MiBiz - MiBiz: West Michigan Business News

Small businesses join call for civil forfeiture reform
The state chapter of a small business advocacy group is among the supporters of a bipartisan bill package introduced this month to reform the way…
FINDING MOMENTUM: The Rapid secures nearly $1 million to study ways to spur growth along Silver Line route
A new effort aims to find ways to kickstart economic growth along The Rapid’s Silver Line bus route from Grand Rapids though southern Kent County.
‘MIXED BAG’: Tax reform law brings uncertainty as IRS sorts through rulemaking process
The federal tax reform Congress enacted at the end of 2017 comes with significant complexity that tax professionals say they’re still sorting through as the…
Telehealth begins to catch on in West Michigan, GVSU study shows
Patients in West Michigan are more apt than people in the southeastern part of the state to connect with a doctor virtually to manage two…
Wacker Neuson sues Norton Shores after being asked for lost tax revenue
NORTON SHORES — A company that moved out of Norton Shores before its tax abatements expired is now suing the lakeshore community and fighting the…

Muskegon DDA to step up downtown efforts

MUSKEGON — While development took off in Muskegon’s downtown in recent years, the city’s Downtown Development Authority mostly sat on the sidelines as it paid off bonds on the old Muskegon Mall.

Small businesses join call for civil forfeiture reform
The state chapter of a small business advocacy group is among the supporters of a bipartisan bill package introduced this month to reform the way…
FINDING MOMENTUM: The Rapid secures nearly $1 million to study ways to spur growth along Silver Line route
A new effort aims to find ways to kickstart economic growth along The Rapid’s Silver Line bus route from Grand Rapids though southern Kent County.
‘MIXED BAG’: Tax reform law brings uncertainty as IRS sorts through rulemaking process
The federal tax reform Congress enacted at the end of 2017 comes with significant complexity that tax professionals say they’re still sorting through as the…
Telehealth begins to catch on in West Michigan, GVSU study shows
Patients in West Michigan are more apt than people in the southeastern part of the state to connect with a doctor virtually to manage two…
Wacker Neuson sues Norton Shores after being asked for lost tax revenue
NORTON SHORES — A company that moved out of Norton Shores before its tax abatements expired is now suing the lakeshore community and fighting the…

Q&A: Dr. David Karowe, Professor of biological sciences, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University Professor David Karowe, Ph.D. has dire predictions for what will happen if people across the globe fail to take swift action to replace fossil fuels with green…
Backed by Wege Foundation grant, GREEN aims to get all GRPS students into nature
GRAND RAPIDS — A new initiative funded with a $300,000 grant from the Wege Foundation wants to develop environmentally-conscious human beings at a young age. The aim for the Grand Rapids…

Buell motorcycle brand revives production in Grand Rapids
GRAND RAPIDS — The executives behind an iconic American superbike brand are breathing new life into the company and relaunching “boutique” motorcycle production in West Michigan. By establishing low-volume production of EBR…
Affordable housing developers face delays with ‘oversubscribed’ LIHTC funding
GRAND RAPIDS — Developers relied on low-income tax credits to add nearly 2,000 units of affordable housing in the city over the last five years. While the credits provide key gap…

Federal tax reform offers benefits to real estate investors
Federal tax reform means multiple benefits to the real estate industry, although some further guidance is needed for investors to fully understand what that means. After President Donald Trump signed into…

New $500K SmartZone grant to spur medical device development in Grand Rapids
A $500,000 grant from the Grand Rapids SmartZone will fund a program to use 3-D printing technology to accelerate the development and production of medical device components.

MiBiz Growth Report: Jan. 21, 2019
Here is the MiBiz Growth Report for Jan. 21, 2019.

After latest acquisition, Riveridge to represent half of Michigan’s fresh apple market
SPARTA — Riveridge Produce Marketing Inc., the largest supplier of Michigan apples, has acquired the sales operation of Sparta-based Jack Brown Produce Inc.

Tax cuts spur manufacturers’ investments
Most manufacturers can expect to fork over less in taxes for last year, and companies that monitor the shifting provisions could capitalize on greater investment in a few key areas. Although most…

Electric vehicle study maps optimal statewide charging network
For about $21 million, Michigan can build a statewide network of electric vehicle fast-charging stations to meet anticipated demand by 2030.

Allegiant Air announces $42.8 million base at Grand Rapids airport
Allegiant Travel Co. is expanding its footprint at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport with the opening of a $42.8 million base.

Lakeshore community foundation shatters fundraising record
The Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area surpassed its all-time record in fundraising in 2018, receiving close to $21 million in contributions.

Employers value culture as key to talent attraction, survey finds
Culture trumps salary in the race for talent nowadays. That’s the shift Dave Smith has seen the last few years among employers in West Michigan as unemployment rates steadily declined and…

Small business owners see benefits from pass-through deduction, flat tax rate
The recent Tax Cuts and Jobs Act purported to simplify tax structures, rates and exemptions, but accountants say small businesses face plenty of nuances depending on their size, structure and…