News

Sep 22, 2023

GF Business News: Beer…eggs…and tattoos

Rising U.S. consumer prices moderated again last month, bolstering hopes that

Rising U.S. consumer prices moderated again last month, bolstering hopes that inflation's grip on the economy will continue to ease this year and possibly require less drastic action by the Federal Reserve to control it. Inflation declined to 6.5% in December compared with a year earlier. It was the sixth straight year-over-year slowdown.

Home sales slipped a bit in Grand Forks and East Grand Forks in 2022. According to numbers from the Grand Forks Area Association of Realtors 885 homes…townhomes…and condos were sold last year. That's down from the 1,009 sales in 2021 but higher than the 874 transactions in 2020 and 855 three years ago. May and September were the busiest month of sales with 97 each. The numbers do not include private sales.

Thread, formerly known as Airtonomy, has received a $1.2 million award under the Air Force Small Business Innovation Research program to develop a UAS action plan that will enhance perimeter security at the Grand Forks Air Force Base. Currently, the 319 Security Forces Squadron at GFAFB deploys teams to manually patrol the base's 13-mile perimeter.

Total direct and secondary employment associated with UND supported 9,656 jobs in fiscal 2021. Those numbers were contained in an economic contribution report by the NDUS system. Student expenditures during the period were estimated to be $13,723 per student.

Total private sector wages have been increasing faster than at any time since such data started being tracked in 2006. Over the year in November 2022, private sector wages increased 5.7% in Minnesota; however, they fell short of inflation, which increased 8.3% over the same period.

The North Dakota Department of Commerce says primary sector businesses wishing to utilize the Automation Tax Credit are required to submit applications by Jan. 31. The program provides a tax credit of up to 20% to cover the cost of equipment leased or purchased with the intent of automating a manual process. Supporters say the credit can help with workforce challenges.

UnitedHealth Group's fourth-quarter adjusted profit beat Wall Street expectations as its Optum and UnitedHealthcare segments strengthened. The largest U.S. health insurer earned $4.76 billion. Revenue for the Minnesota-based company totaled $82.79 billion, matching Wall Street's forecasts.

Delta Air Lines says it will start providing free Wi-Fi for all passengers on most of its U.S. flights starting next month. By the end of the year, Delta plans to offer the service on more than 700 planes and expand free Wi-Fi to international and Delta Connection flights by the end of 2024. Delta passengers will need an account in the airline's SkyMiles frequent-flyer program to use the Wi-Fi service.

Half Brother Brewing is one vote away from switching from a Class 16 Brewer Taproom license to a Class 3 On/Off Sale Beer and Wine license. Half Brothers is requesting the change due to growth of the downtown Grand Forks business. The initial license was approved in 2017. The city council is expected to finalize the change this week.

East Grand Forks is considering a Special Use Permit to allow a body art/tattoo parlor to operate downtown. The establishment would be located in the Riverwalk Center. The move requires an amendment to the C-1 Downtown Commercial Zoning District. The business hopes to open in February.

A lingering bird flu outbreak, combined with soaring feed, fuel and labor costs, has led to U.S. egg prices more than doubling over the past year, and hatched a lot of sticker shock at grocery stores. The latest government data shows that the national average price for a dozen eggs hit $3.59. More than 43 million of the 58 million birds slaughtered over the past year to help control bird flu were egg-laying chickens.

Barbie has been transformed again. The latest version is a doll made specifically for children as young as 3. Gone is the contentious hourglass figure for My First Barbie. The doll now comes in four diverse skin tones. Barbie is two inches taller than the traditional, 63-year-old doll. It has a broader waist and larger accessories.