At least two Republican-controlled state House seats in West Michigan are expected to be competitive in the Nov. 8 election as Democrats set lofty goals to retake a majority in the lower chamber.

Marketing and rebranding the Port of Muskegon — the only natural deepwater commercial port on West Michigan’s coast — continues to be a priority for public and private stakeholders across the region. The goal: Creating a regional logistics hub offering a variety of transportation options to better move goods. Much of the work is overseen by Muskegon-based West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission (WMSRDC), a four-county planning and development agency. Last month, the group hosted Port Day to showcase their efforts to the business community. MiBiz spoke with WMSRDC’s Executive Director Erin Kuhn to discuss the group’s efforts. 

Even though a pair of sweeping energy reform bills advanced in the state Senate late last month, key business groups stood opposed to the plans. 

Detroit-based DTE Energy is in the middle of a five-year, $2.5 billion gas and electric infrastructure upgrade that will have the utility investing millions into projects in West Michigan. 

JACKSON — Michigan’s second-largest electric utility says it is developing a program to meet the needs of large energy users who want more of their electricity to come from renewable sources