Category: Economy
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Connecticut’s new college grads contemplate an uncertain economy
By Kwasi Osei-Amankwah | University of Connecticut Commencement season is here. This weekend, UConn will see more than 5,000 undergraduates and more than 2,000 graduate students receive their degrees. But, amid cuts to the federal government and fears of a recession, many have questions about the economy they are heading into. “It’s stressful,” said Angelika…
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Post-pandemic rent hikes challenge New Britain residents
in EconomyAs COVID-era rent protections expire, rising housing costs – and evictions – are provoking a crisis in many Connecticut towns.
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Families find novel ways to grapple with rising food costs
in EconomyFrom discount grocery stores to backyard chickens, Connecticut residents are getting creative on high food prices.
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Rising prices hit student budgets
in EconomyInflation may have eased, but prices remain high, and students are among those struggling to afford groceries.
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Should the minimum wage keep going up?
in EconomyYoung people often depend on minimum wage jobs to get by in college, support their families, or give themselves a modicum of independence. What do students at UConn think about Connecticut’s minimum wage of $15.69 an hour, and the policy that will see it indexed to the cost of labor?
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Homelessness is on the rise: here’s what it looks like in Hamden
Rob panhandles on the streets of Hamden to make ends meet. His story is just one in a growing number of people who find themselves without shelter.
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SNAP benefits go further at the farmers’ market
in EconomyBy Ali Fernand, Southern Connecticut State University Shoppers picking up onions, garlic or other root vegetables from George Hill’s Farm and other vendors at the Wooster Square Farmers Market in New Haven can get twice as much if they’re using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. City Seed, which runs the year-round farmers markets in…
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Stores see downside of self-checkout trend
in EconomySelf-checkout is now offered by 96% of retailers nationally, but this trend, first embraced to save on labor costs, may have compromised stores’ ability to prevent theft.
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Indexed minimum wage puts Connecticut ahead of the region
in EconomyConnecticut became the state with the highest minimum wage in New England in January 2024, when the minimum wage automatically increased from $15 to $15.69 an hour. Connecticut now boasts the fourth highest minimum wage in the United States.
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CT’s minimum wage hike poses challenge to small business
in EconomyWhen Connecticut’s minimum wage rose on Jan. 1 from $15 an hour to $15.69, it was good news for many workers. But for small business owners, the increase – the first in a series that will be tied to the cost of living – has created a lot of stress and concerns for the future.