Questions & Answers
Over the past 20 years, I get asked a lot of the same questions about how I go about publishing this newsletter. Every once in a while, it is a good idea to answer some of the most common inquiries...
Q: If I file a lawsuit against another person, will the case be published in The Bottom Line?
A: If there is a small claims case involving a business and the dollar amount is more than $2,000, then it will appear in my newsletter. Likewise, civil cases (which involve more than $5,000) are published in my weekly paper if it involves a business. On the other hand, if two individuals have a traffic accident, the resulting civil case between two insurance firms will not be printed in The Bottom Line.
Q: Why don't you add Pepin County to the list of courts recording news?
A: I wish I had the space to report the legal news in Pepin County, in addition to other neighboring communities. However, I already added two pages this past year to accommodate the expanded legal news (whether it be bankruptcies or foreclosures) and am not able to expand my paper more unless I were to entertain the idea of becoming a tabloid publication. In other words, I could certainly include more news if I were to switch to a newsprint-type newsletter.
Q: Are there any other publications like The Bottom Line in other parts of the Midwest?
A: To my knowledge, there are no other newsletters like The Bottom Line in the Upper Midwest, although the Milwaukee Business Journal prints legal news for its readership, along with stories about businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. There is also a publication called The Bottom Line Personal, based in Boulder,CO. It does not print legal news, but rather focuses on business facts for its national subscriber base.
Q: Where do you get your information for The Bottom Line?
A: Obviously, the legal news is obtained through the local court system. The commercial and industrial building permits over $40,000 are recorded by the area city planning departments. However, I rely on my network of business associates, realtors, bankers and others to learn more about what is occurring in the local business community for story content.
If you have news about business in West Central Wisconsin, please forward the information to The Bottom Line. All tips remain confidential. You can e-mail news to: editor@tblnet.com. Otherwise, my phone number is (715) 834-7337.
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