capitalgains - In the News

IBM Will Double Its East Lansing Workforce With 60 New Tech Hires

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

IBM is increasing its local hiring as it looks to hire 60 employees at its East Lansing location on the Michigan State University (MSU) campus.

According to excerpts from the article:

The openings are for computer application specialists. IBM is seeking candidates with one to seven years of experience in application testing, Web development and other skills, said John Hill, director of MSU's Alumni Career Services.

Hill said he could not provide information about salary for the positions, and he is not sure exactly when the jobs would begin.

MSU and IBM will hold recruiting events 1:30-3:30 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Monday, March 8, at the MSU Varsity "S" Club Room, Career Services Center in Spartan Stadium. The event is open to non-alumni.

Read the entire article here.

64,000 Sq Ft Downtown East Lansing Project May Include Restaurant Incubator

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A restaurant incubator is a likely candidate for a 64,000 square foot build out in downtown East Lansing.

According to excerpts from the article:

Developers David Krause and Douglas Cron are planning a 64,000-square-foot building for the northeast corner of Grove and Albert streets.

They're seeking site plan approval from the East Lansing Planning Commission on March 10.
"I think there's a need for more residents downtown, and the more variety you can provide the stronger the downtown is," Krause said.

Read the entire article here.

Charrette Institute Co-Founder Brings Planning Ideas to 28 Regional Leaders

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Charrette anyone? More than 20 urban planners and developers met with the co-founder of the National Charrette Institute to discuss how collaboration could help with Capital region building and zoning improvements.

According to excerpts from the article:

“Charrette” has become the term of art for gatherings of developers, officials, citizens, and anybody else in town with an interest in a proposed redevelopment project or zoning overhaul.

Bill Lennertz, co-founder in 2001 of the Portland, Ore.-based National Charrette Institute, came to Lansing last week to tutor 28 urban planners, developers and students from all over Michigan in the delicate art of running a charrette.

Municipalities sometimes run charrettes, but usually they are run by a team of professional designers and planners who are certified by a trainer like Lennertz.

Read the entire article here.

New MSU Social Media Project Could Create 24 New Tech Jobs on Campus

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A new MSU partnership will examine the power of social networking tools and strategies for a variety of projects, from improving the way people collaborate and to helping the state create plans for sustainable economic development.

According to excerpts from the article:

On Monday, university officials announced a new research and development partnership with INgage Networks, a Naples, Fla. company that's in the business of enterprise social media, essentially building the online portals and networks that enable businesses, governments and nonprofit organizations to bring together large numbers of people and make constructive use of what those people know.

INgage is in the process of setting up a project office in MSU's Communication Arts and Sciences building. Initial plans call for the creation of 24 new high-tech jobs.

Read the entire article here.

Developers Discussing Eight Story Mixed Use Project in East Lansing

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Two developers are working out the details of a proposed eight story mixed use building on the corner of Grove Street and Albert Avenue in East Lansing.

According to excerpts from the article:

David Krause, the developer of the proposed building that would be adjacent to the Grove Street Parking Garage, said the bottom floor of the building would be zoned for commercial use and could house the city’s proposed restaurant incubator. The upper seven floors would be primarily two-bedroom, 1,100-square-foot apartments with one and a half bathrooms and will be available on a rental basis.

“We’ve been thinking about this for a long, long time now,” said Krause, who—along with partner Douglas Cron—developed Albert Place Condominiums and Stonehouse Village in downtown East Lansing. “(East Lansing city officials) asked us to redevelop the corner, and we thought, ‘Well, we’ll get a plan going.’”

A submitted site plan will go before the East Lansing Planning Commission at its March 10 meeting.

Read the entire article here.

MSU's College of Osteopathic Medicine Opens New Campus in Macomb County

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Michigan State University’s (MSU) College of Osteopathic Medicine recently opened a new campus in Macomb County's Clinton Township.

According to excerpts from the article:

The new facility opened to about 50 students at the start of the spring semester, said Kari Hortos, associate dean at the site. Students were accepted into the school in June and attended classes at a temporary facility during the fall semester, she said.

The Macomb campus is part of expansion efforts by the MSU college. A new campus site at the Detroit Medical Center in downtown Detroit opened in June, Hortos said.

Hortos said about 50 students attend the Detroit school. About 200 students attend the College of Osteopathic Medicine in East Lansing, she said.

Read the entire article here.

East Lansing Incubators Capitalizing on MSU Students' Entrepreneurial Talents

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The many incubators popping up in East Lansing and Lansing are giving enterprising Michigan State University (MSU) students the support they need to launch their ideas.

According to excerpts from the article:

Eric Jorgenson has notebooks with several million dollars scribbled on the pages. The business and economics junior carries pen and pad wherever he goes, and whenever he thinks of the next best business venture he pulls out the notebook.

Jorgenson, who will co-direct The Hatch, an entrepreneurial incubator for students to be located at 325 E. Grand River Ave., is just one of many minds East Lansing and MSU are attempting to tap into as the city pushes entrepreneurship.

Read the entire article here.

Science Program Funds High School Students To Intern As MSU Researchers

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

This summer six-to-eight science minded high school juniors will receive $2,000 stipends to spend the summer working as Michigan State University (MSU) researchers.

According to excerpts from the article:

Sexton High School junior Jade Frazier said she has wanted to get into the medical field since she was about 5, when she had trouble breathing and was rushed to the hospital for asthma treatment.

The 16-year-old could come one step closer to reaching her goal of becoming a radiologist if she is selected to participate in the Future Scientist Program, a paid summer internship announced Thursday.

Six to eight Lansing high school juniors will be chosen for the pilot program, giving them the opportunity to work with Michigan State University researchers in campus laboratories.

Read the entire article here.

Lansing EDC Expands Loan Program to Include More High Tech Companies

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Lansing Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is broadening the geographic coverage of its business loan program services to include more high tech companies.

According to excerpts from the article:

Historically, the Business Finance Assistance Program targeted specific areas such as Old Town, Michigan Avenue and downtown. It provided loans to several bars and restaurants.

"We've got to think about how we're going to help small businesses—in particular, how to diversify them," said Bob Trezise, the LEDC's president and CEO.

"The downtown has taken off. Maybe the loan and other efforts did their jobs."

Read the entire article here.

Sales Jump 303% for GiftZip.com

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Though overwhelming, the holiday season went well for GiftZip.com, an East Lansing-based gift card aggregation site that saw its sales increase 303 percent from November to December 2009.

According to excerpts from the article:

GiftZip.com, the East Lansing-based online eGift card kiosk developer, said Wednesday that its holiday season was marked by growing site traffic and sales. ??Overall, site traffic increased 25percent in December from the previous month and has increased sevenfold since June of 2009. The higher amounts of traffic resulted in unparalleled sales for business, as sales jumped 303 percent over the previous month.

In addition to a prosperous December, GiftZip.com rung in the New Year with continued recognition and support from the Michigan business community. GiftZip.com was awarded The Best First Year Business Website in Lansing in the 2009 Lansing Web Awards.

In an effort to support the Michigan economy and foster relationships with local businesses, GiftZip.com continues to use contractors from Michigan. GiftZip.com switched its site hosting to Lansing-based LiquidWeb and also enlisted the services of Nicholas Creative, a fellow East Lansing Technology Innovation Center business, to design GiftZip.com 3.0. The new site,which hopes to be launched within the next few months, will update the look and feel and offer enhanced search features to increase ease of use for consumers.

Read the entire article here.

Auto Suppliers Prepare for GM Employee Boost of Up to 1,000 Workers

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Local auto suppliers are preparing for GM’s plan to hire up to 1,000 workers in April by strengthening their own workforces.

According to excerpts from the article:

The additional workers - 450 to 525 combined at Ryder Logistics, JCIM and Android Industries - are needed as GM prepares to add a third shift of 900 to 1,000 workers in April.

The shift is needed because production of the Chevrolet Traverse crossover - made in Spring Hill, Tenn., until November 2009 - is being brought to the Delta plant. Two sister crossovers - the Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia - are already made there.

GM is filling spots at the assembly plant with transferred workers from Spring Hill and laid-off workers from the Lansing Grand River assembly plant and elsewhere. But suppliers are hiring new workers.They typically are paid from $12 an hour to $15 an hour, said Doug Stites, CEO of local work force development agency Capital Area Michigan Works.

Read the entire article here.

Vietnamese Refugee Serves Up Some of Asia’s Finest

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Vietnamese refugee Mary Ann Le serves a trifecta of Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine at her restaurant, Asia’s Finest.

According to excerpts from the article:

She opened it after moving to the United States in 1989after a brief stay in the Philippines as a Vietnamese refugee. She took classes at Lansing Community College to learn English, worked in a few local restaurants, then opened shop on the south side. She cooks, cleans and manages— the typical busy life of an independent restaurateur. After seven years in business, it’s safe to say her food has given her some success.

“We’re very famous for our Vietnamese and Thai food,” Le says. “Thai food, spicy food, is very popular in Michigan. Hot flavors in cold weather.”

The Chinese menu is popular and filled with the usual culinary suspects: lo mein, fried rice, General Tso’s chicken, etc. The Thai menu features spicier fare, and the pad thai — sautéed meat with stir-fried noodles,bean sprouts and green onions — is oft requested. But for a taste of authenticity, go for a Vietnamese soup.

Read the entire article here.

Potential For More Passenger Rail Service Sparks Development Dreams

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The prospect of bringing more passenger rail service to the Capital region has residents and city officials discussing its implications in terms of public transit and economic revitalization.

According to excerpts from the article:

Every morning around 8:30, an Amtrak train on the Blue Water Line rolls into the East Lansing station on its way from Port Huron to Chicago. As the train continues west from the station, which is located near the intersection of Harrison and Trowbridge roads, it passes by a relic of passenger train travel, the Grand Trunk Western Rail Station in Lansing’s REO Town.

The architecturally and historically significant Grand Trunk depot is abandoned and deteriorating, its windows busted out, its parking lot empty and its roof crumbling. It was, most recently, a restaurant, but has been empty since the 1990s.

But, the case for train travel might also be economic stimulus. Proponents of rail travel — either high speed rail between states, or light rail trains in cities, or commuter rail lines connecting close cities — say that trains improve people’s quality of life; trains are good for the environment because they take cars off the road; and, building rail infrastructure can create new jobs.

And, locally, some would like to see the old Grand Trunk rail station in REO Town revived and made into a hub for travelers to and from Lansing — the station is centrally located and along existing bus lines (the East Lansing station is, too).

Read the entire article here.

Eaton County Looks To Add Film Locations to Attract More Productions

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Eaton County is expanding its filming locations to continue attracting Hollywood studios and state-issued film tax incentives.

According to excerpts from the article:

When producers for the MGM film "Red Dawn" were looking for a location with cliffs and rock outcroppings, the Michigan Film office suggested they travel to the Upper Peninsula

Fortunately for Eaton County, someone on the production staff had a 1950's topographical map of Michigan and came to Grand Ledge's Fitzgerald Park before making the trip to youper land, since it resulted in some of the $50-million budget for the production being spent at Eaton County lumberyards, hotels and food vendors.

"It just fell into our lap," said Eaton County Parks Director Dan Patton.

Read the entire article here.

MSU Continues Work with Cellulosic Biofuels in Fight Against Greenhouse Gases

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Michigan State University (MSU) researchers are attempting to improve cellulosic biofuel processes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

According to excerpts from the article:

Cellulosic biofuels would be an alternative to biofuel made from the simple sugars and starches found in corn and other grains.

"Unlike simple sugars or even starches in the grains of plants, such as corn kernels, cellulose doesn't dissolve in water,"said Val Osowski of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station.

"This is good for keeping plants healthy, but it's a problem for making biofuels," Osowski wrote on the school's Web site. "Before the complex sugars in cellulose and hemicellulose (from woody plants) can be converted into ethanol or other biofuels, they have to be broken down into simple sugars.

Read the entire article here.

MSU Grad's Enliven Software Company Expanding Into International Markets

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

East Lansing-based Enliven Software recently moved into a larger space within the East Lansing Technology Innovation Center (TIC) and is now expanding into west African and Australian markets.

According to excerpts from the article:

A map would tell people Nigeria and East Lansing are worlds away. Bunmi Akinyemiju would tell people they share a border.

The international expansion wouldn’t be possible without MSU’s commitment to global initiatives and reputation as a worldly university, he said.

“MSU is one of the top global universities in the country,” said the MSU alumnus, who was born in Michigan when his parents came to MSU from Nigeria to earn their master’s and doctoral degrees. “I think that (MSU has) invested in really making sure the education that students get here is global.”

Read the entire article here.

Time for Chickens: New County Ordinance Opens Door to Poultry in the City

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The City of Lansing is examining how a new Ingham County ordinance that allows for chicken raising in non-agricultural urban areas should be handled within city limits.

According to excerpts from the article:

Lansing resident Dale Huber had not announced his three new chicks to his neighbors yet when one did the job for him.

“When they are smaller, they’re not as smart as they are when they’re older. One of them actually got out and there was a knock at the door and here’s the neighbor holding a chicken and he goes, ‘I think this is yours, we see them in the backyard every once and a while,’” Huber said.

Huber, who grew up on a farm, purchased his three hens last March and began raising them in his backyard.

The Ingham County ordinance allows nonagricultural properties in urban areas to keep up to five hens, which cannot be slaughtered an the property.

Read the entire article here.

Former GM Employee Open Quinney’s Southern Soul Food on Lansing's South Side

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

After 24 years with General Motors, Vickie Quinney and her husband Mack have opened a southern style restaurant on Cedar Street.

According to excerpts from the articles:

Quinney’s Southern Soul Food found a home in an old strip mall on Cedar Street. just north of Holmes Road.

After 24 years of laboring at the now-shuttered Fisher Body plant, Vickie says long days with her husband (the pair have no other employees) are a breeze.

Vickie’s parents are natives of Alabama, products of the Deep South who migrated north yet kept their cooking heritage intact. The family spent time cooking together, and Vickie decided to continue the legacy through her new restaurant.

Read the entire article here.

City of Lansing Receives $17.4 Million to Help Improve Target Neighborhoods

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The City of Lansing has received $17.4 million to improve area neighborhoods overburdened with foreclosures as part of $223 million in federal funds awarded to Michigan cities.

According to excerpts from the article:

"It's a great opportunity for Lansing and will be a great benefit to our neighborhoods in fighting the negative impacts of foreclosure," said Randy Hannan, Mayor Virg Bernero's deputy chief of staff.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced the money as part of $2 billion in Recovery Act funding to states, local governments and nonprofit housing developers. The money is distributed through HUD's Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

In Lansing, city officials and the Ingham County Land Bank Fast Track Authority plan to demolish 258 housing units, rehabilitate 98 and construct four new ones, said Bob Johnson, Lansing's director of planning and development.

Read the entire article here.

MSU Federal Credit Union Headquarters Receives LEED Gold Certification

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The new East Lansing-based MSU Federal Credit Union headquarters has been recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council for achieving a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification.

According to excerpts from the article:

LEED recognizes construction that embodies sustainable environmental design. Evaluation includes site development, water conservation, efficiency in heating and cooling, low VOC material selection, recycled and recyclable materials, healthy lifestyle and indoor air quality.
MSU Federal Credit Union is celebrating its achievement with a “So Green We’re Gold” campaign. Members can earn higher dividends with Gold certificates and benefit with a lower loan rate given to members selecting fuel-efficient vehicles.

According to MSU FCU President/CEO Pat McPharlin, the designation is an important milestone as it further reinforces the credit union’s eco-friendly policies and commitment to the communities it serves.

Read the entire article here.

State Housing Agency Rolling Out New "Pure Michigan Living" Campaign

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Issue Media Group, the parent company of Capital Gains Media, is working with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) to launch the “Pure Michigan Living” campaign, a site designed to draw positive attention to the state.

According to excerpts from the article:

“’Pure Michigan Living’ is dedicated to sharing the quality of life stories in Michigan communities, stories about individuals moving their families and businesses to Michigan,” said Joe Borgstrom, a Division Director with MSHDA. “It seeks to raise the visibility of new economy opportunities in Michigan, to highlight the people who are choosing Michigan as a place to live, shaping what is next for our state.”

To help draw attention to the site www.puremichiganliving.com, which is inspired by Travel Michigan’s national award-winning Pure Michigan campaign, MSHDA and MEDC officials are hosting a weeklong online rally that invites state residents to tell their “Why I Choose Michigan” stories. Entries will become eligible for three randomly selected weekend getaway packages at Michigan resorts and hotels. The packages are being donated by the resorts and hotels. The goal is to collect at least 1,000 entries during Jan. 26-Feb 1. Winners will be randomly selected and will be announced the first week in February.

Two randomly selected entrants will win either a “Two Night Mountain Getaway Package” donated by Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa of Thompsonville or a “Downtown Detroit Getaway” donated by the Westin Book Cadillac.

For more information, click here.

Lansing Receives Chunk of $223 Million Federal Neighborhood Housing Grant

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Lansing is one of a dozen cities that will benefit from a $223 million federal grant designed to demolish blighted buildings and revitalize neighborhoods.

According to excerpts from the article:

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Thursday announced the money as part of $2 billion in Recovery Act funding to states, local governments and nonprofit housing developers under its Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority last year applied for $290 million in federal money under the program and proposed launching what's called the "New Michigan Urban Neighborhood" plan with the funds.

Read the entire article here.

Jackson National Growing, Currently Looking For 40 New Hires

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Lansing-based Jackson National Life Insurance Company is looking to hire 40 employees. In 2009, the company hired more than 400 employees.

According to excerpts from the article:

Holly Ledesma was laid off in July 2009 after working for the same insurance company for 7 years. Ledesma says, "I was worried and I really wanted to look for something that would be a good fit and I was a little bit concerned. After you've been employed for about 7-8 years for one employer, you don't really anticipate being laid off. So, this was a little bit scary."

However, she found a new job in October 2009 at Jackson National Life Insurance Company in Lansing. Currently, they are looking for up to 40 people to hire. Ledesma says, "In Michigan's economy, this is a great opportunity for people to apply."

Annie Topie, Manager of Community Relations says, "Jackson is a successful, growing company and...there are consistent openings within the Lansing area."

The company is doing so well, they hired just shy of 400 people in one office building alone in 2009. Vice President of Corporate Communications Tim Padot says, "When we moved into this building, we had a little more than 900 employees and today we're approaching 1,700."

Read the entire article here.

Lansing Making Strides To Become a More Walkable and Attractive City

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Lansing isn’t the most walkable community in the Capital region, at least not yet. Several organizations both private and public, are working to make the Capital Region much more pedestrian friendly.

According to excerpts from the article:

Only about one in every 40 residents walks to work, according to U.S. Census data. Compare that to about one in five in East Lansing.

But in the past several months, a movement to take the city in the opposite direction has gained traction.

Last year, the Lansing City Council passed what's called a complete streets ordinance, essentially pledging the city will make its transportation network more accommodating to pedestrians and bicyclists.

But what makes a city walkable is about more than sidewalks and trails. It's about the way a city is built, the look and feel of the streets, about what there is to walk to.

That means the Lansing Walking & Bicycling Task Force—a coalition of public officials, nonprofits and city residents that hopes to double the number of walking trips in the city in five years—has its work cut out.

Read the entire article here.

Dowding Machining Affiliate Scores $7 Million Incentive for Green Technology

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Astraeus Wind Energy Inc., an affiliate of Eaton Rapids-based Dowding Machining, received $7 million in federal stimulus funding to build machines for wind turbine production.

According to excerpts from the article:

Astraeus Wind Energy Inc. won the largest grant among five Michigan companies that received a total of $15.5 million Wednesday.

The grants are expected to allow the five companies to retain or create 713 jobs over the next two years, Gov. Jennifer Granholm said in a statement.

Companies with 500 or fewer full-time employees were eligible to apply for the grants to get into the business of manufacturing renewable energy technologies such as wind, solar, geothermal and biomass.

Nearly 80 companies requested almost $198 million.

Read the entire article here.

Innovations and New Developments Mark Bright East Lansing Economy in 2009

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

2009 was a good year for the Capital region, which welcomed several important economic investments including the $550 million FRIB facility, the Technology Information Center (TIC) and IBM’s move to East Lansing.

According to excerpts from the article:

While Michigan felt the pain of the highest unemployment in the nation, the bankruptcy of GM and Chrysler, a tanking housing market and a sharp slowdown in commercial sales, East Lansing could point to the following developments:

1.) FRIB, okay, Facility for Rare Isotope Beams. The $550 million Department of Energy-funded nuclear physics research facility will be a science facility dedicated answering complex questions about the structure of matter, about the stars, about basic elements on our plan, event how the planet came into existence.

Its practical benefits, as well: $1 billion economic impact over the first decade, 180 new jobs for scientists, 5,800 one-year construction jobs, 220 spin-off jobs.

Read the entire article here.

Vaccine Developed at MSU Lands on Discover Magazine's Best Stories List

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Discover magazine placed Michigan State University (MSU) researcher A. Mahdi Saeed’s vaccine development for a strain of E. coli on its list of top stories in 2009.

According to excerpts from the article:

Saeed, professor of epidemiology and infectious disease in MSU's colleges of Veterinary Medicine and Human Medicine, has studied enterotoxigenic E. Coli — which is responsible for 60 percent to 70 percent of all E. coli diarrheal disease — for 25 years. The disease also causes health problems for U.S. troops serving overseas and is responsible for what is commonly called traveler's diarrhea.

"A working vaccine has the potential to save millions of lives," said Saeed, who hopes human clinical trials will begin in early 2010. "This strain of E. coli has a huge impact on humanity."

As part of its year-end issue on newsstands now, Discover magazine counted down 100 of the year's top stories; Saeed's work on the vaccine came in at No. 36. Other featured stories include one on tropical heat speeding up evolution and another on the Hubble Space Telescope's new abilities.

Read the entire article here.

Entrepreneur Uses E.L. Technology Center to Launch Social Media Business

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Julielyn Gibbons, president of i3 Strategies, used the East Lansing Technology and Innovation Center (TIC) to launch a social media business that’s becoming a household name in the Capital region.

According to excerpts from the article:

In 2009, she decided to start her own business, because she realized that very few people could do what she could; and because instead of getting pigeonholed into being a politico, she wanted to make the biggest impact possible working with the biggest number of people possible.

Therefore, even though the economy seemed to be screaming “NO,” after she met “a great group of people in the area, that emboldened [her] to become entrepreneurial,”as well as Jeff Smith, who runs the Technology Innovation Center (TIC) in East Lansing.

Total capital required? “Less than $1,000,” she answers with a smile.

“I’ve been incredibly lucky because since I’ve started, all of my business has been word of mouth,” she says. Her most notable recent work has been for Capital Area Michigan Works! for whom she coordinates and presents monthly workshops for job seekers on how to use social media to find a new job. She said the work “hits home on a multitude of levels,” because at one time or another in the past two years, both of her parents and siblings have lost their jobs.

A good portion of her work is done in the form of workshops and presentations on social media. “I’ve gone all over the country: Boston, Pittsburgh, Grand Rapids, Detroit. It’s really something. ”

Read the entire article here.

Couple Buys Old Diner and Opens New Boondox Restaurant in Wacousta

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Mary and Roger Hansen recently renovated an old diner in Wacousta, northwest of Lansing, transforming into an upscale restaurant.

According to excerpts from the article:

Owners Mary and Roger Hansen, who spent three months turning a pink-and-white diner into a sleek space with lots of warm oak paneling and homey touches, are hoping for a liquor license soon for serving drinks with meals. They say, though, that their place will stay family-friendly and never turn into a bar.

Boondox opened Dec. 11 and Roger says the staff served almost 100 dinners in four hours.

"All we heard was how they'd be back," he said.

Boondox is a true home-grown place whose owners hail from Pewamo-Westphalia (Mary) and St. Johns (Roger). At Wacousta and Herbison Roads, it's "right in the middle of everything," as Mary puts it.

Read the entire article here.

MSU Researchers Uncover Important Link to Causes of Diabetes Complications

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Michigan State University (MSU) professors have discovered a link between diabetes and bone marrow nerve damage that may help treat one of the disease's most common and potentially blindness-causing complications.

According to excerpts from the article:

The key to better treating retinopathy — damage to blood vessels in the retina that affects up to 80 percent of diabetic patients — lies not in the retina but in damage to the nerves found in bone marrow that leads to the abnormal release of stem cells, said Julia Busik, an associate professor in MSU's Department of Physiology.

"With retinopathy, blood vessels grow abnormally in the retina, distort vision and eventually can cause blindness," said Busik, whose research appears in a recent issue of the Journal of Experimental Medicine. "There has been a lot of progress in treating the complication, but most treatments use a laser that is painful to the patient and destroys parts of the retina."

"This opens up new avenues to better treatments outside of the retina that focus on stem cells and the causes of the nerve damage in bone marrow," said Busik, whose collaborators included other researchers from MSU and the University of Florida. "We know what happens in the retina and have treatments that are very invasive; we now can look at a host of other options."

Read the entire article here.