Township Seeks Cannabis Funds for Legal Challenge
Green Charter Township has been locked in a legal battle with Gotion, a Chinese battery manufacturer, for more than a year now. At one time, Gotion was set to build a $2.6 billion electric vehicle battery factory near the central Michigan town.
Most Read on IEN
Ship Carrying 3,000 Vehicles Abandoned in Pacific Ocean
Raccoon Break-In Snarls Airbus Jet Production
PODCAST: Ford Sues Lawyers; Shoemaker Outsmarts Tariffs; RIP Penny
Oreo Maker Mondelez Sues Aldi
But last year, after new leadership in Green Township changed its mind about the project, Gotion filed suit, alleging it stands to lose millions if the deal does not go through as originally agreed upon. Green leaders have countered with arguments that the township's previous leaders were never authorized to execute a development deal with Gotion.
Now Green is digging in for its standoff in court with Gotion and seeking funds from a somewhat unlikely source to help pay for the challenge to a judge's decision in favor of the battery maker. According to the Detroit News, the township has submitted a request for $200,000 of Mecosta County's cannabis excise tax revenue to help cover legal bills. It's equal to about 30% of cannabis tax funding awarded to the county by the state.
The problem is that Green Township doesn't allow cannabis retailers to set up shop within its confines. As the report points out, most of the dispensaries in Mecosta County are in nearby Big Rapids. It's caused some controversy over Green wanting a piece of the revenue from an industry it banned.
Green Township's issues with Gotion not only stem from the deal forged with its former leadership. There are also concerns regarding the environmental impact of the factory and Gotion's ties to China.
If the plant is eventually built as originally planned, it could create as many as 2,350 jobs while gobbling up $175 million in state incentives.
Click here to subscribe to our daily newsletter featuring breaking manufacturing industry news.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Club Car and U.S. LSPTV Coalition Join Congressman Rick Allen in Testimony Before ITC as Final Trade Ruling Nears
AUGUSTA, Ga., June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Club Car leaders appeared before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) in Washington, D.C., to provide testimony as part of the Commission's final hearing in the ongoing antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) case concerning low-speed vehicle imports from China. The hearing is a critical step in the ITC's final determination on whether illegally dumped and subsidized imports of Chinese golf cars and personal transportation vehicles have materially harmed the U.S. industry. "On a level playing field, U.S. companies can out-innovate and out-compete anyone in the world," said Congressman Rick Allen. "However, when foreign companies—with government backing—violate international trade rules and flood the U.S. market with dumped and subsidized products, the playing field is far from even." Club Car leaders provided firsthand evidence of the injury caused by unfair trade practices, including lost sales, price suppression, and competitive disruption in both the consumer personal transportation and golf fleet markets. "We cut, bend, and weld that aluminum inside the four walls of our Augusta, GA manufacturing location to create the structural frame and chassis for every vehicle we sell," said Mark Wagner, Club Car President and CEO (Retiring). "We had to take a stand to protect the American workers who build our cars every day to support their families and have experienced lower take home pay." The Commerce Department has already issued a preliminary determination confirming that Chinese manufacturers benefit from significant government subsidies and sell products in the U.S. at less than fair value. The ITC's upcoming ruling will determine whether duties will be imposed for the next five years. "Chinese producers are flooding the market with lookalike vehicles at artificially low prices—and the consequences have been real for our business, our employees, and our dealers," said Mark Rickell, Club Car, Vice President of Sales – Americas. "There is no portion of the market that is insulated. As U.S. producers lose market share and price competition intensifies, the economics of producing each unit worsen. This is unsustainable." Representatives of a broader U.S. manufacturing coalition advocating for fair competition and enforcement of U.S. trade laws also provided testimony during the hearing. "We appreciate the Commission's thorough and objective review of the facts," said Wagner. "We are confident the evidence clearly shows that these imports have harmed our industry and threaten the long-term viability of U.S. innovation and jobs." Club Car is working closely with industry partners and federal authorities to uphold fair trade practices and protect American manufacturing. About Club Car:With a history of superior design and performance that spans over six decades, Club Car is the leader in the clubhouse and the gold standard for small-wheel vehicles. Proudly headquartered in Augusta, Georgia, Club Car is known for quality craftmanship which ensures long-term reliability and customer satisfaction. Though its legacy is rooted in golf fleet and golf operations, the Club Car product portfolio has grown to include vehicles for commercial, personal and street-legal low speed use. The Club Car Vehicle Group also includes the luxury electric vehicle brand, Garia, and lightweight electric utility vehicle brand, Melex. To learn more, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Club Car, LLC Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Eater
32 minutes ago
- Eater
Southern California Pastrami Favorite Finally Expands to Las Vegas
Southern California's beloved pastrami destination, the Hat, is finally moving forward with plans to open in Las Vegas — six years after the chain announced it would expand to Southern Nevada. Construction is now underway on a 4,122-square-foot restaurant at 6239 South Rainbow Boulevard — the same space it staked out in 2019 — with a drive-thru and outdoor patio. The Hat has been a California staple since 1951, serving pastrami dips poised for dunking into homemade au jus, plus burgers, turkey sandwiches, and onion rings. The Hat teased the opening on Instagram, announcing a grand opening in spring 2026. The Hat joins a growing parade of regional fast food favorites expanding into Las Vegas. Most recently, Georgia's favorite fast-food chicken chain, Zaxby's, opened a drive-thru here. Earlier this year, North Carolina-based Bojangles opened in the Southwest, and Hawaii-based Zippy's opened its second location in the Vegas area. And that's not to mention the grocery stores Aldi and H-Mart, which debuted in April. Still rumored to make a Las Vegas appearance: Portillo's potentially. Late-Night Skewers Land in Chinatown The team behind Chubby Cattle's conveyor-belt hot pot restaurant and the high-tech X-Pot on the Strip is back with a new late-night venture. Chubby Skewers opens Wednesday, June 18, on Spring Mountain Road, serving Northeastern Chinese Dongbei-style barbecue from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. Skewers start at just $1, with a menu that ranges from wagyu beef to duck tongue to spicy cold noodles. The space channels the energy of old-school Chinese street stalls — think bold reds, neon lights, and low tables. New York Noodle Hybrid Extends Its Short-Term Pop-Up Pastaramen, the boundary-blurring Japanese-Italian pop-up from chef Robbie Felice, is extending its run at Bar Zazu in Resorts World Las Vegas through July 12. Originally slated for just a one-month residency, the crossover has drawn crowds with dishes like cacio e pepe gyoza, mochi ramen carbonara, and a $250 truffle porcini ramen that is dramatically prepared in a flaming wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Brewdog Opens a Beer Hall Beneath Its Rooftop Behemoth UnderDog Beer Hall opens on Thursday, June 12, beneath BrewDog's massive 30,000-square-foot rooftop brewpub on the Las Vegas Strip. Tucked inside the Showcase Mall, UnderDog brings a more casual vibe with giant screens, a new pizza-focused menu, and beers on tap — including BrewDog favorites like Elvis Juice and guest pours from local Las Vegas breweries. Baguette Cafe Heads Downtown Baguette Café opened a new downtown Las Vegas location on May 22 right on Las Vegas Boulevard, near Fremont Street. It brings together signature French-inflected breakfast, brunch, and lunch fare just a block from Fremont Street. Known for thoughtful sourcing and warm hospitality, this marks the café's third outpost in the valley — and its first in the heart of Downtown. Chef Leticia Mitchell Opens Another Cocina Leticia's Cocina and Cantina is opening a new location at Boulder Station this summer. Known for dishes like birria quesatacos, shrimp ceviche, and Mexico City-style enchiladas suizas, chef Leticia Mitchell first gained national attention with an appearance on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives . This will be her second location with Station Casinos, following the original inside Santa Fe Station. She also runs Letty's, a fast-casual spin-off downtown, and sister restaurant Carmelita's Mar y Tierra in East Las Vegas. Leticia's will replace the now-closed Guadalajara restaurant. See More:
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Canadian Asian grocery chain T&T Supermarket continues expansion in SoCal
Canada's largest Asian grocery chain is opening its second store in Southern California and the fourth in the state in Chino Hills. The T&T Supermarket will open in the Los Angeles suburb in the fall of 2026 and offer an assortment of Asian snacks, fresh produce and live seafood, according to a statement. The grocer is popular in Canada for Asian street food and a variety of hot food cooked on site. T&T Supermarket operates more than 38 stores in Vancouver, Toronto and other Canadian cities. The first U.S. location opened in Bellevue, Wash., in December 2024, and the company also has plans to open stores in Irvine, San Francisco and San Jose by the end of next year. Read more: Popular Canadian Asian grocery chain to open in Irvine next year Plans for the new store come as other grocers eye expansion in Southern California this year, including Aldi, Trader Joe's and Erewhon. The 61,000-square-foot Chino Hills store will be situated in the Crossroads Marketplace mall among Costco and PetSmart, and will be the chain's largest location in California. 'Chino Hills is a wonderful community to live, and we can't wait to add to the local food scene," said T&T Chief Executive Tina Lee in a statement. "We're transforming two vacant retail spaces, a former Best Buy and Bed Bath & Beyond, into one big food destination." The store will create 350 jobs for the local community and offer unique products including Taiwanese-style rice rolls and Chinese crepes, the company said. T&T Supermarket first opened in British Columbia in 1993 and is currently run by the founder's daughter, Lee, who took over in 2014. Canadian retailer Loblaw Companies acquired the chain in 2009, though it is operated as an independent subsidiary. Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
