Midwest Air Group Inc. today announced it has set a special meeting of shareholders for Tuesday, Oct. 30, to vote upon the sale of the company.
The Oak Creek-based parent company of Midwest Airlines will be sold to Midwest Air Partners LLC, a new limited liability company formed by an affiliate of TPG Capital L.P. and Northwest Airlines Inc.
Shareholders will receive $17 in cash for each share of Midwest common stock they own. The deal is valued at $451.8 million.
In a form filed by Midwest with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the company filed a letter to its shareholders, stating, "The Midwest board of directors has determined that the merger agreement and the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement are advisable to, fair to and in the best interests of shareholders … Our board of directors unanimously recommends that Midwest's shareholders vote 'FOR' the approval of the merger agreement … Our board of directors and management appreciate your support of Midwest, and we hope you will support this transaction."
To view the entire filing, visit MarketWatch.com.

The Coalition Supporting Equity for Our Nation's Self-Employed, representing more than 40 American small business organizations, is supporting a bill that would change the federal tax code that requires millions of self-employed people to pay an additional 15.3 percent in payroll taxes on the costs of their own health insurance premiums.
House bill 3660, also known as the Equity for Our Nation's Self-Employed Act, has been introduced by U.S. Reps. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) and Wally Herger (R-Calif.).
The bill would allow sole proprietors to deduct the cost of health insurance premiums as a business expense when calculating their self-employment tax. Currently, all business entities except sole proprietors deduct their health premiums as a business expense and forego FICA (Social Security and Medicare) taxes on those expenses. That leaves more than 20 million self-employed entrepreneurs facing additional taxes on health costs.
The coalition cited the case of Kathleen Korrison, a self-employed business owner in Arcadia, Wis., who owns Arcadia Garage Door Co. She is currently paying an additional $1,085 in self-employment tax annually, which does not allow her to make regular deposits into her retirement account or her daughter's college fund.
"Small businesses like ours have a hard enough time competing, and this just makes it tougher. With an extra $1,000 per year, we could also put more money aside to update business equipment," Korrison said.
"The self-employed are a critical component of our nation's economy. Our policy and tax code should support, not harm these budding businesses," said Kristie Darien, co-chair of the coalition. "We ask them to grow, to create jobs, to compete, yet we do not provide a fair playing field to allow them so. Passage of the Equity for Our Nation's Self-Employed Act would move us one step closer to parity."
In addition to addressing a significant tax inequity, the bill would remove cost penalties imposed on the self-employed purchasing health insurance. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the self-employed pay on average $11,480 per year for family health coverage. Since that expense is not deductible when calculating self-employment tax, they pay $1,756.44 more to the federal government in payroll tax on those premiums. No other business entity must pay this added cost.
"With everyone in the country talking about the need for health care reform, Congress should see this as a very important, very doable reform," NSBA president Todd McCracken said. "This simple correction in the tax code would have broad implications-more than 21 million entrepreneurs would have greater access to affordable health insurance under this legislation."

The Milwaukee County Board did not have the two-thirds majority it needed this morning to override County Executive Scott Walker's veto of a proposal to hold a special advisory referendum that would have asked county residents if they would be in favor of a 1 percent sales tax increase.
Proponents of the referendum had said the tax increase would have enabled the county to provide property tax relief and would have increased funding for parks, mass transit and public safety.
The board voted 10-9 to override Walker's veto, but that fell short of the two-thirds majority needed.
In a joint statement prior to the vote, Milwaukee County Board Chairman Lee Holloway and Supervisor John Weishan Jr. said, "Plain and simple, the voters should be heard. Whether you are for or against raising the sales tax to provide funding for property tax relief, parks, transit and public safety, you should be in favor of an advisory referendum on the issue … To be clear, the Board is NOT considering an increase in the sales tax at this time. In reality, we're looking at whether to let the voters decide the issue. While the County Executive has clearly expressed his opposition to enacting a sales tax increase, he is actually partaking in a debate that should occur through the referendum - a debate he wants to forbid through his veto."
In response to the board's vote, Walker issued the following statement later this morning: "If supervisors are serious about a $120 million sales tax increase, they should run on it during the next elections. April 1 can be the ultimate referendum on a sales tax. My guess is that they know that voters don't want higher taxes because they don't believe that the funds would go to the areas promised. The public understands that the members of the county board passed a .5 percent sales tax in 1991 with the promise of property tax relief. Instead, property taxes went up 55 percent during the following 10 years. People aren't dumb. They get it. Fighting over an advisory referendum that has no legal mandate on county or state government detracts from the real debate that must occur on how to find new and innovative ways to provide core county services."

Kohl's Corp. flipped the switch on a rooftop solar energy system Wednesday at its store in Laguna Niguel, Calif., beginning the largest planned photovoltaic solar rollout in the nation to date.
Michael Peevey, president of the California Public Utilities Commission, joined Kohl's officials to launch the project.
Kohl's plans to build solar electric systems at 63 of its 80 California stores. When complete, Kohl's solar program will represent approximately 15 percent of California's photovoltaic installations to date.
Kohl's is working with the State of California to help meet the goals set by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Public Utility Commission. Under the 2007 California Solar Initiative (CSI) program, the state expects to build solar power systems totaling 3,000 MW of solar power by 2017.
"This marks another milestone in meeting California's commitment to lead the nation in producing and using clean renewable energy. Solar is an important part of California's goals in doing what is right for our businesses, citizens and the environment. I commend Kohl's for its leadership," Peevey said.
Once completed, Kohl's use of solar power will generate more than 35 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of renewable energy annually, the equivalent of powering an estimated 3,087 California homes. Additionally, in the first full year of operation, Kohl's clean energy output will offset more than 28 million pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas directly linked to global climate change. Over the span of 20 years, Kohl's solar deployment will prevent in excess of 515 million pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
"Today's activation marks a significant milestone for Kohl's. Through our solar introduction, we're further extending our commitment to green power and making a significant contribution to California's renewable energy goals," said Ken Bonning, Kohl's executive vice president of logistics.
Kohl's rooftop solar photovoltaic systems are being built under an agreement with SunEdison, North America's largest solar energy services provider. Under the agreement, SunEdison manages the rooftop solar energy systems in exchange for Kohl's commitment to purchase energy from SunEdison. In total, more than 138,000 solar panels are expected to be used when Kohl's solar installations are complete in 2008.
Kohl's did not indicate if it planned to install solar systems in its stores in other states. A company spokeswoman did not return calls for comment.

Do you know someone who serves on the front lines of delivering health care in southeastern Wisconsin? An exceptional doctor, nurse, nurse's aide, technician, therapist, etc.? Or do you know of any innovative programs or other initiatives that are providing unique health care services to the community?
If so, Small Business Times encourages you to nominate that worthy person or organization for the 2007 SBT Health Care Heroes Awards.
The awards honor organizations and individuals who epitomize the spirit embodied in the word "hero" on the front lines of health care in southeastern Wisconsin.
The goals of the Health Care Heroes program are to recognize excellence, promote innovation, encourage emulation of successful programs, educate the general public and enhance the quality of health care in the region.
This year's winners will be profiled in a special supplement of Small Business Times. They will receive their awards at a breakfast hosted by SBT in December.
To submit an online nomination the Health Care Heroes Awards program, visit http://www.biztimes.com/site/2007heroes. Additional information is also available by calling Sarah Wilson at (414) 277-8181, ext. 129. Nominations must be received by Oct. 17.
To view of Webcast of last year's Health Care Heroes Awards breakfast, visit www.biztimes.com/site/videos/hch2006.

Inner Harbor Marine, a new ship store, boat dealership and service provider for boat owners that opened Sept. 1 in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward, already has made a few changes in its business.
When it opened at 587 E. Erie St., Inner Harbor was the first local dealer for Vision Boat Works, a Florida-based manufacturer of electric and hybrid boats. Service Equity Inc., a Milwaukee-based private equity group, owns an interest in Vision Boat Works. Because of supply and support issues, Inner Harbor Marine has terminated its relationship with Vision Boat Works, said Aaron Kelly, sales director and partner at Inner Harbor Marine.
Inner Harbor Marine is now a licensed dealer for the Duffy Electric Boat Co., an electric boat builder headquartered in California. The Milwaukee company will use the Duffy boats for a water taxi service to be launched next spring.
Inner Harbor Marine also has been named as a sub-dealer of Doral Boats through Bay Pointe Marine, located in Appleton. In addition, it now sells JBL marine stereo systems and Taylor Made fenders.
The firm also is forming a partnership with a Milwaukee-area marine electronics firm, that will create a virtual cockpit inside Inner Harbor's showroom, where customers can view and test communications and navigations systems.
Inner Harbor Marine's first large load of inventory will be delivered late this week, Kelly said, and it will have a large selection by the weekend for late-season boaters.
"We (eventually) will have more than 30,000 individual products in our inventory," he said.
Kelly also hopes to open heated, indoor boat storage facility for the 2008 storage season.

Avada Hearing Care Centers, the Menomonee Falls-based operating subsidiary of Hearing Healthcare Management Inc. (HHM), is bringing to market the Blulink, a wireless communication system for people with hearing loss.
The hearing aid system delivered in sync with the listening environment and offers hands-free connectivity to Bluetooth-enabled cell phones and other wireless electronic devices.
Before the introduction of the Blulink hearing system, ordinary hearing instruments functioned independently - with each ear processing sounds separate from each other, resulting in an unnatural listening experience.
The Blulink hearing system works together to deliver instantaneous connectivity with voices and other environmental sounds.
Unlike traditional hearing instruments currently on the market, Blulink's unique high speed wireless digital technology creates a wireless "bubble" around the user, allowing a pair of Blulink hearing devices to communicate together to process sounds similar to the way the human brain receives and interprets sounds.
"The Blulink hearing system has allowed many of our patients the freedom to use their cell phones without having to remove their hearing instruments like before. As a matter of fact, I've even had some patients actually comment that they've had people ask if their Blulinks were the newest, high-tech wireless mobile phone headsets” said Matt Helmer, regional director of Avada.. "I never thought I'd live to see the day when a hearing instrument not only compensates for hearing loss with a high-speed, surround-sound listening experience, but also becomes a true high-tech communications device."
The Blulink hearing system is available in a wide variety of styles, from completely inside the ear canal to fitting discreetly behind the ear.
For more information, visit www.avada.com.

Bill Bowers has been selected as director of the Bureau of Minority Business Development in the Wisconsin Department of Commerce.
"Bill Bowers has extensive management experience in both the private and public sectors, as well as a strong working knowledge of manufacturing and construction," said Commerce Secretary Mary Burke. "He will be an asset to my team as we work with minority-owned businesses on their growth and development."
Since 2004, Bowers has been property assessment manager-manufacturing and then director of the Bureau of Assessment Practices at the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. He was responsible for certifying all statutory assessors throughout Wisconsin, providing assessor training, testing and analysis of assessment practices statewide, and for directing the annual assessment of all manufacturing and utility property  in the lake Winnebago District (six county area).
From 1997 to 2004, he served as a real estate appraiser for Chudnow-Druck-Lauenstein in Milwaukee.
Bowers will be on hand to meet with businesses and resource partners at Marketplace 2007, the 26th Annual Governor's Conference on Minority Business Development, which will be held Thursday, Oct. 11, at the Ho-Chunk Casino Hotel & Convention Center in Baraboo.
"Marketplace 2007 is a great opportunity for businesses to learn how to increase access to capital,” Burke said. "It's also a wonderful showcase for their unique products and services to government procurement officers and corporate buyers."
This year's keynote speaker at the conference will be Dave Anderson, founder of Famous Dave's of America. Anderson is a member of the Lac Courte Oreilles Lake Superior Band of Ojibwa and Choctaw Nations.
To register for the event, visit http://marketplace.wi.gov.

Algeka, a business that operates a Web site to help unsigned singers and songwriters be discovered in the music industry, has received $100,000 in seed funding to continue its growth.
The site at www.algeka.com seeks singer-songwriters to post original music videos.
The business received the venture funding from New Life Ventures LLC and founder Norm Yerke, a native of Cobb, Wis., who now works out of an office in Pewaukee.
"The financial boost made us realize Algeka is on the right track," Yerke said. "New Life Ventures supports and understands our mission of giving unsigned singers and songwriters an outlet to share their music."
Launched June 15, Algeka accepts music video uploads from around the world. All songs must be original by an unsigned solo artist and run no longer than five minutes.
Singers whose videos are chosen for Algeka are paid 20 percent of the proceeds from their downloads.
"No more wading through countless videos on other Web sites to find original music," Yerke said. "The beauty of Algeka is that new singers have a chance to be heard and rewarded for their efforts and fans can find the music easily."

U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is one of the "Young Guns of the House GOP" featured in the cover story of the latest edition of The Weekly Standard, a magazine advocating for conservative political thought. Ryan is cited in the article for his passion for health care reform. He favors the widened use of health savings accounts (HSAs).

A panel investigating conflicts of interest by Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler plans to expand the probe by further examining Ziegler's ties to West Bend Savings Bank and her statements prior to this spring's election about those conflicts. Read more in SBT's daily roundup of headlines from newspapers across the state at www.biztimes.com.

The BizTimes Stock Index gained 2.19 points to close at 184.41 Wednesday, and local stocks held on to most of those gains in early morning trading today. The largest local advancers this morning were Joy Global Inc. (up $1.40 to $50.37) and Bucyrus International Inc. (up $1.37 to $73.35). The largest local decliners this morning were MGIC Investment Corp. (down 93 cents to $32.64) and Badger Meter Inc. (down 59 cents to $33.93). The BizTimes Stock Index was created by Small Business Times and is monitored by North Shore Bank. The index, which measures the stock values of publicly held companies based in southeastern Wisconsin, is updated daily and can be viewed at www.biztimes.com.

Doug Neilson, president and chief executive officer of Visit Milwaukee, invites you to celebrate World Tourism Day by taking time out to rediscover your hometown. Read more in today's Milwaukee Biz Blog.

Urban Spaces, a partnership of Milwaukee residents Christopher Dobs, Damingo Jones and Daniel Block, announced today that they have entered into a contract with The Brewery LLC to purchase the three-story, 14,000-square-foot historic blacksmith, wagon and paint shop building at the former Pabst brewery site in downtown Milwaukee.

They plan to move their upscale European flower shop, Urban Sense, from 5911 W. Vliet St. in the Washington Heights neighborhood to occupy half of the space on the first floor of the building in the former Pabst brewery. They also plan to create four two-story loft condos in the brewery building.

The building they are buying was originally constructed in 1894, was modified in 1910 and is located just south of what will be the corner of West McKinley and 11th Street.

The partners plan to have two retailers on the first floor of the building, including the flower shop. They are negotiating with a tenant for the second retail space.

The condos will be priced between $250,000 and $350,000. They will feature amenities such as fireplaces, balconies, high ceilings and Cream City brick interior walls.

Urban Sense specializes in upscale and unusual flowers from exotic areas such as South Africa, New Zealand and Ecuador. Urban Sense caters to a large number of corporate clients and specializes in more unusual and spectacular wedding and special event floral arrangements. In addition to flowers, the shop will feature a variety of upscale gifts, including candles, stationary, high-end pots and natural bath products.

The Urban Spaces project is expected to begin construction early next year and be complete next fall.

Joseph Zilber, founder of Milwaukee-based Zilber Ltd., is redeveloping the former Pabst brewery into a mixed-use urban neighborhood. He plans to sell some of the buildings in the 20-acre complex to other developers and redevelop some of the buildings himself.

Other developers that are purchasing properties in The Brewery complex include: Madison-based Gorman & Co., which plans to convert the 138,000-square-foot former keg house into the 92-unit Blue Ribbon Loft Apartments; and Boiler House LLC, an investors group led by developers Max Dermond and Charles Trainer, which plans to redevelop the brewery's 55,000-square-foot former boiler house. The Albion Group Architects will move its offices to 4,000 square feet of space in that building.