Increasing access to healthy foods in targeted Grand Rapids neighborhood corner stores is the next step in the Project FIT program, a Michigan State University College of Human Medicine childhood obesity prevention program funded through a $1M grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. The MSU College of Human Medicine is partnering with Neighborhood Ventures (NV) to aid in revitalizing several corner stores in the Buchanan, Campus, Cesar E. Chavez and Dickinson elementary school districts. The program will offer assistance and funding to corner store owners to increase the availability of nutritious foods in their venues. According to Mark Lewis, executive director of Neighborhood Ventures, this is "the community access piece of Project FIT," a program already providing a variety of educational modules to schools on healthy eating, as well as working to improve school lunch services. Lewis says this extension of the program potentially addresses an answer to the concern "what happens after the students leave school?" There are around 44 stores in the targeted neighborhoods. From these stores, "three to six stores will be selected to participate in the pilot program." Once selected, the MSU and NV teams will work with the store owners on a variety of initiatives including in-store marketing, supplies and equipment that will support the healthy eating educational initiatives being conducted in those schools.   Lewis hopes to have the first stores operational by the end of May. To learn more about the program, you can visit the MSU website. Source: Mark Lewis, Executive Director, Neighborhood Ventures Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs editor

Whole body vibration machines are in demand in Sahuarita, Ariz. where Char Tudor spent a number of years in the spa industry. Now Tudor, 26, and her sister Janelle Zachow, 32, have opened Amira Spa Hair & Body Therapy (629 Michigan St., Grand Rapids) offering whole body vibration as one of the services -- possibly the only spa in town that does. The sisters are Cedar Springs natives, and decided to open the spa when Tudor moved home after having a baby. Tudor knew she wanted to include whole body vibration machines after seeing the physical benefits they provided to her Arizona clients, she says. They planned the spa via phone and web, and began construction in April. "I worked with whole body vibration machines for almost three years in Arizona," Tudor says. "The machine sends a frequency through your body that makes every muscle contract and relax. That increases energy, decreases stress and helps with things like back problems."Clients stand on the machine for a maximum of 10 minutes for each session, up to three times a week. Tudor says one of her Arizona clients had severe fibromyalgia, took morphine and used two canes to walk."Within a month she was biking and hiking," Tudor says. Amira Spa's other offerings include a full menu of hair services including color and cuts, as well as massage therapy, manicures, pedicures and tanning. "We have three stylists including Janelle, and six stations, so we're looking for three more stylists with a clientele," Tudor says. The salon is also looking for a second massage therapist and an esthetician. "We're in a great location on the Medical Mile, in the same building as Urban Mill and next to the women's health center," Tudor says. "There isn't any other spa or salon on (this part of) this street and we knew we wanted to be here."Source: Char Tudor, Amira Spa Hair & Body TherapyWriter: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor

The Grand Valley Metropolitan Council (GVMC) has developed a road map for the area's long-term transportation needs, outlining projects to improve transit over the next 25 years. The GVMC created the 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan to secure federal funding for everything from bike lanes to road resurfacing to bridge repair in Kent and Ottawa counties. The plan involves dozens of objectives, including ways to develop the region's non-motorized transportation network to improve user access to jobs, services and schools. Most of the projects are those that are most critical to public safety, including street and sidewalk resurfacing initiatives and road widening projects. Large-scale projects, like reconfiguring the intersection of I-96 and I-196 for a full range of movement, are included in the plan but won't begin until 2025.The GVMC's Metropolitan Planning Organization is hosting a series of public open houses to gather public sentiment on the plan, with the last two scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 20. An afternoon session will be held from 1 – 3 p.m. at Georgetown Township Hall in Jenison, and another from 6 – 8 p.m. at Hudsonville City Hall. The group will accept comments from residents for consideration in the plan until Jan. 30, 2011. "We'll discuss the major features of the transportation system, offer steps and conclusions, and have time for people to give comments," says Andrea Dewey, transportation planner for GVMC, who will be joined by representatives from The Rapid and the Michigan Department of Transportation. "Anyone can come to learn and get a better idea of what is going on."Dewey encourages public involvement and grassroots support because the transportation initiatives outlined in the plan require $26 to $33 million annually, while only about $15 million in federal funding will be provided. The plan does not factor in expansions such as additional routes for The Rapid, non-motorized projects and other initiatives that are based on competitive state funding and grants. Source: Andrea Dewey, Grand Valley Metropolitan CouncilWriter: Kelly Quintanilla

Women entrepreneurs will have another alternative to fund their enterprises thanks to support from the U.S. Small Business Administration. According to excerpts from Mlive: A new pilot program will give micro loans to about a half-dozen women-owned businesses in the Grand Rapids area. Similar programs are being formed for Michigan women. The local program is through the Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women, one of three certified Women Business Centers in the state that works in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration. You can read the entire story here.

Area Development Online reports that Amway will move the manufacturing of some nutritional products from California to Michigan after investing $20 million to upgrade an Ada facility. The change could create over 70 Michigan jobs.According to excerpts from the story:Amway is investing $20 million in an expansion of a manufacturing facility in Ada Township, Michigan, the Grand Rapids Press reports. Township trustees have already approved a primary step in tax abatements towards the project. The company will invest in a 55-foot high addition for protein drink powder equipment. It will also convert some existing warehouse space to manufacturing use. Amway will also create 74 jobs at the plant when it moves operations from a California facility to Ada Township. Read the complete story here.

According to Brian Anderson, president and founder of Develomatic, solving problems and finding ways to help people are his prime motivations when developing new technology applications.   In the case of his latest app, Pay It Square, the inspiration came from his experiences as a volunteer in a soccer league. Here, he encountered the inevitable frustrations of trying to collecting money from everyone to pay for field rental, uniforms and various league fees. Sensing an opportunity, Anderson moved to develop an app to help organize and keep track of group payments. With Pay It Square, you can notify your friends, donors, attendees or any group of people from whom you need to collect payments. Payments are then made online through credit cards, bank accounts, or PayPal balances. The software then allows you to track who has paid and who hasn't. With development beginning in 2007, Pay It Square received a big boost this past November when it won the 2010 PayPal Request/Send Money X Award. The award came with a $10,000 prize and, most importantly, "tons of exposure." Anderson points to their strategic decision to align themselves with PayPal as a key to their success and their future growth. Although further development is needed, "the user base and number of transactions are growing." Anderson is very optimistic, especially considering PayPal is in the process of launching a platform of applications specific to their services, which will include Pay it Square. Anderson's advice to local developers is to focus on functionality and to "build, release and then mold over time." For more information, you can visit their website. Source; Brian Anderson, President of Develomatic Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs Editor