Credit crunch: Complaints about credit reports jumped in 2021, feds say
WASHINGTON - Arizonans went from filing 6,600 complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2020 to filing nearly 8,000 the next year, the most on record. And almost half of those were complaints about what consumers found on their credit reports, CFPB says.
Arizona jobless rate continues to decline, now lowest in 15 years
WASHINGTON – The Arizona unemployment rate dropped to 3.6% in February, well below pre-pandemic levels and the lowest it has been since 2007, according to the most recent numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Arizonans can move driver’s license to their phones – but not much more
WASHINGTON - Arizona drivers who take advantage of the first-in-the-nation virtual license with Apple Wallet will still need to have their current physical license when they buy a drink, get pulled over or any number of other uses, state officials said.
Maricopa County led nation in population growth; Pinal, Yavapai surged
WASHINGTON - Maricopa County added more new residents than any county in the nation last year, continuing a trend that local officials call a credit to the region's opportunities and affordability.
Lights, camera – action! Arizona film industry is growing after a decade of stagnation
MESA – After being left for dead in 2010, the Arizona film industry has grown the past few years, thanks to a network of indie filmmakers, the Phoenix Film Festival and the revived Arizona Film Office.
Valley restaurant owners expect boost from baseball’s Cactus League
PHOENIX – Valley restaurant owners breathed a sigh of relief when baseball owners and players settled their labor dispute in time for a shortened Cactus League spring training season.
High price of gasoline may drive commuters toward other methods of transportation
PHOENIX – Rising gas prices mean changes for commuting around the Valley and beyond. Uber and Lyft have added fuel surcharges, and public transportation ridership has risen, as it usually does when fuel prices go up.
A year later, city officials call American Rescue Plan aid a lifesaver
WASHINGTON - A year after passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, local officials say the COVID-19 relief measure that steered $103 billion to cities - and $1 billion to Arizona cities - gave them the funds to help businesses and towns rebound from the pandemic.
Renaissance festival returns, and with it, workers who depend on ‘the circuit’
GOLD CANYON – The Arizona Renaissance Festival stopped in 2020 and didn’t return in 2021 because of the pandemic, but it made its comeback this year. Crowds and workers were eager to return.
Narrowing of state, U.S. gender wage gaps slow; may widen post-pandemic
The wage gap that had been narrowing between men and women stalled in 2019, according to new numbers from the Census Bureau, and advocates fear the situation will only get worse when pandemic-era data is released.
‘It’s turned into this craziness’: Substitutes in high demand as teacher shortage has districts scrambling
AVONDALE – Candie Halberg began subbing during her retirement because she missed the kids, and wanted to be in the classroom a few days a week. But she soon was back to working full-time, due to a dire statewide shortage in substitute teachers. During the pandemic, fears of getting sick coupled with a massive teacher shortage have made an already difficult job even harder to fill.
Child tax credit to military pensions: What to know about filing taxes this year
MESA – From the child tax credit to stimulus checks, here’s what to watch out for as you file your state and federal income taxes from 2021.
