Healthy food choices gain value in string-along economy

Posted on March 1, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photo by FLOR OLIVO

As families hang on during the economic crisis many opt to cut down on food budgets and, in doing so, healthier diets.

A woman reaches for fresh fruit at a gas station in Utah.

Support program organizers say creativity, education and knowledge of existing food aid options are key to good nutrition for families passing through hard times.

Research shows good nutrition matters for growing children. Diets high in fat and sugar reduce a child’s ability to learn, focus and remember. Activity and energy levels are also affected.

The federal government has numerous programs geared towards nutrition. Grants for research funding on topics of healthy diets continue to roll out. In 2010 the Food Assistance and Nutrition Programs (FANRP) and the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) created a foundation geared toward the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s child nutrition programs. The research included “incentivizing fruit and vegetable consumption in elementary schools, testing food choice innovations for middle school cafeterias, and drawing attention to healthy choices with lighting,” among others. The grants ranged from $1 million to $25,000 per award.

In 2009 the economic stimulus package increased food stamp benefits by about 13 percent enabling families to receive more money for food.

The same year, the Utah Department of Workforce Services (DWS) served more than 87,000 households, setting a record for the state. In 2010, the average food stamp caseload rose over 130,000.

There is concern and assistance is available but some say it lacks during transitional periods. “Transitional help is needed as families are struggling to make it,” Head Start Family Advocate Heather Johanson said.

Some parents in the program will turn down small raises to ensure they don’t lose food assistance. Many parents are in survival mode. When faced with decisions like good nutrition or paying the rent, food budgets get sliced. Buying “fast food” or prepared meals becomes easier and less expensive with two parents working, concluded Johanson.

Myriam Saavedra, a Jordan school district instructor who works with families daily, says economy is only one aspect of nutrition. Saavedra raised 5 children of her own. She experienced the struggles of concocting healthy meals and believes when budgets are tight, good options and creativity go a long way.

“For example, rice and beans are inexpensive, they have protein and carbohydrates,” Saavedra said. “Add orange juice, rich in Vitamin C, your body will absorb the iron in the lentils and you have a decent lunch. Someone that hasn’t taken a nutrition class would not understand the value of this meal.”

Programs like Women, Infants and Children (WIC) seek to bridge these educational disparities in underprivileged communities by providing assistance with supplemental foods. To receive benefits, qualified participants are required to take nutrition education classes, have iron and weight and height checks and a short meeting with a nutritionist on each visit.

Full-time mother, Jodi Spencer, feels that healthier food choices save money in the long run.

“Healthy food is more expensive, but you have to look at is as an investment,” insists Spencer. “It’s two-fold: your health will be better, less obesity, less doctor visits, etc., and that will, in the end, cost you less, and secondly, if more people opt for organic, non-genetically modified foods, the demand will be higher and the prices lower.”

In the state of Utah there are non-conventional options. Food co-ops are an increasing trend that helps curb costs for those who do not qualify for government help. Participants buy in for $24 and receive one meat share and one produce share. The meat share includes an alternating portion of ground beef, beef cubed steaks, pork ribs or chicken breasts. Produce share has five varieties fresh vegetables and three varieties of fresh fruit.

Most federally funded programs like WIC, Head Start or food stamps include resources for healthier meals. The Utah Department of Health website has information on local WIC offices where women and children can apply for services. Families can apply for food stamps at the DWS office or by visiting DWS’s website. For those who do not qualify for government assistance, the Utah Food Co-op can be helpful.

Overall, the concern for good nutrition for our children exists. Learning the options then making good choices trickles down to us.

Filed under: Food & Restaurants, Health & Fitness, Utah's Economy | Leave a comment »

Fraud: The silent budget killer

Posted on March 1, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photo by ROBERT CALLISTER

Utah legislators have been making the number one budget consumer, Medicaid, their number one priority in 2011. Last year, lawmakers had to fund the state’s $540 million in Medicaid contributions and are now looking for ways to reduce health care costs by addressing fraud, waste and abuse in the system.

Lawmakers debate on the House floor during the 2011 legislative session.

Severe budget cuts are sweeping the state and Utah does not have a dime to waste in any sector. There is mandatory spending for every state, but it can always be adjusted and modified. Medicaid consumes over 25 percent of state funding. It is growing at three times the rate of Utah’s budget.

Lawmakers convene daily in subcommittee meetings to address the unsustainable future of Utah’s health care system. And with the federal government socializing healthcare, it seems as if there will probably be further spikes in Medicaid, says Utah House Minority Leader Michael Litvack.

He estimates there will be an additional 100,000 people on Medicaid in Utah by the year 2014. There are currently 213,000 Utahns who are on the low-income health plan.

Rep. Litvack is on the state’s Social Service Subcommittee that deals with budget cuts. He feels one way to cut superfluous spending for the program is to address fraud in the system.

“I think that Utah is very prone to fraud,” Litvack said. “Perception of the state and instinct would almost have you think otherwise.”

But perception aside, the state faces the reality of a population that does not mind manipulating its government. A recent study conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation ranked Utah in the top five states for Medicaid fraud, costing millions of dollars every year.

Reports show the majority of fraud comes from people reporting procedures that don’t occur, falsely claiming disability, misrepresenting identification and medical centers billing for imaginary patients.

Sen. Allen M. Christensen, R-North Ogden, is the chairman of the Social Services Subcommittee. He worries that many people seem detached from their government and are indifferent to manipulating it.

“Generally, human nature makes people feel bad about taking advantage of one another,” Christensen said. “Unfortunately, this same guilt does not apply in taking advantage of the government.”

Rep. Litvack recognizes that aspects unique to Utah’s culture make it particularly prone to fraud.

“For whatever reason, whether it is the trusting culture that we have or whatever, it does seem that we have a big problem with affinity fraud,” he said.

Affinity fraud is known to be rampant in societies with high-levels of trust and admiration. Fraudsters will prey upon members of identifiable groups, such as religious communities. In Utah, research shows that 71 percent of the state’s population belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

The combination between lack of respect for the government and willingness to take advantage of trust has turned Utah into a boiling pot of fraud. However, this year’s 45-day legislative session is addressing the situation from various angles.

Lawmakers are currently considering numerous bills regarding Medicaid reform. House bill 174 would require the Department of Health to issue reports to the Legislature before awarding Medicaid contracts. This would serve as an oversight program to monitor credibility of potential health care clients.

Rep. Litvack said the last legislative session appropriated millions of dollars to the Department of Health to create a program to prevent fraud, waste and abuse. The department will select a vendor to look at Medicaid claims on “the front end.”

“The purpose is to tease out as claims come in for payment, which ones represent fraud, abuse and mistakes,” he said. “So we are focusing on cost avoidance rather than cutting budgets.”

Rep. Ronda Menlove, R-Garland, is sponsoring a bill that would direct the Utah Health Department to pilot a program requiring some Medicaid recipients to do community service in exchange for health benefits. She recognized the need to push legislation to “combat a growing entitlement culture in this state.”

Last year there were legislative audits conducted against the Department of Health and Medicaid with strict focus on fraud.

Rep. Litvack sees fraud in a more broad sense and as something that needs to receive constant attention.

“We need to look at this issue in terms of Medicaid broadly,” he said. “Often times we need to think of fraud in terms of the intent of manipulating by billing for procedures that don’t happen or to even bill for patients that we haven’t seen.”

Legislators vary in opinion on certain amendments and bills, but they all recognize the importance of tracking money that goes in and out of the health care system.

Audits will continue to monitor the Department of Health and state Medicaid, said Litvack. Bills will be passed in attempt to reduce manipulation of the system. But legislators such as Sen. Christenson would exhort people to recognize that when they steal from the government, they are really stealing from their neighbor.

Filed under: Health & Fitness, Politics, Utah's Economy | Leave a comment »

Increase in tuition worries local students

Posted on March 1, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photo by ARMIN HAMZA

The cost of tuition has increased 9.5 percent in the last year and lawmakers are continuing to transfer the cost of higher education from the state to the students and their families. University of Utah students are worried about the increase in tuition, saying it will make the universities lose quality and affordability.

Student waits at the financial aid desk.

According to Higheredutah.org, which oversees the establishment of policies and procedures, budget and finance for higher education for the State of Utah, the U approved a tuition hike of between 7.5 and 9.5 percent last year. This results in total tuition increase of $471.00 for in-state tuition per semester.

This worries many students who chose to attend the U because of affordability.

“If I knew that the tuition would increase this much I would have attended University of Utah after I was done with my generals,” Kirby Johnson, a freshman majoring in communications at the U, said.

Other students believe the increase in tuition is a result of expansion and improvement of the campus, which in the end will benefit current and future students.  “The increase in tuition doesn’t bother me at all, because I know that the money is invested directly to benefit me as a student,” Jake Sullivan, a junior majoring in engineering at the University of Utah, said.

Tuition costs vary from school to school. According to the Westminster College website, yearly tuition at Westminster College is about $25,980, whereas the University of Utah charges about $6,200 for its yearly tuition. “We are lucky that we don’t have to pay $10,000 a semester at the University of Utah because I know I wouldn’t be able to afford it and I know many others that would be in the same boat,” Sullivan said.

As students worry about the increase in tuition and how the increase will affect the quality and affordability of education, most students and faculty members still believe affordability should be the main concern when it comes to education.

“I believe that the quality of the education the student is getting will always be great,” Michael Bradford, a junior majoring in communication at the U, said, “but because of inflation and the university’s budget cuts, the affordability will become a big problem for the students that are paying out of their pocket.”

Students that take a hit because of the tuition increase each year will look to pay less for tuition at schools that are not as prestigious, instead of looking at schools that give them a better education. Some believe most schools in Utah will see a significant drop in the number of students enrolling each year due to the constant increase in tuition cost.

Students who pay for their tuition using financial aid, are not as affected by the tuition increase as students who pay out of their own pocket. “Even though the increase in tuition made a lot of students worry how they will pay for their tuition, the same students that say that do not pay out of their pocket right now but will after they graduate or get a job with that degree,” Bradford said.

According to the Higher Education website, University of Utah has the highest total tuition increase of all the schools in Utah. The difference in tuition increase between other universities in Utah is not as high as most students would think. Southern Utah University is second on the list with $466 total increase in tuition per semester and Utah State University is third on the list with $303 total increase in tuition per semester for residents.

The website also says the average total tuition increase is 8 percent or $294 in annual tuition for 15 credit hours per semester.  “These increases are necessary to preserve the quality of education at our institutions. Higher Education remains the best investment anyone can make in themselves and their potential,” Jed Pitcher, chair of the State Board of Regents, said.

Although tuition at Utah schools has doubled over the past decade, many students haven’t even noticed the tuition increase. “I just pick the classes each semester and my financial aid pays for them,” Sullivan said. “The education that I am getting is priceless to me so when I graduate I will worry about how much I have to pay.”

Filed under: Education, Utah's Economy | Leave a comment »

Swing through the economy: Baseball leagues grow in numbers

Posted on February 24, 2011 by comm5775

Story by JORDON CAHOON

Even with the economy struggling the past few years, Youth Baseball programs across the valley seem to not only be able to maintain their numbers, but in some cases grow.

The state of the economy in recent years is no secret to anyone. Companies have been cutting back. Those employees that are fortunate to keep their jobs are forced to do the same.

Jared Snell, Academy Sports‘ manager, said the economy really has not affected his store.

“In a down economy, parents are more willing to put their children in sports and buy the proper equipment, before buying an Xbox for the kids or something for themselves,” he said.

The number of participants in the Alta Canyon Babe Ruth League has increased from 2007 through 2010. There were 264 kids playing baseball at Alta Canyon in 2007, 312 in 2008, 328 in 2009 and 338 kids playing in 2010. Even though the league hasn’t had their sign-ups for the 2011 season yet, numbers are expected to be in the same ball park – if not slightly higher.

Todd Smith has been the president of the Alta Canyon Babe Ruth league for the past five years.

“I think the main reason we continue to grow through a down economy would be because by signing up for baseball, we are giving the kids something to do three to four days a week for four to five months, all for a fairly reasonable cost,” Smith said. “Between most teams practicing twice, having two and sometimes even three games a week, parents don’t have to worry about what their kids are doing.”

“Plus baseball is a sport that almost anyone can play, regardless of athletic ability,” Smith added.

Tony Wiseman has been involved with the Mount Olympus Pony Baseball League for nine years. He’s put his three boys through the league and is currently the league president. The Olympus Baseball has seen similar growth over the same time span. It has grown from 318 little sluggers in 2007, to 352 in 2008 and 364 children playing ball in both 2009 and 2010.

“It’s hard to say exactly, but we’re expecting to have close to 400 kids in 2011, hopefully more,” Wiseman said. “The biggest thing is just making sure the league runs smoothly and the kids are enjoying it. After that everything else finds a way to just take care of itself.”

Snell not only supplies the league with their equipment but coaches his sons team in the Alta Canyon league.

“The important thing to remember is that even though money is tight, to make sure that today’s youth still has every opportunity to take part in some type of activity,” Snell said. “Not only are sports a healthy way to pass the spare time, especially compared to playing the Xbox or Playstation, but by playing sports the kids build character and learn how to work together.”

Filed under: Sports & Recreation, Utah's Economy | Leave a comment »

Students weigh cost of living on-campus

Posted on February 24, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photos by SCOTT WISEMAN

When students consider housing options, their choices are impacted by variables such as location, amenities, activities and opportunities to increase social circles. Above all, students face the challenge of balancing cost with all of the other options.

Students sit and relax inside the lobby of the Heritage Center.

Current plans for the 2011-2012 academic year expect to see yet another increase in cost for on-campus-housing. The cost for a standard double room will increase $162 per academic year, while the premium four bedroom apartments will increase $23 per month, according to the Housing and Residential Education website.

While Housing and Residential Education is receiving less student housing contract cancellations than the previous year, student applications to live on-campus for the upcoming academic year are increasing, said Scott Jensen, assistant director of Housing and Residential Education.

Even though costs of living on-campus are scheduled to increase, construction for a new student housing building is starting near the Annex building. Tentatively scheduled to open in 2012, this building will contain more than 320 rooms designated for the living-learning program hosted by the Honors College, Jensen said.

Living on-campus may be more expensive, but the benefits that come with it outweigh the monetary costs, Jensen said. Some of the benefits included with living on-campus are easy access to a campus shuttle, prepared meals for students, a convenient location and the security of resident assistants and campus security.

First year students make up 56 percent of all of the students living on-campus, while 19 percent of the entire freshman class resides on-campus, Jensen said.

“The college experience is much more than just reading books,” Jensen said. “Living on-campus offers a unique sense of community— it offers access to all that the university has to offer.”

In reaction to the high price of living on the University of Utah campus, some students have chosen to leave the campus in search of cheaper rent.

“I felt as if living in the dormitories was far too expensive,” said Steven Gonsalves, a former resident of Gateway Heights and a sophomore attending the University of Utah. “I was able to find a room at my fraternity house for only a fraction of the cost of living on-campus.”

While Gonsalves said he did not need many of the additional services provided by living on-campus, he did recommend first year students live on-campus.

“I believe that a first-year student would benefit greatly from the services such as the campus shuttle, mailroom and the prepared food at the Heritage Center,” Gonsalves said. “As a sophomore, I was searching for different aspects of college life, so it was not worth the price for me.”

Jensen said the most frequent reason for student cancellation of housing contracts is financial issues. Students also often cancel contracts due to the required meal plan associated with living on-campus.

When a student determines whether or not they want to live on-campus, the financial commitment is a large factor in the decision, said Jensen.

By living on-campus, students have the opportunity to become part of a community of friends who are living in the same location.

“Freshmen should definitely live their first year on-campus,” said Shawn Pfeuffer, a sophomore currently living in Sage Point. “I lived my first year off-campus and I felt really disconnected from the university. Also, there are plenty of easily accessible resources on-campus to help you with your schoolwork if you live on-campus.”

Students who live on-campus are more likely to achieve more academic success. Students living on-campus see a higher grade point average, as well as a higher return rate to the university than those living off-campus, Jensen said.

Financial aid and scholarships have also been made available to students living on-campus that are determined to fall under the category of need-based aid. Some of the on-campus housing scholarships offered include the Larry H. Miller, athletic and several offered through the honors college.

As far as students paying a higher rate to live in the on-campus community, there are people who feel that the extra benefits received from living on-campus outweigh the price.

“If someone is from out of state and has no previous connections to anyone here, it is definitely worth the extra cost of living,” Pfeuffer said. “You can meet great people every day. It’s a very social environment with many opportunities to make friends.”

Filed under: Education, Utah's Economy | Leave a comment »

Utah musicians sacrifice equipment for survival

Posted on February 24, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photo by HELEN COX

The current recession has several local musicians struggling to sing the blues about the hardships of everyday life – specifically the economic ones.

After saving for almost a year, Alex Jorgenson is able to play music with his own equipment again.

Music, often used as an emotional outlet during hard times, has taken a backseat to financial priorities for many locals in Salt Lake City. They are disgruntled about selling their musical equipment in order to pay the bills and put food on the table. But they are doing what they must to make ends meet.

“I traded my harmonica for a sandwich last week,” local musician Kelsey Perkins said.

It is a matter of survival, but most musicians agree the sales are worth it to keep food in the cupboards and collection agents off their backs. Regardless of the circumstances, it is very difficult to find a local musician in Salt Lake City who can get by without a day job and is not feeling the effects of the down economy.

Liam Hesselbein, of rock and roll bands Calico and The 321s, sold his Rhodes electric piano in April 2010 to make a necessary mortgage payment while he was unemployed.

“I was hoping to hold on to that piano forever, and I could really use it in at least one of my bands at the moment – but ultimately my mortgage came first,” Hesselbein said. “I was lucky to at least be able to sell it for what it was worth.”

Others have not been so lucky. It only takes a quick look into a pawn shop or on eBay or Craigslist to discover there are musicians who are trying to sell their musical equipment for only a fraction of what it is worth.

Matt Dinsdale, upright bassist of the Ugly Valley Boys, sold a guitar, a bass and an amplifier in order to get through the past holiday season. He explains they were all things he did not want to part with, but let them go because he didn’t use them often.

“I figured it was better to keep the bills paid than to have the security of backup equipment, even after having my upright bass take a fall and literally break its neck,” said Dinsdale, who has also played with rockabilly and country groups such as the Sleazetones and Kate LeDeuce.

Heavy metal musician Alex Jorgenson, best known for his guitar and vocal work with the Obliterate Plague and Terra Noir, is another Utahn who has learned about financial priorities the hard way. After being laid off in May 2010, he began working temporary jobs. The difference in income made supporting his family more difficult and he had to pawn his guitar speakers.

“I’ve had to sell a lot of gear,” Jorgenson said. “For the last two years I’ve been a father, and putting food on the table and a roof over our heads is a priority. It’s not just about me anymore.”

Thanks to the aid of his friends and peers, he has been able to borrow equipment – allowing him to continue playing music through difficult times. Jorgenson has been saving money for new speakers since he sold his previous ones nine months ago. Two weeks ago he was able to buy new ones.

Jorgenson remains hopeful for local musicians and the nightlife in Salt Lake City. Despite financial hardships, he has found that many musicians are willing to share and unite for the greater cause of the music.

Eric Elde, guitarist of Iconoclast Contra and Gravecode Nebula, disagrees with musicians who are selling their equipment regardless of financial difficulty.

“How can you call yourself a musician, songwriter or a performer if the means to do so and the tools of the trade are not of the utmost importance to you?” Elde asked.

Elde, who has played in several prominent black metal bands, cringes at the thought of selling his gear. He has gone to great lengths to personalize his own equipment and keep it through rough times, including unemployment.

“If you want to borrow people’s gear and not put any hard work into being a musician or songwriter or whatever, bar none, your music is going to suffer and most likely suck as a result,” he said.

While most musicians agree it is important to try to hold on to necessary equipment at all costs, it may be a while before Utah locals will be capable of doing so without having to sacrifice more important things.

“Utah’s minimum wage isn’t great,” Jorgenson said. “It gets really hard sometimes and you have to do whatever you can to get by.”

Filed under: Arts, Entertainment, Culture, Utah's Economy | Leave a comment »

Utah women enroll in college despite economy

Posted on February 24, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photo by WHITNEY BUTTERS

Their stories appeared similar to those of many other Utah wives.

Heather Spurlock works with Chase Spencer on a group project during a communication research course. Spurlock returned to school after taking time off to raise her children and is studying interpersonal communication at the University of Utah.

In a state where women often marry and have children at a younger age compared to national averages, postponing a college education to raise their families seemed like the natural choice for Debi Gilmore, Heather Spurlock and Shelley Sorensen.

“What happens [in Utah] is you get married, and money is tight. The man is going to work first, so women think, ‘I will drop out of school and work and help him through,’ but the wife doesn’t get back,” Susan Madsen, associate professor at Utah Valley University and director of the Utah Women and Education Project (UWEP), explained.

And that’s where these women’s stories deviate from the norm: Gilmore, Spurlock and Sorensen made it back to school despite economic challenges.

According to the UWEP, a study designed to “understand and then motivate” women to go to college and graduate, the percentage of women in Utah seeking postsecondary education remained higher than the national average until 2001. In recent years, Utah has lagged behind. Nationally, more than 57 percent of those enrolled in college are women; in Utah, only 49 percent of postsecondary students are women. This difference puts Utah in last place among all other states.

Statistics show percentages of Utah women enrolled by age group hover close to national counterparts until about age 22. It is then that Utah’s percentage falls dramatically short.

While the UWEP found most women in the study who had dropped out of college believed they would return to obtain a degree “sometime in the future,” statistics show the majority of these women will never return.

Tuition costs are among the top reasons many women don’t return to school, especially when economic concerns cause more cautionary spending. But the cost doesn’t go unrewarded. Madsen stated many studies indicate college graduates not only have increased earning potential but they are also less likely to be laid off during economic downturn.

Gilmore, a graduate student studying marriage and family therapy at Brigham Young University, recognized the future monetary rewards of completing her degree.

“A woman with a degree becomes more marketable, and to me, every dollar spent on education is worth it and will eventually come back to bless me in the end,” she said.

She hopes the payback will become evident as she sets up a private practice to counsel families on how to deal with dysfunction in the home.

The thought of the end financial result convinced Spurlock, an interpersonal communication student at the University of Utah, to plunge into tuition costs.

“You can’t just think about now,” she said. “You have to think ahead to the long-term benefits.”

Despite the perception of benefits, the UWEP found many women don’t know how to approach the costs or know where to turn for economic and informational resources to help them return to school.

Several choose to pace their return to college with their ability to pay. Sorensen, a business management student at the Uintah Basin extension of Utah State University, takes a few online classes a semester.

“It’s too late in my life to go into debt for school,” she said. “That’s why I’m paying as I go. If down the road I have to slow up a little to do it, then I will.”

However, a wide variety of outside means are available to fund schooling. Some students such as Gilmore apply for scholarships through universities, while others, like Spurlock, apply for student loans.

The UWEP partnered with 2-1-1 Information and Referral to make information about such financial resources readily available to the public. The study provided databases so anyone can dial 2-1-1 for information or visit their website to access higher education resources and explore various alternatives.

While Gilmore, Spurlock and Sorensen pushed through the economic challenges and found ways to return to school, statistics show this is not usually the case. Madsen said going to college right after high school increases a woman’s likelihood of graduating.

Spurlock, however, believes taking the risk of possibly not completing her education was worth the opportunity to raise a family.

“I don’t regret being home at all,” she said. “Nothing else, money included, compared to that.”

Regardless of when it is obtained, Madsen believes education gives women long-lasting rewards.

“Sometimes we just need to do it, and education is one of those things that is just such a huge investment for the future,” she said, “whether the woman decides to work outside the home or not.”

Filed under: Education, Utah's Economy | Leave a comment »

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