Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
Friends for Animals in Dearborn Joins Clear the Shelters Pet Adoption Campaign
Dearborn-based Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit (FAMD) has joined NBCUniversal Local’s 2023 Clear the Shelters pet adoption and donation campaign from Aug. 1-31.
This is the ninth year NBCUniversal and Telemundo-owned stations are partnering with affiliate stations and animal shelters and rescues to promote pet adoption and raise funds for animal welfare. Since its inception in 2015, Clear the Shelters has helped more than 860,000 pets find new homes.
”Clear the Shelters Annual Pet Adoption and Donation Campaign couldn’t come at a better time as many organizations across the country including Friends for Animals are facing not only over capacity with animals in their shelters but also the necessary resources to continue their life saving work,” says Cory Keller, president and CEO of FAMD.
“This year specifically, Friends for Animals needs the support now more than ever. With a looming deadline to vacate our Greenfield location by the end of the year, and operating at a $500,000 deficit, we are asking for our community’s help,”
The 2023 Clear the Shelters will again feature online donations through Greater Good Charities, a global nonprofit and longtime campaign partner, which will host the fundraising campaign, built courtesy of Fundraise Up, an online donation platform that helps nonprofits grow revenue. Donors have the option to cover transaction fees with their donation so that 100% goes directly to the shelter or rescue of their choice. Online donations can be made during the campaign at ClearTheSheltersFund.org.
Virtual pet adoptions also are returning for the fifth consecutive campaign through WeRescue. The WeRescue app enables users to browse adoptable pets in their area by breed, gender, size, and other factors, submit their adoption applications and ask questions directly to shelters through the app.
Huxton Cannabis Announces Expansion into Michigan with Hammontree Growers
Arizona-based cannabis brand, HUXTON, is excited to announce its expansion into Michigan through a partnership with Hammontree Growers in Morenci, near the Ohio border.
“We’re excited to join the Michigan market with Hammontree on our side,” says Dustin Johnson, co-founder of Huxton. “Together, we can bring top-tier cannabis products and a new, simple way of elevating consumption for Michigan consumers and patients.”
Huxton is best known for its simplified cannabis offerings available in three series — RISE, HIFI, and ZEN. Hammontree Growers is licensed to manufacture, distribute, and sell Huxton’s line of cannabis products throughout the state. Huxton’s prerolls currently are available at retail locations throughout the state.
“The entire team at our grow (facility) is thrilled to partner with Huxton and bring their unique product philosophy to the state,” says Ryan Shane, head cultivator at Hammontree Growers. “Huxton’s commitment to quality, their simplified product offerings, and their focus on enhancing the consumer experience aligns perfectly with our values. This partnership represents an exciting opportunity to provide Michigan consumers with unparalleled cannabis experiences.”
U.S. DOE Selects J.D. Power Report to Support EV Infrastructure Growth Initiatives
J.D. Power, a Troy-based data analytics and consumer intelligence company, announced that its J.D. Power EV Index has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to help establish benchmarks and monitor ongoing development of EV infrastructure nationwide.
The index is an analytics tool that tracks the growing electric vehicle market in the United States. According to the company, it’s the only analytics tool of its kind to deliver detailed data on EV infrastructure development and consumer experience with public charging networks at the ZIP Code level across the country.
“Universally accessible, equitable, and reliable EV charging infrastructure is a cornerstone to widespread consumer adoption of EVs,” says Michael Berube, deputy assistant secretary for sustainable transportation and fuels in DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
“It is critical that we consistently evaluate detailed trends in the availability of public chargers, specific obstacles consumers face with the existing charging network, and regional variations in consumer demand to ensure resilient grid infrastructure, provide adequate EV charging capacity and coverage, and support access to EVs by all Americans.”
The J.D. Power EV Index tracks millions of data points aggregated into six categories — interest, availability, adoption, affordability, infrastructure, and experience — to evaluate the progress to parity of EVs with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in the U.S. Updated monthly, the EV Index has consistently found that lack of public charging infrastructure has been the top consumer barrier to EV adoption. Additionally, the EV Index illustrates widespread variation in availability and accessibility of charging infrastructure in different parts of the country.
For more information, visit here.
Citizens Business Conditions Index dips in Q2
Rapid interest rate increases to curb inflation continue to weigh on economic conditions, according to the national Citizens Business Conditions Index (CBCI).
A rise in unemployment insurance claims and a slowdown in small business formation caused the national Index to dip to 48.53 in the second quarter. (An Index value of greater than 50 indicates expansion.) Although Michigan’s Index dropped from Q1, it fared better than the national number, coming in at 49.83.
While the labor market has started to show some softening in the face of aggressive Federal Reserve rate hikes and the manufacturing sector slowed given high inventory levels and a shift in consumption towards services, Citizens’ proprietary data on client revenue continued to be strong across most industries during the second quarter. Consumer services and health care continue to be among the top sectors due to their ability to pass on costs to customers.
“The overall U.S. economy has begun to slow in the second quarter even though Citizens’ middle market and mid-corporate clients continue to fare very well,” says Eric Merlis, managing director and co-head of global markets at Citizens. “The Fed’s tough medicine seems to be working and the rate of inflation is falling, with the labor market beginning to show some weakness and new business formation stalling.”
The underlying components of the index show the business environment is mixed as policymakers try to thread the needle and curb inflation without too much collateral damage. Three of five components pulled down the Index level, while two were positive.
- New business applications decreased in most states.
- Initial jobless claims increased for the quarter and national employment numbers started to soften.
- The ISM manufacturing index decreased as the sector is more sensitive to rising interest rates.
- The proprietary activity data of Citizens’ commercial banking clients was broadly strong, suggesting that the conditions at many middle-market and mid-corporate businesses remain positive.
- The ISM non-manufacturing component of the Index grew as consumers spent more on services and companies in these sectors were better able to pass on costs.
The second quarter CBCI revealed a business environment that is struggling to adapt to the interest rate hike campaign from the Fed despite a pause in rate increases in June. Up until recently, the labor market has had a stabilizing effect as business conditions search for a new normal.
“The second quarter CBCI shows a business environment where activity has slowed as interest-rate hikes seem to be working to curb inflation,” says Merlis. “All eyes will be on the job market to see if the Fed can balance its efforts to fight inflation while minimizing impacts on employment.”
Study: More than 25% Metro Detroiters Are Switching to PIP Auto Insurance Coverage
More than a quarter of metro Detroit drivers are choosing personal injury protection (PIP) coverages rather than unlimited coverage, new data from the Insurance Alliance of Michigan (IAM) shows.
According to IAM member company data from 2023, 27 percent of Metro Detroit drivers – nearly 875,000 people – have exercised their right to choose a level of medical coverage on their auto insurance policy other than unlimited. This includes data from Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.
Before the state changed its no-fault auto insurance law in 2019, all Michigan drivers were forced to purchase unlimited, lifetime medical benefits with their auto insurance.
“The new data demonstrates the success of the 2019 bipartisan auto no-fault reforms as more metro Detroit drivers are exercising their right to choose a policy that best fits their budget,” says Erin McDonough, executive director of IAM. “Every system — from private health insurance to workers compensation to Medicare and Medicaid — has cost controls and controls on quantity of care provided. Auto insurance just never had them until the reforms. For metro Detroit consumers to get the best value for the level of PIP they select, Michigan legislators need to keep a common-sense medical fee schedule intact.”
Since bipartisan auto no-fault reforms, there now are six additional options for drivers, including $500,000 coverage to opting out, Michigan currently is the only state to still offer an unlimited PIP benefit. The next highest mandatory minimum is New York at $50,000 in PIP benefits.
“The PIP benefit is there to pay for the medically necessary care required as part of an auto accident,” McDonough says. “If no cost controls are in place for the amount medical providers charge or prescribe, consumers could wind up paying inflated costs or for unnecessary procedures with their benefit. The nearly 875,000 people living in metro Detroit need to be aware of attempts to remove the protection that provide the value of their PIP policies and let their legislators know they expect those protections to remain.”
Violent J of the Insane Clown Posse to Speak at Majestic Theater Marketing Event
Joe Bruce, better known to many as Violent J, one half of the Detroit rap duo Insane Clown Posse, will appear from noon-1 p.m. Aug. 10 at the Majestic Theater, speaking at a Direct Marketing Association of Detroit (DMAD) event.
“It’s a little bit different than what some people might expect from Joe,” says Dan Edelstein, event producer and board member of the DMAD. “Naturally, anyone can attend, but we’re hoping to see a wider variety of people than the usual ICP fans. Joe has been doing this extremely well for 30 years, and definitely has something to teach anyone interested in marketing or promotion.”
ICP’s success backs up Edelstein’s words. Formed in Detroit in 1989, the hip hop horrorcore duo has earned two platinum and five gold albums with the independent label they launched, Psychopathic Records, spawned their own feature films, became WWE wrestlers, and they even started their own Juggalo Championship wrestling league. More than that, they’ve been a cultural phenomenon since the 90s, inspiring a loyal fan base called “Juggalos” that is such a defined lifestyle the FBI classified them as a gang in 2011.
“ICP is truly a Made in Detroit phenomenon, that has achieved national success,” says Edelstein. “They’ve done what marketers seek to do — make a product and build an extremely successful brand that extends them into multiple industries. And it all started in a basement. Whether you love them or hate them — and I think many people in the industry respect ICP even if they don’t like their music — you absolutely have something to learn from how they did this.”
To register to attend the event, visit here.
McLaren Health Care Partners with Grand Valley to Advance Nurses’ Careers
McLaren Health Care, based in Grand Blanc, has again partnered with Grand Valley State University near Grand Rapids to provide scholarships to McLaren nurses seeking to advance their careers.
For the third time in four years, Grand Valley has been awarded the multimillion-dollar Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to support nursing education.
Through this partnership and current $2.6 million grant, 27 McLaren nurses from diverse and/or disadvantaged backgrounds will receive monetary support to continue their education at Grand Valley and advance their careers with McLaren. Approximately 80 percent of the tuition will be funded for nursing students admitted into the program through a Grand Valley tuition discount, tuition reimbursement from McLaren, and the HRSA Advanced Nursing Education Workforce grant.
Over the term of their partnership, Grand Valley has received a total of $7.6 million, providing tuition support for approximately 80 McLaren nurses across the state. The initial group of nurse-scholars graduated in 2022 and 2023 and have entered the nursing workforce with their elevated credentials.
Motown Museum to Welcome Bassist Star Power to Rocket Plaza Aug. 19
Motown Museum in Detroit has announced the lineup of celebrity bassists who are coming to Rocket Plaza for Detroit Bass Day from noon-4 p.m. Aug. 19.
Nate Watts, Tony Newton, and Al Turner, will bring their own cultural experiences to the Bass Day celebrations. As professional bassists, they each have a unique perspective on the art of playing bass, their musical influences, and their own contributions to the community.
Detroit Bass Day is an annual celebration of the realization that Detroit produces some of the most influential and accomplished bass players in the world. The community is welcome to Rocket Plaza for this free, multigenerational, family-friendly event that brings hundreds of bass players of all styles, genres, ages, and skill levels together from the Motor City and the Midwest to gather in front of the Motown Museum.
This year’s event will pay tribute to the late James Lee Jamerson, a member of the legendary Motown Records studio band, The Funk Brothers.
Dr. Samuel Shaheen Donates $1M to Support STEM Education at Albion College
Dr. Samuel Shaheen, a 1988 graduate of Albion College has donated $1 million in honor of STEM education at his alma mater.
The gift will be commemorated and recognized in the school’s Science Complex, which houses the chemistry and biochemistry, biology, mathematics and computer science, kinesiology and environment, and physics departments. Approximately 500 students are STEM majors at the private liberal arts college, including 372 students in pre-health professions as part of the Lisa and James Wilson Institute for Medicine.
The four buildings in the Science Complex are joined by a 7,000-square-foot atrium, which will be named the Dr. Samuel and Holly Shaheen Family Science Atrium in honor of Shaheen’s donation. More than 90 percent of the classrooms and offices in the complex have views of the atrium or to the outdoors, reflecting the importance of natural light and surroundings. The atrium is a popular study space for students, who can work individually or collaboratively.
“My pre-medical, liberal arts education prepared me for an outstanding professional career in medicine,” says Shaheen, professor of surgery at the Central Michigan University College of Medicine and president and CEO of CMU Medical Education, both in Saginaw. “I credit my success to the relationships formed and the lessons learned while a student at Albion College. This donation will support pre-med, pre-health and science students to ensure they have access to professors, programs and facilities that will set them up for success.
“The professional career of a physician is really important and sacred. Patients and their families entrust you with the most valuable part of their life: their own personal health and well-being. That was always meaningful to me, and something I still keep at the center of what I do today.”
Albion President Wayne Webster says: “We are deeply grateful for this generous contribution from Dr. Shaheen. He has consistently supported Albion College with his time, talents and treasure. His support serves as an inspiration for the entire campus community.”
For more information, visit here.
Tickets on Sale for 2023 Xenith Prep Classic at Wayne State University
Tickets are available for the 18th Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic (XPKC) to take place Aug. 24-26 at Tom Adams Field on the campus of Wayne State University in Detroit.
Tickets can be purchased here and are $12. One ticket provides admission for both games on the day of the ticket purchased. A portion of ticket proceeds benefits the participating schools. Fans will be required to bring their electronic device to activate the ticket at the gate.
The 2023 Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic will open at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 24, with the event opener between Walled Lake Western and Waterford Mott followed by Chippewa Valley vs. West Bloomfield at 7 p.m. On Friday, Allen Park will take on Taylor at 4 p.m., and Belleville and River Rouge will face off in the nightcap at 7 p.m. On the final day on Saturday, Aug. 26 Detroit Cass Tech will open against Southfield A&T at 1 p.m., with Detroit King and St. Xavier (Cincinnati) in the event finale at 4 p.m.
