GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) - Business leaders from around the country are in Grand Rapids this week to stress the importance of having strong locally owned businesses.

It's part of the tenth annual BALLE Business Conference. BALLE stands for Business Alliance for Local Living Economies. This is the first time the conference is being held in Grand Rapids.

The conference focuses on the economic and environmental advantages of buying from local stores and businesses.

Local First of Grand Rapids is hosting the conference, which started Tuesday with tours of West Michigan businesses known for using sustainable methods, as well as members of the furniture industry. You can click on the above link to learn more details about the conference, which does still have tickets available.

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) -- Republican leaders say they are glad to see State Representative Roy Schmidt join their party for his re-election race in the 76th District, but Michigan and Kent County Democrats say his switch on the filing deadline day is "dishonest" and "desperate."

Schmidt, a long-time moderate Democrat who previously served as a non-partisan Grand Rapids city commissioner, announced his switch to the GOP late Tuesday. In an statement emailed to WZZM 13's Peter Ross, Schmidt said he will still be dedicated to serving Grand Rapids, not partisan politics.

"The simple truth is, extreme Democratic Party bosses like Mark Brewer are unwilling to listen to ideas or accept my positions on issues that matter to me and Grand Rapids," Schmidt said in the statement.

Brewer, who is chairman of the state Democratic Party, issued his own statement on Schmidt's switch late Tuesday, saying the move was a "desperate, craven deed."

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) - Construction work at City Hall caused a fire alarm to go off and a brief evacuation Tuesday morning.

Craig Coulson, the Risk Manager, released a statement about 11:30am that contractors working on the City Hall roof replacement project were drilling a hole from the roof into the 10th floor elevator control room.  Cement dust from the drilling set off a smoke detector which was located in the control room. 

The evacuation of the City Hall is said to have been orderly.