Did you catch this depressing story about Pine Ridge Reservation? Are there any other kind of stories about the Reservations?
With a 10-year, $20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, officials in empowerment zones were supposed to use those dollars as seed money to leverage other government and private money to create jobs, build safe and affordable housing, improve education standards, address drug and alcohol abuse, and meet the basic needs of families.
There were successes, empowerment zone executive director David "Tally" Plume says. Money from the empowerment zone helped to pay for fire equipment on the reservation. It bought computers for youth programs, and software for schools. It helped to build a shelter for homeless veterans, a new jail, and the SuAnne Big Crow Boys and Girls Club.
Still, unemployment is 75 percent, the same as during Clinton's visit. Seven out of 10 students drop out of high school, as they have for years.
It's almost enough to make you think that throwing money at the problem won't help much. Perhaps there are some problems that are not of monetary nature.
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