GF Business News: ND jobs…air travel & retail

North Dakota’s unemployment rate inched up slightly in January.  The not-seasonally adjust rate was 2.6% last month.  That compares to 2% in December and 2.9% in January 2022.  North Dakota Job Service says the unemployed labor force totaled 10,601.

Leisure & Hospitality in Minnesota continued strong recovery from the pandemic, posting the largest growth (up 20,770 jobs) and outpaced the national rate (8.9% in MN, 8.3% in the US). This growth was driven by double-digit percentage increases in Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation, and Accommodation.  By comparison Minnesota’s manufacturing sector was up 7,519 jobs (2.4%).

North Dakota’s eight commercial service airports posted a total of 88,152 airline passenger boardings in February. That’s up 9% from the same month in 2022.  North Dakota Aeronautics Executive Director Kyle Wanner says March is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year for air travel in North Dakota as residents go about their spring break plans.  Boardings at the Grand Forks airport increased slightly last month.  Travel for the year is up 21% at the GFK.

The City of Grand Forks has issued a building permit for the fit-up of My Salon Suite at The Grove shopping complex at 4088 South Washington.  The permit puts the project at $634,000 dollars.

Ford is recalling more than 1.5 million vehicles in the U.S. in two actions to fix leaky brake hoses and windshield wiper arms that can break. The largest recall covers nearly 1.3 million 2013 through 2018 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKX midsize cars.  The second recall covers more than 222,000 F-150 pickups from 2021.

Honda is recalling a half-million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada because the front seat belts may not latch properly. The recall covers the 2017 through 2020 CR-V, the 2018 and 2019 Accord, the 2018 through 2020 Odyssey and the 2019 Insight. Also included is the Acura RDX from the 2019 and 2020 model years.  Owners will be notified by letter starting April 17.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports Polaris is recalling Sportsman All-terrain Vehicles due to a potential hazard.  An improperly assembled wiring harness can contact the brake line and/or vehicle frame during use which can result in a loss of the use of the front brakes and/or fire, posing fire and crash hazards.  Consumers are urged to contact a Polaris dealer to schedule a free repair.                   Website: http://www.polaris.com/en-us/off-road-recalls

The Mentor Center program in Grand Forks has been selected as a National School Boards Association 2023 Magna Silver Award winner.  The public school program targets middle and high school students with academic support, social-emotional support, and enrichment. The Mentor Center will be highlighted in the April issue of American School Board Journal, set to be published online (www.nsba.org/asbj) on March 20.

The 54th Annual UND Writers Conference will is scheduled March 23-25 at the Memorial Union.  Seven award-winning authors and artists will participate in the three-day event.  This year, the conference will examine “The Healing Arts,” a theme that emerged during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.