Wine consumption is down across the US and world, but wineries are turning to goat happy hours, snowshoe vineyard tours and other events to keep people coming through the doors.
Business Watch
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Posted inBusiness Watch
As family farms decline, more Michigan farmers trying to preserve their land
The number of family-owned farms is on the decline, but the share of farms in preservation programs is on the upswing.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Controversial UP copper mine gets $50M in state grants after years of trying
Highland Copper says it’s close to building UP mine even as it seeks to cut costs. Opponents remain skeptical.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Ypsilanti Township eyes moratorium on power transmission to slow U-M data center
The Washtenaw County community wants a six-month pause on power updates before U-M moves forward with a $1.2 billion project to conduct nuclear weapons research.
Posted inBusiness Watch
U-M affirms Ypsilanti $1.2B computing center site; township officials vow fight
The University and Los Alamos National Laboratory are moving ahead with the project in Ypsilanti Township. Boosters say it will create good jobs; but officials say far too many details are secret.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Sisters aim to repair studio of iconic Michigan printmaker Gwen Frostic
Michigan artist Gwen Frostic’s studio has been on the market for a few years. Sisters Amy and Sarah Blessing bought the northern Michigan tourist attraction to continue the artist’s legacy.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Michigan subsidy board beefs up ethics rules. Critics ask what took so long
The agency that doles out hundreds of millions in taxpayer money is just now mandating its board to make public potential conflicts of interest. The move follows a criminal case against a former board member.
Posted inBusiness Watch, Quality of Life
Michigan teens face tougher job market as technology reshapes entry-level work
Michigan teenagers are facing a more competitive summer job market, as more applicants battle for fewer entry-level positions, older workers delay retirement and automation reshapes the workplace.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Massive data center wins local tax break — but 9 times smaller than requested
‘The Barn’ asked Saline Township for a $147M tax break, after boosting the data center’s value by 9 times from the original request. The township OK’d a cut — but dialed back the amount.
Posted inBusiness Watch
As data centers grow in Michigan, officials ask: How many tax breaks are enough?
Local tax abatements were created for manufacturers that create tons of jobs. As Saline Township is set to approve a local break worth $147 million a year, some ask if local breaks are appropriate for data centers.