The Daily Reporter articles from December 2003

The Daily Reporter archives from December 2003

Commentary: Reverse age discrimination?
December 1, 2003... Byline: Scott A. Baumbach The federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act protects workers over the age of 40 from discrimination in the workplace. But can younger employees within the protected category, say between the ages of 40 and...

Commentary: Temporary sanity; FAS announces delay of new accounting rule.
December 1, 2003... Byline: Keith Krueger I am glad to let you know that the accounting rulemakers have at least regained their sanity for a while. Back in August, we informed you about a new accounting rule, FAS #150, Accounting for Certain Financial...

Roundy's distribution center to move.
December 2, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Roundy's Inc. will move its distribution center from Wauwatosa to the Pabst Farms, becoming Pabst's second manufacturing tenant and starting a drive to redevelop the land it will leave behind. Roundy's on Wednesday...

Construction worker dies in weekend accident.
December 2, 2003... Byline: Chris Thompson A Cuba City construction company owner died Saturday while installing a window in a house in Hazel Green. Brett Runde, 28, Cuba City, co-owner of Dream Builders LLC, was installing the window from an extendable...

Wisc. Dept. of Transportation audit suggests $380M in savings possible.
December 3, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Last week's critical audit of the state Department of Transportation suggested the agency could save $380 million on 21 projects through a series of cost-cutting design changes. But agency and transportation...

Children's Hospital of Wisc. expansion under way.
December 3, 2003... Byline: Jim Cryns Construction has begun on a $97 million expansion for Children's Hospital of Wisconsin at 92nd Street and Connell Avenue in Wauwatosa, and it's expected to provide 270,000 square feet of space exclusively created for...

St. Marys Hospital reveals massive expansion project.
December 4, 2003... Byline: Chris Thompson Oscar J. Boldt Construction and Kahler Slater Architects Inc. will lead the way on an estimated 10-year, $170 million expansion project for St. Marys Hospital Medical Center in Madison. "We're extremely excited,"...

WisDOT restores funds for transportation projects.
December 4, 2003... Byline: Jim Cryns Wisconsin communities and construction companies will be able to put about $4 million dollars worth of local transportation projects into their collective pockets thanks to the efforts of 14 state lawmakers. In a...

Commentary: Wisconsin's permitting process needs reform.
December 4, 2003... Byline: Matt Moroney The Legislature will be back in an extraordinary session in December in order to take up unfinished business that needs to be acted upon before the end of the calendar year. One of the most critical bills the...

Milwaukee's social mandates draw ire from developers and neighborhood coalition.
December 5, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Milwaukee's attempt to compromise on placing social mandates on private projects that receive city funding stumbled at the starting gate Thursday, drawing ire from developers and the Good Jobs and Livable Neighborhoods...

Impact unknown of surety providers' merger between St. Paul Cos. and Travelers Property.
December 5, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The ranks of construction surety providers grew smaller last month with the announced merger of the St. Paul Cos. and Travelers Property Casualty Corp. The two companies agreed to a $16.5 billion, tax-free stock...

Madison Mayor Cieslewicz reveals his economic development plan for making the city pro-business.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz on Thursday rolled out his economic development ambitions for the city, focusing on what he called the "high-road" economy. The city's economic landscape is changing, the mayor said,...

Milwaukee Dept. of City Development advances its plan for Park East corridor.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The Milwaukee Department of City Development has mapped a plan to work the Park East corridor redevelopment plan through the Common Council by Dec. 19. The plan was set aside during last month's Redevelopment...

Constructive Comments: December 8, 2003.
December 8, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow Sometimes one utters a truth and gets hammered for it. That may turn out to be a consequence for Alan Fish, University of Wisconsin-Madison vice chancellor for facilities planning and development, who said: "Our...

Affordable-housing measure gaining ground in Madison.
December 9, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Proponents of an affordable-housing requirement in new Madison development projects moved clearly toward victory last week. Mayor Dave Cieslewicz announced that a majority of the Madison Common Council now backs...

New Pewaukee Public Library planned.
December 9, 2003... Byline: Jim Cryns Hemingway, Voltaire, Dickens and Tom Clancy will finally be getting some much needed elbow room in Pewaukee when a new library opens. The Zimmerman Design Group of Wauwatosa is the architectural firm for the Pewaukee...

Mayoral candidate wants review of Milwaukee Metro Sewerage District contracts.
December 10, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Milwaukee mayoral candidate Tom Barrett plans to review the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District's consulting contracts to make sure they get ample time in the public light. "Tom's concern is about the taxpayers...

Country Inn in Waukesha plans water park.
December 10, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The Country Inn Hotel and Conference Center in Waukesha is preparing to build a $30 million indoor water park to boost the facility's recreational opportunities. "This is a little bit of uncharted waters," said...

Commentary: Is Wisconsin's DNR anti-jobs?
December 10, 2003... Byline: Donald Croysdale Wisconsin's Jobs Creation Act of 2003 is potentially one of the most far-reaching and positive legislative initiatives proposed for our state in several years. The two most potent issues facing our country are a...

Hotel Wisconsin renovation plans unveiled.
December 11, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan A Delaware-based corporation will give Milwaukee's historic Hotel Wisconsin an approximately $12 million renovation next year to open in 2005 with new offices, shops and apartments. "I can assure you that our company...

Commentary: America's Freedom Center designed to honor veterans.
December 11, 2003... Byline: Jim Cryns America's Freedom Center, a $77 million, 100,000-square-foot building to open on Veterans Day 2006, has been designed to honor the memory of veterans and perpetuate the education of citizens throughout the state of...

Medical College of Wisconsin seeks architect for biomedical research facility.
December 12, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The Medical College of Wisconsin is gearing up for a $60 million biomedical research facility, and it's starting by opening a search for an architect. Last week, the Medical College, located on the County Grounds...

Milwaukee-based Endeavour Group Investments plans retail development in Bay View area.
December 12, 2003... Byline: Jim Cryns Endeavour Group Investments LLC of Milwaukee has plans to develop a 5,000-square-foot building to house three retailers at the northeast corner of Kinnickinnic and Oklahoma avenues. Endeavour has worked as a developer...

Habermehl Electric and Wisconsin attorney general settle prevailing-wage case.
December 15, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Habermehl Electric Inc., Franklin, will pay 12 employees more than $60,000 in back prevailing wages following a settlement with the attorney general and state Department of Transportation. Sylvia Habermehl, the...

Commentary: Constructive Comments, December 15, 2003.
December 15, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow Recently, we had occasion to direct an email to an old friend, one of the most well known and respected spinmeisters in southeast Wisconsin. In response to our observation that he has a tiger (his client) by the...

Ho Ho Ho Express case no laughing matter for OSHA.
December 16, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The Occupational Safety and Health Administration appealed an administrative law decision that threatens the agency's ability to levy harsher penalties for egregious violations. On Sept. 29, the three-member...

Worker's death sparks OSHA fines.
December 16, 2003... Byline: Chris Thompson The Aug. 4 death of C.D. Smith Construction Co. employee Zebedke Richardson has left the Fond du Lac contractor facing $80,000 in fines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Richardson, 55, died...

Commentary: Taxpayers Bill of Rights: The next great debate.
December 16, 2003... Byline: Jerry DeSchane The Wisconsin Legislature has begun a debate that could change our high-service, high-tax reputation forever. Next month, all Capitol eyes will be on a constitutional amendment to permanently limit the growth in...

Public Service Commission hears request for rate increases.
December 18, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Public Service Commission hearings closed yesterday for two We Energies requests to increase electric and natural gas rates to pay for three projects, including the new Port Washington generation station. Wisconsin...

Sale of Madison design/build firm imminent.
December 18, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Marshall Erdman & Associates Inc., the Madison design/build firm, is closing in on a deal to sell the company to two Milwaukee-based investors. The terms of the deal, which is expected to be finalized early next...

Commentary: Social mandates will hurt development, city.
December 18, 2003... Byline: Matt Moroney Just over a year ago, the Park East redevelopment proposal was being hailed as a welcome replacement for the fallen Park East freeway. This prime property has the potential to provide high-paying jobs and contribute to...

Milwaukee construction industry plans new annual safety and education training day.
December 30, 2003... Byline: Dan Burazin Efficient, quality training in one convenient location - that is what the Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Construction Industry Safety Council offer the commercial construction...

Commentary: Trends to watch in 2004.
December 31, 2003... Byline: Donald Croysdale A common adage for investing and future planning is "A trend continues until it stops." Growth stock investing is based on this premise. Analysts, especially those with a laptop and a bit of time on their hands,...

Wisconsin waiting for Congress to approve spending for transportation projects.
December 31, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The window on transportation projects statewide is quickly closing as Wisconsin waits for Congress to approve its annual spending measure. "When you start thinking about the April-May construction lets, you're...

Supreme Court asked to reject gaming challenge.
December 31, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Business and labor organizations Friday called for the Wisconsin Supreme Court to reject a legal challenge, filed by Republican legislative leaders, to the state's American Indian gaming compacts. On Friday the...

U of Wisconsin-Oshkosh plans stadium renovation.
December 31, 2003... Byline: Chris Thompson A boulevard down the middle of a soccer field is likely to cause problems no matter how good the soccer team is. That's the quandary the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Athletic Department faced two years ago...