plus 3, Thompson still undecided on Senate run - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Thompson still undecided on Senate run - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Existing home sales stable, prices slip in 2009 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The 2011 Ford Transit Connect EV, an AW Flash Drive - Autoweek.com
China Auto Sales More Than Double In January - NewsNet 5

Thompson still undecided on Senate run - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 08:26 AM PST

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Feb. 10, 2010 | Developer Jeffrey Klement, of Icon Development Corp., has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy after running into several foreclosure suits involving development sites and suburban condominium projects in the Milwaukee area.

Klement, in a recent filing, listed assets of $3.6 million, and liabilities of $27.9 million.

The largest unsecured creditors are real estate lenders and investors, including Amcore Bank, $5.6 million; Harris Bank, $2.55 million; M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank, $2,125,000; Waterstone Bank, $2 million; Robert Dobberstein, $1.4 million; USA Funding, $1.2 million; Guardian Credit Union, $1,075,000; Johnson Bank, $1 million; North Shore Bank, $1 million; Don Johnson, $1 million, and Raymond Schultz, $1 million.

Klement was chief executive officer of Franklin-based Icon Development, which now is apparently defunct. Its phone number has been disconnected. He is part of the family that owns Klement Sausage Co., which is not involved in the bankruptcy filing.

Icon developed several suburban condo projects before running into financial trouble when the housing slowdown hit. That led to a number of foreclosure suits, including some filed last year by North Shore Bank, Associated Bank and Harris Bank. »Read Full Blog Post(10)

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Existing home sales stable, prices slip in 2009 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 07:58 AM PST

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Klement, in a recent filing, listed assets of $3.6 million, and liabilities of $27.9 million.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

The 2011 Ford Transit Connect EV, an AW Flash Drive - Autoweek.com

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 07:50 AM PST

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What is it?

The 2011 Ford Transit Connect EV, on sale by the end of this year, builds on the commercial-vehicle attributes of the North American Truck of the Year by dumping the four-cylinder gasoline powertrain in favor of an all-electric setup. A 192-cell, liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack stashed under the cargo floor powers an electric motor capable of 134 hp (peak) and 70 hp (continuous) output. That's enough to provide gasoline-engine levels of performance (0 to 60 mph in 12.0 seconds), a 75-mph top speed and an 80-mile range. Battery weight cuts payload by 600 pounds to 1,000 pounds versus the gasoline Transit Connect and raises curb weight by about 600 pounds, to about 4,000 pounds.

How's it drive?

First of all, it's EV quiet, rolling into motion with a whir and plenty of low-end torque--more than enough to break loose the front tires under pedal-to-the-metal acceleration. The extra weight sits low in the chassis so there's not a lot of extra body roll, though there is a sense of a heavier vehicle overall. The bottom line is, this is a smooth and steady cargo van. Our drive came on a one-mile loop outside the Chicago auto show, so we're not sure how the car would perform on a freeway, but the power and specs suggest it would be up to the task.

Do I want it?

If you're already running a fleet of delivery vans, you could cut your operating and maintenance costs and pick up important green credentials by adding the Transit Connect EV to your fleet. Pricing isn't available yet, so you'll have to watch for that number and do the math on whether it makes long-term sense, but at least you wouldn't have to worry about budgeting for the inevitable ups and downs in fuel prices.

For more Car Reviews for new cars, trucks, SUVs, vans and crossovers, click here.

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China Auto Sales More Than Double In January - NewsNet 5

Posted: 11 Feb 2010 07:50 AM PST

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Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.