Even Minnesota’s state economist isn’t so sure about the economy right now
Laura Kalambokidis, Minnesota government’s top economist for the last decade, said she worries not only about looming economic threats but the uncertainty of what’s to come.
Economy
How the pandemic exacerbated Greater Minnesota’s workforce challenges
In the second quarter of 2021, job vacancies topped 7 percent for all regions of the state. They were higher than 9 percent in Southeast and Northeast Minnesota.
Minnesota’s first Black-owned bank opens its doors
First Independence Bank comes to Minnesota with goals of shrinking housing disparities and cashing in on the many investment opportunities that come with banking in the Twin Cities.
For recruitment and retention, some Minnesota businesses are turning to same-day pay
But more than easing potential concerns, financial services companies say same-day pay eliminates the need for payday loans, credit cards and other traps people are falling into when they are short on money.
Why home prices in the Twin Cities keep going up
The rise in housing prices is nothing new, though prices weren’t rising quite this steeply until the pandemic hit.
More Minnesotans are getting back into the workforce. But the state’s labor force participation rate may never be what it once was.
The shortfall is being felt by employers, who are still struggling to hire staff, but also by consumers.
Make that $9.25 billion: Minnesota budget forecast increases an additional $1.5 billion
The increase in the surplus for the current two-year budget grew from $7.75 billion to $9.25 billi0n.
Wisconsin bill would grant utilities a monopoly on building transmission projects
The legislation makes Wisconsin the latest state to push back against a 2011 federal order promoting competition.
Four years after a contentious fight over short-term rentals, how have the regulations played out in Minneapolis and St. Paul?
Although there were initially concerns about enforcement and restriction of an already strained housing supply, neither city has seen a major uptick in complaints.
Ice cream, HVAC and pickleball: what Minnesota towns are doing with their old Shopko spaces
Three years after Shopko declared bankruptcy and shuttered all its stores, many of the buildings have been put to new use.
When dangerous strains of salmonella hit, the turkey industry responded forcefully. The chicken industry? Not so much.
Consolidation in the poultry industry may be fueling widespread salmonella outbreaks. Turkey companies worked with researchers to eradicate one. So why can’t the chicken industry do the same?
Online retail sales are way up. So are local sales tax collections in Minnesota.
A report from the Center for Rural Policy and Development showed some counties’ local sales tax collections up 20 to 30 percent since 2015.
Why Land O’Lakes’ CEO pushed so hard for rural broadband in the infrastructure bill
CEO Beth Ford led a three-year advocacy drive to push for high-speed internet service for rural and underserved communities.
The worker shortage is affecting every corner of the state. But it’s hitting Greater Minnesota especially hard.
While the tight labor market isn’t new, it has gotten worse since the onset of the pandemic. Minnesota’s labor force participation rate has dropped to a point it hasn’t seen since the late ’70s, when fewer women were in the workforce.
Consumers are still seeing higher prices for goods. Is it more than just a lingering effect of the pandemic?
In recent months, the cost of groceries, clothing, housing, gas and cars, among other goods, has been increasing, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
EPA nixes Minnesota Legislature’s bid to relax feedlot regulations
The federal agency said the 2021 law would be an “improper modification” to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s authority around clean water rules.
Target is from Minnesota — but is Minnesota the most Target-y state?
Are we the true center of the bullseye?
Why California’s new pork rules could mean big changes for Minnesota hog farmers
Minnesota is the second-largest hog producing state in the nation, and a lot of that meat is sold in California, where voters recently changed the rules on what kind of pork can be sold in the state.
Will there be enough workers for the State Fair?
With a shortage of workers across many industries, some fair vendors are behind pace on hiring for the fair, which is just under a month away.
