Business

The state says Michigan’s seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate rose 1.1 points to 5.9 percent in May as a large number of people entered the workforce for the summer. The Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget released state and regional employment figures Thursday. The statewide rate is down 1.6 points from 7.5 percent in May 2014. The department says the …

A once-popular family attraction in southwestern Michigan is up for auction after it didn’t open this year. The Kalamazoo Gazette reports the telephone at Deer Forest has been disconnected and later this month a Kalamazoo-based online auction house has scheduled the sale of the 32-acre tourist attraction. Deer Forest included train rides through the trees and the feeding of deer …

Three Rivers Health is pleased to announce that our outpatient occupational therapist, Erin Nowak, MS, OTR, has met her credentialing requirements and is now a Certified Hand Therapist. A Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) is an occupational therapist who has a minimum of five years clinical experience, including 4,000 hours or more in direct practice in hand therapy. In addition, the …

State Rep. Aaron Miller last week praised Gov. Rick Snyder for signing a fiscally responsible budget that increases funding for classrooms and continues to build a solid public-safety foundation. Miller, chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State Police, said the 2015-2016 budget pays down debt while prioritizing spending for transportation, education and law enforcement. Miller said the budget, after …

Operators of southwestern Michigan’s Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant say that one of its units has returned to service after a 34-day shutdown for refueling. Unit 2 at the plant went back online about 2 a.m. Tuesday. Indiana Michigan Power runs the plant, which is along Lake Michigan in Berrien County’s Lake Township, near Bridgman. The Fort Wayne, Indiana-based company …

Spring has finally sprung across many of the markets served by Frontier Communications, bringing with it construction projects large and small.  Spring is the perfect time of year to remind homeowners and construction companies to call 811 at least three working days before projects start. Calling 811 connects homeowners and contractors to their state’s one-call center, which in turn notifies …

A Detroit-area man who can’t see says a restaurant eschewed requirements of federal disability law when it asked him to remove his service dog. The Macomb Daily reports 38-year-old Nathan Schneck and his wife, Stacy, were at Grand Azteca restaurant in Fraser, with his service dog, Husker, sitting under the table. Schneck said the manager asked him to put the …

Michigan agriculture officials are monitoring a bird flu outbreak that’s affected other Midwest states and say they’re ready to respond if needed. Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development spokeswoman Jennifer Holton says in an email that the state don’t have any cases at this time. She says the department is “preparing to respond quickly, effectively and efficiently” if bird …

State officials have alerted Michigan veterinarians about a recall of veterinarian medicine provided by a North Carolina pharmacy that has been shut down. The North Carolina Board of Pharmacy issued a recall of all lots of non-sterile and sterile products compounded, repackaged and distributed by Prescription Center Pharmacy between September 10, 2014 and March 10, 2015 due to lack of sterility, …

Michigan has been selected as the first Midwest state to partner with Google on making photos of travel destinations available through Google Maps. Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, Travel Michigan Vice President David West and Steve Silverman from Google Maps announced the partnership Monday at the Michigan Tourism Conference in Grand Rapids. “The Pure Michigan campaign has elevated Michigan as a …