MAE ANDERSON Business Writer, Author at The Rapid City Post

Super Bowl LX ads feature AI, weight-loss drugs and celebs from George Clooney to Kendall Jenner

February 4, 2026

As Super Bowl Sunday approaches, the battle off the field for advertisers to win over 120 million-plus viewers will be just as heated as the rivalry on the field. Dozens of advertisers are pulling out all the stops for Super Bowl 60. They are hoping that audiences tuning in will remember their brand names as they stuff their ads with celebrities ranging from Kendall Jenner (Fanatics Sportsbook) to George Clooney (Grubhub), and tried-and-true ad icons like the Budweiser Clydesdales. This year’s trends include health and telehealth companies advertising weight loss drugs and advertisers showcasing AI.

FILE - Small Business Administration administrator Kelly Loeffler listens during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Capitol Hill, May 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

SBA says legal permanent residents will be ineligible for its loan program, effective March 1.

February 3, 2026

The Small Business Administration said in a policy note that green card holders won’t be allowed to apply for SBA loans, effective March 1. The move is the latest by the SBA as it works to tighten loan restrictions and restructure. Last year, it tightened a requirement that businesses applying for loans must be 100% owned by U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or lawful permanent residents, up from a 51% standard. In December, it issued a notice that said up to 5% of a business could be non-citizen owned. But the current policy rescinds that, as well as making lawful permanent residents ineligible.

Minnesota CEOs issue joint letter urging de-escalation in Minnesota after shooting

January 25, 2026

More than 60 CEOs of Minnesota-based companies signed an open letter posted on the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce website on Sunday calling for state, local and federal officials to work together, as businesses grapple with how to address tensions in the state and across the country following two fatal shootings by federal agents amid a massive immigration enforcement operation that has spurred protests. CEOs that signed the letter included 3M CEO William Brown, Best Buy CEO Corie Barry, General Mills CEO Jeff Harmening, Target incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke, UnitedHealth Group CEO Stephen Helmsley, and others. Over the past two weeks protesters have targeted some businesses they see as aiding federal immigration enforcement, including Minneapolis-based Target.

FILE - Co-owners Dean Smith, left, and Joanne Farrugia pose for a photograph in JaZams, one of their toy stores Friday, June 27, 2025, in Princeton, N.J. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

US tariffs are having an uneven effect on holiday prices and purchases

December 15, 2025

Many U.S. consumers say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for holiday gifts in recent months, according to a a December poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. A contributing factor is the unusually high import taxes the Trump administration put on foreign goods. While the worst-case consumer impact that many economists foresaw from the administration’s trade policies hasn’t materialized, some popular gift items have been affected more than others. Most toys and electronics sold in the U.S. come from China. So do most holiday decorations. Jewelry prices have risen due to the cost of gold.

The Warner Bros. water tower is seen at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, Calif., Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

What to know about Paramount’s hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery

December 8, 2025

Warner Bros. Discovery’s friendly agreement to sell itself to Netflix just got upended by a hostile actor. Paramount made Warner shareholders a higher offer on Monday and touched off what is likely to be a lengthy fight in the latest episode of media industry consolidation. Paramount’s all-cash offer is worth about $74.4 billion, while Netflix agreed to buy Warner for $72 billion in cash and stock. Both offers will face regulatory scrutiny, and President Donald Trump has promised to weigh in. Shareholders have until Jan. 8, 2026, to vote on Paramount’s offer.

FILE - Veteran and business owner Jackson Dalton poses for a portrait at the Black Box Safety offices on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in El Cajon, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

With their government contracts in limbo, small businesses await a historic shutdown’s end

November 12, 2025

The end of the longest U.S. government shutdown in history would be a relief for small businesses that depend on federal contracts or funding. Some say they’ve been reducing spending, weighing layoffs and looking for stable work while trying to reach government offices that have been closed for seven weeks. They describe payment delays, canceled work orders and stalled bids that have affected their businesses and will mean making up for lost time and money if lawmakers approve legislation to fund the government until late January. The owner of a California company that makes personal protective equipment says a contract he won the day before the shutdown started accounted for 6% of his annual revenue.

FILE - A United Parcel Service truck makes deliveries in Pittsburgh on June 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, file)

Shipping delays expected after UPS cargo plane crash

November 5, 2025

The UPS cargo plane crash on Tuesday at the company’s global aviation hub in Kentucky, which killed at least nine, will temporarily disrupt the supply chain and result in some shipping delays. But UPS says it has contingency plans in place and experts say the impact should be cleared up before the peak holiday season. The plane crashed about Tuesday evening as it was departing for Honolulu from UPS Worldport, UPS’ largest shipping hub, at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. Package sorting at the center was halted late Tuesday and the halt continued on Wednesday. Consumers who want to check on their UPS packages can wait to hear from the company or look up tracking details online.

Kitchen cabinet companies hope new US tariffs pay off in the long run

October 13, 2025

New tariffs on imported kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and upholstered furniture in the U.S. are expected to impact the home improvement industry. The tariffs took effect early Tuesday. The White House says the aim is to boost domestic production and to protect American companies. However, some small business owners worry about short-term challenges. They fear clients may hesitate to pay more for budget-priced cabinets, and potential customers might delay renovations. Despite high mortgage rates affecting home sales and rising production costs, a Harvard University forecast expects remodeling activity to remain slow but steady through the middle of next year.

FILE - Parcels slide down a ramp after being scanned at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection overseas mail inspection facility at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport Feb. 23, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)

What shoppers can do to limit charges once the US ends a tariff exemption for goods under $800

August 26, 2025

U.S. shoppers have enjoyed cheap, duty-free international packages from overseas retailers, but that’s changing. The “de minimis” exemption, which allowed duty-free shipping on packages worth $800 or less, ends on August 29. Now, all international packages will face tariffs ranging from 10% to 50% or a flat duty between $80 to $200 per item, depending on the country of origin. Consumers might not pay all the tariffs, depending on certain conditions. Merchants should aim to make import costs clear, but some confusion is expected. Shoppers should check product origin and shipping details to avoid surprises.

People play a water gun game at Playland's Castaway Cove amusement park, in Ocean City, N.J, on Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Mingson Lau)

Smaller amusement parks hope for a strong summer under the shadow of tariffs

June 16, 2025

The tariffs wars involving global economic powerhouses such as the U.S. and China are being felt even in such distinctly local places as your regional amusement park. Families who balk at the cost of a vacation at big amusement parks like Disney World favor trips to regional parks. But if tariffs lead to economic uncertainty, they may stay home. The Trump administration’s import taxes on foreign goods also could subject park owners to costs that their customers might not think about. Parts of the rides are made of imported steel that’s currently subject to tariffs. And prizes and toys people win playing games often come from China.

MAE ANDERSON Business Writer.