Livable Wages/Working Families / Public News Service

Volkswagen has issued a recall for nearly 100,000 electric ID.4 SUVs. The recall is due to a reported issue where vehicle doors may open unexpectedly. (filmbildfabrik/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, September 19, 2024

UAW contract negotiations at VW focus on healthcare, safety, wages

United Auto Workers' contract negotiations kick off today with Volkswagen at its Chattanooga plant, covering over 4,000 UAW members. The union says …

New York voters across party lines and regions support raising the minimum wage to more than $20 an hour. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

New study shows minimum wage hikes don’t mean job losses

A new study found minimum wage increases have little or no impact on job loss. The Economic Policy Institute study comes as federal lawmakers …

Some 36,000 Arkansas Medicare beneficiaries used insulin in 2020. (motortion/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

AR seniors to benefit from Medicare prescription drug cap

Arkansans who are on Medicare will see big savings next year thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. The Act will cap prescription drug costs…

The federal minimum wage was raised to its current rate of $7.25 per hour in 2009. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Study: Increasing minimum wage does not reduce jobs

A new report shows minimum wage increases have had little effect on the number of jobs in Maryland and nationwide. While the rhetoric around …

According to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction's annual budget report, the state receives more than $1.10 billion in federal funding outside of funds from the child nutrition and COVID relief programs. (Michael Ireland/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Parents, teachers voice concerns over rejecting federal funds for NC schools

From gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson to Superintendent of Public Instruction hopeful Michele Morrow, some Republicans running for office have …

Critics of Colorado Amendment 80 warn the move would siphon taxpayer dollars away from already underfunded public schools into private religious schools. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

CO Amendment 80 could prompt private school voucher foothold

Colorado voters will decide whether to change the state's constitution to ensure families have school choice as a fundamental right. Kallie Leyba…

Inflation Reduction Act funding is helping leading electric cooperatives, which serve one in five rural Americans, to accelerate the adoption of affordable and reliable clean energy, lowering costs for their members. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Tri-State to lower customer energy costs by $400 million over 20 years

Colorado's second-largest electricity provider, the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, projects new federal clean energy funding will …

In the past decade, the U.S. Energy Department said 2,555 North Dakota homes, occupied by people with limited incomes, have been weatherized. The free upgrades include furnace repairs, insulation and sealing drafty windows. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

An under-the-radar profession could use a helping hand

September is Workforce Development Month and North Dakota offices managing energy assistance programs hope people in need of a fresh career start will…

Public education advocates believe without adequate funding, North Carolina's public schools will continue to face severe challenges, including teacher shortages, lack of support staff and deteriorating facilities. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

NC voucher bill sparks debate over public school funding, equity

Advocates for public education are reacting to the North Carolina House passing legislation to funnel millions of state dollars into private school vo…

A new report found Connecticut still has massive gender, racial and ethnic wage gaps, both for low-wage and middle-wage workers. The issue is especially prominent in public-sector jobs, which also suffer from a lack of diversity. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Report: CT post-pandemic job growth still lags

A new report showed Connecticut's post-pandemic job growth lags behind the rest of the nation. The State of Working Connecticut report found …

A new U.S. Census Bureau report shows the rate of children without health insurance in New Mexico was 5.9% in 2023, compared to 5.4% nationwide. (FotoAndalucia/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

New census data show significant drop in NM's child poverty

A new federal report shows anti-poverty policies enacted by New Mexico are making a big difference. This month, the U.S. Census Bureau has released …

A joint tax return is required for married couples to claim the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit at the end of the tax year. (New Africa/Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

PA tax credit expansion increases support for child, dependent care

Pennsylvania families facing challenges with child and dependent care expenses may now benefit from a significant state tax break. The expansion of …

Iowa seniors list the out-of-pocket costs for prescription medications as one of their main health-care concerns, according to AARP Iowa. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

Prescription costs soon to be capped for Iowa seniors

A new report from AARP Iowa predicts thousands of seniors on Medicare Part D in the state will save money on their prescriptions, thanks to a cap on …

The nation's child poverty rate increased 1.3 percentage points to 13.7 percent in 2023, according to newly released Census data. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

WV poverty rate for children among highest in nation

The number of West Virginia children living in poverty remains among the highest in the nation, and more children are living in households struggling …

A healthy, safe and secure working environment is one of five top issues teachers in Texas say they're concerned about. (WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

TX teachers not discouraged by current political climate

Teachers nationwide say safety issues and politics can sometimes make it harder for them to do their jobs. A safe and secure workplace is one of 10 …

According to the research website Definitive Healthcare, consumers spent $603 billion on prescription drugs in 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

IN residents await price reductions on costly prescriptions

Indiana ranks 20th among states for its prescription drug spending and especially for older adults, some help is on the way. The Inflation Reduction …

Teacher pay has largely stagnated across the country since the 1990s. (WavebreakmediaMicro/Adobe Stock0

Monday, September 16, 2024

Report: Teacher pay lags behind others with college degrees

Average teacher pay increased in 2023, but a new study shows it still lags far behind that of other college graduates. Average weekly wages for …

According to the Center for American Progress,

Climate change worsens food insecurity in NE, U.S. and globally

By Kristi Eaton for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Deborah Van Fleet for Nebraska News Connection reporting for The Daily Yonder-Public News Se…

Hunger Action Month started in 2008 when Feeding America's food banks came together to encourage individuals to take action against hunger in their local communities. (Adobe stock)

Feeding Indiana’s Hungry calls for action as food insecurity worsens

Hoosiers are marking Hunger Action Month, a nationwide campaign led by the Feeding America Network, to raise awareness and fight hunger across the U.…

The latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau reveals child poverty in America increased slightly in 2023. (Karen Roach/Adobe Stock)

Stalled Child Tax Credit leaves Ohio families in limbo

During this week's presidential debate, Vice President Kamala Harris proposed reviving the Child Tax Credit, which was part of the American Rescue …

The U.S. Census Bureau's supplemental poverty measure rose to just under 13% in 2023, up from 12.4% in 2022, despite an increase in median household incomes nationwide. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Census data: More Mainers struggle to meet basic needs

More Maine households struggled to meet their basic needs last year, according to new census data. More than 80,000 Mainers, or roughly 6% of the …

In New Mexico, 70% of extremely low-income renter households face a severe cost burden, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. (qingwa/AdobeStock)

America's 2-decade-long housing shortage needs a fix

New Mexico houses cost less to buy than in many other states but there's also less inventory and one data expert does not expect a building boom to re…

Steel production is a major source of carbon emissions. U.S. Steel aims to eliminate such emissions by 2050. Close to 80% of greenhouse gas emissions come from using coke and coal in blast furnaces to melt iron. (Jeffrey Bowser/Adobe)

Sale of U.S. Steel to Japan's Nippon Steel may affect union workers, community

A Pennsylvania environmental justice group is voicing its concerns about the potential sale of U.S. Steel, the effect on the community and the future …

In Kentucky, federal investments are spurring job growth in construction, creating opportunities in clean energy and setting the stage for a potential upswing in manufacturing, according to a new report by the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Kentucky construction jobs, union membership on rise

More jobs are available now in Kentucky compared with the past couple of years and many are better-paying union jobs driven by federal investments…

The Commonwealth Fund finds personal care attendants are facing nationwide shortages driven by low wages and retention, high turnover, and recruitment challenges. (Adobe Stock)

CT home health care workers still facing payroll issues

Despite a changing of the guard, Connecticut home health care workers still face payroll issues. Personal care attendants dealt with late paychecks …

Food deserts are regions where people have limited access to healthful and affordable food due to income, location, or transportation issues. (Prostock-studio/Adobe Stock)

AR officials consider new ways to address food deserts

By Daniel Breen and Josie Lenora for Little Rock Public Radio.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Arkansas News Service reporting for the Little Rock …

More than 200 child care centers in West Virginia closed between 2018 and 2019, according to ChildCare Aware. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Child care, tax cuts expected focus of upcoming WV special session

West Virginia lawmakers will convene for a Special Session on Sept. 30, with the state's child care crisis, proposed income tax cuts and supplemental …

Lawmakers are considering a provision in the current Farm Bill to incorporate

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MA fishermen see opportunity as Farm Bill advances

Massachusetts fishermen said they are optimistic the next Farm Bill will provide greater support to smaller, community-based fishing fleets. The …

Wage increases for a large segment of the Wisconsin workforce mean a decline in income inequality in the state. A new report from the High Road Strategy Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found many workers' earnings are still falling behind. (Adobe Stock)

Report: WI economy rises on strength of workers' wage growth

A new report showed income inequality in Wisconsin is declining as lower-wage workers are seeing faster wage growth but Black, Latino and women …

Ohio spends about $12,000 per student annually on public education, which is slightly below the national average. (Pixels Hunter/Adobe Stock)

Critical choices: How Ohio’s elections will affect education

In Ohio, the upcoming elections could have a significant effect on public education. Educators are urging voters to consider how the candidates' …

In the past two years, the price of school supplies has gone up about 24%, according to a Deloitte analysis. (Adobe Stock)

NC teachers spend big on classroom supplies amid low pay

Classroom supplies are taking a toll on teachers in North Carolina. A new survey showed despite earning around 5% less than they did a decade ago…

In 2022, 42.4% of full-time undergraduate students worked while enrolled to cover their costs, reflecting the growing challenge of affording higher education. (William W. Potter/Adobe Stock)

Ohio universities see tuition spike, enrollment decline

By John Hilber / Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi reporting for the Kent State NewsLab-Ohio News Connection Collaboration. In the last 21 years…

Community health workers provide a trust-based relational framework for addressing nonmedical health drivers of health and connecting families to medical resources and social services. (Prostock-studio/Adobe Stock)

Central Texas nonprofit addresses health inequities for new moms

A program in Georgetown, in Williamson County, is working to improve health outcomes for low-income residents by helping them gain access to …

If the Kroger-Alberstons merger is approved, Gunnison's 6,000 residents would have to travel 65 miles to find a grocery store not owned by Kroger, which owns King Soopers in Colorado, according to the American Economic Liberties Project. (Galatas)

Corporate consolidation, lack of competition linked to rising grocery prices

As a federal judge considers a lawsuit aiming to block a proposed $25 billion merger between Kroger and Albertsons, a new report detailed how …

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an estimated 86.5% of U.S. households were food secure throughout the entire year in 2023. (guvo59/Pixabay)

Low SNAP enrollment among Virginia seniors signals calls for reforms

A new report showed more than 100,000 eligible Virginians 65 and older are not enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. With …

The median home price in New Hampshire reached $525,000 in 2024, a nearly 13% increase from a year earlier. Rents in the state are up an average 45% since the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Record high home and rental prices top NH voters concerns

Record-high home prices are a top concern for New Hampshire voters and could impact the outcome of this year's gubernatorial race. All the …

The new report recommended Pennsylvania address methane leakage by establishing a large-scale program to cap abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells. It could create 75 direct jobs per year and 525 direct jobs by 2030. (Funtay/Adobe)

A new roadmap for a clean energy that prioritizes PA union workers

A new report is providing a roadmap for policymakers and industry leaders to shape the future of Pennsylvania's clean energy landscape. The findings …

Texas educators said they want democratic representation and a voice in decision-making as-well-as professional training and development. (shootsroom/Adobe Stock)

TX educators prepare for upcoming legislative session

Texas educators spent the summer in meetings and workshops devising a playbook for the upcoming Texas legislative session. The Educator's Bill of …

Weston Lombard, at his Athens County farm, uses regenerative practices funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. (Photo credit Sijie Yuan)

Ohio reacts to Biden's investment targeting rural electrification

President Joe Biden has announced a landmark $7.3 billion investment, the largest since the FDR New Deal, aimed at electrifying rural America…

Ohio House Bill 458 limits who can deliver absentee ballots to the voter, postal workers or specific close relatives, excluding caregivers and non-relatives. (PhotoSpirit/Adobe Stock)

Controversy erupts over Ohio's proposed drop-box ban

As Ohio gears up for the upcoming election, debates over new voting regulations are heating up. The recent proposal by Secretary of State Frank …

Nearly three of four Colorado voters surveyed want lawmakers to ensure full funding for Healthy School Meals for All. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado parents face September 30 deadline to help fund school meals

Colorado students will not go hungry this school year, thanks to the Healthy School Meals for All initiative approved by voters in 2022. Their …

The Middle Class Borrower Protection Act has passed the House and was received in the Senate on July 10, 2023. (Man888/Adobe Stock)<br />

Federal bill aimed to help MI homebuyers draws criticism

Michigan has seen a 10% rise in foreclosures this year. The Middle Class Borrower Protection Act, intended to assist middle-class homebuyers…

During Hunger Action Month, key organizations are calling on Congress to protect funding for support programs as lawmakers debate budget proposals. (Adobe Stock)

'On the edge of catastrophe': A call to arms during Hunger Action Month

September is Hunger Action Month and a food shelf coordinator in Minnesota does not see increased demand going down anytime soon. According to …

According to a Freelancers Union study, 71% of workers experienced late or non-payment, 59% said they live paycheck to paycheck and most do not have written contracts. (Adobe Stock)

NYS law gives freelancers labor protections

A newly enacted law provides New York freelancers with labor protections. The "Freelance Isn't Free Act" prevents companies from not paying …

Right now, about seven percent of the federal workforce is under 30. (RomanR/Adobe Stock)

Lawmakers look to improve pay and benefits for federal workers

Federal lawmakers will debate a number of bills this fall designed to improve hiring, retention and benefits for government workers. Their …

The University of New Hampshire joins 429 higher education institutions that have joined the FirstGen Forward Network, representing 49 states and the District of Columbia. (Adobe Stock)<br />

UNH works to make 'first gen' students feel right at home

First generation students attending the University of New Hampshire benefit from a growing trove of campus resources to ensure their success…

Ohio public schools have about 100,000 teachers, averaging 16 students per teacher and 220,000 non-teaching staff, averaging seven students per non-teaching position, with nearly all teachers holding a bachelor's degree or higher. (Drazen/Adobe Stock)

The quiet preparation: Ohio teachers before the first bell

As Ohio students head back to school, many parents may think the return to the classroom begins when the first bell rings but for educators, the …

On price negotiations alone, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the Inflation Reduction Act will generate more than $100 billion in savings over 10 years for those using Medicare. (Adobe Stock)

With new caps, WI Medicare enrollees expected to save $1500 next year

Older Wisconsin residents struggling to manage prescription drug costs, have new data on how much they might save as a new federal rule kicks in …

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