Northwest Indiana Times

Sotiris Hji-Avgoustis, a professor of hospitality and food management, discovered that 41% of restaurant owners surveyed in the Hoosier state had financial problems so severe because of coronavirus they could soon close. The coronavirus pandemic has proven to be so devastating that nearly half of the 300,000 Hoosiers who normally work in restaurants have been unemployed or stuck with drastically reduced hours.

Former Ball State football player Freddie Gibbs has been honored as one of the best in the music business. The rapper was nominated for a Grammy Award for best rap album for "Alfredo," a collaboration with hip hop producer The Alchemist that dropped in May.

It’s that time of year again. Over the next few weeks, we will strive to wear the perfect outfit, select a perfect gift and host the perfect holiday party. While it’s a festive time, many of us get perfectly stressed out.

Across the nation, Americans worry robots or artificial intelligence will replace them — much like how the telegraph put the Pony Express out of business or the steam locomotive ended the wagon train era. Automation is drastically changing the job market. In 2015, the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State found that 88 percent of all job losses in the manufacturing sector over the last 15 years can be blamed on advancements in technology that are fueling productivity improvements.

Story cites a research study by CBER director Michael Hicks and Indiana Communities Institute Director David Terrell. Note: Democratic Underground also cite the study. Placements are due to a story idea developed and distributed by UMC’s media team.

John Strauss, journalism instructor, pens a guest column.

Story notes a study on bus routes by Ball State's Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER).

Barry Umansky, telecommunications professor, pens a guest column on why Congress should act quickly on net neutrality.