Missouri landowners and environmentalists are urging a federal agency to sanction a levee district on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River, arguing that the earthen barrier has been built above its authorized height, worsening flooding for its neighbors. Great ...
Read More »Profiting off presidency? Trump biz takes hit since election
When workers pried the Trump name off another Manhattan building earlier this year, it capped a bad few weeks for the president’s businesses. Donald Trump’s golf resorts in Scotland had just posted millions of dollars in losses, one of his ...
Read More »Liz Weston: It’s time to fix Social Security’s tax burden
People on Social Security need a tax break. The rest of us need to make sure they get it — for everyone’s sake. When Congress made Social Security benefits taxable in 1983, lawmakers didn’t index the tax thresholds to inflation. ...
Read More »New year, higher pay: 2019 changes affecting small business
Many small businesses will see their labor costs increase in 2019. Seventeen states are raising their minimum wages Jan. 1, and a number of others will follow suit later in the year. Some of the increases were scheduled by legislation ...
Read More »US economy grew at 3.4 percent rate in third quarter
The U.S. economy expanded at a solid 3.4 percent annual rate in the third quarter, slightly slower than the previous estimate as consumer spending and exports were revised lower. The economy is expected to slow further in the current quarter. ...
Read More »Rural bankers survey climbs back up to growth level
A monthly survey of rural bankers in parts of 10 Plains and Western states suggests the regional economy is growing. The overall index of the Creighton University Rural Mainstreet survey for December climbed back above growth neutral to hit 54.2, ...
Read More »Walgreens starts fiscal 2019 better than analysts expected
Walgreens Boots Alliance topped Wall Street forecasts for its fiscal first quarter, helped partially by a sales boost provided by stores acquired from smaller rival Rite Aid. Revenue for the drugstore chain jumped about 10 percent to $33.8 billion, with ...
Read More »The Fed cares when the stock market freaks out – but only when it turns into a bear
Stocks have been falling for more than two months, with investors all but begging the Federal Reserve to stop lifting short-term interest rates. Higher rates hurt stocks by making other, less risky investments look more attractive and by driving up ...
Read More »House budget chairman appointed as next Missouri treasurer
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said Wednesday that he is appointing the chairman of the House Budget Committee to serve as the next state treasurer, adding another link to a chain-reaction of office shuffling among Missouri’s top elected officials. Republican Rep. ...
Read More »US home sales rose 1.9 percent in November
U.S. home sales increased in November for the second straight month, but sales plummeted 7 percent from a year ago amid growing affordability pressures. The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that sales of existing homes rose 1.9 percent to ...
Read More »US home construction rose last month, led by apartments
U.S. developers broke ground on more homes last month, but the increase occurred entirely in apartments. The construction of new single-family houses fell. The Commerce Department said Tuesday that housing starts rose 3.2 percent in November from the previous month ...
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