Demand for seasonal workers from other countries is setting a record this year. That leaves Northern Michigan’s hospitality industry struggling to fill the worker positions that drive tourism.
Business Watch
Covering the intersection of business and policy, and informing Michigan employers and workers on the long road back from coronavirus. Our Michigan Economic Dashboard shows key metrics that show how the state is performing.
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Borrowing is getting more costly: What interest rate rise means for Michigan
The Federal Reserve announced an interest rate increase on Wednesday, warning that more are likely to follow this year. That’s bad news in Michigan, where new mortgages are slowing and debt is rising.
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John Rakolta Jr.: Michigan’s future is on the line as cars shift to electric
The prominent business leader says Michigan is increasingly losing out to other states and government, business and social leaders need to step up to make the state more competitive.
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Michigan gas prices may stay high. Where to find lowest prices, save money
From apps to discount clubs and coasting to carpooling, here are tips to cut costs as Michigan endures a second straight week of gas at more than $4 per gallon.
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Northern Michigan artist’s tea towel fundraiser for Ukraine goes national
Community volunteers are filling the Three Pines Studio, making linen tea towels that are shipped from tiny Cross Village to across the U.S. They’re sold as a fundraiser to alleviate hunger during the Russian invasion.
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Michigan gas prices are soaring. Who’s to blame, when will it stabilize?
World turmoil following the Russian invasion in Ukraine is skewing the international oil market, and the new U.S. ban on Russian oil could raise prices even higher. There’s no quick fix, but using less energy could help.
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Ypsilanti’s Haab’s Restaurant ends 87-year run, another institution gone
Haab’s, opened in the Great Depression, joins a list of landmark Michigan restaurants that are closing as the industry continues to struggle during COVID-19.
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Ann Arbor wants more housing and fewer cars. Is 'unzoning' the answer?
Ann Arbor is looking at removing building limits around a large shopping mall to boost population density — and, it hopes, encourage less reliance on cars. Such efforts are seen as a possible solution as popular Michigan cities struggle with housing shortages.
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Marijuana prices plummet in Michigan. Customers are happy, farmers worried
A proliferation of large farms means the retail price for marijuana is lower than it was even decades ago, when the drug was illegal.
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Stressed-out Michigan restaurant workers find mental health help on menu
Hospitality workers say rude customers, financial uncertainty and staffing shortages are taking a toll. Now a few restaurants are funding mental health counseling for staff who struggle with the added tensions of the pandemic.