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Urban Poverty: A Family Portrait

Life is hard for the families who live in Sandtown-Winchester, one of Baltimore's toughest neighborhoods. In the new issue of Region Focus, Charles Gerena provides a firsthand account of the daily life of one of those families. The cover story focuses less on public policy and more on street-level conditions, with the hope that this approach provides a broader understanding of the problems facing the urban poor.

Also in this issue:

-- Film at 11: Yes, the local TV news business faces some big challenges. But a look at WRAL-TV in Raleigh reveals how some stations are making local news pay off. http://www.richmondfed.org/publications/economic_research/region_focus/winter_2006/pdf/feature1.pdf

-- The Sheepskin Dividend: Even with rising tuitions, a college education remains a good deal. http://www.richmondfed.org/publications/economic_research/region_focus/winter_2006/pdf/feature3.pdf

-- Identity Theft: Greater credit options have increased consumers' financial flexibility -- and the ability of criminals to steal information. How worried should we be? http://www.richmondfed.org/publications/economic_research/region_focus/winter_2006/pdf/feature5.pdf

-- Base Closures in the Fifth District: A special report and map of the affected bases. http://www.richmondfed.org/publications/economic_research/region_focus/winter_2006/pdf/special_section.pdf

-- America's Growing Current Account Deficit: A look at the latest research. http://www.richmondfed.org/publications/economic_research/region_focus/winter_2006/pdf/research_spotlight.pdf

-- Interview: Tyler Cowen of George Mason University on the economics of popular culture and the arts. http://www.richmondfed.org/publications/economic_research/region_focus/winter_2006/pdf/interview.pdf

Region Focus, a quarterly business magazine published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, covers the economy and business activities of the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and most of West Virginia.

For free copies of Region Focus, contact the Bank's Public Affairs Department at 804.697.8109. The articles are available online at http://www.richmondfed.org/publications

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