Business & Economy

Business & Economy

Homeless residents often live outdoors in tents in rural Kentucky. Rarely pitched out in the open, like this one in Lexington, most are hidden in thick bushes of wooded areas. CREDIT: Mary Meehan/WEKU

Rural Homelessness Is Very Real — But Harder To See And Help

Homelessness is often considered an urban phenomenon. But those who work on homeless issues say rural homelessness is a growing problem, too. That’s true across the state and across the country. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, NPR, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health reported in May that one in three rural Americans say homelessness is a problem in their communities. Continue Reading Rural Homelessness Is Very Real — But Harder To See And Help

Read More »
Food delivery driver Crystal Begallia delivers McDonald’s fries and cheeseburgers to Anna King’s door for a public radio experiment.

Hot Potato! The Science Of Getting Delivery French Fries Right Is Being Honed In Washington

Home-delivered fast food is a booming global business, but when it comes to French fries, there’s a hitch. They often get soggy on the ride. So now, top fry-makers are racing to perfect a crispy fry that can survive a 15-minute ride with a food delivery service. Companies right here in the Northwest are frying up a crisp solution to this soggy situation. Continue Reading Hot Potato! The Science Of Getting Delivery French Fries Right Is Being Honed In Washington

Read More »
Pallets of 14 Hands canned wines are ready to ship at Columbia Crest winery near Paterson, Wash.

Cracking The Tab On Summer: Northwest Wine Brands Increasingly Pour Into Cans

Just in the last year, the wine-in-can category has grown by more than 100 percent across the nation, measured by volume of units sold.
The third largest winery in the nation is Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, based in Woodinville, Wash. Now, it’s pouring huge amounts of juice into aluminum cans under its 14 Hands brand. Continue Reading Cracking The Tab On Summer: Northwest Wine Brands Increasingly Pour Into Cans

Read More »
Isaiah McDaniel bags groceries into a customer's cloth bags at PCC Natural Market Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2008, in Seattle. CREDIT: ELAINE THOMPSON/AP

Washington May Extends Overtime Rules To Thousands Of Previously Exempt Workers

A sweeping proposal by the state Department of Labor and Industries could grant overtime pay to thousands more workers in Washington. Currently, workers are guaranteed overtime pay if their salary is under $24,000 a year. The proposal would gradually raise that threshold to about $80,000 by 2026. Continue Reading Washington May Extends Overtime Rules To Thousands Of Previously Exempt Workers

Read More »