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u.s. news Diaranson 14 september 2022

US inflation still stubbornly high despite August slowdown

(AP) — Lower gas costs Rosner-Warburton pointed
slowed U.S. inflation for out. Furniture, rugs and new
a second straight month cars grew more expensive last
in August, but most other month, suggesting that com-
prices across the economy panies are still raising prices
kept rising — evidence in the face of strong consum-
that inflation remains a er demand.
heavy burden for Ameri-
can households. Ongoing price increases for
raw materials — and labor
Consumer prices surged — have left many small busi-
8.3% last month compared nesses struggling. Some are
with a year earlier, the gov- raising their own prices to
ernment said Tuesday, down keep up, only to then lose
from an 8.5% jump in July customers, according to a
and a four-decade high of survey by Goldman Sachs
9.1% in June. On a monthly 10,000 Small Business Voic-
basis, prices rose 0.1%, after a es.
flat reading in July.
The average 30-year mort-
But excluding the volatile gage rate jumped to nearly
food and energy categories, 5.9% last week, according to
so-called core prices jumped mortgage buyer Freddie Mac,
0.6% from July to August the highest figure in nearly
— up sharply from 0.3% the 14 years.
previous month and dash- core figures, with many in- job growth and low unem- consumers, perhaps the most
ing hopes, for now, that core vestors fearful that the Fed- ployment. Grocery prices visible barometer of inflation Wages are still rising at a
prices would moderate. And eral Reserve will turn even continue to rise rapidly, — could bolster Democrats’ strong pace — before adjust-
in the year ending in August, more aggressive in its drive jumping 0.7% from July to prospects in the midterm ing for inflation — which has
core prices jumped 6.3%, up to curb inflation. The Dow August. In the past year, they elections. It may already have elevated demand for apart-
from 5.9% in July. Rents, Jones industrial average sank have soared 13.5% — the big- contributed to slightly higher ments as more people move
medical care services and more than 800 points in early gest 12-month increase since public approval ratings for out on their own. A shortage
new cars all grew more ex- trading. 1979. Biden. of available houses has also
pensive last month. forced more people to keep
Inflation is higher than many Chicken prices have jumped Nationally, the average cost renting, thereby intensifying
Core prices typically provide Americans have ever expe- nearly 17% in the past year. of a gallon of gas has dropped competition for apartments.
a clearer read on where costs rienced, escalating families’ And egg prices surged 2.9% to $3.71, down from just
are headed than overall infla- grocery bills, rents and utility just in August from July and above $5 in mid-June. Rising rents and more expen-
tion. Stock prices tumbled costs, among other expenses. are up nearly 40% from a But the prices of many other sive services, such as medical
and bond yields jumped on It has deepened gloom about year ago. At the same time, goods are still rising even as care, are also keeping infla-
the worse-than-expected the economy despite strong the drop in gas prices — for supply chain snarls unravel, tion high.

EPA inspector general probes Mississippi capital water woes

(AP) — An independent the city of 150,000 is in the regulations, policies and pro- Chokwe Antar Lumumba sissippi changed the qual-
watchdog in the Environ- seventh week of a boil-water cedures for oversight of Jack- was asked about the possibil- ity of the raw water entering
mental Protection Agency advisory because the state son’s water system and ad- ity of an EPA investigation. Jackson’s treatment plants.
said Tuesday it is investi- health department found ministration of federal grants That slowed the treatment
gating the troubled wa- cloudiness in the water that under the Clean Water Act “I’ve had city employees process, depleted supplies in
ter system in Mississippi’s could cause illness. and Safe Drinking Water Act. that have called and said that water tanks and caused a pre-
capital city. someone asked them some cipitous drop in pressure.
The EPA’s Office of Inspec- “Given the magnitude of the questions,” Lumumba said.
Emergency repairs are hap- tor General issued a memo water crisis in Jackson, Mis- “I just shared with them to Even before the rain, officials
pening after problems at Tuesday saying it will look sissippi, it is critical that the cooperate.” said some water pumps had
Jackson’s main water treat- into the response to the cri- EPA OIG act with a sense of failed and a treatment plant
ment plant caused most cus- sis by EPA’s regional office, urgency to understand what In 2018, the EPA’s inspector was using backup pumps. A
tomers to lose service for sev- as well as city and state offi- has happened in that com- general called on the agency cold snap in 2021 froze pipes
eral days in late August and cials. Investigators will con- munity,” the inspector gen- to strengthen its oversight and left tens of thousands of
early September. duct interviews, gather data eral, Sean O’Donnell, said in of state drinking water sys- people without running wa-
Water is flowing again, but and analyze compliance with a news release. tems nationally and respond ter. Similar problems hap-
more quickly to public health pened again early this year,
Like many cities, Jackson emergencies such as the lead- on a smaller scale. Broken
faces water system problems in-the water crisis in Flint, water and sewer pipes are
it can’t afford to fix. Its tax Michigan. In a 74-page re- also common.
base has eroded the past few port, the inspector general
decades as the population de- pointed to “oversight lapses” The EPA issued a notice in
creased — the result of most- at the federal, state and lo- January that Jackson’s sys-
ly white flight to suburbs that cal levels in the response to tem violates the federal Safe
began after public schools Flint’s contaminated drink- Drinking Water Act. The
integrated in 1970. The city’s ing water. agency noted that an April
population is now more than 2021 electrical panel fire at
80% Black, with about 25% In Jackson, the National the main water treatment
of its residents living in pov- Guard and volunteer groups plant knocked all five pumps
erty. have distributed millions out of service, causing low
of bottles of drinking water water pressure. An inspection
During a news conference since late August, when tor- six months later found the
Monday, Jackson Mayor rential rainfall in central Mis- pumps still weren’t working.