March 14, 2016

  • PR firms are making more use of ‘news bureaus’ for clients

    As newspapers across the globe reduce their staff and resources are dwindling, public relations firms are finding they need to make sure their message isn’t lost in the fray, with fewer eyes to see it. In some cases, that means writing the story themselves. In recent years, many PR firms have created in-house news bureaus […]

  • Bill would allow 18-year-olds to be sentenced to juvenile institutions

    LANSING — Convicted felons who are 18 years old could be sentenced to certain juvenile institutions instead of prison under recently proposed legislation. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Wendell Byrd, D-Detroit, works in tandem with the juvenile reform package introduced in 2015 that raises Michigan’s criminal age from 17 to 18. Byrd’s bill was recently […]

  • Regulation of medical marijuana could generate millions for state

    LANSING — Medical marijuana could generate up to $63.5 million in revenue for Michigan, according to a recent study. Hillsdale College economist Gary Wolfram’s analysis shows how a proposed regulatory framework for medical marijuana could boost the economy by getting more patients registered for medical marijuana and allowing more forms of use. “In 2008 medical […]

  • Change Ups: Two-story building planned for Ada Village

    Ada First LLC has selected First Companies to construct a two-story building at 523 Ada Drive SE in the new Ada Village. The building will be reminiscent of Michigan structures built in the late 1800s/early 1900s, and will provide 4,200 square feet of retail space on the ground level and office space on the second […]

  • Bill to ensure firefighter training opportunities

    LANSING — Training and education for Michigan firefighters would expand under a recently proposed bill to increase the kind of training allowed to be funded from a tax on fireworks. “The bill would ensure that money designated for fire safety training can be used for such,” said Sen. Goeff Hansen, R-Hart, the bill sponsor. “It […]

  • Inside Track: A knack for hospitality blossomed into marketing Tulip City

    For more than 22 years, Sally Laukitis has welcomed travelers who come through her office door in downtown Holland looking for information, and for 12 and a half of those years, her pug Lucy — the unofficial Holland mascot — has drawn a following all her own. “We actually had overnight visitations because of Lucy,” […]

  • Lack of carbon emissions plan frustrates environmentalists

    LANSING — Some environmental advocates are frustrated with what they say is a broken promise by the state’s governor to address carbon emissions from Michigan’s coal plants. In response to the EPA’s proposed Clean Power Plan regulations on carbon emissions, Gov. Rick Snyder promised greater use of more environmentally friendly power sources, said Dorothea Thomas, […]

  • Thinking about success? — Welcome to the club!

    “Thoughts are things” is the title and the first words of the first chapter in the immortal Napoleon Hill book “Think and Grow Rich.” When I first read those words, in 1972, I didn’t really understand what they meant. Even when I read the first chapter and the examples offered, it didn’t resonate — until […]

  • Local economy has enough momentum for the short term

    December is often a month of slower sales and reduced production, but it took until February for West Michigan to return to the slow growth we have reported for most of the past seven years. Although our statistics for January were incrementally positive, the data and comments collected in the last two weeks of February […]

  • Public Record

    MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds MILLER, Jacob et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Condo-Shady Oaks Condominiums, $204,250 NGUYEN, Thanh V. et al, Nationstar Mortgage, Fairways No. 2, Lot 33, $284,400 MURRAY, Thomas et al, Independent Bank, Greentree Farms Plat No. 3, Lot 65, $209,700 ANTOR, Thomas B. et al, Independent […]

  • Arena South transition prompts business parking questions

    The Arena South transition and employer outreach strategies are among the more than 20 items highlighted for discussion this year for the Parking Commission. During the March 10 Parking Commission meeting, Mobile GR and Parking Manager Josh Naramore outlined a work plan that was developed as a guide for the 2016 calendar year to begin […]

  • Street Talk: A long death march

    Nothing is certain but death and … voting? A local polling place had the unfortunate task of hosting both voters and a funeral during the March 8 Michigan primary, but it sure seems to sum up how many Americans feel in the run-up to November’s election. With Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders winning their respective […]

  • City rewards companies for hiring local skilled workers

    City officials want more local residents involved in Grand Rapids’ economic recovery. One way to ensure that is to have workers from six local entry-level construction programs working on city projects. The city announced a new Equal Business Opportunity Construction Program this month to help incentivize bidders on city projects to employ workers from those […]

  • Proposed fiduciary rule enters into final review stretch

    A proposed regulation affecting the financial industry is one step closer to finalization amid heated opposition. Since the U.S. Department of Labor sent a finalized proposal to the Office of Management and Budget for up to a 90-day review process earlier this year, a final rule updating the fiduciary standard for the investment industry could […]

  • Job fair emphasizes green industries key to Michigan

    After a Forbes.com article ranked Grand Rapids as the second-worst economically friendly city for African-Americans last year, Jonathan Jelks and Alvin Hills IV decided something had to be done. The Grand Rapids duo got busy, working to create a series of job fairs tailored to introduce minorities and millennials to high-growth industries that will anchor […]

  • Arts organizations are undergoing a cultural shift

    The role arts organizations play in the makeup of a city is changing. A move from structured arts organizations to more flexible and adaptive programs is occurring, said Richard Evans, president of New York-based EmcArts, an organization that works with clients to take on complex challenges. Evans spoke at the Grand Rapids Art Museum March […]

  • West Michigan distillers earn plaudits from national competitions

    Two West Michigan distilleries performed well at the American Craft Spirits Association Judging Awards last week in Chicago. New Holland Artisan Spirits and Long Road Distillers both brought home multiple medals from the competition based on panel judgments of spirits submitted by distillers across the country. In addition to three medals from the ACSA event, […]

  • Michigan still working to attract immigrants

    Just over two years ago, an eager governor vowed to use every tool available to make Michigan the most welcoming state for immigrants, but it’s been a tough row to hoe ever since. Gov. Rick Snyder announced the Michigan Office for New Americans in 2014 as part of his plan to attract and retain immigrants, […]

  • Employees ARE: the process of attracting, retaining and engaging

    and

    Last year articles began to appear on a regular basis about a shortage of qualified employees. Some were doubtful, with unemployment rates as high as they were. Even today when you listen to the political debates, once the candidates get past the schoolyard rancor, the topic of jobs often becomes a main focus of discussion […]

  • Emphasize downtown residential development

    A core finding of Michigan Future's research has been that what made us prosperous in the past won't in the future. The big change is that prosperity is now aligned with knowledge-based rather than factory-based economies. Two other big changes relate to housing. First, young professionals are leading the trend of the middleclass and more […]

  • Developer eyes community soccer complex for Roosevelt Park

    At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Scott Dane learned about the Fédération Internationale de Football’s Centers for Hope. The 20 facilities spread across the African continent include mini-soccer fields that attract children, and once they are drawn in, the sites act as community centers, helping educate the children about various aspects of life. […]

  • The defense against medical monopolies, cost hikes

    Yet another artful dodge of the Michigan Certificate of Need process will cost the citizens of Ottawa County, particularly in Grand Haven, another jolting increase in health care costs. The sneak pass was played through the Grand Haven Township Planning Commission, whose charge was only to approve zoning changes to allow Spectrum Health and Holland […]

  • Auto industry expert shares global insights during symposium

    West Michigan’s auto supplier community has to stay nimble, or there’s a chance it will be left in the dust as the original equipment makers jockey for position. During his presentation at the 17th West Michigan Automotive Suppliers Symposium, hosted by Grand Valley State University’s Van Andel Global Trade Center, Chris Hall, vice president of […]

  • Grocers enliven ‘a mundane chore’

    (As seen on WZZM TV 13) As people’s lives become busier, they want their grocery shopping to become more efficient. In response, new locations of national chains such as Fresh Thyme Market, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods are opening across the country, while existing West Michigan stores like Meijer and Spartan are working to refine […]

  • You are what you wear when it comes to brand recognition

    When it comes to brand recognition, quality trumps quantity. Floral Ave Promo, a promotional business at 927 Floral Ave. SE in East Grand Rapids, has spent the last two years putting its clients’ brands on a wide variety of products. Tracy George, owner and managing member, founded the Grand Rapids-based company, which is part of […]

  • New Eastown eatery is a fluid concept

    Joel Wabeke occasionally wishes he could walk up to Kava House for a coffee while he works — but then he remembers he’s working on the next iteration of the coffee shop’s space. “There isn’t a café in this neighborhood right now,” said Wabeke, who lives nearby the building at 1445 Lake Drive SE in […]

  • Group grapples with downtown’s ‘white’ image

    Grand Rapids resident Darius Quinn often hears the question from friends: “Why are you still there?” Most of his close friends and roommates have migrated from Grand Rapids to bigger cities such as Detroit in search of an urban community that is friendlier to people of color. In recent years, however, Quinn said his friends […]

  • Health system acknowledges Spectrum’s threat

    North Ottawa Community Health System has been serving patients in Grand Haven for more than 100 years, but the hospital is afraid its future could be in jeopardy, due to a new medical facility proposed in the township. The Health Pointe project is a 50/50 joint venture between Spectrum Health, a Grand Rapids-based health system, […]

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