Business News: ND unemployment…CIA groundbreaking & kids and cellphones

North Dakota’s July not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 1.9 percent.  The unemployment rate declined 0.4 of a percentage point from June.  A total of 7,985 residents were in search of work last month.

Minnesota’s labor force increased by more than 3,900 people in July – the fifth month in a row of growth.  The jump put the state’s labor force participation rate at 68.5%.  Four supersectors posted growth in Minnesota, led by Trade, Transportation & Utilities, which added 2,900 jobs; Education & Health Services which added 1,500 jobs; and Professional & Business Services, which added 500 jobs.

North Dakota Health and Human Services says the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program’s standard of need has increased to 50% of the federal poverty level. The program is intended to move families from public assistance to self-sufficiency by providing cash assistance along with work readiness, training and job placement services.  Previously, families were only able to receive TANF assistance if their earned income was within 20-25% of the federal poverty level.

FEMA has approved more than $3.1 million dollars in federal disaster funding to the Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative for a distribution system reroute and repairs as part of a substation upgrade.  The combined force of a severe winter storm, high winds and flooding damaged the cooperative’s electric infrastructure.  FEMA is providing a 75 percent federal cost share.  FEMA assistance to North Dakota for this event has now surpassed $37 million.

A recent study suggests 83% of parents looking to buy a first phone for their child prioritize parental controls as their most crucial feature. When asked what age children should have phones, a majority (64%) of those surveyed said between 10 to 15 years old is an appropriate time. One-fifth say children should not have phones for any reason under the age of 15.

Grand Forks leaders may be eyeing a groundbreaking date for the proposed Career Impact Academy during the first week in October.  The event would coincide with a scheduled visit by the Department of Career & Technical Education.  The group is required to complete Program Vision Visits each year.  The stop in Grand Forks is set for October 2-4.

Hawkes Manufacturing of East Grand Forks is working to secure a low interest city loan to supplement a $147,000 dollar investment in new computer equipment.  The EGF EDA reviewed the $49,000 dollar loan application this past week.  The loan would carry a 1% interest rate over ten years.

Target reported its first quarterly sales drop in six years, dragged down by shoppers’ inflation worries and a negative reaction by some customers to its Pride merchandise. The Minnesota-based retailer said it expects high interest rates, which makes credit cards more expensive to use, and higher prices on food to continue to put a strain on customers. The chain cut its profit outlook for the year.

The U.S. Air Force is throwing its support behind a program to develop a sleek, futuristic-looking jet that could provide greater range and efficiency for military tankers and cargo planes. Air Force officials announced a $235 million award for start-up aircraft maker JetZero. The company says it will build a full-size demonstrator blended-wing plane that will be ready to fly in 2027.

With tens of thousands of jobs and more than $20 billion in economic activity, there’s little doubt that craft beer equals big business in the Midwest.  Craft breweries are a hit nationwide, too. The Brewers Association estimates that in 2022, the craft brewing industry contributed more than $70 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 400,000 jobs.

Beauty Unis and SP Apparel will replace Adidas as the provider of University of North Dakota (UND) replica hockey jerseys at the Sioux Shop.  Adidas will continue to be the official athletic footwear, apparel, and accessory brand for UND Athletics, but is no longer offering replica hockey jerseys for retail stores.  The Sioux Shop will offer both brands of replica jerseys, along with Adidas authentic jerseys.

More than 1.5 million dehumidifiers are under recall following reports of nearly two dozen fires.  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says the recall impacts 42 models of dehumidifiers sold under five brand names: Kenmore, GE, SoleusAir, Norpole and Seabreeze. These products, all manufactured by the Zhuhai, China-based Gree Electric Appliances, were sold from 2011 to 2014 at major retailers nationwide.