National

July 15 extended deadline for taxes approaches

With the onset of COVID-19 in the spring, the federal government postponed the traditional April 15 filing deadline until July 15. The extended deadline provided some economic and logistical relief for taxpayers dealing with the disruptions and uncertainty brought on… more

Childcare costs cause concern for parents wanting to go back to work

In the lasting impact COVID-19 has had, one concern among many is the cost of childcare and the fear that the pandemic will continue to put parents in a tough spot when it comes to weighing childcare options. As many… more

Postmates acquired by Uber for $2.65 billion

Postmates, one of the largest food delivery services in the U.S., agrees to purchase by Uber Eats, which trails only DoorDash in market share. Uber intends to keep the Postmates app running separately, “supported by a more efficient, combined merchant… more

Sprint 5G service is deactivated, T-Mobile moves customers to its network

After formally completing the sale of Boost, Virgin and other Sprint prepaid networks to Dish, T-Mobile is bringing Sprint 5G to an end. The move is one in a long list of issues that need sorting out in the wake of… more

Coping with COVID: U.S. surpasses 3 million cases

Depending on whether one sees increasing case counts as a step toward herd immunity or an indicator of failed efforts to control the spread, new figures from worldometers.com reflect a milestone for the U.S.: As of today, the nation has… more

Employment Situation Summary data reveals positive numbers for June

Total non-farm payroll employment rose by 4.8 million in June and the unemployment rate declined to 11.1 percent, according to a news release from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. These improvements in the labor market reflected the continued resumption… more

Mid-America economy in June shows an advance above growth neutral

June survey highlights from the Mid-America Business Conditions Index show that for a ninth straight month, the overall index rose above growth neutral. On average, bankers estimated that farmland prices declined by 4.0 percent over the past 12 months and… more

In a Nutshell by Ken Herman

One of the most controversial ideas I have ever heard is to defund, dismantle and/or do away with our police forces throughout the country.  Could there be a worse time to even bring this suggestion up (given the riots and… more

Fauci expresses concern with new outbreak

Top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci addressed senators in a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee Tuesday, saying that the U.S. is, “going in the wrong direction” with the recent coronavirus surge. Fauci said some… more

Dim sentiment, brighter outlook

The Current RMI fell into the basement to a value of 9.2, the lowest level since RCLCO began recording the index at the end of the Great Recession, according to a Wednesday report from RCLCO Real Estate. The previous low… more