Mid-Michigan Business

Buena Vista Township's Nexteer Automotive sign is up

2009-11-19T17:10:43Z

View full sizeChris Fryer | The Saginaw NewsWorkers from Midway Signs install a new banner on the side of Nexteer Automotive 3900 E. Holland in Buena Vista Township Thursday morning.Thursday's wind didn't keep a crew from hanging the new...

Flint, Bay County and Saginaw County launch young professionals networking groups to retain and attract young working crowd

2009-11-22T19:36:08Z

Ryan Garza | Flint Journal file photoFlint Young Professionals member Kali Varner, left, of Swartz Creek watches as David Derby of Clayton Township jumps on rubbish filling a dumpster while helping clean up a lot on Avenue A in Flint...

Granholm: Michigan could get $500M for schools in federal reform competition, but momentum not on side of education

2009-11-22T12:00:00Z

Gov. Jennifer Granholm is touting fixes for Michigan's public K-12 schools that she said could qualify Michigan for up to half a billion dollars in federal stimulus funds and ensure high-paying jobs for the future. Great idea, but recent history doesn't seem to be on the side of Michigan's schools.

Local flu fighters mixing it up

2009-11-22T12:00:00Z

To alleviate shortages of a popular flu medicine, the federal government has pushed compounding pharmacies to formulate the drug locally, giving patients quicker access to the medicine.Oseltamivir phosphate, sold as Tamiflu, is taken orally in capsules or as a suspension...

Michigan's 15.1% unemployment rate for October again tops among states

2009-11-20T20:16:38Z

Michigan was again tops among states for monthly unemployment figures in October despite falling slightly to 15.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday. It marks the 44th consecutive month that Michigan has at least tied for the nation's highest jobless rate.

Learn to market your small business at free seminar

2009-11-20T19:00:00Z

The Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center will offer a free "Marketing Your Business" seminar from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24, at Delta College, 1961 Delta in Bay County’s Frankenlust Township.The seminar will present practical applications...

Unemployment benefit extension certification runs Monday-Saturday during Thanksgiving holiday week, but payment schedules altered

2009-11-20T18:05:34Z

Individuals who have certified for unemployment benefits or the recently enacted extensions can contact the automated MARVIN system by telephone or online Monday through Saturday. The UIA expects up to 80,000 displaced workers who have exhausted their benefit payments will begin claiming eligibility for the Emergency Unemployment Compensation extensions next week.

University of Michigan forecast for continuing job losses through 2011 provides no solace for wary state

2009-11-20T15:14:37Z

As many commenters noted on yesterday's post on the economists' predictions for the U.S. economy, predictions are only that – predictions. These are smart economists, yes, but their forecast for 2009, made this time last year as the recession was burrowing deeper, severely undershot the severity of the crisis.

Free stroke rehabilitation device demonstration set

2009-11-20T00:30:00Z

A free demonstration of the Tailwind, an arm rehabilitation device for stroke survivors, is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the center court of Fashion Square Mall, 4787 Bay in Saginaw Township.More information on the...

Technical jobs account for nearly half of openings with venture-backed firms: trade association

2009-11-19T22:20:08Z

Nearly half of the nearly 11,000 jobs posted on an online jobs board that lists openings with venture capital-backed companies are in engineering, product development, science and quality assurance, the National Venture Capital Association said Thursday.

All Emergency Unemployment Compensation extensions set to expire Dec. 31 unless Congress enacts new extensions

2009-11-19T21:07:52Z

There's another problem with the unemployment extensions signed into law earlier this month: The legislation does nothing to address the fact that all of the Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits program all expire at the end of the year.

Despite economic gloom, some readers see dip in Michigan's unemployment rate as bad news

2009-11-19T20:28:33Z

The news Wednesday that Michigan's unemployment rate declined to 15.1 percent in October and payroll jobs rose for the first time since May 2007 seems to have – I don't know how to describe it – upset some readers. Or at least provided them with new reasons to question the accuracy of the data.

U.S. jobless rate to peak at 10.4%, but job growth to be tepid, University of Michigan economists say

2009-11-19T16:12:09Z

The recovery, while boosted by the federal government's $787 billion stimulus plan, will be hampered by a still-recovering financial sector, weak consumer spending and other factors, the economists said. Their forecast sees the economy expanding by 2.3 percent next year and 2.6 percent in 2011.

October job numbers: Michigan saw gains in health care, education, construction and manufacturing

2009-11-19T15:29:11Z

The 22,000 increase in total employment for Michigan in October represents the first time since May 2007 that the state has seen an uptick in the number of jobs.

Michigan's October unemployment rate officially 15.1 percent; total employment grew by 22,000

2009-11-19T02:09:46Z

Michigan's seasonally adjusted unemployment figure has hovered around 15 percent since June and is still a full 6 percentage points higher than the year-ago rate. The state's jobless rate has mostly inched upward since mid-2007 and last dipped in July, when it also dropped two-tenths of a percentage point to 15 percent.

Michigan to split $4M federal stimulus grant for green job training with Indiana, Ohio

2009-11-18T19:25:56Z

The priorities of the study will be to identify new skills and training requirements, identify new career opportunities for displaced auto workers and outline skills gaps and the training needed to compete for green-industry jobs.

Granholm: Michigan's unemployment rate for October fell to 15.1 percent

2009-11-18T16:32:43Z

Granholm said the data will show a net increase in jobs, but she cautioned that the news doesn't yet signal a turnaround in the state's economy.

Software, IT services dominate job openings at venture capital-backed U.S. firms, trade association says

2009-11-18T15:56:42Z

The National Venture Capital Association culled its data from its partnering jobs board StartUpHire, which posts openings at venture-backed companies. It found that the two sectors accounted for more than 48 percent of the nearly 11,000 job openings listed nationwide as of Oct. 27.

With General Motors leaving, owners plan to auction pieces of Great Lakes Technology Centre

2009-11-18T00:33:07Z

The Great Lakes Technology Centre rose on the site of the former Fisher Body No. 1 factory complex and incorporated some of its buildings. Part of the complex is shown in this Flint Journal file photo.FLINT -- The owners of...

Census Bureau hiring up to 1 million temporary workers for 2010 count

2009-11-17T21:42:35Z

The U.S. Census Bureau plans to hire up to 1 million temporary workers to help conduct the 2010 Census.The federal agency says it is hiring hundreds of thousands of part-time Census takers to conduct brief personal interviews, help neighbors complete...

Buena Vista's Nexteer Automotive receives $70 million tax credit

2009-11-17T20:30:44Z

Nexteer Automotive has received a retention tax credit expected to value $70 million over 10 years.Announced Tuesday by Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm, the tax credit comes from the Michigan Economic Growth Authority, or MEGA, and is based on 2,400 full-time...