THE WEEK IN REVIEW, WITH AN EYE ON WHAT’S NEXT NEED TO KNOW

Closed Michigan Nuclear Plant May Seek Reboot Money

THE NEWS: e owner and operator of a shuttered Southwest Michigan nuclear power plant may ask for about $300 million in state funding to help reopen the facility. Holtec International has launched an unprecedented e ort to reopen a nuclear plant after it had already closed for decommissioning. e Palisades nuclear plant in Van Buren County shut down in May of 2022. Holtec acquired the facility from Entergy Corp. the following month.

WHY IT MATTERS: O cials say that state funding would be necessary to complement a roughly $1 billion U.S. Department of Energy loan that Holtec applied for last month. e federal loan would be the primary investment into reopening the nearly 800-megawatt capacity Palisades.

Top Duggan Staffer Departs For Nonprofit

THE NEWS: Detroit’s workforce and economic development head Nicole Sherard-Freeman is departing the city to become COO of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. Sherard-Freeman, 56, will join the Community Foundation in the newly created role e ective July 10, overseeing donor services, nance, grantmaking services, information technology, program teams and its economic development e ort, the New Economy Initiative.

WHY IT MATTERS: Sherard-Freeman will bring more than 25 years of experience across corporate, nonpro t and governmental organizations to the new role. She currently serves as group executive of jobs and economy and executive director of workforce development and Detroit at Work.

BELL’S BEER EXPANDS TO 49 STATES

THE NEWS: Bell’s Brewery Inc. is heading into the Paci c Northwest and Utah as it continues expanding its distribution footprint following its 2021 sale to an international beverage company. Kalamazoo-based Bell’s said last week that it inked deals with distributors in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Utah to bring its beers to new markets.

WHY IT MATTERS: In 2021, Bell’s sold to Australia-based Lion Little World

Beverages Inc., a division of Japan’s Kirin Holdings Co. Ltd.

EURO-INSPIRED CORKTOWN RESTAURANT OPENING SOON

THE NEWS: Alpino, a new Europeanand wine-centric restaurant from hospitality veteran David Richter’s Detroit-based Rust Belt Hospitality, will open May 1 at 1426 Bagley St., south of Michigan Avenue, in a 3,200-square-foot space that previously housed chef Kate Williams’ restaurant Lady of the House.

WHY IT MATTERS: Richter signed a 10year lease with building owner Charlie Dabrowski and late last year told Crain’s he had invested about $600,000 into the project.

Hagerty Trims

83 More Jobs

THE NEWS: Traverse City-based specialty auto insurer Hagerty Inc. is cutting an additional 4 percent of its workforce just months after a 6 percent cut as it seeks cost savings. Hagerty (NYSE: HGTY) said in a regulatory ling that it will trim 83 jobs across the company to meet “growth and pro tability goals.”

WHY IT MATTERS: e cuts come after Hagerty reduced its workforce in December by about 6 percent, or 103 employees.

Waterfront Work

Demolition begins on Boblo Island Dock building

e property best known as the Boblo Island Dock building southwest of the Ambassador Bridge is coming down.

O cially the Detroit Harbor Terminals Inc. property, the 10-story, 846,000-square-foot building designed by Albert Kahn has had a portion of its eastern facade removed as crews from Detroit-based demolition contractor Adamo Group work on the demolition. e building, which opened in 1926, has long been expected to be demolished, with the Detroit-Wayne County Port Authority signing o on its demolition more than two years ago. But it’s more complicated than that. e port authority o cially owns the property but has a 100-year master concession agreement with a Moroun family company called e Ambassador Port Co. LLC. e agreement has been a sore spot for the port authority, which took over the site from the city in 2005 and that year entered into the master concession agreement, which gives Ambassador Port sweeping control over the broader 34-acre property, known as the Detroit Marine Terminal dock site, Crain’s reported in October 2021.

e authority has tried to get out of the master concession agreement by proposing a termination that would include Ambassador Port getting ownership of the dock site from the port authority.

Democrats consider employer rules changes

Bills include wage disclosure provision

DAVID EGGERT

LANSING — House Democrats on ursday began considering new bills that would make broad changes to Michigan employment law, including altering the de nition of independent contractors and requiring employers to tell employees the wages of similarly situated co-workers upon request.

Supporters said the bills would crack down on payroll fraud and wage discrimination in Michigan. Business groups voiced opposition at the rst hearing on the bills, saying they overreach and could hurt those they are meant to help.

e 17-bill package, which was introduced just a day before, also would put restrictions on noncompete agreements and update whistleblower protections, including to cover independent contractors.