April 22, 2019
Michigan’s talent pipeline starts in early childhood
Talent is a hot topic of conversation in Michigan these days for everyone from business leaders and educators to policymakers and parents. And it’s no coincidence. Michigan is facing a serious talent shortage with more than 800,000 career openings to fill through 2024. Closing the talent gap is essential to Michigan’s long-term economic vitality. In […]
Street Talk: A river runs through it
The city of Grand Rapids is partnering with Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids Whitewater and Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. to host an open house for companies interested in learning more about business opportunities associated with the Grand River restoration project. The event is set for 11 a.m.-1 p.m. May 2 at the Grand Rapids […]
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Change Ups: Hatfields are new franchise owners of Floor Coverings International
Erick and Sharee Hatfield are the new franchise owners of Floor Coverings International. The couple serves customers throughout greater Grand Rapids — including Ada, Cascade, Kentwood, Wyoming, Grandville, Walker and Plainfield — offering a selection of flooring products, including carpet, hardwood, ceramic, tile and vinyl, as well as specialty products such as bamboo and slate. […]
Public Record
BANKRUPTCY 19-00709 – TATE, Krystal M., 6850 Rosencrest SE, Caledonia, pro se (Ch. 13) 19-00718 – MAZE, Thomas A. & Linda S., 1331 Bradford NE, Eliot A. Sasson (Ch. 7) 19-00729 – GIANACAKOS, Trina E., 4595 41st St. SW, Ryan F. Beach (Ch. 13) 19-00737 – RIGNEY, Barbara A., 219 Circle, Sparta, David C. Andersen […]
AG forms group to investigate evidence
Michigan law enforcement officers are aiming to right some wrongs. Dana Nessel, the state’s attorney general, launched a Conviction Integrity Unit within the department’s Criminal Appellate Division to investigate credible claims of innocence that would overturn a conviction. The unit will be led by criminal defense attorney Robyn B. Frankel. “We have a duty to […]
Michigan’s school funding approach needs a facelift
As president of the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research for 25 years, I witnessed a growing gap between the demands of the modern workforce and the skills of students graduating from Michigan’s K-12 public education system. This gap is bad for our kids, bad for business and bad for Michigan. Michigan’s schools continue to […]
Trader and CFA create local hedge fund
For some, the phrase “hedge fund” might conjure up memories of Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme that came crashing down in 2008 — but a pair of local financial advisers say they are creating one that will be a trustworthy source of returns not tied to stock market performance. Matt Boersen is managing partner and chartered […]
SMG eyes upgrades for venues
Upgrades costing an estimated $4.56 million have been proposed for DeVos Place, DeVos Performance Hall and Van Andel Arena in 2020. The Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority board will vote in June to approve the capital list, which may change in the meantime, according to Chris Machuta, assistant general manager for SMG, which manages the […]
Kent property values reach another record high
Kent County’s equalized property values have increased from last year’s all-time high. The state equalization value for a combined total of real and personal property is $29.5 billion, an increase of $2.4 billion, or 8.74%. The values are derived from assessments between April 1, 2016, and March 31, 2018. That total number includes $27.85 billion […]
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Inside Track: For the love of ‘numbers and food’
Jeannica Garmon became a time-management pro by running two businesses while working a full-time job. She said pursuing her passions alongside family makes the nonstop work worthwhile. When Garmon was a kid, her dad, the late Robert Karim Sr., started out on the assembly line at Cascade Engineering and worked his way up to engineer. […]
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West Michigan celebrates World Trade Month
World Trade Month is almost here. There are several local events scheduled throughout May to celebrate the month and the annual West Michigan World Trade Week. World Trade Week, which occurs during the third week of May, was established in 1935 by then-U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and is recognized annually by presidential proclamation, meant […]
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Aquinas may turn to goats to curb invasive species on campus
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) Aquinas College soon may have goats on campus. Jessica Bowen, director of the Center for Sustainability at Aquinas, is working with the Urban Agriculture Committee and Coldwater-based Munchers on Hooves, a goat rental company, to get a herd of goats on Aquinas’ campus to clear overgrown brush and weeds […]
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Women in craft beer brew up change
Despite a number of female- and minority-owned breweries popping up in West Michigan, most folks in the craft beer industry say it’s a white man’s world. From founders and owners of breweries to brewers and retailers, the industry still conjures up images of strapping dudes in flannel more than anything else. Hannah Lee, a native […]
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Rockford moves into Detroit market
After years of digging into the greater Detroit market, Grand Rapids-based Rockford Construction landed a major contract as the development manager for a $310-million construction project in downtown Detroit. Rockford Construction will break ground on the first phase of The Mid, a mixed-use development at 3750 Woodward Ave., this summer. Shane Napper, president of construction […]
