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School libraries with more staff and larger collections lead to stronger academic performance, a study says. Yet one-third of public schools do not have a full-time, state-certified librarian. Often when education funding is cut, libraries and the arts are the first to go.

On March 28th, with just 3 days notice, the hospital in North Adams, Ma. closed, leaving residents with no immediate access to health care.

Kelly, the district’s largest school, also took the biggest budget hit for what CPS called a projected enrollment drop of 200-250 students, though CPS still considers it overcrowded as well. The school has laid off 23 teachers, 10 support staff and will also lose seven security guards, as well.“Our enrollment is supposedly down, which is why they explained the $4 million in cuts, but apparently we need new schools,” said Carolyn Brown, one of the teacher representatives.

An inspiring grassroots movement is fighting back against the GOP’s outrageous budget cuts and attacks on democracy.

Over 120 arrested in latest NAACP-led action as earlier arrestees face trial for civil disobedience in North Carolina.

So far, the much-dreaded "sequester" - some $85 billion in federal spending cuts between March and September 30 - hasn't been evident to most Americans.

In the real politics of the emerging struggle over Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, there’s a very big difference between expressing opposition to benefit cuts and promising not to vote for them.

They gathered to demand Congress stop the across the board cuts to people's programs scheduled to go into effect March 1.