While Youngkin celebrates Virginia’s labor force gains, economists warn of future unemployment
Gov. Glenn Youngkin says he feels good about the state’s employment landscape. In an announcement Tuesday, the governor celebrated that Virginia added 7,100 more jobs in January 2025, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). “More Virginians are working than ever in the commonwealth as jobs and opportunity continue to expand […]
Judge rules DOGE’s USAID dismantling likely violates the Constitution
WASHINGTON (AP) — The dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development by billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency likely violated the Constitution, a federal judge ruled Tuesday as he indefinitely blocked DOGE from making further cuts to the agency. The order requires the Trump administration to restore email and computer access to all employees of USAID[...]
Pentagon is cutting up to 60,000 civilian jobs. About a third of those took voluntary resignations
WASHINGTON (AP) — Roughly 50,000 to 60,000 civilian jobs will be cut in the Defense Department, but fewer than 21,000 workers who took a voluntary resignation plan are leaving in the coming months, a senior defense official told reporters Tuesday. To reach the goal of a 5% to 8% cut in a civilian workforce of more […]
Furniture manufacturer shuts down Canadian operations, moves production to N.Carolina
DELTA, British Columbia — Canadian ready-to-assemble furniture supplier Prepac has reportedly shut down its manufacturing operations in Delta, British Columbia, shifting all production to its facility in North Carolina instead. According to Unifor, the union that represents Prepac’s workers, tariffs are to blame. More than 170 workers will be laid off. “Our union has been […]
Stock market today: Wall Street holds steadier following weeks of scary swings
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are holding steadier Monday, and the market’s scary roller-coaster ride from recent weeks is slowing. The calm trading may be short-lived, though, with a decision by the Federal Reserve on interest rates coming later in the week and worries continuing about President Donald Trump‘s trade war. The S&P 500 […]
Earle-Sears has faced tough races before. Her campaign for Virginia governor is no different
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is used to facing formidable obstacles in her political campaigns, and her bid to be Virginia’s next governor is no exception. The Jamaican immigrant, Marine veteran and devout Christian will first need to win the Republican primary in June at a time when her party has been […]
Wall Street rallies to its best day in months, but that’s not enough to salvage its losing week
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rallied to their best day in months on Friday as Wall Street’s roller coaster suddenly shot back upward. That still wasn’t enough to keep the U.S. market from a fourth straight losing week, its longest such streak since August. The S&P 500 jumped 2.1% a day after closing more than 10% […]
Trump probes lumber, timber imports for potential tariffs; names furniture as derivative product
WASHINGTON – Does the U.S.’ reliance on imported lumber and timber constitute a threat to national security? That’s what the Trump Administration aims to find out through a new executive order. “The wood products industry – composed of timber, lumber, and their derivative products (such as paper products, furniture, and cabinetry) – is a critical manufacturing […]
FTC reverses its request for a delay in an Amazon trial, says it has resources to litigate the case
A lawyer for the Federal Trade Commission has walked back his comments about a lack of resources and staff turnover interfering with the agency’s preparations for a trial involving Amazon’s Prime program. FTC lawyer Jonathan Cohen asked a federal judge during a hearing on Wednesday to delay the September trial and relax deadlines in the […]
More than 50 universities face federal investigations as part of Trump’s anti-DEI campaign
WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 50 universities are being investigated for alleged racial discrimination as part of President Donald Trump‘s campaign to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs that his officials say exclude white and Asian American students. The Education Department announced the new investigations Friday, one month after issuing a memo warning America’s schools[...]
Wall Street tumbles after Trump escalates his trade war
NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s sell-off hit a new low Thursday after President Donald Trump’s escalating trade war dragged the S&P 500 more than 10% below its record, which was set just last month. A 10% drop is a big enough deal that professional investors have a name for it — a “correction” — and the S&P 500’s 1.4% slide on […]
Speyside Bourbon Cooperage in Smyth lays off 75 workers
Speyside Bourbon Cooperage in Atkins will lay off 75 employees at the end of April due to slowdowns in the bourbon industry, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) letter dated Feb. 28. Speyside plans to end second-shift production and third-shift maintenance at the Smyth County facility. Laid-off workers may be recalled “as […]