One in Six Children Live With a Half Sibling Under 18

BRIAN KNOP  |  JANUARY 27, 2020

“It’s not uncommon for children to live with siblings who share just one biological parent. In fact, one in six children under 18 live with a half sibling, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.

Of the 73.5 million children under age 18 in 2014, 17.0% (12.5 million children) were living with at least one half sibling also under 18.  

These estimates come from the redesigned Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) 2014.”

Click on the link to read more https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2020/01/more-children-live-with-half-siblings-than-previously-thought.html

“The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires that the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) submit a State Plan every four years to the U.S. Department of Labor. While the State Plan largely serves as a compliance document for Minnesota’s federally funded workforce development programs through WIOA, this draft state plan also outlines the One Minnesota vision, mission, and goals for our state’s workforce development activities. The State Plan is developed by state staff under the oversight of the Operations Committee of the Governor’s Workforce Development Board (GWDB) and must be approved by the full GWDB before it is submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor for review. State Plan GoalsMinnesota’s current operating WIOA State Plan was last revised in 2018 (as required by federal law on a bi-annual basis) to update the state’s very first four-year WIOA State Plan that was also submitted and approved by the U.S. Department of Labor for federal program years 2016-2019. This 2020 draft four-year plan builds on the work of the 2018 revised plan but includes updates in the analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the system, developments related to coordination and alignment efforts, program updates, and an executive summary that provides an overview of the work ahead under the leadership of a new administration (pages 4-9). The proposed 2020 WIOA State Plan primary two goals for meeting the skilled workforce needs of our state are found on page 48 of the draft document. These proposed goals are based on goals previously established in the 2018 Revised Plan, which revised the 2016 goals to be inclusive of gender. In this draft plan, “age” has been added to the second goal. With this change, Minnesota’s draft 2020-2023 WIOA Plan proposes the following two primary goals in order to realize a stronger workforce development system:Reduce educational, skills training, and employment disparities based on race, disability, gender, or disconnected youth.Build employer-led industry sector partnerships that expand the talent pipeline to be inclusive of race, disability, gender, and age to meet industry demands for a skilled workforce. Public Comment If you would like to provide public comments on the Draft 2020-2023 WIOA State Plan, please share your comments on the State Plan draft via email to WIOA.comments@state.mn.us. Please also be aware that a supplemental posting will be uploaded for public comment in February that will include small portions that could not be included at the time of this initial posting because data was not yet available. Questions If you have questions about the 2020-2023 WIOA State Plan or the public comment process, please contact Ben Baglio, Director of the Governor’s Workforce Development Board, at Ben.Baglio@state.mn.us. Link for more info: https://mn.gov/deed/gwdb/priorities/wioa/

Booking Summer Musical Acts

“Are you part of a local band or musical act? Saint Paul Parks & Recreation is now booking musical acts for summer Music in the Parks program at Mears Park and Rice Park. Music in the Parks is an outdoor music series during the summer.

View more information and apply at https://www.stpaul.gov/parks-recreation/activities/summer-activities/music-parks. Applications will be taken until all spots are filled.”

“The Neighborhood STAR Program awards loans and grants for capital improvement projects in Saint Paul neighborhoods, funded by 50% of the city’s half-cent sales tax proceeds. Proposals must be neighborhood-based projects designed with neighborhood representation to strengthen Saint Paul neighborhoods and address problems, needs and opportunities. Proposals can be a project or program that results in capital improvements in Saint Paul. Innovative proposals are encouraged, and these proposals may be generated by neighborhood and civic leaders, organizations, and businesses.​

Key features of the Neighborhood STAR Program include:

• A minimum of one non-city (private) dollar for every STAR dollar is required for all grant requests.
• Any portion of a loan request over $50,000 must be matched on a minimum $1 for $1 basis with non-city resources.
• Eligible activities include any physical components of strategies, programs, and / or projects which strengthen and/or improve the neighborhoods of Saint Paul.
• Capital improvements must have an expected life of seven years. Examples of eligible activities include: Improvements of residential, commercial and industrial property, Economic development efforts; Minor public improvements.
• Eligible applicants include any public, private, or non-profit entity located in or doing business in Saint Paul.
• Funding recommendations are made to the Mayor and City Council by the 21-member STAR Board, which is appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council.

Applications

The number of Neighborhood STAR application cycles is based on the annual Neighborhood STAR Program budget. When funding is available, the STAR Year-Round Loan and Grant Program provides access to initiatives which have a particular urgency, and cannot meet the general program cycle.

The 2020 application cycle is Friday, January 31, 2020 – Wednesday, March 18, 2020.

One information session will be held on:

Friday, January 31, 2020
10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Rondo Community Library
Multipurpose Room
461 Dale St. N

Direction (Google Maps)

Review 2019 Awards

Guidelines

The Neighborhood Sales Tax Revitalization (STAR) Program provides loans and grants for physical (capital) improvement projects within Saint Paul neighborhoods. Eligible applicants include any public, private, non-profit or for-profit entity located in or doing business in Saint Paul. Eligible activities are permanently affixed, physical (bricks and mortar) enhancements that strengthen and/or improve the neighborhoods of Saint Paul. Improvements may include commercial and housing rehabilitation, parks, streetscape projects, and economic development activities. STAR funded capital improvements should have an expected life of seven or more years, and not be deferred maintenance activities.

Learn More

Board

The Neighborhood STAR Board tours, reviews, interviews and recommends applications to the Mayor and City Council for approval.

The board is made up of 21 members appointed by the Mayor for four-year terms. City residency is required and Minnesota State Law requires three representatives to be appointed from each City Council Ward.”

Click on this link to find out more. https://www.stpaul.gov/departments/planning-economic-development/economic-development/neighborhood-star

Final week to Apply for Census Jobs

The deadline to apply for a census job is Feb. 1, 2020.Apply online, or talk with a recruiter at a hiring event from 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM at one of the locations listed: Jan. 28 at Ramsey County Courthouse, Jan. 29 at Ramsey County Plato Building, Jan. 30 at Ramsey County Government Center East, and 10:30-12:30 Jan. 30 at the CareerForce Center in North St. Paul.  https://2020census.gov/jobs

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Black Market Reads is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Libsyn, and many others platforms – look for us on your favorite and SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode!

The Givens Foundation for African American Literature

“Black Market Reads is a project of the Givens Foundation for African American Literature. The Givens Foundation  remains the only organization in Minnesota exclusively dedicated to advancing and celebrating black literature and writers. Each year, we serve nearly 6,000 students, educators, readers, and writers. Black Market Reads is made possible through the generous support of our individual donors, Target Foundation, and the voters of Minnesota, through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.”

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About

Urban Agenda Creator and Host, ‘Urban Agenda’ on KMOJ Radio

“A radio interview program. “Urban Agenda” is a celebrated Twin Cities forum for dismantling race and racism, for creating community connections and engaging in collaborative problem solving.”

Click on the link below to find out more information.

https://urbanagendamedia.com/

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AMERICA COUNTS STAFF  |  JANUARY 21, 2020

This story is part of an occasional series on the important community benefits that come from responding to the 2020 Census.

We all know fresh fruits and vegetables are key to good health. Yet many low-income neighborhoods have limited access to fresh produce.

That’s why programs such as the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the National School Lunch Program are vital to the health of communities.

Click on link below to read more.

https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2020/01/census-statistics-used-to-plan-healthy-food-programs-for-low-income-households.html