Poverty Dispatch - October 6, 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:

• Homelessness and Housing
• Food Stamp Program Participation
• State Medicaid Programs
• Poverty in U.S. Cities - Survey of Mayors
• Academic Achievement Gap - Washington, D.C.
• Enrollment at Two-year Colleges - Michigan
• The Economy and State Budgets
• Underemployment and Unemployment
• States and Drug-testing Policies for Aid Recipients
• Free Drug Samples and Low-income Children
• Emergency Room Use by the Insured - Massachusetts
• Felons and Restoration of Voting Rights - Tennessee

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).
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Homelessness and Housing

Homelessness hits record high. (MASSACHUSETTS) Read Article
By Connie Paige, Boston Globe. October 6, 2008.
 

Schools scramble to help students with no place to live. (MASSACHUSETTS) Read Article
By Connie Paige, Boston Globe. October 6, 2008.
 

Ending homelessness: A broader effort. (Editorial) Read Article
Editorial, Seattle Post-Intelligencer. October 5, 2008.
 

Mortgage crisis hits renters. (Editorial) Read Article
By Laura Crimaldi, Boston Herald. October 5, 2008.
 

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Food Stamp Program Participation

Food stamp participation increases as economy lags. Read Article
By Michael E. Ruane, Washington Post. October 4, 2008.
 

In rough economy, more seniors turn to food stamps. (MASSACHUSETTS) Read Article
By Laura Crimaldi, Boston Herald. October 5, 2008.
 

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State Medicaid Programs

A lesson from Vermont on Medicaid. (RHODE ISLAND) Read Article
By Steve Peoples, Providence Journal. October 5, 2008.
 

Dispute imperils California family planning program for the poor. (CALIFORNIA) Read Article
By Jordan Rau, Los Angeles Times. October 3, 2008.
 

State hopes to strike a deal with Bush administration to overhaul Medicaid. (LOUISIANA) Read Article
By Jan Moller, The Times-Picayune. October 3, 2008.
 

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Poverty in U.S. Cities - Survey of Mayors

Poverty still plagues U.S. cities: survey. Read Article
By Lisa Lambert, Washington Post. October 6, 2008.
 

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Academic Achievement Gap - Washington, D.C.

Needy students closing test gap under 'No Child.' (WASHINGTON, D.C.) Read Article
By Maria Glod and Daniel de Vise, Washington Post. October 2, 2008.
 

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Enrollment at Two-year Colleges - Michigan

Low tuition, in-demand classes have enrollment soaring at 2-year schools. (MICHIGAN) Read Article
By Robin Erb, Detroit Free Press. October 5, 2008.
 

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The Economy and State Budgets

State workers face bleak budget picture. Read Article
By Pauline Vu, Stateline.org. October 3, 2008.
 

Illinois, like others, hit by financial meltdown. (ILLINOIS) Read Article
By Deanna Bellandi (Associated Press), Chicago Tribune. October 3, 2008.
 

State says revenue is ahead of projections. (IOWA) Read Article
By Jason Clayworth, Des Moines Register. October 4, 2008.
 

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Underemployment and Unemployment

159,000 jobs lost in September, the worst month in five years. Read Article
By Peter S. Goodman, New York Times. October 3, 2008.
 

U.S. loses 159,000 jobs in September, worst one-month drop in five years. Read Article
By Maura Reynolds and Tiffany Hsu, Los Angeles Times. October 4, 2008.
 

Under-employed and under the radar. Read Article
By Jessica Dickler, CNNMoney.com. October 3, 2008.
 

Meanwhile, in the economy. (Editorial) Read Article
Editorial, New York Times. October 4, 2008.
 

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States and Drug-testing Policies for Aid Recipients

Drug-testing proposal gets mixed response. Read Article
By Jason Spencer, Spartanburg Herald-Journal. October 6, 2008.
 

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Free Drug Samples and Low-income Children

Study says drug samples may endanger children. Read Article
By Gardiner Harris, New York Times. October 6, 2008.
 

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Emergency Room Use by the Insured - Massachusetts

Costly ER still draws many now insured. Read Article
By Kay Lazar, Boston Globe. October 6, 2008.
 

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Felons and Restoration of Voting Rights - Tennessee

Tennessee felons pursue restoration of voting rights. (TENNESSEE) Read Article
By Nicholas Beadle, Jackson Sun. October 6, 2008.
 

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