Business

Consumer optimism rose in January to its highest level in the past decade. That’s according to the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers which monitor consumer attitudes and expectations. U-M economist Richard Curtin, who directs the surveys, says most of the gains were recorded since mid-2014. The surveys found the gains during the past six months were as large among households with …

Three Rivers officials are advising motorists to use caution around the intersection of South Main and Broadway streets, where a small sinkhole has been detected. Partial lane closures in the area will be in place until a repair has been completed and the area subject to repair is in a condition to handle traffic. Motorists who approach the area should …

After several weeks of gas prices under two-dollars per gallon in Michigan, they’re up above that level. An increase in wholesale gasoline prices is resulting in the price at the pump going as high as $2.19 a gallon in southwest Michigan and $2.39 in Detroit. GasBuddy’s Patrick DeHaan is not expecting prices to fall under the two-dollar mark anytime soon in the …

Michigan retailers report that sales during the just-completed holiday season were “positive” and better than last year, even though they did not meet pre-season expectations. A new survey from the Michigan Retailers Association found that a strong December made up for a slow start in November, as retailers posted an average year-to-year sales improvement of 1.1 percent. That was slightly …

Michigans unemployment in December fell to its lowest level in more than 12 years. The Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget says the jobless rate last month was down by four-tenths of a percentage point to 6.3 percent. That’s the lowest monthly rate for the state since the November 2002 rate of 6.2 percent. The states labor force was …

The St. Joseph County Transportation Authority has saved more than $5,000 a month the past two months as the result of low gas prices. CTA director Steve Yorks said the agency’s monthly fuel bills are typically about $25,000. In November it spent about $19,000 on gas, while its December fuel expense was about $18,000. Yorks said neither he nor anybody …

Gasoline just keeps getting cheaper in Michigan, where the average pump price dropped Thursday to $1.97 a gallon — the lowest since March 2009. Prices on New Year’s Day 2015 were down 13 cents in the past seven days, AAA Michigan said. Gas was 42 percent cheaper than it was one year ago, when the average price per gallon was …

Seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates in November declined in 14 of the state’s 17 major labor market regions. According to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget, total employment and labor force levels rose in the majority of areas over the month. 12 of Michigan’s major regions posted unemployment rates below the national seasonally unadjusted rate of 5.5 percent. The Ann Arbor area …

A bipartisan package of bills that makes boating, snowmobiling and use of other recreational vehicles safer has been approved by the Michigan House of Representatives and sent to Gov. Rick Snyder for consideration. The measures lower the lawful blood-alcohol-content level for boaters, snowmobilers and operators of off-road vehicles from 0.10 percent to 0.08 percent, the same level as operators of …

A traffic signal at the intersection of South Nottawa and Congress streets will not be replaced with a four-way red flashing light, according to Sturgis municipal officials. City commissioners agreed last week to deny an engineering recommendation to change the signal. Traffic studies had shown the intersection does not meet signal standards. The majority of the board objected to making …