June 25, 2018
Kent mulls childhood millage
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) Kent County is considering whether residents will vote on a six-year millage to support early childhood development services. First Steps Kent, a public-private partnership that works to strengthen and coordinate early childhood services in Kent County, is requesting the millage for 2018-24 to help fund a gap in prevention […]
Facebook aims to train individuals in tech skills
Facebook recently announced a pledge to train 1 million individuals and small business owners across the U.S. by 2020. The announcement also highlighted the social media platform’s current work in Michigan. By partnering with 16 local organizations across the state, six of which are in Grand Rapids, Facebook aims to train over 3,000 people in […]
Longstanding companies shape lakeshore region
In 1968, Chicago native Pat Thompson put down roots in Holland where he embarked on a new entrepreneurial vision: deep-draw business. He was 27 and sought out Holland for its quality of life for raising a family, its high-quality, educated workforce and its longstanding manufacturing opportunities. Now, 50 years later, the Trans-Matic founder’s roots have […]
Let the voters decide on early childhood millage
The Kent County Board of Commissioners pro/con discussion of placing an early childhood development services millage on the November ballot is worthy of note, but the Business Journal advocates for the opportunity to allow county residents to do the same and decide the worthiness of a fundamental building block for children — and future workforce. […]
Public Record
MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds JOHNSON, Derek et al, Northern Mortgage Services, Planters Ridge, Lot 10, $327,120 AMBERMAN, Aaron S. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, De Lange Plat, Lot 14, $215,074 SIMS, Ronald E. Jr. et al, USAA Federal Savings Bank, Lowell Twp., 21-6-9, $308,750 STANDERFER, Anthony et al, […]
Change Ups: Hauenstein exhibition opens in July
A new exhibit, “Ralph W. Hauenstein: A Life of Leadership,” opens July 21 and runs through January 2019 at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Interactives will allow visitors to test out writing a headline for the newspaper on an antique typewriter and try their hand at cracking a secret code. Hauenstein was a leader in […]
Street Talk: Completely sustainable
A nonprofit that promotes sustainable business looks like it will remain sustainable. The West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum (WMSBF) held its annual meeting June 18 at the Salvation Army Kroc Center to discuss the nonprofit’s fiscal year 2018 financial results and progress toward its strategic goals. Daniel Schoonmaker, executive director of WMSBF, said the organization […]
County to vote on fund appropriation
Kent County may appropriate $1.5 million to assist the organization that oversees the area’s community mental health service providers. The Kent County Board of Commissioners will vote June 28 on whether to approve the funds for Lakeshore Regional Entity, following an approval from the Finance and Physical Resources Committee on June 19. The one-time payment […]
City launches new mobile parking app
The city of Grand Rapids is set to deploy a replacement parking app intended to be more efficient than Parkmobile and tailored specifically to the city’s parking system. Mobile GR and Parking Services launched Motu, the new app replacing Parkmobile, on June 21. In addition to paying for metered parking, the Motu app has a […]
Study shows business case for racial equity
A recent study found Michigan could gain $92 billion in economic output by 2050 if racial disparities in health, education, incarceration and employment are eliminated. Released by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Altarum, an Ann Arbor-based nonprofit health systems research and consulting organization, “The Business Case for Racial Equity Michigan: A Strategy for Growth" outlines […]
Living options available for seniors who exhaust their assets
Free isn’t something often associated with senior communities, but for certain qualifying residents, that is the case with a local nonprofit residential senior living organization. Holland Home is one of many facilities in the Grand Rapids area that offer a Lifecare program to accommodate senior citizens who no longer have the financial resources to afford […]
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Inside Track: Muskegon’s hometown hero
Gary Allore called himself the “biggest cheerleader” for Muskegon and its growth. Born and raised in Muskegon, he has never moved away from the area where he and his extended family still live. He believes his “long-standing roots” in the community bring something special to his role as president and CEO of Mercy Health Muskegon […]
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Furniture makers unveil new products
As West Michigan furniture companies continue their pattern of acquisitions and partnerships, the array of product offerings on display at NeoCon keeps growing. The 2018 edition of the trade fair for the built industry ran June 11-13 at Merchandise Mart in Chicago, with all of the major furniture makers and dealers in West Michigan displaying […]
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Hinman scales back skyscraper
After several years of planning, Hinman Company is scaling down its downtown development strategy. The Portage-based company unveiled plans in 2016 to deliver Grand Rapids’ tallest skyscraper, at 10 Ionia Ave. NW, but market pressures are steering the company toward a shorter structure. According to the Grand Rapids Historic Preservation’s June 20 meeting agenda, the […]
