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News 01.16.18

16 January 2018 News


Authorities say the corporate owner of a former Wisconsin factory accused of ordering workers to remove insulation that contained asbestos has paid the maximum fine under terms of a plea agreement. The incident happened six years ago at Grede foundry in Berlin. Federal prosecutors say managers failed to provide the employees with adequate safety equipment and didn’t tell the workers they were dealing with asbestos while removing material from the roof of an inactive industrial oven. In addition to the fine, the company agreed to provide 11 workers with more than $340,000 to provide for future medical monitoring for mesothelioma and similar lung conditions. The foundry shut down in 2015.

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One person was killed in a rollover crash in Dodge County. The crash happened Friday night on Highway MM near Highway EM in the town of Emmet. A preliminary investigation shows that a Mercedes Benz was traveling eastbound on MM failed to negotiate a curve and entered the south ditch striking a culvert causing the vehicle to overturn. A passer-by attempted to extricate the driver but was unable to after the vehicle became fully engulfed in flames. The male driver of the Mercedes Benz was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Wisconsin farmers produced smaller corn and soybean crops last year than in 2016, while potato production was up slightly. The Agriculture Department reports that the state’s soybean production was down 6 percent and grain corn production was down 11 percent. Alfalfa hay production was down 19 percent. Potato production was up 5 percent, corn for silage production was up slightly and other hay production was up 24 percent.

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Floor sensors that track people’s movements are providing insight into consumer habits for stores looking to gain ground on e-commerce giants like Amazon. Brick-and-mortar stores have lagged behind online retailers on data collection because computer clicks are more easily analyzed than customers in physical spaces. But Milwaukee-based startup Scanalytics is helping businesses explore ways to track customers with paper-thin sensors tucked under existing flooring or utility mats. The sensors help stores know where customers linger the longest, what products are popular and precisely when to schedule staff to handle heavy traffic. The sensors are just one of many tracking options that have become available to retailers in recent years. Video cameras with artificial intelligence can analyze body motions to identify products that attract customers and given them customized offers.

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