The Milwaukee Post

4 • Milwaukee Post • July 5, 2013 WEEK IN REVIEW STATE AND LOCAL STORIES OF INTEREST 1 Walker signs 2013-15 state budget in Pleasant Prairie 2 A.O.Smith's Jones named an Ernst &Young Entrepreneuer of theYear 3 KFC manager charged with sexually assaulting employee Gov. Scott Walker inked the 2013-15 state budget Sunday and said it includes $1 billion in tax relief for Wisconsin families, $322 million in additional state aid for public schools and a $100 million investment in workforce development. All told, Walker veteod 57 items from the 1,400-page package. A key veto was striking a provision that would have allowed bail bondsmen to return to Wisconsin. The system would have allowed criminal defendants to pay a pri- vate company 10 percent of their bond – and the business would have been responsible to ensure the defendants appear in court. Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen opposed the measure, which was added by the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee. Walker kept a controversial item that signficantly loosens residency requirements for municipal workers, something Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and other local leaders have opposed. Walker capped the University of A.O. Smith Corp. Executive Chairman Paul Jones was named as a winner of this year's Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year program in the Midwest. The award recognizes entrepreneurs for high growth, and excellence and success in areas such as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Finalists and winners were selected by an independent panel of judges Thursday . Jones joined A.O. Smith in 2004 as president and chief operating officer and was elected chairman and CEO in 2006. The company grew net earnings from $46 million the year he joined the company to $234 million last year. Jones stepped down as CEO last year, with president and chief operating office Ajita Rajendra becoming president and CEO. A 39-year-old Milwaukee man and general manager of a Town of Brookfield Kentucky Fried Chicken was charged last week with seconddegree sexual assault after he allegedly had inappropriate contact with a 23-year-old employee. If convicted, Timothy L. Johnson Branch could face a maximum of $100,000 in fines and 40 years in prison. According to a criminal complaint, Town of Brookfield police officers were dispatched to the KFC on Feb. 2, where they met with an employee who alleged that Johnson Branch touched her breasts, kissed her stomach and performed oral sex on her without her consent in his car behind the restaurant. The employee said, according to the complaint, that she tried to push him away but he was much stronger and "he continued to hold her down." Johnson Branch allegedly told officers that he was only talking to his employee about personal issues and he never touched her. The complaint said the alleged victim was sent to a hospital, where DNA samples were taken. It was determined that the DNA of the defendant was located on the neck and abdominal swabs taken from the employee, opposing what Johnson Branch had told police, the complaint said. Johnson Branch is scheduled for an initial court appearance at 8:15 a.m. July 15. 4 Sheriff's deputies arrest 14 for drunken driving The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office's Operation Drive Sober program netted 14 drunken driving arrests last weekend. The average prohibitive blood-alcohol level was .012. Two 21-year-olds from Jackson and Beloit, respectively, were arrested for their second offenses. First-time offenders from Milwaukee ranged in age from 25 to 54. Other first-time offenders included two underage drivers, a 35-year-old West Allis man and a 23-year-old man from Delavan. Wisconsin system's tuition for two years. The two-year freeze is the first for the UW System since its creation in 1971. "This budget is a sharp contrast from where we were two years ago," Walker said at the bill signing ceremony at Catalyst Exhibits in Pleasant Prairie. "Our structural reforms, coupled with tough, but prudent decisions, have led to a great investment in the people of Wisconsin. We focused on making life better for the residents of our state, and this budget builds upon a solid foundation for the future. We're heading in the right direction and moving Wisconsin forward." In a news release, Walker said the $70 billion budget provides the largest tax cut in 14 years by decreasing income tax rates for all filers, with the largest cuts aimed at taxpayers making between $15,000 and $50,000 and amounting to an approximately 5 percent reduction for these filers. He said the median family of four making $80,607 will save $345 as a result of the budget and $1,725 over the next decade. 5 Batteries Plus Bulbs provides lighting for Habitat for Humanity homes 6 Women's Center executive director to retire A donation from Batteries Plus Bulbs will help to light up homes in several states built or rehabilitated by Habitat for Humanity . Hartland-based Batteries Plus Bulbs donated more than 182,000 compact fluorescent light bulbs to the organization, which are valued at more than $500,000, according to a company statement. The light bulbs will be used by Habitat for Humanity in new and rehabilitated homes in Alabama, Arizona, Missouri and Wisconsin. "The opportunity to support Habitat for Humanity's mission to improve the lives of families in need is an extremely rewarding experience for our company," said Russ Reynolds, CEO of Batteries Plus Bulbs. "Much like Habitat for Humanity, we have locations across the country, so this gift really helps us extend our strong sense of community roots and the ways we continue giving back to our neighborhoods." According to Batteries Plus Bulbs, CFLs use one-fifth to one-third the electric power of incandescent bulbs and last eight to 15 times longer. Marie Kingsbury, executive director of The Women's Center Inc., has announced that she plans to retire later this year after 25 years of service, according to a press release from board President Sharon Wood. "Marie's commitment and passion have enabled The Women's Center to grow and expand its offerings and programs provided at no financial cost to those seeking assistance," Wood said in the release. "She and her staff have truly moved the vision of our founding mothers forward." Kingsbury's retirement is effective "later this year," according to the release, and the center is hosting a retirement party from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 29 in the Carroll University Ballroom. In the meantime, the board will work with friends and supporters in the community to conduct an "extensive search" for Kingsbury's successor, the release stated. 7 Lappin promoted at Aurora; Hart new general counsel Mike Lappin has been named chief of corporate services and legal affairs at Aurora Health Care, and Rachelle Hart has been named senior vice president and general counsel. Lappin, who had been vice president and general counsel at Aurora, was formerly an attorney at Milwaukee-based Quarles & Brady LLP and started at Aurora in 2009. , Hart has worked at Aurora since 2010 as deputy general counsel, where she was responsible for Aurora's health law-related matters. In her new position, Hart will be responsible for all legal matters at Aurora. Before joining Aurora, Hart was a partner in the Milwaukee office of Foley & Lardner LLP .

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