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Erika Beras

Reporter

SHORT BIO

I'm a reporter covering the economics of aging throughout the lifespan.

What was your first job?

I worked as a salesgirl and helium balloon inflator at a card store when I was 15.

In your next life, what would your career be?

A synchronized swimmer … an oral historian … or in all honesty, probably a journalist.

What is something that everyone should own, no matter how much it costs?

A good pair of shoes.

What’s the favorite item in your workspace and why?

I love textiles, fabrics and woven goods and always try to pick some up whenever I travel. I have a handful in and around my studio. They brighten up the space. Also, when I can no longer see them, I know it’s time to purge the piles of paper that just seem to accumulate.

 

Latest Stories (331)

Disney announces deal with Fox

by Erika Beras
Dec 14, 2017
A look at the ways Disney will now have an advantage in the streaming landscape.
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Despite high interest rates, people still sign up for department credit cards

by Erika Beras
Dec 11, 2017
Department store credit cards, which tend to have high interest rates, have fallen out of fashion. But for some with bad credit, they are the only option.
Credit cards are pictured, on February 5, 2013 in Rennes, western France.
DAMIEN MEYER/AFP/Getty Images
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House threat to tuition assistance tax break worries employers

by Erika Beras
Dec 8, 2017
Some Republican lawmakers join push to save the perk for employers and their employees.
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Proposed tax credit change could reduce future affordable housing

by Erika Beras
Dec 7, 2017
Advocates for affordable housing worry that the elimination of an incentive program for developers in the House version of the tax bill could result in less low-income housing built in the future.
A construction site stands around neglected housing in Manhattan on November 30, 2017 in New York City. Republicans are coming closer to getting the votes needed to pass their proposed tax cut which many economists predict will benefit the wealthy at the expense of the poor and middle class.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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There's no giving up on coal in Greene County, Pennsylvania

by Erika Beras
Dec 1, 2017
While there's plenty of money for free job training in health care and trucking, local workers pack coal classes instead.
Students sit in a miner training class at a career center in Greene County, Pennsylvania.
Erika Beras/Marketplace
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Graduate students could lose big in the GOP tax plan

by Erika Beras
Nov 9, 2017
Many students rely on tax-free tuition waivers to make education affordable.
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Can medical marijuana become the economic engine of a city?

by Erika Beras
Sep 15, 2017
Leaders in McKeesport, Pennsylvania are hoping the medical marijuana industry can revitalize the city.
Chayne Rouse and his sister Kayla Wilkes wait in line to apply for jobs at Pure Penn. 
Erika Beras/ Marketplace
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The Big Promise

When transportation barriers become economic barriers

by Erika Beras
Aug 18, 2017
The types of jobs that are open to residents of Erie City, Pennsylvania, can depend on their access to transportation.
Rhonda Glover and her youngest son Romeo, ride an Erie bus across town.
Erika Beras/Marketplace
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The annual performance review gets a reboot

by Erika Beras
Jul 13, 2017
Companies have learned that a steady stream of feedback is more effective than a yearly review.
Tom Quitoni is a quality assurance manager at Schell Games. There, managers review workers, workers review managers and everyone provides feedback on others in the company. “It gives you a unique perspective,” Quitoni said.
Erika Beras/Marketplace
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Walmart tries to make better savers out of the unbanked

by Erika Beras
Jul 7, 2017
A prepaid debit card program with a savings plan called the Vault links prizes to savings.
Latoya Roberts and her three children shop at a Walmart in a suburb outside of Pittsburgh.
Erika Beras/Marketplace
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