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USDA bans school lunch fees for low-income families starting 2027 [Video]

The new Agriculture Department’s policy becomes effective starting in the 2027-2028 school year.

NEW YORK — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that students eligible for free or reduced price school meals cannot be charged processing fees beginning in 2027.

School districts currently work with processing companies to offer cashless payment systems for families. But the companies can charge “processing fees” for each transaction. By law, students who are eligible for reduced price meals cannot be charged more than 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch. With processing fees, however, families can end up paying 10 times that amount. Processing companies charge as much as $3.25 or 4% to 5% per transaction, according to a recent report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

For families with lower incomes who can’t afford to load large sums in one go, processing fees can arrive weekly or even more frequently, increasing costs disproportionately. Families that qualify …

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Charlotte airport workers strike ahead of Thanksgiving [Video]
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Charlotte airport workers strike ahead of Thanksgiving [Video]

Workers who clean airplanes, remove trash and help with wheelchairs at Charlotte's airport went on strike Monday during a busy week of Thanksgiving travel to demand higher wages.The Service Employees International Union announced the strike in a statement early Monday, saying the workers would demand an end to poverty wages and respect on the job during the holiday travel season. Union spokesperson Shwetha Ganesh said in a statement Friday that the strike would last 24 hours. Representatives didnt immediately answer questions Monday about whether the timeframe had changed.Employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services cast ballots Friday to authorize the work stoppage at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the ninth busiest in the U.S. The two companies contract with American Airlines to provide services including cleaning airplane interiors, removing trash and escorting passengers in wheelchairs.Click the video player above to watch the latest headlines from WXII 12 News.Workers say they previously complained that they can't afford basic necessities, including food, housing or car repairs. They described living paycheck to paycheck while performing jobs that keep planes running on schedule. Most of them earn between $12.50 and $19 an hour, union officials said.Were on strike today because this is our last resort. We cant keep living like this, ABM cabin cleaner Priscilla Hoyle said in a statement. Were taking action because our families cant survive.Several hundred workers were participating in the work stoppage.Charlotte Douglas International Airport officials have said this holiday travel season is expected to be the busiest on record, with an estimated 1.02 million passengers departing the airport between last Thursday and the Monday after Thanksgiving.Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.In addition to walking off the job, striking workers plan to hold a late-morning rally and a Strikesgiving lunch in place of the Thanksgiving meal that many of the workers wont be able to afford later this week, union officials said.Airport service workers make holiday travel possible by keeping airports safe, clean, and running, the union said.ABM said it would take steps to minimize disruptions from any demonstrations.At ABM, we appreciate the hard work our team members put in every day to support our clients and help keep spaces clean and people healthy, the company said in a statement last week.Prospect Airport Services said last week that the company recognizes the seriousness of the potential for a strike during the busy holiday travel season.