Supreme Court says no to gene patents

For nearly two decades, Myriad Genetics has held the exclusive right to test genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 — genes that, if mutated, hugely increase...

Land bank has a decision to make

Grand Rapids City Commissioner James White voted with the majority last week to transfer and sell 163 tax-foreclosed properties in the city to the...

Monthly parking rates rise at some downtown lots

Monthly parking rates at crowded city-owned lots will go up by more than the yearly inflation figure on Monday, while charges at most of...

GR Community Foundation supports land bank

The Grand Rapids Community Foundation stepped up its financial commitment last week to the Kent County Land Bank Authority by providing the organization with...

Metro Council crosses a key bridge

The news most likely came either as a surprise or a sigh of relief to those who have followed the Grand Valley Metro Council...

Airport tries to gain support for new deicing treatment system

Gerald R. Ford International Airport Executive Director Brian Ryks and Facilities Director Thomas Ecklund met with members of the media last week in an...

DDA punches a $55K movie ticket

Back in the day, drive-in movie theaters provided an outdoor option for the city’s film buffs. The theaters were so popular with families and young...

City Commission OKs budgets and new millage tax rate

Last week Grand Rapids city commissioners adopted a new fiscal-year budget, approved a host of other city-related spending plans, established a new millage rate...

Ex-Holland city clerk appeals for big payday

Leaders of the city of Holland are upset over a court ruling that could lead to the payment of hundreds of thousands of dollars...

Disaster funds flow into Michigan

LANSING — President Barack Obama has issued a disaster declaration for Michigan to aid the recovery effort from severe spring flooding. Tuesday's declaration will allow...

Grand Rapids agrees to sell tax-foreclosed properties to land bank

Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell and City Commissioner Rosalynn Bliss called the Kent County Land Bank Authority a valuable tool to redevelop blighted properties...

Fla. man sent to prison in Meijer counterfeit razor case

A Florida man has been sentenced to 2½ years in prison for sending counterfeit Gillette razor blades to Meijer stores in West Michigan. Jeffrey Telsey...

Grand Rapids considers 25-cent parking meter increase

The Grand Rapids Parking Commission passed a 25-cent parking meter increase last week, which will now go to the City Commission for approval on...

Grand Rapids reconstructs Jefferson Avenue SE

The reconstruction of Jefferson Avenue SE in downtown Grand Rapids gets underway on Monday. Grand Rapids City Engineer Mark De Clercq said the $1.7-million project...

SBA offers low-interest disaster loans after Grand River flood

Property owners who suffered damages from April’s storms and subsequent flooding of the Grand River can apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S....

Grand Rapids considers transferring 163 tax-foreclosed properties to land bank

When Kent County commissioners agreed in March not to sell any tax-foreclosed properties to the Kent County Land Bank Authority — after selling 44...

Metro Council passes $87.3M improvement package

Grand Valley Metro Council approved its Transportation Improvement Program and passed a resolution that calls on the state Legislature to come up with a...

Uptown votes to assess itself for new BID

After years of preparing, planning and proposing, the Uptown Business Improvement District officially exists. “It’s taken many years of work to get us where we...

Pitch to cut softball fee misses the plate

Using a slang definition of the word, the topic was far from the “softball” variety. Grand Rapids city commissioners held a lengthy and lively discussion...

DDA approves new annual operating budget

Members of the Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority approved the budget for the 2014 fiscal year last week, a spending plan that has taken...