May retail sales fell 1.3% as Americans spent less on goods
Retail sales fell in May, dragged down by a decline in auto sales and a shift by Americans to spend more on vacations and other services instead of goods.
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Indiana ice cream plant closing, eliminating 176 jobs
The Decatur plant produces ice cream products for the Mayfield Dairy, Dean’s Country Fresh and Friendly’s brands.
MacKenzie Scott, citing wealth gap, donates $2.7B to charities, racial equity causes
It’s the third round of major philanthropic gifts Scott has made, which together rival the charitable contributions made by the largest foundations.
Workers push back against hospitals requiring COVID vaccines
Legal experts say such vaccine requirements, particularly in a public health crisis, will probably continue to be upheld in court as long as employers provide reasonable exemptions, including for medical conditions or religious objections.
Delicate task for Fed: When to pull back on low-rate support
With inflation rising in a fast-rebounding economy, the Federal Reserve is poised this week to discuss when it will take its first steps toward dialing back its ultra-low interest rate policies. It will be a fraught discussion.
GM to announce more battery plants this week
The factories would be in addition to two battery cell plants that the company announced in the past two years, both geared to ramp up production as GM rolls out 30 new electric vehicles globally by 2025, with more than two-thirds sold in North America.
Pandemic leaves Girl Scouts with 15 million unsold boxes of cookies
As the pandemic wore into the spring selling season, many troops nixed their traditional cookie booths for safety reasons.
Large study finds new COVID-19 shot about 90% effective
The Novavax vaccine, which is easy to store and transport, is expected to play an important role in boosting vaccine supplies in the developing world.
Judge tosses hospital workers’ suit over vaccine requirement
In a scathing ruling Saturday, U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes of Houston deemed lead plaintiff Jennifer Bridges’ contention that the vaccines are “experimental and dangerous” to be false and otherwise irrelevant.
Travel rebound: 2 million people go through U.S. airports
The Transportation Security Administration announced Saturday that 2.03 million travelers were screened at airport checkpoints on Friday. It was the first time in 15 months that the number of security screenings has surpassed 2 million in a single day.
Schools across U.S. brace for surge of kindergartners in fall
School districts across the United States are hiring additional teachers in anticipation of what will be one of the largest kindergarten classes ever as enrollment rebounds following the coronavirus pandemic.
Bayh, Coats taking Indiana University roles
Former U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh will work with the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, while Former Sen. Dan Coats will join the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies.
Law enforcement struggling to recruit since death of George Floyd
Law enforcement agencies across the country experienced a wave of retirements and departures in the year since George Floyd’s death. Meanwhile, hiring has slowed.
Senators eye $579B in new infrastructure spending as part of $1T plan
Lawmakers say the group’s tentative agreement represents important progress in fashioning a bill that can pass such an evenly divided Congress this year, but they are also aware that it could easily unravel.
College Football Playoff considering expansion to 12 teams
The College Football Playoff announced Thursday it will consider expanding from four to 12 teams to settle the championship, with six spots reserved for the highest-ranked conference champions and the other six going to at-large selections.
New federal COVID-19 safety rules exempt most employers
The Biden administration has exempted most employers from long-awaited rules for protecting workers from the coronavirus, angering labor advocates who had spent more than a year lobbying for the protections.
Medicare copays for new Alzheimer’s drug could reach $11,500
Separately, Dr. Aaron Kesselheim of Harvard University became the third member of an FDA advisory panel that opposed the drug to step down over the decision to approve it.
Superstar Racing Experience made-for-TV series debuts with Indy 500 winner
Ray Evernham and Tony Stewart took great care in extending invites to the made-for-TV league they had co-created. They thoughtfully pulled in a dozen of the most iconic names in modern day motorsports. Never did they expect the reigning Indianapolis 500 winner to be in the field.
Indiana court nixes Land Rover seizure over $400 drug deal
An Indiana man whose $35,000 Land Rover was seized after his arrest for selling heroin will get to keep the vehicle, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled Thursday, more than two years after the U.S. Supreme Court sided with him in a key ruling on criminal fines.
Millennial Money: Trial, error, and what I learned in my 20s
Choose a budgeting system that reflects who you are.