“This increase is phased in overtime and it, in fact, allows consumption to increase,” said Coalition President Saru Jayaraman.

The federal minimum wage stands at $7.25. The last increase was in 2009. Many small businesses feel a $15 minimum wage could put them out of business. Jayaraman says that small businesses actually fair better in states with higher wages.

“Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and Minnesota all have had higher small business growth rates and job growth and restaurant industry sales prior to the pandemic than West Virginia,” said Jayaraman.

On Thursday, a group of lawmakers, including West Virginia’s Senator Shelly Moore-Capito (Republican) came out in favor of a phased in $10 federal wage increase. U.S. Senator Joe Manchin says he would support an $11 minimum wage.

White House imposes COVID-19 testing fee on reporters in latest step limiting press access

WASHINGTON — The White House is imposing a new $170 COVID-19 testing fee on reporters who want to access the West Wing, in what critics say is the latest step that constrains press coverage of President Biden.

The Biden administration already imposed sweeping restrictions, including capping at 80 the number of pre-approved journalists who are able to access White House grounds on a given day — each of whom must take a COVID-19 rapid test before 1 p.m.

Under former President Donald Trump, any reporter with a “hard pass” was able to breeze past the White House gates at any time and without taking a coronavirus test. But few abused the privilege due to peer pressure to limit visits.

The latest restrictions were announced in an on-the-record email from White House Correspondents’ Association President Zeke Miller, who is a reporter for The Associated Press.

https://nypost.com/2021/02/27/white-house-imposes-covid-19-testing-fee-on-reporters/

During the off-the-record call, Ducklo made derogatory and misogynistic comments, accusing Palmeri of only reporting on his relationship—which, due to the ethics questions that factor into the relationship between a journalist and White House official, falls under the purview of her reporting beat—because she was “jealous” that an unidentified man in the past had “wanted to fuck” McCammond “and not you.” Ducklo also accused Palmeri of being “jealous” of his relationship with McCammond. (Palmeri had no prior relationship or communication with McCammond before calling her to report on the Playbook item, which was a story that she was assigned and had not independently pursued.)

Ducklo’s threats, spurring multiple conversations between the news outlet and senior-level officials on January 21, including White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield, and Biden senior adviser Anita Dunn. In one of those calls, senior White House officials acknowledged that Ducklo’s handling of the call with Palmeri was inappropriate and said he would send a note to her apologizing for the comments. In another conversation, the same White House officials took aim at Palmeri by accusing her of breaking an off-the-record agreement with Ducklo and pressing Politico as to why the contents of the call had been revealed. Palmeri had only informed her editors of the contents of the call, which she had transcribed into her notes as it was happening, after they asked her about it.