News out today on the airline consolidation front could lead to Roanoke Regional Airport having one fewer airline servicing it.

From the Associated Press today:

CHICAGO - A person close to the negotiations says United Airlines and US Airways are in very advanced talks with the expectation of announcing within two weeks that they are combining. The two carriers have stepped up their talks after Continental Airlines Inc. caught United off guard by deciding not to pursue a deal with the Chicago-based carrier. The source asked Monday not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the talks.

A combination of United and USAirways would carry more than 50 percent of the traffic out of Roanoke, using March traffic numbers (55 percent). Any potential impact on Roanoke would be months away, but analysts expect more activity before Bush leaves office.

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The tax rebate checks, ranging from $300 to more than $1,800 depending on your family's status, are coming a few days earlier than previously announced. The Associated Press reports today:

WASHINGTON - President Bush said tax rebates will start going out Monday, earlier than previously announced, and should help Americans cope with rising gasoline and food prices, as well as aid a slumping economy. Democrats said they were glad the rebate checks were about to go out, but suggested that multinational oil companies were not among the businesses the stimulus package was originally designed to help. “Starting Monday, the effects of the stimulus will begin to reach millions of households across our country,” Bush said Friday in remarks on the South Lawn of the White House.

The checks were originally scheduled to go out next Friday, May 2. So we're not getting too much of a break here.

What are you spending yours on? My family's loot (hopefully $1,800) will be used on college savings for our two boys. Not exactly what the Prez and Congress have in mind, I'm afraid.

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More bad news for the nation's retailers today, as consumers seem to continue cutting back.

Here is what the Associated Press is reporting today about March retail sales:

The nation's retailers reported the weakest March sales in 13 years on Thursday as consumers — fretting about mounting economic problems and enduring a frigid Easter — limited their shopping to food and other essentials.With prices at the pump rising and worries about jobs increasing, shoppers bought basics at discounters and wholesale clubs and snubbed mall-based chains' clothing, jewelry and furniture. The earliest Easter in 95 years also hurt sales; shoppers weren't in the mood to buy spring clothing in cold weather.

What do you think? How is your family handling things? Are you spending less -- or more? Are you more careful about what you spend money on in light of the economy?

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