NEW HEAD FOR Q&B? -- BEER PRICES GO HOP WILD -- COLON SET ON LANGLEY SEAT

Dear Reader –

Here are a few items, distilled from the remnants of a long weekend.

--Michael Horne

Daniels New Head at Q&B?

Sources at Quarles and Brady, Milwaukee’s No. 2 law firm, say John W. Daniels, Jr., is poised to become the new managing partner of the firm, replacing Patrick M. Ryan, who died unexpectedly on August 22^nd, 2007 at 63. Daniels has not returned a request for comment, (probably busy running his law firm) but I thought I’d throw it out there anyway.

Brewery President: Hops, Barley Prices Up Sharply

Russ Klisch, President of Lakefront Brewery, writes from Yakima, Washington, where he is attending Hops School, a professional seminar. He comments on the passing of beer writer Michael Jackson, who died last week at 65 at home in London, and says prices for his raw ingredients are going through the roof:

“Michael Jackson visited our brewery three times and was in Milwaukee about two other times for brewers conferences. Very sad news. There is not one craft brewer out there who doesn't have at least one of Jackson's books. I will credit him with saving many different styles of beer through his writings. Craft brewers like myself always wanted to make those styles of beer as good as he made them sound. I'm currently in Yakima WA at hop school. His death has announced here between talks and hit the 70 craft brewers here very hard.

“The news on the hop crop is not any better. The crop is of good quality here but bad and under planted in other parts of the world. Hop prices have doubled or tripled in the last two weeks. The grain crop is the same way. Prices of grain have gone up by 30% in the last three weeks! China has actually offered to buy the entire Canadian crop it but was already 95% sold. Someone in the world is going to get shorted grain and hops this year.”

Russ

Colon on Campaign Trail

Representative Pedro A. Colón (D-8^th) was at the Labor Day parade downtown Monday, September 3^rd, 2007, handing out flyers reading, “Please vote for me on April 1, 2008 as I work to make the Office of Milwaukee City Attorney a leadership position again.” Colon is taking on incumbent Grant Langley, who has only held the office since 1984, following a 13-year apprenticeship in the department. The last time the city attorney was considered a “leadership position” was back in 1915 when Daniel Webster Hoan left the job to begin his lengthy reign as mayor. Langley is the seventh person to serve as city attorney since that time. If re-elected he will surpass the longevity record of Walter T. Mattison, who served from 1936 – 1959. Langley has said he will run, and apparently Colón is not expecting any others to enter the race. If a third candidate emerges, however, Colón will have to urge voters to show up at the spring primary on Tuesday, February 19^th, 2008, so he can make it to the April Fool’s day ballot. A fundraiser is scheduled for Thursday, September 6^th, 2007 at 5 p.m. at Pedrano’s, 600 S. 6^th St.

Other elected officials and hopefuls who participated in the parade (and not just the speechifying) included Milwaukee detective Sebastian Raclaw, itching for the 14^th district county board seat; fellow detective Jeff Norman, who harbors judicial aspirations; Rep. Josh Zepnick, marching with the Communications Workers Union Local 4603 contingent; and Rep. John Richards, hanging with the folks from AFSCME Local 48. Sen. Lena Taylor was also there. Rather a weak turnout, overall. The Republicans, of course, took a pass.

--Michael Horne