Business & Economy
Business & Economy
Apple Capital And Jewel Of Columbia? Hydropower Deal Clears Way For Wenatchee Diamond Making
When you think of made-in-the-Northwest products, diamonds are probably not on your list. But soon, they could be. A contract signed Thursday for Columbia River hydropower clears the way for a foundry to make lab-created diamonds in Wenatchee.
Washington May Extends Overtime Rules To Thousands Of Previously Exempt Workers
A sweeping proposal by the state Department of Labor and Industries could grant overtime pay to thousands more workers in Washington. Currently, workers are guaranteed overtime pay if their salary is under $24,000 a year. The proposal would gradually raise that threshold to about $80,000 by 2026.
President Trump Announces New Tariffs On Mexico To Force Cooperation On Illegal Immigration
President Trump announced that he will begin imposing tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico beginning June 10 unless that country does more to help reduce illegal immigration from Central America.
Oregon Has A Big Oversupply Of Legal Marijuana. Now It’s Curbing Production
Oregon is awash in pot, glutted with so much legal weed that if growing were to stop today, it could take more than six years by one estimate to smoke or eat it all. Now, the state is looking to curb production.
U.S. Prepares Tariffs On Additional $300B Of Imported Chinese Goods
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative published a list of Chinese goods that would be hit with new duties, from artists’ brushes to watches.
Who Would Pay For President Trump’s New Tariff Hike?
If the Trump administration follows through with its plan to hike tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports at midnight Friday, it would likely hurt not only China’s economy but American consumers and businesses, too.
Teachers Begin To See Unfair Student Loans Disappear
The Department of Education is expanding a fix to its troubled TEACH Grant program, giving millions of dollars of grant money back to public school teachers working in the country’s neediest schools.
Washington Lawmakers Revive Tax Break For Electric Vehicle Buyers
In their last minute dash to adjournment Sunday, Washington state legislators revived a lapsed sales tax break for buyers of electric cars. The resurrected incentive will be similar in value to a publicly-funded rebate for battery-powered cars that Oregon now offers.
A valuable tax break for buyers of fully-electric and plug-in hybrid cars in Washington expired last May.
FAA Certifies Google’s Wing Drone Delivery Company To Operate As An Airline
Wing’s drones are made to deliver a wide range of items — including coffee, chocolate and burritos — from local merchants to their customers.
Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan Joins 2020 Race With A Populist Pitch To Blue-Collar Voters
The Democrat announced his decision on ABC’s The View, saying he is running to be a champion for manufacturing in a country that has been fractured by trade and outsourcing.
President Trump Seeks More Border Wall Funding In 2020 Budget Proposal
President Trump’s 2020 budget proposal, released on Monday, calls for $8.6 billion in new border wall funding, along with increased military spending and deep cuts to domestic programs.
Incentives For Electric Car Buyers? Yes In Oregon, Maybe In Washington
Democrats in the Washington Legislature want to revive a tax break for buyers of electric cars, which critics view as wasteful and unnecessary. Meanwhile, a publicly-financed rebate for battery-powered cars in Oregon is finding thousands of takers.
