Regional

Employment Falls By 700,000 in March

Total payroll employment in March fell by 701,000 primarily due to COVID-19, according to a recent Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report, and the unemployment rate hit 4.4 percent, up 0.9 percent from the previous month. That marks the biggest… more

KU Health Says COVID-19 Census Steady

The University of Kansas Health System reported this morning that its inpatient census of COVID-19 was unchanged since Friday, at 33, a hopeful sign that efforts to contain the spread were paying off. Three of the physicans at the main… more

Banks Cleared to Make Relief Loans

Federal relief for small businesses slammed with cash-flow challenges during the COVID-19 recession has begun flowing, as banks have the green light to begin making loans under the CARES Act’s Paycheck Protection Program. PPP has set aside $349 billion for… more

KC Housing Listings Drop Dramatically

Much as they have nationwide, home listings in the Kansas City area have dropped dramatically due to the COVID-19 outbreak. A report by Realtor.com says that home listings in the metro have dropped by 24.6 percent. That makes places it… more

Report: Missouri Will Be the Last State to See a COVID-19 Peak

The State of Missouri will experience its peak of resources needed to deal with COVID-19 on May 19, the longest it will take all 50 states to hit that milestone, according to a report from the University of Washington's Institute… more

Unemployment Claims Unfortunately Break More Records

The unemployment picture in the United States has gotten a lot more grim, due to COVID-19 shock waves. For the week ended March 28, unemployment claims hit 6.448 million, a new record since the numbers have been tracked by the… more

$2B Acquisition of Kissner Group Closes

Holding company Stone Canyon Industries Holdings (SCIH), based in Los Angeles, has closed on the the $2 billion acquisition of Overland Park-based Kissner Group Holdings, a commercial evaporated-salt producer. "We look forward to applying our long-term growth-oriented business model to… more

Manufacturers Called to War on COVID-19

Beyond the now-familiar concepts of stay-at-home directives, social distancing and more deliberate personal care, the war on COVID-19 continues to expand on another front: manufacturing. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has called on manufacturers to help produce personal protective equipment to… more

COVID-Driven Cost Cuts Hit Stormont Vail Salaries 

Robert Kenagy, CEO of Stormont Vail Health, has issued a note to employees regarding salary cuts at one of the region's largest medical centers while it copes with the costs of fighting the COVID-19 virus. In an email sent Tuesday… more

Sprint Fades Into History; It’s Now New T-Mobile

It's no April Fool's joke: Sprint Corp., once the crown jewel of business and employment in the Kansas City region, is no more.  T-Mobile US announced today that it has officially completed its merger with Sprint Corp. In its place… more