Economy
It’s Peanut Butter Jelly Time in McCalla: Smuckers opens biggest Uncrustables factory in the country
The facility represents a more than $1 billion capital investment from Smuckers and is predicted to bring in 750 jobs to the community.
Inflation is slowing, unless you’re ‘makin’ groceries’ for New Orleans gumbo. Here’s why
With a variety of ingredients from across the region, making a pot of gumbo can illustrate a lot of the ways inflation impacts the average grocery shopper.
Despite strong economic signs, food pantry lines are still growing in the Gulf South
The U.S. economy had a strong year, but more people found themselves in line at their local food pantry due to inflation and a weakened social safety net.
How One Utility In The Mississippi Delta Is Using Teamwork To Keep Faucets Flowing
Water providers in some rural communities across the region often fail to deliver clean and reliable water. Black Bayou Water Association is addressing that issue by connecting small utilities.
Will The Gulf Coast Amtrak Line Ever Leave The Station?
Plans for a passenger line connecting New Orleans with Mobile are underway, but opposition from the freight train industry could derail the service – and possibly President Joe Biden’s vision for an Amtrak resurgence.
Alabama Is In ‘Survival Mode’ Says University Of Alabama Economist
One economist says the country's deficit isn't as important as surviving the pandemic. He's advocating for renewed extra unemployment checks, injection $1 trillion a month into the country's budget and issuing another round of stimulus checks to working Americans.
Businesses Eagerly Reopen As Others Take A Phased Approach
On the first day many businesses were allowed to reopen since the pandemic, not all opted to jump back in.
Despite Relaxed COVID-19 Restrictions, Many Plan To Stay At Home
Gov. Kay Ivey will ease coronavirus restrictions starting at 5 p.m. Thursday. Under the new rules, businesses and all retailers can reopen. So will beaches and doctors offices. Nevertheless, many people plan to stay put.
Gov. Kay Ivey Taps Committee to Plan For Reopening Alabama’s Economy
Gov. Kay Ivey is creating a new executive committee that’ll field recommendations on when to reopen the state’s economy.
COVID-19 Repercussions Will Strain Next Fiscal Year’s State Budget
The state budget is sure to take a hit next year. Lawmakers say it's too early to tell how big it will be.
Ivey Proposes Education Investments, Cautious on Lottery in State of the State Address
Pay raises, new prisons, and a shift from and elected state school board to an appointed one were among the highlights of Gov. Kay Ivey's State of the State address.
How the Shipt-Target Deal Could Affect Birmingham
Target wants in on the same-day delivery business. And last week it announced it’s spending $550 million to buy the Birmingham-based startup, Shipt. The deal could have ripple effects for Birmingham.
What Birmingham Businesses Want From City Leaders
Birmingham business leaders weigh in on what they expect from city leadership. Birmingham's municipal elections will be August 22.
Climate Change Analysis Predicts Losses for South
Scientists and economists have put together a detailed analysis of potential economic damage from climate change. One takeaway: Alabama and the rest of the South could suffer more than other parts of the country.
When the Nation’s Top Polluter Drives a Small-Town Economy
The Miller Electric Generating Plant in West Jefferson is the nation's top greenhouse gas polluter. But it's boosted the town's economy, and many residents aren't concerned about pollution.
How the Transgender Bathroom Bill Could Affect Business
One item soon to make its way through the Alabama Legislature is the bathroom bill. It’s officially known as the Alabama Privacy Act, and it’s believed to target transgender people. Sen. Phil Williams pre-filed the bill, which requires that an attendant be stationed inside mixed-gender bathrooms. On this week’s Magic City Marketplace, Ty West, editor of […]
Investment in Alabama Doubled in 2015, Report Finds
A report out today from state officials shows Alabama attracted more than $7 billion in investments and added nearly 20,000 new jobs last year.
Bilingual Ed in the South: Enormous Economic Consequences
Students who don’t speak English as their first language – or “language minorities” – rank toward the bottom in almost every measure of academic achievement. Moral and legal concerns aside, even if their population were to stop rising, the situation signifies a looming hit to the national and regional economies. This week we’ve been exploring […]
President Obama Speaks in Birmingham
More than a thousand people gathered Thursday afternoon at Lawson State Community College in Birmingham to hear a speech by President Barack Obama. He used the visit to promote ideas he says will help working families and to tout proposed new rules on payday lenders. While the remarks were about policy, for many people, the fact they heard a sitting president speak in Birmingham represented a once in a lifetime opportunity.
