The NCAA announced that Phoenix is the host city for the 2026 Women's Final Four. The national semifinals will begin on Friday, April 3, 2026 at Talking Stick Resort Arena with the national championship final game taking place on Sunday, April 5. This marks the first time that Phoenix has hosted the nation's top collegiate women's basketball championship, which has not been … [More]
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Jobless Claims Rise amid Growing Urgency for Stimulus Package
U.S. Department of Labor
In the week ending October 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 898,000, an increase of 53,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 5,000 from 840,000 to 845,000. The 4-week moving average was 866,250, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised … [More]
Temporary Outdoor Dining and Alcohol Areas Approved for Restaurant Owners
City of Phoenix
The Phoenix City Council approved the creation of Temporary Outdoor Dining and Alcohol Consumption Areas to allow restaurants to implement outside dining to accommodate their customers while meeting social distancing requirements and recommendations. The temporary outdoor dining program allows the Planning and Development Department to issue an “Emergency Declaration Temporary … [More]
Arizona to Host 2026 NCAA Women’s Final Four; Beating Out Columbus, Portland and Tampa
inbusinessPHX.com
The NCAA Women’s Basketball selected Phoenix, Arizona to host the 2026 Women’s Final Four. This will be the first time Arizona hosts the tournament, which has not been held out West since 2012. The competitive bidding process started nearly a year ago, with the Phoenix Women’s Final Four Bid Committee submitting preliminary materials to the NCAA. In January, Phoenix was … [More]
¿Conoces el Judo Verbal?
por Edgar R. Olivo
¿Alguna vez se ha sentido frustrado al intentar comunicar algo, pero no puede expresar claramente lo que quiere decir? Ya sea en el trabajo, con un ser querido o con otra persona, la comunicación a veces puede salir mal. Imagínese usar sus palabras para resolver situaciones, crear soluciones y hacer que los demás se sientan escuchados. Ahora, imagínese usar sus palabras para … [More]
Have You Heard of Verbal Judo?
by Edgar R. Olivo
Have you ever found yourself frustrated when trying to communicate something, but are unable to clearly state what you mean? Whether it is at work, with a loved one or someone else, communicating sometimes can go wrong. Imagine using your words to defuse situations, create solutions, and make others feel heard. Now, imagine using your words to create the opposite effect. Do you … [More]
Ten Largest Unicorns in the World Hit more than $560B in Value, China and U.S. Fill Top 5 Slots
inbusinessPHX.com
When the term unicorn emerged back in 2013, there were only 40 private companies with a valuation of one billion dollars in the world. Since then, the number of these financial giants jumped 12.5 times, reaching around 500 in September. According to data presented by AksjeBloggen.com, the ten largest unicorn companies in the world hit a valuation of $563.3 billion as of … [More]
Southwest Airlines Launches First International Service from Phoenix
inbusinessPHX.com
Travelers at America's Friendliest Airport® now have new flight options to Mexico as Southwest Airlines launched its nonstop, inaugural service from Phoenix to Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta today, making Phoenix Southwest's newest international gateway. “Southwest Airlines is an important community partner," said Chair of the Transportation, Infrastructure and … [More]
Retail Giant’s Foundation Donates to Arizona Coronavirus Relief Fund
inbusinessPHX.com
The IKEA US Community Foundation has donated $1,147,083 to the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund, supporting Arizona families, medical professionals and those in need. The amount was chosen by the foundation purposely to align with the amount IKEA employees in Arizona collected in unemployment insurance benefits when the company closed stores and furloughed employees during the … [More]
BBB Pacific Southwest Awards Small Businesses With Much-Needed Grants
BBB Serving the Pacific Southwest
Vulnerable small businesses, working families, women-owned businesses and communities of color continue to be severely impacted by COVID-19. In April, the Main St. Matters Grant Program was launched by Better Business Bureau Serving the Pacific Southwest (BBB) to support local businesses experiencing financial hardship. The program awarded 24 additional grants in September, … [More]
Small Business Optimism Improves in September, Uncertainty Index Remains High
NFIB
The NFIB Optimism Index rose 3.8 points to 104.0 in September, a historically high reading. Nine of the 10 Index components improved and one declined. The NFIB Uncertainty Index increased 2 points to 92, up from 75 in April. “As parts of the country continue to open, small businesses are seeing some improvements in foot traffic and sales,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill … [More]
Consumer Price Index Up Just 0.2% in September
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2 percent in September on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.4 percent in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 1.4 percent before seasonal adjustment. The index for used cars and trucks continued to rise sharply … [More]
DES Partners with ID.me to Prevent Unemployment Fraud
Arizona Department of Economic Security
The Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) announced a partnership with ID.me to allow unemployment claimants to securely verify their identities online. ID.me is a federally-certified identity verification provider specializing in digital identity protection, and is utilized by several states to address the high volume of unemployment fraud across the nation. In an … [More]
Merchant Transaction Volume Steady Despite Anticipated Seasonal Slowdown, Arizona Increased
Shift4 Payments
Shift4 Payments, the leader in integrated payment processing solutions, continues to see improvement in merchant transaction volume across America as businesses adapt to overcome the impacts associated with the coronavirus. In the latest update since the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread throughout the US in early 2020, Shift4’s analysis of transaction volume suggest that … [More]
SBA and Treasury Announce Simpler PPP Forgiveness for Loans of $50,000 or Less
U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the Treasury Department, today released a simpler loan forgiveness application for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans of $50,000 or less. This action streamlines the PPP forgiveness process to provide financial and administrative relief to America’s smallest businesses while also ensuring sound stewardship of … [More]
Pricing Disconnect Weighs on Commercial Real Estate Investment Activity, Says Survey
CBRE Group
A new CBRE survey finds a wide disconnect on pricing expectations between buyers and sellers as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic that is weighing on commercial real estate investment activity. The CBRE survey found that 61% of buyers are looking for discounts from pre-pandemic prices and only 9% of sellers willing to offer such discounts. Among buyers looking for … [More]
Applications for Arizona Small Business Rent and Mortgage Relief Grants Reopen Oct. 8
Local First Arizona
In August, the Governor’s Office partnered with Local First Arizona Foundation to launch the Arizona Small Business Rent and Mortgage Relief Grant program and distribute $10 million in grants to small businesses who were required to shutter their doors during this pandemic. Starting Oct. 8, 2020, at 2 p.m., applications will reopen for gyms, fitness centers and studios, bars … [More]
Arizona Nonprofits Projecting Difficult Futures Without Additional Federal Support during Pandemic
Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to create major challenges for Arizona nonprofits both financially and operationally according to the latest Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits Pulse Poll. The poll, conducted from Sept. 23 to Oct. 6, generated more than 200 responses from nonprofit organizations serving communities across Arizona. Among the outcomes: Without … [More]
