Latest news with #Lansing-based
Business Wire
11-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Jackson Awards $900,000 in Grants to Nonprofits Across Lansing, Nashville and Chicago
LANSING, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Jackson National Life Insurance Company ® (Jackson®), the main operating subsidiary of Jackson Financial Inc. 1 (NYSE: JXN), today announced it has awarded $900,000 to nonprofits serving the communities where Jackson has offices: Lansing, Michigan; Nashville, Tennessee; and Chicago, Illinois. These grants will fund a variety of initiatives led by the nonprofit recipients, including homeownership and housing assistance, veteran services and support to stabilize families and individuals in need. 'Jackson is proud to invest in the important work our nonprofit grantees do to strengthen families and increase economic opportunities,' said Danielle Robinson, Vice President, Corporate Communications and Responsibility, Jackson. 'This year, we are thrilled to have leveraged a unique opportunity as a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (FHLBank Indianapolis) to apply for and receive 'match' funds through its Community Multiplier Grant Program for two of our nonprofit partners addressing affordable housing needs in the Lansing community. Partnerships like this allow everyone to achieve more and help our communities thrive.' Jackson has awarded $150,000 each to Lansing-based Haven House, for its housing assistance program, and Habitat for Humanity Capital Region, for homebuyer education and phase one of a multi-home project in south Lansing. These grants were awarded in part through the FHLBank Indianapolis Community Multiplier Grant Program. 'We are deeply honored to receive this generous grant from Jackson and FHLBank Indianapolis,' said Meghan Palma, Executive Director of Haven House. 'This critical funding comes at a time of great uncertainty around the future of other funding sources, making it all the more impactful. This investment directly supports our mission to guide families from homelessness to stability and will make a meaningful difference in our ability to meet urgent needs in our community. We are truly thankful for this partnership and the hope it brings to the families we serve.' 'Habitat for Humanity Capital Region relies on community partnerships to build homes and hope in our community, and Jackson has been a stalwart partner with us in providing affordable homeownership opportunities to the members of our community who need them most,' said Brent Taylor, CEO Habitat for Humanity Capital Region. 'This generous grant from Jackson, combined with the FHLBank Indianapolis Community Multiplier Grant, has provided the initial funding for us to embark on the largest Habitat Housing Development in our nearly 40-years of service to this community.' In Nashville, Jackson provided a $20,000 grant to Operation Stand Down Tennessee to support its food assistance program, which addresses the immediate needs of veterans experiencing food insecurity while serving as an outreach tool to connect them with additional services. Operation Stand Down Tennessee engages, equips and empowers military veterans and their families through crisis, career, connection and community services. 'When veterans face a disproportionately high rate of food insecurity, programs like Operation Commissary are there to help with veteran-specific resources. There is no greater way to thank someone for their service than to support them when they struggle,' says Penny Anderson, Chief Development and External Affairs Officer of Operation Stand Down Tennessee. 'The support of Jackson empowers us to continue providing the highest level of service to the men and women who served our country in uniform.' In addition, Jackson awarded a $20,000 grant to Chicago Commons, which provides high-quality early childhood education for long-term success and life-affirming senior services. This grant will support the family hub program, which equips parents with essential tools to manage finances, improve physical and mental health, gain employment and job readiness skills, increase digital literacy and become stronger advocates for themselves and their families. 'We are honored to receive this support from Jackson, which will directly strengthen our Family Hub program and the families who rely on it,' said Edgar Ramirez, President and CEO of Chicago Commons. 'By investing in resources that promote financial stability, workforce readiness and well-being, this grant helps empower parents to build stronger futures for themselves and their children—advancing our shared goal of more resilient and thriving communities.' Jackson's biannual grant program is a critical component of its corporate philanthropic efforts. Nonprofit organizations in the Lansing, Chicago or Nashville areas interested in applying for a grant from Jackson are encouraged to submit an application for consideration by visiting the company's website. Jackson has contributed more than $91 million to nonprofits since 2007, and Jackson associates volunteer thousands of hours annually with nonprofits nationwide. ABOUT JACKSON Jackson® (NYSE: JXN) is committed to helping clarify the complexity of retirement planning—for financial professionals and their clients. Through our range of annuity products, financial know-how, history of award-winning service* and streamlined experiences, we strive to reduce the confusion that complicates retirement planning. We take a balanced, long-term approach to responsibly serving all our stakeholders, including customers, shareholders, distribution partners, employees, regulators and community partners. We believe by providing clarity for all today, we can help drive better outcomes for tomorrow. For more information, visit *SQM (Service Quality Measurement Group) Call Center Awards Program for 2004 and 2006-2024. (Criteria used for Call Center World Class FCR Certification is 80% or higher of customers getting their contact resolved on the first call to the call center (FCR) for 3 consecutive months or more.) Jackson® is the marketing name for Jackson Financial Inc., Jackson National Life Insurance Company® (Home Office: Lansing, Michigan) and Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York® (Home Office: Purchase, New York). 1 Jackson Financial Inc. is a U.S. holding company and the direct parent of Jackson Holdings LLC (JHLLC). The wholly-owned direct and indirect subsidiaries of JHLLC include Jackson National Life Insurance Company, Brooke Life Insurance Company, PPM America, Inc. and Jackson National Asset Management, LLC.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
President Trump approval ratings in Michigan: What the latest polls say
Over two months into his second term, President Donald Trump is facing mixed approval ratings, according to recent polls nationally and in Michigan. Nationwide, some recent polls show more than half the country disapproving, while in others Trump maintains a majority approval rating or a split between views. A recent Michigan poll by Marketing Resource Group, a Lansing-based public relations firm, shows over half of Michigan residents disapprove of Trump and have a negative view of the president. This comes as Trump moves forward with tariffs, federal agency cuts through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and billionaire Elon Musk continues to play a central role in his administration. One of just two presidents to serve non-consecutive terms, his first months have provided a unique opportunity to compare his approval ratings against himself at the same point in his first presidency. Out of the gate, Trump's net approval ratings this time were higher than his ratings in 2017, but still lower than any other president in history. The Michigan survey was conducted by live phone interviews with a random sample of all registered voters with a history of voting, stratified by city and township, Marketing Resource Group said. Here's what to know. Marketing Resource Group conducted a poll in Michigan March 24-28, 2025. The poll showed: 51% of Michiganders disapprove of President Trump's job performance, while 42% approve (602 likely voters; margin of error ± 4 percentage points.) 51% have negative feelings toward Trump, while 39% have positive feelings. The poll by Marketing Resource Group also asked Michiganders questions about the direction of Michigan and the country, along with their views on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Responses varied among political party affiliation and geographic areas within Michigan. In Michigan, 46% think the state is heading in the right direction, while 36% think Michigan is heading in the wrong direction. Per the poll, this is the first time in five years that more respondents felt the state is going in the right direction than not. More: Spring markets welcome the season to Michigan. Where to find arts, crafts, food Whitmer has 57% approval on her job performance, while 33% disapprove. This marks her highest approval rating in five years, according to the poll. Nationwide, 56% of respondents feel the U.S. is heading in the wrong direction, while 37% think the country is heading in the right direction. According to data agency Gallup, a presidential approval rating is a "simple measure, yet a very powerful one that has played a key role in politics for over 70 years." A president's approval rating reflects the percentage of Americans polled who approve of the president's performance. Anything can impact a president's rating, such as legislation passed, actions and elections. According to ABC News, an approval rating doesn't just represent how well the administration is doing for the general public, but could determine the outcome of an upcoming election for a politician or how much they get done during their time in office. Presidential approval ratings were first conducted by the founder of the American Institute of Public Opinion, George Gallup, around 1935 to gauge public support for the president of the United States during his term. While Gallup has tracked presidential approval for decades, other organization release their own polls as well, including Ipsos and Morning Consult. Project FiveThirtyEight also finds averages of these polls, highlighting the specific issues citizens are most concerned about. For example, Project FiveThirtyEight found Trump's most polled-on issue area was immigration. Recent approval ratings, according to different polling show: CBS News/YouGov: Respondents were equally split on whether they approve or disapprove of how Trump is handling his job. (Poll conducted March 27-28; 2,609 U.S. adults; margin of error ±2.3 percentage points.) The poll showed most Americans think Trump is focusing too much on tariffs and not enough on lowering prices, but the majority approve of his work on immigration, according to CBS News. Reuters/Ipsos: More respondents disapproved of Trump's job performance than approved by a 6 percentage point margin. (Poll conducted March 21-23; 1,030 U.S. adults; margin of error of ±3 percentage points.) 82% of respondents agreed with the statement that the "president of the United States should obey federal court rulings even if the president does not want to," according to Reuters. YouGov/TheEconomist: 49% of respondents view Trump unfavorably, while 48% view him favorably (Poll conducted March 22-25; 1,600 U.S. adults; ±3.5 percentage points). Democrats in Congress remain unpopular, with a minus 19 net favorability, and Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer at a minus 27 net favorability, according to YouGov. On immigration, 51% of respondents strongly or somewhat approve of Trump's handling of the matter, while 44% disapprove. On Trump's approach to immigration policy, 46% say it is too harsh, while 41% say it's about right. More: When is Real ID deadline? What to know in Michigan Napolitan News Service/RMG Research: More respondents approved of Trump's job at 52% approve compared to 45% disapprove. (Poll conducted March 17-28; 2,000 registered voters; margin of error ±1.8 percentage points.) RealClearPolitics aggregates polls from a number of sources on the president and issues. USA Today and the Detroit Free Press contributed. Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Trump approval ratings in Michigan: The latest polls
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How does Michigan rate President Trump? What to know about latest polls
Over two months into his second term, President Donald Trump is facing mixed approval ratings, according to recent polls nationally and in Michigan. Nationwide, some recent polls show more than half the country disapproving, while in others Trump maintains a majority approval rating or a split between views. A recent Michigan poll by Marketing Resource Group, a Lansing-based public relations firm, shows over half of Michigan residents disapprove of Trump and have a negative view of the president. This comes as Trump moves forward with tariffs, federal agency cuts through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and billionaire Elon Musk continues to play a central role in his administration. One of just two presidents to serve non-consecutive terms, his first months have provided a unique opportunity to compare his approval ratings against himself at the same point in his first presidency. Out of the gate, Trump's net approval ratings this time were higher than his ratings in 2017, but still lower than any other president in history. The Michigan survey was conducted by live phone interviews with a random sample of all registered voters with a history of voting, stratified by city and township, Marketing Resource Group said. Here's what to know. Marketing Resource Group conducted a poll in Michigan March 24-28, 2025. The poll showed: 51% of Michiganders disapprove of President Trump's job performance, while 42% approve (602 likely voters; margin of error ± 4 percentage points.) 51% have negative feelings toward Trump, while 39% have positive feelings. The poll by Marketing Resource Group also asked Michiganders questions about the direction of Michigan and the country, along with their views on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Responses varied among political party affiliation and geographic areas within Michigan. In Michigan, 46% think the state is heading in the right direction, while 36% think Michigan is heading in the wrong direction. Per the poll, this is the first time in five years that more respondents felt the state is going in the right direction than not. More: Spring markets welcome the season to Michigan. Where to find arts, crafts, food Whitmer has 57% approval on her job performance, while 33% disapprove. This marks her highest approval rating in five years, according to the poll. Nationwide, 56% of respondents feel the U.S. is heading in the wrong direction, while 37% think the country is heading in the right direction. According to data agency Gallup, a presidential approval rating is a "simple measure, yet a very powerful one that has played a key role in politics for over 70 years." A president's approval rating reflects the percentage of Americans polled who approve of the president's performance. Anything can impact a president's rating, such as legislation passed, actions and elections. According to ABC News, an approval rating doesn't just represent how well the administration is doing for the general public, but could determine the outcome of an upcoming election for a politician or how much they get done during their time in office. Presidential approval ratings were first conducted by the founder of the American Institute of Public Opinion, George Gallup, around 1935 to gauge public support for the president of the United States during his term. While Gallup has tracked presidential approval for decades, other organization release their own polls as well, including Ipsos and Morning Consult. Project FiveThirtyEight also finds averages of these polls, highlighting the specific issues citizens are most concerned about. For example, Project FiveThirtyEight found Trump's most polled-on issue area was immigration. Recent approval ratings, according to different polling show: CBS News/YouGov: Respondents were equally split on whether they approve or disapprove of how Trump is handling his job. (Poll conducted March 27-28; 2,609 U.S. adults; margin of error ±2.3 percentage points.) The poll showed most Americans think Trump is focusing too much on tariffs and not enough on lowering prices, but the majority approve of his work on immigration, according to CBS News. Reuters/Ipsos: More respondents disapproved of Trump's job performance than approved by a 6 percentage point margin. (Poll conducted March 21-23; 1,030 U.S. adults; margin of error of ±3 percentage points.) 82% of respondents agreed with the statement that the "president of the United States should obey federal court rulings even if the president does not want to," according to Reuters. YouGov/TheEconomist: 49% of respondents view Trump unfavorably, while 48% view him favorably (Poll conducted March 22-25; 1,600 U.S. adults; ±3.5 percentage points). Democrats in Congress remain unpopular, with a minus 19 net favorability, and Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer at a minus 27 net favorability, according to YouGov. On immigration, 51% of respondents strongly or somewhat approve of Trump's handling of the matter, while 44% disapprove. On Trump's approach to immigration policy, 46% say it is too harsh, while 41% say it's about right. More: When is Real ID deadline? What to know in Michigan Napolitan News Service/RMG Research: More respondents approved of Trump's job at 52% approve compared to 45% disapprove. (Poll conducted March 17-28; 2,000 registered voters; margin of error ±1.8 percentage points.) RealClearPolitics aggregates polls from a number of sources on the president and issues. USA Today and the Detroit Free Press contributed. Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: President Trump's approval ratings: What to know in Michigan
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Study finds Michigan public schools need $22.8 billion for repairs. Where's the money?
School buildings in the state are aging and a new study of Michigan's public school infrastructure has found district buildings need $22.8 billion in repairs or renovations, with $5.3 billion in needs in the next one to three years. What do aging school district buildings look like? In Baldwin Community Schools in northern Michigan: a flooded band room. A collapsed ceiling in a school kitchen. Corroded pipes. In others? Inefficient or antiquated HVAC systems. Crumbling roofs. And the decision between hiring a teacher or fixing one of these problems, school leaders said in a news conference March 20. "We're not talking about trying to do things that are outlandish or expensive," said Jason Mellema, superintendent of the Ingham Intermediate School District. "We're talking about the basics. We're talking about safety. We're talking about infrastructure." The study conducted by the School Finance Research Foundation was commissioned by the state Legislature in 2022. It involved auditors assessing more than 2,500 school buildings across the state, with 93% of districts participating, excluding charter schools. District and state education leaders said the state desperately needs to create a sustained source of school infrastructure funding or risk student safety. "Physical spaces in which our students learn directly impacts their engagement, their health, their attendance and academic achievement," said Steven Ezikian, executive director of the School Finance Research Foundation. "In that way, these physical spaces also impact our economy, prepare kids for jobs in the future, and our entire state." Leaders said the high-level assessment of Michigan's school buildings was badly needed. But solutions — mainly the need for more funding — will likely not come quickly, as $22 billion is roughly equivalent to what the state spends on public schools annually. Michigan does not have a dedicated source of funding for school infrastructure, so districts often must turn to the local ballot to ask voters for the money to address building issues. The result is an uneven playing field for Michigan school districts, where public schools in areas with wealthier tax bases are more likely to have the funds to pay for repairs, according to studies from the School Finance Research Collaborative, a Lansing-based group that has conducted studies of school funding needs. Over 18 months, the School Finance Research Foundation worked with a team to analyze building conditions and determine repair costs for repairs and upgrades needed over nine years. The team aimed to choose the most cost-effective option to meet building needs, choosing between repairing a building issue or paying for a replacement. The study found: Districts would need $22.8 billion to be brought up "to a common standard of health, safety, and wellness through the year 2033." A need to repair the vast majority of school buildings. About 23% of the estimated spending is needed for repairs in the next three years, 31% is needed in four to six years and 46.2% is needed in seven to nine years. The most-needed repairs were to school HVAC systems, at about 33% of the study's total estimated cost, or $7.5 billion in needs, with roofing repairs being the second-highest need at 15.2% of the total estimated cost, or $3.4 billion in needs. In the news conference, education leaders hailed the effort to take stock of the state's school buildings and said investigators spent a collective 95,000 hours assessing buildings. "This was the first time we have taken a hard look at what it would cost to bring our school buildings up to standards that would support a safe, healthy learning environment," said Doug Leisenring, superintendent of the Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District. It's a fraught question. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's proposed budget includes $155 million in a school district infrastructure fund for the purpose of improving school buildings. If the Legislature were to approve that deposit in the upcoming fiscal year's budget, about $430 million would be available in that fund, nearly 2% of the full $22.8 billion outlined in the study and nearly 9% of the $5 billion of the most-urgent needs. Education leaders for years have decried Michigan's way of funding education building needs, which lacks a dedicated stream funded on an annual basis, the way per-pupil funding is consistently funded. Turning to voters for local tax funding isn't a sure thing. For example, Hazel Park School District's 2024 $150 million bond proposal, which would have included building security upgrades, HVAC repairs, a new elementary school building and more, was met with opposition from community members. The bond failed on the May 2024 ballot, with 66% voting no. Nick Ceglarek, superintendent of Northwest Education Services in the northern part of the state, said the state funding model neglects to take into account regular maintenance costs and makes districts turn to voters to ask for bond money, funded through local taxes, to cover building costs. "It should be noted that there is a significant inequity statewide in an individual district's ability to meet ongoing capital needs through bonds," he said. Contact Lily Altavena: laltavena@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Study: Michigan schools need $22.8 billion in repairs. Where's funds?
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
As Michigan cannabis prices fall, business owners point to other threats to their survival
Michigan recreational marijuana business owners who gathered for a quarterly public meeting of the state's Cannabis Regulatory Agency on Wednesday said unfair fines, falling prices and the illicit products showing up in the market are threatening their economic survival. The business owners and other industry stakeholders who spoke during the 1½-hour-long meeting, held both in-person in Lansing and virtually, called for more effective enforcement and regulatory reform to stabilize the industry. Their comments come as the price of marijuana flower continues to decline — dropping to its lowest level of $65.21 for an ounce of recreational marijuana flower in February — making it hard for businesses to make a profit. Cannabis companies that use undisclosed substances in their products to save money can undercut the prices of other sellers, making it tougher for businesses to compete, industry stakeholders said. At the same time, a new tax on marijuana products, recently proposed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to fund Michigan roads, adds to obstacles for business owners. A cannabis attorney called that proposal a "very serious and existential threat" at the meeting. Some of the concerns raised at the meeting on Wednesday include: Lindsay Feehan, who spoke in person and identified herself as one of the owners of Lansing-based Emerald Transport, said the fact that the average retail price for an ounce of recreational marijuana flower has dropped to $65.21 is a bad thing for everyone in the industry, including transporters. "We are all losing," Feehan said. "I don't know who you could tell me is winning on that." Recreational marijuana prices drop again in Michigan: What it means for the industry A caller who identified himself as Eric Colandrea and an attorney for LaHaze Cannabis Co., a grower and processor in Cheboygan, said fines resulting from enforcement actions taken by the CRA are based on rules that are poorly written and are "arbitrary." "When you layer on the various licensing fees that we pay annually in the high $75,000 range, adding on an extra $9,000 in fines for something that really could have been a warning or could have been a $500 fine, it hurts," Colandrea said. "Right now, there's millions of dollars invested in our facility and given the pricing that we're getting for the product, we're not making money. We're losing money. So if we don't have some actions by the agency that make sense when it comes to fines, you're just going to drive these businesses like us out ... and blow up a lot of investments and put a lot of people out of work." A caller who identified as David Bye with the Michigan for Safe Cannabis Coalition said conversion oil (oil that's synthetically converted into THC, which is the psychoactive component of the marijuana plant), unregulated hemp-derived products and illegal cannabis "still undermine the integrity of our regulated market" in which companies are required to follow state rules. "Despite clear violations, a significant number of license holders caught with large quantities of illegal products still retain their licenses and are still doing business today," Bye said. "Obviously, we know that's very unsettling, and we're looking for ways to resolve that." The CRA has said that it intends to make clear in a new rule set proposed by the CRA in 2023 that CBD to THC conversion is prohibited in Michigan. More on these undisclosed substances: Michigan cannabis lab CEO says hidden substances could taint vape pens, edibles A few industry stakeholders brought up Whitmer's plan to raise $470 million per year for roads by imposing a 32% wholesale tax on marijuana, which they said would result in business closures because consumers wouldn't be willing to pay higher prices for cannabis products and would turn to the illicit market. Matt Imig, who spoke in person representing Lansing-based M&M Agriculture, described the proposed tax as dropping "a bombshell" on the industry. "What are people going to do," Imig asked at the meeting. "Where is it going to go? Are we starting to look at what the possible loopholes are for people? ... Maybe small growers are going to get stuck and then you could just kiss the small businesses goodbye. Maybe that's the goal: to just have 10 or 15 huge players and the rest of the small mom-and-pop shops just go away." Contact Adrienne Roberts: amroberts@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan cannabis businesses warn of real threats they face
