October 29, 2012
Street Talk: And the debate goes on — and on, and on
Prolonged negotiations lasting more than a month from inception, met by additional negotiations — and finally, a debate day and time — almost. No, it wasn’t for presidential candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. It was the eleventh-hour, last-ditch attempt for the only debate in the state to bring together incumbent U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow […]
Kent commissioners give green light to PDR effort
A Purchase of Development Rights agreement authorized by Kent County commissioners in February was completed last week when board members accepted the funds to meet the final stage of financing to safeguard acreage from commercial development. In February, county commissioners agreed to an option to buy the development rights of 300 acres on four farms […]
Business owners weather area’s multiple storms
As the presidential election and the dominant candidate coverage draws to a conclusion this week, the Business Journal offers congratulations to business owners and CEOs across America for the fortitude and American ingenuity that transcends all the bitterness and divisiveness politicians heap upon one another. The Michigan unemployment rate continued last week to ebb ever […]
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Walker company says: Recycle your empty water bottle
Recent publicity about proposals to ban bottled water has the industry wary, but a growing Walker company that is one of the state’s largest private label water bottlers says recycling is the reasonable solution. The city of Concord, Mass., just banned the sale of water in single-serve PET (polyethylene terephthalate plastic) bottles. Some colleges are […]
Women business owners vital part of state’s economic fabric
I’ve been a woman entrepreneur in West Michigan for some time, and this month I attended two distinctive events celebrating women business owners. In Novi, the Center of Empowerment and Economic Development hosted its annual two-day conference, bringing in hundreds of women business owners to celebrate and further our accomplishments. CEED offers resources for second-stage […]
GR voters can change how city manages its finances
Voters in the city of Grand Rapids will have an opportunity Nov. 6 to alter how the city manages its finances. Proposal 1 on the city’s portion of the election-day ballot asks registered voters if they want to change the city comptroller’s position from an elected one to an appointed one. If they vote yes, […]
Decisions, decisions — how good are you at making them?
Decisions — either by you, your coworker, your boss, your family members, or your customer — drive your success, your lifestyle and your attitude. As you’re contemplating what to do or how to decide, there are stream-of-conscious thoughts that affect the final choice and the resulting outcome. Whether you’re buying something, working on a project, […]
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LINC connects entrepreneurs with support system
It only took one year for Kristian Grant, who had no business background, to research, start and own an independent, successful business. What’s her secret? Last November, Grant, along with seven other West Michigan entrepreneurs, became the first class in LINC Community Revitalization’s Business Incubator. LINC, a Kent County neighborhood revitalization nonprofit, started its business […]
Be yourself in all you say and do to earn success
How might the world be different if transparency truly replaced the guarded face we typically present when interacting with others? If we were to transform the tolerance we often painfully exhibit when others are “not like us” into unconditional acceptance, would the world become a better place? If we could be more comfortable with who […]
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WYCE celebrates 25 years of bringing eclectic mix to West Michigan
As Kevin Murphy began preparations for the 25th anniversary celebration of the Grand Rapids Community Media Center’s radio station, he came across the following headline from a 1987 Grand Rapids Press article: “WYCE plays an eclectic mix of music, needs money.” Murphy, who is the station manager, said that headline does a good job of […]
Public Record
BENNETT, Brenda K. et al, United Bank Mortgage Corp., Condo-Arbor Hills Site Condominiums, $224,500 WARBER, Bruce C. et al, Mercantile Bank Mortgage Co., Condo-The Sanctuary, $246,000 SMITH, Michael C. et al, Bank Of America, Caledonia Twp., 36-5-10, $203,900 MARBLE, Brian et al, Ross Mortgage Corp., Condo-River Bend, $253,680 UPTOWN HOUSING LLC, Northern Trust Co., Bradford's […]
Land bank closer to selling Sparta Foundry site
The unidentified party interested in buying the four-acre site of the former Sparta Foundry is reportedly flying in from Amsterdam in a few weeks to meet with officials from the Kent County Land Bank Authority and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. KCLBA Executive Director Dave Allen said the meeting is most likely to take place […]
Change Ups: Attorney earns elder law certification
David E. Waterstradt, an attorney with Warner Norcross & Judd LLP, is one of the first attorneys in Michigan to receive certification in elder law. Waterstradt, who concentrates his practice in estate and trust planning, elder law and disability planning, has completed the requirements to receive the Certified Elder Law Attorney designation from the National […]
City puts West Fulton in the big plan
City commissioners added much of the West Fulton Business District and a residential neighborhood to the city’s Master Plan last week under an area-specific arrangement known as the “U to the Zoo” plan. The district’s inclusion into the Master Plan sets some land use, building and zoning regulations for the West Fulton blocks that stretch […]
State’s exporters can expect weaker international orders
According to the latest numbers on global trade flows released by the World Trade Organization, in the first eight months of 2012 the value of world merchandise exports fell 0.4 percent to $10.7 trillion from the same period in 2011. WTO’s trade figures on exports from January through August show that the United States ranked […]
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Bureau whets appetite for new dining event
Coming on the heels of a third successful Restaurant Week, Experience Grand Rapids decided to make it official last week by announcing it has yet another dining event up its promotional sleeve. While Experience GR Vice President of Marketing Janet Korn didn’t reveal all the details of Cool Beer, Hot Eats last week, she did […]
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Inside Track: A head for business and a heart of gold
Helen Zeerip admits she is directionally challenged, the irony of which is not lost on her: She is president of Fillmore Township-based Teddy’s Transport, a family-owned business her parents, Ted and Mary Gibbs, founded 30 years ago in Hamilton. “I would be directionally challenged if I didn’t have my Garmin,” Zeerip said of her GPS. […]
City sets project list for future potential development
The reconstruction of Godfrey Avenue from the city’s south limits to Market Avenue was one of four projects Grand Rapids city commissioners agreed to put on a list last week for potential federal funding under a recently formed regional economic development initiative. The action was largely a formality for now, but the move could pay […]
County to tackle landfill legacy cost
The Kent County Department of Public Works may have found a solution to the hefty legacy cost it is facing for three closed county landfills. DPW Director Doug Wood has said that, by 2025, the department will need about $38.6 million to clean up the closed landfills in Kentwood, Sparta and North Kent. The department […]
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Let’s talk sustainable design and STEAM, not STEM
You may have heard about STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — but have you heard of STEAM? That’s the big four, plus the presence of art. David Rosen, president of Kendall College of Art and Design, believes it is through the integration of these disciplines that real impact can occur in the area […]
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Living Baseball Card comes alive
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) With the major league baseball season in the books, a local baseball business venture is cranking up in a major way. Eight individuals who make up two local firms, Blue Cap Promotions and Story Telling Pictures, are in the process of loading the business base paths with their creation: […]
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Local company aims to stretch mpg for commercial fleets
A startup business that relocated from southeast Michigan to Grand Rapids this year is trying to market a new non-thermal plasma ignition technology the company founder says will increase fuel efficiency in commercial fleets of trucks and vans using gasoline engines. Perhaps lending credence to ENRG Power Systems LLC is the fact that it is […]
A dozen Michigan organizations receive specialty crop grants
LANSING — Managing bees and saving cucumbers from disease are just two of the topics being studied in recent specialty crop grants. This October in Michigan the federal government awarded grants to a dozen food and agriculture organizations for projects that include improving fruit production, promoting cleaner soil and studying crop pollination. The $1.3 million […]
Ottawa plans water forum
Ottawa County will host its seventh annual forum on water quality Thursday. The purpose of the forum is to stay abreast of possible water quality challenges and threats and be able to develop action plans if necessary. The forum will continue to look at five key areas: Where are the Grand River’s quality problems coming […]
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Integrated Architecture named a top sustainable firm
Architecture Magazine recently ranked Integrated Architecture No. 32 on its list of top sustainable firms in the nation. The firm also was ranked 64th overall by the publication. The firm’s commitment to sustainable practices and its large number of LEED-certified projects earned it the sustainability ranking, while the overall ranking additionally considered the firm’s pro […]
