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Foxconn’s Racine County factory is on

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The latest on Foxconn: never mind. Just days after a Reuters report cast doubt on its future plans in the state, Foxconn Technology Group now says it will build a liquid crystal display manufacturing plant in Racine County. A company statement says that follows talks between President Donald Trump and company CEO Terry Gou. A spokeswoman said there would be no other comment for now.

The state agreed to give Foxconn about $4 billion in state and local incentives if it invests $10 billion and creates 13,000 jobs in Wisconsin, under terms of a deal brokered by former Governor Scott Walker.

Reuters: Foxconn to roll back plans on Wisconsin LCD factory

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Foxconn might be changing its plans to create a massive production facility in Wisconsin.

Reuters is reporting today that Foxconn might not be building liquid crystal displays in Wisconsin as they originally considered.

Company officials told Reuters that the labor costs of making displays in the US are very high, and that they might instead create a research and technology hub in the state.

The company stated earlier this month that they’re still committed to hiring 13-thousand people in Wisconsin, but it’s now unclear if or when that will happen.

Miller Park naming rights go to American Family Insurance

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The Milwaukee Brewers and American Family Insurance announced their new partnership for the naming rights to Miller Park.

American Family CEO Jack Salzwedel says this is a part of a larger effort for his company to create a new office location in Milwaukee.”And a strategy that includes more jobs, and jobs in the software engineering and data science area. And we’ve been working very closely with the Mayor to look at different sites.”

Brewers officials say that MillerCoors will continue to be a strong partner with the team, and that you’re not going to see them leaving Milwaukee baseball any time soon.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett says he’s happy to be a part of the process. “The city of Milwaukee is very excited about this. We think that this is a beautiful relationship that’s going to grow even stronger between your company and this city.”

The actual name of the park and other branding issues will be discussed at a later date.

Shopko files for bankruptcy, announces store closings

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Shopko has filed for bankruptcy and will close 38 stores as part of its restructuring efforts. The Ashwaubenon-based retailer announced Wednesday that it has obtained $480 million in financing from lenders led by Wells Fargo to fund and protect its operations while it goes through bankruptcy.

Shopko has also asked the federal bankruptcy court in Nebraska to allow it to continue to pay wages, salaries, and benefits, and pay vendors and suppliers during the bankruptcy process.

“This decision is difficult, but a necessary one,” CEO Russ Steinhorst said in a news release.

“In a challenging retail environment, we have had to make some very tough choices, but we are confident that by operating a smaller and more focused store footprint, we will be able to build a stronger Shopko that will better serve our customers, vendors, employees and other stakeholders through this process.”

Court documents list the company’s assets at between $500 million and $1 billion, with liabilities estimated between $1 billion and $10 billion.

A list of the 38 closing stores, plus previously announced closures are posted on a separate website dedicated to the bankruptcy.

Included in the list are seven stores from Northeast Wisconsin, and over a dozen stores statewide, which all are set to shut their doors in April.

  • 216 S. Military Ave., Green Bay
  • 3415 Calumet Ave., Manitowoc
  • 1578 Appleton Rd., Menasha
  • 699 S. Green Bay Rd., Neenah
  • Shopko Express – W3208 Van Roy Rd., Buchanan
  • Shopko Express – 2101 E. Evergreen Dr., Appleton
  • Shopko Hometown – 1010 S. Mainline Dr., Seymour
  • 1200 Main Street, Stevens Point
  • 1800 Plover Road, Plover

Additional stores in Madison, West Bend, and La Crosse will also be closed.

Shopko also plans to move more than 20 optical centers to freestanding locations.

The company says it is encouraged by four freestanding optical centers it opened last year and will look to grow its optical business. All optical centers will remain open through the transition, the company says.

Finally, Shopko says it is auctioning its remaining pharmacy business.

The bankruptcy is the latest in a string of announcements from Shopko.

Last month, it announced plans to close 39 stores, mostly Shopko Hometown stores, and sell the pharmacy business at more than 40 locations. Last week, the company confirmed plans to close the Shopko Hometown in Seymour and the full-size department store in Menasha.

 

WTAQ

Reports: Shopko close to bankruptcy

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Shopko could file for bankruptcy as early as next week.

The Green Bay Press Gazette quotes a lawyer for a pharmaceutical company which Shopko owes money that Shopko is expected to file for bankruptcy next Tuesday. In December, Bloomberg reported that Shopko was making preparations to file bankruptcy. 

Shopko is based in Green Bay, and owns 333 different types of stores. The company did not return an Associated Press reporter’s calls for comment.

Congress passes 2018 Farm Bill, sends it to President Trump for signature

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Congress has passed the 2018 Farm Bill.

Senator Tammy Baldwin voted yes on the bill, saying it will ease the pressure on dairy farms.

“I met with farmers across Wisconsin, and I brought their concerns and ideas to Washington to make sure that the farm bill works for our Wisconsin Farmers.”

She adds that current conditions are rough for farmers and their families. “Right now our farmers are facing a perfect storm of challenges, and these challenges have threatened their businesses and our communities.”

Congressman Ron Kind was one of three House Democrats to vote against the bill. He says the bill gives too much funding to corporate interests.

“It fails to reign in Wasteful subsidies and crop insurance programs that lead to overproduction by big agribusiness. It cuts $800 million from vital conservation programs, and does nothing to address the damage caused by the President’s trade war.”

Senator Ron Johnson also voted against the bill. He says it includes too much funding for food assistance programs. The bill now heads to President Trump for a signature.

Evers and Vos at odds over WEDC bill (AUDIO)

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One of the “lame duck” bills passed by the Wisconsin legislature this week deals with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. Governor-elect Tony Evers said during his campaign that he’ll seek to abolish WEDC, and return jobs creation to the old Commerce Department.

Speaker Robin Vos said on Wednesday morning that Republicans had to act, because Evers wasn’t talking to them. “It was a lot through the media. I never got a call. We never talked about it. It was an awful lot of negotiation through the Journal Sentinel, kind of the arm of the Democratic Party,” Vos said. “We really couldn’t get a fair hearing, that’s the problem.”

“I’m not sure what in the world that means,” Evers said later that day, when asked about Vos’ comment that he was negotiating through the media. “He never asked . . . to talk to me a about this legislation to begin with. It would have been great to find out exactly what his plans were to begin with.”

Vos and Evers :35

The bill allows WEDC rather than the governor, to appoint the agency’s CEO until next September. The Legislature would also get more say over the agency’s enterprise zone program that hands out tax breaks to businesses.

Governor Scott Walker is expected to sign the entire package of legislation passed by the extraordinary session of the Republican controlled legislature.

No deal to save jobs at Neenah Kimberly Clark plant

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A deal to save jobs at Kimberly Clark’s Neenah Cold Spring plant did not get done in the “lame duck” legislative session. It’s a big disappointment to the bill’s author, Representative Jim Steinke. “I’m afraid politics played a role. I was hoping once we got past the politics of the election, there would be more support for it. Obviously, we couldn’t garner any support from the Democrats,” the Kaukauna Republican said.

The $70 million tax incentives package passed the Assembly last spring — but there was no vote in the Senate. “I was really disappointed that Governor-elect Evers didn’t step forward, and at least give his opinion one way or the other, as to whether he thought it was a good idea.”

Ironically, Senate passage of the deal was Governor Scott Walker’s only stated reason for an extraordinary session. Walker said without it, the nearly 400 jobs at the plant will be gone by year’s end

GOP lawmakers ask Evers to retain Klett as tourism secretary

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Republicans members of the Wisconsin state Assembly are making an unusual push for Governor-elect Tony Evers to retain the state tourism secretary.

Ten GOP members of the Assembly tourism committee sent Evers a letter urging him to keep Stephanie Klett in charge of the Department of Tourism.

The letter says Klett helped grow tourism from a $14.8 billion industry in 2011 to more than $20.6 billion today. Committee chairman Travis Tranel has started an online petition asking for Klett to keep her job. Nearly 2,000 people had signed it as of last Wednesday.

Republican Governor Scott Walker, who lost his reelection bid to Evers, appointed Klett as tourism secretary at the start of his first term in 2011.

Consider getting Something Special From Wisconsin this holiday season

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If you’re looking for some great holiday gifts, consider getting Something Special From Wisconsin.

Alice in Dairyland Kaitlyn Riley says the program helps identify producers and companies keeping their process and production local. 

“It was made with at least half of the ingredients, production or processing going right back to our state. But it’s also going to be a gift that keeps on giving, because it’s returning dollars back to our local farmers, processors, communities or economies.” 

Riley says you should think about spicing up your holiday cooking with some Wisconsin made products, like honey.

“I made a cranberry sauce using Dancing Bear Apiary honey instead of sugar to sweeten my blends. There’s so many way where we can take our typical holiday traditions and take them from ordinary to extraordinary.”

Another item that could be a stocking stuffer is candies from Cream City Caramels in Milwaukee.

“They use real cream in their products, and they take small batches of caramels to mix them together and create fun flavors like India Pale Ale, they also have a Vanilla Porter, and the classic Caramel flavor.”

You can find your special item online at http://somethingspecialwi.com.