posted additional sales gains in June. The region’s housing market had a 25.8 percent increase in sales during June and a 28.6 percent increase in sales during the second quarter, according to the Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors (GMAR).

The ongoing European financial crisis, uncertainty about the U.S. economy, the impending federal government “fiscal cliff” and the upcoming U.S. presidential election will play major roles in influencing the stock market in the second half of the year.

The A.O. Smith Corporation has increased its quarterly cash dividend by 25 percent, to $.20 per share. The company's Common Stock and Class A Common Stock are affected.

Wisconsin banks who received capital through the Small Business Lending Fund have increased small business lending by $45.3 million since 2010, according to a report from the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Karen Ellenbecker, president of Ellenbecker Investment Group Inc. in Pewaukee and host of the “Money Sense” radio show on AM 1130-WISN, has been guiding small business owners with their finances for 27 years. The current economic environment presents challenges, she says, but the key to creating a fulfilling retirement continues to be proper planning ahead of time – for both business and personal finances.

Performer dependent, last night was likely the last time I'll ever go to a show at the Marcus Amphitheater during Summerfest.