Economy

The recent downturn in the economy has affected more institutions than just financial ones.

The economic recession in Mid-America will rival the 1981-82 recession for unemployment, according to professor Ernie Goss of Creighton University. The primary index from his Mid-America Economic Survey, which includes Missouri, has plunged to its second record low in as many months. The November index hit 37.8 in November, down 2.1 percentage points from October.

Robert Wolverton, president of R. Anthony Development Group, expressed confidence on Columbia's housing market and calls for more jobs and better use of MU resources at the fifth annual Economic Outlook Conference.

Even with Obama's newly announced stimulus plan, the national debt will continue to rise in the next year.

This week, we ask you to weigh in on the MU soccer team's Big 12 Championship, the youth vote that propelled Barack Obama to the presidency, election changes and a new music festival for Columbia.

Many hunters will save money eating deer meat instead of store-bought meat this winter.

The closure of The Coffee Ground is one grave fallout from the downward-spiraling economy. Lakota Coffee, Kaldi's Coffee Roasting Company and others are also experiencing the effects in their business and clientele.

The exit poll showed how much the state's mood has changed since 2004. When President George W. Bush carried Missouri four years ago, slightly more than half of voters said the economy was good.

Obama's race may hurt his support in the working-class neighborhoods of St. Charles County near St. Louis.

The owner of Ashland Auto Sales blames the faltering ecomony for the loss of revenue.

Edward Jones financial adviser Kathy Lou Neale has been fielding many calls from worried clients since the economic downturn. She likens the market to a turbulent airplane, and it's not time to jump off. It's just time to buckle up and keep a clear head.

Local state House and Senate candidates have varying thoughts on the future of Missouri's economy.

The announcement of a large decline in retail sales coincided with a daylong stock market sell-off. The 733-point loss is the second-worst in history for the Dow Jones industrial average, which ended Wednesday down nearly 8 percent — its steepest drop since one week after Black Monday in 1987.

The average cost of a gallon of self-service regular gasoline fell to $3.15 this week. Analysts have attributed the decline to a predicted decline in demand.

Karen Miller is running unopposed for a fifth term as Boone County Southern District commissioner. She said the biggest challenge facing the county over the next four years will be the slowdown in the economy.

Problems in the economy have overshadowed all other election issues.

Understanding that "normal" does not exist, and never really existed in the first place, is very important to the caretakers of our future.

College students are noticing a difference in their daily lives as the effects of the economy begin to filter down. Some students are making changes to cut costs such as cycling more and driving less, taking fewer trips home and taking more trips to the plasma bank.

Graduating students might have to take jobs to get by, rather than chase their dreams, a panel of business professionals said in a forum hosted by the MU's Trulaske College of Business.

Rep. Judy Baker, D-Columbia, discussed her plan to create manufacturing jobs in the U.S., and Republican candidate Blaine Luetkemeyer spoke in support of drilling for oil to reverse inflation. The two are candidates for Missouri's 9th Congressional District.