Public News Service

#Tennessee has expanded food assistance for Northeast Tennessee residents still cleaning up after Hurricane Helene. What's known as the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is in effect for current #SNAP recipients in the eight counties affected. Signe Anderson, senior director of nutrition advocacy for the Tennessee Justice Center, said benefits are provided through an electronic debit card and can be used to purchase food items at grocery stores and other authorized retailers who accept electronic benefit transfer. "The state has been able to secure an automatic mass reimbursement of 65% to SNAP participants who are already part of the program," Anderson reported. "With the knowledge that so many people lost power, there was major devastation." The Tennessee Department of Human Services has also temporarily allowed SNAP recipients in 13 counties to use their benefits to purchase hot foods due to the challenges of hurricane recovery. Anderson thinks the 65% reimbursement is a good start but pointed out the USDA approved more waivers for households to get the full 100% reimbursement back by filling out an affidavit on its website. The waiver covers Carter, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties. She added Cocke, Greene and Hamblen counties were not approved in the waiver. "The state did say, even if you're not in one of these listed counties but you're in one of those bordering counties, you should apply through the affidavit and make your case," Anderson explained. "Unfortunately, those individuals in the surrounding counties aren't automatically reimbursed but if they reach out to DHS through the affidavit, they're likely to get help." She added President Joe Biden's #FEMA disaster declaration allows the state to do even more. The assistance includes grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Artificial intelligence is changing how people learn and work, and universities in North Carolina and across the country are racing to keep up. William Peace University in Raleigh is one of them, taking part in a national program to help students develop the #AI skills they will need to thrive in the workplace. Lynda Szymanski, vice president of academic affairs at the university, said it is all about giving students real-world experience and preparing them for the demands of today's jobs. "The statistic that really struck me is, 66% of the leaders said they would not hire someone without artificial intelligence skills," Szymanski noted. "We feel compelled to make sure our students have the skills that they need to be successful." The latest Gallup poll found 93% of Fortune 500 companies are already using AI in the workplace. William Peace is one of 124 schools selected to participate in the American Association of Colleges and Universities inaugural Institute on AI, Pedagogy and the Curriculum. Michelle Corvette, Ph.D., director of faculty development and immersive learning at the university, said the new focus brings some challenges, especially in teaching students when and how to use AI responsibly. The goal is to help them rethink how they work and learn, and one way they are doing it is by integrating AI into the curriculum from day one. "That is something that we do focus on here at William Peace University," Corvette explained. "Because our students experience immersive learning and generative AI in our first-year seminar classes as first years and then all the way to senior. And we don't just save it for our senior seminar students." As a part of the initiative, she said the university will join other schools in monthly webinars to share ideas. Faculty members will also connect with mentors and AI experts to help navigate learning. Disclosure: William Peace University contributes to our fund for reporting on Education.

#ElectionDay is less than three weeks away and while the focus for most people is on casting their ballot, Pennsylvania also needs a lot more poll workers for the voting process to go smoothly. Many of the 8.7 million registered voters in the state would be eligible to work at the polls for the Nov. 5 presidential elections. Susan Gobreski, board member of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania, said prospective poll workers need to be registered to vote in the county where they want to work, and would need to be available for the entire day. "There are over 9,000 precincts or divisions in Pennsylvania and there are about five poll workers per precinct or division, plus translators in some places," Gobreski outlined. "It's over 45,000 people who are needed." She added poll workers are appointed by the community or elected every four years and are essential for ensuring the transparency and fairness of elections. Gobreski noted they come from diverse backgrounds and are responsible for administering the voting process and filling in when any vacancies arise. Gobreski stressed Pennsylvania prioritizes the safety of poll workers and has implemented measures to ensure a seamless election process. "If you're concerned about political violence, I think for the most part, that is something that people should learn about de-escalation," Gobreski explained. "People can always call the police. Election officials and safety officials are responsible for administering that and addressing those situations, so poll workers aren't expected to resolve those situations." She noted election workers are paid. Exact rates vary by county. Training is offered prior to working on Election Day. The hours may start as early as 6:30 a.m. and polls close at 8 p.m. Disclosure: The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania contributes to our fund for reporting. 

#Hurricane #Helene wreaked havoc on East #Tennessee, leaving many areas without essential services. As the recovery efforts continue, the Cherokee Health Center's mobile unit is providing vital medical assistance to those affected by the storm, from vaccinations and prescription refills to mental health support. Comments from Dr. Parinda Khatri (KAH-tree), chief executive officer, Cherokee Health Systems. https://lnkd.in/ewyjM3fH

Reports of intimidating text messages targeting #Wisconsin college students and recent graduates are prompting more voting-rights outreach to young voters. The anonymous text message warns recipients about voting in a state where they are not eligible, and says they could be fined or jailed for violating Wisconsin state law. Recent graduate Molly Carmichael, communications manager with the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, said the first thing she noticed when she got the text was the harsh language. "Right off the bat I was pretty upset, because I figured this was also going out to other people, maybe people who have never voted before and are excited to vote this November. And so, getting a text like that would certainly be really alarming," she explained. The League of Women Voters, along with Free Speech for People, petitioned the Wisconsin and U.S. Departments of Justice to investigate the matter. Carmichael said they've also started a digital campaign promoting the Election Protection Hotline, trying to counter the harmful text with positive and correct information and resources. Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause Wisconsin, said interfering with the student vote is nothing new for Wisconsin, and is almost expected in the swing state. "Students become a very convenient target for many of the people that are trying to undermine public confidence in voting in Wisconsin," he continued. Heck said the state's strict photo ID law for voters may add confusion to the process for some college students whose school IDs may not be compliant with state law. Common Cause has a section on its website that outlines what college students need to vote in Wisconsin, including detailed examples of which IDs are permitted. While continued outreach to college students is critical after this latest scheme, Heck hopes most students won't fall for it. "The good thing about it is, I think younger people, by and large, are less susceptible to some of the stuff that they see and the texts that they get, because they're just more used to social media. And I think a lot of them are probably a little more savvy about whether it's true or not," Heck added. Students who receive this type of text message or any other intimidating voting-related communications are encouraged to report it to the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE.

October is #LongTermCarePlanningMonth, and a few tips can help people when talking with their loved ones about this topic. Conversations about long-term care can be difficult. Bandana Shrestha बन्दना श्रेष्ठ, AARP Oregon state director, said approaching the topic with compassion and care is key and noted that the 470,000 family caregivers in Oregon provide most of the care for close friends and family members, and need to be part of planning conversations. "Making sure that you're talking early is really important, and also making sure you are involving all parties who may responsible for supporting somebody is really important," Shrestha said. The population of people over age 65 is increasing rapidly in the U.S. and most will need long-term care supports of some kind, underscoring the need to begin planning for how that care will look. Open enrollment for #Medicare began this week and lasts through December 7th. But Shrestha noted the insurance program doesn't cover long-term care. "There are certain provisions within Medicare where you can get some supports for being able to have short stays in long-term care facilities," Shrestha continued. "But otherwise, Medicare is really about your health care. It's your health insurance." Oregon performed well on AARP's recent Long-Term Services and Supports Scorecard, ranking number seven in the nation. Although the state could do better in areas such as affordability, Shrestha says the state ranks high in terms of support for family caregivers. "The reasons for that are policies like our recent paid leave law, which really is designed to help ensure that people have supports and can take time off when they need to care for themselves or for their loved ones," Shrestha said. Disclosure: AARP Oregon contributes to our fund for reporting on Consumer Issues, Health Issues, Livable Wages/Working Families, Senior Issues.

Despite #Indiana's recent high-profile business deals, the state's economic fundamentals are lagging, with declining income and education levels posing significant challenges. Experts argued deeper investments in education and infrastructure are needed for sustainable growth. Michael Hicks, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University, noted some troubling figures. "The share of adults with a college degree relative to the country having slipped," Hicks noted. "We see our per capita income relative to the country has slipped substantially, two percentage points, which is sort of a shocking three-decade change in two decades." Although state officials pointed to low unemployment and rising capital investments as proof of success, Hicks contended without a focus on education and infrastructure, Indiana's long-term economic outlook remains uncertain. State officials highlighted new projects such as a $3.2 million investment in Kokomo by Stellantis and Samsung SD designed to expand electric vehicle battery manufacturing operations in Indiana as signs of progress. However, Hicks warned the announcements do not address deeper economic issues. "The numbers they're sharing are just measurements that they have working through IEDC (the Indiana Economic Development Corporation)," Hicks observed. "It has nothing to do with the actual amount of capital that's flowing into the state. That's lower than it has been in most years. So, there's nothing fabulous happening now that is anything other than a press release." Hicks believes Indiana should prioritize education, environmental policies and regulatory improvements to create sustainable growth.

The automotive industry is changing, and one #Utah university is reimagining how to prepare new and current auto technicians to meet the demands of the transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles. Brian Rague, associate dean of the College of Engineering, Applied Science and Technology at Weber State University, says their automotive technology program's "stackable" credentialing approach enables students of any age and desire to learn the fundamental skills they'll need to be hired by industry partners. "We are a higher education institution, our four-year degrees are valuable to us. But certainly, within our college and across the university, we see the necessity to allow students to take things a little bit at a time. To learn things and earn credentials in a step-by-step fashion," he explained. Rague added they work with car companies to ensure students are learning in-demand skills. Add #EVs and autonomous driving into the mix, and students are also learning about IT and engineering. He said many already work in the field and can apply their professional certifications toward credits for an associate degree. Students can stop there, or continue on toward a bachelor of science in automotive technology. Rague said the college is in constant conversations with industry partners to update their courses and certificates. "We have a couple of certificates available for our automotive students. We have several certificates in other disciplines within the college; and we also have advanced certificates for those who have been in the workforce for a while," he continued. He said the more advanced certificates could be attractive to those who want to learn more about electric vehicles and newer battery technology, and added that the need for experts and specialists of all ages will grow as EVs gain more traction.

#Arizona workers, retirees and small business owners say they'll be left to pick up the slack when the wealthy and big corporations don't pay their fair share in taxes. They argue that'll be the case if former President Donald Trump's 2017 tax code gets extended in 2025. Linda Somo, president of the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans, contends the tax code is not balanced and favors the rich. Workers in 2016 who made less than $114,000 a year saw no change in earnings, while top executive salaries increased, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Somo added the issue needs to be revisited before it gets renewed in 2025. She was in D.C. last month and spoke to Arizona lawmakers. "Once we have a new Congress in session, after January, they could start closing some loopholes, even if it's not the actual tax law," Soto explained. "There are some things they could do to tweak that law ahead of time." Republicans argue the tax plan would lead to economic growth. In 2017, the Department of Treasury claimed the law would increase tax revenues by $1.8 trillion over ten years. But Somo said she views the tax code as something damaging to the middle class, and wants to see a more equitable tax code be considered. Somo, a retired teacher, says a more just tax code would translate to better funding for public education, better access to health care and a stronger social net for all Americans. "It really ticks me off when I think, 'OK, I pay 15% and someone who is a billionaire probably is paying a far less percent because they can take advantage of all kinds of loopholes,'" she continued. Somo encouraged all Arizonans to get informed and voice their opinions on the tax code to their state legislators. She said if lawmakers are only hearing from those who can donate big money to their campaigns, they'll forget about those who are impacted the most.

This #October, schools in #Georgia are celebrating National Farm to School Month by serving local produce in their meals. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering $700 million in new funding for the Local Foods for Schools and Local Foods for Child Care programs, across the state and beyond. Jenny Lester Moffitt, undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs at the USDA, said the programs not only ensure students receive nutritious meals but also create direct market opportunities for local farmers. "Farmers that are farming in the region, for them to be able to sell direct to schools, it not just provides healthy food for the kids but it also provides much-needed markets for producers as well," Lester Moffitt explained. She pointed out there is a financial advantage for farmers. Direct sales provide farmers with more revenue and keep food dollars within local communities. In contrast, when they sell their products to major retail supply chains, they typically receive only about 14 cents for every $2. Lester Moffitt stressed National Farm to School Month is about more than filling lunch trays, it is an educational opportunity. She added schools are encouraged to incorporate information about healthy foods and how they are produced into the curriculum. "Farm to School is also about nutrition education, it's about agriculture education, it's about school gardens as well," Lester Moffitt outlined. "There is, of course, the important part about getting local foods into cafeterias but also it's about educating students about healthy eating, what's grown in their region, how food is grown." This year, schools in Georgia have received about $195,000 from the Patrick Leahy Farm to School program for schools in Atlanta, Conyers and Covington.