An application for assistance from the Michigan DHS (Dec. 23, 2009) 

Got a question for DHS? Let's hear it

More people than ever are depending on food stamps to feed their families, and the system that is supposed to help can barely keep up.

    In this Dec. 24, 2009 file photo, an unidentified person braves the weather as he does some last minute shopping, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik) 

    Personal incomes, consumer spending up

    Personal incomes rose more than expected in December and consumer spending increased for the third straight month, helping the economy slowly recover from the worst recession in decades.

      In this Jan. 23, 2010 file photo, job applicants fill out forms at a job fair in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File) 

      Job openings plunged by 1/4 last year

      Finding a job got much tougher last year, as the number of available openings fell by nearly one quarter.

        The Dow Jones industrial average closed below 10,000 for the first time in three months Monday, Feb. 8, 2010, on nagging concerns about debt loads in Europe. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) 

        Dow closes below 10,000

        The Dow Jones industrial average closed below 10,000 for the first time in three months Monday on nagging concerns about debt loads in Europe.

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