North American Network

Actualmente, varios proyectos de ley sobre educación están siendo discutidos por la legislatura de Texas. Y, Andrea Fernández—portavoz de “Raise Your Hand Texas”—espera ver cambios en la forma en que el sistema de “Evaluación y Rendición de Cuentas” del estado mide el éxito académico… “Nuestro sistema actual de rendición de cuentas basado en ‘STAAR’ para las calificaciones ‘A’ a ‘F’ de las escuela...

Right now, several education-bills are moving through the Texas Legislature. And, Libby Cohen—the senior director of advocacy at “Raise Your Hand Texas”—hopes to see changes to how the state’s “Assessment and Accountability”-system measures academic success… “Our current ‘STAAR’-based accountability-system for public schools’ ‘A’-through-‘F’ letter-grades provides stakeholders with just one useful...

For six years in a row, Florida has been ranked first in the nation in higher education—thanks in part to the “Florida College System”, which serves as the primary access-point to higher education for so many Floridians. This April, the “Florida Department of Education” is celebrating “Florida College System Month”—reminding Floridians about the high-quality programs that are both affordable and a...

(The following statement is from AARP Florida’s state director, Jeff Johnson. For the full report, visit aarp.org/fl.) “As we look closely at the history of Florida nursing-home staffing-standards over the last two decades, it’s clear that legislative changes have eroded Florida’s approach to care in nursing-homes. “Florida-families deserve peace-of-mind that those in nursing-homes receive the hig...

-- :30 -- “A new podcast-series will recount the heroism of the Black sanitation-workers in Memphis who stood together and went on strike in 1968: The ‘I Am Story’ gives you a front-row seat to the events preceding the assassination of Doctor King. Produced by ‘AFSCME’, it features the voices of activists and strikers who were there in Memphis, marched with Doctor King, and declared for the whole...

Over the course of a year, Mississippi’s 470-thousand family-caregivers provide 440-million hours of unpaid care—worth more than five-and-a-half-billion dollars. That’s an increase of almost a billion dollars since 2019—according to the latest update from A-A-R-P’s “Valuing the Invaluable” series of reports. Ronda Gooden is with “A-A-R-P Mississippi”… “Family-caregivers, throughout Mississippi, pl...

According to the “American Diabetes Association”, over three-million Californians have “type two” diabetes—and that number keeps growing. To fight this epidemic, “Blue Shield of California” now offers a unique solution to help its members reverse their diabetes. Doctor Jeff Stanley is a medical director at “Virta Health”… “The old belief that diabetes is a chronic illness that can only be treated...

Nursing-home quality in Texas is among the worst in the nation. That’s according to “A-A-R-P Texas”—which monitors reports from the federal “Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services”. This poor performance is despite nursing-homes receiving billions of dollars—over the past two years—to address “COVID-19”, staffing, and other issues. Andrea [“an-dree-ə”] Earl of “A-A-R-P Texas” says, however, th...

With lawmakers again considering the creation of a statewide school-voucher program, “Raise Your Hand Texas” urges them to think twice. According to Jackson Griffon [as in “chiffon”]—one of its statewide “regional-advocacy directors”—such a program would especially harm rural areas… “Nearly half of the school-districts throughout Texas are rural. And, vouchers—also known as ‘education-savings acco...

With lawmakers again considering the creation of a statewide school-voucher program, “Raise Your Hand Texas” urges them to think twice. Max Rombado is the group’s legislative director… “Vouchers, also known as ‘education-savings accounts’, are a tax-cut for the wealthy—diverting scarce public-education funds to private schools, which aren’t required to report or even track their spending and stude...

(These seven soundbites are from David Harkey, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s president. For the full list of winners, see iihs.org/ratings/top-safety-picks.) “We are strengthening the requirements for our ‘TOP SAFETY PICK’ and ‘TOP SAFETY PICK – Plus’ awards. Now, they demand better side-crash protection, improved crash-prevention systems for pedestrians, and better-performing headl...

A-A-R-P’s “Community Challenge”-program is now accepting applications for this year’s grants. And, A-A-R-P Mississippi’s Ronda Gooden encourages all eligible groups—throughout the state—to apply… “We’re thrilled to bring this grant-opportunity back to Mississippi—as we’ve seen tangible, long-term results from previous grantees. It’s part of A-A-R-P’s nationwide ‘Livable Communities’-initiative—whi...

The open-enrollment period for “Florida Prepaid College Plans” is officially underway: For families who want an inflation-proof way to save for college, “Florida Prepaid” is offering flexible, guaranteed, fixed-price prepaid-college-tuition plans that start for as little as 45 dollars, a month. Fernando Senra James is the Board’s spokesperson… “‘Florida Prepaid Plans’ check the boxes that families...

A-A-R-P’s “Community Challenge”-program is now accepting applications for this year’s grants. And, A-A-R-P Maryland’s state-director, Hank Greenberg, encourages all eligible groups—throughout the state—to apply… “We are thrilled to bring this grant-opportunity back to Maryland again this year—as we’ve seen tangible, long-term results from previous grantees. The program is part of A-A-R-P’s nationw...

Since 2019, Governor Ron DeSantis has invested more than five-billion dollars in workforce-education—with the goal of being number-one in the nation, for workforce-education, by 2030. The “Florida Department of Education” is commemorating February as “Career and Technical Education Month®”. And, according to Chancellor Kevin O’Farrell, they have seen vast success in “C-T-E”—across the state… “Thro...

THIS YEAR, JEWELRY-GIFTS FOR “VALENTINE’S DAY” REMAIN THE ULTIMATE SYMBOL OF WHAT LOVE SHOULD BE—PRECIOUS AND ETERNAL. AMANDA GIZZI, WITH “JEWELERS OF AMERICA”, SAYS THAT FINDING THE RIGHT GIFT IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK… “JEWELRY THAT HAS A SWEET SENTIMENT—LIKE HEART-SHAPED JEWELRY—CAN KEEP IT CASUAL, BUT VERY PERSONAL. EARRINGS WITH COLORED GEMSTONES ARE PERFECT FOR THOSE WHO TRULY LOVE COLOR—WHIL...

Several Medicare-related portions of last year’s “Inflation Reduction Act” have now taken effect. And, “A-A-R-P Nebraska’s” state-director, Todd Stubbendieck [“stew-bin-deck”], says that many of the 263-thousand Nebraskans with “Medicare Part D” are already benefiting… “Starting in January, the out-of-pocket cost for insulin has been capped to 35 dollars, a month, for anyone on Medicare; that help...

This year’s legislative session of the “Maryland General Assembly” is underway. And, “A-A-R-P Maryland’s” state-director, Hank Greenberg, says that the group is focusing on issues that make life better for all residents… “We know that Marylanders, of all ages, are feeling the pressure of increased prices. And, ‘A-A-R-P Maryland’ is advocating for reasonable utility-costs; strong consumer-protectio...

Movie-theaters across the country will take part in this year’s “National Popcorn Day”—on Thursday, January 19th. Jackie Brenneman is “The Cinema Foundation’s” president… “Popcorn and movie-theaters are practically synonymous. And, while ‘National Popcorn Day’ is a long-standing event, we wanted to make it extra-special this year: Theaters across the country are stepping up, with a wide range of p...

For more than 30 years, “Florida Prepaid” has helped more than a million families save for higher-education expenses. And, their newest program is helping individuals with varying disabilities become savers and investors, for the first time. Director John Finch has more… “‘ABLE United’ offers savings- and investment-accounts that allow individuals with a qualifying disability to save more than two...

-- :60 -- “Winter is here. And, ‘A-A-R-P Pennsylvania’ encourages you to contact your utility-providers as quickly as possible—especially if you’re behind on making payments. By doing so, you can set up payment-plans for making good on your bills, over time—which can help you avoid service-shutoffs and financial troubles. What’s more, many utilities offer ‘budget billing’ as an option—to equally s...

This year’s legislative session of the “Kentucky General Assembly” is underway. And, Dwight Butler—a former legislator who now serves on “A-A-R-P Kentucky’s” executive-council—says that the group is focusing on issues that make life better for all “50-plus” residents… “We know that older Kentuckians are feeling the pressure of increasing costs. That’s why we’re: fighting to protect their hard-earn...

Governor Ivey has launched a series of public meetings that will be held in all of Alabama’s 67 counties, over the next several months, to inform residents and businesses about expanding broadband to underserved areas—while also getting feedback about local Internet-access. Jamie Harding—of “A-A-R-P Alabama”—urges everyone to learn how broadband-expansion will benefit their own communities… “High-...

IF THE HOLIDAY-SEASON HAS YOU FEELING THE PINCH, DON’T DISCOUNT GIVING A GIFT OF FINE JEWELRY. AMANDA GIZZI, WITH “JEWELERS OF AMERICA”, EXPLAINS… “JEWELRY IS SURE TO BE LOVED TODAY—AND CHERISHED FOR YEARS TO COME. IT CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN NEARLY EVERY PRICE-RANGE. ‘DIAMOND ESSENTIALS’ ARE ONE OF THE TOP GIFTS THIS YEAR. AND, IF YOU’RE ON A TIGHT BUDGET, DIAMOND-ACCENTED PIECES STILL HAVE BIG GIFT-...

Almost half of the two-year-olds within the “Indian Health Service System” currently aren’t up-to-date on their routine vaccinations. And, seven-in-10 American Indians and Alaska Natives under 18 haven’t yet received “COVID-19”-vaccines. With some healthcare-facilities already stretched to capacity this winter—due to the “triple threat” of “COVID-19”, flu, and “R-S-V”—“I-H-S” urges parents to make...