Top Stories March 31st

Quad Merger Approved


3/31/10 - Quad-Graphics has received regulatory approval to buy World Color Press of Montreal, Canada. The companies announced Tuesday that they cleared the U.S. and Canadian Antitrust process for their merger. World Press is publicly owned, and Quad – the nation’s largest privately-held commercial printer – will go public once the deal is finalized. The combined operation will have 30-thousand employees. World Color C-E-O Mark Angelson said when the merger was first announced in January that there would not be layoffs in areas that do not overlap – unless they were planning to be made anyway. Angelson said the printing industry is consolidating, and the new deal is meant to combine and highlight the best of both firms. For Quad, it’s a chance to do more business in Canada and Latin America. Quad C-E-O Joel Quadracci said at the time that he sees the printing industry as a key component of a much bigger world that also includes digital displays. He says marketers want to use every possible medium to reach their audience. The purchase price is said to be around one-point-three billion dollars. The transaction remains subject to approval under the Investment Canada Act, as well as to the satisfaction of other closing conditions.

Steger, Graff Differ on City Admin Position

3/31/10 - The candidates for mayor in the city of Waupun have differing opinions on the need for a city administrator. Challenger Jay Graff told us on WBEV’s Community Comment that it’s an expensive position and there is no need to fill it at this time. Graff says Waupun is in a unique position to revert back to a form of government where the city clerk and city attorney handle the day-to-day workload. Incumbent Mayor Jodi Steger says that she’s never had a doubt that the city administrator’s position needs to be filled. Steger says former Administrator Gary Rogers saved the city millions of dollars, mainly because the responsibilities of an economic development coordinator were incorporated into the position.

Juneau Candidates on WBEV

3/31/10 - The candidates running for mayor of the city of Juneau will be our guests on WBEV’s Community Comment today. Incumbent Mayor Ron Bosak will join us at 12:35pm and then in our second segment we’ll hear from his challenger Dan Jahnke. Community Comment airs weekdays on AM1430 beginning at 12:35pm.

Petri Town Meeting In BD Monday

3/31/10 - Congressman Tom Petri is holding a town hall meeting in Beaver Dam on Monday. The Fond du Lac Republican is holding a dozen such meetings over the next week in his Sixth Congressional District. He says the group setting provides his constituents with an opportunity to ask questions, provide comments and discuss federal issues directly with their congressional representative. Petri will be in the council chambers at Beaver Dam City Hall from 3pm to 4pm next Monday. Earlier in the day, Petri will be at the Terrace Room at the Watertown Senior and Community Center.

BDUSD Seeking Top Educator Nominations

3/31/10 - The Beaver Dam Unified School District is seeking nominations for their Teacher, Administrator and Support Staff of the Year Award program. Awards will presented for Elementary teacher, Middle School teacher, High School teacher, Administrator/ Coordinator, Special Services Teacher, Secretary, Teacher Assistant, Food Service Worker and Custodial/ Maintenance/ Computer Technician. Nominees will be judged primarily on the significance of their contributions to the well-being of the educational community. Representatives selected will be submitted to the statewide teacher and administrator of the year competition. Parents, students and community members who would like to nominate an employee can obtain a nomination form at any Beaver Dam public school office, the Educational Service Center or on the district’s website. The deadline for submitting a nomination form is Friday, April 16.

Vehicle Purchases Up

3/31/10 - More Wisconsinites are buying new vehicles than a year ago. According to the Kentucky firm of Cross-Sell, just over 10-thousand-100 new cars and light trucks were sold last month in the Badger State. That’s up two-percent from the 99-hundred sales in February of 2009 – which had the lowest car sales during the recession. The market has a long way to go before it catches up with the sales activity before the big downturn. Last month’s car registrations were 29-percent below those of February of ’08. Cross-Sell said the biggest sellers last month were mid-sized cars, compact S-U-V’s, and full-sized pick-up trucks.

Medical Malpractice Fund Deficit At $200M

3/31/10 - The state fund that’s supposed to pay for medical malpractice court settlements had negative assets the last two years. That’s after the governor and Legislature raided 200-million dollars from the fund in 2007 to cover deficits in other parts of the state budget. The Legislative Audit Bureau said Tuesday that the malpractice fund was 109-million dollars in the hole as of last June 30th – and 61-and-a-half million in the red in June of ’08. Auditors said the expected amount of payments to malpractice victims exceeded the money in the special fund – which only doctors pay into to share their risk of being hit with a malpractice suit. The State Medical Society filed suit against the budget raid, saying the politicians took the doctors’ money improperly. A Dane County circuit judge said the transfer was okay. An appeals court took a pass on the question. And the Supreme Court is expected to make a ruling this summer. If the court rules against the state, it will create a new revenue shortfall which the governor and lawmakers would have to address.

Debate To Eliminate Rebate in State

3/31/10 - Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce opposes a measure that would limit how mail-in rebates could be used. WMC says it would prevent consumers from potentially saving lots of money. Spokesman R.J. Pirlot says it would effectively ban mail-in rebate programs. Pirlot says the option shouldn’t be taken away from Wisconsin consumers. The bill’s sponsor, Senator John Lehman says the advertised price of any product, including discounts, must be the price a consumer pays at the time of purchase. He says it’s misleading to require consumers to use mail-in rebates to get that advertised price.

Seasonal Work Begins At Juneau Cemetery

3/31/10 - The Juneau Department of Public Works will be cleaning and raking the city cemetery next week. Officials are asking that flowers, plants and other decorative items be removed. Anything left in the cemetery after April 10 that is in poor condition will be thrown away. For more information, officials ask that you contact the Department of Public Works.