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U.S. gender wage gap grows for the first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

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Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Making “First Years” a “First Priority” for WV

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Monday, January 7, 2008   

Charleston, WV – West Virginia lawmakers will be back in business later this week, and a statewide campaign aims to get them working promptly on the needs of the youngest West Virginians.

Margie Hale with the West Virginia Kids Count Fund believes early child development should be lawmakers' top priority. The first step, she says, is making sure that the more than 60,000 West Virginia children in childcare programs are getting high-quality care.

"From the moment children are born, their brains are being shaped by the world around them, and that lays the foundation for their future success. That's why West Virginia must provide a high quality early child development system."

Hale suggests the state needs to improve care by instituting a statewide rating system to monitor educational quality, and reward the programs that get kids off to a good start. For her, it's money well spent for the potential return.

"As long as we don't invest, we have higher costs with special education, kids not doing well in school and dropping out. All these costs we will continue to bear, until we make this investment."

Hale says recent research shows that every dollar invested in early child development pays off many times over.


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