Long-Delayed School Snack Rules to Come Soon
Reuters, Susan Heavey | Jan. 31
Rules on what snacks may be sold in vending machines, school stores and the like are expected to be finished in the early part of this year, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. Nutritionists say the new rules could play an important role in fighting childhood obesity.
Aging Up: Successful Foster Youth Highlight Flaws in Nation's Care Systems
Loop 21, Aaron Morrison | Jan. 30
Sixto Cancel, a 20-year-old lifelong, now former, foster kid, has fought hard for success and self-sufficiency. What reforms can national advocates and lawmakers implement to duplicate Cancel's success story?
More Government Spending Won't Reduce Poverty (Opinion)
US News and World Report, Keith Hall | Jan. 29
Keith Hall, former commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, says that only job gains from stronger economic growth will reduce poverty.
The Bakersfield Californian/Center for Health Reporting | Emily Bazar | Jan. 28, 2013
For residents in Kern County, Calif., the promise of health reform may be hollow. Poor residents already struggle to find a doctor when they need one, and the expansion of the state's Medicaid program could worsen the situation when thousands of new patients try to access health care and dental services.
High Schools May Have to Pay for Unprepared Graduates
The Hechinger Report, Jackie Mader | Jan. 28
A series of states are considering legislation that would hold public school districts financially responsible for the failings of its high school graduates. Nationwide, about 50 percent of undergraduates and as many as 70 percent of those entering community colleges are placed in remedial courses.
Bill Would Allow Same-Sex Parents on Birth Certificates
The Texas Tribune, Elena Schneider | Jan. 28
Texas law prevents gay parents from both being listed on birth certificate forms for adoptive children. A new bill would change that. Supporters of the measure think growing national support for gay rights bodes well for its passage, but two previous efforts both died in committee.
Fourth Sibling from Same Chicago Family Killed by Gun Violence
Chicago Tribune, Peter Nickeas and Rosemary Regina Sobol | Jan. 27
Bullets have taken the lives of Shirley Chambers' four children. First, her sons Carlos (18) and Jerome (23), then her daughter LaToya (15). Ronnie was gunned down this weekend at age 33.
Selling a New Generation on Guns
The New York Times, Mike McIntire | Jan. 26
The firearms industry has poured millions of dollars into a campaign to ensure its future by getting guns into the hands of more, and younger, children. The industry's youth-marketing initiatives stir passionate views.
Adoptions Staying Closer to Home
Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle, Tiffany Lankes | Jan. 25
Politics, economic issues and reports of child trafficking have made international adoptions more difficult and less appealing to many prospective adoptive parents. The number of international adoptions dropped from about 23,000 to 9,000 between 2004 and 2011, according the the U.S. Department of State.
