Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/847636
JULY 12-18, 2017 UCW 7 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM LEGALLY SPEAKING Once again, North Carolina is faced with daunting numbers concerning its children and their education. ese numbers have to do with dropouts, and the numbers are not good. Ac- cording to the National Center for Education Statistics in North Carolina, last year we had 11,000 students drop out of school. is school year, we will lose over 250 students a week to drop- ping out. If we just knew those figures, it would be enough to cause alarm. But what we have learned, and what many do not fully grasp, is the cost. Consider that we now know that a dropout makes $10,000 a year less than a person who completes their high school education and over $36,000 less than a person with a bachelor's degree. e unemployment rate is 15 percent higher for dropouts. ese statistics should raise con- cerns for us. ey demonstrate we must get a grip on why we are losing our youth, and this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. A dropout is likely to live a shorter period. He or she is likely to be less productive. A dropout is nine times more likely to be a single mother. A dropout is less likely to marry or participate in civic affairs. Dropouts are less likely to vote or participate in the democratic process. But the most disturbing facts are that dropouts make up more than 80 percent of our prison population, and over our lifetime will cost society over $292,000 apiece. Imagine what we could do with the excess funds if we simply cut the dropout rate in half and kept those students in school to finish their degrees. If all dropouts in the nation from the class of 2011 had earned diplo- mas, the nation would benefit from $150 billion in income over their working lifetimes. ese statistics are devastating, to say the least, but they are only statistics. ere are other factors to consider, includ- ing the quality of life that each of us has, both the citizen who is working hard and building themselves up and the dropout, who has little or no chance to do so. By changing this, we not only change the statistics stated above, but we also change the quality of life for all citizens, including drop- out and their children. We must act now to end this incredible plague on our communities by keeping young people in school. The remedy begins with our legislators, who have done little over the past several sessions to address the issue. The Price of Dropping Out by STATE REPRESENTATIVE BILLY RICHARDSON Have you sustained damages from Hurricane Matthew? Need financial assistance for repairs? COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CAN HELP! APPLICATIONS FOR DISASTER RECOVERY RELIEF The City of Fayetteville's Community Development Department will begin accepting applications on July 10, 2017 for the Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation Loan Pool-Disaster Recovery (ESFRLP-DR) Program. This program is created to provide financial assistance by offering an unsecured deferred, interest-free loan up to $30,000 for essential home repairs for families that have sustained damages from Hurricane Matthew. Have you sustained damages from Hurricane Matthew? Need financial assistance for repairs? THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT CAN HELP! Assistance available up to $30,000 for residential repairs. Contact the Community Development Department at (910) 433-1590 for additional information and to receive an application. You must then schedule an appointment with the Community Development Administrator to submit your application. Applicants must live within the city limits of Fayetteville and meet all income eligibility requirements. 2017 Income Guidelines Family Size Moderate Income 100% of Median 1 36,700 2 41,900 3 47,100 4 52,300 5 56,600 6 60,700 7 64,900 8 69,100 *Income limits are based on the combined gross income (before taxes and deductions) of all household members* http://fayettevillenc.gov/community/community-development Have you sustained damages from Hurricane Matthew? Need financial assistance for repairs? COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CAN HELP! APPLICATIONS FOR DISASTER RECOVERY RELIEF The City of Fayetteville's Community Development Department will begin accepting applications 10, 2017 for the Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation Loan Pool-Disaster Recovery (ESFRLP-DR) This program is created to provide financial assistance by offering an unsecured deferred, interest-free up to $30,000 for essential home repairs for families that have sustained damages Matthew. Have you sustained damages from Hurricane Matthew? Need financial assistance for repairs? THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT CAN HELP! Assistance available up to $30,000 for residential repairs. Contact the Community Development Department at (910) 433-1590 for additional information and to receive an application. You must then schedule an appointment with the Community Development Administrator to submit your application. Applicants must live within the city limits of Fayetteville and meet all income eligibility requirements. 2017 Income Guidelines Family Size Moderate Income 100% of Median Have you sustained damages from hurricane Matthew? COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CAN HELP! STATE REPRESENTATIVE BILLY RICHARDSON. (D-Cumberland) COMMENTS? news@upandcomin- gweekly.com. (910) 484-6200. "Dropouts make up more than 80 per- cent of our prison population, and over our lifetime will cost society over $292,000 apiece." is school year, North Carolina will lose over 250 students a week to dropping out.