- Western Lime Corporation has been acquired by Graymont, a leading producer of lime and limestone products in North America. Western Lime employs 14 people at its corporate office 206 N. 6th Ave. in West Bend. Western Lime is a sixth-generation family owned and operated business with three lime plants in Wisconsin and Michigan. “Our plan is to keep the West Bend office open for the long term,” said Mathieu Bouchard, Graymont Vice President Corporate Affairs.  

- Ruth-Anne’s Gourmet Market, 136 N. Main St., has added two new flavored extra virgin olives (basil and cranberry-walnut) and three new aged balsamic vinegars (blueberry, strawberry and fig).  The oils are available in 5-and-13 oz. bottles and the vinegars are available in 5-and-10 oz. bottles.  Samples are available at the store.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker is touting new positive jobs numbers he says is a more accurate reflection of how the state’s economy is turning around. Democratic challenger Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett says Walker is cooking the books by releasing the figures before they have been reviewed by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The figures based on a census of businesses released Wednesday, May 16th show Wisconsin gained 23,300 public and private jobs in 2011. Previous totals based on a smaller survey of businesses showed the state lost 33,900 jobs over the year.

WEST BEND - Weather permitting Gary Britton will bring his hot-air balloon to Holy Angels School next week as part of the Future Scientists and Engineers of America program.

FSEA is held after school on Wednesdays for students’ grades 4 through 8; parents who have a background in science teach the course.

“It’s totally awesome,” said middle school science teacher Barbara Gunnare. “The first year they had 10 to 15 kids and now there are about 40 kids; it’s so popular we’re talking about expanding it to two classrooms next year.”

The instructor this term is Mike Nowack, a 1981 graduate of Holy Angels who went on to work at NASA as a Space Shuttle Orbital Maneuvering Systems Engineering Technician at the Kennedy Space Center.