Business and Government


Unemployment Claims Hit Record Numbers

Initial unemployment claims hit 3.283 million for the week ended March 21, the "highest the highest level of seasonally adjusted initial claims in the history of the seasonally adjusted series," says the Department of Labor in its weekly unemployment report.… more

KU Health: Progress, but a Long Road Ahead

On the first full day of the regional stay-at-home directive to combat spread of the COVID-19 virus, officials from the University of Kansas Health System offered a good news/bad news update on changing conditions at the largest health-care provider in… more

KS Gov. Kelley Providing Hospitality Industry Financial Relief

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has announced the allocation of $5 million to go to businesses in the hospitality industry impacted by COVID-19. Businesses could get a one-time loan of $20 million at zero percent interest without required payments for four… more

United Airlines Suspends K.C.-San Francisco Route

United Airlines has decided to temporary halt flights between Kansas City International and San Francisco International Airport, as well as several routes between other cities around the country. Meanwhile, starting mid next month, Southwest Airlines said it would bring flights… more

Mayor Lucas Issues State of Emergency

Mayor Quinton Lucas has issued a State of Emergency in Kansas City that will last for an initial 21 days in order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. One of the main conditions of the order issued prohibits… more

U.S. Job Report Strong Amid Coronavirus Concerns

The global coronavirus outbreak hasn't hurt the strong U.S. labor market ... yet. Unemployment in February dropped slightly, to 3.5 percent from 3.6 percent in January, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile, national payrolls rose by 273,000… more

Blue KC Assisting Free City Transit Efforts

Last night during his state of the city address, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said that Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas City is in the works to make a major contribution to the city's "Zero Fare Transit" initiative,… more

Waddell & Reed Signs Lease to Move Downtown

Waddell & Reed has signed a lease to move its headquarters from Overland Park into a yet-to-be constructed building in Downtown Kansas City, and company management expects construction to start within two months. The plans, forecast for completion in 2022,… more

Hoping for Hyperloop? Missouri Residents Have Company

Missouri economic-development and community leaders have been pushing hard to land the first U.S. installment of Virgin Hyperloop One, a high-speed transportation platform that could one day send travelers to destinations at up to 700 miles per hour and make… more

Waddell & Reed Wins Approval for Downtown Move

Overland Park-based Waddell & Reed plans to move its headquarters to Downtown Kansas City, and it's not planning to go into the proposed Strata development. The city's Neighborhood Planning and Development committee passed a package of incentives for the move,… more