October 22, 2018

  • New tax law changes charitable giving strategies

    Since last year’s tax law changes, financial advisers and nonprofits have been working to educate donors on the most efficient ways to give. The federal tax overhaul, enacted in December 2017, nearly doubled the standard deduction amounts from $6,350 to $12,000 for single filers and from $12,700 to $24,000 for married couples filing jointly. When […]

  • Recycling service costs could rise in Kent County

    Some Kent County residents soon may begin paying more for recycling service. Starting Jan. 2, the charge for waste haulers to drop recyclables at the Kent County Recycling and Education Center will increase from $35 per ton to $65 per ton. The center utilizes a complex system of conveyor belts, magnets, separators and 25 workers […]

  • Housing costs outstrip wages for low-income workers

    A Michigan resident making minimum wage has to work 73 hours per week — or 1.8 full-time jobs — to rent a two-bedroom apartment, according to a recent study. That ranks the state 28th in terms of affordable housing costs, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition based in Washington, D.C. The report analyzed […]

  • Don’t worry, legal cannabis isn’t as scary as some might believe

    The battle between the proponents and opponents of marijuana legalization is in full force. I’m sure you’ve seen the ads on television, heard them on the radio, seen them in your mail and you even might have seen a sign in your neighbor’s yard. For some, marijuana legalization might be a scary thought. For others, […]

  • Pump the brakes: Don’t jump onboard the marijuana hype train

    In just a few weeks, Michiganders will go to the polls and vote on Proposal 18-1, which would allow individuals over the age of 21 to possess 140 joints, and use and sell marijuana candies, cookies, and other highly potent edibles and concentrates. This would be a major mistake that will impact our state for […]

  • Public Record

    MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds RAVENSCROFT, Christopher J. et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Heritage Park Of Rockford No. 2, Lot 62, $230,000 VANPROOYEN, Bradley et al, Independent Bank, Vine Hill Plat No. 2, Lot 58, $210,400 KALINIAK, Brian et al, AmeriFirst Financial Corp., Condo-Barber Ridge Estates Site Condominium, $282,150 […]

  • Change Ups: Owens completes AEDL program

    Jennifer Owens, president of the Zeeland-based nonprofit economic development organization Lakeshore Advantage, recently completed the Advanced Economic Development Leadership program. AEDL is a two-week executive education course developed by four partner universities: The University of Alabama, Clemson University, Texas Christian University and the University of Southern Mississippi. The advanced program is an experiential course that […]

  • Street Talk: 40 seconds of fun

    Even by lofty Business Journal standards, Oct. 17’s 40 Under 40 Business Leaders event was a hot ticket. With more than 550 guests on hand and a new venue, 20 Monroe Live, providing plenty of space to nosh and network, the vibe was upbeat and active. Hannah Rose Graves and her band, Hannah Rose and […]

  • A custom solution for a family-owned business

    The owners of a successful manufacturing business in West Michigan were struggling to develop a plan for the future. For the second-generation sibling owners, the clock was ticking to find a succession plan that fit them, their families and the company. One third-generation family member has been a key person for the company but did […]

  • Attorneys stress importance of estate planning

    The majority of Americans don’t think about estate planning. It generally is an uncomfortable topic that many households fail to talk about because it is associated with the fear of death. According to a survey done by caring.com, a website that offers caregiving resources, only 42 percent of adults currently have done estate planning, such […]

  • More third-graders will be held back for reading, study says

    New reading standards will force many Michigan children to retake the third grade, especially children of color, according to a recent study. Starting in 2020, third-graders who can’t read will be held back under the “Read by Grade Three” law. The law was passed in 2016 because many children are unable to read by the […]

  • Experts monitor Italy’s fiscal state

    As Italy hovers on the edge of a financial crisis, local observers say its potential impacts on Europe could spill over into the U.S. and West Michigan. Italy has the third-largest economy of the 19 countries in the eurozone, which is a bloc of the European Union’s 28 member states that have adopted the euro […]

  • Experts eye benefits of clean fuels

    Alternative fuel experts from across Michigan joined Clean Fuels Michigan for a clean mobility expo last week at The Rapid’s new compressed natural gas fueling station, to demonstrate how alternative fuel technologies currently are being utilized. Mike Alaimo, executive director of Clean Fuels Michigan, hosted a panel with industry experts to discuss the environmental and […]

  • Business leaders sense stagnation

    Michigan’s business leaders expect an economic decline in the next six to 18 months. According to Business Leaders for Michigan, a business roundtable that includes top leadership responsible for driving nearly one-third of the state’s economy, its third quarter 2018 survey of members showed 37 percent of business leaders expect an economic decline in the […]

  • City of Battle Creek flies into drone market

    Battle Creek has its sights set on the drone business with a recent Michigan Economic Development Corporation grant. The Michigan Defense Center (MDC) recently awarded the city’s economic development group, Battle Creek Unlimited, $150,000 in grants to expand its continued military infrastructure. The MDC is the defense wing of the MEDC and focuses specifically on […]

  • Inside Track: Rutherford finds his niche

    When Michael Rutherford founded Rutherford and Associates in 1986, his brother, Paul, was in high school, but being a business insider in a room full of tech gurus set the younger Rutherford apart and propelled him into his current role as president of the growing tech company. Paul Rutherford’s skill set is far apart from […]

  • GRCC sees enrollment spike from GRPS graduates

    (As seen on WZZM TV 13) Grand Rapids Community College saw a 31 percent increase this fall in the number of enrolled Grand Rapids Public Schools graduates. This fall, 152 students who graduated from GRPS last year enrolled at GRCC, up from 116 in 2017. There are 239 GRPS students in the dual enrollment, concurrent […]

  • Fifth Third schools ‘next generation of bankers’

    Principal Carlos de la Barrera said too many programs that teach money basics tend to skip over schools with low-income students. De la Barrera said this might be due to the assumption resource-constrained students don’t need the training as much as their higher-income peers. He said that couldn’t be more off-base. “These types of programs […]

  • Public voting lags for ArtPrize 10

    The public cast fewer votes for ArtPrize 10 than ever before. There were 253,161 votes cast in ArtPrize 10, which was almost 75,000 fewer votes compared to last year. There were 327,814 public votes cast in last year’s 19-day art competition. Fewer entries may have contributed to the low number of votes cast, said Jori […]

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