Poverty Dispatch - March 26, 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:

• State Unemployment Rates - Michigan, Ohio
• Joblessness and Extension of Benefits
• State TANF Programs and Drug Testing
• Toledo Blade Poverty Series
• Homelessness and 'Tent Cities'
• Kids Count Reports - Delaware, Washington
• Report: Same-sex Households and Poverty
• The Low-income and Access to Bank Accounts - Los Angeles, CA
• School Funding Formula - New Jersey
• Study: Milwaukee School Voucher Program
• Report: Health Insurance Coverage - North Carolina
• Prison Health Care System - California
• Opinion: Families of Prisoners and Phone Rates

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.

State Unemployment Rates - Michigan, Ohio

State jobless rate up to 12%. (MICHIGAN) Read Article
By Brian J. O'Connor, Detroit News. March 26, 2009.
 

1 in 4 Ohio counties see jobless rate drop in Feb. (OHIO) Read Article
By John Seewer (Associated Press), Chicago Tribune. March 24, 2009.
 

Joblessness eases in most areas of NW Ohio in month. (OHIO) Read Article
By Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade. March 25, 2009.
 

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Joblessness and Extension of Benefits

Jobless claims set new record for 9th straight week; economy worse than thought in 4th-quarter. Read Article
By Christopher S. Rugaber and Jeannine Aversa (Associated Press), Chicago Tribune. March 26, 2009.
 

Missouri urged to change law to allow extended jobless benefits. (MISSOURI) Read Article
By Diane Stafford, Kansas City Star. March 25, 2009.
 

Job-related stimulus funds fuel debate. (VIRGINIA) Read Article
By Chris L. Jenkins, Washington Post. March 25, 2009.
 

Fixing jobless system becoming mammoth exercise. (INDIANA) Read Article
By Mike Smith (Associated Press), Courier and Journal. March 23, 2009.
 

Florida might reject stimulus cash for jobless. (FLORIDA) Read Article
By Jeff Harrington, Miami Herald. March 26, 2009.
 

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State TANF Programs and Drug Testing

Stay clean or stay off the dole: Lawmakers want welfare recipients to take random drug tests. Read Article
By Tom Breen (Associated Press), Chicago Tribune. March 26, 2009.
 

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Toledo Blade Poverty Series

3 Lucas County agency chiefs get raises despite economic crisis. (TOLEDO, OH) Read Article
By Steve Eder, Toledo Blade. March 8, 2009.
 

Lucas County Sheriff's Deputy sees human side of foreclosure evictions. (TOLEDO, OH) Read Article
By Roberta De Boer, Toledo Blade. March 15, 2009.
 

Questions arise over need for 2 food banks in Toledo. (TOLEDO, OH) Read Article
By Steve Eder, Toledo Blade. March 22, 2009.
 

Calculation of jobless rate for Toledo area masks scope of crisis. (TOLEDO, OH) Read Article
By Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade. March 22, 2009.
 

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Homelessness and 'Tent Cities'

Cities deal with a surge in shantytowns. Read Article
By Jesse McKinley, New York Times. March 25, 2009.
 

Hidden homeless emerge as U.S. economy worsens. Read Article
By Steve Gorman and Suzanne Hurt, Reuters.com. March 26, 2009.
 

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Kids Count Reports - Delaware, Washington

Saving Del.'s smallest citizens. (DELAWARE) Read Article
By J.L. Miller, Wilmington News Journal. March 24, 2009.
 

Birth mortality progress can't be sacrificed in deficit times. (DELAWARE) Read Article
Editorial, Wilmington News Journal. March 24, 2009.
 

Pending report shows kids slipping into poverty. (WASHINGTON) Read Article
By Brad Shannon, The Olympian. March 23, 2009.
 

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Report: Same-sex Households and Poverty

Study: Gay families are poorer. Read Article
By Nicole C. Brambila, Palm Springs Desert Sun. March 21, 2009.
 

Study looks at poor among gays, lesbians. Read Article
By Andrea Stone, USA Today. March 20, 2009.
 

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The Low-income and Access to Bank Accounts - Los Angeles, CA

New program encourages low-income L.A. residents to open bank accounts. (LOS ANGELES, CA) Read Article
By Alexandra Zavis, Los Angeles Times. March 25, 2009.
 

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School Funding Formula - New Jersey

Judge's ruling could mean end of Abbott schools funding. (NEW JERSEY) Read Article
By Kathleen Carroll, The Record. March 25, 2009.
 

N.J. Dept. of Education does not need to release funding data, court rules. (NEW JERSEY) Read Article
By Rudy Larini, Star-Ledger. March 26, 2009.
 

Fiscal safety net backed for Abbott schools. (NEW JERSEY) Read Article
By Rita Giordano, Philadelphia Inquirer. March 26, 2009.
 

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Study: Milwaukee School Voucher Program

Study finds results of MPS and voucher school students are similar. (MILWAUKEE, WI) Read Article
By Alan J. Borsuk, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. March 26, 2009.
 

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Report: Health Insurance Coverage - North Carolina

Rate of uninsured is growing quickly. (NORTH CAROLINA) Read Article
By Jonathan B. Cox, Charlotte Observer. March 26, 2009.
 

Going without: Lack of insurance is often linked to loss of a job. (NORTH CAROLINA) Read Article
By Laura Graff, Winston-Salem Journal. March 26, 2009.
 

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Prison Health Care System - California

Judge rejects California's plea to again run prison healthcare. (CALIFORNIA) Read Article
By Michael Rothfeld, Los Angeles Times. March 25, 2009.
 

Judge rejects returning prison care to state. (CALIFORNIA) Read Article
By Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle. March 25, 2009.
 

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Opinion: Families of Prisoners and Phone Rates

Prison phone rates too high for families. (Opinion) Read Article
By Ronald Frasier, Tuscaloosa News. March 22, 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).