Horseshoe Chamber Blog

It's time for the kids to gather up their supplies, put on their cool new clothes, strap on their backpacks, and hop back on the bus. Back to school season can be one of the most exciting times of the year. Unfortunately, there are plenty of families across the country that dread these stressful days because they simply don't have the money to afford high quality backpacks, folders, pens and pencils, rulers, scissors, crayons, binders, calculators, new clothes, and other school supplies for their kids.Luckily, countless families in need can depend on the many Good Samaritans out there who would love to help them out. Many donated products are given new life in the U.S. and abroad. Internationally, more than 14.3 million tons of donated American textiles help clothe people and families acro...

For some, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest and greatest advancements in technology. After all, it seems like there's at least one new gadget making headlines every day. But for engineering students at Arizona State University, it's just become that much easier to keep up with technological trends. Now, their residence hall comes equipped with everything from 3-D printers to Amazon Echo Dot virtual assistants. Tooker Hall, a new facility meant to house 1,600 ASU engineering education students, recently opened with quite a bit of fanfare. Kyle Squires, the dean of Fulton Schools of Engineering at the university, explains what they're trying to accomplish with the new digs. "Innovation has a new home address at Tooker House," said Squires to American School and University. "T...

Working on a home is one of the joys of being a homeowner. And to do these home improvement projects, one generally has to go to the right stores to get the materials that they need. Despite this, home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowe's may be under threat from a newcomer in the field: Amazon. Lowe's and Home Depot have long been touted as being "Amazon-proof", but that fact might not be so certain anymore, analysts believe. The information comes from a CNBC.com article about the quarterly earnings of Lowe's, with many investors paying attention to the impact that Amazon had on the retailer. One of the individuals watching the earnings is Boris Schlossberg, the managing director of foreign exchange strategy at BK Asset Management. The expectation is that Amazon's e-c...

Earlier this month, hundreds of new laws debuted in Arizona. One, in particular, has been subject to quite a bit of debate in recent years and involves local businesses that are being sued for failing to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. But instead of punishing the businesses, this law actually restricts who can file lawsuits pertaining to issues of disability access. Lawmakers found that instead of protecting Americans who are living with disabilities, these lawsuits are often an attempt by attorneys to make a quick buck. Since 2013, filings connected to alleged ADA violations have spiked by 150%. In Arizona, according to Attorney General Mark Brnovich, there were more than 2,000 "copy-and-paste type lawsuits" like these clogging the state's court system in 2015, when B...

On Sunday, August 13, approximately 160 dogs made their way to Delaware. Prior residents of the Phoenix animal shelter, the dogs landed in New Castle County Airport ready for their forever homes. According to AZ Central, the transportation of the dogs came at a time of crisis for the shelter. In the heat of the summer months, the shelter had become terribly overcrowded, and with no homes for the pups, there was likely to be only one alternative for many of the dogs. Fortunately, the shelter found help from various organizations including GreaterGood.org, a charity specializing in improving animal welfare, which funded the flight of Delaware's new furry friends. The flight was also funded by Wings of Rescue, a charity that works to airlift animals in life-threatening situations. "...

According to research recently released by the Arizona Office of Tourism, a record-breaking 43 million overnight visitors spent time in the Grand Canyon State last year. But while they funneled in $58 million per day, other data shows that full-time AZ residents are less financially secure than those who live elsewhere in the United States. Domestic visitation increased by 2.7% from the previous year, with most visitors hailing from California, New York, and Illinois. Those who visited Arizona last year spent $21.2 billion total, which equates to more than $40,000 every minute. And that spending directly supported approximately 184,000 jobs throughout the state. Throughout the U.S., one out of nine jobs depends on travel and tourism. Since Arizona is an outdoor adventurer's dream, it's ...

American manufacturing is having a bit of a moment in 2017, thanks in large part to some close attention from the White House. President Trump rode into office on the promise of a greater American manufacturing industry, and millions of workers are eager to see him deliver on those promises. To that end, President Trump recently hosted "Made in America" week at the White House, where he celebrated American-made goods. But what exactly does it mean when an item is designated as "Made In The USA?" It's a lot more complicated than you may think. Somewhere around 50% of products "Made In America" require welding, but the Federal Trade Commission is actually the body that determines who earns this coveted label. No matter how much welding or American labor went into the product, the label...

Texas continues to grow its economic power despite the low oil prices that are affecting its largest industry and export. Recently, a Japanese HVAC company made the move to build a mega factory for its AC production outside Houston. This factory, a sprawling 4.2 million-square-foot complex, is set to be one of the largest buildings in the area. Its roof alone spans 100 acres. In comparison, the average Walmart Store is 100,000 square feet. The company behind this giant of a facility is Daikin, and it has invested around $500 million on what can be considered its most advanced factory yet. But why would Daikin build this mega factory in rural Waller County, Texas? It's because Texas has one of the best HVAC markets in the country, something that Takeshi Ebisu, head of Daikin's U...

Research shows that taking a trip has numerous benefits on one's well-being. Not only can just planning a vacation make you happier, but 53% of employed American adults come back feeling refreshed after a trip. That often results in higher levels of productivity, creativity, and overall job satisfaction. But a new poll has found that 43% of Americans aren't going to be taking a vacation this summer -- and the number one reason is that they simply can't afford it. The poll, conducted by the Associated Press, found that a huge portion of working Americans won't be able to take a summer vacation, with 49% of those respondents citing that cost was the barrier. Around 11% said they couldn't take the time off from work, and 3% said they simply don't like to be away from their jobs. In additio...

The Industrial Commission of Arizona’s reduction in employer penalties regarding workers’ deaths and injuries has been deemed non-permissible by federal officials. A federal investigation led by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) officials found that the commission’s actions violated the laws of Arizona. The commission was warned by the officials to cease their reductions of employer penalties immediately. OSHA officials investigated the commission after receiving a complaint in December from the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health. According to the Arizona Capital Times, the "agency had been monitoring state commission meetings for months previously." The monitoring of the state commission paid off. OSHA officials reported the Arizona workplace safe...