Econ Focus

Cover Story: Charged by the Market.
Electricity deregulation is finally starting to stir up retail competition in Maryland.

Cover Story: $afety First
When markets work, it pays for companies to have safer workplaces, including the coalfields of Virginia and West Virginia.

Cover Story: The End of the "Free" Ride: Tolls bring home the true cost of roads
With traffic congestion worsening, transportation economists are emphasizing pricing tools to make drivers think about how much highways really cost.

Cover Story: Family Portrait. Life is hard in one of Baltimore's toughest neighborhoods. But for Janice Walker, it's home.