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Covering the intersection of business and policy, and informing Michigan employers and workers on the long road back from coronavirus.
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Q&A: U-M researcher says Black businesses shorted in first PPP loans
Government programs should create an equitable playing field for business owners and entrepreneurs, Felix Kabo said of racial disparities his research team found in Paycheck Protection Program loans amid COVID.
New financial help for Michigan small businesses amid COVID
Emergency pandemic funding for small businesses expands this week, as PPP options broaden and state grant programs launch.
Michigan restaurants frustrated by tentative Feb. 1 reopen date
‘Everything we’ve worked for is in jeopardy,’ says Andy French of Aubree’s Pizzeria and Grill. Feb. 1 is the most recently announced possible date for reopening, but state officials still have not released specific requirements.
Latino contractors seek bigger piece of southwest Detroit’s building boom
Word-of-mouth referrals and neighborhood work can keep Spanish-speaking builders busy, but many now aim for bigger jobs. An industry-focused group is helping them make business plans and grow.
Q&A: Help is on the way in 2021 for firms struggling in Michigan
The CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. says the business development pipeline is active – and important for the state’s recovery.
Q&A: Michigan nonprofits facing ‘uncertain environment’ in pandemic
Donna Murray-Brown, CEO of the Michigan Nonprofit Association, speaks to the challenges and opportunities emerging during COVID-19.
Best of Bridge Michigan: The top business stories of 2020
The pandemic left hundreds of thousands out of work, closed businesses and left others struggling for their livelihoods.
What COVID relief deals in Lansing, Washington mean for Michigan families
Here’s what we know about new legislation that, when signed into law, will help laid-off workers with extra cash payments and extended benefits.
Owner of former Michigan Big Boy readies for COVID contempt hearing
Troy Tank has defied orders to close indoor dining at his restaurant in the Thumb, saying his economic survival depends on business as usual. But Sanilac County’s top health official wants the place closed amid a virus surge he calls “rampant.”
West Michigan’s manufacturing base is helping it beat pandemic recession
Demand for workers is high as a low unemployment rate in Grand Rapids and an active manufacturing sector prompts ‘war for talent.’
Michigan spends $8.5M to push small manufacturers to become ‘digital ready’
The awareness plan for ‘Industry 4.0’ technology calls for 50 percent of the state’s manufacturing sector to pursue the changes by 2025.
Doug Rothwell: Michigan economy is no longer last but needs to improve
Doug Rothwell retired from Business Leaders for Michigan this year after decades of trying to boost Michigan’s economy. He says much work remains.
Michigan’s COVID indoor dining ban expires within days. Or will it?
Bars, restaurants, movie theaters and other businesses are bracing for an extension to a state health order that ‘paused’ operations for three weeks.
Will Michigan Supreme Court rescue restaurants from COVID dining ban?
A federal judge Wednesday denied a request from the restaurant industry to resume indoor dining during the COVID surge. But the judge hinted he may soon punt the case to the state Supreme Court, which struck down the governor’s emergency authority in October.
$10M grant fund launched for small Michigan businesses hurt by COVID limits
Bars, restaurants, hotels and recreation facilities with fewer than 50 employees will be eligible for the much-needed relief.
Forecasts say Michigan’s economy will still be recovering in 2023
Economists at the University of Michigan say the pace of recovery in the state for workers and the government’s budget will depend on a new round of federal pandemic stimulus funding.
Michigan-based companies see 3Q uptick after COVID-19 hit
Many of the state’s public companies said rebound still may not be enough to make up for the steep losses earlier in the year.
Desperation growing at Michigan restaurants after new COVID limits
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are growing, but the state’s bar and restaurant industry says its dining rooms are unfairly shut down. Layoffs continue, and many warn of more closures.
Judge won't allow Michigan restaurants to immediately reopen dining rooms
The restaurant industry warns that 250,000 employees could be laid off under new COVID-19 restrictions. A judge denied a request for an injunction, but the trade group’s suit seeking to overturn the measure continues.
Michigan business leaders fear more closures after 3-week COVID ‘pause’
Frustrations are mounting because Michigan’s restrictions don’t set goals for case counts. That’s prompted some leaders to fear the three-week ‘pause’ could stretch for many more weeks.