The Constantine school system now offers a free dinner to students from 3 to 4 p.m. in the high school cafeteria, during an after-school enrichment program. The dinner is served by Chartwells food services and any Constantine student up to 18 years of age may attend, regardless of family income. The after-school dinner program is funded by the Michigan [...]

A new report that details the impact of the foreclosure crisis on the state of Michigan has been released by researchers at Grand Valley State University. For more on the story, click here.

The 27th annual ‘Walk for Warmth’ – sponsored by Community Action – will take place on Saturday (February 25th) at six locations including the St. Joseph County Grange Fairgrounds in Centreville.  The start time is 9 a.m. The Walk for Warmth is a pledge-based walk that raises funds to provide emergency heating assistance in Barry, [...]

Lansing, Michigan – The Michigan Historic Preservation Network (MHPN) was recently notified that they are the recipients of a $19,000 grant from The 1772 Foundation.  This grant will fund a consultant to help on developing a revolving fund strategy for MHPN. The goal of the project is to establish a program that would eventually reach [...]

LANSING,MI – Gary Heidel, Executive Director of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) has announced that nine Michigan communities have been selected by MSHDA to take part in the Michigan Main Street Associate Level program. These nine communities will receive training over the next year on the basics of the Main Street Four Point [...]

Plans for a proposed Meijer, Inc. store in South Haven hinge on the outcome of a rezoning issue that will be on the ballot in the February 28th election. For more on the story from Andrew Lersten and the Herald Palladium, click on the following link:  Confronting Meijer

You’ll be able get a head start on your spring cleaning this coming weekend with a ‘FREECYCLE Day’ from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday (February 25th) at Business Success Unlimited (BSU), 7 North Main Street in downtown Three Rivers. During an interview with the River Country Journal, BSU owner Nancy Becher said, “It’s [...]

My Sunday radio listening led to discovery of the Open Source Ecology project, “which aims to design and build affordable alternatives to industrial machines.” Based on a farm in northwest Missouri, it’s an interesting twist on DIY – ‘do it yourself’ – and more. I learned of the subject through a feature that was part [...]

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), on Wednesday (Feb.15), issued an order approving a settlement agreement that authorizes Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) to increase revenue electric rates by $14,644,416 annually, effective with the next full cycle of billings. The amount represents an increase of 5.88 percent over the rates set in I&M’s last rate case. [...]

My Sunday evening reading on the Internet led me to TWO related articles in The Christian Science Monitor, both on the subject of “reinvention” and linked to the challenging economic times in which we live.  As someone who is engaged in a bit of my own “reinvention” with the River Country Journal, I found both [...]

For many years, Michigan has experienced an employment crisis. The collapse of the state’s manufacturing giants had a ripple effect that touched every industry in the state and left hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents without jobs. Some people moved to other states in search of work. Others trained for new careers in fields where [...]

Governor Rick Snyder unveiled his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2013 on Thursday (February 9).  A news release from the governor included the following section on education: The River Country Journal sought reaction to the proposed budget from two ‘River Country’ school superintendents.  The following questions were posed: What’s your overall reaction to the Governor’s [...]

State Rep. Matt Lori, R-Constantine, Thursday (February 9th) issued the following statement on Gov. Rick Snyder’s budget message: “I am encouraged by the fact that we are building on our past success and have measurable evidence that Michigan is headed in the right direction, thanks mainly to the very difficult choices we have made in [...]

LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder Thursday (February 9th) presented to the Legislature his recommended fiscal year 2013 state budget, which is structurally balanced and makes strategic investments in priorities such as education, health and human services, job growth, public safety and infrastructure. The governor also offered a 2014 projected budget to help policymakers with [...]

A readout on the economy in the “greater Grand Rapids area” offers some encouragement. For more on the story from Grand Valley State University, click on the following link:  Current Business Trends:  Slow but positive

A story by Stephanie Clifford in The New York Times looks at the re-fashioning of struggling or failed shopping malls. As the synopsis about the story says, “After decades of decline, malls across the country are being redeveloped by communities and planners trying to forge new gathering places out of vast lots with empty buildings.” [...]

American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (AAM) has reported positive financial results for the fourth quarter of 2011 and for the full year. To access the news release regarding fourth quarter and 2011 financial results for AAM, click on the following link:   American Axle & Manufacturing Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2011 Financial Results [...]

The New Rules Project, a program of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, reports that an annual survey has found that “independent businesses had strong sales growth over the holidays and appear to be benefitting from growing public interest in supporting locally owned retail stores, banks, restaurants, and other enterprises.” For more on the subject, click [...]

An award-winning economist will make predictions about the 2012 presidential election from a ‘pocketbook perspective’ during a presentation sponsored by Grand Valley State University’s Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies. To learn more, click on the following link:  Exploring ‘pocketbook politics’ in 2012 election

House Speaker Jase Bolger, R-Marshall, issued the following statement regarding news reports that the Obama Administration is recommending reductions in staffing and equipment at the Battle Creek and Selfridge Air National Guard bases: For additional information regarding the potential budget cuts, click on the following link to a story from The Macomb Daily:  A-10s at [...]