Economy
Trump vows to levy ‘horrible’ tariffs on imports, rejecting fears of inflation spike
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump defended his plans for steep tariffs on Tuesday, arguing economists who say that those higher costs would get passed onto consumers are incorrect and that his proposals would benefit American manufacturing. During an argumentative hour-long interview with Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait hosted by the Economic Club of Chicago, Trump vehemently […]
Understanding the Kansas City-area rent strike: Tenant rights and other key facts
Nearly 200 tenants launched a rent strike at the start of this month over what they see as intolerable living conditions at two large apartment buildings in Kansas City and Independence. The renters at Quality Hill Towers and Independence Towers are demanding better upkeep, repairs, collectively bargained leases and capping annual rent hikes at 3% […]
Regenerative farming practices require unlearning past advice
Early on a cool September morning, farmer Josh Payne tends to his flock in Concordia, just east of Kansas City. As Payne opens the gate, about a thousand sheep round the corner and bound into fresh grass. The pasture the flock grazes was once corn and soybeans, along with the rest of the Payne family […]
Roaches, rust and rot: KC tenant union launches rent strike against federally backed landlords
When you walk into the back entrance of Independence Towers, you’re met with a foyer filled with dust, debris and cobwebs. Two rust-coated elevators loom against the back wall. Peeling paint and caution tape line the dirt-ridden hallways on either side. Diasha White said it wasn’t always like this. She’s lived in the building for […]
Housing: Where do Trump and Harris stand?
WASHINGTON — As the cost and supply of housing remain top issues for voters, both presidential candidates have put forth plans to tackle the crisis, in hopes of courting voters ahead of the Nov. 5 election. The coronavirus pandemic that began in 2020 exacerbated problems in the housing market, with supply chain disruptions, record-low interest […]
Unemployment ticks down, labor market remains strong, latest numbers show
A month before voters cast their ballots, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released a report showing a strong labor market with growing wages, a lower unemployment rate, and the addition of 254,000 jobs to the economy. Eighty-one percent of registered voters say the economy is key to their vote for president this fall, according to a September Pew […]
Cost to enforce ban on intoxicating hemp products in Missouri estimated at nearly $900K
While a large part of Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s ban on intoxicating hemp products may be on pause, plans are underway to kick it back up next summer, according to a preliminary budget request by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The department has asked for $877,000 to fund “food inspection and litigation […]
Data, pilot projects showing food service robots may not threaten jobs
Though food service workers and economists have long worried about the impact technology would have on the restaurant labor force, pilot programs in several fast-casual restaurants over the last few years have shown it may not have the negative impact they feared, a labor economist says. Technology plays several roles in food service, but the […]
Farming among the trees: How perennial crops can help breathe life into depleted soil
On harvest days at Three Creeks Farm and Forest in the Missouri River valley, farm owner Emily Wright and her staff collect three varieties of leafy greens from the field. “We can’t really grow enough,” she said. “We try to have consistent supply throughout the course of our season — which is basically April to December — […]
Cannabis union drive stalls as company attempts to set national legal precedent
It’s been more than seven months since employees of St. Louis-based Beleaf Medical cannabis company held an election to unionize. The majority of the ballots — 11 of the 16 — have remained closed. “It’s been quite a while,” said Will Braddum, a post-harvest technician at the company’s Sinse facility in St. Louis. “We’re just […]
Some states want to make it easier to cancel subscriptions
When Tennessee state Rep. Bob Freeman, a Democrat, studied his cable and internet bill last year, he kept seeing recurring charges for app subscriptions he didn’t recognize. Turned out, his 14-year-old daughter had been signing up for subscriptions with introductory rates and never canceling when they rolled over to the full price. “I would question […]
The Fed says its long-awaited rate cut is apolitical, even close to the presidential election
The Federal Reserve’s first key interest rate cut in four years coincides with another major four-year event: the homestretch of the presidential election. Fed Chair Jerome Powell downplayed the central bank’s role in the race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on Wednesday, in announcing the half-percentage point cut in its […]