"The Austin City Council did away with the CURE zoning process at its last meeting, but the zoning entitlement program didn't go quietly. The public hearing before the Council's vote was characterized by a heated exchange between Mayor Lee Leffingwelland Interfaith Austin's Kurt Cadena-Mitchell.

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"Juvenile crime, speeding and sidewalk repairs are some of the biggest problems in in Southeast Austin's Dove Springs area -- but residents are fighting back. Neighbors are taking advantage of the city services their tax dollars pay for. Side walk repairs are continuing in direct result of residents calling 311 to report the need, according to city officials.

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"If Oak Creek doesn't remain affordable housing, will have to move in with her mother in Bastrop. Principal Robertson says continuity is key for low-income families.

'Constant change is not a friend for Title One families,' Robertson says. 'Nor is it for students to jump from school to school. That upheaval — some of our most successful families will be thrown into I don't know what kind of abyss.'

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"The Austin-based Workers Defense Project is asking the courts to step into its wage dispute with the developers of the downtown Austin J.W. Marriott hotel under construction.

'Developers need to keep their promises to taxpayers and workers, and the city must enforce its own rules,' said Kurt Cadena-Mitchell, a leader of Austin Interfaith, a multi-congregation group pushing the city to establish a standard above minimum wage on construction projects that are granted economic development deals by the city."

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Leaders of Dallas Area Interfaith called on Texas legislators to support bi-partisan House Bill 3791 which would expand Medicaid to insure an additional 1.5 million Texans. Clergy from Jewish, Catholic and Protestant congregations announced that DAI had collected over 5,000 signatures in the last few months in support of expansion Medicaid.

Printable press release

"Three-hundred Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley and Dewey-Humboldt residents told Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett that Arizona must start adequately funding education during a meeting Tuesday at Abia Judd Elementary School in Prescott.

'Over the last five years, cuts in funding have been imposed by the state in addition to the cuts from declining enrollments,' said Wendy Madsen, a parent of a student at Taylor Hicks Elementary School in Prescott. 'Our districts together have been forced to cut over $25 million.'"

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Omaha Together One Community wants both candidates to commit $1 million a year to the problem.

The city has 748 houses on its demolition list. On average, it costs the city about $12,000 to knock down a house -- but neighbors say it's worth every penny.

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"A rose to AMOS, a central Iowa church group, for another approach to getting people on the right track to meaningful careers... Project Iowa helps direct unemployed or underemployed participants into careers that happen to be in demand, such as welding or health care. The project was initiated last year by AMOS (A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy), a non-profit group formed by religious leaders and church groups. The program helps participants get training and certification for jobs with local employers looking for workers with specific skills. Project Iowa has assisted 57 participants, and more than 80 percent of those who have completed job training are employed."

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"With a call for a "pragmatic" approach to the expansion of Medicaid healthcare for the poor, the leaders of the Together Louisiana alliance of congregations has challenged Governor Bobby Jindal and lawmakers to work with the federal government on expanding health coverage for the poor. "We don't need an ideological discussion about Obamacare," the Rev. Melvin Rushing of Baton Rouge told a State Capitol rally. "We need our state's technocrats to sit down with the national Medicaid technocrats and work through this issue as the practical, pragmatic matter it is."

Our Views: Poor need coverage, The Advocate (4/29)

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"More than 600 people turned out on Sunday to hear more than 30 city and school board candidates speak at a joint forum put on by the El Paso Inter-religious Sponsoring Organization and Border Interfaith."

City Council candidates were challenged to invest in workforce development program Project ARRIBA, and complete quality of life and neighborhood infrastructure projects within the already established 7-year time frame. Because El Paso public schools mandate standardized testing at least once (and sometimes twice) per week, school board candidates were challenged to reduce the number of standardized tests by 50%. Candidates were also asked to commit to a more equitable way of funding the arts than simply asking parents of participating students to shoulder the cost.

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