Families face first month without child tax credit payments since July
WASHINGTON – January was the first month since last summer that Arizona low-income families did not get a check under the expanded Child Tax Credit program, leaving parents scrambling for help and advocates worrying about an increase in poverty.
Recreational marijuana sales flying high a year after Arizona legalization
TEMPE – A year after Proposition 207 took effect, recreational marijuana use has fueled growth in the Arizona cannabis industry. The Arizona Department of Revenue estimates taxable recreational marijuana sales totaled more than $528 million in 2021.
Phoenix saw 9.7% inflation in 2021, outstripping national rate of 7%
WASHINGTON – Consumer prices rose by an average of 7% in U.S. cities last year, the steepest rise in decades, and they grew even faster in the Phoenix metro area, according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
K-pop phenomenon entices small businesses to cater to legions of energized fans
MESA – K-pop gives boba tea shops and other small businesses the chance to capitalize on the global popularity of South Korean pop music groups like BTS.
South Central Mercado a creative hub of local businesses
The South Central Mercado was established in October of 2019 by Cecilia Rivera, Sam Gomez and Joe Munoz. The pop-up market gives small businesses, artists and entrepreneurs a space to create business plans and sell their goods.
Audit shows Border Patrol hampered by outdated technology, flawed evaluation of new equipment
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has received more than $743 million since 2017 for upgrades in border technology, but it has only bought 28% of the equipment needed to modernize systems that thwart the flow of illegal goods.
Arizona saw ten-fold jump in catalytic converter thefts, second-most in nation
WASHINGTON - Theft of catalytic converters - the part of a car's exhaust system that changes toxic gases to less-harmful emissions - is surging across the country, including Arizona.
Arizona bowl organizers look to bounce back from 2020’s fanless games
WASHINGTON – With COVID-19 protocols prohibiting fans at the Fiesta and Arizona bowls last year, organizers of the three college bowls in Arizona are eager to welcome fans and teams back this year.
First phase ending for child tax credit, a ‘game changer’ for families
WASHINGTON - Arizona families may have seen the last - for now - payment Wednesday under an expanded child tax credit program that advocates say has been a "game changer" for low-income families in the state.
‘Every penny counts’: Phoenix restaurants struggle to find food and workers while keeping prices low
PHOENIX – Restaurants across metro Phoenix are struggling to find a balance between finding quality ingredients without breaking the bank and raising prices. Restaurants also are experiencing staffing shortages and shipping complications that make it harder to stay in business.
Searching for solutions to the global supply chain crisis
PHOENIX - As consumers continue to face empty shelves and rising prices, public and private experts are coming together to solve the American supply chain crisis. Read their opinions, findings and suggestions here.
Fewer Christmas trees in Oregon means fewer trees in metro Phoenix
PHOENIX – This year, droughts and forest fires in the Northwest, supply chain issues and planting times have resulted in a shortage of Christmas trees in lots across the country.
