Daily Digest – February 13: Campus Network Award Has Local Benefits

Cornell Roosevelt Institute to Benefit From Grant (Cornell Daily Sun)

Stephanie Yan reports on how the Roosevelt Institute | Campus Network’s MacArthur Award will impact the Cornell chapter, which will benefit from new national training programs.

Philadelphia Joins the Growing Ranks of Cities Requiring Paid Sick Days (ThinkProgress)

Bryce Covert reports on Philadelphia’s new paid sick leave law, which makes it the 17th U.S. city with such a law. Paid sick leave is expected to save businesses money due to reduced turnover.

These Motel Rooms Are the Last Resort for Families Without Homes (The Nation)

Leighton Akio Woodhouse profiles two families who are living in motels long-term because they cannot afford the upfront costs of an apartment, accompanied by photos by Elizabeth Lloyd Fladung.

At My Oil Refinery, My Life is Worth the Price of a Pie (The Guardian)

Butch Cleve, an oil refinery worker, explains why 5,000 oil and chemical workers have gone on strike for safer labor conditions. He shares stories of terrible – and preventable – accidents.

GOP Governors Want Higher Education Cuts to Recoup Budget Shortfalls (MSNBC)

Suzy Khimm points out four Republican governors whose states are still experiencing budget shortfalls, at least in part due to recent tax cuts, and are cutting education funding to close to the gap.

Jails Have Become Warehouses for the Poor, Ill and Addicted, a Report Says (NYT)

Timothy Williams reports on a new study from the Vera Institute of Justice, which shows how local jails imprison people for extended periods when they are unable to pay their relatively minor fines.

Obama Blasts Staples, and Reveals Larger Partisan Divide Over Workplace (WaPo)

Paul Waldman analyzes the president’s statements about Staples limiting part-time workers’ hours, noting that Democrats don’t just aim to create jobs, but also try to improve workplaces.