Whack-a-troll: Watchdogs scramble to keep up with COVID-19 scams, fraud

PHOENIX - Authorities and consumer watchdog groups say the threat of COVID-19 and the national focus on it have combined with the speed and anonymity of the internet to spread scams that have left them scrambling to keep up with the fraudsters.


New jobless claims fall, but unemployment rolls keep growing

WASHINGTON - The number of new jobless claims fell for a second straight week, but the number of unemployed continued to rise in Arizona and the nation in what one expert calls a shock to workers and a "huge shock" to the system.


How to find a job when so many are out of work

PHOENIX – Some Arizona industries such as medical, sales, food and delivery companies are hiring and developing social distancing protocols to protect employees.


Small farms struggle to get federal relief funds or emergency help from USDA

PHOENIX – Although big agriculture producers continue to operate during the pandemic, small farms are struggling to sell to consumers with restaurants and schools closed.


Nonprofit, 5 Arizona companies give back to first responders

As COVID-19 sweeps Arizona several companies are redirecting their businesses to meet the demands of first responders.


COVID-19 in Arizona: State stay-at-home order extended to May 15

Navajo Nation distributes aid as state death toll tops 300, Arizona corrections officers threaten to walk out, city officials warn it could take Phoenix six years to recover jobs lost in the past six weeks, and other news from the Grand Canyon State.


Jobless benefits expand next month, but advocates worry it’s not enough

TEMPE - Arizona unemployment benefits will expand next month to cover workers who are not now eligible, to last longer than before and to pay more in weekly benefits to some jobless workers. But advocates say that while the change is welcome - it's probably too little, and too late.


8 ways to teach kids to manage money as coronavirus keeps families at home

Teaching children to develop a work ethic, be responsible and share with others is an important part of parenting. A co-founder of the BusyKid app says money management tools help build such life skills.


418,000 jobless claims crater 10 years of new jobs in just five weeks

PHOENIX - New jobless claims in Arizona over the past five weeks have wiped out two-thirds of the new jobs created in the state over 10 years, according to the latest numbers from the Arizona Department of Economic Security.


House OKs $484 billion in COVID-19 relief, loans could go out this week

WASHINGTON - Money could start flowing to distressed small businesses as early as this week, after the House overwhelmingly approved a $484 billion measure that refills the exhausted Paycheck Protection Program and adds funds for hospitals and other services.


Court upholds real-world conviction in case that used virtual currency

TEMPE - A federal court said that laundering money with virtual currency is still a real-world crime, upholding five money-laundering charges against an Arizona man who took more than $160,000 from undercover agents who claimed it was from drug deals and exchanging it for bitcoin.


Dairy farmers forced to adjust their practices during COVID-19 pandemic

The dairy industry has been forced to resort to extreme practices to offset sales lost because restaurants and schools have been shut down to stop the spread of novel coronavirus.