The Price of Poverty
What are the essentials of life? Food, water, and shelter. And to get those you have to have some kind of paying work or be enrolled in a government assistance program. But for the working poor (many of whom don’t qualify for government assistance) even the basics can be too expensive. They often cost more for working poor than for middle class people. We’ll explore this today (8/27) at noon on WBHM’s On The Line: The Price of Poverty.
Join the conversation by calling 1-800-444-9246 during the program or send your comments/questions to [email protected], WBHM 90.3 (Facebook), or @WBHM903 (Twitter). Use the hashtag #PovertyAL.

Dr. Mark LaGory is an urban sociologist and human ecologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His research focuses on the consequences of residential environments and social capital for individual and community well-being. He teaches courses on societal development and urbanization, sociological theory, religion, homelessness and urban sociology. LaGory is chairman of the UAB Department of Sociology and Social Work. He also is a senior research scientist with the UAB Center for Aging and a senior scientist with the UAB Center for the Study of Community Health. He has co-authored six books, including his latest, Unhealthy Cities: Race, Class and Place in America, which is due in September. LaGory earned his doctorate from the University of Cincinnati in 1975. He has been a member of the UAB faculty since 1980. He also serves as a member of the clergy staff at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

Trump cancels meeting with Democrats as prospects for shutdown increase
President Trump called off a planned Thursday meeting with top Hill Democrats to discuss a possible deal to avoid a shutdown. He called Democrats' demands "unserious." Democrats say he chickened out.
After fireworks caused her dog to panic, a stranger offered them a ride home
Lara Friedman was walking her large rottweiler on July 4 when fireworks went off. Her dog went into panic mode. Then a stranger offered to help, ensuring both got home safely.
Devices seized near U.N. meeting could have shut down cellphone networks
The Secret Service said it found over 300 SIM servers, 100,000 SIM cards and other illicit materials in multiple sites surrounding New York City ahead of the U.N. General Assembly.
Americans are crazy for shrimp. Much of it came from India — until now
India's shrimp exports to the U.S. were once a success story. Now the industry faces ruin amid President Trump's 50% tariff on imports from the country.
Trump administration fires more immigration judges
Nearly 20 immigration judges received emails this month informing them that they are being let go, NPR has learned, the largest single month of firings since the process began in February.
Son of woman murdered by man now on death row asks Alabama to stop his execution
Will Berry was 11 when his mother was murdered. Geoffrey West was 21 when he pulled the trigger. Berry and West exchanged letters ahead of West’s scheduled execution by nitrogen gas Thursday in Alabama. West expressed his remorse, and Berry offered forgiveness.