Southern states recruiting businesses

Wall Street Journal: Southern states lure businesses during downturn

Georgia attracted NCR from Dayton, Ohio with more than $100 million in tax and training incentives, and connected the company with six research universities willing to license new technologies and train workers. In the last three months, Tennessee has announced three projects, each valued at more than $1 billion, with units of Wacker Chemie AG, Volkswagen AG and Hemlock Semiconductor Group. And, North Carolina lured a new Apple data warehouse ti uts state, complete with a package of incentives.

Historically, the Southeast has been attractive to companies due to tax breaks, non-union work forces and, more and more, ports, railroads and highway systems for distribution. But now, Southern states are attempting to leverage the downturn to promote the region as more attractive during hard times -- especially compared to the Rust Belt and other regions where the economy is suffering most.

The current flow of companies southward signals a "new form of the migration of the manufacturing from the Midwest," said Ross DeVol, director of regional economics at the Milken Institute, an economic think tank.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State GOP gets big boost from Sanford's upset win in special election

ARKANSAS: Officials work to beef up courthouse security

FLORIDA: Statewide petition drive targets redistricting process

GEORGIA: Sen. Chambliss votes against tobacco regulation by FDA

KENTUCKY: EPA keeps 44 potentially hazardous coal ash storage pond locations secret due to security concerns

LOUISIANA: Legislators to discuss cigarette taxes, unemployment benefits today

MISSISSIPPI: Gov. Barbour may be considering 2012 presidential run

NORTH CAROLINA: A look at where federal stimulus money will go

SOUTH CAROLINA: Override of payday lending rules possible

TENNESSEE: Green projects to get boost from stimulus funds

VIRGINIA: State's technology chief fired by oversight panel

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