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Wednesday, 15 May 2013 14:56
Loan policy forcing some off black campuses
A student’s financial aid package can include student loans, scholarships such as the federal Pell grant for low-income students, and federally funded campus jobs. But the aid doesn’t usually cover all costs of attending college.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013 14:54
Committee rejects food stamp junk food ban
Proposals by Maine Governor Paul LePage that would bar food stamp recipients from using benefits to buy junk food and make convicted drug felons ineligible for public assistance were rejected by lawmakers at the committee level along party lines Thursday.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013 14:51
West Virginia to expand Medicaid
Tens of thousands of West Virginians will soon be eligible for Medicaid coverage after West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin announced that the state would expand its program under the federal health care overhaul. About 91,500 people are expected to seek coverage after the change takes effect.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013 14:45
Medicaid cuts set to kick in January 1
The Obama administration said federal cuts in hospital payments for treating indigent people will begin Jan. 1, prompting top Mississippi Democratic lawmakers and others to urge Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant to call a special session to discuss expanding Medicaid in the state. On Monday the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released proposed regulations for the implementation of reductions in Medicaid disproportionate share payments to hospitals.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013 14:44
D.C. nears decision on health insurance exchange
The D.C. Council could decide as soon as next week whether to require small-business owners to purchase their employee health insurance through a city-run exchange, highlighting a special implication of the federal health-care overhaul that has been strongly opposed by some business interests. The District has been aggressive in developing and testing its own exchange, even though the city is relatively small and boasts a relatively high rate of insurance coverage.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013 14:43
Washington lawmakers return to Capitol for special session
Washington lawmakers returned to the Capitol for a special legislative session to address a projected budget deficit of more than $1.2 billion for the next two-year budget, plus a court-required increase in funding for the state's education system.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013 14:41
Saginaw teachers won't be paid for rest of year, say they'll keep working for now
Teachers in the Buena Vista School District in Saginaw - told they won’t get paid for the rest of the school year - have opted to continue working in the hope the district and state can resolve the district’s financial crisis. The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) recently decided to freeze the district’s April, May and June state aid payments after state officials discovered the district had received $580,000 in state aid for a program for incarcerated youths that the district no longer ran.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013 14:40
Amtrak unveils locomotives to replace aging fleet
Amtrak has unveiled at a plant in California the first of 70 new locomotives, marking what the national passenger railroad service said it hopes will be a new era of better reliability, streamlined maintenance and more energy efficiency. On a broader scale, the new engines could well be viewed as emblematic of the improving financial health of Amtrak.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013 14:39
Bill would force contractors to hire city residents
The Baltimore City Council is poised to vote Monday on a bill that would require businesses receiving large city contracts or major financial support to hire 51 percent of new workers from Baltimore - or face sanctions. But the city's law department is challenging the legislation - calling it unconstitutional - and some businesses are objecting to what they believe is a burdensome requirement.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013 14:36
New law banning teen drivers from cell phones starts Tuesday
When Utah teenagers want to hit the road this week, they are going to have to hang up their cell phones. A new law prohibiting teens under 18 from using a cell phone while driving goes into effect on Tuesday, May 14, 2013.