Business owners ponder whether to require COVID-19 shots
Employers can require many staffers to be vaccinated under guidelines from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Associated Press
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GM’s Chevy Bolt SUV joins parade of new U.S. electric vehicles
The Bolt will bring the total number of EVs on sale in the U.S. to at least 23, and Edmunds.com expects that figure to reach 30 this year.
Senate votes to acquit Trump in historic impeachment trial
The vote was 57-43, short of the two-thirds needed for conviction. Seven Republicans broke for their party to find Trump guilty.
CDC: Strong evidence in-person schooling can be done safely
The nation’s top public health agency said Friday that in-person schooling can resume safely with masks, social distancing and other strategies, but vaccination of teachers, while important, is not a prerequisite for reopening.
Biden: Governors, mayors need $350B to fight COVID-19 impact
Republican lawmakers have stressed that some past aid to state and local governments remains unspent and revenues have rebounded after slumping when the coronavirus first hit.
Amazon faces biggest union push in its history
The stakes are high. If organizers succeed in Bessemer, Alabama, it could set off a chain reaction across Amazon’s operations nationwide, with thousands more workers rising up and demanding better working conditions.
Airlines push White House to reject testing for U.S. flights
Airlines are strongly opposed to requiring coronavirus testing before domestic flights, saying it would further devastate air travel, which has still not returned even to half its pre-pandemic level.
Democrats pushing Biden’s COVID-19 bill through House committees
The Ways and Means Committee approved its $940 billion chunk of Biden’s proposal on a 25-18 party-line vote, highlighting a frenzied week that’s seeing a dozen House panels fashion contributions to the sprawling measure.
Valparaiso University dropping Crusaders sports nickname
President-elect Jose Padilla will oversee a committee that will consider adopting a new team name and mascot for the 3,100-student, Lutheran school in northwest Indiana.
Bombardier to end Learjet production, cut 1,600 jobs
Canada’s Bombardier announced Thursday that it will stop production of the Learjet later this year to focus on more profitable planes. The iconic jet was among the first private luxury planes.
Autoworkers will face uncertain future in era of electric cars
For workers at GM and other automakers, the future could be perilous. The more environmentally focused plants of the future will need significantly fewer workers, mainly because electric vehicles contain 30% to 40% fewer moving parts than petroleum-run vehicles.
U.S. unemployment claims tick down slightly
Thursday’s government report showed a sizable rise in the total number of Americans who are receiving jobless aid, including through extended benefit programs—a sign that long-term unemployment may be growing.
United: Small electric air taxis will zip people to airports
United Airlines said Wednesday it will buy up to 200 small electric air taxis to help customers in urban areas get to the airport.
Biden backs off on TikTok ban in review of Trump China moves
Separately, the Biden administration has “indefinitely” shelved a proposed U.S. takeover of TikTok, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Dow hits another record in up-and-down day of trading
Treasury yields fell after a government report showed that inflation remained tame last month. That’s encouraging for investors because it suggests the U.S. economy will be able to receive more stimulus without overheating.
Michelle Obama to team up with puppets for a kids’ food show
The new show, called “Waffles + Mochi,” launches March 16 and will be “all about good food: discovering it, cooking it, and of course, eating it,” the former first lady posted on Instagram on Tuesday. The 20-minute episodes will combine live action and puppets, and Obama will be a series regular.
Survey: Third of U.S. adults skeptical of COVID-19 vaccinations
Of those who said they definitely will not get the vaccine, 65% cited worries about side effects, despite the shots’ safety record over the past months. About the same percentage said they don’t trust COVID-19 vaccines.
Powell stresses commitment to full employment, low rates
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Wednesday underscored the Fed’s commitment to reducing unemployment to multi-decade lows, while signaling little concern about the risk of potentially high inflation or financial market instability.
U.S. consumer prices up 0.3% in January, led by energy spike
Energy costs jumped 3.5%, led by a 7.4% surge in gasoline. Even with the spike, gasoline prices are 8.7% below where they were a year ago.
Dems attempt to push through school funding, wage increase
Democrats hope to rush the bill to Biden for his signature by mid-March, using a special budget-related process allowing certain legislation to be approved by a simple majority.