from the Omaha World Herald The perspective from the farm belt. The numbers with health insurance dropped by 1 million since the Bush administration began. - KaleBY CINDY GONZALEZThe percentage of people in Nebraska and Iowa lacking health insurance is rising, the Census Bureau reported Tuesday.The figures compare the 2006-2007 average with the average of 2004-2005.The census figures show that 12.8 percent of Nebraskans were without health insurance coverage in the most current two years, up from 10.5 percent.In Iowa, the percentage of uninsured went from 8.7 percent to 9.9 percent.Nebraska and Iowa were among 10 states that had a rate increase.Both states' rates of uninsured still falls below the nationwide 2006-2007 average of 15.5 percent. The percentage of Americans without insurance...
from The Bellevue LeaderBy JENNIFER BARTEN , Midlands News ServiceMore than 2,100 children in Scotts Bluff County live in poverty, according to a statewide survey.Child poverty in Scotts Bluff County is higher than both the state and national averages, with 22 percent of children 17 and younger living in poverty,Between 2000 and 2005, the poverty rate for Nebraska children in that age group rose 50 percent and is still on the rise, according to the Voices for Children "Kids Count 2007" Report."Children that experience poverty ... are more likely to experience other risk factors, like child abuse, neglect," said Annemarie Bailey Fowler of the group Voices for Children.In Nebraska, 15 percent of children between the ages of 1 and 17 are living in poverty, compared with 18 percent in the...
from The Omaha World HeraldBY JOE RUFFWORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITERHelping low-income workers make ends meet in Nebraska will create stronger families and businesses, said organizers of a statewide initiative announced Wednesday to study, increase awareness of and develop solutions to the problem."Working families in Nebraska should have the opportunity to not just get by, but get ahead," said Kathy Bigsby Moore, executive director of Voices for Children in Nebraska.Cost-effective programs that companies can embrace — such as financial education in the workplace — will be one focus of "Opportunity at Work," a coalition of business, human service and nonprofit groups, said Shawn Macken, a financial adviser with Waddell & Reed Financial Services in Omaha.Workers concentrating on their jobs...
from KETVOMAHA, Neb. -- A report released today found that 15 percent of Nebraska children were living in poverty from 2000 to 2005.That’s a 50 percent increase during the last five years in the state’s child poverty rate, according Kids Count, a report released Tuesday by the non-profit Voices for Children in Nebraska.Thirty-six percent of the state’s children were from families considered to be low-income.The report showed that 71 percent of black children living in Nebraska were from low-income families.Sixty-one percent of the state’s Hispanic children were from low-income families followed by 26 percent of white children.The report described low-income families as earning 200 percent of the federal poverty level or less.In 2006, the federal poverty level was $20,000 for a...
from The Sioux City JournalOMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Fifteen percent of Nebraska children were living in poverty and 36 percent were from families considered to be low income, marking a 50 percent increase in the state's child poverty rate over a five-year period, a report by a children's advocacy group says.Voices for Children in Nebraska released its annual Kids Count report for 2007 on Tuesday, focusing for the second year in a row on poverty. The report based on 2005 and 2006 data, the most recent years information was available, also included information on child abuse and neglect cases, education, juvenile arrests and out-of-home care and adoption.The report said Nebraska ranked first in the country for the percent of children living with working parents. Of children ages 6 and younger,...
from Kearney HubBy JOHN LINDENBERGER, The North Platte Telegraph Local school officials continue to hold out hope that the state legislature will take steps to correct a bill targeted at providing services to poverty students and Limited English Language Proficiency (LEP) students.In the meantime, the district is taking the necessary steps to comply with LB 641, which was approved by the state legislature last year. On Monday, the North Platte Board of Education approved the plans mandated by LB 641.The Poverty Plan and LEP Plan, which had to be submitted by Nov. 1, outline the amount of money the district plans to spend on these programs and how the district plans to serve the students in each program."The whole idea behind LB 641 now is to put together a plan to show what you're going...
from the Beatrice Daily SunBy MARGERY BECKOMAHA, Neb. - Steve Joel is giving up.The Grand Island Public Schools superintendent says he's been stumped by a new state law he fears will cost the district millions of dollars in state funding next school year to help teach the district's poorest students.The problem, Joel said, is a segment of a new school funding law that would give districts money next year for each elementary and middle school student in the free and reduced-priced lunch program that is also in a class of 20 or fewer.The Grand Island district simply doesn't have enough teachers or building space to get their classes under 20, he said."We didn't want to change teachers, change schedules, disrupt educational and parental continuity ... so, we're going to take a risk and hope...