Traverse City Record-Eagle

Antrim County

November 22, 2009

Local Business In Brief: 11/22/2009

MSU gets cash to measure wind speed

LANSING -- Michigan State University will receive $83,806 to measure wind speeds in five areas around the state including a site in Antrim County.

The state said in a release Thursday that the project is designed to assess Michigan's wind energy potential and encourage job growth in that industry.

Michigan State will install anemometers on public safety communications towers in Gratiot, Delta, Antrim, Mason and Hillsdale counties. The new information will help create a wind power map for Michigan, identifying and promoting areas best suited for wind power development.

Data collected in other Midwest states indicates current measurements may underestimate Michigan's wind energy potential.

The project is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Water forum is slated at NMC

TRAVERSE CITY -- The Water Environmental Research Foundation presents its fifth annual Research Forum on Dec. 8 at Northwestern Michigan College's Hagerty Center.

Registration begins at 11:30 a.m., followed by a keynote address at 1:05 p.m. by Lisa Jackson of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Sessions will include how climate change is impacting the wastewater industry, water quality, green infrastructure, energy efficiency, dealing with trace organics, mercury research and other subjects.

More information on specific topics and speakers is available at www.werf.org. Registration information is available from Dendra Best at (231) 233-1806.

East Jordan creates incentive district

EAST JORDAN -- An Industrial Development District offering tax incentives to spur redevelopment of the former Dura Automotive plant was established by the East Jordan City Council.

Lake Street Center at the intersection of M-66 and C-48 will offer real and personal property tax abatements at 135,000 square-foot building, which includes 80,000 square feet of manufacturing space. More information is available from owner Floyd Wright at (231) 582-5050 or through the Northern Lakes Economic Alliance at (231) 582-6482.

Oliver emergency department honored

FRANKFORT -- Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital's emergency department received a 2009 Summit Award for ranking among the top emergency wards in the U.S.

The award, presented by Press Ganey Associates Inc., honors hospitals that rank among the top 5 percent in the U.S. in patient satisfaction for 12 consecutive quarters. Paul Oliver, part of the Munson Healthcare System, was among 14 hospitals in the country to receive the award.

Press Ganey is a national firm that tracks customers feedback and offers other data services to more than 10,000 health care facilities in the U.S., including more than 40 percent of its hospitals.

The award was presented Nov. 17 in Washington to hospital administrator Jim Austin, Dr. George Rickman who's the medical director of the emergency department and Donna Clarke, director of outpatient services at Paul Oliver.

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