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A summer of momentum

ESCANABA — If you’ve noticed a little more traffic in town, longer waits at your favorite restaurant, or more out-of-state license plates filling up local lots, you’re not imagining things. Summer tourism in Delta County is thriving, and all signs point to a strong season for our local ...

Labor Department proposes more than 60 rule changes

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Department of Labor is aiming to rewrite or repeal more than 60 "obsolete" workplace regulations, ranging from minimum wage requirements for home health care workers and people with disabilities to standards governing exposure to harmful substances. If approved, the wide-ranging changes unveiled this month also would affect working conditions at constructions sites and in mines, and limit the government's ability to penalize employers if workers are injured or killed while engaging in inherently risky activities such as movie stunts or animal training. The ...

New members join Chamber of Commerce

ESCANABA — Each month, board members have the pleasure of welcoming new businesses into the Delta County Chamber of Commerce and with each new member comes a shared commitment to strengthening our local economy. But why do businesses choose to join the Chamber? For many, it's about building ...

Beef prices have soared — not just during grilling season

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Anyone firing up the grill this summer already knows hamburger patties and steaks are expensive, but the latest numbers show prices have climbed to record highs. And experts say consumers shouldn't expect much relief soon either. The average price of a pound of ground beef rose to $6.12 in June, up nearly 12% from a year ago, according to U.S. government data. The average price of all uncooked beef steaks rose 8% to $11.49 per pound. But this is not a recent phenomenon. Beef prices have been steadily rising over the past 20 years because the supply of cattle ...

Trump offers regulatory relief for coal, iron ore

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is granting two years of regulatory relief to coal-fired power plants, chemical manufacturers and other polluting industries as he seeks to reverse Biden-era regulations he considers overly burdensome. Trump issued a series of proclamations late Thursday exempting a range of industries that he calls vital to national security. The proclamations cover coal-fired power plants, taconite iron ore processing facilities used to make steel, and chemical manufacturers that help produce semiconductors and medical device sterilizers. The ...

Average long-term US mortgage rate rises to 6.75%

The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage rose for the second week in a row, another setback for the U.S. housing market, which is mired in a sales slump as affordability constraints shut out prospective homebuyers. The long-term rate ticked up to 6.75% from 6.72% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.77%. Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also rose. The average rate increased to 5.92% from 5.86% last week. A year ago, it was 6.05%, Freddie Mac said. When mortgage ...