Salem-News.com Poverty articles Page 32

Legislation Advocating for Just Debt Collection Practices Moves Forward

The legislation was passed by Senate Consumer Protection Committee.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Legislation that adds unlawful debt collection practices to the list of offenses that the Attorney General is able to investigate and enforce under the Unlawful Trade Practices Act was passed out of the Senate Consumer Protection and Public Affairs Committee this afternoon.

SB 328 will give the Attorney General the authority to pursue legal action against debt collectors who use unlawful practices.

Obamanomics

‘We Are All Keynesians Now’
Milton Freedman, Time, 1965

(LOS ANGELES) - President Obama’s approach to economic recovery has now been defined by the Senate’s passage of a $780 billion economic recovery-stimulus package (albeit with $110 billion slashed from the House version), called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009.

Millions Raised by Gaza Appeal

BBC director general Mark Thompson said the decision not to broadcast the appeal was "absolutely" in line with the corporation's broader approach to impartiality and appeals.

(GAZA) - An emergency relief appeal for the crisis in Gaza has raised £3 million despite anger over broadcasters' refusal to show it.

The refusal led to protests outside the BBC's Broadcasting House, where demonstrators burned their television licences and occupied the building's reception until they were removed by police.

"The money raised is enabling aid agencies on the ground to reach people in dire need of humanitarian assistance" - Brendan Gormley.

Gaza`s Civilian Population Devastated by Israeli Military Attack

Thousands of Gazans remain homeless as UN again calls for aid access, and a man we used to know as Cat Stevens releases a song for Gaza.

(GAZA) - Thousands of Gazans remain homeless and hospitals still have a large number of intensive care patients over a week after a ceasefire ended Israel’s devastating three-week offensive against Hamas militants, according to the latest United Nations update.

The agency is calling for immediate unhindered humanitarian access to the Strip’s 1.5 million inhabitants.

“At this stage, the initial response is focusing on the re-establishment of basic services to the population of Gaza, including water, health, food, cash assistance, education and psychosocial support,” the UN Office the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said today.

Federal Government Issues New Poverty Line for 2009

More Oregonians Now Qualify for State Services.

(SILVERTON, Ore.) - The federal government today raised the poverty line, which Oregon uses to determine eligibility for some public assistance programs.

As a result, more Oregonians now qualify for Employment Related Day Care, the state's child care subsidy program, and the Oregon Health Plan, the state's Medicaid program, at a time when the state faces a revenue shortfall.

"Today there are more vulnerable Oregonians who will see their access to certain public assistance programs affected by the legislature's budget decisions than there were yesterday," said Michael Leachman, policy analyst with the Oregon Center for Public Policy.

U.S. President Delivers First Weekly Address (VIDEO)

The Administration is still working with Congress to refine the plan, but in the address, President Obama lays out the key priorities.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - In his first weekly address since being sworn in as the 44th president of the United States, President Barack Obama discusses how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan will jump-start the economy.

"This is not just a short-term program to boost employment," he said.

"It’s one that will invest in our most important priorities like energy and education; health care and a new infrastructure that are necessary to keep us strong and competitive in the 21st century."

Wyden, Crapo and Walden Introduce Legislation to Improve Patient Access to Rural Hospitals

Bill would guarantee that Veterans not be turned away.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - Eliminating bureaucratic barriers that made it harder for rural residents and veterans to receive health care, Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Representative Greg Walden (R-Ore.) introduced legislation today that would improve access to nearly 1,300 hospitals in rural, under-served areas of the nation. Twenty-five of the hospitals are in Oregon.

The Critical Access Hospital Flexibility Act of 2009 would give small, rural hospitals greater flexibility in complying with federal regulations in order to better meet the needs of local residents and avoid the high cost of transporting patients to other facilities.

`Ann Coulter Smells Like Poop and Sadness`

The DJ's on a Portland, Oregon FM station bantered this term the other night. I believe those words, the title of this story, summarize feelings about Coulter for an awfully large number of people.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Few people inspire a line like that. Disc jocks on Portland, Oregon's KUFO coined the phrase about Coulter. I find it totally ironic that a station named for alien space ships would be so grounded and down to earth in thier thinking.

The thing about Coulter is that she crosses lines that others wouldn't dream of violating. She is a violator of all things in the world that are decent and true.

Her enemies are the poor in general, single moms in particular, gay people, anyone with an agenda resembling kindness, and the families of policemen and firefighters who died on September 11th 2001. That's a heck of a list. For people like Coulter who live 100% off shock value by feeding the needs of the mean and cruel, conscience isn't part of the deal.

Prostitution, Drugs and Women in Jail

MCSO publishes reports on who, where, why, when‏.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Resource and Analysis Unit has just published two new reports on women and crime in the County.

The first report is entitled, 'Prostitution and Drugs in Portland' and is a review of the correlation between prostitution, drug arrests and the impact on our corrections system before, during and after the advent of the drug and prostitution free zones.

This report also reviews literature on drugs and prostitution.

Zimbabwe`s Despair Continues

Cholera kills almost 2000-Concern Worldwide issues urgent appeal.

(NEW YORK) - The death toll in Zimbabwe from cholera has almost topped 2000, out of total of more than 37,000 confirmed cases, worsening the plight of nation hammered by hyper inflation, food shortages, and an HIV and AIDS epidemic that affects 15 percent of the population.

Already active in the country distributing food, building up livelihood opportunities and caring for people living with HIV and AIDS, Concern Worldwide, the international humanitarian organization, has begun an aggressive program of cholera prevention targeting more than 200,000 people in the districts of Chegutu, Nyanga, and North and South Gokwe.