New state watchdog criticizes Oklahoma CARES Act spending Follow Us
Question of the Day FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021 file photo, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt talks with the media in Oklahoma City. A new legislative watchdog agency has delivered a scathing report on how Stitt’s administration spent millions of dollars of . more > By SEAN MURPHY - Associated Press - Thursday, February 4, 2021
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A legislative watchdog has delivered a scathing report on how Gov. Kevin Stitt’s administration spent millions of dollars of federal coronavirus relief on things barely connected to the pandemic, such as technology upgrades for state agencies and a tourism ad campaign.
The Michigan House approved a $3.5 billion supplemental Thursday that holds back some federal COVID-19 funding for quarterly installments and ties $2.1 billion in education funding to conditions that move power over school closures and student sports from the governor to local health officials.
The four-bill package passed largely along party lines and amid objections from Democrats, who lobbied for the release of all federal relief money allocated to Michigan in the December federal stimulus package.
State Rep. Thomas Albert, chairman for the House Appropriations Committee, defended the supplemental spending package, arguing the Legislature has a responsibility to ensure the money was being spent appropriately.
Fri, 01/29/2021 - 1:21pm tim
by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims last week fell by more than 25 percent but remain at a historically high level. Numbers also fell nationally but also remain high. Economists also suggest the new year is off to a sluggish start.
Claims in Vermont last week decreased by 394 to 1,459 (up 941 from the same time last year, which was before the pandemic hit).
As for the week s ongoing jobless claims, for the week ending January 23, 2021, the Labor Department processed 14,367 claims, down 743 from the previous week and 8,863 more than the same time last year.
As for further comparison, initial Vermont claims for the week of March 21, 2020 (the first full week of the pandemic in Vermont), were 3,784, up 3,125 from the week of March 14.
Pierre, SD, USA / DRGNews
Jan 28, 2021 10:38 AM
During the week of Jan. 17-23, a total of 472 initial weekly claims for state unemployment benefits were processed by the Department of Labor and Regulation. This is a decrease of 278 claims from the prior week’s total of 750.
A total of $1.2 million was paid out in state benefits, in addition to $1.1 million in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), $8,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and $222,000 in Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) benefits.
The Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund balance was $157.6 million on Jan. 24.
The latest number of continued state claims is 4,957 for the week ending Jan. 16, a decrease of 718 from the prior week’s total of 5,675. This indicates the number of unemployed workers eligible for and receiving benefits after their initial claim.
Michigan Republican leaders will continue ‘political gestures’ to lift COVID-19 restrictions
Updated Jan 28, 2021;
Posted Jan 28, 2021
Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey speaks while House of Representative speaker Jason Wentworth listens during a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2020 in Lansing. Nicole Hester/Mlive.com
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LANSING, MI - It’s great that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer promoted a “spirit of cooperation” during her State of the State address, said House Speaker Rep. Jason Wentworth, R-Clare, during a Thursday press conference.
But she needs to prove to Republicans that she means it, he said alongside Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, at a press conference Thursday.