Business and Economic News

U.S. Steel’s decline nearly killed this town. Its sale could save it
Braddock, Pennsylvania lost most of its population over the past almost 100 years, due largely to U.S. Steel's decline. Here's how some locals feel about the company's potential sale to the Japanese.
An organization has novel way to get members to vote. But is it legal?
The Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America, which helps members get affordable mortgages, says its 3.7 million members must vote or risk losing membership — and the financial benefits.
Should the minimum wage be lower for workers who get tipped? Two states are set to decide
Mel Nichols, a 37-year-old bartender in Phoenix, Arizona, takes home anywhere from $30 to $50 an hour with tips included. But the uncertainty of how much she's going to make on a daily basis is a constant source of stress.
Construction on commercial food kitchen starts in north Minneapolis
Collective Kitchens is a food incubator project created by the North Economic Opportunity Network, or NEON. The organization helps underserved and low-income entrepreneurs start businesses to build wealth within the community.   
Midwest chicken farmers struggle to feed flocks after sudden closure of processor
Dozens of farmers in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin are scrambling to feed their flocks after a struggling organic broiler chicken producer abruptly closed a year after getting a $39 million federal loan. Pure Prairie Poultry shuttered its Charles City, Iowa, processing plant after filing for bankruptcy in September.