LANSING ? Gov. Jennifer Granholm is projecting Michigan departmental budget cuts of between 5 and 7 percent for fiscal 2005-06 fiscal year. But Michigan appears to have escaped a general fund deficit for the 2003-04 fiscal year by the skin of its teeth, forecasts by both the Senate Fiscal Agency and the House Fiscal Agency
KALAMAZOO ? Radio Frequency Identification opportunities in Southwest Michigan will be the theme at GLIMASouthwest?s 2004 Annual Dinner December 7 at Western Michigan University?s Fetzer Center. The keynote speaker will be Matt Mace, CEO of BlueGranite. Mace will share his company?s experiences developing RFID for its clients. Through mandates by organizations such as Wal-Mart and
GRAND RAPIDS ? The Multiple Myeloma Foundation has awarded Van Andel Institute postdoctoral fellow Jennifer Bromberg-White, Ph.D., a $50,000 fellowship to study the blood borne and bone deteriorating cancer using a viral system developed in an Institute lab. White?s project is the first of its kind worldwide to use this type of technology. The one-year
PONTIAC ? After market telematics provider Guidepoint has begun shipping units with a new in-vehicle switch that allows drivers to access help at the touch of a button, just like rival OnStar. Called the Guidepoint Access Panel, the switch allows consumers to arm and disarm the system's Security Fence and to send an instant OnCall
GRAND RAPIDS - Barton Watson, the chairman of Cybernet Group, shot himself to death on Thanksgiving eve in his million dollar suburban Grand Rapids home rather than face the prospect of another jail term. The suicide came a week after federal agents seized equipment and records at Cybernet?s headquarters in Grand Rapids. The FBI is
ISLANDIA, NY ? Computer Associates disclosed the pay package for its next chief executive offer, which includes $5.3 million in cash signing bonus. CA has a Michigan regional office in Southfield. The software company designated John Swainson, a former executive at IBM, as CEO-elect this week. He fills a post vacated by Sanjay Kumar in
LANSING - The Public Service Commission must decide, and soon, what Detroit Edison's transition costs were for moving to a competitive electric market. But the commission may delay reimbursing Edison for those costs and may set interest on those carried costs as it sees fit, the Court of Appeals ruled in a case released Wednesday.
LANSING - Detroit Edison will be able to raise its rates by about 3 percent for commercial customers in 2005, but not at all for residential customers under an order adopted Tuesday by the Michigan Public Service Commission. Under the order (case No. U-138081), Edison will be able to increase its rates $335.81 million. Much
ANN ARBOR - After four straight years of employment losses, Michigan's economy will add more than 130,000 jobs during the next two years, nearly half classified as professional, business services, leisure and hospitality, University of Michigan forecasters predict. Auto manufacturing will continue to lose jobs. "As 2005 unfolds, we anticipate steady improvement in the state
GRAND RAPIDS ? BestNet Communications Chairman Richard Bourke has resigned to spend time on other business activities. He will be replaced by board member Stanley Schloz, a former Motorola executive. In announcing the change, Schloz said Bourke efforts resulted in reducing costs, increasing marketing and placing increased emphasis on product enhancement. Schloz, a business management