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Share of Home Buyers Paying Cash Reaches New High
© AP Nearly 70 percent of homes in Miami, like this one in the city’s Coconut Grove neighborhood, were purchased with cash in early 2014. Florida ranked first among states with the highest percentage of all-cash sales so far this year. Cash is king, especially for those buying homes in Florida: A stunning 64 percent […]
Selling Manufacturing to a New Generation
Chris Ronsman, a junior at Green Bay West High School in Wisconsin, works at a manual lathe turning down a piece of aluminum round stock. Employers in many states are trying to encourage students to consider careers in manufacturing. (Green Bay West High School) Follow on Twitter Manufacturers across the United States are targeting schools […]
Hiring Outlook Brighter for College Grads
Brooke Southwell of Evansville, Indiana, expresses thanks to her parents as she waits for the start of her graduation ceremony earlier this month at the University of Southern Indiana. Two out of three employers say they plan to hire from this year’s college graduates, a survey found. (AP) America’s jobs machine finally may be churning […]
States Confront “New Mindset” on Home Care Workers’ Wages
A home health aide, left, makes coffee for her client in Florida. Beginning in 2015, Florida and 28 other states must apply minimum wage and overtime provisions to home health care workers. (AP) Follow on Twitter A new rule from the Obama administration designed to provide better pay and working conditions to 2 million home […]
Tipped Workers Get a Raise
TWEET THIS FACT Waiters, bartenders, hairdressers and other Minnesota workers who rely on tips got a big raise last week when the state guaranteed them the same $9.50 hourly minimum wage that other workers will get. Minnesota is one of five states (along with Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and West Virginia) plus the District of Columbia […]
Minimum Wage at the Forefront, With Eye on Elections
Demonstrators rally at the state Capitol in St. Paul, Minn., calling for lawmakers to raise the minimum wage. In April, Minnesota became the fifth state to do so this year. (AP) (CORRECTION: Updated 4/15/2014 to correct number of states where voters approved minimum wage ballot initiatives) A wave of efforts to raise the minimum wage at […]
Aerospace Manufacturing Takes Off in Southern States
Workers assemble Boeing 787s in the company’s North Carolina plant. The company’s decision to locate in North Charleston has increased aerospace jobs in the state by 600 percent since 2007. Other Southern states have also lured aviation companies. (AP) The South is home to auto giants Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Nissan Motor Co. It is increasingly […]
Nevada Joins Top 10 States in Job Growth
Nevada, which still has the country’s second-highest unemployment rate, has cracked the Top 10 states for non-agricultural job growth for the first time since the recession, new research shows. Energy-rich North Dakota continues to rank first, but 12 states showed job growth of at least 2 percent in 2013, according to the W. P. Carey School of […]
Many States Weigh GMO Labels
A man protests against genetically modified food at a rally last fall at the Oregon Capitol. This year as many as 25 states are expected to consider requiring special labels on genetically modified foods. (AP) This year, at least half the states may consider requiring special labels on food that has been genetically modified to […]
States Lag in Educating Students About Personal Finance
Students at Calera High School in Alabama surround New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram, center left, and Alabama Treasurer Young Boozer after playing an online game of Financial Football that teaches financial literacy. Alabama recently began requiring that high school students take a personal finance course. (Courtesy Office of Alabama State Treasurer) Students paid […]
States Brace for Utilities, Solar Advocates Clash
Abita Brewing Co. in Louisiana installed a rooftop solar system last fall to power its brew house. The growing popularity of solar energy is worrying some utility companies. (AP) Someone is installing a solar power system in the U.S. every four minutes. Generous state and federal tax credits for hooking up solar panels on roofs […]