Current Economic Situation, COVID-19, 4/30/2020

Posted on by

Next week, May 3-9, is Hurricane Preparedness Week. Weather analysts expect this to be a bad year for hurricanes. It’s a bad year for a bad year. The coronavirus complicates evacuation and sheltering plans, and some experts believe the combined effects of COVID-19 and a hurricane would be immense. It seems somewhat strange to think about planning to evacuate the coast when we’ve been hunkered down at home for the past six weeks. On the other hand, I live further inland and can totally picture myself waiting out… Read More →

Current Economic Situation, COVID-19, 4/23/2020

Posted on by

The big news this week is that states are easing COVID restrictions, which is both good for the economy, at least in the short term, and risky. Several states, including Texas, have begun the process of reopening the state’s economy. In Texas, that will be a slow process, with nonessential retail outlets initially being open for curbside pick-up only. No wandering around boutiques or dining in restaurants just yet. Other states, including Georgia, are taking a more aggressive approach. There is still widespread debate about whether we are… Read More →

Current Economic Situation, COVID-19, 4/16/2020

Posted on by

This hasn’t been a good news week on most fronts. Keep reading for some bright spots at the end of this article. The U.S. Department of Labor released a glimmer of good news this morning, announcing Americans filed 5.2 million new unemployment claims the week ending April 11. That is down by 1.37 million from an adjusted 6.6 million the previous week. Still, more than 15 million Americans have filed for unemployment in the past few weeks. March unemployment should be released tomorrow, April 17. The IMF announced… Read More →

Current Economic Situation, COVID-19, 4/9/2020

Posted on by

Earlier this week, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar admitted in a Texas Tribune interview that the state is in a recession. He said that calling the current economic conditions a recession helps people manage expectations, also noting that COVID-19-related business disruptions and not lower oil prices are the primary drivers of the downturn. Recent data point to financial hardship for both unemployed persons and businesses. The BLS reported that 6.61 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits in the week ending April 4, slightly lower than last week’s revised 6.68… Read More →

New Brief: Small Business Resilience through Recession

Posted on by

COVID-19 is presenting unique difficulties for small businesses. Focusing on people, products, and processes to emerge stronger from economic downturns. Small Business Resilience through Recession

New Brief: Building Up Your Online Presence

Posted on by

Staying in front of your customers is key to business survival. We’ve posted a brief on building or enhancing your website or social media presence in the wake of COVID-19 quarantine measures. Building Up Your Online Presence

Current Economic Situation, COVID-19, 4/2/2020

Posted on by

Texas businesses are no strangers to natural disasters. Small business owners have weathered hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires, and more. These disasters are short events, although they may be followed by lengthy recovery periods. The COVID-19 pandemic is different in many ways. This event is longer and unknown. Whereas a hurricane hits and moves on within a few days (albeit with massive physical destruction), pandemics can last weeks or months. Pandemics are also widespread rather than contained to a relatively defined geography. Furthermore, pandemics negatively shock both supply and… Read More →

Personal and Family Financial Resources after a Disaster

Posted on by

The sites below include information about overcoming financial set-backs and management after a disaster. One of the nice things about each of the resources listed below is that information is provided in short, topic-specific chunks so it is easy to find and quickly read or watch the info you are most interested in. Many resources are provided in both English and Spanish. My favorite resources for individuals and families: Navigating Tough Financial Times is a recent post from AgriLife Extension relevant to the COVID-19 situations. Managing Money in… Read More →

Long-term Financial Management After Disaster

Posted on by

This morning the Texas Tribune is running two articles (here and here) about how long it may take for federal resources to reach Texans affected by Hurricane Harvey and how that lag may affect poverty, homelessness, and well-being throughout the state. The sites below include information about overcoming financial set-backs and management after a disaster. One of the nice things about each of the resources listed below is that information is provided in short, topic-specific chunks so it is easy to find and quickly read or watch the… Read More →

Rural Regions 2: The Regional Distribution of Doctors

Posted on by

The second research note in the Rural Regions series is posted to http://ruralcommunities.tamu.edu.This note focuses on the distribution of primary care physicians (PCP) Texas counties. Factors associated with fewer PCP per 100,000 people include greater rural land area, lack of broadband, and more workers who commute outside the county. Factors associated with increased PCP per 100,000 people are private insurance and the number of law offices per 100,000 people. Why? Read on. Rural Regions describes the regional nature of some important rural topics, including health care and food access…. Read More →