Top News
EDA Presents $1 Million Investment Check to Oklahoma for Workforce Training and Education
Woodward, Okla. (Aug. 29)—Economic Development Administration (EDA) Director of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Patty Sheetz and U.S. Senator James Inhofe presented a $1 million EDA investment check to the city of Woodward, Okla., to help build the Woodward Community Campus Project, a higher educational and conference center campus that will help train and educate the region’s workforce to meet the growing needs of businesses and industry. The investment is expected to help create 192 jobs and generate $1.6 million in private investment. (More)
File Photo
Statement by Secretary Gutierrez on Revised Second Quarter GDP
Washington (Aug. 28)—U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez today released the following statement on the preliminary estimate of real gross domestic product (GDP), which showed that the U.S. economy grew at a rate of 3.3 percent in the second quarter of 2008: “The economy grew at an encouraging rate of 3.3 percent in the second quarter. This growth came in the face of serious economic headwinds and shows the resilience of our economy. Today’s report highlights the important role exports play in our economic growth.” (More)
File Photo
MBDA to Host National Minority Enterprise Development Week
Washington (Aug. 28)—The Commerce Department’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) will host the 2008 Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week Conference in Washington, D.C. September 3—5. The theme for the conference is “The Power of Strategic Alliances in the Global Economy.” “I have no doubt that this year’s conference will build upon last year’s historic event and continue the tradition of excellence,” stated MBDA National Director Ronald N. Langston. (More)
NOAA’s National Hurricane Center Tracking Tropical Storms Gustav and Hanna
Washington (Aug. 28) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Hurricane Center is tracking Tropical Storms Gustav and Hanna and a hurricane warning is now in effect from East Texas to the Florida Panhandle. A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion. (Advisory) (Hurricane Preparedness)
Census Bureau Reports Household Income Rises, Poverty Rate Unchanged, Number of Uninsured Down
Washington (Aug. 26)—Real median household income in the United States climbed 1.3 percent between 2006 and 2007, reaching $50,233, according to a report released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. This is the third annual increase in real median household income. Meanwhile, the nation’s official poverty rate in 2007 was 12.5 percent, not statistically different from 2006. There were 37.3 million people in poverty in 2007, up from 36.5 million in 2006. The number of people without health insurance coverage declined from 47 million (15.8 percent) in 2006 to 45.7 million (15.3 percent) in 2007. (More)
Gutierrez Joins President Bush in Announcing National Medal of Technology and Innovation Winners
Washington (Aug. 25)—Secretary Gutierrez joined President George W. Bush in announcing and congratulating the 2007 laureates for the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the nation’s highest honor for technological and scientific achievement. President Bush will present the six individuals and two corporations with their medals at a White House ceremony on September 29, 2008. “America leads the world in technological innovation because of men, women and cutting-edge corporations like those we honor this year,” Gutierrez said. (More)
Gutierrez Announces $6 Million in Strategy Grants to Aid Midwest States in Economic Recovery
Washington (Aug. 25)—Secretary Gutierrez announced the Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) will provide $6 million EDA investment that will aid in the economic recovery of Midwest states affected by recent floods and other natural disasters including Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Nebraska. Under the FY 2008 Disaster Supplemental Appropriations Act, Congress appropriated $2.65 billion in total flood recovery assistance. EDA received a $100 million supplemental appropriation to assist with long-term economic recovery. (More)
NOAA Installs New Storm Tide Stations in Gulf of Mexico Designed to Withstand Category 4 Hurricanes
Bay St. Louis, Miss. (Aug. 22)—The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) dedicated the first of four new hurricane-hardened water level observing stations being installed at key locations in coastal Mississippi and Louisiana. The yellow, 25-foot-tall “NOAA Sentinel” will provide real-time water level and meteorological data to help coastal authorities and the public prepare for, mitigate, and respond to storm tides generated by severe coastal storms. (More)
EDA Presents $1.2 Million Investment to Illinois
Effingham, Ill. (Aug. 21)—Economic and Development Administration (EDA) Director of Public Affairs Kelly O’Brien and U.S. Representative John Shimkus presented a $1.2 million EDA investment check to the city of Effingham. The investment will help build infrastructure needed to extend the Outer Belt West transportation corridor and is expected to create 250 jobs and generate $18.5 million in private investment. (More)
NIST WTC7 Investigation Finds Building Fires Caused Collapse
Gaithersburg, Md. (Aug. 21)—The fall of the 47-story World Trade Center building 7 (WTC 7) in New York City late in the afternoon of Sept. 11, 2001, was primarily due to fires, the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced today following an extensive, three-year scientific and technical building and fire safety investigation. This was the first known instance of fire causing the total collapse of a tall building, the agency stated. Shown at the press briefing is Dr. Shyam Sunder, NIST WTC Lead Investigator. (More)