Dept. of animal wrongs. Raccoons living in Illinois state parks are suffering from gum disease, according to U. of I. veterinary epidemiologist Laura Hungerford: “These raccoons are eating the remains of human food and getting dental problems that look just like those seen in humans.” Some are suffering other injuries known to be suffered by certain humans: “Many park-dwelling raccoons have cuts on their faces and paws and a few have broken legs. We think this may occur from digging through trash…”
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Family reunion. When Chicago mother Joann Mitchell became homeless in 1988, the state Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) said she could regain custody of her children only if she had a two-bedroom apartment. The catch, according to the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago (LAFC) News (August 1990), was that she couldn’t possibly afford one. “Mitchell works part-time and receives General Assistance of $165 per month. Virtually all two bedroom apartments in Chicago rent for a minimum of $400 per month, and many apartments require a one or two month security deposit. The State of Illinois has spent over $45,000 on foster care for Mitchell’s children since 1985, but has spent nothing on helping Mitchell herself to regain housing.” In May the Legal Assistance Foundation won a federal-district-court injunction ordering DCFS to start doing just that. “LAFC attorneys estimate as many as 1,500 Illinois children each year could return home if their families had housing.”
Where to find good help. Focus on Immigration (July-August 1990) reports on 19 studies of various non-Southeast Asian refugees in the U.S.: “Labor force participation rates are generally above those of the U.S. population. The estimated rate for Afghans is 65 to 81 percent; for Ethiopians, Rumanians, and Poles it is 75 percent or more. This compares with a U.S. employment participation rate of roughly 66 percent.”
