KSL Capital Partners of Denver, which has made two unsolicited offers to buy Great Wolf Resorts Inc., has a strong Milwaukee-area connection. Milwaukee-area native and prominent University of Wisconsin alum Mike Shannon is a founding partner of KSL Capital Partners. KSL Partners is a multibillion-dollar private equity firm. KSL Partners recently raised its bid to $7 per share, up from $6.25 a share, to buy Madison-based Great Wolf. Great Wolf, the operator of the Great Wolf Lodge chain of indoor... ... Read More

Wisconsin personal income rose 5.2 percent in 2011, slightly outpacing national growth, according to estimates released Wednesday by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. The BEA reported the Badger State had $228.9 billion in total personal income last year, up from $217.6 billion the year before. Per capita, Wisconsin saw 4.8 percent growth to $40,073. Nationally, personal income rose an average 5.1 percent in 2011 after rising 3.7 percent in 2010, BEA said, noting earnings grew an average 4.4... ... Read More

Allison Kruschke and Katie Doherty, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

For two decades, Milwaukee’s south side residents have had a place to turn for legal help, whether they can afford an attorney or not.

Centro Legal provides free bilingual legal services in areas such as family law and criminal misdemeanor defense to more than 800 people each year from its storefront office at 614 W. National Ave.

Heather Ramirez, executive director of Centro Legal, said there is a great need for free legal services in Milwaukee.

“In Milwaukee County Family Courts, 80 percent of the time one or both parties does not have an attorney,” Ramirez said. “It’s a huge high-needs area.”... Read More