LANSING - Michigan House Republicans are holding the $1 billion high tech investment package hostage to politics, trying to force Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm to give them a cut in the Single Business Tax. House Speaker Craig DeRoche (R-Novi) said Thursday the chamber will likely vote this week to send the bills to conference committee,
LANSING - After hours of negotiations amongst themselves, the Michigan House has prepared the Michigan Telecommunications Act for hours of negotiations to resolve differences between its version and that passed by the Senate last week. Most of the discussion on the bill (HB 5237) Thursday, before it passed on a 100-6 vote, surrounded provisions limiting
LANSING - Teen drivers would have to pull to the side to answer or make a call on their cell phones under legislation approved Thursday by the Michigan House. The bill (HB 5133), passed 78-27, provides a $50 fine for anyone operating under a graduated driver's license caught talking on a cell phone. Supporters said
GRAND RAPIDS - Norlight Telecommunications has adopted an unconventional approach to help recruit hard-to-find candidates for their growing number of technical jobs in the Great Lakes area. The company has created an external referral bonus program to reward anyone who assists Norlight in its quest for "new-hires" to fill vacancies, including four in Grand Rapids.
ROCHESTER HILLS ? gedas USA said it has won a major contract with BorgWarner to upgrade the auto suppliers? IT systems at its Thermal Systems business unit, which will create a global technology platform for BorgWarner in the United States and Germany. No dollar figure was provided. gedas USA will install its gExpress for Automotive
SZEKESFEHERVAR, Hungary ? Automation Alley Spokesman Michelle Zellen, in her journal from the group?s Trade Mission to Eastern Europe, calls her latest entry ?Planes, Trains and Automobiles,? since they traveled on all three modes of transportation over three days in three different countries. On Tuesday, October 18, we continued our Gold Key meetings in Budapest,
LANSING - A $1 billion plan that even supporters say contains some risks in an attempt to jolt Michigan's economy in a new direction by funding technology start ups neared final approval Wednesday with broad bipartisan votes in the Senate. With only four members opposed, the nine-bill securitization package was returned to the House, which
LANSING - A significant cut to businesses - along with more cutbacks in state government spending - will be offered next week by Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema (R-Wyoming). Sikkema gave only sketchy information about what he will lay out for consideration, but told the Senate following approval of the $1 billion securitization package that
MOUNT PLEASANT - Beginning in November, the Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center will have an office at Central Michigan University's Center for Applied Research and Technology in the Mount Pleasant SmartZone. The MI-SBTDC statewide network provides a full range of services for a variety of small businesses that are emerging and growing throughout
LANSING - If old adages are true, the Michigan House Energy and Technology Committee's version of the new Michigan Telecommunications Act must be just about perfect: No one likes it. The substitute released late Monday to HB 5237 is opposed by large telecommunications providers, their competitors and their customers. But Committee Chair Rep. Mike Nofs