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"He says more than half the collective Somerville student body participates in music programs, a significant feat considering `60 percent of our kids are living close to or at the poverty line. So for many of them, for their families, even $50 a month for an instrument was cost prohibitive.'"

"His troubles reflect a statewide problem for doctors who treat a disproportionately high number of the reported 320,000 low-income Texans who are dually eligible for Medicare, the federal insurer of the elderly, and Medicaid, the joint state-federal health care program for indigent children, disabled people and the very poor."

"Sending a signal that Brown needs to find a way to save $302 million besides barring poor kids from college, three Democrats and one Republican on the Assembly's subcommittee on education finance rejected a range of Cal Grant proposals from the governor."

"Two-dozen Bonita Springs residents told the Bonita Springs City Council tonight they don't want St. Matthew's House to build a homeless shelter next to Bonita Springs Charter School. They filled City Hall, leaving standing room only in council chambers and spilling to an overflow room."

"'We serve the elderly and low-income that's our target clientele, but we don't turn anyone away,' said Frank Kirschenheiter, site coordinator for the Antioch location. This year the program has more than 70 volunteers in Lake County who underwent a mandatory two-week training and testing course in early January that certifies them to help with tax preparations, Buschmann said."

"The Senior Community Service Employment Program, authorized by Title V of the Older Americans Act, is the only federally-sponsored employment and training program targeted specifically to unemployed, low-income seniors 55 and older. "

"The federal government's Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation recently dedicated $1 billion in grants to develop new ideas to improve care and lower costs for Medicare, Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program beneficiaries."

"Maggie Flowers, a director at Wider Opportunities for Women, said many elderly who don't live below the $10,890 poverty line, as set by the federal government, still have trouble meeting basic needs even without spending on "frills" like going out for coffee or taking a grandchild to the movies."

"Business leaders have repeatedly stated that in today's economy jobs are available, but mostly for those adequately trained in the increasingly technical skills necessary to conduct the tasks required of the new work force. In many circles the bachelor's degree is becoming the new minimum, and even the quality of those degrees is coming under scrutiny. In Mississippi, over 20 percent of the population, or approximately 600,000 citizens, live below the poverty line."

"Only a tiny fraction of eligible students will likely apply initially for state aid to attend private or parochial schools if Gov. Bobby Jindal's expansion plan wins approval, state Superintendent of Education John White said Tuesday."

"Tenants and a state senator are battling a requirement by a Los Angeles landlord that residents pay their rent online, alleging that a 'green' initiative introduced by the company is actually a pretense to evict low-income, elderly renters benefiting from rent-stabilization provisions."

"And what has been the most significant public response to date to that looming crisis of poverty among the elderly? It's been a backlash against the one class of workers that still retains definedbenefit pensions and a measure of retirement security - those who work in the public sector."