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☆ Why hasn't U.S. poverty improved in 50 years? Pulitzer-prize winning author Matthew Desmond has an answer
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In his new book, "Poverty, by America," sociologist Matthew Desmond proposes a reason for that stagnation: We benefit from it. His last book, "Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City," won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction. I think many of us can go about our daily lives only confronting poverty from the car window or in the news. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwardsAN: So you think there should be fewer tax breaks like the home mortgage interest deduction and more policies to help poor Americans? Matthew Desmond sociologist and authorAN: Thinking that poverty in the U.S. is avoidable makes its existence feel so much worse.

☆ As John Fetterman heals, his Senate staff soldiers on with the help of veteran lawmakers and crisis bonding: 'We all have each other's back'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Sen. John Fetterman has been hospitalized for clinical depression since February 15. Casey is coordinating with Fetterman staff on constituent services issues and legislative priorities, according to recent reports, but doesn't call Fetterman directly so as not to disturb his ongoing recovery. Some of the others working hard to meet that internal standard include legislative assistant Madeleine Marr, a former aide to Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire. Conservative commentator Stephen L. Miller has been more blunt, accusing Fetterman's staff of unduly wielding power in his absence. "John Fetterman's chief of staff is not an elected senator," Miller wrote in an op-ed run by the Delaware Valley Journal.

☆ College hopefuls have a new ultimate dream school — and it's not Harvard, Princeton or Yale
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Most of the colleges at the very top of students' wish lists are "perennial favorites," according to Robert Franek, The Princeton Review's editor-in-chief. They are also among the most competitive: Stanford's acceptance rate is also just below 4%; at Harvard, it's about 3%. The report found application volume jumped 30% since the 2019-20 school year, even as enrollment has slumped nationwide. At that point, they must pay a non-refundable deposit to secure their seat at the school of their choice. Tuition and fees plus room and board for a four-year private college averaged $53,430 in the 2022-2023 school year; at four-year, in-state public colleges, it was $23,250, according to the College Board.

☆ From dual enrollment to course sharing, these 4 moves can help you save big on college costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Take college courses in high schoolDual enrollment is a state-run program that allows students to take college-level classes, often through a local community college, while they are still in high school. As many as 3 in 10 community college students are in dual enrollment programs, according to the American Association of Community Colleges. Unlike Advanced Placement, the program in which high school students take courses and exams that could earn them college credit, dual enrollment credits are more likely to transfer. Over four years, early college programs cost about $3,800 more per student than traditional high school, according to one study. Try course sharingIf you are already enrolled in a four-year school, tapping community college courses can still be a worthwhile way to cut costs, a strategy known as course sharing.

☆ Biden's student loan forgiveness plan spurred these heated Supreme Court exchanges
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Justices on the bench hearing arguments about the student loan forgiveness program. Source: Bill HennessyThere were many tense moments Tuesday as the nine Supreme Court justices grilled the plaintiffs challenging the Biden administration's student loan forgiveness plan and the government attorney defending the policy. Six Republican-led states brought one lawsuit against the forgiveness plan, and conservative advocacy organization, the Job Creators Network Foundation, backed the second. Response to a 'once-in-a-century pandemic'The Heroes Act of 2003, which the Biden administration is using as its legal justification to carry out its student loan forgiveness program, authorizes the education secretary to "waive or modify" student loan programs during national emergencies to avoid borrower distress. Whether student loan forgiveness is 'fair'Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito became frustrated with Prelogar at one point, accusing her of not answering his question on the fairness of the forgiveness plan.

☆ Biden administration lawyer may have saved student loan forgiveness plan at Supreme Court
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The government's top Supreme Court lawyer may have saved President Joe Biden's $400 billion student loan forgiveness plan from what experts considered all-but-certain defeat. Experts lobbed praise on Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the lawyer who represented the Biden administration in front of the nine justices on Tuesday. "The Biden administration now seems more likely than not to win the cases," said higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz. University of Chicago Illinois Law Professor Steven Schwinn agreed: "Prelogar knocked it out of the park." On Wednesday, Fordham Law professor Jed Shugerman tweeted that he remains "struck by SG Elizabeth Prelogar's brilliant performance."

☆ College is still worth it, research finds — although students are growing skeptical
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Ben Kirkhoff, a high school senior at Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota, knows that a four-year college degree isn't for him. Even though his parents have a college savings account for him, he said money is still a factor. Instead, Kirkhoff, who is 17, will attend Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount, Minnesota, next fall to become an electrician. Although Kirkhoff is the only one of his friends who decided against a four-year school next year, more high school students nationwide are questioning the value of college. More from Personal Finance:Apprenticeship programs are becoming more popularThe cheapest states for in-state college tuitionThe most-regretted college majorsFor decades, research showed that earning a degree is almost always worthwhile.

☆ Florida's new education bill would force state colleges to shut down diversity programs and remove some majors entirely
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Florida's new bill would force state colleges to shut down diversity programs and some majors. The bill is the latest effort from Florida GOP to restrict statewide education. If passed, the bill would force state colleges to remove "from its programs any major or minor in Critical Race Theory, Gender Studies, or Intersectionality, or any derivative major or minor of these belief systems." Universities would also be prohibited from funding or supporting any "programs or campus activities" that "espouse diversity, equity, and inclusion or Critical Race Theory," the bill says. Ron DeSantis' recent budget, which he calls the 'Framework for Freedom," would block state universities from using funding to support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

☆ DeSantis wants to make it harder for undocumented immigrants to work and go to college in Florida
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

DeSantis is accelerating his clamp down against undocumented immigrants in Florida. Ron DeSantis of Florida rolled out a series of proposals on Thursday that would impose major restrictions on career and educational opportunities for undocumented immigrants in the state. The governor wants state legislators to repeal a state law that allows children of undocumented immigrants to get in-state college tuition rates. Under the proposal, hospitals would be required to collect data on how much they spend providing healthcare to undocumented immigrants. These cities limit their cooperation with federal immigration authorities by refusing to report or hand over certain undocumented immigrants for deportation.

☆ More colleges set to close even as top schools experience application boom
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Citing inflationary pressures and sinking enrollment, more colleges are set to close in 2023. Already, Presentation College in Aberdeen, South Dakota; Cazenovia College in Cazenovia, New York; Holy Names University in Oakland, California; and Living Arts College in Raleigh, North Carolina announced they will shut down after the current academic year. The consequences of fewer students and less tuition revenue since the start of the pandemic have been severe, according to Kristin Reynolds, a partner and leader of NEPC's Endowments and Foundations practice. "Larger institutions can weather the storm," she said. Meanwhile, the country's most elite institutions are thriving.

☆ Apprenticeship programs are becoming more popular as an alternative to college
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Daniel Swan, 26, started as an apprentice and now works full time as an HVAC technician in California. For Daniel Swan, a 26-year-old father of two, it was simply a means to a well-paying job during an uncertain time. Armed with a technical degree, Swan joined an apprenticeship program with Lee’s Air in Fresno, California, in 2019. More from Personal Finance:How to decide if you should go back to schoolThe cheapest states for in-state college tuitionThe most-regretted college majorsIncreasingly, young adults are rethinking the value of college. As enrollment falls, alternatives such as apprenticeship programs are quietly gaining steam, particularly for families anticipating the sticker shock of a college education, which currently averages around $53,430, including tuition, fees and room and board, at private colleges and $40,550 at public colleges for the 2022-23 school year, according to the College Board.

☆ Before facing Trump in 2024, DeSantis seeks wins on guns, abortion
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( James Oliphant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Griffin also noted the support DeSantis' proposals receive from lawmakers. If DeSantis does enter the race for the Republican nomination, he will join a field still dominated by Trump. "We have articulated a vision for a free and prosperous state," DeSantis said at his second inauguration last month. In a brief interview, Collins called DeSantis’ support “a blessing.” He resisted the suggestion that the legislature was a rubber stamp for the governor. DeSantis' hard-right stance on issues such as guns and abortion risks alienating the suburban voters he eventually would need to win the presidency in 2024.

☆ DeSantis seeks wins on guns, abortion before facing Trump in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( James Oliphant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

☆ How Much Should I Have in Savings?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +10 min

And when you are ready to stop working, a healthy retirement savings account will allow you to maintain financial independence. How much should I have in retirement savings? Retirement Savings Targets by Age Saving 10 times your salary doesn't have to seem overwhelming. So how do you translate that into a savings goal? Retirement savings should be prioritized over college savings, says Fruzzetti: “In an ideal world, you’d be able to save enough for retirement and college concurrently, but that’s not always possible.” The most realistic plan for many families is to save as much as possible.

☆ Billions of political text messages were sent last year — and there’s little to stop more from coming
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Alex Ford | Alex Ford Is An Interactive Journalist At Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

More than 15 billion political texts were sent in 2022 according to call-blocking service Robokiller — about 50 messages for every phone in the country. Political texts spiked last fall during the run-up to November’s midterm election. Republican campaigns and groups sent the bulk of political texts sent in 2022, Robokiller’s data shows. Even if they don’t recall consenting to political texts, voters have limited options for revoking it. Political texts are not subject to the federal Do Not Call registry, which allows consumers to opt out of telemarketing calls and text messages.

☆ Florida blocks high school AP African American studies class
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Ron DeSantis’ administration has blocked a new Advanced Placement course on African American studies from being taught in high schools, saying it violates state law and is historically inaccurate. The state education department rejected the program in a letter last week to the College Board, which oversees AP classes. The College Board website describes the course as interdisciplinary, touching on literature, arts, humanities, political science, geography and science. Sharon Courtney, a high school teacher in Peekskill, New York teaching the African American studies course, said her students were “shocked” to learn Florida blocked the class. She described it as a factual African history course that also details what Africans experienced upon their arrival in North America.

☆ Florida schools will not offer AP African American Studies course
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Sharon Bernstein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Jan 19 (Reuters) - Florida will not allow high school students to take a new Advanced Placement (AP) class in African American Studies, saying in a letter to College Board, the nonprofit that develops the courses, that the pilot version "lacks educational value." The College Board administers the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and Advanced Placement tests that help students gain college credit while in high school. It is developing its first African American Studies course through a pilot program at 60 high schools. loading"The State of Florida will allow AP European and American studies — but AP African-American studies is 'contrary to Florida law'?" The College Board said in a statement to Reuters that the course aims to "explore the vital contributions and experiences of African Americans."

☆ Union ranks had a very good 2022. It’s not for the reason you think
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

(Some workers at unionized workplaces choose not to belong to the union, accounting for the different totals.) Stephanie Keith/Getty ImagesBut there’s no denying 2022 was a very good year for union organizing. The attention that each company’s campaign is getting is important for generating “momentum” for union organizing activity. The other unionized jobs added in the leisure and hospitality sector were in hotels and other accommodations, as travel rebounded strongly during the year. Overall the public sector lost a combined 12,000 unionized jobs last year due to declines in unionized jobs at the federal and local government levels.

☆ A fake tweet spurred an anti-vaccine harassment campaign against a doctor
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Brandy-Zadrozny-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Brandy Zadrozny | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

When Dr. Natalia Solenkova woke up Monday morning, she was greeted with a flood of Twitter notifications on her phone. It was what misinformation researchers call a “cheap fake,” a term for a piece of fake media such as an image or video that takes little effort to produce. Someone had clumsily altered one of Solenkova’s posts to portray a blind, even deadly, zealotry for Covid vaccines and a vilification of anti-vaccine activists. “And then disinformation became rampant.”Despite the overwhelming success of the covid vaccines — which have prevented millions of severe infections and deaths — an aggressive and politicized anti-vaccine community has persevered. There were obvious tells that the tweet attributed to Solenkova was a fake, likely fabricated with what’s known as a tweet generator.

☆ Who is Rep. Byron Donalds — ultra-conservatives' latest pick for House Speaker
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida is the far-right faction's latest choice for House Speaker. The 44-year-old is a second-term lawmaker and one of only five Black Republicans in Congress. Donalds graduated from Florida State University with a degree in financing and marketing. After an unsuccessful 2012 Congressional bid, Donalds was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2016. One of only five Black Republicans in Congress, Donalds expressed excitement about the number of Black Republicans running for Congress in 2022.

The study participants all had blood-sodium concentrations considered to be within the normal range: 135 to 146 millimoles per liter. Even people with blood-sodium levels above 142 millimoles per liter had elevated risks of developing certain chronic diseases, including heart failure, stroke, chronic lung disease, diabetes and dementia, the study found. Dmitrieva's previous research similarly found that higher blood sodium may be a risk factor for heart failure. But the study authors cautioned that more research is needed to determine whether good hydration can help slow aging, prevent disease or lead to a longer life. The NIH study "doesn’t prove that drinking more water will prevent chronic disease," he said.

☆ Drive Capital's Mark Kvamme is raising a fund that's like a sovereign wealth fund for Ohio, one month after stepping down from the $2.2 billion venture-capital firm he cofounded
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Melia Russell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In October, Mark Kvamme said he was stepping down at Drive Capital, the venture firm he founded. The so-called Ohio Fund will raise money mostly from Ohio institutional investors, sources said. The new fund — whose working title is "Ohio Fund" — has drawn comparisons to a sovereign wealth fund, because Kvamme plans to raise capital from mostly Ohio institutions. Unlike the venture firm he founded, the Ohio Fund will invest in multiple asset classes, including other funds, public stocks, private companies in Ohio, and infrastructure, sources said. He stayed one year before striking out on his own with ambitions to start a venture firm.

Voters in Arizona have approved a ballot initiative to extend in-state college tuition to qualifying students regardless of immigration status, the Associated Press has reported. Proposition 308 will allow students, including those who are undocumented, to pay in-state college rates if they've attended Arizona high schools for at least two years. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema to Republicans like Arizona state House Speaker Rusty Bowers and former Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Karrin Taylor Robson. The outcome signals a stark contrast and shift from Arizona's 2006 Proposition 300, which prohibited undocumented people from receiving in-state tuition and state financial assistance. More than 71% of Arizona voters at the time voted in favor of the proposition.

☆ Students demand Penn State cancel on-campus comedy show featuring Proud Boys founder: 'They're on the wrong side'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Isabella Zavarise | Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Students at Penn State want the administration to cancel an event with the founder of the Proud Boys. The Proud Boys have been labeled a terrorist organization by the Canadian government. He told Insider he's grateful Penn State is following through with upholding the First Amendment and said he wants the protestors there. When asked by Insider whether Penn State would provide comment on students' demands the event be canceled, the university reiterated the First Amendment. "Penn State is really fighting a losing battle on this one.

☆ Rubio and Demings spar over inflation and abortion in fiery Florida Senate debate
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and his Democratic challenger, Rep. Val Demings, dueled over inflation, abortion rights and immigration Tuesday night in what is expected to be their only debate before the election. The hourlong debate held at Palm Beach State College was punctuated by persistent interruptions and insults as the candidates each criticized the other's legislative record on Capitol Hill. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., debates Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., at Duncan Theater on the campus of Palm Beach State College on Tuesday. Thomas Cordy / Pool/The Palm Beach Post via APHeading into the debate, Demings had targeted Rubio on abortion, an issue that Democrats nationwide have highlighted to drive turnout in November. Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., at Tuesday’s debate.

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