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Friday, January 29, 2010
Alexandria Area Arts Association presenting "A bad year for tomatoes" in February
Click on the photo to enlarge.
Wages and benefits rise weak 1.5 percent in 2009
(Associated Press Wire Report)
The anemic gains have raised concerns about the durability of the economic recovery. The fear is that consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent of economic activity, could falter if households don’t have the income growth to support their spending.
The Labor Department said today that wages and benefits rose by 0.5 percent in the three months ending in December. For the entire year, wages and benefits were up 1.5 percent, the weakest showing on records that go back to 1982.
The 1.5 percent increase in total compensation in 2009 was about half the 2.6 percent increase in 2008 and both years represented the smallest gains for the government’s Employment Compensation Index.
Last year, wages were up by just 1.5 percent and benefits rose by the same 1.5 percent, both record lows. In 2008, wages and salaries had been up 2.7 percent and benefits, which cover such things as health insurance and pension contributions, had risen by 2.2 percent.
The 0.5 percent rise in the fourth quarter for total compensation was slightly higher than the 0.4 percent advance economists had expected, and was the biggest quarterly gain since a 0.6 percent rise in the third quarter of 2008. Compensation had been up 0.4 percent in both the second and third quarters of this year.
Workers’ compensation has been battered by the country’s deep recession as a loss of 7.2 million jobs over the past two years has depressed wage gains. A separate report from the Labor Department earlier this month showed that nonsupervisory workers’ inflation-adjusted weekly earnings fell by 1.6 percent last year, the sharpest drop since 1990.
The concern among economists is that the economic recovery that began in the summer could falter in coming months if consumer spending slows as households remain fearful about boosting spending in the face of such anemic wage growth.
The slow growth in employee compensation has allowed the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates at record low levels in an effort to jump-start economic activity since wage pressures, often a major force driving inflation higher, have been absent.
Wages and benefits paid to U.S. workers posted a modest gain in the fourth quarter, ending a year in which recession-battered workers saw their compensation rise by the smallest amount on records going back more than a quarter-century.
The anemic gains have raised concerns about the durability of the economic recovery. The fear is that consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent of economic activity, could falter if households don’t have the income growth to support their spending.
The Labor Department said today that wages and benefits rose by 0.5 percent in the three months ending in December. For the entire year, wages and benefits were up 1.5 percent, the weakest showing on records that go back to 1982.
The 1.5 percent increase in total compensation in 2009 was about half the 2.6 percent increase in 2008 and both years represented the smallest gains for the government’s Employment Compensation Index.
Last year, wages were up by just 1.5 percent and benefits rose by the same 1.5 percent, both record lows. In 2008, wages and salaries had been up 2.7 percent and benefits, which cover such things as health insurance and pension contributions, had risen by 2.2 percent.
The 0.5 percent rise in the fourth quarter for total compensation was slightly higher than the 0.4 percent advance economists had expected, and was the biggest quarterly gain since a 0.6 percent rise in the third quarter of 2008. Compensation had been up 0.4 percent in both the second and third quarters of this year.
Workers’ compensation has been battered by the country’s deep recession as a loss of 7.2 million jobs over the past two years has depressed wage gains. A separate report from the Labor Department earlier this month showed that nonsupervisory workers’ inflation-adjusted weekly earnings fell by 1.6 percent last year, the sharpest drop since 1990.
The concern among economists is that the economic recovery that began in the summer could falter in coming months if consumer spending slows as households remain fearful about boosting spending in the face of such anemic wage growth.
The slow growth in employee compensation has allowed the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates at record low levels in an effort to jump-start economic activity since wage pressures, often a major force driving inflation higher, have been absent.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Minnesota Farmers Union urges farmers and rural Minnesotans to attend their precinct caucus
Tuesday February 2, all across Minnesota, voters will have the chance to attend their precinct caucuses in their local communities. Minnesota is unique in the fact that the precinct caucus system allows for grassroots level involvement within all major parties.
“With the farm economy and rural jobs being so closely linked to the well being of our rural communities, it is really important for rural Minnesotans to attend their precinct caucus to express their concerns and thoughts and get their voices heard,” said Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union President. “In Minnesota, there are over five million people; eighty thousand of them are listed as farmers, which is another reason to attend – to be at the table when policies are discussed and agendas are set.”
According to the Secretary of State’s office, precinct caucuses are meetings organized by Minnesota’s political parties to begin the process of selecting candidates for the 2010 election and policy positions to shape the party platform. They are open to the public, and participation is encouraged.
You can find your precinct caucus location by contacting your local political party, your county auditor’s office or going to the Secretary of States website:
www.sos.state.mn.us/index.aspx?page=886.
This site also has a “frequently asked caucus questions” section.
Minnesotans will be electing a new governor in 2010, and the precinct caucuses are where delegates are elected to the next level, the county and senate district conventions. Resolutions are often discussed and passed to go to the next level and help shape the party’s platform.
Minnesota Farmers Union (www.mfu.org) is a nonprofit membership-based organization working to protect and enhance the economic interests and quality of life of family farmers and ranchers, as well as rural communities.
“With the farm economy and rural jobs being so closely linked to the well being of our rural communities, it is really important for rural Minnesotans to attend their precinct caucus to express their concerns and thoughts and get their voices heard,” said Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union President. “In Minnesota, there are over five million people; eighty thousand of them are listed as farmers, which is another reason to attend – to be at the table when policies are discussed and agendas are set.”
According to the Secretary of State’s office, precinct caucuses are meetings organized by Minnesota’s political parties to begin the process of selecting candidates for the 2010 election and policy positions to shape the party platform. They are open to the public, and participation is encouraged.
You can find your precinct caucus location by contacting your local political party, your county auditor’s office or going to the Secretary of States website:
www.sos.state.mn.us/index.aspx?page=886.
This site also has a “frequently asked caucus questions” section.
Minnesotans will be electing a new governor in 2010, and the precinct caucuses are where delegates are elected to the next level, the county and senate district conventions. Resolutions are often discussed and passed to go to the next level and help shape the party’s platform.
Minnesota Farmers Union (www.mfu.org) is a nonprofit membership-based organization working to protect and enhance the economic interests and quality of life of family farmers and ranchers, as well as rural communities.
President Obama's State of the Union address is on tonight
All major networks will be carrying his speech, which begins at 8pm Central Standard Time.
"The bank bailout was about as popular as a root canal." - I liked that line.
"The bank bailout was about as popular as a root canal." - I liked that line.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Licensed Massage Therapist opening this week Thursday in Hoffman!
Jennifer Jopp will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning this Thursday January 28, by appointment at the Health Care Mall in downtown Hoffman. Read this week's issue of the Herman-Hoffman Tribune to learn more.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Blizzard continues to bear down on western Minnesota
A blizzard warning remains in effect until midnight and no travel is advised at this time for west central and southwest Minnesota.
All state highways in west central and southwestern Minnesota were closed at 3 p.m. until further notice.
The Minnesota National Guard has been activated to assist counties in west central and southwestern Minnesota to provide shelter and other support. National Guard Armories in Olivia, Marshall and St. James have been opened for standed travelers.
The road closing includes highways south and west of Willmar, including U.S. Highway 71 and state Highways 23 and 40. Additional west central counties included in the road closing Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Pipestone, Redwood and Yellow Medicine.
The National Weather Service's blizzard warning includes the west central Minnesota counties of Chippewa, Douglas, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, McLeod, Meeker, Pope, Redwood, Renville, Stevens, Swift, and Yellow Medicine.
All state highways in west central and southwestern Minnesota were closed at 3 p.m. until further notice.
The Minnesota National Guard has been activated to assist counties in west central and southwestern Minnesota to provide shelter and other support. National Guard Armories in Olivia, Marshall and St. James have been opened for standed travelers.
The road closing includes highways south and west of Willmar, including U.S. Highway 71 and state Highways 23 and 40. Additional west central counties included in the road closing Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Pipestone, Redwood and Yellow Medicine.
The National Weather Service's blizzard warning includes the west central Minnesota counties of Chippewa, Douglas, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, McLeod, Meeker, Pope, Redwood, Renville, Stevens, Swift, and Yellow Medicine.
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