The combined U.S. market share of Detroit's Big Three automakers fell below 50% in 2008 for the first time, as overall sales of new cars and trucks limped to their worst year since the early 1990s. General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC captured 48% of the U.S. market, down from 51% a year earlier and nearly 54% in 2006, according to data from Ward's Automotive.

RETAIL

Heinemann's closes

Heinemann's Restaurants, a well-known Milwaukee chain since 1923, has closed - the victim of a recession and too much competition. The three Heinemann's restaurants in Fox Point, Brookfield and Milwaukee, as well as the company's commissary on E. Locust St., stopped operating on Tuesday with no advance warning. About 115 people lost their jobs.

Retail sales not so bad

It was a grim Christmas for retailers. But the industrywide decline in sales last month wasn't quite as bad as expected, thanks to last-minute and post-holiday shoppers. Kohl's Corp. was among the majority of retailers who beat Wall Street's lowered expectations, posting a decrease of 1.4% for the month. Industrywide, same-store sales were down by 0.9% for December, the third straight month in which sales declined.

GAMING

Casino bid rejected

The federal government has rejected the latest bid to open a huge Indian casino at Kenosha's Dairyland Greyhound Park. A spokesman for the six-year effort to open a $1 billion Menominee Indian casino said the tribe would fight the Interior Department decision in federal court.

SPORTS BUSINESS

Brewers, bingo team up

You used to know them as the Milwaukee Brewers . Now they're Milwaukee Brewers Baseball presented by Potawatomi Bingo Casino. In a first for the Brewers' franchise and for professional sports in Wisconsin, the franchise and the casino announced a multiyear presenting sponsor partnership that will cover virtually every aspect of Brewers Baseball at Miller Park.

AIRLINES

Midwest Connect soars

For the first time in its 20-year history, Midwest Connect is flying more passengers from Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport than the Midwest Airlines mainline carrier. Midwest Airlines accounted for 15.4% of the passengers at Mitchell in November, while Midwest Connect flights had a 22.6% market share.

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