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BUSINESS DIGEST: Texas State gets grant for veterans program

Austin American-Statesman - 7/15/2017

July 14--EDUCATION

Texas State gets grant for veterans program

The Texas Workforce Commission on Friday announced a $145,495 grant to Texas State University and said the school had joined the state-backed College Credit for Heroes program, which the agency manages.

Texas State will use the grant -- one of more than $1 million in awards the commission announced Friday -- to fund the creation of an online curriculum designed to assess the skills veterans gained during their military service. The Heroes program, which now includes 48 university and community college partners statewide, works to maximize the college credits veterans can receive for their existing experience.

Under the initiative, veterans can earn up to 30 hours of college credit for their non-collegiate training. Evaluations in the Heroes program recommend an average of 25 college credit hours per veteran, the commission said in its press release.

The other colleges receiving the College Credit for Heroes grants were Dallas County Community College, Houston Community College and Lee College.

ECONOMY

Cheaper gas, wireless plans keep inflation in check

WASHINGTON -- Lower costs for gas, airline tickets, new and used cars and wireless mobile phone plans kept U.S. consumer prices flat in June, evidence that inflation remains muted.

The unchanged reading followed a drop of 0.1 percent in May, the Labor Department said Friday. Inflation has climbed just 1.6 percent from a year ago. That's down from February, when prices rose 2.7 percent from a year earlier.

The measure of wireless phone costs fell 0.8 percent in June and is down 13.2 percent in the past year. That mostly reflects new unlimited data plans. Gas prices fell 2.8 percent in June, after a 6.4 percent fall in May. Electricity costs slid 0.6 percent.

AUTOMAKERS

Alternator, wiring woes cause Fiat Chrysler recalls

DETROIT -- Fiat Chrysler is recalling over 1.3 million vehicles worldwide to fix malfunctioning alternators that can cause engines to stall or a wiring problem that can make air bags deploy unexpectedly.

The wiring recall covers nearly 771,000 Dodge Journey and Fiat Freemont SUVs from 2011 through 2015. The company says wires can chafe against steering wheel trim, causing electrical short-circuits. That can set off the driver's front air bags, cause wipers to come on unexpectedly, cause switches to fail or illuminate the air bag warning lights.

Customers who see any of the issues should contact a dealer. Dealers will install a covering on the wires or replace them if needed. FCA says it knows of five minor injuries related to the problem but no crashes.

The alternator recall affects nearly 566,000 Chrysler 300s, Dodge Challengers and Chargers and Durango SUVs from 2011 through 2014. Also covered are certain 2012 to 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokees.

The alternators can wear prematurely. That could cause engine stalling and compromise antilock brakes and electronic stability control. The alternators also can overheat, increasing the risk of fire.

ECONOMY

Retail sales fall in June as consumers pull back

WASHINGTON -- Americans curtailed their shopping in June, with less spending at restaurants, department stores and gasoline stations. The spending pullback came despite a healthy job market and suggests that economic growth could remain sluggish.

Retail sales fell 0.2 percent after declining 0.1 percent in May, the Commerce Department said Friday. Spending at retailers has grown 2.8 percent over the past 12 months.

The decline reflects in part a transformative shift by consumers toward Amazon and other online retailers. Sales at department stores, once the anchors of shopping malls and the pride of local communities, have dwindled. The rise of online shopping has left more retailers competing on price or striving to offer deeper discounts -- factors that can limit overall sales figures.

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