JSonline: Business Watch
Business Watch: A Weblog of Today's Local Business News

• Pewaukee developer sentenced to 18 months
  A city of Pewaukee real estate developer was sentenced to 18 months in prison today by Chief U.S. District Judge Rudolph Randa after pleading guilty to evading $340,000 in federal taxes during a 10-year period by not filing tax returns. Dennis L. Gritzmacher, 60, also received three years probation and was ordered to pay the back taxes plus interest and penalties, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Jacobs. A fine was waived. The plea agreement said that Gritzmacher paid no federal taxes from 1994 through 2003 and $20,000 in four installments in 2004, in the midst of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service. While he wasn't paying taxes, documents say, he was spending money elsewhere. The investigation showed that from 2000 through 2006, Gritzmacher spent $1.6 million as follows, according to court records: lease and purchase of vehicles, $605,000; jewelry, $230,000; mortgage and rental payments, $320,000; home furnishings and electronics, $120,000; and credit card payments, $310,000. Gritzmacher will report to prison in March, Jacobs said.
• Cell phone 911 charge will be reduced
  The monthly charge on cell phone bills in Wisconsin to pay for technology that lets emergency officials pinpoint the exact location of 911 calls placed by mobile phone users will drop to 43 cents from 92 cents, the state Public Service Commission said today. The PSC, which regulates the telecommunications industry in the state, said growth in the base of wireless users is a key reason for the 50% reduction in the monthly "E-911" fee. The surcharge is expected to end in April of 2009."Wireless Enhanced 911 is a vital program for our state and has proven to be an essential public safety tool," said Dan Ebert, chairman of the PSC. "The increasing number of cellular users can have peace of mind that this program will soon be operational in nearly all counties across the state."
• A.O. Smith extends stock buyback program
  A.O. Smith Corp. (Trial set for broker in kickback case
  A trial date has been set in the federal case of Larry Lupton, a Brookfield real estate broker who has pleaded not guilty to Regal Ware sells its food service division
  A Chicago-area company has purchased the food service division of cookware manufacturer Regal Ware Inc. Focus Products Group, of Vernon Hills, Ill., said the former Regal Ware division will continue to manufacture commercial coffee urns and other products in West Bend. Focus, however, will take over sales, customer service, shipping and credit functions from the Regal Ware division. The effect on jobs in West Bend was unclear Friday morning. A Focus executive could not be reached for comment immediately. Besides coffee urns, the Regal Ware food service division makes commercial cookware and beverage dispensing products for the hospitality and rental markets. The division had been part of Kewaskum-based Regal Ware, which makes stainless steel cookware and water purification equipment. Regal Ware sold its West Bend retail housewares division to Focus in 2003.
• Marcus says it won't show 'Sweeney Todd'
  Marcus Theatres Corp. today announced it will not show the new movie "Sweeney Todd" because it couldn't reach an agreement with Paramount Pictures on how much Marcus would pay for the film."This decision was reluctantly reached because the price requested by Paramount to show the film in Marcus Theatres was too expensive in the opinion of our film buyers," said Bruce Olson, president of Marcus Theatres. "Our customers are our first priority. We must be able to control all of our costs so that we can continue to provide the best entertainment value for our guests. This commitment is the foundation of our business.""Sweeney Todd," starring Johnny Depp, is one of several major holiday season films, with a Dec. 21 release date.
• Analyst sees Midwest shares as a 'buy'
  Shares of Midwest Air Group Inc. (Ethan Allen to move from Capitol Dr. store
  Ethan Allen Home Interiors plans to close its 14,000-square-foot store at 14750 W. Capitol Drive, Brookfield, and will move to a 19,000-square-foot store to be built on a portion of Brookfield Square's parking lot, south of Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, by the end of next year. The new Ethan Allen store will join a new Stir Crazy restaurant building, which also will be built on the mall parking lot, Dan Ertl, Brookfield community development director, said today. Stir Crazy, a Chicago-based Asian restaurant chain, plans to open in an 8,300-square-foot building that will be built between Fleming's and Fresh Market.
• New Redevelopment Authority head named
  Dave Misky has been appointed to lead the Milwaukee Redevelopment Authority, an agency that oversees much of the city's economic development efforts, Mayor Tom Barrett announced today. Misky will serve as assistant executive secretary of the authority, and will replace Joel Brennan, who resigned in September to become president and chief executive officer of Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin. Misky has been at the Department of City Development since 2003, where he has overseen efforts to redevelop environmentally contaminated sites, known as brownfields.
• Port Edwards paper mill to shut down
  A Port Edwards paper mill employing about 500 people will be closed