DBusiness Daily Update: Canine to Five to Open Location on … – DBusiness

Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
Canine to Five to Open Location on Detroit’s East Side
Detroit-based Canine to Five, which offers dog daycare and boarding services, will open at 13208 East Jefferson in the Riverbend Plaza on Detroit’s east side in early April. It will be the company’s fourth location.
The new space will encompass 8,000 square feet, including five dog play areas.
“Detroit is where it all started in 2005,” says Liz Blondy, owner of Canine to Five. “It means a lot to me to open another business in the city. Through Canine to Five, I have built such rewarding relationships with so many clients, employees and, of course, dogs.  I cannot wait to see some new and old faces on the east side.”
Canine to Five Eastside will add 20 new employees to the more than 100 current members of the Canine to Five team. Interested applicants can visit here.
The original Canine to Five Detroit is located in Midtown Detroit. It also has facilities in Ferndale and Commerce Township.
Born in Detroit Apparel Launching at Select Metro Detroit Meijer Locations
Michigan owned and operated Born in Detroit Apparel has launched its first retail product line in select Meijer locations in metro Detroit.
For the initial store launch, five southeast Meijer locations now feature specialized displays offering Born in Detroit apparel for men and women. Those Meijer locations include Warren, Madison Heights, Roseville, and two Detroit locations (1301 W. Eight Mile and 21431 Grand River).
Born in Detroit was established in 2015 and brought to life in 2020 by group of Detroiters, two sets of brothers Michael and Anthony Tomey and George and Alex Bourkoulas and their friend, Michael “Mikey” Shumaker. The brand was created with the mission of showcasing the pride of Detroiters near and far, and to establish a brand partner to champion the city and surrounding communities.
Up to this point, all sales have been through e-commerce. The launch with Meijer is the brand’s first foray into retail outlets.
The apparel products available at Meijer include a couple different versions of branded Born in Detroit Champion hoodies, t-shirts and exclusive Detroit Kronk Gym shirts.
“We are thrilled to partner with Meijer for our brands launch into retail,” says Anthony Tomey. “Meijer is a storied Michigan brand and the perfect partner for us.”
Michael Tomey adds: “We are proud Detroiters and excited to take the Born in Detroit brand to the next level and showcase our products to Meijer customers in metro Detroit.”
Born in Detroit has had collaborative partnerships with local schools creating customized spirit wear apparel for charitable initiatives, as well as a previous partnership with the Detroit Pistons.
For more information, visit bornindetroit.store.
Owosso’s Indian Trails Bus Company Invests $3M in Five New Deluxe Motorcoaches
Indian Trails Inc. in Owosso has just added five new Prevost 56-passenger motorcoaches to its fleet for the comfort and safety of passengers at a cost of nearly $3 million or $600,000 per bus.
“We invest in new coaches with the latest safety, comfort, and eco-friendly features because of our commitment to customers, communities, and the environment,” says Chad Cushman, president of Indian Trails. “One of our guiding principles for 113 years has been to pour profits into new equipment so our fleet remains the newest in Michigan.”
Three of the new coaches are designated for the Michigan Flyer fleet, which currently provides nine daily roundtrips between East Lansing, Brighton, Ann Arbor, and Detroit Metro Airport for both inter-city and airline passengers.
The other two new buses are being deployed in the Indian Trails charter service, which transports groups of all kinds from anywhere in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana to whatever destinations they choose in the continental U.S. or Canada.
“These are groups from major colleges and universities, K-12 school districts, sports teams (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, as well as those of MSU, U-M, and WMU), corporations, associations, churches, and many others,” Cushman notes.
In addition, Indian trails operates daily scheduled routes serving passengers in 80 towns throughout Michigan and into Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, connecting them with one another as well as with airports, Amtrak, and the rest of the national transportation network.
Safety features of the new 2023 Prevost H3-45 coaches include an electronic stability system that enables drivers to avoid danger on slippery roads; an engine fire-detection and suppression system; a backup camera with color monitor; a GPS and electronic logging device (ELD) system; and a tire pressure monitoring system.
All the coaches are equipped with three-point retractable seatbelts for passengers, ADA-compliant wheelchair lifts, a large under-floor luggage compartment, and electronic destination signs.
Comfort features include ergonomic seating with gray, leather-like upholstery; ample leg room; individual climate controls, reading lamps and cup holders; tinted, thermopane side windows; USB outlets at each seat for charging mobile devices; free WiFi; on-board lavatories; and enclosed, overhead parcel racks. Also, the coaches offer several high-definition color monitors connected to a DVD player and premium audio system. These enable charter groups to display movies or presentations while on the road.
Eco-friendly aspects of the coaches include engine technology that exceeds EPA standards by reducing exhaust pollutants to near zero while achieving high fuel economy of about 240 passenger miles per gallon on average. Also, each coach has the potential to remove up to 56 automobiles from the highway, further reducing air pollution and traffic congestion.
Rehmann Foundation Awards $160,000 to Nonprofits
Professional advisory firm Rehmann, which has several offices in Michigan, Ohio, and Florida, announced that its not-for-profit organization, the Rehmann Foundation, is gifting 17 grants totaling $160,000 to several organizations across the three states in which it operates.
Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan has been named one of 17 grantees to receive funds and will host Rehmann for a check ceremony and volunteer event to commemorate the donation, as students get together to learn about financial institutions, careers, taxes, budgeting, credit, and more.
The event will take place from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Jan. 17 at JA Finance Park (577 Larned St.) in Detroit.
New Consumer Guide Explains Protections against ‘Surprise’ Medical Bills
The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) has recently published a new consumer guide that can help Michiganders understand their rights regarding surprise medical bills that are the result of unknowingly receiving care from an out-of-network health care provider.
The new publication seeks to help consumers understand what protections might apply when they receive an unexpected medical bill after receiving medical treatment.
“Unexpected medical bills can be a shock to people, especially when they are trying to recover from illness or injury,” says Anita Fox, director of DIFS. “This new publication can help consumers understand their rights under state and federal surprise billing laws and how to protect themselves from surprise bills.”
Surprise billing, sometimes called balance billing, may occur because consumers may not have known that a medical provider was not in-network and that their health insurer would not cover the health care services at the agreed to in-network rate. Out-of-network providers typically have not agreed with the consumer’s health insurer to accept certain reimbursement rates for the health care services provided to the patient.
A surprise bill occurs when the consumer was not made aware that the provider was not in-network and then bills the consumer for some or all the cost of the health care service that their health insurer did not cover, other than any applicable copay, coinsurance, deductible, or other cost-sharing. These bills can be for significant amounts of money and can cause confusion and stress for patients.
Bipartisan legislation, signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020, requires health care providers to inform consumers of the possibility of balance billing using a disclosure form sent at least 14 days before a scheduled medical service. The form must explain that the consumer’s insurance company may not cover all services and that the patient would be personally responsible for any uncovered costs. As part of the notice, patients must also be given a good faith estimate of the total cost of the care they will receive, enabling them to budget for these expenses in advance or choose alternative care to meet their needs.
Michigan’s surprise medical billing law applies to insurers that are regulated by DIFS, including plans purchased on the Health Insurance Marketplace. Self-funded group health plans offered by private employers are not subject to Michigan’s law but are generally required to comply with surprise billing protections established under the federal No Surprises Act (NSA).
To learn more about consumer protections under the NSA, visit CMS.gov/NoSurprises. Consumers who do not receive the required disclosure form or who receive a surprise medical bill after receiving care should contact their health insurer as soon as possible. If a resolution cannot be reached, consumers can contact DIFS Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 877-999-6442 or visit the DIFS website to file a complaint.
Gesher Human Services to Offer Credit Card Webinar Jan. 18
Gesher Human Services in Southfield is presenting a free webinar at 11 a.m. on Jan. 18 to help Michiganders struggling with credit card debt after the holidays.
With U.S. credit card debt heading toward $1 trillion dollars, the virtual program called The Advantages of Credit Cards will give tips and advice on making credit cards work for consumers in 2023, especially for those who have been struggling with holiday costs and inflation.
To register for the program go to the events page at geshermi.org or visit here.
“People often talk about the negative sides of credit cards but there are also some advantages to using them, when used responsibly, and the truth is we live in a credit-driven world so most people need to use them,” says Laltsha Cunningham, manager of financial capabilities at Gesher.
Gesher Human Services also offers one-on-one free counseling. Email [email protected] or call 248-233-4299.
Editor: R.J. King
Associate Editor: Jake Bekemeyer

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