NEW YORK - Until now, the leading contenders for the title of coolest smartphone were Apple's iPhone, Research In Motion's BlackBerry and Google's G1. On Tuesday, Nokia enters the race with the N97 smart phone. The sleek handset, which pairs a large touchscreen with a full Qwerty keyboard, may be the Finnish company's boldest yet,
DETROIT - The Big Three's plans to present to Congress for a bridge loan are becoming clearer. Ford is considering selling Volvo, GM selling Saab, and maybe consolidating other brands, says the Wall Street Journal. Our media partner WWJ Newsradio 950 reports the UAW is calling all national leaders to its headquarters in Detroit to
GRAND RAPIDS - JF New's Michigan office has been very busy in 2008, despite the down economy. It seems ecological restoration, and sustainability are big sellers in the state. A case in point is the new Metro Health Hospital in Byron Center which sports a green roof that better controls rain water run off, as
GRAND RAPIDS - If you want to go green, you may have to go blue instead. Or at least that's what Cotton Insulation hopes. The company recycles old blue jeans into cotton insulation that's then stuffed into walls to not only reduce heat loss in winter and air conditioning loss in summer, but also noise
GRAND RAPIDS - Standale Lumber, a long time building contractor in West Michigan, has gone green in a big way. The company has developed a line of clean, environmentally friendlier building products, plus hosts an annual Green Builder's Expo that showcases all the sustainable builders in the Western half of the state. The next Expo
LANSING - Legislation providing early voting in Michigan, which languished in committee since testimony was taken earlier this year, may see some action this week in the House. HB 4090 , which requires clerks to be open for voting a week before each election, is expected to be reported out of the House Ethics and
LANSING - Without some change that will stem the losses in the individual coverage market, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan risks losing it franchise, company officials said on Monday. But Attorney General Mike Cox said any changes to the individual market had to include full hearings on the insurer's rates. Blue Cross Chief Financial
SAN FRANCISCO - Black Friday proved to be a relatively bright light in an economy largely characterized by dark, gloomy reports. Overall, retail sales for the day after Thanksgiving were up 3 percent from the same day in 2007, with preliminary estimates putting total sales in the U.S. at $10.6 billion, according to Shoppertrak RCT,
WARREN - The Michigan Business and Professional Association is seeking nominations for exceptional professional women to honor at its 13th Annual Women and Leadership in the Workplace Symposium and Awards Luncheon. The MBPA is dedicated to recognizing women who have attained significant achievements, peer recognition and are committed to the advancement of issues related to
FLINT - Kettering University will receive $225,000 to develop a program focused on teaching entrepreneurship studies across the curriculum. Kettering joins the Illinois Institute of Technology as the only two grant winners to enter the next phase of a program supported by the Kern Family Foundation of Waukesha, Wisconsin. Kettering President Stan Liberty said the