Jennifer Ludden

3 weeks ago | wfae.org | Jennifer Ludden

The Food and Drug administration has approved the U.S.'s first at-home alternative to the Pap smear, a procedure generations of women have dreaded and often found painful. The new device by Teal Health will offer a "much preferred experience," the company said in its announcement, and also aims to increase screening rates by making the procedure more convenient. Traditionally, gynecologists have inserted a cold metal speculum deep into a woman's vagina to scrape cells from the cervix.

3 weeks ago | publicradioeast.org | Jennifer Ludden

Until last month, 25-year-old Theo Faucher was an AmeriCorps team leader. He and 10 others got a small stipend to build affordable homes in Virginia, remove hurricane debris in Florida, and repair park trails in West Virginia. That's where they were, in the middle of New River Gorge National Park, when Faucher's boss called with shocking news. "Essentially it was, pull your team off the work site, pack up your camp, hit the road tonight, if possible," he recalled.

1 month ago | mprnews.org | Jennifer Ludden

President Trump has repeatedly promised to "make America affordable again." But for those Americans most in need, his administration's latest budget plan would dramatically shrink the federal rental aid that helps keep millions of people housed. In its request for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the White House called the current system of federal rental assistance "dysfunctional" and proposed essentially ending Section 8 and other housing voucher programs.

1 month ago | opb.org | Jennifer Ludden

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development says its current staff use only half the available office space and that relocating will "reduce the burden on the American taxpayer."Mark Wilson / Getty ImagesThe U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is looking for a smaller, cheaper building for its headquarters. It’s part of a larger Trump administration push to shrink not only the number of federal employees, but also the office spaces where they work.

2 months ago | ctpublic.org | Jennifer Ludden

Fund the FactsYou just read trusted, local journalism that’s free for everyone, thanks to donors like you. If that matters to you, now is the time to give. Join the 50,000+ members powering honest reporting and a more connected — and civil! — Connecticut. SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities.