WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) voted Wednesday (March 13) to prevent the Obama administration from waiving longstanding work requirements for recipients of federal welfare benefits.  Enacted in 1996 as part of welfare reform under the Clinton administration, federal law has since required states to impose a work requirement for welfare recipients.  Specifically, [...]

This week’s edition of American Profile, included as an insert in Saturday’s (March 9) edition of the Three Rivers Commercial-News, is a fun and inspiring read with a feature regarding ‘Cops & Doughnuts’, a bakery owned by members of the Clare Police Department in Clare, Michigan.  Quite a story it is, reporting on the success [...]

The Sustainable Community Development Initiative (SCDI) at Grand Valley State University will host a screening of an “eco-docu-comedy” about a group that takes a trip across the country to raise awareness about waste. To learn more, click on the following link:  Grand Valley to host award-winning environmental documentary.

Lansing – Michigan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 8.9 percent in January was unchanged over the month, according to data released Wednesday (March 6) by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB). Both total employment and the workforce rose slightly over the month by 4,000 as the number of unemployed in the state [...]

LANSING, Mich. – Site Selection magazine has named Michigan the No. 4 state for major new corporate facilities and expansions in 2012, Gov. Rick Snyder announced Tuesday (March 5). “Once again, the nation is taking notice of the bold reforms now driving Michigan forward. More companies are choosing to grow their futures in Michigan and [...]

Glen Oaks Community College, St. Joseph County Department of Human Services and Michigan WORKS! are partnering to host a job fair on April 11, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Glen Oaks Community College, 62249 Shimmel Road, Centreville, Michigan. Employers with current open positions are encouraged to sign up, pre-registration is required. Links [...]

The greater Grand Rapids industrial economy is ‘nicely up,’ according to a Grand Valley State University researcher. For more regarding the results of a monthly survey compiled by Brian G. Long, director of Supply Management Research in the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley, click on the following link:  Current Business Trends:  Nice Increase

For some interesting reading on the Great Lakes Futures Project, check out the piece by Sara Gosman in Concentrate, an Ann Arbor-based online magazine.  Gosman is an environmental attorney and lecturer at the University of Michigan Law School.  In her article as a “guest blogger”, she discusses the project and the geopolitics of water scarcity.  [...]

LANSING, Mich. ‒ Gov. Rick Snyder Friday (March 1) announced his determination that the city of Detroit is in a financial emergency and that no satisfactory plan exists to resolve it. The Governor reached his conclusion after thorough review and consideration of the unanimous, independent review team’s report, which he received on Feb. 19, 2013, [...]

Readers involved in organizations that look toward philanthropic giving for support and the ability to accomplish their missions and goals may well be interested in a new report from the Johnson Center for Philanthropy at Grand Valley State University (GVSU). According to GVSU, the report is “drawing national attention” and “has also caught the eye [...]

The 9th Annual Michigan Small Town & Rural Development Conference will be held at Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville, MI on April 22-24, 2013. Each year, the Michigan Rural Council welcomes regional, national and international speakers and presenters to the conference whose expertise and passion make this event the premier conference for rural community development in [...]

Saturday (February 23rd) brought the 28th annual ‘Walk for Warmth’ to Three Rivers and five other locations around the four counties served by Community Action – Barry, Branch, Calhoun and St. Joseph. The Three Rivers Community Center at 103 South Douglas Avenue was the focal point for the Walk activity in St. Joseph County this [...]

I’ve long admired ‘cooperatives’ and thought having more of them would be a good idea. With the ‘Great Recession’ of recent years, the challenging circumstances many people continue to face, and the need to find more sustainable ways of living, cooperatives seem to make even more sense. With this orientation, it was heartening to receive [...]

The 28th annual ‘Walk for Warmth’ – sponsored by Community Action – is scheduled for Saturday (February 23rd). The Walk for Warmth is an annual fundraising event that raises funds to help low-income, elderly, and disabled residents stay warm during the winter. 2012’s Walk for Warmth was a success thanks to our wonderful donors, sponsors [...]

Faced with the need to eliminate the shortfall in revenue versus expenses for its sewer utility, the Constantine Village Council has approved another sewer rate increase. The action came on a 4-to-3 vote Monday evening (February 18) on a recommendation from the Sewer Ad Hoc Committee to accept the most recent study proposed by Fleis [...]

For some interesting reading on the relationship between obesity, aging and health care costs, check out an article in Pacific Standard Magazine. To access the piece by David Stipp, click on the following link:  Obesity – Not Aging – Balloons Health Care Costs.

As noted in an earlier River Country Journal story regarding the February 8th ‘Legislative Update’ breakfast sponsored by the Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce, roads are likely to be a prime topic for conversation in Lansing during the next several months as lawmakers and Governor Rick Snyder work on the 2014 state budget. Bridge [...]

LANSING – The Michigan Senate has approved Sen. John Proos’ resolution calling on the U.S. secretary of state to approve a new U.S.-Canada pipeline as part of a greater plan to drive down gas prices and reduce dependence on unstable Middle East governments. “Southwest Michigan families, job providers and schools should not have to continue [...]

State Representative Matt Lori and state Senator Bruce Caswell were the featured speakers for a ‘Legislative Update’ breakfast Friday morning (February 8th) at the JoCo Center in Three Rivers, an event sponsored by the Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce. The lawmakers dealt with a number of issues in the course of their presentations and [...]

Plans for a micro-brewery in downtown Constantine – noted during the Constantine Downtown Brainstormers ‘Merchant Appreciation Event’ in January – are receiving additional attention through an MLive story by John Liberty. During the January activity that celebrated the accomplishments of 2012 and looked ahead to 2013, Constantine DDA Director Diana Lammott mentioned the goal of [...]