Iowa Corn Silking Surges After Hot, Dry Week

 

DES MOINES — The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported this week that Iowa corn silking reached 38% for the July 6–12 reporting period, rising sharply from 8% the prior week and placing the crop five percentage points ahead of last year and nine points ahead of the five-year average. State data...

Louisiana Hits Record 2.01 Million Jobs in May

 

BATON ROUGE, La. Leaders for a Better Louisiana reported on Tuesday that Louisiana reached a record 2.01 million nonfarm jobs in May, keeping employment above two million for the fourth consecutive month. The quarterly update noted a year-over-year increase of 16,700 jobs and identified construction as the largest source of...

Illinois fiscal rankings, waste survey, and water hearing converge

 

Illinois was the focus of three recent developments: U.S. News & World Report ranked the state near the bottom for long-term fiscal stability this week, the University of Illinois Extension launched a household food-waste survey in Urbana to gather behavioral data, and residents in Bolingbrook publicly opposed Illinois American Water’s...

Washington: Supreme Court ruling triggers $81 billion tariff refunds

 

The U.S. government has refunded $81 billion to commercial importers after the Supreme Court ruled a key part of former President Donald Trump’s tariff program unlawful. In a 6–3 decision on February 20, 2026, in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump and Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, Inc., the Court held that...

United States Fed governor warns of potential rate hike

 

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said Monday that the U.S. central bank may need to raise interest rates in the near term if core inflation remains elevated. Speaking at an event in New York, Waller cited persistent strength in the economy, stable labor markets and resilient consumer demand, while warning...

United States economists warn of rapid AI upheaval

 

STANFORD, California — More than 200 leading economists and artificial intelligence researchers, including sixteen Nobel Laureates, have issued a joint statement warning that rapid advances in AI could cause unprecedented economic disruption. The document, titled "We Must Act Now: A Statement on AI's Transformation of the Economy," was released on...

Florida Gas Prices Rise After Renewed U.S.-Iran Tensions

 

Florida drivers saw higher gasoline costs this week after renewed tensions between the United States and Iran pushed oil prices higher overnight. AAA reported in early trading U.S. crude rose nearly $2.50 per barrel, about a 3% increase from Friday's close of $71.41, reflecting concerns about transit through the Strait...

Southeast gas prices rise amid international tensions, reports

 

CHARLESTON, S.C. — GasBuddy reported Monday that South Carolina's average price for regular gasoline rose 14.9 cents over the past week to $3.55 per gallon, while the national average increased 10.3 cents to $3.82, ending an eight-week streak of declines. AAA reported this week that Florida's state average also climbed...

Washington Fed warns on rising US inflation pressures

 

Washington, United States – The Federal Reserve, in its semi-annual Monetary Policy Report to Congress released on Friday, July 11, reported that US inflation has re-accelerated and pledged to act forcefully to restore price stability. The central bank said its preferred gauge, the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index, climbed 1.6...

United States Fed split as oil tops $80

 

The United States Federal Reserve is sharply divided over whether to raise interest rates further under newly appointed Chair Kevin Warsh, as inflation risks intensify following a renewed surge in global oil prices. Minutes from the June 16–17, 2026 Federal Open Market Committee meeting show policymakers evenly split between holding...