on your mind

Record numbers of Americans struggle to get food

2009-11-17T16:56:00.000-05:00

11/17/2009 AMY GOLDSTEIN WASHINGTON POST
Last year, nearly 50 million Americans, or one person out of every six, struggled to get food. This is the highest number of people who are finding difficulty in affording food since the government has been keeping track. A Department of Agriculture report blamed the flagging economy. The numbers indicate that access to dependable sources of adequate amounts of food is deteriorating, especially among families with children.

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Veterans returning from Iraq, Afghanistan Struggle to Readjust

2009-11-16T14:50:00.000-05:00

11/10/2009 GEORGE W. GRAHAM THE REPUBLICAN SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
Returning veterans are finding new programs to help ease them back into civilian life, but the transition isn’t easy. The vets face an unemployment rate of 11.3 percent, significantly higher than the national rate of 9.7 percent. Homelessness is a problem. Suicide rates among veterans surpass those of the civilian population; to combat this, medical centers are focusing on understanding and treating post-traumatic stress disorder.

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Unemployment Anxiety Affects Children

2009-11-16T14:46:00.000-05:00

11/11/2009 MICHAEL LUO THE NEW YORK TIMES
Some devastating side effects of the recession cannot be measured, such as its impact on home life. Studies find parental unemployment can hurt children’s school performance, with children in families where the head of the household was jobless were 15 percent more likely to repeat a grade. The stress also takes its toll on marriages and family dynamics. While some unemployed parents take advantage of extra time with their children, many feel the strain of insecurity has created anxiety at home.

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Ohio restaurant caters to homeless

2009-11-16T14:43:00.000-05:00

11/11/2009 DAVID YONKE THE BLADE TOLEDO, OHIO
My Brother’s Place, a Toledo restaurant, is serving lunch again after an eight-year break. In addition to serving weekday lunches to downtown workers, My Brother’s Place provides meals to the needy and homeless, jobs and job training to the unemployed and homeless on Monday evenings. This is the third incarnation of My Brother’s Place. The restaurant has hired three full-time and six part-time employees, and is working with job-training agencies to teach people a trade.

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Homelessness Moves Wisconsin Families from Suburbs to Cities

2009-11-16T14:19:00.000-05:00

11/10/2009 WISN12 MILWAUKEE, WIS.
In today’s dire economy, more suburban Wisconsin families are finding themselves on the streets, victims of random chance and bad timing. With nowhere else to go, they are leaving comfortable communities outside Milwaukee and making their way downtown, hoping to take advantage of services offered there. Homeless shelters turn away dozens—up to 100—people a day. “Homelessness doesn’t discriminate,” a shelter director said. “There is no face to homelessness.”

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New fund will help Colorado homeless vets find housing

2009-11-16T14:16:00.000-05:00

11/11/2009 MIKE MCPHEE DENVERPOST.COM DENVER, COLO.
The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless will announce the establishment of a new Homeless Veterans Housing Fund to support the 1,800 homeless veterans on the streets of Denver. The money will help them find housing quickly and access support services, including treatment for war-related trauma. The coalition’s president believes the fund will help the coalition reach its goal of serving double the number of veterans served last year.

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New York salon helps unemployed style their futures

2009-11-16T14:10:00.000-05:00

11/09/2009 SUSAN DOMINUS THE NEW YORK TIMES
As a public service to job-seekers, Cristiano Cora studio, a high-end hair salon that normally charges $300 a cut, promised free haircuts to anyone who brought proof of unemployment. Some of the unemployed who visited the salon had not gotten a professional haircut in years. They said they hope to refurbish their images in hopes of getting an interview and landing a job.

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Grants to U.S. Electrical Grid Expected to Create Jobs

2009-10-29T19:41:00.000-04:00

10/28/2009 MICHAEL FLETCHER THE WASHINGTON POST
President Obama has announced that $3.4 billion of the $787 billion stimulus package will be used in grants to improve the nation’s electrical grid. In addition to paying for updated technology to make the transmission of power cleaner and more consistent, the grants are “expected to create tens of thousands of new jobs all across America” at a time when, despite the recovering economy, the national unemployment rate continues to rise.

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Senate Agrees to Take Up Bill Extending Unemployment Aid

2009-10-29T19:38:00.000-04:00

10/28/2009 JIM ABRAMS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON
The Senate has agreed to take up legislation that aims to provide those running out of unemployment benefits with up to 20 weeks of additional aid. After weeks of partisan bickering, Senate Democrats urged quick action, in light of the 7,000 people who are exhausting their benefits daily. The House passed a similar extension bill last month, but Republicans blocked Senate consideration of the legislation in an attempt to add amendments.

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Warehouse clubs accept food stamps

2009-10-29T19:36:00.000-04:00

10/28/2009 SARAH SKIDMORE AND DAN SEWELL THE SEATTLE TIMES SEATTLE, WASH.
Costco Wholesale Corp. is now accepting food stamps at warehouses nationwide after testing them at stores in New York. This is a big change for the corporation that caters mainly to affluent bargain-hunters. Costco is not the first warehouse to accept food stamps. BJ’s Wholesale Corp. and Sam’s Club were accepting food stamps months before Costco made the change. The stores struggled with whether food stamp holders would be able to pay the $50 membership fee. Now, stores are battling for every dollar and see a potential in the increasing number of food stamp recipients.

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Retirees receive more benefits from Obama administration

2009-10-29T19:31:00.000-04:00

10/27/2009 DAVID LEONHARDT THE NEW YORK TIMES
The Obama administration is spending $14 billion on senior citizens, a group that has survived the recession better than any other group. The president plans to send a $250 check to every Social Security recipient as part of his efforts to stimulate the economy. Obama has also proposed a no cost-of-living increase in their benefits next year. However, Obama’s economic advisers have questioned these plans, citing “entitlement reform,” the reduction of benefits that current law has promised to retirees, as the issue.

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Recession pushes students to attend community colleges

2009-10-29T19:27:00.000-04:00

10/27/2009 ABBY GOODNOUGH THE NEW YORK TIMES
Community colleges across the nation are scheduling more early morning and late night classes to accommodate students who are jobless or have been motivated to return to school by the recession. Recent high school graduates are also turning to community colleges due to the high costs of four-year institutions. Nearly every state is dealing with large influxes of students in community colleges, partly because of financial cuts to higher-education budgets.

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The chill of the recession is affecting college students

2009-10-27T21:48:00.000-04:00

10/19/2009 KRISHNAN VASUDEVAN THE NEW YORK TIMES
College students are feeling reverberations from the recession. Students who receive no assistance from parents are burdened by student loans, and some are even struggling to feed themselves. Students can choose to get further into debt or seek help from the government. Some are applying and waiting in long lines for food stamps, and scouring campuses for free meals.

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Foreclosures force homeowners into shelters

2009-10-27T21:42:00.000-04:00

10/18/2009 PETER S. GOODMAN THE NEW YORK TIMES
Homelessness normally claims low-income renters who are evicted when they lose their jobs. Increasingly, though, the homeless are people who until recently owned their homes and lost them to foreclosure. Some 10 percent of homeless people who are approaching social service agencies for help were homeowners, and now resort to shelters, sleeping in their cars or in motel rooms, or seeking refuge with friends and family.

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Oklahoma homeless men document their lives

2009-10-27T21:37:00.000-04:00

10/19/2009 MIKE AVERILL TULSA WORLD TULSA, OKLA.
Four homeless men produced a film entitled “How Sally Changed My Life,” a documentary about people living in the Salvation Army's Project Able, a two-year transitional housing program, who work or go to school while saving money. Their 15-minute documentary was shot with a camera that was bought at a pawn shop. Those interviewed told their stories of homelessness and how the Salvation Army was helping them to get back on their feet.

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Maryland church ministers to homeless in woods, libraries, shelters

2009-10-19T15:41:00.000-04:00

09/24/2009 ERIN JULIUS THE HERALD-MAIL HAGERSTOWN, MD.
Members of Lifehouse West church are reaching out to homeless people in unconventional locations. The members of the church often ask what the homeless need and then provide it. The mission is called Soul Food Ministries also offers prayer. Interaction with the homeless in unusual places allows Soul Food Ministries members to begin conversations with those they are serving. Some of the recipients of bagged lunches provided by the church have also attended Sunday services.

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In Cash-Strapped Detroit, Salvation Army Lowers Expectations

2009-10-19T15:15:00.000-04:00

10/12/2009 CATHERINE JUN THE DETROIT NEWS DETRIOT, MICH.
This holiday season, Salvation Army workers in Detroit are scaling back their goal for their familiar Red Kettle Campaign. Instead of last year’s missed $8.5 million target, Detroit’s bell ringers will try to collect a more realistic $7.8 million through their largest annual fundraiser. This reduction comes at a time when demands for their services are on the rise; the Salvation Army reports a 60 percent increase in need since January.

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New York storeowners get creative amid recession

2009-10-19T15:08:00.000-04:00

10/12/2009 DIANE CARDWELL NEW YORK TIMES
New York commercial landlords who have been dealing with empty storefronts due to the recession are trying to use these vacant spaces in creative ways by leasing them, usually for a few weeks or months at a time, to artists. The artist uses the empty space as a canvas, while the landlord gets a colorful attraction that may lure potential tenants and deter crime.

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Economists Caution Long, Slow Road to Recovery

2009-10-19T15:05:00.000-04:00

10/12/2009 MAE ANDERSON ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK
Some 80 percent of economists agree that the latest recession, America’s worst since the 1930s, is over. However, because of tremendous federal debt and fear of unemployment, recovery is expected to be slow; the jobless rate, currently 9.8 percent, is forecast to rise to over 10 percent before falling, and cautious industries are continuing to cut jobs nationwide.

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Economists agree recession has ended

2009-10-19T15:03:00.000-04:00

10/12/2009 MAE ANDERSON WESH.COM ORLANDO, FL.
Over 80 percent of economists say that the recession is over and expansion has begun. The National Association for Business Economics released a survey that predicted that recovery will be slow since unemployment and federal deficit are still major problems in the U.S. economy, which experts say will persist through next year. Forecasters expect unemployment rates to continue to rise despite the end of the recession, until 2010.

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National jobless claims down 33,000

2009-10-19T14:59:00.000-04:00

10/11/2009 REX NUTTING TIMES ARGUS BARRE, VT.
The Labor Department reports that claims filed for state unemployment benefits have dropped 33,000 to a seasonally adjusted 521,000 in the week ended Oct. 3. Economists say that the fall in jobless claims may mean that employers are more willing to hire, or it could mean that more people were exhausting their benefits and moving into the extended federal benefits program.

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U.S. gives $65 million to help Florida families keep homes

2009-10-08T22:49:00.000-04:00

10/06/2009 NICOLE PAPAGEORGE WINKNEWS.COM COLLIER COUNTY, FL.
The federal government is distributing $65 million to Florida counties to help local families stay in their homes. The large sum of federal money comes from the American Recovery and Re-Investment Act. Households that make less than 50 percent the median income are eligible for assistance. The money can help pay rent, utilities and security deposits for up to 18 months. The aid has been met with taxpayer dissatisfaction.

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Syracuse, N.Y., shelter provides services to runaway, homeless teens

2009-10-08T22:47:00.000-04:00

10/07/2009 JAMES T. MULDER SYRACUSE.COM SYRACUSE, N.Y.
The Booth House is an emergency shelter for runaway and homeless teens. Operated by the Salvation Army, the house puts as many as five adolescents in each bedroom, with no more than two teens to a bathroom. It provides services for 12-to 17-year-olds with immediate housing 24 hours a day. It also provides services such as family counseling, mediation, case management, homebound schooling, living skills training and recreation services.

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Denver Mayor Seeks $2.3 Million to Aid Homeless

2009-10-08T22:43:00.001-04:00

10/05/2009 JANE SLATER 7NEWS DENVER, COLO.
Despite the city’s financial woes, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper wants the city council to approve $2.3 million in aid for the homeless. Advocates hold that the plan to create 500 new apartments and increased welfare programs will pay back later, but critics contend that it is providing the homeless with housing isn’t a city responsibility. The city has been forced to lay off 176 employees and delay pay raises.

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Nashville Police Ask to Close Tent City

2009-10-08T22:37:00.000-04:00

10/07/2009 NICOLE YOUNG THE TENNESSEAN NASHVILLE, TENN.
Nashville police are instructing the city’s Homeless Commission to limit the number of homeless people at Tent City and work on shutting down the site. The crime rate of the surrounding area has increased significantly, leading police to believe that the homeless population, which swelled from four to over 80 in the past year, is to blame. Homeless advocates, however, argue that pushing the homeless back onto the streets will keep them from necessary services.

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Dallas SoupMobile provides more than a hot meal

2009-10-08T22:31:00.000-04:00

10/07/2009 KIM HORNER DALLASNEWS.COM DALLAS, TX
David Timothy, who runs the SoupMobile, , a nonprofit organization that hands out food on the streets, wanted to do more for the homeless than merely providing a hot meal. Timothy had a vision for a supportive housing program called SoupMobile Village. Now with the help of donors, Timothy bought a townhome in northwest Dallas where some SoupMobile clients can live.

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Local program in Oregon places homeless in apartment complex

2009-10-06T23:00:00.000-04:00

10/05/2009 DAMIAN MANN MAIL TRIBUNE MEDFORD, ORE.
Rogue Retreat is running a program in this southern Oregon city that provides housing for the homeless. Many residents of its apartment complex are victims of unemployment, illness, or domestic violence. The organization conducts inspections to ensure that apartments are well-maintained, with no alcohol or drug abuse occurring inside the residences. Residents must pay 30 percent of their income, which includes money received from government programs.

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Analysts fear effects of recession on children

2009-10-06T22:56:00.000-04:00

9/28/2009 SHAWN VESTAL THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW SPOKANE, WASH.
As economists gingerly declare the recession over, some officials caution that its true impact has not yet hit. Some 800,000 U.S. children entered poverty in 2007 and 2008 alone. Studies show that growing up poor has lifelong consequences, making kids more likely to struggle in school and end up in trouble with the law. Childhood obesity is also a risk as families rely on cheaper foods. Programs to confront the effects of poverty are straining and unable to cater to the full range of need.

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Nursing homes reeling from budget cuts

2009-10-06T22:49:00.000-04:00

10/04/2009 DAVE COLLINS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HARTFORD, CONN.
As the baby boomers edge closer to needing long-term care, government spending cuts are threatening to damage the country’s nursing home industry. Combined with the recession, these cuts are forcing homes to lay off workers, reduce services, and close their doors. Nearly 1,800 homes closed from 1999 to 2005. With President Obama proposing to trim $313 billion from Medicaid and Medicare, experts fear these closures are just the beginning of more to come.

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Florida bank offers hope with new program

2009-10-05T14:39:00.000-04:00

10/01/2009 NICOLE MARISTANY CBS4 MIAMI, FLA.
In today’s uncertain economic times, homelessness increasingly takes the average person by surprise. Florida-based BankAtlantic is doing something to help: it has unveiled its “Homeless to Homeowner Program” designed to help people who have lost their homes secure enough money for a fresh start. Each dollar the enrollee saves is matched by two dollars from Bank Atlantic. Advocates of the program say the self-esteem it engenders is just as important as its financial benefits.

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Under-employed in Washington State collect unemployment benefits

2009-10-05T14:37:00.000-04:00

09/30/2009 MATT MARKOVICH KOMONEWS.COM SEATTLE, WASH.
Washington State’s Shared Work program allows employers to cut by up to half the hours worked by full-time employees while letting hourly workers make up the difference by collecting unemployment benefits. The program has grown to 42,000 workers this year, more than six times more than the previous year. Many companies that are not thriving in the economy choose Shared Work instead of losing skilled employees completely.

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Hawaii’s School Furlough Days Mean Missed Meals

2009-09-30T20:08:00.000-04:00

9/28/2009 ROB SHIKINA THE STAR BULLETIN HONOLULU, HAWAII
With the state instituting 17 school furlough days this year to meet a budget shortfall, many needy Hawaiian families are losing crucial breakfasts and lunches typically provided by the Department of Education. Although officials have promised to explore different options to help families, the director of School Food Services says that on furlough days there is “no obligation for the department to feed children.”

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Sex offenders in Georgia forced out of woods

2009-09-30T20:03:00.000-04:00

09/28/2009 GREG BLUESTEIN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
A group of homeless sex offenders have been ordered to leave their makeshift camp in a densely wooded area behind a suburban office park in Marietta. The perpetrators made the camp their home as a last resort after being barred from living in many areas by one of the nation’s toughest sex offender policies. The men are prohibited from living, working or loitering within 1,000 feet of schools, churches, parks and other places where children gather. Officials are uncertain where they will go next.

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Texas State Senator Looks to Enforce State Charity Care Rules

2009-09-30T20:00:00.000-04:00

9/27/2009 DARREN BARBEE THE STAR-TELEGRAM FORT WORTH, TEXAS
A state senator, Democrat Rodney Ellis of Houston, suspects that Texas’ nonprofit hospitals are not meeting their charity-care quotas under state law. The law, which Ellis wrote in 1993, offers nonprofit hospitals three ways to provide a stipulated volume of charity care. Ellis fears that the law’s lack of uniformity permits a lack of transparency and enforcement in charity care.

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Homeless schools for homeless Oregon children

2009-09-30T19:54:00.000-04:00

09/24/2009 JENNIFER ANDERSON PORTLAND TRIBUNE PORTLAND, ORE.
Amid the ongoing recession, enrollment in private nonprofit schools for the homeless has skyrocketed in Portland area, where the number of homeless students has risen 122 percent. Outreach workers, who try to provide stability and support for homeless students and their families, try to furnish the students with clothing, food and school supplies.

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Ohio counties see less unemployment, but officials not encouraged

2009-09-24T16:11:00.000-04:00

09/23/2009 JESSICA HEFFNER MIDDLETOWN JOURNAL MIDDLETOWN, OHIO
Unemployment rates have dropped for the first time in the last 10 months in some Ohio counties, but officials say that this does not mean people are finding jobs. Experts attribute the decrease to more people giving up on finding work and going back to school. This has caused more families to rely on food pantries and government assistance. Ohio had an unemployment rate of 10.8 percent last month.

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Wisconsin jobless insurance fund runs dry

2009-09-24T16:09:00.000-04:00

09/24/2009 WISN.COM MILWAUKEE, WIS.
Wisconsin’s unemployment insurance fund has run out of money. Though the state does not have funds, unemployment checks are still being delivered because Wisconsin is borrowing the money from the federal government. The state’s debt has risen to $569 million and is expected to reach $2 billion by the end of 2010.

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Insurers Told to Stop ‘Misleading’ Elderly about Health Reforms

2009-09-24T16:06:00.000-04:00

09/22/2009 DAVID S. HILZENRATH THE WASHINGTON POST
The government has ordered health insurers to stop sending Medicare beneficiaries “misleading and confusing” messages detailing how proposed health reform legislation could strip seniors of their benefits through drastic cuts in funding. Insurers have been encouraging enrollees to protest the legislation, and see the government’s “gag order” as attacking free speech. Members of Congress contend that the bill only strengthens the Medicare program.

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Homeless in Western Maryland seek daytime shelter in public libraries

2009-09-24T15:59:00.001-04:00

09/22/2009 ERIN JULIUS THE HERALD-MAIL HAGERSTOWN, MD.
As unemployment rates and the number of homeless rise, some of the homeless have sought daytime refuge in public libraries, since shelters are generally open only at night. That has led to complaints from female staff and library patrons, who feel harassed by the mostly male homeless population, some of whom h ave have mental illnesses.

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New York Public Housing Authority Enacts Dog Ban

2009-09-24T15:56:00.000-04:00

09/22/2009 MANNY FERNANDEZ THE NEW YORK TIMES
Public housing projects in New York City are trying to reduce dog attacks by prohibiting residents from keeping dogs that weigh more than 25 pounds. The ban also applies to all pure-bred or mixed-breed pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman pinschers. It has forced the owners of at least 113 dogs to give up them up to shelters, where they are adopted or euthanized. Some residents have refused to comply with the policy, and face eviction.

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Galveston still recovering from effects of 2008’s Hurricane Ike

2009-09-22T17:51:00.000-04:00

09/20/2009 JAMES C. MCKINLEY JR.THE NEW YORK TIMES
One year after Hurricane Ike hit Galveston, Texas, many of the poor, elderly and uninsured have yet to recover. Nearly one-quarter of families who returned home after the storm can no longer live in their damaged housing. Aid is available, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has distributed assistance to 21,800 households. FEMA limits the amount given any single household to $28,800, which some residents find insufficient to cover damages.

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Colorado jobless rate less dire, but outlook grim

2009-09-22T17:48:00.000-04:00

09/20/2009 ALLISON SHERRY THE DENVER POST
One year after the nation’s economy plunged into recession, job prospects continue to look bleak. This is true in Colorado, where the unemployment rate of 7.3 percent is better than the national rate of 9.7 percent, but where food pantries reported 25 percent more traffic this summer than last. With the House’s proposed bill to extend unemployment benefits only available to states holding an unemployment rate of at least 8.5%, Colorado expects no relief in the near future.

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House moves to extend unemployment benefits

2009-09-22T17:45:00.000-04:00

09/21/2009 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON
Amid tentative predictions of an end to the national recession, the House is examining emergency legislation to aid millions of Americans who see no end to their economic hardships. A bill by Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., would extend unemployment benefits by 13 weeks for people who live in states with jobless rates of at least 8.5 percent. The bill is expected to pass easily, despite fire from critics arguing that it could be a disincentive to looking for work.

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Federally subsidized nutrition program moves in healthier direction

2009-09-22T17:42:00.001-04:00

09/21/2009 PETER HIRSCHFIELD VERMONT PRESS BUREAU
The government has enacted sweeping reforms to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, better known as WIC, which offers dietary staples to disadvantaged families. Calorie-rich foods originally distributed to fight child malnourishment are being replaced by fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in the hope of combating. Incentives are also being offered to mothers who breastfeed as a healthier alternative to infant formula.

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One North Carolina county’s foreclosures defy national trends

2009-09-22T17:34:00.001-04:00

09/18/2009 GRAHAM CAWTHON THE STAR CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C.
Though the recession has sent national foreclosure rates soaring, Cleveland County, N.C.’s foreclose rates have actually fallen even though unemployment continues to rise. One bankruptcy attorney says the numbers may be misleading because Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are observing a foreclosures freeze. Protection laws have also been enacted to protect homeowners from foreclosure and from intimidating debt collection practices.

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Program fights poverty in New York with cash inducements

2009-09-22T17:28:00.000-04:00

09/20/2009 JULIE BOSMAN THE NEW YORK TIMES
An antipoverty program in New York is paying families up to $5,000 a year for attending school, undergoing regular checkups, and staying employed. The program, which is experimental, is continuing for a third year, and seems to be making student attendance more consistent and improving grades. Over $11 million has been distributed to 2,400 families.

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Soccer league provides new outlet for the homeless

2009-05-07T16:54:00.000-04:00

04/02/2009 JULIE BOSMAN THE NEW YORK TIMES
Street Soccer USA is a 16-city network of homeless players that operates under Help USA, a national homeless services provider. The program has been credited with helping players pull themselves out of homelessness. It has strict guidelines, such as forbidding players to show up drunk and requiring them to discuss job searches with coaches. The newly formed New York team scored its first win of the season against a team composed mostly of bankers.

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Indiana homeless shelter charges residents

2009-05-07T16:51:00.000-04:00

05/05/2009 SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE SOUTH BEND, IND.
The South Bend Center for the Homeless has served over 44,000 men, women and children for free since it opened in 1988. Recently, the center has asked residents to contribute a few dollars for room and board. The center began charging $5 for food each day beginning April 1, and a $1 “program fee” starting May 1. The “program fee” includes housing for guests staying for more than 45 days. Those who stay more than 180 days pay $3.33 each day. Residents who receive governmental assistance can also pay for meals with food stamps. The center allows the needy who cannot afford the fees to do chores in the center in exchange for their stay.

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No rise in Social Security benefits in 2010

2009-05-07T16:49:00.000-04:00

04/02/2009 ROBERT PEAR THE NEW YORK TIMES WASHINGTON
Social Security recipients will not get any increase in their benefits next year for the first time in more than three decades because federal forecasts do not anticipate the cost of living will rise enough to warrant a bump in benefits. If there is no cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security, about one-quarter of beneficiaries could face substantial increases in their premiums for doctors’ services and drug coverage under Medicare.

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Kitchen program in Pittsburgh employs and feeds the homeless and addicts

2009-05-07T16:46:00.000-04:00

05/03/2009 DIANA NELSON JONES PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
Springboard Kitchens employs those who are homeless or struggling with addictions and other disorders to prepare meals that are served to others in similar situations. Social service agencies refer trainees and provide services to prepare them. If trainees are voted in, they then work weekdays while receiving behavioral training to enable them to get and keep jobs. Springboard launched in mid-February and revenue has already jumped from $5,000 to $12,000, with 320 meals delivered a day.

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Wages stay flat or decline for many workers

2009-05-07T16:42:00.001-04:00

05/03/2009 ANNYS SHIN WASHINGTON POST
Workers across the country are experiencing stagnant or declining wages, while many are also seeing the values of their homes and retirement packages plummet. Employers initially only cut hours, but now are also slashing pay rates. Some state governments have frozen pay while others have furloughed employees. Although there is no evidence that the cuts have halted wage growth, overall pay increases have slowed tremendously. Wages for new hires and temporary employees have been slashed. Experts fear that economic recovery will be slow and gradual, with sluggish job creation.

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Idahoans experience delays in food stamps

2009-05-07T16:35:00.000-04:00

05/04/2009 ANTHONY CONGI KIDK.COM IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO
More than 50, 000 Idaho residents did not receive their governmental supplemental funds due to a glitch in the computer system. Usually, at the beginning of every month, the recipients’ food stamp debit cards are credited with the amount they’re owed. The state’s computers were not properly connected to the vendor, J.P. Morgan Chase. The computer problem was fixed, and recipients of the funds should have received the supplemental money. But those who were forced to use their own money to buy items will not be compensated.

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Medicaid drug-price cuts blocked in Washington

2009-04-03T13:11:00.000-04:00

04/1/2009 JOHN TUCK SPOKESMAN.COM SPOKANE, WASH.
Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire’s proposed budget would pay less for brand-name pharmaceuticals in an effort to steer pharmacies toward cheaper generic drugs, which could help the state save $109 million. Pharmacies argue the state is ignoring the harm such cuts would cause if started today, and a federal judge has temporarily blocked the plan. Walgreen Co., the state’s largest medication retailer, says 44 of its pharmacies would withdraw from the program and quit filling Medicaid prescriptions if the price cuts took hold.

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Maine eyes measures to reduce welfare outlays

2009-04-03T13:05:00.001-04:00

04/1/2009 REBEKAH METZLER SUNJOURNAL.COM AUGUSTA, MAINE
Two proposed bills would seek to reduce welfare spending by imposing a 90-day residency requirement, providing a tax credit for employers who hire welfare recipients, and imposing a 60-month lifetime limit on food stamps for adults. Supporters argue that people come to Maine and receive benefits too easily. Opponents note that residency requirements for welfare benefits have been ruled unconstitutional in other states.

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While vacancy rates soar, lack of affordable housing spurs upsurge in squatting

2009-04-03T13:00:00.001-04:00

03/25/2009 EDUARDO M. PENALVER SLATE.COM
Rising unemployment is forcing people out of their houses and into illegal squats. Squatting—or unlawfully occupying property that belongs to someone else—is a reflection of both a market failure and the absence of an effective government response to enable poor people to find housing. Between 2007 and 2008, the number of families showing up at homeless shelters in New York City increased by 40 percent, while housing vacancy rates are at all-time highs. According to the Census Bureau, 19 million homes were vacant in the last quarter of 2008.

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Health care proposal limits options

2009-03-27T11:34:00.000-04:00

03/24/2009 REED ABELSON NEW YORK TIMES
President Barack Obama is proposing a new health care program that is federal and the insurance is similar to Medicare, and available to anyone at any age. Obama believes that the program will give the people more choices and keeps the integrity of the private sector in check because of the competition. Opponents believe that the government is intervening and is pushing private insurers out by demanding lower prices from doctors and hospitals than private sectors, eventually leaving the government as the only option. The main debate over the health care proposal is how to provide coverage to nearly 50 million uninsured Americans while taking into account the high cost of health care.

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Idaho extends benefits to jobless

2009-03-27T11:31:00.000-04:00

03/25/2009 BILL ROBERTS IDAHOSTATESMAN.COM BOISE, IDAHO
Idaho Governor Butch Otter agreed to stimulus money that could bring in $33 million to reduce tax increases on Idahoan businesses next year to maintain the $95 million trust fund with the Legislature approval. It may also reduce the amount the state would have to borrow from the federal government. State businesses and labor groups support a bill that increase cash flow and provide new benefits by extending coverage for unemployed Idahoans in state-approved training programs and helping the jobless seek employment.

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Unemployment affects growing number of free lunch applications

2009-03-27T11:28:00.000-04:00

03/25/2009 WALB.COM ALBANY, GA.
In light of the increasing number of unemployed, more South Georgia students are relying on free lunch programs, which are run by the Department of Agriculture. This year, 65 percent of students are taking advantage of the program, with Tift County serving over six-thousand a day, and over one million meals a year. If unemployment rates continue to rise, the number of applicants for the free lunch program is also expected to increase as well. The school is also makes sure that families who are eligible apply for the program and receive its benefits.

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Cost concerns prompt states to cut back on prison terms

2009-03-27T11:23:00.000-04:00

03/24/2009 JENNIFER STEINHAUER NEW YORK TIMES
For almost 30 years, states have dealt with lawbreakers by locking more of them up for longer periods and building more prisons to hold them. Now, however, many are re-evaluating their prison policies due to limited financial resources and mounting incarceration costs. Some states are replacing jail time with community service; others are simply freeing prisoners early. Tough sentencing has long been a path to re-election for lawmakers. But the recession is forcing them to take a more cost-conscious approach toward imprisonment.

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L.A. homeless assaults classified as hate crimes

2009-03-27T11:21:00.001-04:00

03/25/2009 MOLLY HENNESSY-FISKE LOS ANGELES TIMES LOS ANGELES, CALIF.
As the number of homeless people increases, they seem to have become easier targets for assaults and other crimes. Advocates in Los Angeles say the attacks have become more violent, but until recently no one tracked the crimes countywide. County supervisors unanimously recommended that authorities start tracking and reporting assaults on the homeless as hate crimes. The information will be used to determine whether attacks are increasing, where they occur, and whether they can be prevented.

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D.C. voucher program rejected

2009-03-24T16:38:00.001-04:00

03/23/2009 JAY MATHEWS WASHINGTON POST
The Washington D.C. school voucher program, formally known as the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program , used tax dollars in order to transfer impoverished students to private schools with higher standards than the public schools of D.C. The program provides up to $7,500 a year for private-school tuition poor children, and costs $12 annually. However, the program opposes the public view of education and has been rejected by voters every time the program appeared on state ballots because of a disagreement over funds though there would still be limited space if unlimited funds were available.

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In Utah, 1 in 30 students are homeless

2009-03-24T16:30:00.000-04:00

03/22/2009 LORETTA PARK STANDARD-EXAMINER OGDEN, UTAH
State education authorities say 10,388 of the 551,013 students enrolled in schools in Utah are considered homeless, as compared with one in 50 nationally. The typical Utah homeless family consists of a single mother with two children, who struggles to pay for housing due to low income. For almost every adult who is homeless, there is a child. But the child is more likely to experience hunger, suffer chronic health problems, repeat a grade in school or drop out of school altogether, the state says.

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Homeless using cell phones

2009-03-24T16:25:00.000-04:00

03/23/3009 PETULA DVORAK WASHINGTON POST
Advocates estimate that 30 to 40 percent of homeless people have cell phones, and some also have e-mail accounts and blogs that document their lives on the streets. Cell phones have become relatively inexpensive with pay-as-you-go phones and prepaid minutes. Some of the homeless use the phones to set up meetings, organize bills and payments, or keep in touch with family. Some also rely on phones to keep their homelessness a secret from their employers in order to keep their jobs.

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Omaha students sample life in a homeless shelter

2009-03-20T15:58:00.001-04:00

03/19/2009 CINDY GONZALEZ OMAHA WORLD-HERALD OMAHA, NEB.
Creighton University students gave up their spring breaks to stay at the Siena-Francis House homeless shelter, part of an effort involving nearly 250 undergraduates in 30 cities across the country. These volunteer service and justice trips are meant to teach students a way to learn Jesuit ideals. The students interacted with the mentally ill, domestically abused, and substance addicts. Without their cell phones, the students were able to experience the sounds, sights and smells of a homeless shelter. Still other students remained in Omaha with African refugees or Spanish-speaking immigrants.

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Unemployment hits metro areas nationwide

2009-03-20T15:52:00.000-04:00

03/19/2009 ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Labor Department reports that 99.7 percent of the cities it tracks have higher unemployment than a year ago, with some areas in California among the hardest hit. Most economists expect job losses to rise this year despite the Obama administration’s $787 million stimulus package and other governmental efforts. The nationwide unemployment rate, at 8.1 percent in February, could reach 10 percent by the end of this year.
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With jobs scarce, further education beckons

2009-03-20T15:49:00.000-04:00

03/18/2009 LARRY MEYER ARGUS OBSERVER ONTARIO, ORE.
With the economy worsening, more people are choosing to continue their education. Many students see schooling as a wiser option than looking for work. Students in Oregon are choosing classes to prepare them for occupations on the top 20 list. The list, compiled by the state Department of Employment, is dominated by the medical and technical industries. Included are physicians, medical and clinical laboratory technologists, physical therapists, pharmacists and medical and health service managers, as well as registered nurses, welders and cutters.
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Poll shows Americans worried about the economy

2009-03-17T16:35:00.001-04:00

03/16/2009 PAUL STEINHAUSER CNNPOLITICS.COM WASHINGTON, D.C.
The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. found that 36 percent of people polled believe that unemployment is the most important economic issue today, which is triple the number of people who felt that way last April. Other issues that concerned respondents include inflation, the mortgage crisis, the stock market, and taxes, in order of anxiety. With the unemployment the highest in 25 years, with 4.4 million jobs lost since the beginning of the recession in December 2007, the poll shows the economy the most important issue facing the nation today.

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Tennessee governor considers unemployment fund plan

2009-03-17T16:28:00.001-04:00

03/16/2009 CHAS SISK THE TENNESSEAN NASHVILLE, TENN.
Tennessee state officials are considering a plan that stave off bankruptcy for the state’s unemployment fund, but would raise taxes on businesses. Governor Phil Bredesen is asking legislators to approve a proposal that would raise the taxable wage base and increase tax rates for unemployment insurance. Without these changes, the unemployment fund would be drained of money by early next year. The plan would force businesses to pay an additional $110 a year on average per employee for unemployment premiums.

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Underemployment on the rise too

2009-03-17T14:18:00.000-04:00

03/12/2009 KFDA-TV NEWSCHANNEL10.COM AMARILLO, TEXAS
Nationally, the underemployment rate is nearly double the unemployment rate, with latest figures reaching 15 percent. People are considered underemployed if they previously had high-paying jobs and are now working jobs for which they are overqualified, or if they once had full-time jobs and are now working part-time. The recent surge of over-qualified, over-educated applicants are taking jobs from less qualified applicants who would have been top candidates for the jobs just a few months ago.

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Program helps homeless students in Oklahoma City

2009-03-17T14:17:00.000-04:00

03/16/2009 DAWN MARKS NEWSOK.COM OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA.
Nearly 1,600 Oklahoma City students have been served through the district’s homeless student program, The Link, this year. The Link program provides eligible homeless students free lunch and breakfast, transportation to school and help in purchasing uniforms, among other services. The program’s main goal is to keep students in one school for the entire school year. Oklahoma is ranked 47th for risk of child homelessness with only Texas, Louisiana and Georgia having higher risk.

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Housing for Tennessee homeless project on hold

2009-03-13T12:28:00.000-04:00

03/11/2009 J.J. STAMBAUGH KNOXNEWS.COM KNOXVILLE, TENN.
A task force that was to create guidelines for housing Knoxville area homeless is on hold for fear its work could violate a federal law that prohibits discriminating against disabled people, a definition that includes the chronically homeless. The task force was to recommend guidelines on where to put 400 units of permanent, supportive housing for the chronically homeless, most of whom suffer severe psychological problems.

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Unemployment reaches double digits in four states

2009-03-13T12:23:00.000-04:00

03/11/2009 ASSOCIATED PRESS VIA CBS4.COM WASHINGTON
California, South Carolina, Michigan and Rhode Island all registered unemployment rates above 10 percent in January, while the national rate—at 8.1 percent in February—is the highest it has been in 25 years. Some economists predict the national unemployment rate will peak at 11 percent or higher by mid-2010. Forty-nine states and the District of Columbia registered unemployment increases. Only in Louisiana did the rate drop.

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Texas leads the country in number of homeless children

2009-03-13T12:14:00.001-04:00

03/11/2009 NEWSCHANNEL10.COM AMARILLO, TEXAS
Texas has the most homeless children of any state, more than 300,000. In Amarillo, the number of people receiving meals from the High Plains Food Bank has increased 55 percent just since last month. The city is receiving more than $700,000 from the federal stimulus package to help with homeless prevention and to try to keep homeless teens from dropping out of high school. Teens without diplomas cost the state an estimated $3 billion in lifelong productivity.

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North Carolina unemployment highest in 25 years

2009-03-13T10:37:00.000-04:00

03/11/2009 ASSOCIATED PRESS SHELBYSTAR.COM SHELBY, N.C.
North Carolina’s unemployment rate is the highest in over 25 years due to job losses in January in manufacturing and construction. The state lost 38,000 non-farm jobs in January, including such booming industries as education and health care, which lost 5,800 jobs. Among jobs lost in manufacturing were layoffs in the Dell Corp. computer assembly plant. The company has been shifting work from its own factories to contract manufacturers and cut its work force.

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Needy Northern Indiana families receive handouts

2009-03-13T10:34:00.000-04:00

03/11/2009 ASSOCIATED PRESS VIA BOSTONHERALD.COM BOSTON, MASS.
Approximately 1,600 families sought handouts for food and other items donated by a charity in Elkhart, Ind. The city has an unemployment rate of 18.3 percent, partly because of layoffs in the recreational vehicle industry. Thirteen semitrailers carried $2.1 million worth of food, which is expected to sustain 5,200 families for one week. In addition, Feed the Children arranged for supplies to be shipped to 3,600 Northern Indiana families. Hundreds of cars waited in a line in a shopping mall parking lot and adjacent streets to receive packages from 3,000 volunteers.

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Turning to motels to house the homeless

2009-03-13T10:29:00.000-04:00

03/10/2009 ERIK ECKHOLM THE NEW YORK TIMES
More people are finding themselves facing homelessness after having lost their jobs and homes. While some end up in shelters or on the street, others are doubling up in apartments or living in garages or motels. These hidden homeless are not counted in federal data and often get little public aid. Orange County, Calif., has a large population of motel families because rents are high and public housing is scarce, while there are many older motels that once housed Disneyland visitors. Residents come from a wider demographic range than in the past.

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Recession may be longest since World War II

2009-03-11T12:48:00.001-04:00

03/09/2009 DEB RIECHMANN ASSOCIATED PRESS VIA KANSASCITY.COM
The 1981-82 recession was America’s worst since the Great Depression, but the current recession could slice even deeper into the U.S. economy. If it lasts into April, as expected, it will be the longest recession in the postwar era. While unemployment has not reached 1982 levels and the gross domestic product is still higher than in 1982, the hurt from this recession is spread more widely. Furthermore, uncertainty about the country’s economic health is worse today than it was in 1982.

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N.Y. jobless rate to reach double digits

2009-03-11T12:45:00.000-04:00

03/10/2009 JAY GALLAGHER STARGAZETTE.COM ALBANY, N.Y.
New York’s unemployment rate is expected to rise from 7 percent last month to 10 percent by the end of the year. By then, the state will owe the federal government $1.4 billion in unemployment benefit payments. The newly passed federal stimulus package will repay $500 million of that, but the rest will have to be made up by employers. New York has lost 113,000 jobs since August, and a half-million New Yorkers are collecting benefits, the highest number in at least 20 years.

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Recession causes Hawaiian unemployment claims to rise

2009-03-11T12:42:00.000-04:00

03/06/2009 LELAND KIM KHNL.COM HONOLULU, HAWAII
While Hawaii’s unemployment rate of 5.1 percent is below the national average, the number of residents losing their jobs is continuing to increase, and new unemployment claims are rising—up 75 percent in January from the same month a year before. Benefits to Hawaiians totaled $40 million last month.

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One in 50 children experience homelessness in America

2009-03-11T12:39:00.000-04:00

03/10/2009 DAVID CRARY ASSOCIATED PRESS VIA BOSTON.COM NEW YORK
The National Center on Family Homelessness reports that one in 50 U.S. children experience homelessness and most states have inadequate plans to address the worsening and overlooked problem. The report analyzes data from 2005-06 and estimates that 1.5 million children were homeless at least once that year. The problem is surely worse now due to foreclosures and job losses during this recession. The center’s ranking of state responses placed Connecticut at the top and Texas at the bottom.

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Washington, D.C., renters feel repercussions of recession

2009-03-11T12:32:00.001-04:00

03/10/2009 MIRANDA S. SPIVAK WASHINGTON POST
The working poor in the Washington region are seeking more aid to meet basic needs, resulting in increased requests for help with rent and utility bills. Although home prices have fallen, renters still face a high-priced market in the area, where vacancies are limited. Arlington County, Va., has seen a 38 percent increase in applications for its rental supplements, which are cash grants to help tenants pay bills. The county boosted the amount available from $4.3 million to $4.6 million to prevent homelessness from increasing.

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Homeless man in Houston takes to the Web

2009-03-11T12:29:00.002-04:00

03/10/2009 ASSOCIATED PRESS COURIERPOSTONLINE.COM SOUTH JERSEY, N.J.
Until recently, Tim Edwards was like any other homeless man begging for money in Houston. Now, he has become the online face of homelessness thanks to his website, Pimp This Bum. The interactive site, www.pimpthisbum.com, is the work of an Internet marketing company that wanted to show what it could do and do some good at the same time. Visitors can ask Edwards questions about his life and his journey from a managerial job and homeownership, and allows them to donate money to help him.

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NY landlords trade paying tenants for homeless families

2009-03-09T16:40:00.001-04:00

03/03/2009 JULIE BOSMAN THE NEW YORK TIMES
The Bloomberg administration program has turned some apartment buildings in New York into de facto homeless shelters. It works with nonprofits to place homeless families in apartments, a practice known as cluster-site housing. With growing numbers of homeless families, cluster-site has nearly replaced a similar, more expensive program that the administration wanted to eliminate in 2002. Tenants in the buildings complain landlords are pushing them out to make room for homeless residents because the cluster-site program pays much more.

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Hawaiian Hope provides computer access to homeless

2009-03-09T16:29:00.000-04:00

03/04/2009 NINA WU STARBULLETIN.COM HONOLULU, HAWAII
Hawaiian Hope, a nonprofit whose goal is to give the homeless computer access, plans to expand its offerings. The group already provides IT services in 10 homeless shelters in Hawaii using donated computers and strives to make technology available to everyone by refurbishing donated PCs, hardware and monitors. Hawaiian Hope is remodeling an empty space near Honolulu Community College, and hopes that the computer lab will put classrooms in homeless shelters. The group will also give computers to families that move out of the shelters.

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Stimulus funds used for Harrisburg needy

2009-03-09T16:21:00.001-04:00

03/04/2009 BEN RUSSELL WHPTV.COM HARRISBURG, P.A.
Harrisburg is using its $1.4 million in funds for its Community Development Block Grant Program and for homelessness prevention. How the money will be spent for homelessness prevention is unclear, but the block grant money may be used to renovate vacant homes to be sold to low-income and moderate income buyers. Some of it may also be used to complete repairs in the homes of senior citizens or low-income families, as well as for job training.

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Increasing benefits will increase debt

2009-03-09T16:16:00.000-04:00

03/04/2009 DAILYCARDINAL.COM UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – MADISON
If Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle chooses to expand unemployment eligibility and adopts two of the four federally recommended changes, the state would receive $89 million in funding from the federal stimulus bill. Wisconsin already took out a $400 million loan from the federal government to keep its unemployment fund afloat and with unemployment on the rise, Wisconsin federal debt is spinning out of control. Doyle has also increased business taxes as an attempt to level the budget, but increased business taxes force employers to lay off workers, who then turn to unemployment.

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Need welfare? Must pass drug test first

2009-03-09T16:11:00.001-04:00

03/04/2009 JANESE HEAVIN COLUMBIATRIBUNE.COM COLUMBIA, MO.
Sen. Bill Stouffer’s proposed bill would require welfare recipients to submit to drug testing in order to protect taxpayers and provide an incentive to stay clean. Conducting drug tests would cost Missouri $16.7 million next year. Those who test positive would be ineligible for three years to receive temporary assistance benefits. Children of drug users would not lose benefits. No criminal consequences are inflicted on those who test positive, but some may avoid applying for help for fear of test results.

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Texas recovers more than $1.4 million from unemployment fraud

2009-03-04T11:01:00.002-05:00

03/01/2009 KILGORENEWSHERALD.COM AUSTIN
The Texas Workforce Commission recovered more than $1.4 million in 2008 from prosecutions for unemployment insurance fraud, which includes providing false information or failing to report self-employment or other earnings. Some of the cases were sizable. In East Texas, the commission recovered nearly $27,000 on five bogus claims. In addition to restitution, those convicted paid up to $1,000 in fines and served community service hours; some went to jail.

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Employers attempting to block unemployment benefits

2009-03-04T10:58:00.000-05:00

03/02/2009 PAUL NELSON KSL.COM SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
Employers are trying to block jobless benefits to more than a quarter of the people who apply for them nationwide, including in Utah. Even if employees quit their jobs, they may be eligible for benefits if they prove that remaining on the job would have an adverse effect or that they continue to be in the labor market. Meanwhile, unemployment in Utah is at 4.3 percent, and initial unemployment benefits claims in January were up 10,000 from a year ago, to 24,000.

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Federal bailout my be necessary for Texas jobless fund

2009-03-04T10:51:00.000-05:00

03/01/2009 ASSOCIATED PRESS VIA STATESMAN.COM TEXAS
Texas unemployment officials fear a “real deficit” in the compensation trust fund by September or October, and may need to borrow money from the federal government to keep the state fund afloat. Initial claims for benefits are more than double what they were a year ago, so the state may be forced to obtain the interest-free loan.

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Oregon unemployment rate reaches 9.9 percent

2009-03-03T21:44:00.001-05:00

02/26/2009 PORTLAND TRIBUNE PORTLAND, ORE.
Unemployment in the state of Oregon reached 9.9 percent in January, with 14,600 jobs lost that month. Joblessness has not been this high since the mid-1980’s, when the state was recovering from a recession that ruined the housing and wood products industry. One labor market economist says Oregon was hit harder than the nation as a whole over the last year.

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Travel sites’ bad reviews rouse Honolulu concerns about homeless

2009-03-03T21:39:00.001-05:00

03/01/2009 BRIANNE RANDLE KHON2.COM HONOLULU, HAWAII
With homelessness on the rise in Honolulu, the city is receiving negative feedback from travel sites such as Expedia and TripAdvisor. One state lawmaker says the bad reviews are undermining Hawaii’s reputation as a sunny paradise, and insists the city has the resources to restore the homeless-filled public parks. With 150 to 300 homeless people living in Kapiolani park alone, officials are working on a law that would make sleeping in the park at any time illegal.

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Nevada tries to deal with increased demand for welfare

2009-02-27T16:40:00.000-05:00

02/24/2009 DAVID McGRATH SCHWARTZ LASVEGASSUN.COM CARSON CITY, NEV.
Nevadans are waiting in lines from two to four hours to apply for welfare benefits. One office in Las Vegas handled 19,000 applications last month and cases are expected to rise from 23,000 to 30,000 per month by the end of the two-year period. To help shorten wait times, the state welfare agency plans to create an electronic application so potential recipients have the necessary documents when they arrive at the office. The department will also need 200 to 300 more workers.

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Budget cuts in Utah hit mentally ill hardest

2009-02-27T16:38:00.000-05:00

02/24/2009 JAMES THALMAN DESERTNEWS.COM UTAH
Diminishing funds for Medicaid services will harm the quality of life of mentally ill Utah residents more drastically than any other disabled group. The state has a $1.5 billion revenue shortfall and has proposed cuts to mental-health services totaling nearly $3.5 million. However, with another $10.5 million loss in federal funds, the total cuts to mental-health services come to nearly $14 million.

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White House regards health care reform as top fiscal priority

2009-02-26T21:04:00.000-05:00

02/24/2009 LORI MONTGOMERY & AMY GOLDSTEIN WASHINGTON POST
President Obama’s top priority is to reform the U.S. health care system, since he believes controlling the costs of the two governmental health systems -- Medicare for the elderly and Medicaid for the poor -- is critical to saving the nation from bankruptcy. At the economic summit where Obama made these statements, top administration officials said they were committed to stabilizing the Social Security system and ensuring taxes bring in enough money to fund the government.

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Unemployment fund shortfalls in Vermont may lead to higher employer taxes

2009-02-26T20:58:00.001-05:00

02/25/2009 LOUIS PORTER TIMESARGUS.COM BARRE, VT.
Decreases in Vermont’s unemployment fund may prompt large tax increases on employers and a squeeze on benefits for those who lose their jobs. A proposal now before the state legislature would require employers to pay another $40 million in taxes a year for the next two years, while cutting the benefit paid to jobless workers. The state’s unemployment insurance fund may be failing by the end of the year and may have to borrow $35 million in 2010 to remain solvent.

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Colorado food stamp delays worsen

2009-02-24T16:44:00.000-05:00

02/23/2009 ALLISON SHERRY THE DENVER POST DENVER, COLO.
With thousands more people applying for assistance via food stamps, wait times have been increased by 30 days in 10 Colorado counties, in violation of federal law. Officials say the problem is the volume of applications, with 200,000 more Coloradoans applying than this time last year. However, even before the recent increase in wait times Colorado was on a federal watch list for chronic problems in its food stamp program.

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South Carolina will accept bailout funds to raise unemployment checks

2009-02-24T16:41:00.001-05:00

02/23/2009 THE DICKINSON PRESS DICKINSON, N.D.
Republican South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford is accepting federal stimulus money to enable state unemployment benefits to be raised by $25 a week, the first increase in two years. The governor, who previously vocally opposed bailout packages, decided to take the money after realizing other states would be doing the same. The governor is still unlikely to support the part of the stimulus plan that extends benefits to part-time workers.

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Low-income patients turn to their children as care-givers

2009-02-24T16:35:00.000-05:00

02/22/2009 PAM BELLUCK THE NEW YORK TIMES LANTANA, FLA.
Children across the country are providing care for sick parents or grandparents, including lifting them off beds or toilets, managing their medication, and washing, feeding and dressing them. A 2005 study suggested that about 3 percent of households with children 8 to 18 included child care-givers. Many are single-parent, low-income families, and experts expect their numbers to grow as the recession compels patients to forgo paid help.

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Economy expected to worsen in 2009

2009-02-24T16:28:00.000-05:00

02/23/2009 JEANNINE AVERSA KANSASCITY.COM
The latest survey by the National Association for Business Economics predicts the economy will shrink by 1.9 percent this year, a much deeper contraction than the 0.2 percent predicted in the fall. NABE forecasters predict the economy to slide backward at a pace of 5 percent in the January-March quarter. The economy should expand in the second half of this year, but some analysts think the jobless rate will peak at 9 percent and not return to the 5 percent range until 2013 at the earliest.

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