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I worked as an associate producer at Marketplace, producing interviews and stories about business, the economy and how they intersect with the lives of everyday people. Here are my stories.

Marketplace •

Some high-yield savings accounts offer lower-than-advertised interest

No one knows when the Fed plans to cut rates. But if you were looking to benefit from the high interest rates, your best bet would usually be to open a high-yield savings account. However, you might want to check the fine print before you do.

Customers of a few online-centric banks are noticing that the interest rates in their accounts aren’t always keeping pace with the interest rates their banks advertise. Newer customers were getting a higher interest rate for their accounts while existing c
Marketplace •

As sports content booms, traditional sports journalism declines

For sports fans, the golden age of content is now. ESPN reported that multiple talk show programs set new viewership records last month. Athletes are producing podcasts and documentaries to give audiences entree behind the scenes. A Deloitte survey shows that around half of Gen Z sports fans use social media to expand their communities while watching live events.

But even with all this new content, traditional sports journalism is slowly disappearing. The New York Times dissolved its sports des
Marketplace •

Former climate researcher says switch to data science was an “adventure”

Moving from job to job is becoming more normal in an ever-changing job market, especially among younger workers. According to a 2023 PwC survey, 26% of workers said they planned to quit their jobs within a year.

While there are many reasons to change jobs, sometimes life just happens, and your career works out differently than expected. That was the case for Grace Kim, climate researcher turned data scientist, out in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Kim said she chose to switch after realizing the ne
Marketplace •

How the Freedman's Bank failure still impacts Black Americans

The Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company, also known as the Freedman’s Bank, was established in March 1865 by white abolitionists, bankers and philanthropists. According to the Treasury Department, the bank was created to “help develop the newly freed African Americans as they endeavored to become financially stable.” Within the first few years, the bank flourished, with 37 established branches and more than 100,000 depositors in total.

However, the bank failed after less than a decade, due to
Marketplace •

A Georgia esports center introduces Black kids to tech jobs

“My Economy” tells the story of the new economic normal through the eyes of people trying to make it, because we know the only numbers that really matter are the ones in your economy.

The tech industry has a long-standing diversity problem. According to CompTIA’s State of the Tech Workforce report, only 8% of tech workers are Black. Usually, tech companies like Google and Amazon recruit more Black talent into the industry through investments in historically Black colleges and universities.

But
Marketplace •

Incarcerated labor linked to hundreds of major food brands

The Associated Press recently published an article linking hundreds of popular food brands to an “intricate, invisible web” of incarcerated workers. During the two-year investigation, reporters found that U.S. prisoners nationwide produced hundreds of millions of dollars worth of agricultural products and goods sold on the open market.

Incarcerated workers are often excluded from basic worker protections, like workers’ compensation and federal safety standards. In some cases, prisoners are paid
Marketplace •

How are Black communities in the rural South dealing with digital redlining?

In today’s economy, broadband internet is virtually essential. It affects people’s ability to apply for jobs or work from home, pay bills, turn in schoolwork or use telehealth services. But in many communities across the rural South, residents don’t have reliable and affordable internet access.

Black households in the South suffer the most; 38% of Black residents don’t have home internet, according to a 2021 study. Some residents pay exorbitant prices for spotty broadband service or rely on com
Marketplace •

The 2024 election cycle is expected to be the most expensive ever

Elections are expensive, and the 2024 presidential election is no exception.

A new report from AdImpact predicts that the 2023-24 election cycle will be the costliest of all time, with candidates expected to spend cumulatively more than $10 billion in political pitches across various platforms. For major candidates, fundraising hasn’t been an issue. The campaigns of Joe Biden and Donald Trump raised more than $24 million each during the third quarter.

Sheila Krumholz, executive director of pol
Marketplace •

The stress of kid toy clutter

Kids generally understand that the holiday season means they’re getting more toys. But between stuffed animals, action figures, video games, puzzles, books, and everything else, kids today already have a lot of stuff. And for parents, this time of year can be stressful, as many ask, “Where do we put all this stuff?”

Caitlin Gibson, a feature writer for The Washington Post, knows exactly how that anxiety feels. In her article, “Our kids have too much stuff,” she writes, “There is already too muc
Marketplace •

Feeding America CEO urges "using your voices" in fighting hunger

Food insecurity is a growing problem in the United States.

According to the latest data from the Department of Agriculture, 12.8% of households in the United States were food-insecure at some point during 2022, up from 10.2% in 2021. Food banks nationwide are struggling to meet demand, serving more families with fewer resources and donations.

Government assistance has been inconsistent, with pandemic-era food aid ending in March and the 2018 farm bill being extended through September 2024 at t
Marketplace •

Music store looks to offer services in addition to gear

“My Economy” tells the story of the new economic normal through the eyes of people trying to make it, because we know the only numbers that really matter are the ones in your economy.

When we heard from Adam Levin, general manager of Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center in Wheaton, Maryland back in 2021, he was dealing with record demand levels as stores began to reopen. Now that demand has slowed a bit, Adam is looking to make Chuck Levin’s a “meaningful place of business” beyond selling prod
Marketplace •

Clean energy transition will affect workers beyond auto industry

The United Auto Workers labor union reached tentative agreements with Ford, Stellantis and General Motors to end their strikes at the largest U.S. automakers. One concern was ensuring that automakers couldn’t use electric vehicle plants to replace union jobs with nonunion jobs. Cognizant that factories making gasoline-powered cars will sooner or later be shut down, the union worked with GM to bring battery manufacturing under its contract.

This points to the larger concern about protections for
Marketplace •

EV road trip through Southeast required charging map and privilege

Owning an electric vehicle “still requires a lot of privilege,” according to Adam Mahoney, a reporter for Capital B News.

Mahoney planned a seven-day road trip through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. When the rental car company ran out of gas-powered vehicles, Mahoney decided it was time to try an electric vehicle. Despite driving through a part of the country where many EVs are made, Mahoney had trouble finding public charging stations, particularly in Black communities.
Marketplace •

Due to elder care costs, the Great Wealth Transfer may not be so great

Based on Federal Reserve data, Americans over 60 — that includes baby boomers and the Silent Generation — hold more than half of the nation’s wealth, amounting to around $96 trillion. For decades, economists, estate planners and families have anticipated a Great Wealth Transfer in which older generations would pass their money and other assets on to their children, mainly millennials and Gen Xers.

However, according to finance writer and Insider contributor Annie Logue, this doesn’t seem likely
Marketplace •

Transitioning from Etsy to a physical boutique

“My Economy” tells the story of the new economic normal through the eyes of people trying to make it, because we know the only numbers that really matter are the ones in your economy.

E-commerce is a huge part of our economy. Etsy alone has 7.5 million sellers on its platform, and by 2026, experts expect almost a quarter of all retail purchases to take place online. But what happens when you want to grow past e-commerce?

Mimi Striplin is the founder and CEO of The Tiny Tassel, an accessories,
Marketplace •

The value of parks is rising. Luckily, in many cases, costs are declining.

Green space is more than a place to walk your dog. Research shows that access to green space and parks benefits mental and physical health. During the pandemic quarantines, park attendance rose, with Americans seeing them as safe spaces for recreation and relaxation.

Now, cities across the country are trying to accommodate increased demand for public parks and outdoor spaces. But with smaller budgets to work with, in many cases, and higher construction costs, developers have to find creative wa
Marketplace •

Panama drought is jamming trade through the canal

A severe drought in Panama is causing issues for the global supply chain. Low water levels at the Panama Canal, which relies on fresh water from lakes, means bigger, heavier ships can’t get through, creating a bottleneck. Gretchen Blough, a customs broker for Logistics Plus in Erie, Pennsylvania, said she’s working hard to reroute goods so they get to their destinations on time.

“We’ve seen the trend lately where the cargo ships just keep getting bigger and bigger to carry more containers,” Blo
Marketplace •

One typewriter salesman's take on the current economy

“My Economy” tells the story of the new economic normal through the eyes of people trying to make it, because we know the only numbers that really matter are the ones in your economy.

One of the most important aspects of growing a new business? Finding the right location. For Aaron Therol, owner of Typewriter Connection, living and working in Los Angeles has helped his typewriter sales operation thrive.

“Being in Los Angeles, it’s a very creative city,” Therol said. “So the nice thing about th
Marketplace •

Why does furniture fall apart so easily?

Years ago, furniture, like dressers or dining tables, was built to last for generations. Now, you’d be lucky if a bookshelf could survive a move. Why doesn’t modern furniture last as long as it used to? According to Washington Post reporter Rachel Kurzius, it starts with industry practices to raise profits.

“Cheap manufacturing practices have conditioned consumers to expect that furniture should be inexpensive and fall apart in a few years,” Kurzius writes. “So not many shoppers are willing to
Marketplace •

Climate change means more extremes for Washington farmer

The growing season in the Pacific Northwest has been unusual this year — a cold spring followed by an unseasonably hot and dry summer.

“[What] we’re seeing all over the globe is a little bit less predictability and a little bit more extremes,” said Patrick Smith, a hops and apple farmer in Yakima, Washington, who’s in the middle of his harvest. “I think that really influenced some of the things that we saw in the crop this year.”

“Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal checked in with Smith about how c
Marketplace •

"People are feeling the pinch," Montana mall manager says

The U.S. Census Bureau releases retail sales numbers for August on Thursday. For a closer look at retail sales in Butte, Montana, “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal checked in with Alana Ferko, manager of the Butte Plaza Mall. The following is an edited transcript of their conversation.

Kai Ryssdal: When you’re off duty and you’re not worried about the mall, although I imagine you’re worried about the mall all the time, what’s the economic vibe in Butte? What’s the feeling out there?

Alana Ferko:
Marketplace •

St. Louis designer and leather craftsman reimagines the soccer ball

“My Economy” tells the story of the new economic normal through the eyes of people trying to make it, because we know the only numbers that really matter are the ones in your economy.

Whether you call it football or soccer, the sport is growing more popular in the United States. Among pro athletics, Major League Soccer has the youngest fan base in North America, with the average age of its fans at 39.6. And during the recent World Cup tournament, the United States women’s national team attracte
Marketplace •

Classic car entrepreneur brings the "Bugeye" Sprite into the 21st century

“My Economy” tells the story of the new economic normal through the eyes of people trying to make it, because we know the only numbers that really matter are the ones in your economy.

The Austin-Healey “Bugeye” Sprite was a British roadster produced between early 1958 and late 1960. It was known for its fixed-headlight design, which formed a smiley face with the grille, and earned the nickname Bugeye in the U.S.

You may not have heard of it, as it wasn’t very popular. In fact, fewer than 50,00
Marketplace •

How subsidized employment programs boost racial inequity

Later this month, we’ll celebrate the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech and called for a “massive federal program to train and place all employed workers — Negro and white — on meaningful and dignified jobs at decent wages.”

There is still a long way to go to achieve the social and economic dreams marked on that day. But in the last 50 years, subsidized employment programs have helped get and
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