June 1, 2015
Fire Department budget focuses on staff, prevention
The budget introduced to the Grand Rapids City Commission earlier this month includes a recommendation for $27.6 million in support of the Grand Rapids Fire Department. Items that will be supported include additional staff, maintaining operations at all 11 fire stations, and a fire prevention program that helps put smoke detectors in homes across the […]
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Drones seem to be everywhere — and here’s why
LANSING — Seems like every day we’re hearing something new about drones, whether it’s military use of drones overseas, Amazon floating the idea of creating a drone delivery system, journalists using drones to report stories — or even just a neighbor down the street who bought a drone for fun. In Washington, D.C., a drone […]
Electricity choice offers significant benefit to schools
As debate about implementing a fully regulated electricity market in the state powers up, Michigan K-12 school districts are faced with the prospect of losing the Electric Choice Program that has helped reduce electric expenditures and allowed reinvestment into the classroom. In March, House Bill 4298 was introduced to the Committee on Energy Policy seeking […]
Bazzani firm rates Best for the World
A West Michigan company is being honored as a Best for the World organization, thanks to its triple-bottom-line commitment. B Lab has recognized Bazzani Building Co., a designer and builder of high-performance buildings within diverse, urban neighborhoods and a Certified B Corporation, for its commitment to the environment, community and workers. To make the Best […]
Rehmann at the top
Rehmann Financial, which is headquartered in Saginaw and has offices throughout Michigan and other Midwest states, has been named to Forbes’ Top Wealth Managers 2015 list, one of 100 wealth management firms from around the nation to be recognized. According to Forbes’ published data, Rehmann has more than $3 billion under management and its annual […]
Street Talk: Law firms in flux
Mergers and acquisitions are persistent big news throughout the business world — and that includes the world of law firms. Literally, the world. A couple of mergers that have been felt from Texas to Grand Rapids lately are Dykema Gossett's deal with Texas firm Cox Smith to become Dykema Cox Smith (only in Texas, and […]
Felony charge against Zeeland contractor dismissed
A felony charge brought against the owner of Zeeland Township construction firm Black River Builders by the Michigan Attorney General’s office was dismissed by a Kent County judge in late May. Joe Novak was personally charged with violating the Michigan Occupational Safety & Health Act after one of his sub-contracted workers fell through a roof […]
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Labor contractors help farmers meet need for migrant workers
In just a few months Michigan farmers’ fields will be brimming with crops that need to be picked, and farmers will once again face the challenge of finding enough workers to harvest all those colorful fruits and vegetables. Each harvest season farmers turn to migrant workers to meet that need. To hire migrant workers, however, […]
Change Ups: Koelzer wins national anthem vote
Northview High School senior Mikaela Koelzer amassed the most Facebook votes to sing the national anthem at the sixth annual Meijer States Games of Michigan national anthem contest. She will sing at the opening ceremony June 26 at Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park. After two weeks of voting, Koelzer beat out two other finalists […]
Retailers are starting to reap the benefits of buy-local campaigns
Michigan retailers’ sales forecasts remain strong for late spring and early summer, according to the latest Michigan Retail Index, a joint project of Michigan Retailers Association and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. More than two of every three retailers (67 percent) in the state expect to increase sales over last year during the May-July […]
Public Record
MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds TIMMERS, William L. Jr. et al, Independent Bank, Grand Rapids Twp., 1-7-11, $368,000 SONNEMA, Steven J. et al, Independent Bank, Canaltown Woods I, Lot 27, $240,800 TOBIN, Thomas J. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Condo-Watermark, $200,500 MCCARTHY, Jennifer et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, […]
Kent to act on proposed hauler fees
A proposed surcharge on trash pickup that was opposed by some waste haulers last year has resurfaced in a revised form and will be headed soon to the Kent County Board of Commissioners for action. The proposed Solid Waste Management Ordinance submitted by the county Department of Public Works last week spells out waste-hauling surcharges […]
Who is the real decision maker? Find out or lose the sale
The prospect tells you, “I only need one more approval and the order is yours.” For joy, for joy — the order is mine! Don’t celebrate too soon. The one last person needed to approve is the real decision maker — the boss. The guy you were supposed to be talking to in the first […]
Successful adaptation to BEPS-led changes essential
I recently spent four days with colleagues from other BDO member international firms in Vancouver. Representatives from China, India, the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada, among others, participated in the meetings. Our meeting was to discuss the developments in international tax. The global economy has changed the way businesses operate and how businesses are taxed. […]
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Campaign raises $33.6M for Challenge Scholars program
Funding for an innovative program developed by the Grand Rapids Community Foundation and Grand Rapids Public Schools has surpassed the $32 million goal. The program, Challenge Scholars, provides academic support and health and social services to students living on the west side of Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids Community Foundation announced last week that $33.6 million […]
Battling bills seek to reduce tax burden on beer brewers
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) More and more often, campaigning politicians are making stops at small alcohol producers, recognizing their contribution to the nation’s economy. In recent weeks, presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush both made stops at breweries in New Hampshire and Arizona, respectively. Meanwhile, Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., made a stop […]
Auto no-fault reform is anti-jobs, anti-free market, anti-Michigan
Everyone loves a good conspiracy theory. But as most of us have learned, when it comes to important public policy decisions, conspiracy theories do not tell the true story. Oftentimes, something happens because it is the right result. Such is the case with the current debate over changes to Michigan's auto no-fault system. This bill, […]
Politicians should pull up a stool and work together on beer tax
Brewers often seem able to settle their differences by sitting down together over a few beers. Politicians should take note. Two proposals before legislators regarding tax reform for the brewing industry are more alike than dissimilar. Bickering over which is “better” ends up helping no one. The two proposals in Congress both ask for excise […]
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Inside Track: Kirin catches the creative wave rolling through Grand Rapids
Want to feel really lazy? Last year, Veronica Kirin was — at least on paper — running four for-profit businesses and two nonprofits, all of which she had founded. And she was involved in a number of community and startup organizations, too, as well as doing freelance photography and performing in a Celtic folk/rock band […]
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Creativity is name of the game
Craft brewers might need to get more creative. At least that’s what Sheila Eddy thinks, following a glut of trademark disputes across the country over the past several years. Brewers need to diversify their brands beyond generic terms such as “IPA” and “Pale Ale,” and even beyond more descriptive labels such as those named after […]
Where the West Michigan corporations went
A 23-year faculty member at the GVSU Seidman College of Business plans to study what happened to some well-known publicly traded companies that once were headquartered in West Michigan. “We have lost quite a few of our (corporate) headquarters,” said Yatin Bhagwat, a finance professor. “It means our firms are becoming targets” for acquisition, he […]
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Magnum Coffee expands its production facility
Kevin Kihnke wrote his master’s thesis on the rise of specialty coffee. He took that thesis to the bank, received a loan and started Magnum Coffee, a specialty coffee roaster that has grown into one of the largest in the Midwest. Magnum is currently expanding, adding another 45,000 to 50,000 square feet of space to […]
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Vacant buildings in Monroe North dwindling
Kevin Farhat, owner of The Garage Bar & Grill in the 800 block of Ottawa Avenue NW, said he predicts two years from now the vacant buildings scattered throughout the Monroe North business district will no longer be empty. That’s because retail, restaurants and residential offerings are increasing rapidly in the once-industrial hub, creating a […]
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The beginning of a Long Road
Bureaucratic hoops, equipment delivery delays and a desire to create a world-class product help explain why it’s taken Long Road Distillers nearly six months longer than expected to open. That wait, however, is over, as the first distillery in Grand Rapids opened last week at 537 Leonard St. NW. “My eyes were bigger than my […]
