Ohio
Entrepreneurs Get Boost
Eleven nonprofit organizations and three communities will receive $760,000 in grants to assist low-to-moderate income Ohioans seeking to establish, improve, or expand a business. The funds will be used to provide training, technical assistance, and small business development loans.
Source: Ohio Department of Development

Pennsylvania
Minimum Wage Increases
The state minimum wage jumped from $5.15 an hour to $6.25 effective January 1. The state's more than 420,000 minimum wage workers will see a further hike to $7.15 July 1, further hurting entry-level job growth.
Source: The Patriot-News

Wisconsin
Tax Credit for Hiring Veterans
Lawmakers will consider a bill that would offer a tax credit of up to $8,000 to businesses that hire veterans. 2005 Census figures show that the unemployment rate for state veterans between the ages of 20 and 24 is 21.5%, more than three times the state's overall unemployment rate. 
Source: Wisconsin State Journal

Wyoming
Businesses Launch Development Plan
Business leaders in Cody are launching a four-year economic development plan aimed at adding hundreds of jobs and increasing workers' earnings by more than 20%. The program seeks to raise as much as $1.7 million, mostly from private businesses, to fund efforts to foster growth of existing businesses and recruit new ones.
Source: Billings Gazette

Utah
Worker Shortage Hits Small Businesses
According to the Zions Bank Small Business Index, a strong economy and high employment have contributed to a skilled worker shortage among small businesses.
Source: The Deseret Morning News