Business and Economic News

Indie booksellers turn virtual in response to pandemic
Many small bookstores are being nimble during the pandemic as they try to serve customers, even as they try to keep their heads above water.
A pound of flour to go? Restaurants are selling groceries now
Some restaurants are adding toilet paper, fresh vegetables and other staples to their menus. They rely on different supply chains than grocery stores, so there's still plenty of yeast to be had.
How to get your $1,200 emergency payment faster  — But watch out for debt collectors
The federal government has begun sending $1,200 checks to millions of Americans. But some who need the money the most may have trouble actually getting it, and debt collectors may want it too.
Is it ethical to shop during a pandemic?
We are buying almost everything online right now. And stores are encouraging this — to slow the spread of COVID-19. But they’re also offering sales and discounts in hopes that we buy more. Is it ethical to take advantage, knowing that workers packaging up your recent purchases in warehouses and people delivering those items to your home could be at risk of getting sick?
Amazon puts new grocery-delivery customers on hold as demand explodes
The company also plans to hire 75,000 additional workers. And it says it will devote some hours at Whole Foods to online orders only and make other changes to keep up with a crush of demand.
Smithfield Foods announces indefinite closure of Sioux Falls plant amid COVID-19 outbreak
Smithfield Foods announced Sunday that its massive pork processing plant in Sioux Falls, S.D., will close indefinitely amid a coronavirus outbreak. As of Saturday, more than 230 employees had tested positive for COVID-19, out of a workforce of about 3,700 people.
Hospitals cut pay, furlough workers to ease COVID-19 financial blow
Across the state, hospitals are making cost-cutting measures to shoulder the blow of a temporary ban on elective surgeries and procedures. Together, hospitals are predicting a $3 billion loss over the next three months.