Business and Economic News

Great River Energy to end North Dakota coal plant operations
Maple Grove-based Great River Energy says it will shut down a large coal-fired power plant in North Dakota and replace it with wind energy. 
3.2 million more are out of work as jobless claims keep piling up
Another 3.2 million people filed for benefits, bringing the total number of jobs lost during the pandemic to 33.5 million. The government is expected to report a huge jump in unemployment Friday.
Make that at-home trim a little less hairy with a virtual salon visit
Hunkered down but still hair conscious? Stylists and barbers are now guiding people through DIY cuts via video chat. The in-demand service provides otherwise laid-off workers with some income.
More than a month after Congress OK’d $8 billion, the federal government announced a plan to channel aid to tribal governments across the country. White Earth said it received $20.6 million.
Pork processing resumes at JBS plant shut down by pandemic
The move comes a week after an executive order from President Trump designed to get the country’s meat supply chain back up and running.
The pandemic emptied American roads — But driving is picking back up
Miles driven in the U.S. plummeted remarkably in the middle of March — dropping by 30 percent in a single week. Now driving is slowly resuming, a trend that began before stay-at-home orders were lifted.
As businesses reopen, a fight is brewing over worker safety lawsuits
Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell insists any coronavirus relief bill must protect employers from lawsuits filed by workers who get sick. Workers' rights advocates oppose such a move.
Processing plant closures put spotlight on ag supply chain
The JBS pork processing plant in Worthington partially re-opened Wednesday, after closing two weeks ago to stem a COVID-19 outbreak among workers. Its closure, coupled with that of another massive pork plant in nearby Sioux Falls, has caused major disruptions in the pork industry.
20.2 million private-sector jobs are gone
The record job losses are a preview of the Labor Department's employment report for April coming Friday. ADP's new numbers are not surprising, given the more than 30 million jobless claims filed.