One is the incumbent, a small-businessman and former teacher who wants to make his home district the best place to do business and raise a family. The other is an economist who has published dozens of articles on public policy issues.

LeROY -- While many Central Illinoisans enjoy the tradition of an end-of-summer, three-day weekend with picnics and relaxation, others are laboring on the Labor Day holiday.

Canada's labor productivity has fallen for a third straight quarter, the longest decline since 1990, and a track record that analysts said shows businesses are on unsteady footing as the economy flirts with recession.

Organized labor and business groups are facing off in an increasingly intense battle over legislation that would make it easier to organize unions, as labor seeks to bolster its dwindling ranks and propel its agenda for working Americans.

NEW YORK It's something small-business owners dread: having to tell employees they're being laid off. It's inescapable in a weak economy, or as a company changes the way it does business, that some workers must be let go. There's probably no way for a