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| Pandemic shopping spree creates economic windfall for rural communities | Before the pandemic, many rural counties struggled to bring in enough taxes to fund services. But a change in how we collect sales tax, followed by a pandemic, has turned things around for some of them, at least for now. To understand what changed, you have to go back to 2008.鈥 |
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| Lagging behind national trend, Seattle workers not in hurry to return to the office | This spring many Seattle-area firms began reopening their offices and tempting workers back with promises of pizza, spontaneous workplace joviality and other all-but-forgotten pleasures of in-person employment. To which many office workers appear to have said, 鈥渕eh鈥 鈥 much to the dismay鈥 |
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| With gas prices giving folks sticker shock, what will it do to Whatcom鈥檚 economy? | While Whatcom County residents are suffering from sticker shock as they pump gasoline, local economists are weighing what impact the price increase will have on the overall local economy. The average price for a gallon of gas in Whatcom County hit $4.61, according to AAA Washington. That鈥 |
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| During the pandemic Whatcom bankruptcy filings have tumbled to record lows. Here鈥檚 why | Despite plenty of pandemic-related shocks to the Whatcom economy, bankruptcy filings in 2021 set a record low. Last year, 155 bankruptcies of all chapters were filed in Whatcom County, according to data from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western District of Washington in Seattle. That鈥檚 down 25%鈥 |
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| Job growth slows in Washington, even as it surges nationally | Another potential factor behind the differences between state and national trends may reflect Washington鈥檚 relatively conservative approach to COVID-19 restrictions, said Hart Hodges, an economist and director of the Center for Economic and Business Research at Western Washington鈥 |
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| Will Whatcom County continue to see a significant number of bank branches close? | It鈥檒l be interesting to see where things go with bank branches, said Hart Hodges, co-director of the Center for Economic and Business Research at Western Washington University. Hodges noted that this area, particularly Bellingham, is well-served with financial branches 鈥 not鈥 |
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| Whatcom鈥檚 job market is still in disarray. These industries are bouncing back | While the overall numbers give the appearance of stability, Whatcom County鈥檚 job market is still a bit chaotic as the local economy attempts to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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As we head into uncharted waters of possibly fewer pandemic restrictions and a huge financial stimulus package, Whatcom County鈥檚 economy could see some good and not-so-good scenarios in 2021. Local economists Hart Hodges and James McCafferty hit on a wide range of topics during their鈥 |
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| There are the Whatcom restaurants and retail stores that won't be around in 2021 | In what has been one of the most difficult business climates ever, many Whatcom County retailers and restaurants were able to find a way to survive this pandemic year. The number of announced permanent closures of restaurants, bars and retail stores is fairly similar to recent years. At鈥 |
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| There are the Whatcom restaurants and retail stores that won't be around in 2021 | In what has been one of the most difficult business climates ever, many Whatcom County retailers and restaurants were able to find a way to survive this pandemic year. The number of announced permanent closures of restaurants, bars and retail stores is fairly similar to recent years. At鈥 |