November 12, 2013
GVSU, Ferris tops among Fulbright winners
Two West Michigan universities have been recognized for their commitment to put stamps in their faculty’s passports. A recent report from the Chronicle of Higher Education shows that Grand Valley State University and Ferris State University tied for first place in the category of “Master’s Institutions” for this year’s Fulbright Awards. Each university had three […]
Employers have role in helping victims of abuse
The tentacles of domestic abuse reach into many areas of the workplace, costing U.S. employers $5 billion annually, according to a family violence expert. Becky Diffin, director of supportive housing for the West Central Michigan YWCA, said it’s vital that employers foster an environment where employees are open to seeking help when they’re in physically, […]
Target of 30 percent is ‘feasible’ for state’s renewable energy minimum
Whether or not Michigan can really increase its renewable energy minimum to 30 percent of all electricity delivered by the public utilities is one question. Whether or not that is a good idea is yet another question, and both are at the core of a new report just submitted to Gov. Rick Snyder. The first […]
Mason County says Lake Winds turbines too loud
A hearing has been set for Dec. 4 in Ludington at which Consumers Energy will appeal the Mason County Zoning Board’s decision that a few of the Lake Winds Energy Park turbines are slightly over the allowed decibel level for noise. Mary Reilly, Mason County zoning and building director, said the planning commission has asked […]
EmploymentGroup launches ‘5 in 5’ scholarship program
In honor of its 55th anniversary, EmploymentGroup announced its “5 in 5” scholarship program for Michigan-based community college students. For each of the next five years, beginning with the current academic year, three winning students will be named recipients of the scholarships totaling $5,000. “Most importantly, it helps us fulfill our mission of helping people […]
Point West development project moves forward along lakeshore
Last month, the Michigan Court of Appeals dismissed an appeal filed in 2012 by a group of Macatawa Park cottage owners regarding zoning requirements for Point West I, Nan Van Andel’s 40-unit residential development project located in Park Township. Macatawa Area Residents for Fair Development are now considering filing their case with the Michigan Supreme […]
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Inside Track: Hoffius touts value of ‘fresh eyes’ in community planning process
This year Dirk Hoffius was honored with the Community Foundation Philanthropy Award from the Council of Michigan Foundations. The award acknowledges a living individual or couple for service as both volunteer trustee and donor to help grow community philanthropy in Michigan on behalf of one or more community foundations. To understand why Hoffius is a […]
Why did you lose the sale? Are you sure about that?
Seventy-four percent of salespeople complain about losing a sale because their price was too high. And 74 percent of them are wrong. How did you lose the sale? Why did you lose the sale? Was it really price? Or was it you? Losing the sale manifests itself in “blaming complaints” about: price, unreturned phone calls, […]
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Change Ups: Mel Trotter accepting food for holiday baskets
Mel Trotter Ministries is collecting food for Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets for people in need. The nonprofit Christian ministry’s goal is to collect 35,000 pounds of nonperishable food items to fill 1,200 holiday meal boxes and supplement the food pantry. Food items may be dropped off in the blue barrels at Mel Trotter Ministries, 225 […]
Public Record
MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds MOORE, Jason A. et al, Mercantile Bank Of Michigan, Condo-Troy Farms Site Condominiums, $224,910 DELMAGE, Vinson P. et al, Premia Mortgage, Condo-Hunter's Way, $336,000 NUNEZ-RODRIGUEZ, Edwin et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Carrington Ridge No. 1, Lot 9, $229,732 ADEOYE, Olusanjo O. et al, Lake […]
Street Talk: When it comes to restaurants, look before you eat
It may not be as glitzy as the Emmys or the Oscars, but it has more impact locally than either of those events. The Kent County Health Department last week announced the winners of its 2013 Food Safety Awards (see all the winners at accesskent.com/Health/FoodServices.) The program recognizes year-round operating food service establishments that show […]
County getting ready to adopt a budget
Kent County commissioners will adopt a general fund budget next week for the upcoming fiscal year that starts Jan. 1. The 2014 proposed budget is structurally balanced at $161.5 million and in the vast majority of cases it reflects this year’s spending pattern because revenue hasn’t grown as the county had hoped. “I wish we […]
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Kent County falls into a real land deal
The transaction may go down as the best land deal Kent County has come across in decades. The county’s parks system has an opportunity to buy 20 acres of undeveloped land adjacent to its Fallasburg Park in Lowell for just $9,500. The property, which is surrounded by the park on three of its sides, is […]
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We all may be ‘fudgies’ if state sweet is named
LANSING — Children who live about as far away from Mackinac Island as possible while still in Michigan are the inspiration for a bill that would make Mackinac Island fudge the official state sweet. A class of fourth- and fifth-graders from Defer Elementary School in Grosse Pointe Park were required to write to their legislator […]
Veterans would get break in community college tuition
LANSING — A constitutional amendment that would give all service members and veterans in-district community college tuition regardless of where they live could be on the ballot in 2014. With thousands of returning service members from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, many are accessing educational benefits from the federal government. The state constitutional amendment would […]
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Health insurance is the new recruitment tool
It used to be the annual discussion employee benefits consultants had with their clients was mainly about how to “slice and dice” the health insurance cost wherever possible, and that usually included shifting more of the expense to the employee. After the Great Recession began to wind down a couple of years ago, however, many […]
Health care industry faces new environmental challenges
As if complying with the new and often complicated mandates of Obamacare isn’t enough, the health care industry is now facing even more complexity — and expense — as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency establishes new regulations for the disposal of unused medications. Getting rid of old prescriptions used to be a snap: Doctors and […]
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Downtown office sold through court action
Kent County 17th Circuit Court Judge Christopher Yates recently approved the sale of a unique, historic and insolvent downtown office address. Keller & Almassian PLC, a law firm that specializes in bankruptcy and business litigation, bought the Pike House at 230 E. Fulton St. in a bankruptcy sale. The firm, which currently has its office […]
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Triangle undertaking a bevy of projects
The nation’s largest retailer and one of the city’s most prominent building owners and developers have something in common: Both Walmart and CWD Real Estate Investment chose Triangle Associates to manage their respective construction projects. So did six others, which gave the Grand Rapids firm eight new contracts worth nearly $17 million in total project […]
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Lacks Enterprises opening on-site employee health care clinics
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) While some employers in West Michigan in recent years closed their on-site health care clinics for employees, Lacks Enterprises in Kentwood is moving in the other direction. Lacks, an automotive parts manufacturer with 2,800 employees at 18 plants in Greater Grand Rapids, plans to open one primary health care […]
Management decisions are key to business resilience
The Great Recession killed off 170,000 to 200,000 small businesses between 2008 and 2010. Yet, almost miraculously, some small businesses not only survived, they prospered. What was their secret? Why do some businesses seem to have nine lives while others meet an early demise? Let’s look first at why businesses fail. Most business failures can […]
Small business woes flow from government bureaucracy
I heard a term years ago used to describe some highly educated people. It was “articulate incompetent.” I don't have an opinion on the matter regarding that, but it is a pretty good description of the man currently occupying the most powerful elected position in the world. Many of the problems small businesses will face […]
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Is the market moving too much too fast?
The good news is more homes are selling and at higher prices. The not-so-good news is the housing stock is really thin: The listing of available properties is at its lowest point in decades. Both newsworthy items came from the Grand Rapids Association of Realtors’ most recent market update, and the two findings are feeding […]
Prudential zooms past billion-dollar sales mark
There’s a memorable scene in director David Fincher’s 2010 drama, “The Social Network,” where Facebook creators Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) and Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) are discussing the future of social media with Napster creator Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake). “A million dollars isn’t cool,” Parker says. “You know what’s cool? A billion dollars.” For Rockford-based […]
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616 Development plans to try something new
The Grand Rapids Brownfield Redevelopment Authority approved a brownfield plan and an obsolete property designation for one of the city’s most active developers last week, and this project will mark the first time 616 Development will build from scratch after having revived many vacant structures. The development company and community builder plans to put up […]
City doesn’t need a Trojan horse among leaders
The Business Journal is increasingly curious regarding operations of Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. The new entity is an umbrella organization with authority over four important tax-supported boards or authorities with very separate and specific lines of funding and activity and added “user groups” for guidance: Downtown Development Authority, Downtown Improvement District, Monroe North Tax Increment […]
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Business awards go to builder, commissioner and realtor
The two-year reign of the brew pubs is over, as a notable builder won the city’s most prestigious neighborhood business award last week. Rockford Construction was named the recipient of the coveted Gerald R. Helmholdt Grand Award last Thursday evening at the 24th Annual Neighborhood Business Awards, which was held at Wealthy Street Theatre and […]
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Report: U.S. is still a ‘no-vacation nation’
The U.S. is clearly first in the world’s economy, but the nation is still dead last in requiring paid time off for those who make up its work force. That is the primary finding of a study released by the Center for Economic and Policy Research in May. The finding wasn’t a surprise, however, because […]
Report says automotive optimism ‘misplaced’
Michigan’s auto industry is on a roll again, and a lot of people are counting on it to keep rolling. But a new study released by Michigan Future Inc. shows the U.S. economy will become increasingly reliant for well-paying jobs in services rather than the production of goods. The Ann Arbor-based think tank released a […]
