Michigan
Michigan small businesses benefit from overseas trade missions
TROY, Mich. (FOX 2) – The backbone of Michigan’s economy has and continues to be manufacturing, which is why two times a year the state sends 10 small businesses overseas only to return with new customers.
Big picture view:
It’s all thanks to Troy’s Automation Alley and it has worked to the tune of $2.3 billion in new business.
This story starts in the middle with, well, the middle man.
“We want to see our children stay here like everybody,” said Tom Kelly, the CEO of Automation Alley. “And we have to create vibrant communities. One of the backbones of Michigan is manufacturing.”
Kelly leads the team at Automation Alley in Troy. Think of them as the bridge that brings Michigan manufacturers directly to the customers.
“There are 12,000 manufacturers in Michigan, we have 4,000 as members,” he said.
He says they have a formula that is proven – and works.
“We take them to these foreign countries, we set up appointments with companies that want to buy their products, and we help them close the deals,” he said. “Since we started, we have generated over $2.3 billion dollars for small manufacturers.”
The two trips coming up with take ten of these small businesses to Querétaro, Mexico in February and Paris, France in June of next year.
“By the way, here’s the kicker, it’s actually subsidized by the State of Michigan,” Kelly said. “So we can cover up to half of your travel expenses on these trade missions because guess what? It’s a huge win for the State of Michigan if you become a net exporter of your product to other countries.”
For those who may be thinking this is only a free trip – think again. Automation Alley has been putting on these trade missions for years.
“We have the relationships, we know who they should be meeting with, and people are people all over the world,” Kelly said.
Those relationships usually lead to lasting relationships, he added.
Automation Alley is an non-profit funded through donor businesses who know the value of Michigan manufacturing.
While the trade missions are important, it’s not all the only thing that happens here.
“Trade missions are only twice a year,” Kelly said. “We have programming all year long that helps you understand Artificial Intelligence, help you make a choice on what robot should I buy. What kind of systems do I need to consider, what are my peers doing in manufacturing that I can emulate and be successful like them.
“All of these things are available free of charge to all 12,000 manufactures in the State of Michigan.”
If you’d like to find out how to sign up your business to take advantage of the trade missions or other programs, just visit automationalley.com
The Source: Information for this report is from an interview with Tom Kelly, the CEO of Automation Alley.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Two Colombian nationals are facing charges after being accused of conspiring to move large amounts of cocaine into the United States, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey.
According to an indictment, from November 2024 through June 24, 2025, Carlos Andres Rueda Ipia, or “Indio,” and Manuel Augusto Munoz Orozco, or “Gordo,” conspired with each other and others to distribute and import five kilograms or more of cocaine into the United States from Colombia.
The pair are also accused of distributing five kilograms or more of cocaine in Colombia on March 13, 2025, “having reasonable cause to believe the cocaine would be unlawfully imported into the United States.”
“We worked with our international law enforcement partners to extradite these two men to face justice here because we want to send this message: if you send drugs into our community, we will come for you no matter where you are,” VerHey said. “I look forward to proving the guilt of these two defendants before a West Michigan jury.”
Rueda Ipia and Munoz Orozco were extradited to the United States on Thursday, and made their first appearance in court in Grand Rapids on Friday.
If convicted, the pair face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, according to VerHey.
“Let this be a warning, if you choose to traffic cocaine into the United States, you should expect to be hunted down, arrested, and brought into an American courtroom—no matter where you try to hide,” DEA Detroit Division Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon added. “The DEA will relentlessly pursue transnational drug traffickers, dismantle their criminal enterprises, and ensure they face the full weight of the American justice system.”
For Kent County Sheriff’s Office Undersheriff Bryan Muir, working with federal and international partners is necessary to keep people accountable.
“Drug trafficking on this scale crosses jurisdictions and international borders, and working with our federal and international partners is necessary to hold those responsible accountable,” he said. “Having a KCSO detective assigned to the DEA Task Force gives us a direct role in these investigations, improves information sharing, and helps keep dangerous drugs out of West Michigan.”
The DEA is investigating this case with help from the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the Grand Rapids Police Department and Michigan State Police.
International assistance includes DEA offices in Bogota, Colombia, and Vienna, Austria, as well as the Colombian National Police, the Austrian Bundeskriminalamt and the Austrian Landeskriminalamt, according to the attorney’s office.
How to register to vote in Michigan: Step-by-step guide
Registering to vote in Michigan is simple and can be done online, by mail, or in person, depending on how close you are to Election Day.
In Michigan’s Tuesday, Aug. 4 primary, voters will set the stage for the November general election, picking the Democratic and Republican nominees who will face off in the fall in major races, including nationally watched U.S. Senate and governor’s races.
Here’s a look at what’s on the ballot:
Key races on Michigan’s primary ballot
- Governor: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer cannot run again due to term limits. The Democratic primary includes Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson. The Republican primary includes former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, U.S. Rep. John James, of Shelby Township and businessman Perry Johnson. (Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, R-Porter Township, is on the ballot, but he has dropped out of the race and endorsed James.)
- U.S. Senate: The Democratic primary to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate includes former Wayne County and Detroit health director Abdul El-Sayed and U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, of Birmingham. (State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, dropped out of the race but still appears on the ballot.) The GOP primary is uncontested, with only former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, of White Lake, on the ballot. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, decided not to seek reelection, creating an open race to fill his seat.
- U.S. House of Representatives: Michigan has 13 congressional districts. Incumbents are seeking reelection in all but two of them. With James running for governor, there is an open race to fill his seat for Michigan’s 10th Congressional District. (Republican Robert Lulgjuraj – a Macomb County prosecutor – has ended his campaign in the 10th District, but his name still appears on the ballot.) There is also an open seat for Michigan’s 11th Congressional District, with Stevens running for U.S. Senate.
- Michigan Senate: All 38 seats in the Michigan Senate are up for election this year. Some metro Detroit voters will vote for the first time in newly drawn districts following court-ordered changes.
- Michigan House of Representatives: All 110 seats in the Michigan House of Representatives are also up for election this year.
- Local races and proposals: Voters across the state will also weigh in on races for local offices and proposals.
You can’t vote in both primaries
Unlike presidential primaries in Michigan, voters in the state do not need to request a specific party’s ballot to vote in the upcoming primary. The partisan section of the August primary ballot features Democratic and Republican sections. Voters must pick one party’s primary. For instance, a voter cannot vote for a Democrat in the U.S. Senate primary and a Republican in the gubernatorial primary.
Where can I find a sample ballot?
Michigan voters can go to michigan.gov/vote and click on “What’s on the ballot?” where they will be directed to a page to enter details about their voting jurisdiction to view a sample ballot. Alternatively, they can enter their voter information on the “Am I registered page?” to view a “Ballot preview.”
When can I vote in Michigan’s election?
Michigan voters can request an absentee ballot now. Early voting will run statewide Saturday, July 25 through Sunday, Aug. 2, but communities may offer longer early voting periods. Check out the “Where do I go to Early Vote?” page on michigan.gov/vote to find early voting locations.
Voters can also vote in person on Tuesday, Aug. 4 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters in line to vote by 8 p.m. will be allowed to cast a ballot. Voters voting absentee must return their ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Military and overseas ballots postmarked by Election Day will still count.
Where is my polling place?
Voters can find their polling place at michigan.gov/vote and head to the “Where is my polling place?” page and enter their voter details.
Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel was in Kalamazoo on Thursday to discuss rising energy prices in the state.
She is pointing the finger at the Trump administration, and the federal push to keep a local coal plant in operation.
J.H. Campbell Plant in West Olive was built in the 1960s, and was planned to close down. Nessel said it’s costing Michiganders every day.
“Consumers Energy cannot use long-term coal contracts to save money, and the aging facility requires extensive repairs, so the plant costs some more to operate than it could ever recoup in profits,” Nessel said.
“And that’s a whopping $615,000 loss every single day that that plant is forced to stay open,” she added.
The U.S. Department of Energy issued another emergency order in May keeping the facility online through mid-August. The plant had originally been scheduled to close in May 2025.
The Department of Energy said the decision is centered on energy reliability, though Nessel said coal-fired plants are a major cause of climate change.
“I think since we’re here to talk in part about the J. H. Campbell plant, it’s worthy to note that coal fired plants are the single single largest source of emissions that cause and create climate change, such as what’s affecting us right now,” Nessel said in regards to the hazardous pollutants that blanketed most of Michigan on Thursday.
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