Wednesday, December 25, 2024 | Baltimore, MD
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Feds award Maryland $10 million for small business program

Maryland will be the first state to receive funding under the federal Small Business Opportunity Program, a $10 million grant the state and federal officials said will help grow underserved small businesses in the Maryland region. The $10 million grant to the state is part of $75 million set aside for small businesses as part of the American Rescue Plan Act. Gov Wes Moore (D) said Monday that the program could have far reaching benefits.

How a local businessman is using his Black-owned barbershops to build community in parts of Md.

Important conversations will be taking place around the U.S. following Tuesday’s ABC News presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. And some of the most heartfelt discussions will happen at Black-owned barbershops. One of those barbershops is “Tight N Up” in Bowie, Maryland, which owner Clinton Truesdale called “a pillar of the community.”

Read More: WTOP
An Anne Arundel County singer invented a tool for the art of crab picking

Shelby Blondell has nothing against the commonly used wooden mallet. As a native of Linthicum, she grew up using it in local crab houses like most Marylanders. That is, until she figured out how to make something better. The 31-year-old singer and songwriter invented and patented The Sheller, a 3-in-1 seafood mallet, picker and bottle opener. There’s no tool like it on the market.

Under Armour taps former Utz exec for key position

Under Armour Inc. has selected a former Utz Brands Inc. executive to run its accounting more than a year after the company lost its last principal accounting officer. Eric Aumen has been named the company’s principal accounting officer and will take over the role on Oct. 1, Under Armour (NYSE: UAA) said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission late Friday.

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Employers added 142,000 jobs in August, as labor market cools

Employers added 142,000 jobs in August, continuing a labor market cooling trend that has stoked fears that interest rates have been high for too long. The unemployment rate ticked down to 4.2 percent. The August jobs report released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics was among the most closely watched snapshots of the labor market since the coronavirus pandemic.

Under Armour lists two Locust Point lots for sale

Under Armour Inc. is selling a once-cherished and now defunct Locust Point community garden lot as the first signs of its move to exit Tide Point for Baltimore Peninsula. The property is one of two empty lots owned by the Baltimore sportswear giant that recently hit the market in what could be the beginning of large-scale change on the waterfront leading into the Inner Harbor.

Frequent flyer programs: The most profitable part of the airline industry

Buying this week’s groceries or paying for a full tank of gas with a credit card might contribute more to the profits of the airline industry than buying a one-way ticket. That’s because frequent flyer programs have become a crucial part of the airline industry’s profitability. And that’s due to the billions of dollars banks and credit card issuers pay to buy bulk miles from airlines to reward and entice cardholders to make purchases with their cards.

Read More: CNN
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Today’s jobs report could mark a pivotal moment for the US economy

Friday’s monthly jobs report will likely mark a pivotal moment for the economy and the Federal Reserve. If it shows that hiring was weak in August and that the unemployment rate rose — similar to the unexpectedly soft figures for July — it would heighten worries that the job market is stumbling. The Fed might then seek to deliver a stimulus with a larger-than-usual interest rate cut of a half-percentage point when it meets later this month.

Read More: AP News
Gaithersburg business encourages people to ‘immerse yourself in having fun’

In a world where stress can dominate daily life, a small business focused only on playing games can take on an important role, giving people a chance to escape and relax. “The idea was to create a space where not only they could buy games that they play, but also play the games in the store so that they could build a community,” said Richard Hubley, owner of the store Play More Games in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Read More: WTOP
Atlas Restaurant Group signs another Annapolis lease

Atlas Restaurant Group is expanding its presence in Annapolis once again. The Baltimore group has signed a lease at 142 Dock St. in downtown Annapolis, the group announced Thursday afternoon. The space will add to its growing list of Annapolis spots, which includes Choptank and two restaurants joining the Annapolis Waterfront Hotel.

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