General

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Benton Harbor, Berrien County Land Bank work to turn around neighborhoods

By Newsroom

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April 22, 2010

Blighted houses and vacant property in parts of Benton Harbor will be removed and improved under a three-year plan that uses economic stimulus money from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, reports the Herald-Palladium. The residential revamping of parts of the city was formally approved April 8 by the Berrien County Board of Commissioners. The board agreed to accept $6.82 million in grant money. The agreement lets the county's Land Bank work with the city on rehabilitating homes, demolishing blighted property to turn them into new residences, the Herald Palladium reports. It goes on to say that Michigan received $263 million in economic stimulus money for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, and the Michigan Housing Development Authority approved the grant request. This project was approved as part of one grant request for 12 cities and nine county land banks. A total of $15.43 million was allocated for the project, including $13.89 million for the work being performed by the city and Land Bank, the story continues. Excerpt: The three targeted areas for project funds include the southern part of the city where housing is generally in better condition, official said.The second area is bounded by Colfax Avenue, Pipestone Street, Main Street and Empire Avenue, and the third is the Morton Hill area. The city aims to buy and rehabilitate 69 houses at a total cost of about $7.45 million. Purchasers will receive $10,000 in home-buyer assistance to reduce mortgage payments, and financial counseling. For more on the program, read the entire story.Source: Herald-Palladium

Latest in General

Local music scene: Something to blog about

By Rebecca Bakken

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General

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April 22, 2010

In a college town like Kalamazoo the music scene is an ever-changing landscape. This week writer Rebecca Bakken catches up with two bloggers, one looking back and one looking forward, to check out what they see (and hear).

Finding a solution in the cloud

By Kathy Jennings

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General

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April 15, 2010

As the computer titans clash for control of the cloud, a small Kalamazoo company quietly works with Google Apps to find the right solution for a business in need of a computer solution right now. Newmind Group Inc. likes Google because its customers like Google.

Gallery taps into buy-local enthusiasm

By Zinta Aistars

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General

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April 8, 2010

People are discovering they don't have to go to the big city to get world-class art. Writer Zinta Aistars talks to Terry Nihart about how he got the nerve to open a downtown Kalamazoo gallery to show that art in the teeth of a fierce economic downturn. Sometimes he shows art so edgy it tickles.

Raising good food, harvesting strong relationships

By Stacie Carlson

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General

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April 1, 2010

CSAs bring together farmers and the people who buy the produce they harvest in a relationship that goes beyond seller and buyer.

Innovations bring customers to thelamco

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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April 1, 2010

In Benton Harbor, thelamco, inc, is more than just another Southwest Michigan business. They continuously try out new innovative ideas to bring down customers' costs – and that innovation has given them a competitive advantage over other businesses that offer similar products. "In a nutshell, we are an industrial, custom coater or laminator," says Roxanne Behrman, sales and marketing manager. "We convert products for packaging, pressure sensitive label, and paper industries. Our product development and innovation efforts have allowed us to be nimble and try a variety of materials that our competitors shy away from." Because at thelamco, inc they embrace their creative juices, they can actually process materials that their competition cannot – and they do it with 20 employees. Recent growth, however, has created an opportunity for the business to add another sales staffer. "Our focus is on the behind the scenes products," adds Behrman. "You've seen our sales tag labels on shelf edges in area stores, and you may have eaten a microwave dinner that has been laminated with our machines." In addition to its innovation, thelamco, inc recently achieved national and world wide recognition for its commitment to sustainability. The Sustainable Foresty Initiative program allows corporations the opportunity to track their carbon footprints in terms of their packaging products. That alone could result in a 10 percent sales growth for the company according to conservative estimates by thelamco. "Many of our competitors do not have this certification and that gives us a competitive edge," says Behrman. "Ultimately, we can help our packagers develop a more sustainable product, while ensuring the material comes from well managed forests. The growth potential is very real. In fact, we secured a customer as a result of this certification." Writer: Stacie CarlsonSource: Roxanne Behrman, thelamco, inc.

They make food safer in Battle Creek

By Jane C. Parikh

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General

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March 25, 2010

In Battle Creek they're teaching the people who decide if your food is safe to eat how to make those decisions. The city gets the added bonus in jobs and spending downtown.

National award recognizes generosity of Battle Creek’s Kellogg

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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March 25, 2010

Kellogg Company has the Spirit of America says the United Way.The company's generous giving and innovative leadership in the community inspired the United Way to give its top national award to Kellogg.Kellogg Company is the first Michigan-based company to win the Spirit of America award. United Way has recognized corporate giving with the Spirit of America Award for 23 years. Some past winners include 3M, FedEx and Pfizer. The United Way lauded Kellogg Company for going beyond food and financial donations to spearhead a downtown revitalization effort in Battle Creek, including the expansion of its global nutrition research facility, committing to move more employees downtown, donating a building for potential use as a math and science education center and partnering with various organizations to bring new businesses and jobs to the community.In 2009, Kellogg was the first to produce food solely for donation. The company donated an entire day's worth of cereal production — 3.7 million pounds — to Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger relief organization. United Way was impressed with Kellogg's innovative celebrity partnership with Katalyst, a social media studio co-founded by Ashton Kutcher. Kellogg teamed up with Katalyst to spotlight the plight of the hungry. An online video consisting of user-generated content and directed by Demi Moore illustrated the fact that one out of every eight Americans struggle with hunger."On behalf of our entire organization, I'm humbled and honored to accept the United Way Spirit of America Award," says David Mackay, president and chief executive officer of Kellogg Company.The United Way spelled out the other gifts that led to the award:-- Kellogg Company's $5.9 million campaign pledge in 2009 was 19 percent over goal. -- Kellogg also stepped up with a $600,000 grant to United Way of Greater Battle Creek to address increased basic health and income needs in the hometown of the company's headquarters. This grant provided, among other gifts, 20 pounds of fresh vegetables weekly to nearly 2,000 people.-- Kellogg employees across the United States conducted more than 45 food drives that collected more than 47,000 pounds of food. And Kellogg has donated more than 94 million pounds of food, or 66 million meals, over the past five years.-- Kellogg also worked with Action for Healthy Kids to improve healthy eating and physical activity among children around the country. This includes helping dozens of schools nationwide increase the number of kids eating a healthy breakfast at school.-- Kellogg partnerships around the globe, including working with United Way of Mumbai, India, to provide meals to underprivileged children. The company also is a founding partner of The Global FoodBanking Network.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: David Mackay, Kellogg Company

Baseball great says Stryker’s latest hip replacement technology scores

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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March 25, 2010

Johnny Bench loves his new hip from Stryker. The baseball hall-of-famer is a paid spokesperson for the Kalamazoo company, and who better to talk about the new implant than a guy who suffered hip pain due to the punishment his body took during many years as catcher for the Cincinnati Reds.Bench reports that one month after his replacement he already nearly has full range of motion back, an accomplishment he attributes to the implant and his physical therapists.The implant Bench is promoting is the latest from Stryker Orthopaedics. It's the next-generation technology for hip replacement surgery and is designed to minimize the risks associated with total hip replacement surgery. It's called the ADM X3 Mobile Bearing Acetabular System.Innovative designs in the newly launched hip implant are built in to give it more longevity than other designs. Its unique large polyethylene insert gives it a larger range of motion and also addresses concerns of metal-on-metal inserts that have caused unexpected medical consequences, such as pseudo-tumors. It also is designed to reduce the risk of dislocation.The new design increases range of motion by using two points of movement rather than a single point."We believe that mobile bearing hips will become the new standard of care in total hip replacements and are committed to offering advanced technologies that benefit both surgeons and patients while adding value in ways that have the potential to reduce costs to the healthcare system," says Bill Huffnagle, Vice President and General Manager of Hip Reconstruction at Stryker Orthopaedics.ADM X3 is the third major hip product launch by Stryker in the past year. Stryker Orthopaedics is a division of the Stryker Corporation. Stryker Orthopaedics offers an extensive orthopaedic product portfolio including hip, knee and upper extremity reconstructive devices, bone cement, trauma implants, bone substitutes and spine systems. Writer: Kathy Jennings Source: Bill Huffnagle, Stryker Orthopaedics

Studio 246 writes a new script

By Kathy Jennings

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General

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March 18, 2010

In the new script theater lives long and prospers. Downtown, at Studio 246, they're keeping the spirit of alternative theater alive. With a little help from their friends, they're fixing up the place and everyone's invited to see what's up next.