Much has changed since the 1820's when Rix Robinson first established his fur trading post at the confluence of the Grand and Thornapple rivers and laid the foundation for modern day Ada. Or has it? Sure Ada has a booming residential market, big plans to dress up the village center, and the global headquarters of the multi-billion dollar Amway Corporation. But the community's wild and wooded character, and its prime location outside the busy county seat of Grand Rapids, continues to attract entrepreneurs, residents, and visitors. The challenge in the coming decades is to maintain the high quality of life that's stood for nearly 200 years. For more information on Ada visit the Rapid Growth: City Guide
As enrollment increases for online classes offered by local colleges and universities, some students in foreign countries are taking advantage of the chance to garner an American education without leaving home; others find that relaxed visa regulations are making it easier for them to come to Michigan. Either way, schools hope to cash in on the trend.
Only one West Michigan high school ranks among the nation's Top 100, according to a recent Newsweek survey. So how do we improve the region's education system and prepare students for a knowledge economy?
In 2006, MSHDA $5.4 million in grants for improvements in downtowns across Michigan leveraged $13.9 million in additional investment and over 142 full time jobs. This year the grant monies available in the form of Community Development Block Grants are increased to $8 million with the expectation that it will spur even more investment and jobs.
With the housing market in the biggest slump in decades and a glut of houses on the market, the Michigan House has passed a property tax bill aimed at providing incentive for homebuyers to buy. The incentive? Homebuyers could save thousands in property taxes as the time of the sale.
For some, St. Patrick's Day is a time to get stumbling drunk. For others, the annual holiday is an occasion to celebrate family, faith, music, and Grand Rapids' rich Irish tradition.
Great Lakes cleanup and protection legislation introduced to the congress and senate will follow the recommendations of federal, state, and local officials and mark the first major step toward preserving an area that generates billions of dollars for Great Lakes states. Funded by the Wege Foundation, among others, a coalition of conservation groups consisting of federal, state, and local officials supports the legislation.
With a new logo and a new corporate look, the new signs for 5/3 Bank are part of the largest image overhaul in nearly two decades. With so much riding on the visual impact of the campaign, the bank turned to a local signmaker they've trusted for 59 years.
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