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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

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SD public defense duties shift from counties to state; SCOTUS appears skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies; Trump lawyers say he can't make bond; new scholarships aim to connect class of 2024 to high-demand jobs.

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The SCOTUS weighs government influence on social media, and who groups like the NRA can do business with. Biden signs an executive order to advance women's health research and the White House tells Israel it's responsible for the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

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Midwest regenerative farmers are rethinking chicken production, Medicare Advantage is squeezing the finances of rural hospitals and California's extreme swing from floods to drought has some thinking it's time to turn rural farm parcels into floodplains.

OH: Poverty Issues

Ohio's minimum wage increased this year to $10.45 per hour, but a report by the Coalition on Housing and Homelessness in Ohio found full-time workers in the Columbus area need to earn $22.37 an hour to rent a two-bedroom apartment. (Adobe Stock)
Annual point-in-time count of homeless set for Columbus, Franklin County

More than 150 volunteers will fan out across Columbus and Franklin County this week for the annual point-in-time count of the homeless. Last year's …

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A 2023 statewide survey of Ohio by the Ohio Association of Foodbanks found 68% of households had to choose between purchasing food and transportation or gas. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Ohio foodbanks say Thriving Families Tax Credit could help reduce hunger

Ohio lawmakers are considering a proposal that would implement a statewide refundable child tax credit. Regional food banks say the bill would help …

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In 2022, approximately 49 million people, one out of every six people in the United States, turned to hunger relief programs for support, according to Feeding America. (Adobe Stock)
Inflation, Farm Bill uncertainty have OH food banks concerned about 2024

Looming federal budget deadlines are just a few weeks away, and food banks in Ohio say the risk of reduced funding for nutrition, health care and …

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As many as 100,000 Americans have been forced to stay home from work each month because of child care issues, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Adobe Stock)
Child-care crisis mounts in Appalachian Ohio

In Appalachian Ohio, quality child care is increasingly scarce or prohibitively expensive for working families. Even before COVID-19, 60% of rural …

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States on April 1 began ending Medicaid coverage for people found ineligible or whose redetermination can't be completed for procedural reasons, a process known as Medicaid unwinding. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Ohio sees coverage losses as Medicaid unwinding continues

More Ohioans are at risk for losing their health coverage through Medicaid because of procedural errors, according to a recent analysis. Federal rule …

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If there is a shortfall in WIC funding, program administrators said states would respond by putting some eligible people on waiting lists. (Jade Maas/Adobe Stock)
Advocates: WIC will have to ration benefits if budget not increased

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children is facing a funding shortfall in Ohio and nationwide, even without the …

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Farmers and ranchers steward about 44% of the United States' landmass. (ZoranZeremski/Adobe Stock)
Stalled farm bill will likely affect Ohioans

The once-every-five-year Farm Bill will likely be extended to six years this time around, as Congress seems months away from finding a path forward…

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Families in Early Head Start have stable home environments and less involvement with the child welfare system, according to the National Head Start Association. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Congress proposes slashing funding for Head Start programs

More than 3,000 Ohio children could lose access to Head Start programs under budget cut proposals now being considered by Congress. From birth …

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Consumer Financial Protection Bureau research from 2021 showed consumer credit records reflected $88 billion worth of medical debt. (Adobe Stock)
Akron is Latest OH City to Retire Medical Debt

Since the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021, a number of cities and counties in Ohio and around the nation have used ARPA funding to …

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At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Reserve Bank lowered interest rates to nearly zero to stimulate the economy, according to Experian. (Adobe Stock)
Americans’ Credit Card Debt Reaches Record High

Amid inflation, more Ohioans are relying on credit cards to meet basic needs, and the nation is now saddled with nearly $988 billion in credit card …

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Pre-pandemic, nearly 100,000 schools served lunches to around 29 million students each day, including, more than 20 million free lunches, according to the School Nutrition Association. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Ohio Governor Signs Budget Including No-Cost School Meals

More Ohio students who qualify for reduced-priced meals will now be able to eat breakfast and lunch at school, even if their families cannot pay for …

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Eight of 10 distressed communities are rural, and 60% of the residents in those counties are people of color, according to the group Rural Organizing. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Rebuild Rural America Act Could Counter Economic Decline in Rural Ohio

Rural Ohio towns could see boosts in economic development projects, and investments in workforce development, emergency preparedness and water and …

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