Creative Byline founder Brad MacLean said Creative Byline receives about five manuscripts per day.

Creative Byline Growing
Its Base Of Customers
Anne Bond Emrich

HOLLAND — Globe Pequot Press and Orange Avenue Publishing have joined Creative Byline, a local Web-based service that connects writers and publishers. Creative Byline's subscribers already include Dutton Children's Books, St. Martin's Press, Tor/Forge, Lyons Press, skirt!, GPP Life, Zest Books, Tor Teen and Starscape — an impressive list for a company that's only 11 months old. (Full Text)

Web Exclusive
Benefits Seen From Early
Childhood Programs
Elizabeth Slowik

GRAND RAPIDS — Early childhood is the focus of new programming announced today that intends to connect children from birth to age 5 with health care, community services and trained child care. (Full Text)

Web Exclusive
Community Shores
Income, Earnings Down

MUSKEGON — Community Shores Bank Corp. today reported second quarter 2008 net income of $11,000, or 1 cent per diluted share, compared with net income of $18,000, or 1 cent per diluted share for the second quarter of 2007. Earnings for the first six months were $43,000, or 3 cents per share, versus $246,000, or 17 cents per share, for the first half of last year. According to Community Shores, the year-over-year results reflect the impact of net interest margin compression and a decline in asset quality, partially offset by higher non-interest income. (Full Text)

New Film Office Touts This Area

HOLLAND — The West Michigan Tourist Association has opened the West Michigan Film Office, which will work to bring the filming and production of feature films to communities throughout West Michigan. The announcement was made from the set of the feature film "Tug," which will star Sam Huntington and Haylie Duff, being shot by Hopwood DePree at his TicTock Studios in Holland. Three other films are set to be shot in West Michigan pending approval of the state incentives. (Full Text)

SMF Venture Fund
Finds 'Unique' Success
Anne Bond Emrich

KALAMAZOO — The $50 million Southwest Michigan First Life Science Venture Fund has made another investment in a life science startup. The investment is the ninth the fund has made since it was established three years ago as a means of wooing young life science companies to the Kalamazoo area. (Full Text)

Hollowell Touts New Web Site

LANSING — Michigan's Automobile and Home Insurance Consumer Advocate Melvin Butch Hollowell today announced the launch of the office's Web Site, www.michigan.gov/lowerratesnow designed to provide consumers with information on automobile and home insurance rates. (Full Text)

Downtown Improvement
Area Creates 'Momentum'
Anne Bond Emrich

GRAND RAPIDS — A mid-summer survey of assessment payers in the downtown improvement district reveals that 82 percent perceive downtown as clean, 79 percent perceive it as safe, 79 percent believe downtown's appearance has improved through the efforts of the Downtown Alliance, 78 percent would like to see additional beautification efforts, and 70 percent agree that downtown Grand Rapids is cleaner than other cities of its size.  (Full Text)