Livable Wages/Working Families / Public News Service

About 9% of Virginians receive benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, April 25, 2025

VA students, local economies would suffer from possible SNAP cuts

As lawmakers on Capitol Hill discuss trillions in spending cuts, opponents warned students on SNAP and free school meal programs would suffer…

About 70% of households receiving energy assistance in Maryland include a person considered vulnerable, such as the elderly or those with a disability. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, April 25, 2025

Trump staff cuts threaten MD low-income utility assistance

The Trump administration is facing a backlash for firing all federal workers in a program helping thousands of Marylanders pay their heating and cooli…

Niesha Neal said she was tokenized and underpaid while working under former executive director Kelly McBride at the Domestic Violence Prevention Network from 2021 to 2022. (Jenna Waton/Mirror Indy)

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Indiana survivor says nonprofit exploited her story

By Mary Claire Molloy for Mirror Indy.Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the Mirror Indy-Free Press Indiana-Public …

In the state and local government sector in Kentucky, 6,400 injury and illness cases were reported in 2023, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Unions: NIOSH cuts will harm Kentucky workers

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s decision to cut a cut a majority of jobs at the federal agency responsible for worker …

Of the nearly 30,000 fire departments in the United States, almost 19,000 are all volunteer. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

MN fire chiefs lean on ads, targeted messaging to boost depleted ranks

In many small Minnesota communities, city hall windows display "firefighters wanted" posters. Lack of interest is a reality local fire chiefs have to …

Texas House lawmakers passed a proposal for a private school voucher program. Two Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the bill. (zimmytws/Adobe Stock)

TX private school voucher opponents worry about effect on public schools

The Texas school voucher program is on its way back to the Senate, after it was approved by members of the House of Representatives in an 85 to 63 …

According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, 41% of Wyoming's farmers are women. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 21, 2025

Beginning farmers in WY could get a boost from Congress

More than one quarter of Wyoming's farmers started producing in the past ten years and are considered beginners by the U.S. Department of Agriculture…

It has been widely reported the Social Security Administration has moved more than 6,000 names into its

Trump policies put economic pressure on immigrants across U.S., Virginia

President Donald Trump continues his pressure campaign on immigrants -- both documented and undocumented -- disrupting the lives of many in Virginia…

Nearly 15 states have some sort of program to allow the use of taxpayer money for private school tuition, or support homeschooling options. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 21, 2025

'School choice' funding debate reaches critical stage in ND

North Dakota's legislative session is scheduled to end in May, and the issue of using public funds for what's called school choice remains unresolved…

Iowa's individual income tax rate ranges from 4.40% to 5.70%, according to the Tax Foundation. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa rights activists plan to fight social service cuts

Groups working for human rights causes in Iowa warn proposed cuts being debated in Congress would trickle down to the people least able to sustain the…

Of the more than 5 million families with young children who pay for child care each year, on average 2.2 million, or about 43%, pay unaffordable rates, according to a Center for American Progress report. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Monday, April 21, 2025

WV child care crisis expected to worsen as lawmakers fail to take action

West Virginia lawmakers continue their inaction on improving access to child care. House Bill 2026 would have allocated $32 million toward child …

Structures in Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, Illinois and Minnesota were battered by devastating straight line winds in 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska housing market hobbled by insurance price spikes

Nebraska is among the states with the sharpest increases in housing prices between 2021 and 2024, according to a new report. The hike has been …

In 2022, 40%, or just over 1 million Indiana households, earned incomes below the

Monday, April 21, 2025

Financial Literacy Awareness Month: Time for a budget reset?

April is Financial Literary Awareness Month and Hoosiers who are worried about inflation or watching their retirement account on the stock-market roll…

Family caregivers face higher risks of heart attack, stroke and mental health issues, but research shows having just four hours of respite each month can significantly improve their health and well-being. (zinkevych/Adobe Stock)

Proposed Medicaid cuts threaten lifeline for TN caregivers

A Tennessee nonprofit is warning that potential Medicaid cuts could threaten crucial support for the state's nearly 1 million family caregivers…

Federal workers across the U.S. are impacted by cuts and legislation. More than 80% of federal workers live outside the Washington, D.C., metro area. (Adobe Stock)

Federal workers in VA and nationwide sue Trump over collective bargaining

Federal workers in the Commonwealth are part of a national labor union lawsuit filed against President Donald Trump's executive order to strip collect…

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Mining Research Division in Pittsburgh collaborates with the institute's broader mining program to prevent fatalities, injuries and illnesses in every area of the mining industry. (Lost_in_the_Midwest/Adobe Stock)

NIOSH job cuts threaten PA black lung research, safety labs

A union representing Pittsburgh-based workers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is fighting job cuts proposed by the Trump …

The current Housing First program was instituted by President George W. Bush in 2004. (Aevan/Adobe Stock AI generated)

AR advocates concerned by cuts to programs for unhoused

It is estimated more than 2,600 people live on the streets across Arkansas. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has proposed a "treatment …

State-funded program needs boost to help more Oregonians save money

A state-funded matched savings program has helped low-income Oregonians for more than 25 years and backers said it needs more funding to continue…

As of 2025, 14 states and Washington, D.C., have laws requiring employers to offer paid sick leave. (Dzmitry/Adobe Stock)

Poll: Voters oppose MO House repeal of Prop A's sick-leave provision

Despite voter approval in November, Missouri lawmakers are moving to undo part of Proposition A, specifically, the clause requiring employers to …

The average cost of a 2-bedroom apartment in Indianapolis is almost $1,200 per month, according to Apartments.com Rental Market Trend data. (Adobe Stock)

IN tenants have options when facing eviction

Housing that's both affordable and ready to rent is out of reach for many Hoosiers. The 2025 Indiana Housing Profile says for every 100 low-income …

In 2025, an average of almost 69 million Americans per month will receive a Social Security benefit, according to the Social Security Administration. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Older Kentuckians: We've worked hard for our Social Security benefits

The Social Security Administration backtracked on a new plan, set to take effect today, that would have required more people to apply for benefits in …

This month, labor organizations and Hennepin County authorities announced a historic wage theft prosecution for Minnesota. (Photo courtesy of Fair Contracting Foundation of Minnesota)

Wage theft enforcement could take a big leap in some MN counties

On the heels of courtroom victories, some Minnesota prosecutors say they'll try to replicate the success in going after more businesses suspected of …

About 259,300 Iowans, or 8% of the state's population, rely on SNAP benefits. A large portion are children, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (Adobe Stock)

SNAP benefit cuts would fall squarely on Iowa kids

Groups working to fight hunger in Iowa say proposed cuts to SNAP benefits would fall squarely on the state's kids, who rely on them for food and …

More than 40% of the 157,000 Nebraskans who receive SNAP benefits are children, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska social justice group pushes back on SNAP changes

The State of Nebraska is asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to change which items people are allowed to purchase using Supplemental Nutrition …

The wind industry alone brings almost 17.8-billion-dollars in investments to Illinois, currently powering almost 13 percent of the state's electricity needs. (Adobe Stock)

IL hopes to continue clean energy boom with new bill

As Illinois forges ahead in the clean energy space, legislators and advocates are pushing for what would be the third major climate bill passed in …

Protect Utah Workers, a coalition of 19 labor groups, announced in March that it had gathered about 130,000 signatures. (Hailey Higgins / Protect Utah Workers)

UT public workers seek signatures to fight collective bargaining ban

Utah labor unions are working to repeal the state's recent ban on collective bargaining for public employees - and they're on a tight timeline…

States who adopt universal licensing have seen the benefits of increased migration, job creation, and higher levels of economic growth, according to the America First Policy Institute. (Adobe Stock)<br />

West Virginia passes new 'universal licensing' law

New residents of West Virginia can now use professional and occupational licenses issued in other states. Gov. Patrick Morrisey, who signed the bill …

When a tariff is imposed, the importing business pays the tax to the U.S. Treasury Department. Importers then pass much of the added cost to consumers. (freshidea/Adobe Stock)

Texans brace for financial impact of trade wars

Texas is the number one exporting state in the nation - and although tariffs with Mexico and Canada have been delayed, Texans are still uneasy about …

Between 2022 and 2024, about $23 billion was invested in the four-state Appalachian region to manufacture and implement technologies that reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. (winnievinzence/Adobe Stock)

Federal clean energy funds double climate investments in PA

A surge in federal funding has fueled a clean-energy boom in Pennsylvania and across Appalachia, according to a new report. Investments doubled in …

Minnesota public health worker Amy Saupe, who is being laid off because of federal cuts, holds a sign at a demonstration in St. Paul on Thursday. (Mike Moen)

MN public health workers: Safe food, water at risk with federal cuts

Minnesota officials have launched a new online tool detailing how the state is being affected by federal cuts. Public health workers keeping an eye …

Nearly 75% of all jobs in Colorado, and 95% of top-earning jobs, require a credential or degree beyond high school. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado colleges tap NYC program to get homegrown talent into good jobs

Colorado educators are hoping that a successful accelerated degree program known as ASAP, grown at City University of New York, will take root in two …

Uptown Community Health Center aims to continue the ministry of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, which opened its first clinic to take care of the poor and vulnerable regardless of their ability to pay in the 19th century. (Photo by: Eric Galatas)

Denver's Uptown Community Health Center to continue historic service

Colorado now has 21 health providers treating patients regardless of their ability to pay, after Denver's Uptown Community Health Center won …

The loss of consistency in federal shipments has created major challenges for food banks' planning and distribution efforts across Indiana. (Adobe stock)

Indiana food banks struggle as USDA pulls back funding

Indiana food banks are bracing for a major disruption as the U.S. Department of Agriculture suspends $500 million in food deliveries nationwide…

American homeowners of single-family homes collectively paid an estimated $21 billion more in premiums in 2024 than in 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Utah socked with high home insurance premiums

Insurance premiums have gone up substantially and according to a new report, Utah is the state where homeowners are being hit the hardest. The …

The 1,500 Black farmers in Arkansas grow everything from soybeans to corn, cotton, peas and sweet potatoes. (JackF/Adobe Stock)

Black AR farmers mostly unaffected by USDA funding freeze

U.S. Department of Agriculture cuts have affected farming communities nationwide but a national group said Black farmers are largely unaffected…

The proliferation of Airbnbs, luxury condos and barriers to homeownership contribute to the homeless crisis in the Black community, said Chama St. Louis of the National Black Worker Center. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Black residents in IL 8 times more likely to be homeless

Black residents in Illinois are almost eight times more likely to be homeless than white people, with lack of livable wages and affordable housing …

The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas says it hopes to work with local farmers again in some capacity in the future. (Daniel Vincek/Adobe Stock)

Food-insecure AR families could suffer because of federal cuts

Arkansas families who are food insecure could be hurt by federal cuts to programs and services. Those fighting the war on hunger across the Natural …

The Comanche 3 power plant's connection to the power grid would allow a new wind and solar

Report: Comanche 3 'energy park' could add $40M to Pueblo tax base

The Comanche 3 coal-fired power plant in Pueblo, Colo., is set to close in just six years -- and community leaders, regulators, and Xcel are …

School vouchers, a program that would allow students to use public money to pay for private school tuition, has become a hot-button issue in Texas, pitting Republicans against one another. (KatMoy/Adobe Stock)

Debate over school vouchers in TX now moves to House floor

After several weeks of public comment, bills addressing school finance in Texas will be presented to the House of Representatives. House Bill 2 is …

Energy industry experts predict Ohio could lose 18,400 clean energy jobs by 2030 if Congress repeals the clean energy investment and tax credits included in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. (Adobe Stock)

Repeal of climate tax credits could cost thousands of Ohio jobs

Federal clean energy investment and tax credits have led to a surge of thousands of new jobs for Ohioans but a budget bill pending in Congress could b…

A worker who relocates to a rural area is 13% less likely to have a workplace retirement plan. (Adobe Stock)

Rural Virginians less likely to have work-based retirement plans

Virginians who work at low-wage jobs often don't have a workplace retirement plan so they can save money through payroll deductions. A new study …

The current minimum hourly wage in Nebraska is $13.50. The Legislature is considering a bill to upend a voter approved measure in 2022 that would raise the wage $1.50 an hour until it reaches $15 in 2026. (Adobe Stock)

Minimum wage repeal advances in Nebraska Legislature

The Nebraska Legislature is considering a bill to roll back a 2022 voter approved initiative that would raise the minimum wage in the state. …

A national day of protest against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk for unprecedented policy changes is scheduled across all 50 states tomorrow. (third act.org)

NM protestors join nationwide 'Hands Off! Day of Action' Saturday

Protestors in more than a dozen New Mexico cities will join thousands nationwide Saturday in what is expected to be the largest single-day protest sin…

Marches, rallies and protests will take place at state capitals, federal buildings, congressional offices and city centers. (Hands Off!)

'Hands Off!' protests slated for NV, around the country

Pro-worker and pro-democracy organizers and activists in Nevada are coming together to oppose some of the policies of President Donald Trump…

More than 42 million people relied on SNAP benefits to purchase food, as of March 15 2025, according to federal data. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Proposed changes to SNAP funding structure could hurt Kentuckians

As federal funding cuts for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program loom, Kentucky experts said proposed changes to shift funding onto states …

More than 95% of all voters in the United States use paper ballots in elections. (Adobe Stock)

CO lawmakers work to protect voter rights after Trump elections order

Some Colorado lawmakers are scrambling to protect voter rights after President Donald Trump issued an executive order to require proof of citizenship …

Among Montana workers' compensation cases, those in the construction industry are the most costly, according to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. (Andrey Popov/Adobe Stock)

Montana workers oppose bill to change compensation laws

CORRECTION: Niki Zupanic is a lobbyist for the Montana Trial Lawyers Association. Her title in an earlier version of the story was incorrect…

While students work toward their pilots licenses at the Doswell School of Aeronautical Sciences in Denton, they also gain knowledge in subjects like aviation law, weather and aerodynamics. It is the only such program in the nation geared toward women. (Craig/Adobe Stock)

Texas Woman's University trains next generation of airline pilots

Registration is open for the next information session for the Doswell School of Aeronautical Sciences at Texas Woman's University in Denton, where …

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