“Poverty is a thief,” said Michael Reisch, a professor of social justice at the University of Maryland, testifying before a Senate panel on the issue. “Poverty not only diminishes a person’s life chances, it steals years from one’s life.” –from The New York Times Statewide life expectancy at birth is 78.2 years. Swain County has the lowest life expectancy (72.2) while Watauga has the highest (81.5), with Wake and Chatham close behind (81.3 years). On…

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