One of Kentucky’s largest bourbon producers apparently is pausing whiskey production at the end of the year. Jim Beam, which is one of the largest makers of American whiskey in the world, is planning to shut down production in Happy Hollow in Clermont on Jan. 1 through 2026. The visitors center on site will remain open for Kentucky Bourbon Trail visitors.
“We are always assessing production levels to best meet consumer demand and recently met with our team to discuss our volumes for 2026,” according to a statement from the company. “We’ve shared with our teams that while we will continue to distill at our (Freddie Booker Noe) craft distillery in Clermont and at our larger Booker Noe distillery in Boston, we plan to pause distillation at our main distillery on the James B. Beam campus for 2026 while we take the opportunity to invest in site enhancements. Our visitor center at the James B. Beam campus remains open so visitors can have the full James B. Beam experience and join us for a meal at The Kitchen Table.
Read more at: https://www.kentucky.com/news/business/article313847580.html#storylink=cpy
When Idalia Bisbal moved to this Pennsylvania city synonymous with America’s working class, she hoped for a cheaper, easier life than the one she was leaving behind in her hometown of New York City.
About three years later, she is deeply disappointed.
“It’s worse than ever,” the 67-year-old retiree, who relies on Social Security, said when asked about the economy. “The prices are high. Everything is going up. You can’t afford food because you can’t afford rent. Utilities are too high. Gas is too expensive. Everything is too expensive.”
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The U.S. labor market is ending 2025 on a sour note. While companies didn’t resort to full-scale layoffs, many did trim head count, especially later in the year. Many also stopped hiring. Fewer employees quit jobs.
Wage gains slowed. The unemployment rate drifted higher over the course of the year and last month hit its highest level in four years. The number of Americans who are unemployed rose over 700,000 to 7.8 million.
The charts below tell a fuller story.
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https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/2025-jobs-unemployment-charts-f231bdef