Welcome back and we're closing in on the Weekend. Thanks for coming by and a reminder that you can follow us all day, and night on Twitter @IOB_NewsHour.  Here's what we've got for you today:

The Fed stays "dovish" and the S&P roars;

The new jobless claims surprised everybody;

Southwest recalling employees for....

Embattled NRA chief says it was a memory issue;

Hey, chip makers, hurry up will ya;

Boomers and Blue Chips;

A new weed story for you from Canada;

Levi sales down but outlook up;

The Wall Street Report

Introvert/Extrovert?  How to find out!

Plus for the interview you'll meet Rob Perry who is in charge of sales and marketing for Reliable Aftermarket Parts a company based in Michigan. RAParts has seen monumental growth over the past several years and we break that down.  We're talking world-wide sales, technology and customer service.  To listen, click here.

Thanks for coming by!

Mid-Week and thanks for being here. Today was one of those odd days on Wall Street and we'll share details plus for the interview a massive transformation of a shopping mall in Des Moines, Iowa caught our attention.  But first, the news:

Stop working and go for a walk...no, really;

Amazon does not want to talk about this;

The My Pillow guy is getting hit again;

He said "tax breaks have got to go". Stunning;

T-Mobile has a new promotion and it's big;

Janet Yellen and more tax news;

The Wall Street Report;

It seems Ketchup just can't...catch up.

Plus for the interview the stunning story about how one mall owner is totally transforming one of her properties. Our guest is Liz Holland the CEO of Merle Hay Investors. She'll share a story about the difference between shopping centers in Europe and the U.S. as well as the retail reality that has brought down so many malls. Then we'll get into the amazing transformation of a property in Des Moines, Iowa.  It is...groundbreaking. To listen to that conversation, click here.

If you've spent any time listening to our daily newscast you know that we've reported many times about the hollowing out of our nation's shopping malls. As ecommerce shook the bones of retail we watched as department stores, often shopping mall anchors, entering bankruptcy and leaving gaping holes. Then COVID19 came and, for many, finished the job. Some malls have sold out to Amazon to be used as fulfillment centers. Other mall owners are working new tenet arrangements hoping to salvage their business. Some mall owners are totally reimagining their centers and changing everything. Meet Liz Holland the CEO of Merle Hay Investors and the remarkable story behind their goal to totally restructure their business. It's a stunning departure and, perhaps, one of the first in the nation as the Merle Hay Mall becomes..."Hockey Town".

Thanks for listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

There is a vast business out there that flies under the radar of those who live in our urban areas unless, of course, you are into major urban farming like they are doing in Detroit. Here you'll meet Rob Perry who is in charge of sales and marketing for both Reliable Aftermarket Parts and their wholesale division ARC Parts. Both based in Michigan but doing business world-wide.  Here we talk about the business of agricultural and construction parts their involvement with the National Tractor Parts Dealers Association (NTPDA) and more. And, if you would like to learn more about the company history and see a quick video here is that link.

Thanks for listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

We had to make some programming changes today because our guest, Lorie Vincent and Stand Up Rural America is running up on a deadline.  Check that conversation below. In the news today:

Included in the Facebook breach?

Here is the link to find out in 10 seconds;

The Global Minimum Tax is....

Best job listing tip we've seen;

Kimball Musk sells Tesla stock and it means...

The Wall Street Report;

Anxiety issues about returning to the office.

For the interview meet Lorie Vincent who's firm Accelerating by Design is the brain-child behind the Stand Up Rural America Summit happening in Charleston, West Virginia April 27 - 29.  We'll talk about the who, what and why of going and more.  To listen to that conversation just click here. 

Thanks for listening!

What does Rural America want...and need?  Meet Lorie Vincent the principal at Acceleration by Design based in Austin, Texas. Here we talk about the second Stand Up Rural America which will take place April 27 - 29 in Charleston, West Virginia. So, what is it? Why does it matter? Who will learn and why it's important that you show up and steal as many ideas as possible. Registration is going on right now. Meet Lorie Vincent: 

Thanks for listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

Welcome back from a long weekend.  Today we've got some great business news stories from what happened on Wall Street to buying homes for just $1,000.  Here's what we've got for you:

More stimulus checks have gone out;

Do you qualify due to income? Click to calculate;

Buying gas at Costco even if you're not a member;

Gun sales in the U.S. hitting record numbers;

The city with homes being sold for $1,000 each;

The Wall Street Report;

The NLRB and Amazon;

In for the interview is entrepreneur Mensur Pudic yet another person we've profiled that started a business during the pandemic. His story is stunning and unique. To listen, just click here.

Thanks for listening!

Part of our ongoing series featuring entrepreneurs who have launched their business during the pandemic we bring you speaker and business coach Mensur Pudic. Mensur has an amazing story from coming to the U.S. as a child not knowing the language or culture to being a successful employee at a large firm to launching his own business. You can learn more about Mensur here, on his website "Simply Motivated". But listening to the story is...uplifting. 

Thanks for listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour.

The markets were closed today but we still have some business news headlines for you for Friday the 2nd of April.  Also, follow us on Twitter @IOB_NewsHour to keep up all day long.  Here's what we've got for you today:

Big news on the jobs front;

That $400,000 threshold from Mr. Biden;

The IRS is warning about a scam;

Major League Baseball out of Georgia;

A foreclosure tidal wave;

Are we "free to fly"?

Those stories and Jeff Pitts from Cityview Magazine is in to chat it up about a host of things to do in the Greater Des Moines Metro this weekend into next week. To hear that silliness, click here.

Each Friday as we slide into the weekend Jeff Pitts the managing editor of Cityview Magazine stops in to chat it up about "Stuff to DO" in the Greater Des Moines Metro. And it's sort of an anniversary for us. In March Jeff celebrated four years doing this gig with me.  Pretty neat.  Here, along with some side-chatter, is what we've got for you:

Hockey with the Des Moines Bucs!

The Des Moines Book Festival;

There is a blood drive going on;

A couple of Easter Egg Hunts;

How about Easter Brunch Gilroy's & Mulberry Street;

Monday, via ZOOM, it's the Writers Workshop;

Next week at Smash Park - Harry Potter Trivia;

Living History Farms and farming like it's 1850.

Learn more by heading to Cityview Magazine!