Morris County government offices are open for business today so that the needy can apply for food stamps and travelers can apply for passports.

With the economy still limping along, two measures of the misery, food stamps and unemployment insurance , are making the rounds in the news. In Arizona, the story on both fronts is similar to the national one but remains sobering.

In our recent special report, Out of Reach , we described the gaps in San Diego County’s social welfare programs. Since then, we’ve been checking in with Christine Hyatt, a 27-year-old mom, as her family has kept trying to apply for food stamps.

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SAN DIEGO — San Diego County today introduced “Thrive San Diego,” a program to sign up more people for food stamps. Last year San Diego ranked last, in a study of America’s 24 largest metro areas, in getting eligible people signed up for food stamps.

Cities are now encouraging the needy to seek aid and food stamps if necessary; a sharp contrast to the reluctance felt just a decade ago.

Here’s an easy one. Fight hunger and boost the economy at the same time. We’re not talking about some loaves-and-fishes miracle. All Congress has to do is make permanent the temporary expansion of the food-stamp program included in the stimulus package last spring.

People receiving food stamps aren’t monitored by the state and can buy whatever kinds of food they want. But 24 Hour News 8 has received complaints from others who say the state should monitor the process.