Poverty Dispatch - October 2, 2008

IRP compiles and distributes Poverty Dispatches, links to Web-based news items dealing with poverty, welfare reform, and related topics twice a week. Each Dispatch lists links to current news in popular print media. Persons wishing to receive Poverty Dispatches by e-mail should send a request to rsnell@ssc.wisc.edu.

Today's Topics in the News:

• People Living in Poverty - Muncie, IN, Duluth, MN
• State Budget Cuts and Social Services - Ohio, California
• Homelessness and Housing - Minnesota, Massachusetts
• States and Medicaid Spending
• State Health Care Plans - Massachusetts, Tennessee
• Foster Parent Recruitment
• Schools and Federal Funding - New York
• No Child Left Behind and Progress of States' Schools
• Absenteeism in Grade School and Student Achievement
• Study: Measuring Workers' Economic Distress
• U.S. Role in Fighting Global Poverty and Hunger
• Payday Lending Ballot Initiative - Ohio
• Nebraska Safe Haven Law
• Opinion: Poverty as an Issue in Political Campaigns

Today's Articles:

Note: All links are external; some links may require a free registration at the host site (e.g., New York Times, Chicago Tribune).
Article links will open in new browser window.

People Living in Poverty - Muncie, IN, Duluth, MN

Ball State study finds Muncie's poverty rate is lower, but more are struggling. (MUNCIE, IN) Read Article
By Keith Roysdon, Muncie Star Press. October 1, 2008.
 

Tackling Duluth’s woes: From shocking to promising. (DULUTH, MN) Read Article
Editorial, Duluth News Tribune. October 1, 2008.
 

Return to top of page
 

State Budget Cuts and Social Services - Ohio, California

Health needs may dictate housing for homeless. (OHIO) Read Article
By Alan Johnson, Mark Niquette and Darrel Rowland, Columbus Dispatch. October 1, 2008.
 

Aid programs see need rising as funds dry up. (CALIFORNIA) Read Article
By Matthias Gafni, Contra Costa Times. October 1, 2008.
 

Return to top of page
 

Homelessness and Housing - Minnesota, Massachusetts

For a growing number, no place to call home. (MINNESOTA) Read Article
By Julie Buntjer, Worthington Daily Globe. September 30, 2008.
 

Families have tough time finding housing. (MINNESOTA) Read Article
By Julie Buntjer, Worthington Daily Globe. October 2, 2008.
 

As homeless numbers spike, state turns to hotels. (MASSACHUSETTS) Read Article
By Peter Reuell, MetroWest Daily News. September 29, 2008.
 

Return to top of page
 

States and Medicaid Spending

Medicaid rolls, spending up in bleak economy. Read Article
By Pauline Vu, Stateline.org. September 30, 2008.
 

Return to top of page
 

State Health Care Plans - Massachusetts, Tennessee

Financing for Massachusetts preserves health plan. (MASSACHUSETTS) Read Article
By Kevin Sack, New York Times. September 30, 2008.
 

Mass. gets $10.6b for healthcare insurance. (MASSACHUSETTS) Read Article
By Kay Lazar, Boston Globe. October 1, 2008.
 

Number of uninsured in state drops. (TENNESSEE) Read Article
By Chloe White, Knoxville News Sentinel. September 30, 2008.
 

Return to top of page
 

Foster Parent Recruitment

Hard times complicate recruiting of foster parents. Read Article
By David Crary (Associated Press), Rochester Post-Bulletin. September 30, 2008.
 

Return to top of page
 

Schools and Federal Funding - New York

School districts miss out on Medicaid cash. (NEW YORK) Read Article
By Jessica Harding, Schenectady Daily Gazette. October 1, 2008.
 

Albany school aid loss warned. (NEW YORK) Read Article
By Scott Waldman, Albany Times Union. October 2, 2008.
 

Return to top of page
 

No Child Left Behind and Progress of States' Schools

S.C. schools miss federal targets. (SOUTH CAROLINA) Read Article
By Gina Smith, The State. October 2, 2008.
 

Schools' progress goals a moving target. (COLORADO) Read Article
By Jeremy P. Meyer, Denver Post. October 2, 2008.
 

15 schools in Utah face federal sanctions. (UTAH) Read Article
By Amy K. Stewart, Deseret News. October 1, 2008.
 

28% of AZ schools are short of US standards. (ARIZONA) Read Article
By Rhonda Bodfield, Arizona Daily Star. October 1, 2008.
 

Return to top of page
 

Absenteeism in Grade School and Student Achievement

Absences in early grades tied to learning lags. Read Article
By Linda Jacobson, Education Week. October 1, 2008.
 

Return to top of page
 

Study: Measuring Workers' Economic Distress

Study: More than a quarter of LI homes 'distressed.' Read Article
By Olivia Winslow, Newday. September 29, 2008.
 

Return to top of page
 

U.S. Role in Fighting Global Poverty and Hunger

U.S. government seeks new solutions to combat global hunger crisis. Read Article
By Howard LaFranchi, Christian Science Monitor. October 1, 2008.
 

Fund the fight against global poverty. (Opinion) Read Article
By Stephen P. Groff and Raymond C. Offenheiser, Christian Science Monitor. October 3, 2008.
 

Return to top of page
 

Payday Lending Ballot Initiative - Ohio

Fighting poverty makes business sense to companies. (OHIO) Read Article
By Jim Siegel, Columbus Dispatch. October 2, 2008.
 

Return to top of page
 

Nebraska Safe Haven Law

Parents give up youths under law meant for babies. (NEBRASKA) Read Article
By Erik Eckholm, New York Times. October 2, 2008.
 

Return to top of page
 

Opinion: Poverty as an Issue in Political Campaigns

Candidates don't show much interest in the poor. (Opinion) Read Article
By Elmer Smith, Philadelphia Daily News. September 30, 2008.
 

Return to top of page
 

Note: All links are external; some links may require a free registration at the host site (e.g., New York Times, Chicago Tribune).