Gov. Gretchen Whitmer today ordered bars across much of the Lower Peninsula to close indoor service by late tonight to “protect the progress Michigan has made against COVID-19.”
Spectrum Health’s Zeeland Community Hospital has again been named among the top 100 hospitals in the U.S., according to an annual ranking by Fortune/IBM Watson Health.
LANSING — Michigan restaurants and bars are now able to expand alcohol sales as well as the area where patrons can consume drinks.
ChoiceOne Financial Services Inc. closed today on the $20.8 million acquisition of Community Shores Bank Corp.
West Michigan Whitecaps to miss 2020 season as Minor League Baseball cancels because of COVID-19
By MIBIZ STAFFCOMSTOCK PARK — The West Michigan Whitecaps will not compete in a 2020 season after Minor League Baseball announced Tuesday it is scrapping this year’s competition due to the scheduling and other disruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
GRAND RAPIDS — Office furniture maker Steelcase Inc. reported a steep drop in first quarter revenue along with a steady decline in orders as the coronavirus pandemic spread globally.
Citing recent daily increases in new COVID-19 cases, including more than 100 tied to an East Lansing bar, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer today urged people to “keep up our guard,” wear a face mask in public and avoid crowded areas.
KENTWOOD — A Cleveland-based developer with properties elsewhere in Michigan has made its first entry into the greater Grand Rapids market with the purchase of an industrial complex from office furniture maker Knoll Inc.
WALKER — Chicago-based General Truck Parts & Equipment is investing more than $500,000 to launch a new facility in Walker, the company’s first operation in Michigan.
Herman Miller revenues plummet 29 percent in March-May period amid COVID-19 pandemic
Written by Jayson BussaZEELAND — In the shadows of the COVID-19 pandemic, office furniture manufacturer Herman Miller Inc. reported a 29.1 percent drop in net sales for the fourth quarter of its 2020 fiscal year that ended May 30, 2020.
GRAND RAPIDS — The Kent County Health Department has ordered a downtown Grand Rapids bar to close after video surfaced this weekend of large crowds of patrons not adhering to social distancing and other measures to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Priority Health plans to waive all copays, deductibles and coinsurance for COVID-19 treatment and medically necessary testing through 2020, as well as expand its zero cost-share for virtual physician visits, including behavioral health.
A Kent County small business relief program opened its second round of funding today, making grants available to companies that have already received COVID-19 assistance.
TRAVERSE CITY — Private equity-backed CloudAccess LLC, a Northern Michigan-based cloud hosting provider, has completed the add-on acquisition of Miller Media Inc.
Two Grand Rapids youth housing organizations and longtime partners have merged into one organization after years of consideration, aligning with recent consolidation trends among nonprofits.
West Mich. cultural organizations land CARES Act funding to continue operations
Written by Jayson BussaTwo West Michigan cultural organizations plan to retain staff crucial to their operations with a newly awarded CARES Act grant issued by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
JENISON — Private equity-backed Heartland Home Services has acquired First Call Plumbing Inc., its second acquisition in the West Michigan area in the last nine months.
Kent County administrator addresses controversy over COVID small biz relief funding
Written by Andy BalaskovitzKent County’s top official says it is “critically important” that a $25 million business relief program launched this week is accessible to minority-owned businesses, following recent criticism that the program isn’t properly compensating minority business and social equity groups for their assistance.
Michigan retail sales remained in the “tank” during May as many stores remained closed, although a monthly survey and activity index suggest a rebound this summer after reopening.
Eight Grand Rapids technology startups are among dozens of businesses statewide selected to receive a combined $3 million from Michigan’s Tech Start Up Stabilization Fund.
An Ingham County Circuit Court judge has ordered Enbridge to immediately shut down the Line 5 pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac, saying the company inadequately disclosed information about damage to support structures discovered last week.
GRAND RAPIDS — Has Heart, a nonprofit that connects veterans with artists to tell their stories, is building a coffee shop in Veterans Memorial Park.
Black, Hispanic biz groups criticize Kent County’s process to allocate COVID relief funding
Written by Andy BalaskovitzGRAND RAPIDS — Two organizations representing minority-owned businesses issued a public statement Wednesday condemning a Kent County program that’s distributing $25 million in federal CARES Act funding for small business relief.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed a package of bills expanding access to telemedicine, codifying into law provisions of an earlier executive order.
GRAND RAPIDS — After a more than three-month hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic, Amtrak and the Michigan Department of Transportation are restoring daily round-trip train service between Grand Rapids and Chicago starting next week.
DTE Energy’s natural gas subsidiary has pledged to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 through a series of actions involving suppliers, customers and its own infrastructure, aligning with long-term goals for the utility’s electricity operations.
TG Manufacturing acquires division from Turnkey Fabrication, its second deal with the company
By MIBIZ STAFFGRAND RAPIDS — A freshly minted acquisition and newly formed division will allow Grand Rapids-based TG Manufacturing Group to manufacture complete integrated gaming machine assemblies.
MANISTEE — The Little River Casino Resort has partnered with a Chicago-based online gaming operator to run a sportsbook inside the Northern Michigan casino.
A new deal with commercial health insurance carrier Cigna Corp. gives Priority Health a broader care network across the U.S. to use when pitching potential national accounts.
‘Reeling’ from COVID, Great Lakes biz group joins call for immediate Line 5 shut down
Written by Andy BalaskovitzA coalition of businesses supporting the Line 5 pipeline’s closure in the Straits of Mackinac is backing Attorney General Dana Nessel’s effort to do just that after “significant damage” to the line was disclosed late last week.
Michigan conservation groups are praising the U.S. Senate’s passage last week of a bill that would provide hundreds of millions of dollars annually for restoration projects and act as an economic stimulus for the outdoor recreation industry.
GRAND RAPIDS — Spectrum Health has added to its growing list of property acquisitions northeast of downtown and near its Butterworth Hospital campus.
Capital raises bring pair of Genesis Innovation-backed startups closer to market
Written by Mark SanchezGRAND RAPIDS — New capital investments involving existing investors will bring two health care startups backed by Genesis Innovation Group LLC closer to the market.
After canceling this year’s ArtPrize because of concerns over COVID-19, organizers of Grand Rapids’ flagship arts event and the largest art competition in the world have avoided questions about whether it will return.
Auto dealers say demand remains strong, as worries grow over new car inventories
Written by Jayson BussaThe projected slide in new vehicle sales globally and nationwide paints a grim picture for the industry, but local auto dealership executives say there’s a disparity between the numbers and what they’re seeing on their lots.
Auto manufacturers, dealers and OEMs will catch a break from the busy auto show circuit this year after the COVID-19 pandemic essentially wiped out the ability to hold crowded events.
Automotive manufacturers are back up and running after months of production shutdowns following widespread outbreaks of COVID-19.
VNN Inc. co-founder steps down from VC-backed startup after ‘passions changed’
By JAYSON BUSSA and JOE BOOMGAARDRyan Vaughn can count many accomplishments over the last decade after co-founding and scaling VNN Inc., originally known as Varsity News Network.
The premium credits Priority Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan are providing small employers this summer stem from lower medical claims after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘A LITTLE LIGHT:’ Landmark LGBTQ ruling sets stage for statewide civil rights action, debate over religious exemptions
Written by Andy BalaskovitzA landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling on June 15 bars workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and also highlights additional work that needs to be done in Michigan.
Two Michigan congressmen behind legislation that would create a $50.5 billion relief fund for small businesses nationwide hope to get it included in the next federal aid package that may come before Congress this summer.
Wise Men Distillery successfully creates hand sanitizer business amid pandemic
Written by Kate CarlsonKENTWOOD — The coronavirus pandemic has caused many businesses to make staff cuts, but Wise Men Distillery LLC hired two new employees to assist with its shift to producing large quantities of hand sanitizer for manufacturers and state agencies.
Muskegon gym switches to online, outdoor group fitness classes during shutdown
Written by Kate CarlsonMUSKEGON — The coronavirus pandemic has pushed the owner of the Waters Edge Fitness gym to get creative by offering online resources for members over the past several months that the facility has been shut down.
CALEDONIA — Mark “Crab” Reagan spent his morning wandering around his tattoo shop cleaning, organizing, providing a handful of clients with art consultations — pretty much anything other than actually tattooing.
JW’s Food & Spirits had never offered outdoor seating in the more than two decades the restaurant and bar has been in operation at the corner of North 7th Street and Washington Avenue east of downtown Grand Haven.
Indiana credit union eyes additional Michigan expansion after New Buffalo deal
Written by Mark SanchezNEW BUFFALO — The largest credit union in Indiana looks to further expand in the Michigan market after acquiring the parent company of New Buffalo Savings Bank.
Forming a relief fund to aid small businesses hurting from the COVID-19 pandemic was an early idea Kent County commissioners pursued when they began considering two months ago what to do with $114.6 million in federal aid funding.
Groups say their assistance with Kent County relief fund merits compensation
Written by Mark SanchezGRAND RAPIDS — In partnering on a $25 million small business relief fund, Kent County and the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce want to tap a number of community and entrepreneurial support organizations to get the word out to companies and provide volunteers to vet grant applicants.
