An inflation gauge that is closely monitored by the Federal Reserve jumped 6.1% in January compared with a year ago, the latest evidence that Americans are enduring sharp price increases that will likely worsen after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It was the largest year-over-year rise since 1982. Robust consumer spending has combined with widespread product and worker shortages to create the highest inflation in four decades.
The number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits fell to a 52-year low after another decline in jobless aid applications last week. Jobless claims fell by 17,000, from 249,000 to 232,000 for the week ending Feb. 19. The four-week average for claims, which compensates for weekly volatility, fell by 7,250 to 236,250. In total, 1,476,000 Americans were collecting jobless aid the week that ended Feb. 5.
Grand Forks sales tax collections hit a record high in the February payment. The city collected over $3.3 million dollars. That pushes the two month tally in 2022 to $5,561,025.63 – up over 33% from one year ago. The previous record for a monthly collection was $3.14 million dollars in August 2019.
A couple of empty storefronts are being filled in Grand Forks. The city has issued building permits to the tune of $994,955 for Ulta Beauty at 3701 32nd Avenue South. An opening date has not been set. A permit has also been issued for a $600,000 fit up at 1440 South Washington for Pluto’s – a tobacco retailer.
The governors of four Rocky Mountain states say they will cooperate on developing ways to make hydrogen more available and useful as clean-burning fuel for cars, trucks and trains. Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming announced Thursday they’ll plan a “hydrogen hub” to be built somewhere in the region. The project will draw from $8 billion in recently approved federal infrastructure funding for four or more such regional hubs in the U.S.
The North Dakota Department of Commerce announced today that the Innovation Technology Loan Fund (LIFT) Committee awarded a total of $750,000 to two companies for the month of February. Among those to receive funds is Tailorie, Inc., a Grand Forks company that developed a social discovery platform connecting consumers with brands. The company will use $250,000 to increase team size and onboard customers to the app.
North Dakota’s eight commercial service airports posted a total of 73,117 airline passenger boardings during the month of January, 2022. This is a 73% increase over the January, 2021 numbers. Kyle Wanner, Executive Director of the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission says airlines continue to cite difficulties with their ability to increase flights and capacity due to workforce shortages and fleet availability. Nearly six-thousand passengers passed through the gates at the GFK.
Ford is recalling nearly a quarter-million heavy duty pickup trucks in the U.S. because the drive shafts can fracture and cause a loss of power. The recall covers certain F-250 and F-350 Super Duty pickups from the 2017 through 2022 model years. The trucks have gasoline engines and aluminum drive shafts.
U.S. auto safety regulators are investigating complaints that the automatic emergency braking systems on more than 1.7 million newer Hondas can stop the vehicles for no reason. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it has 278 complaints that the problem can happen in 2017 through 2019 CR-Vs and 2018 and 2019 Accords.
Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says dramatic increases in the price of farm fertilizers have prompted him to look into the causes and whether farmers have been subjected to unfair practices. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and other state attorneys general are committed to helping conduct market research to assess the soaring prices. For example, anhydrous ammonia, a corn fertilizer, is up more than 300% from last year.
Marcy Svenningsen will serve as Farm Service Agency (FSA) state executive director for North Dakota. Svenningsen and her husband own and operate a farm and ranch near Valley City where they produce wheat, corn, soybeans and feed. For over thirty years, she worked as the Finance Director for the Valley City Open Door Center, a non-profit corporation that provides services to individuals with disabilities.
The North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) Presidential Search Committee has announced that each of the four presidential candidates will hold open forums in the Harry Stern and Ella Stern Cultural Center during campus visits from March 2-8. Candidates include: Jeanine Gangeness, Ph.D…. Carmen Simone, Ph.D…. Dimitria Harding, Ed.D….and Rod Flanigan, Ph.D.
The more than $6 billion sale of Venetian properties on the Las Vegas Strip has been completed. The new and old owners of the Venetian and Palazzo casino resorts and the former Sands Expo and Convention Center said Wednesday that gamblers, conventioneers and hotel guests should see few changes. New York-based VICI Properties bought assets associated with the Venetian Resort Las Vegas and the Venetian Expo for $4 billion.
Eight Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in North Dakota have been named to the Top 100 CAHs for 2022, according to The Chartis Center for Rural Health. North Dakota CAHs Recognized:
• Towner County Medical Center in Cando
• Pembina County Memorial Hospital in Cavalier
• CHI St. Alexius Health Dickinson
• Jacobson Memorial Hospital Care Center in Elgin
• Sakakawea Medical Center in Hazen
• West River Health Services in Hettinger
• Jamestown Regional Medical Center
• Linton Hospital
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