Business

Pfizer announced a $750 million project Monday toward expanding capacity at the western Michigan pharmaceutical plant where the company first mass produced its COVID-19 vaccine. Company officials said the project will boost the plant’s manufacturing of sterile injectable medications and could lead to 300 new jobs at the Portage plant near Kalamazoo that now has about 3,000 workers. Pfizer executive David …

Century Bank and Trust in Three Rivers has announced details of its fourth annual Toy Box program. From noon to 3 p.m. Dec. 10, new toys and monetary donations, which will be used to purchase gifts for children and teens in need, will be collected at the bank parking lot, 1310 W. Broadway St. Bank officials also indicated they would …

A Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen chicken restaurant is likely coming to Sturgis next year. The Sturgis City Planning Commission recently approved a site plan review for property that might house the restaurant. The development, if approved by the city commission, is slated to be built in the 500 block of South Centerville Road. The existing building formerly housed Berkshire Hathaway Home …

Musical comedy icon, five-time Grammy Award winner and Producer, Co-Writer and subject of the new biopic WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story “Weird Al” Yankovic is coming to the Kalamazoo State Theatre on Thursday, February 2nd,2023. Tickets start at $52.50 plus applicable fees and go on-sale Friday, November 18th at 10:00am. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com and the Kalamazoo State Theatre Box Office. About …

Clark Logic, an ever-growing transportation and warehousing staple in the area since 1969, has acquired P&P Transportation Services based in Constantine. The two companies share like cultures and P&P Transportation Services was founded in 1973 by Phil and Pam Hoffine. Clark Logic has grown at a rapid pace over the last few years and this latest acquisition is an ideal …

Regular production has resumed at a northwest Indiana refinery that was shut down last month following an electrical fire. The crude distillation unit at the BP refinery in Whiting along Lake Michigan has restarted, The (Northwest Indiana) Times reported Monday. Repairs — including restoration of the refinery’s five boilers, steam power and electrical utilities — were completed last week. Operations at the …

Even though battery costs are rising, auto companies are rolling out more affordable electric vehicles that should widen their appeal to a larger group of buyers. The latest came Thursday from General Motors, a Chevrolet Equinox small SUV with a starting price somewhere around $30,000 and a range-per-charge of 250 miles. You can get range of 300 miles if you …

Jeff Bailey has joined our executive management team and will be assuming the role of Vice President of Commercial Operations. Jeff has over 32 years of insurance experience in sales, underwriting, risk management, and adjusting. He has both the Certified Insurance Counselor and Commercial Risk Manager designations. Ben Harrison (currently President of our affiliate Noecker-Sullivan Insurance) will be assuming the …

An effort by Republicans in the Michigan Legislature to weaken minimum wage and sick leave laws was declared unconstitutional Tuesday. A judge on the Court of Claims threw out changes made late in 2018 as Republican Gov. Rick Snyder was near the end of his term and Democrats were preparing to take over top statewide posts. Advocates had turned in …

May’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County increased by seven-tenths of a percent from April. The monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget was released last week and it showed St. Joseph County’s unemployment rate climbed from 3.4 percent in April to 4.1 percent in May. The rate was 6 percent 12 months earlier. Meanwhile, …