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In the Bronx, a bookstore on wheels is parking it at a new spot as the business expands

Jul 28, 2023
Come October, Latanya DeVaughn, owner of mobile bookstore Bronx Bound Books, anticipates author events and a permanent spot at the mall.
Bronx Bound Books' busiest period is August to December as it visits farmers markets and school book fairs.
Courtesy Latanya DeVaughn

An economic "hope story" in Buffalo, New York

Over the past few years, pay for low-wage workers in the city has risen more than 40%, according to one analysis.
In Buffalo, there is "the sense that low-wage workers are doing better than inflation," says Nela Richardson of ADP, walking down Elmwood Avenue with "Marketplace" host Kai Ryssdal.
Brandon Watson

Crypto industry finds itself in the thick of local fights over greenhouse gas emissions

Jul 1, 2022
New York's denial of a power plant permit highlights what's at stake for the crypto industry and communities fighting to meet climate goals.
Thursday, New York state officials decided not to renew an air permit for a cryptocurrency mining facility citing emission-reduction goals. Above, a workers install a row of bitcoin mining machines in Texas.
Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images

New York state awaits governor's decision on partial crypto mining moratorium

Jun 23, 2022
The 2-year moratorium prevents the repurposing of fossil-fuel burning power plants into crypto mining operations.
A large metal tube juts into Seneca Lake. The Greenidge Generation crypto mining facility uses the tube to take in water to cool its equipment. The warmer water is then discharged back into the lake.
Lily Jamali/Marketplace

New York state expected to enact pay transparency law

Jun 14, 2022
The law would require most employers in the state to disclose pay ranges in job advertisements.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, seen above at an April press conference, is expected to sign off on a salary range disclosure law that advocates say is a step toward pay equity.
Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

A mobile bookstore in the Bronx “is where my heart is” 

Apr 13, 2022
Storefront prices were too high, so Latanya DeVaughn of Bronx Bound Books used savings, a grant and a bus to realize her dream.
Courtesy Latanya DeVaughn

For this toy store, back-to-school shopping looks different this year

Sep 10, 2021
Millions of students are returning to in-person classes this school year. What does that mean for businesses that sell school supplies?
While consumers are spending more on technology and COVID-19 related products, spending fell for traditional school supplies, clothing and accessories, according to a report from Deloitte.
Philippe Huguen/AFP via Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

N.Y. businesses await details of "HERO Act"

Jun 15, 2021
It will require companies with more than 10 employees to implement a series of safety protocols to help prevent airborne diseases.
The law says that workers have the right to refuse to work in unsafe conditions and that it’s illegal to retaliate against them for raising safety concerns. It requires companies to allow workers to form safety committees.
Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

New York creates fund for undocumented workers

Apr 12, 2021
COVID-19 has disproportionately affected many groups, including undocumented immigrants. Lawmakers want them to be compensated.
Many jobs often done by undocumented immigrants, such as construction and food service, were cut back during the pandemic.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

A week in the life of a restaurant owner, ahead of a COVID winter

Dec 14, 2020
Allison Arevalo owns Pasta Louise, a Brooklyn restaurant. She kept a weeklong diary for us, as she, like many restaurant owners, faces yet another seismic change in the industry.
A Pasta Louise holiday gift basket. "I feel like my mind is just always kind of thinking about ways to keep people out and supporting us for the winter," says owner Allison Arevalo.
Allison Arevalo