Check those sources

An article Wednesday and an editorial Thursday on Milwaukee's rising poverty rate included quotes and a picture of Johnniemae Ashford, a woman trying to raise five grandchildren while earning $187 every two weeks as a patient care worker. The newspaper was not aware that Ashford was convicted last year in federal court for receiving more than $15,000 in illegal Supplemental Security Income payments. While the newspaper routinely checks whether potential story subjects have state criminal records, the paper does not typically check for much rarer federal convictions. Contacted Thursday, Ashford said she was not ashamed of her conviction: "I needed the money." Link