Poverty Dispatch - October 16, 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:

• Report: The Working Poor and Basic Needs
• State Antipoverty Initiatives - Pennsylvania
• Food Assistance Programs - Minnesota, Massachusetts, Texas
• Schools and Homeless Children
• Homelessness and Housing - Minnesota, Utah, Massachusetts
• Medicaid Reform - West Virginia, Florida
• Kids Count Report - Alabama
• U.S. Foster Care Legislation
• Affordable Housing - Illinois, Virginia
• No Child Left Behind - Texas, South Carolina
• Income, Life Expectancy, and Health Inequities
• U.S. Infant Mortality Rate
• Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment
• Low-income Students and Recess Time - Georgia

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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Report: The Working Poor and Basic Needs

1 in 4 working families now low-wage, report finds. Read Article
By Michael A. Fletcher, Washington Post. October 15, 2008.
 

Poverty hits state's minority working families hard, report says. (WISCONSIN) Read Article
By Sandy Cullen, Wisconsin State Journal. October 14, 2008.
 

Economic boom left out working poor, but bust won't. (WASHINGTON) Read Article
By Paul Nyhan, Seattle Post-Intelligencer. October 15, 2008.
 

States' wealth not helping families with low incomes. (ALABAMA) Read Article
By Markeshia Ricks, Montgomery Advertiser. October 15, 2008.
 

NM has high numbers of low-income working families. (NEW MEXICO) Read Article
By Sue Major Holmes (Associated Press), El Paso Times. October 15, 2008.
 

Working poor stuck in low-wage limbo. (Opinion) Read Article
By Dan Haar, Hartford Courant. October 16, 2008.
 

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State Antipoverty Initiatives - Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania lags in antipoverty effort. (PENNSYLVANIA) Read Article
By Alfred Lubrano, Philadelphia Inquirer. October 15, 2008.
 

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Food Assistance Programs - Minnesota, Massachusetts, Texas

Food stamps becoming a way of life for more Minnesotans. (MINNESOTA) Read Article
By Bob Shaw, Pioneer Press. October 13, 2008.
 

Food stamp demand on rise. (MASSACHUSETTS) Read Article
By Kate Augusto, Boston Globe. October 16, 2008.
 

Demand up for free, reduced-price school lunches. (TEXAS) Read Article
By Traci Shurley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 14, 2008.
 

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Schools and Homeless Children

Amid foreclosures, a rise in homeless students. Read Article
By Larry Abramson, National Public Radio. September 30, 2008.
 

Homeless student count surging across state. (WISCONSIN) Read Article
By Anita Weier, Captial Times. October 15, 2008.
 

School district hopes to be anchor for homeless students. (WISCONSIN) Read Article
By Pat Schneider, Captial Times. October 16, 2008.
 

No home? Kids still have school. (ILLINOIS) Read Article
By Brenda Schory, Kane County Chronicle. October 7, 2008.
 

Student homelessness increases in 2007. (OREGON) Read Article
By Thelma Guerrero-Huston, Statesman Journal. October 15, 2008.
 

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Homelessness and Housing - Minnesota, Utah, Massachusetts

Drake Hotel: Substitute shelter. (MINNESOTA) Read Article
By Patrice Relerford, Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune. October 13, 2008.
 

Housing cuts jail time for homeless. (UTAH) Read Article
By James Thalman, Deseret News. October 15, 2008.
 

Off the street, and into homes. (MASSACHUSETTS) Read Article
By Patrick Johnson, The Republican. October 14, 2008.
 

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Medicaid Reform - West Virginia, Florida

Researcher: Medicaid reforms hardest on children. (WEST VIRGINIA) Read Article
By Walt Williams, State Journal. October 16, 2008.
 

State health status requires a bold approach. (Opinion) Read Article
By Kevin Hayden, State Journal. October 16, 2008.
 

Study calls Broward Medicaid program confusing. (FLORIDA) Read Article
By John Dorschner, Miami Herald. October 14, 2008.
 

Medicaid changes spawn confusion in Florida. (FLORIDA) Read Article
By Jennifer Booth Reed. Fort Myers News-Press. October 14, 2008.
 

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Kids Count Report - Alabama

Report: Mobile is bad for kids. (ALABAMA) Read Article
By Rena Havner, Press-Register. October 16, 2008.
 

Black Belt counties fare worst in study of children’s issues. (ALABAMA) Read Article
By Lydia Seabol, Tuscaloosa News. October 16, 2008.
 

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U.S. Foster Care Legislation

Foster kids get a boost, but states must help pay. Read Article
By David Crary (Associated Press), Denver Post. October 14, 2008.
 

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Affordable Housing - Illinois, Virginia

Hanging on to affordable housing. (CHICAGO, IL) Read Article
By Ben Meyers, Chicago Journal. October 15, 2008.
 

Affordable housing efforts show little progress. (CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA) Read Article
By Rachana Dixit, Charlottesville Daily Progress. October 13, 2008.
 

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No Child Left Behind - Texas, South Carolina

Fewer Texas schools reach federal goals. (TEXAS) Read Article
By Molly Bloom, Austin-American Statesman. October 15, 2008.
 

More Texas schools miss the mark. (TEXAS) Read Article
By Terrence Stutz, Dallas Morning News. October 15, 2008.
 

Fewer S.C. high schools make AYP. (SOUTH CAROLINA) Read Article
By Leroy Chapman Jr., The State. October 15, 2008.
 

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Income, Life Expectancy, and Health Inequities

20-year life gap separates city's poorest, wealthy. (BALTIMORE, MD) Read Article
By Annie Linskey, Baltimore Sun. October 16, 2008.
 

WHO slams global health care, calls for universal coverage. Read Article
CNN.com. October 14, 2008.
 

Warning over health inequalities. Read Article
BBC News. October 14, 2008.
 

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U.S. Infant Mortality Rate

Infant deaths drop in U.S., but rate is still high. Read Article
By Gardiner Harris, New York Times. October 15, 2008.
 

U.S. falls behind other developed countries in infant mortality. Read Article
By Mary Engel, Los Angeles Times. October 16, 2008.
 

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Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment

Inflation boosts fail to reflect expenses for seniors. Read Article
By Gary Rotstein, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 16, 2008.
 

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Low-income Students and Recess Time - Georgia

Many low-income, minority students get little or no recess. (GEORGIA) Read Article
By Julie Hubbard, Macon Telegraph. October 14, 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).