skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, February 7, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Judge pauses deadline for federal workers to accept Trump's resignation offer; CA state lawmakers take action to enact safeguards against federal immigration enforcement; Study shows air quality disparities from industrial ag in NC.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes a Trump tone at the Justice Department, federal workers get more time to consider buyouts, and an unclassified email request from the White House worries CIA vets.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

During Black History Month, a new book shares how a unique partnership built 5,000 schools for Black students, anti-hunger advocates say ag communities would benefit from an expanded SNAP program, and Americans have $90 billion in unpaid medical bills.

Social Security Cuts: Greatest Impact on Rural VA

play audio
Play

Monday, November 7, 2011   

RICHMOND, Va. - America's small towns would be hit hardest by any cuts in Social Security, according to a new analysis by the Center for Rural Strategies, posted on the rural news website the Daily Yonder. The review says that's because rural areas have a higher percentage of people who receive those benefits.

Economist Mark Partridge, who holds the Swank Chair in Rural-Urban Policy at Ohio State University, says the loss might appear small on an individual basis, but its reach would be broad.

"You know, I don't want to necessarily say it would devastate communities, but I think small businesses, restaurants, grocery stores, hardware stores - all of these are going to feel somewhat of an impact if a lot of their steady customers, the ones who spend their money locally, have less."

Partridge explains the main reason there's a higher percentage of Social Security recipients in rural areas is because young people tend to gravitate toward cities. He says also that more people in rural areas receive disability payments.

"It relates to the kinds of industries people work in. Industries like logging, mining or agriculture tend to be more dangerous, and thus you're more likely to draw things such as disability."

In many of Virginia's metropolitan counties, about 17 percent of the population receives Social Security benefits, while in some rural counties, that figure jumps to more than 25 percent.

The so-called congressional Super Committee is expected to make its recommendations for spending cuts later this month, which might include changes to the Social Security program.

More information is at www.dailyyonder.com. Details by county and by state are at srdc.msstate.edu.




get more stories like this via email

more stories
Opponents of a South Dakota bill that would require the Ten Commandments be posted in all public school classrooms say it would be an unfunded mandate. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

A South Dakota House committee takes up a controversial bill today that would require all school districts in the state to display the Ten Commandment…


play sound

Virginia ranks third behind only Maryland and Delaware among the worst states for the average amount of back wages companies owe to their workers…

Environment

play sound

Some North Dakota school districts are part of a movement that has embraced electric school buses, but the federal funding shakeup carried out by the …


Florida immigrant advocacy groups are intensifying efforts to help undocumented individuals navigate encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. (David Peinado/Pexels)

Social Issues

play sound

Immigrant advocates in Florida are ramping up efforts to help families navigate President Donald Trump's new immigration orders, which have increased …

Social Issues

play sound

The rate of U.S. high school seniors seeking higher education is on the upswing, according to research from Lumina Foundation. Although Hoosier …

Gov. Kathy Hochul's free community college proposal would apply to people pursuing first-time associate degrees for jobs in high-demand fields, including nursing, teaching, technology and engineering. (Adobe Stock)

play sound

New York State is making historic higher education investments. As part of the 2026 budget proposal, Gov. Kathy Hochul proposes free community …

Social Issues

play sound

Alabama nonprofits are coming together to tackle challenges that may threaten their survival, from declining donor support to shifting federal …

Health and Wellness

play sound

Consumer advocates in Maine said the availability of enhanced subsidies have helped record numbers of people get the health care coverage they need…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021