Poverty Dispatch - February 12, 2009

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 irppubs@ssc.wisc.edu.

Today's Topics in the News:

• Joblessness and Unemployment
• Privatization of Social Services
• Medicaid Eligibility - Utah
• Kids Count Reports - Illinois, West Virginia
• Homeless Students and Families
• Education Reform - Colorado, Texas
• Economic Stimulus Spending
• Racial Disparity in Mortgage Lending - Minnesota
• Disaster Housing Assistance Program - Gulf Coast
• Earned Income Tax Credit
• Prison Overcrowding - California

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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Joblessness and Unemployment

Out of work and challenged on benefits, too. Read Article
By Peter Whoriskey, Washington Post. February 12, 2009.
 

New jobless claims drop slightly to 623,000. Read Article
By Christopher S. Rugaber (Associated Press), Washington Post. February 12, 2009.
 

New York allots another $2 billion for unemployment benefits. (NEW YORK) Read Article
By Patrick McGeehan, New York Times. February 10, 2009.
 

Months after plant closed, many still struggling. (OHIO) Read Article
By Michael Luo, New York Times. February 9, 2009.
 

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Privatization of Social Services

Health and human services are battleground for state privatization. (TEXAS) Read Article
By Corrie MacLaggan, Austin American-Statesman. February 10, 2009.
 

Welfare rollout criticized. (INDIANA) Read Article
By Richard Gootee and Bryan Corbin, Evansville Courier Press. February 3, 2009.
 

Rolling to stop: the right welfare call. (INDIANA) Read Article
Editorial, Indianapolis Star. February 5, 2009.
 

FSSA’s overdue step. (INDIANA) Read Article
Editorial, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. February 7, 2009.
 

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Medicaid Eligibility - Utah

Legislator wants to open Medicaid's doors wider. (UTAH) Read Article
By Lisa Rosetta, Salt Lake Tribune. February 11, 2009.
 

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Kids Count Reports - Illinois, West Virginia

School study cites 'achievement gap.' (ILLINOIS) Read Article
By Erika Wurst, Beacon News. February 6, 2009.
 

Kids Count 2009 research highlights education gaps. (ILLINOIS) Read Article
By Matt Hawkins, Marion Daily Republican. February 5, 2009.
 

Study shows growing education gap. (ILLINOIS) Read Article
By Paige Winfield, Naperville Sun. February 6, 2009.
 

Kids Count seeks higher quality child care. (WEST VIRGINIA) Read Article
By Davin White, Charleston Gazette. January 29, 2009.
 

20-year organization making KIDS COUNT. (WEST VIRGINIA) Read Article
Williamson Daily News. February 11, 2009.
 

Report stresses importance of high quality child care. (WEST VIRGINIA) Read Article
By Erica Peterson and Scott Finn, West Virginia Public Broadcasting. January 29, 2009.
 

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Homeless Students and Families

Schools face sharp rise in homeless students. Read Article
By Maria Glod, Washington Post. February 8, 2009.
 

Tough times strain county's housing resources. (MARYLAND) Read Article
By Janel Davis, Business Gazette. February 11, 2009.
 

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Education Reform - Colorado, Texas

A Colorado school district does away with grade levels. (COLORADO) Read Article
By Amanda Paulson, Christian Science Monitor. February 10, 2009.
 

Texas school reformers try to learn lessons from Finland. (DALLAS, TX) Read Article
By Jim Landers, Dallas Morning News. February 9, 2009.
 

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Economic Stimulus Spending

Congress reaches stimulus accord. Read Article
By Shailagh Murray and Paul Kane, Washington Post. February 12, 2009.
 

The poorest suffer most in hard times. (Opinion) Read Article
By Rebecca M. Blank and Mark H. Greenberg, Great Falls Tribune. February 11, 2009.
 

Rural areas need stimulus, too. (Opinion) Read Article
By Billy Ray Hall, Salisbury Post. February 10, 2009.
 

Governors to track stimulus money. Read Article
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org. February 10, 2009.
 

States brace for new safety net money. Read Article
By Christine Vestal, Stateline.org. February 12, 2009.
 

Stimulus prompts debate over police funds. Read Article
By John Gramlich, Stateline.org. February 11, 2009.
 

Texas grapples with how to spend its share of stimulus. (TEXAS) Read Article
By Dave Michaels, Dallas Morning News. February 8, 2009.
 

What stimulus bill can, and can't, do. Read Article
By Gail Russell Chaddock, Christian Science Monitor. February 12, 2009.
 

Stimulus: How to know if it's working. Read Article
By Moira Herbst, BusinessWeek. February 11, 2009.
 

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Racial Disparity in Mortgage Lending - Minnesota

Study: Many minorities cut out of prime loan market. (MINNESOTA) Read Article
By Dan Olson, Minnesota Public Radio. February 12, 2009.
 

Report documents mortgage discrimination in Twin Cities. (MINNESOTA) Read Article
By Mark Turck, Twin Cities Daily Planet. February 12, 2009.
 

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Disaster Housing Assistance Program - Gulf Coast

Rent subsidy program gets extra time. Read Article
By Bruce Alpert and Katy Reckdahl, New Orleans Times-Picayune. February 11, 2009.
 

Gulf Coast emergency housing benefits extended. Read Article
By Spencer S. Hsu, Washington Post. February 12, 2009.
 

LRC chief: Rent subsidies to continue for 6 months. Read Article
By Sandy Davis, Baton Rouge Advocate. February 12, 2009.
 

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Earned Income Tax Credit

IRS begins new push to publicize tax credit. Read Article
By Jonathan D. Epstein, Buffalo News. February 4, 2009.
 

Credit means tax relief. (TEXAS) Read Article
By Aaron Nelsen, The Brownsville Herald. January 30, 2009.
 

Tax credits available for low-income families. (WISCONSIN) Read Article
Wausau Daily Herald. February 11, 2009.
 

Don't freeze Earned Income Tax Credit. (MICHIGAN) Read Article
Editorial, Detroit Free Press. January 30, 2009.
 

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Prison Overcrowding - California

Judges back a one-third reduction in state prison population. (CALIFORNIA) Read Article
By Michael Rothfeld, Los Angeles Times. February 10, 2009.
 

Court orders California to cut prison population. (CALIFORNIA) Read Article
By Solomon Moore, New York Times. February 9, 2009.
 

The prison overcrowding fix. (CALIFORNIA) Read Article
By Solomon Moore, New York Times. February 10, 2009.
 

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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).