VIDEO: S&P Cuts Long-Term Outlook for US Debt to Negative

The agency expressed unprecedented doubts over the ability of Washington to bring the massive federal budget deficits under control

2011-04-18

PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Standard & Poor's Ratings Service downgraded its outlook Monday on the United States' sovereign debt Read the complete article

NAACP Report: Education Over Incarceration

The nation’s oldest civil rights organization is challenging America to re-evaluate its spending priorities

2011-04-17

Jasmin K. Williams Special to the NNPA from the New York Amsterdam News

Education over incarceration is the message of a report released by the NAACP Read the complete article

Obama: Raise Debt Ceiling or Risk Global Recession

Obama acknowledged that he must compromise on spending with Republicans who control the House to avoid such a crisis

2011-04-15

BEN FELLER AP White House Correspondent

CHICAGO (AP) -- Failure by Congress to raise the U.S. debt limit "could plunge the world economy back into recession," President Barack Obama declared Friday Read the complete article

California-Based Loan Company Shut Down by Washington State Regulators

2011-04-14

The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions has taken swift action to stop an unlicensed mortgage loan modification company from continuing to harm Washington consumers.
DFI issued a Temporary Cease and Desist Order against Home Credit Law Center, its President, attorney Brian R. Linnekens, and an employee, Derek Thomas.  The Department ordered the Respondents, all of Los Angeles, to immediately cease and desist unlicensed activity, misrepresenting that Mr. Linnekens was licensed to practice law in Washington, and taking advance fees for loan modification services. Read the complete article

Study Shows the Hazards of Credit Card Indebtedness

2011-04-07

After the financial crash in 2008, credit cardholders cut back on their credit card usage and issuers cut back on their lending. As a result, credit card balances fell for 27 straight months and revolving credit declined $178 billion from its peak.
But there is still a large group of Americans who are indebted to their credit card.
A new study released by Demos, "Understanding the Debt Difference," examines credit card usage among low- and middle-income families and shows the effects of credit card indebtedness. Read the complete article

Winning Businesses

2011-04-07

MillerCoors announced the winners of its 2010-11 Urban Entrepreneurs Series and Business Plan Competition this week. Recipients won business grants totaling $150,000 at a special reception held at the MillerCoors corporate headquarters in Chicago. Read the complete article

VIDEO: Obama Administration Argues Government Shutdown Would Hurt Economy

President seeks to put the prospect of a budget meltdown in terms people would care about

2011-04-06

JIM KUHNHENN The Associated Press

Warning of economic repercussions, the Obama administration said Wednesday that a government shutdown would halt the processing of tax returns and limit small business loans and government-guaranteed mortgages during peak home buying season Read the complete article

Auto Sales Up on Jobs Outlook, Fuel-Efficient Cars

Of major automakers, only Toyota Motor Corp. reported a decline, nearly 6 percent

2011-04-03

TOM KRISHER and DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Auto Writers

DETROIT (AP) -- U.S. sales of new cars and trucks rose in March, helped by a brighter jobs outlook and rising sales of fuel-efficient vehicles. Read the complete article

New CRL Research: Banks’ Foreclosure Bias Hurts Everyone

Investment community begins to question servicer actions

2011-04-02

Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist

Fix or Evict, the Center for Responsible Lending’s latest in a series of research reports on mortgage lending and foreclosures, reaches eye-opening conclusions in its ongoing scrutiny of America’s still-unfolding foreclosure crisis Read the complete article

Peggy Ross Hired to Management of LifeWorks NW

She served as Gov. Ted Kulongoski's director of affirmative action from 2003 until 2011

2011-03-31

LifeWorks NW has announced the appointment of Peggy C. Ross to the organization’s management team Read the complete article