Seasonal job cuts in January resulted in higher unemployment rates throughout the Southwest Michigan region.  Seasonal job reductions were recorded in construction and leisure and hospitality in January.  According to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget, temporary holiday-related retail job levels also fell in January. Furthermore, seasonal layoffs of support staff in education [...]

A Grand Rapids Business Journal story by Pete Daly about a ‘Made in Michigan’ initiative by Meijer, Inc. makes for some interesting reading as it reports on the opportunities it is affording small businesses to market their products. To access the story, click on the following link:  Meijer stocks Michigan-made grocery items. Bruce Snook River [...]

Celebration of accomplishments, recognition, and election of a board member were among the ingredients of the 65th annual meeting of the St. Joseph County Conservation District, an event held Wednesday evening (March 20) at the St. Joseph County Conservation and Sportsmen’s Club near Sturgis. Carol Higgins, chairperson of the Conservation District Board of Directors, presided [...]

LANSING—Sen. John Proos met with area realtors on Friday to discuss the status of the real estate industry in Southwest Michigan. Proos took part in a legislative panel during the meeting, which was hosted by the Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors at Lake Michigan College’s Mendel Center. “Home sales and property values are important to our [...]

DOWAGIAC – Terry Groth, quality assurance at Entergy, of Kalamazoo, will be the next speaker in Southwestern Michigan College’s Spring Academic Lecture Series. Groth, a 2002 SMC alumnus, will talk on the future of nuclear energy at 2 p.m. April 4 in the event theatre of the Student Activity Center. Groth is currently the Midwest [...]

Summer harvest is just around the corner.  With all of the bounty and variety that Michigan’s Great Southwest affords us, ask yourself, are you taking full advantage? Does you or your family have a farmer? We invite you to join us at the 2nd annual Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Green Lunch on April 3rd from [...]

To the Editor: Since no one reporting on either the March 5th or March 19th St. Joseph County Commission meetings felt compelled to write on my presentation of March 5th, or to even mention that I was there, I believe that it is important that the People understand what it was I proposed that produced [...]

Site Selection magazine ranks Sturgis No. 23 ‘micropolitan’ in its list of Top Micropolitans for 2012. For more on the story from Ursula Zerilli and MLive, click on the following link:  Sturgis ranked No. 23 ‘micropolitan’ in U.S. by Site Selection magazine. Here, too, is additional information on the topic in the form of a [...]

Tuesday’s (March 19) meeting of the Three Rivers City Commission yielded a resolution to allow seasonal flower sales on property at 112 North Hooker Avenue while addressing concerns about rezoning the parcel from ‘R-3’ to ‘B-2’. In action following a second public hearing on the matter, the commission approved rezoning of the property with the [...]

LANSING – The Michigan Senate recently adopted a resolution proclaiming March 24-30 as Michigan STEM Awareness Week, said Sen. John Proos, co-sponsor of the resolution. “Every Southwest Michigan student deserves an education that prepares them for a successful career, and for many children that means a curriculum focused on science, technology, engineering and math,” said [...]

Saturday (March 23) will be a busy day in Constantine with three events on tap: Easter Egg Hunt Quilter Exhibit 4th Annual Chili Throwdown. To download a flyer with details regarding these events, click here.

What’s happening at the Riviera Theatre in downtown Three Rivers? Double Phelix / Founders Tap Takeover, ‘Phantom’ w/ live music from Andrew Alden, and more! To check out the lineup, click here.

For some interesting reading about downtown development – and about downtown Battle Creek, in particular – click on the following link to access a story from MiBiz:  Downtown Transformation:  Battle Creek adds to growing list of downtown amenities, more needed.

The Three Rivers City Commission is slated to conduct a second public hearing Tuesday evening (March 19) on a request from the Three Rivers Elks Club to rezone property at 112 North Hooker Avenue from ‘R-3’ to ‘B-2’ to allow the seasonal selling of flowers on the property. Although the Three Rivers Planning Commission recommended [...]

Cassopolis, MI – Robert Hance, president/CEO of Midwest Energy Cooperative, has been named to the Board of Directors of the Utilities Telecom Council (UTC) and appointed chairman of the Rural Issues Committee. The announcement came last week after a collaborative arrangement was established between UTC and the Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI). RBI is a grassroots [...]

A memorial service for David Stuck, longtime businessman and community leader in Three Rivers, is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, March 30th at Riverside Church in Three Rivers. Stuck, who died March 12 at the age of 88, served the community through his involvement in many organizations including the Jaycees, Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, [...]

A two-bill legislative package unveiled Thursday (March 14) would modify the Michigan Merit Curriculum so high school students have the flexibility to explore career and vocational training education options. Reps. Ed McBroom, Joel Johnson, Aric Nesbitt and Peter Pettalia hosted a news conference at the Jackson Academy for Manufacturing Careers/Jackson Area Career Center to make [...]

The United States Air Force has decided to assign a unit of drone aircraft to the Battle Creek Air National Guard Base. For more on the story from the Battle Creek Enquirer, click on the following link:  Military drones to be controlled from Battle Creek.

Congressman Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) joined the United States Army Corps of Engineers Friday afternoon (March 15) in announcing emergency funding to dredge the St. Joseph harbor.  The harbor, which is essential to jobs and economic activity in Southwest Michigan, has become inaccessible to commercial traffic on account of severe shoaling.  Upton has been in [...]

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) gave the following tribute in recognition of Pat Moody’s 40 years on WSJM Radio. Upton made his tribute in the Congressional Record on Thursday (March 14).  The full text of Upton’s remarks follows below: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a legend in Michigan broadcasting, Pat [...]