FEMA loans may be forgiven

FEMA loan forgiveness possible for Louisiana, Mississippi

Changes to regulations are being proposed to allow FEMA to forgive up to $1.2 billion in community disaster loans granted to poor communities and agencies in Louisiana and Mississippi following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Local officials have long hoped that they would not have to repay all or most of these loans. Monday's announcement is evidence that the bureaucratic wheels are in motion to make a change that will let them remove huge debts that have cast a long shadow on their financial audits and bond ratings.

"It's a tremendous first step in getting those loans forgiven; currently that debt sits on our books, " said Reginald Zeno, chief financial officer for the city of New Orleans.

"Better late than never, " said Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville. "This says to me that this administration is quite serious about recovery and this is another example of getting stuff done that's been two years in the making."

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Pending bill would make access to government documents easier

ARKANSAS: $10 million tax cut for manufacturers signed by Gov. Beebe

FLORIDA: Tobacco tax plan unveiled by Senate leaders

GEORGIA: Drought over for Northeast Georgia

KENTUCKY: Both state and federal taxes on tobacco products to go up Wednesday

NORTH CAROLINA: Report says mental health basics need revision

SOUTH CAROLINA: Gov. Sanford offers deal on stimulus

TENNESSEE: Bootleg CDs protected by proposed bill

VIRGINIA: GOP chairman hires lawyers to fight ouster

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Carbon credits in Kentucky

KENTUCKY: Forest owners get go-ahead on selling carbon credits

No money has changed hands yet over the carbon credits program, mostly because the program is voluntary and the recession has lowered the amount of money that companies are willing to spend. But legislation is looming that could limit CO2 emissions and push up prices.

In Kentucky, nearly half the land is forested -- but 89% of the forests are owned by private landowners. Berea-based Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED) is lining up people with forest land and walking them through the steps needed to sell carbon credits.

The process of getting landowners certified so their credits can be traded takes time. There has to be a plan to manage the forest, and an inventory of what is there. The plan can be done by the state Division of Forestry at no charge, but a consulting forester charges for the inventory.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: "Turning the Black Belt Green" meeting held

ARKANSAS: Tax-cut approved for low-income single parents

FLORIDA: House and Senate continue to squabble over budget

GEORGIA: Possible cuts to Medicaid could harm medical practices

LOUISIANA: Largest film studio east of the Mississippi set for abandoned Elmwood warehouse

MISSISSIPPI: State sees increase in graduation rate

NORTH CAROLINA: "Energy smart" projects could be boosted by stimulus funds

SOUTH CAROLINA: State could lose $700 million

TENNESSEE: Boys smell

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine vetoes death penalty, gun bills

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Strong storms to hit the South

MISSISSIPPI: State braces for second round of storms

Five confirmed tornadoes struck Mississippi early Thursday, injuring at least 29 people. A potent spring storm system is taking shape over the South, which will lead to very active and dangerous weather, as we head into the weekend.

Some cities which could be impacted include Shreveport and New Orleans, La., Little Rock, Ark., Jackson, Miss., and Memphis, Tenn. On Saturday, severe thunderstorms will track across much of the Tennessee Valley and Southeastern States; potentially impacting cities like Nashville and Knoxville, Tenn., Huntsville and Montgomery, Ala., Atlanta and Savannah, Ga., Columbia, S.C., and Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C.

Stay safe.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Filibusters shut down House, Senate

ARKANSAS: House votes in favor of eminent domain for cities and counties

FLORIDA: Rift between House and Senate over budget widens

GEORGIA: "Green" design planned for new Center for Civil and Human Rights

KENTUCKY: Lawmakers wrap up 2009 General Assembly session

LOUISIANA: State gained 9,600 jobs in February

NORTH CAROLINA: Stimulus funds to be used to cut N.C. energy use

SOUTH CAROLINA: House considers cigarette tax increase

TENNESSEE: Saggy pants bill considered in legislature

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine wants expanded unemployment benefits

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John Hope Franklin, 1915-2009

New York Times: John Hope Franklin dead at 94

John Hope Franklin, considered the greatest historian of black America, was a scholar of African-American history who deeply influenced thinking about slavery and Reconstruction while helping to further the civil rights struggle.

“I will always think of John Hope as the historian of the South who grasped the complexity of Southern public life as shaped by the horror of personal slavery,” said Nell Irvin Painter, the Princeton University historian. “Franklin was the first great American historian to reckon the price owed in violence, autocracy and militarism.”

His pivotal book, “From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African-Americans,” first published in 1947, is considered one of the definitive historical surveys of the American black experience.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Nonpartisan judicial elections bill defeated

ARKANSAS: Senate again rejects bill that would allow guns in churches

FLORIDA: Program launched by state to encourage in-state shopping

GEORGIA: Senate approves extra fine for 'super speeders'

KENTUCKY: New law passed on payday lending

LOUISIANA: A look at Gov. Jindal and the Louisiana Mega-Project Fund

MISSISSIPPI: House and Senate fail to agree on tobacco tax hike before deadline

NORTH CAROLINA: State tops the nation in losing health coverage

SOUTH CAROLINA: Appeal over nuclear reactors denied by South Carolina regulators

TENNESSEE: House panel approves guns in local parks

VIRGINIA: State may drop Real ID program due to privacy concerns

In Opinion: Tennessee: Bill could stack deck for future elections
"Last November's election galvanized and energized millions of new voters nationwide. Tennessee joined the bandwagon of civic awareness with a record turnout at the polls. That has not deterred some individuals, however, from trying to make it harder to cast a vote."

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S.C. considers higher cigarette tax

SOUTH CAROLINA: Cigarette tax bill moves forward in legislature

A bill that would raise the state's lowest-in-the-nation cigarette tax to 50 cents is advancing through the legislature, but some - including convenience store owners - believe the added tax will only worsen the state's economic situation.

The bill, by House Speaker Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, calls for using $139 million generated from the tax to create a new health insurance program that would cover as much as $3,000 of the cost of a health insurance policy for the state's low income workers and the small businesses employing them. However, critics say smokers will buy cigarettes over the Internet or from neighboring states with lower taxes.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Gov. Riley criticized for rejecting part of stimulus funds

ARKANSAS: House to consider repeal of warehouse tax

FLORIDA: Tougher auto emissions bill not likely to pass

GEORGIA: Seat belt bill on pick-up trucks blocked by House panel

KENTUCKY: EPA to crack down on mountaintop removal coal mining

LOUISIANA: Gov. Jindal lobs criticism at Obama during GOP fundraiser

MISSISSIPPI: Feds say petroleum reserve site is safe for environment

NORTH CAROLINA: House panel approves ban on smoking in public

TENNESSEE: Full Senate to consider wine shipment bill

VIRGINIA: Study on uranium mining in the state approved

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More workers go without insurance

More workers go without insurance

A study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows that nearly 9 million more Americans are uninsured now as compared with 1994, and six million more working people in the U.S. are uninsured. The report, "At the Brink: Trends in America's Uninsured." gives a state-by-state analysis of the situation.

Expect news stories specific to each state soon.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Electronic bingo legislation upsets charities

ARKANSAS: Senate committee stops immigrant tuition bill

FLORIDA: Universities may be allowed to raise tuition by up to 15%

GEORGIA: Senate approves bill to reorganize mental health agencies

KENTUCKY: Knott mine shut down by regulators over non-payment of safety fines

LOUISIANA: Legislators want to overhaul all local school boards

MISSISSIPPI: Deadline nears, but no agreement on tobacco tax as of yet

NORTH CAROLINA: Minorities have harder time in recession, says study

SOUTH CAROLINA: Gov. Sanford to pursue energy stimulus funds

TENNESSEE: Gov. Bredesen plans to shrink state budget 12% in three years

VIRGINIA: Gubernatorial candidates to appear together April 3

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Tobacco taxes eyed by states

States consider tobacco tax to balance budgets

Budget shortfalls are pushing more than 20 states to look to tobacco for revenue, even those that have been reluctant to touch cigarette taxes.

In the South, where tobacco taxes have been lower than in the rest of the country, Arkansas has nearly doubled its tax, to $1.15 a pack, and Kentucky’s will double, to 60 cents, on April 1. The rise in price has changed buying habits in Arkansas, where smokers are more likely to buy packs rather than cartons these days.

Increases are also under consideration in other tobacco-growing states like North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. With estimated state budget shortfalls nearing $50 billion, opponents of smoking see an opportunity to make headway with the most reluctant lawmakers.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State refuses to pay dues to high-speed rail commission

ARKANSAS: Senior citizens in Arkansas worried about health bill

FLORIDA: House approves bill that would ease wetlands development

GEORGIA: State gives eminent domain power to pipeline company

KENTUCKY: Western part of state now prime "super cell" tornado zone

LOUISIANA: Racial disparities persist in Louisiana, says new report

MISSISSIPPI: Legislator seeks to add wind-policy to federal flood insurance program

NORTH CAROLINA: Sen. Burr has received campaign fu nding from tobacco companies

SOUTH CAROLINA: State pension plan loses $10 billion

TENNESSEE: Study finds more mentally ill people living in Tenn. nursing homes

VIRGINIA: Full extent of lobbyist-lawmaker interactions unclear in reports

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Toxic emissions down in 2007

New York Times: EPA says toxic emissions fell in 2007

Between 2006 and 2007, the volume of toxic chemicals that were released in the air or sent for disposal dropped 5%.

The material released or disposed of in 2007 came to almost 4.1 billion pounds. More than 20 billion pounds, about five times as much material, was recycled, treated to render it nontoxic or burned for energy, the agency said.

The report is available online at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's website.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Senate to consider teen driving legislation that House has approved

ARKANSAS: Gov. Beebe to consider tax cut legislation

FLORIDA: State Supreme Court upholds lobbyist gift ban

GEORGIA: Gov. Perdue says Obama election proves Georgia doesn't need Voting Rights scrutiny

KENTUCKY: State ranks 15th in nation for toxic pollution

LOUISIANA: State may accept previously-rejected stimulus funds

MISSISSIPPI: Next higher education commissioner to face tough goals

NORTH CAROLINA: State drought panel to discuss projected rainfall, dry conditions

SOUTH CAROLINA: Senate panel votes yes on "megadumps" moratorium

TENNESSEE: House approves bill on loaded guns, pistols in vehicles

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine approves revised special-education regulations

If you have a news story about public policy to suggest, send an email to: info@bettersouth.org

Birth rates high in 2007

New York Times: Highest level of births in U.S. occurred in 2007

The National Center for Health Statistics has released its report on birth rates, and the number is high -- 4,317,000 births, slightly higher than the previous record in the 'baby boom' year of 1957.

There were also a record number of births in 2007 to unmarried women, and, for the second year in a row, an increase in births to teenagers. In Georgia, the teen birth rate reflected this trend, as it was up for the second year in a row. In nine states, mostly in the South and Southwest, 25% or more are projected to have a child before age 20.

Because teenage births carry higher risks of medical problems and poverty for mother and child, state health agencies, schools and private groups have mounted educational campaigns to deter teenage pregnancy.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Tax amnesty program generates a lot of calls

ARKANSAS: House votes 99-0 to create state-run lottery and scholarship program

FLORIDA: Thousands rally to protest cuts in state school funding

GEORGIA: House budget writers vote to restore Medicaid funding

KENTUCKY: New records policy under development by chief justice

LOUISIANA: Population of New Orleans tops 300,000 for first time since Katrina

MISSISSIPPI: Jackson mayor barred from re-election

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Perdue's budget cuts mental health funding

SOUTH CAROLINA: Last-minute cuts made as state revenue comes up short

TENNESSEE: 100 most powerful people in Tennessee named

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine testifies for federal recognition of six Virginia Indian tribes

If you have a news story about public policy to suggest, send an email to: info@bettersouth.org

EarthCraft House hits decade mark

GEORGIA: EarthCraft House's first home reaches decade mark

In 10 years, EarthCraft House, a green-building program of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association and Southface Energy Institute, has spread to six Southeast states. More than 5,200 EarthCraft homes have been built; 43 percent of them are in metro Atlanta.

The program was started after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contacted the National Association of Home Builders about creating standards for energy-efficient construction. The Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, the nation’s largest home-building group at the time, won the job of creating a green-building template.

In metro Atlanta, 128 active builders have been trained on EarthCraft standards, the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association says, about 12 percent of the association’s builder members.

The air-tight homes offer an important advantage in busy Atlanta -- quiet interiors.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State Rep. Craig Ford (D-Gadsden) to write legislation for tuition program

ARKANSAS: Legislator says she'll try again to push bill allowing guns in churches

FLORIDA: Bill would ban cities, counties from charging fees in crashes

KENTUCKY: Creation Museum's newest exhibit suggests Darwin was right

LOUISIANA: Newt Gingrich visits Tulane, attacks federal bailout plan

MISSISSIPPI: Gov. Barbour signs incentive bills for casinos

NORTH CAROLINA: Some legislators want e-mails, letters kept private

SOUTH CAROLINA: Push to ban mega-landfills gains momentum in legislature

TENNESSEE: Report touts energy conservation among 13 Appalachian states

VIRGINIA: GOP chairman fights ousters with point-by-point rebuttal

If you have a news story about public policy to suggest, send an email to: info@bettersouth.org

Critics upset over turtle harvesting

KENTUCKY: Critics say commercial harvesters are taking too many turtles

The Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity, joined by Kentucky Heartwood and two dozen other groups, has asked eight Southern and Midwestern states to end "unsustainable commercial harvests."

Demand for turtle meat by China has meant a rise in capturing fresh-water turtles in the U.S.

"Turtles are an important part of aquatic ecosystems, and this unsustainable trade needs to be stopped," said Jeff Miller, a conservation advocate with the diversity center.

The other states said to have inadequate turtle protection laws are Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Sen. Shelby criticizes AIG bonuses

ARKANSAS: House approves grocery tax cut of one-cent

FLORIDA: State workers may face 5% pay cut

GEORGIA: State law puts non-offenders on Georgia's sex offender registry

LOUISIANA: Gov. Jindal plans several out-of-state fundraisers for re-election campaign

MISSISSIPPI: State may pay for workers' obesity surgery

NORTH CAROLINA: Woolly adelgid taking a toll on state's hemlock trees

SOUTH CAROLINA: Gov. Sanford's stimulus plan rejected by Obama administration

TENNESSEE: Rural lawmakers band together to increase economic clout

VIRGINIA: Gubernatorial candidate announces plan to reform Virginia government

If you have a news story about public policy to suggest, send an email to: info@bettersouth.org

Can cities create own weather?

Wall Street Journal: Urban areas can create own weather patterns

The tornado that ripped through downtown Atlanta a year ago was created by the city itself, say rsearchers from Purdue University and the University of Georgia. The study suggests that 'pockets of rain during a drought interacted with dry air masses, heightening the initial thunderstorm that spawned the tornado.' Plus, the heat retaining surfaces of the city -- asphalt, glass and metal of the buildings and streets, probably intensified the storm.

"Urban regions create their own weather," said Dev Niyogi, a climatology professor at Purdue University in Indiana and the lead author of the study, which was funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. "As we are becoming bigger and bigger in terms of our urban footprint, there's a distinct probability we are going to see cities have their own weather patterns."

The study suggests that more severe storms could become more common in drought conditions. However, some scientists are skeptical of the claim that urban development increases the frequency of tornadoes.

It's an interesting idea.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State officials consider trade with Cuba

ARKANSAS: 'Tweeting' juror at civil trial is reason for new trial, says lawyer

FLORIDA: "Shell bills" infuriate Sunshine Law supporters

GEORGIA: 27 counties don't meet new air quality standards

KENTUCKY: State pensions threatened by shortfall

LOUISIANA: Legislature may fight Gov. Jindal's rejection of stimulus funds

MISSISSIPPI: Plan for second nuclear reactor suspended by Entergy

NORTH CAROLINA: Big cuts likely in Gov. Perdue's budget

SOUTH CAROLINA: Hanahan brig could become new home for Guantanamo detainees

TENNESSEE: State wine law likely to fail this session

VIRGINIA: Lawmakers see transparency as good politics

If you have a news story about public policy to suggest, send an email to: info@bettersouth.org

Cheap hybrids on the way

Hybrids under $20,000 soon to come

Both Honda and Toyota have announced new hybrid vehicles around $20,000, about 20% to 30% cheaper than the current Prius. These hybrids should be available by 2011.

The Honda Insight, which gets fewer miles per gallon than the Prius, will be promoted as the "Hybrid for Everyone."

How will the Big Three respond? Only time will tell.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Shortfall in college tuition plan angers participants

ARKANSAS: Full House to review penny cut in grocery tax

FLORIDA: Senate to look at sales-tax exemptions

GEORGIA: Metro governments form co-op to buy gas

KENTUCKY: Group ranks state as 11th on "Filthy 15" states for coal ash

LOUISIANA: Gov. Jindal to put together panel on streamlining government

MISSISSIPPI: Counties could lose bridge repair funding if they don't start spending

NORTH CAROLINA: Budget woes lead state to delay hiring, purchases

SOUTH CAROLINA: $109 million to be used on energy-related projects

TENNESSEE: Gun thumbprint rule voted out by House

VIRGINIA: GOP chairman denies ten charges put forth by ousters

If you have a news story about public policy to suggest, send an email to: info@bettersouth.org

Job loss in South Carolina

SOUTH CAROLINA: Jobs leaving South Carolina at a fast rate

State economists are concerned about jobs in South Carolina, as the state has the fastest growing unemployment rate in the nation. Don Schunk, a research economist at Coastal Carolina University, said, "The speed with which things have deteriorated is unprecedented."

Economists don’t see a silver lining. As more people worry about job losses, they reduce spending. That leads to a decline in business, which causes more job cuts.

“There’s nothing in the short term that shows things are going to slow down,” Schunk said.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State employee furloughs approved by Personnel Board

ARKANSAS: House committee kills bills on third-party and independent candidates

FLORIDA: State Senators want to post government spending on Website

GEORGIA: Long 'crossover day' expected in legislature today

KENTUCKY: House wants to dump Commonwealth Accountability Testing System

LOUISIANA: PETA wants Gov. Jindal to create "Chicken Empathy Museum"

MISSISSIPPI: Governor to consider red light camera ban, limit on eminent domain

NORTH CAROLINA: Unemployment hits 9.7% in state

TENNESSEE: Stimulus funds to help fight crime in state

VIRGINIA: More legislators join in drive to oust state GOP chairman

Opinion:
Gail Kerr: Where's the common sense from Tennessee legislators?
"Welcome to Tennessee, where it's debatable whether driving while looking down is a bad idea, but bringing a commemorative bottle of wine home from vacation is a crime against the state."

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Recall to hit Southeast hard

Recall could have $1 billion impact on rural peanut producers

Don Koehler, the head of the Georgia Peanut Commission, will speak to the U.S. House Committee on Small Business today. Koehler plans to say that the recalls, prompted by a salmonella outbreak tied to peanut butter, have severely hurt the nation's peanut producers, weakening pricing and limiting their ability to sell their products. He was also speaking on behalf of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, which represents peanut farmers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi, who make up about three-fourths of the nation's peanut production.

"Farmers, as small businesses, have felt the real economic impact of this recall," he said. "Because farmers do business with other small businesses who supply them their inputs, the ripple will not likely stop at the farmer."

683 people in 46 states have been sickened by the salmonella outbreak according to the CDC.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Bill generates quarrel about Alabama Ethics Commission

ARKANSAS: Rice tax bill fails after hours of debate

FLORIDA: Oil and gas drilling tax break approved by Senate panel

GEORGIA: New GreenTech Manufacturing plant in Douglas to use 95% recycled materials to make products

KENTUCKY: Legislative panel deadlocks on abortion bill, meaning no chance this year

LOUISIANA: January job figures to be released today

MISSISSIPPI: House passes bill to ban some teens from texting while driving

NORTH CAROLINA: Attorney General gets list of 2,100 sex offenders from MySpace

SOUTH CAROLINA: State's mental health grade drops from B to D

TENNESSEE: Farmers note decrease of acreage in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia

VIRGINIA: State considers closing 25 of 41 rest stops in the state as budget saver

If you have a news story about public policy to suggest, send an email to: info@bettersouth.org

Supreme Court ruling could impact elections in the South

NORTH CAROLINA: Black candidates could be held back by Supreme Court ruling

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Monday on a North Carolina case decreed that at least 50% of a district's population must be minorities to be protected by the federal Voting Rights Act.

This ruling could make it harder for some minorities in the South and Southwest to win elections after district lines are redrawn following the 2010 census.

In a 5-4 decision, the court shot down a redistricting plan that split up rural Pender County to increase the number of African-American voters to 39 percent in House District 18, and thereby increased the likelihood of electing a black lawmaker.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Supporters, foes of gambling bill prepare for big fight

ARKANSAS: Senate repeals legislation on taxing mini-warehouses and self-storage services

FLORIDA: Survey shows residents would support laws to reduce car emissions

GEORGIA: Atlanta Gas Light to fund experimental program for businesses

KENTUCKY: State's economic incentives programs may be tightened

LOUISIANA: Child homelessness is highest in Louisiana, says report

MISSISSIPPI: Conditions are favorable for wildfires in the state

SOUTH CAROLINA: Stem cell debate reignited with proposed reversal of policy

TENNESSEE: Coal ash oversight is imminent, says EPA

VIRGINIA: Restaurant smoking bill signed into law by Gov. Kaine

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Southeast suffering the most during recession

Manufacturing recession in the South

A look at an interactive map that tracks unemployment rates by county; it shows how badly the South is doing economically right now.

Other panels of the map allow you to see the change in the rate over the past year, as well as focus on those counties that are manufacturing-heavy.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Gambling bill opponents prepare for a legislative fight

ARKANSAS: House approves statewide trauma system framework

FLORIDA: Governor Crist touts health care plan for uninsured

GEORGIA: Bill would allow mobile homes in residential subdivisions

KENTUCKY: Outstanding bills include those on economic growth, testing, roads

LOUISIANA: Two large forest fires burn up more than 1,000 acres

MISSISSIPPI: Catfish farmers find more algae than fish

NORTH CAROLINA: Entrepreneurs hope to gain energy from sun, wind, water and organic wasates

SOUTH CAROLINA: Oy sters threatened by pollution

TENNESSEE: Hispanic educators in Nashville create new association

VIRGINIA: McAuliffe goes after out-of-state contributions for gubernatorial campaign

If you have a news story about public policy to suggest, send an email to: info@bettersouth.org

U.S. sees increase in unemployment rate

NPR: Unemployment rate up across the U.S.

In February, 651,000 people were cut from already lean payrolls, putting the unemployment rate at 8.1%, a worse number than expected. The rate is the highest since 1983.

In South Carolina, the unemployment trust fund may need to borrow nearly $300 million more to pay benefits to the state's jobless. In Dalton, Ga., unemployment has hit 12%, the highest rate of the 14 metro areas in the state.

Nariman Behravesh, chief economist of Global Insight, told NPR that "it still looks like the jobs market is in something of a free fall. None of these numbers provide any room for optimism or hope yet."

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Gov. Riley addresses record crowd of college students on education budget

ARKANSAS: Stimulus funding could help state's schools 'go green'

FLORIDA: Schools could close as property tax revenue falls

GEORGIA: House sponsor of Sunday alcohol sales bill withdraws legislation

KENTUCKY: Mine safety inspection bill stalls in Senate

LOUISIANA: Gov. Jindal admits he's no match for Obama's speaking prowess

MISSISSIPPI: House votes to accept all stimulus funds

NORTH CAROLINA: State income tax refunds are slow in delivery

SOUTH CAROLINA: Rancor between Democrats, Republicans increasing in House

TENNESSEE: Unemployment up in all of state's counties

VIRGINIA: GOP leaders begin bid to oust stat party chairman

If you have a news story about public policy to suggest, send an email to: info@bettersouth.org

Four NC legislators support phosphate mining expansion

NORTH CAROLINA: Lawmakers show support for phosphate mining expansion

Four legislators from North Carolina are urging environmental regulators to drop further objections to a mining company's expansion plans in Eastern North Carolina.

The plan would entail extensive destruction of wetlands.

PCS Phosphate wants federal permits to continue mining of phosphate ore along the Pamlico River in Beaufort County for 30 more years. The company initially submitted its request for the permit in 2000.

Sens. Richard Burr and Kay Hagan and Reps. Walter Jones and G.K. Butterfield sent a letter to the regional director of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Atlanta, expressing concern that EPA might not accept PCS Phosphate's plan to expand its mining operations. Three of those who signed the letter -- Burr and Jones, who are Republicans, and Butterfield, a Democrat -- have received campaign contributions from the mining company's political committee, its executives, or both.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: New bill would require audio recording of legislative debates

ARKANSAS: Resolution on state sovereignty fails in legislature

FLORIDA: Fugate, head of state disaster response operation. nominated by Obama to head FEMA

GEORGIA: DOT Stimulus Website launched to detail projects, requirements

KENTUCKY: State accounting errors on the rise, according to new audit

LOUISIANA: Summit held to discuss rebuilding coastal wetlands

MISSISSIPPI: Housing continues to be biggest post-Katrina issue

SOUTH CAROLINA: State's public defender system threatened with budget cuts

TENNESSEE: State tax exemption benefits non-resident owners of $1 billion in commercial rental properties

VIRGINIA: Range of projects to be funded with stimulus funds

If you have a news story about public policy to suggest, send an email to: info@bettersouth.org

Climate conference held in Washington

VIRGINIA: Climate symposium held in Washington

Gov. Kaine of Virginia took part in the one-day symposium on climate change, joined by former Prime Minister Tony Blair and other senators, governors, business leaders and academics.

"We know that the issues around global warming and climate change reach across party lines and across national boundaries, across state borders and communities," Kaine said in a statement.

In a Washington Post article, it was reported that negotiators at the summit said limits must be imposed this year by Congress and the Obama administration to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in order for the U.S. to play a leadership role in creating a global warming treaty.

Todd Stern, the Obama administration's envoy for climate talks, is pushing for a new U.S. law on global warming. "It's been a long time now that countries have been looking for the United States to lead and take action," he said. "I think nothing would give a more powerful signal to other countries in the world than to see a significant, major, mandatory American plan."

As noted in Getting Greener: Progressive Environmental Ideas for the American South, each Southern state should designate a leadership body on global warming to develop a statewide global warming emissions reduction plan. This would go a long way toward helping craft the U.S. plan.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Bill to help homebuyers approved by Alabama Senate

ARKANSAS: Bill would create Rock 'N Roll Highway in northeast Arkansas

FLORIDA: Gov. Crist optimistic in State of the State address

GEORGIA: State's budget shortfall to be made up with stimulus funds

KENTUCKY: Election reform bills proposed to change state's election process

LOUISIANA: Termite research center one of earmarks Sen. McCain is against

MISSISSIPPI: Voter ID and tax break for elderly die in state legislature

NORTH CAROLINA: Edwards' 2004 presidential campaign may be fined for violating donation rules

SOUTH CAROLINA: Rep. Gresham Barrett to run for governor in 2010

TENNESSEE: Poll shows most Tennesseans now approve of Obama, but racist jokes are rampant

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Prison spending by states studied

Study released on prison spending by states

Based on state and federal data, spending on criminal correction is outpacing budget growth in education, transportation and public assistance. Only Medicaid spending outpaced state corrections spending, says a new study released by the Pew Center on the States.

States have shown a preference to spend on prisons even though it's cheaper to put convicts in community programs which require them to report to law enforcement officers. Despite more spending, the study shows that recidivism rates remained basically unchanged.

“States are looking to make cuts that will have long-term harmful effects,” said Sue Urahn, managing director of the Pew Center on the States. “Corrections is one area they can cut and still have good or better outcomes than what they are doing now.”

Georgia had 1 in 13 adults under some form of punishment, and leads the nation in parolee population. In South Carolina, too much money is put into prisons and the state ranks 9th in the U.S. for the rate of incarceration of adults. In Virginia, one in every 46 adults is in prison or on probation or parole.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Bill to remove state's 4% sales tax on groceries stalls in House

ARKANSAS: Lawmaker calls for ban on wastewater discharge into watersheds

FLORIDA: Top five legislators to watch, top five issues to follow

GEORGIA: House to consider transportation tax today

KENTUCKY: Athlete safety bill approved by House

LOUISIANA: Gov. Jindal emphasizes GOP response to Obama message, not delivery

MISSISSIPPI: Revenues in the state continue to fall

NORTH CAROLINA: House committee to review smoking ban in public places

SOUTH CAROLINA: Lying to legislators could mean 5 years of prison time

TENNESSEE: Obama's new health reform czar, Nancy-Ann Min DeParle, is from Tennessee

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine says 7,100 state jobs to be saved by stimulus funds

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Tennessee takes on education reform

TENNESSEE: State to launch large-scale high school reform

Poor reading and math scores have put Tennessee students at the bottom half of the nation for too long, according to state officials. So, this fall, the state will launch a large-scale high school reform aimed at aligning the state's standards with the rest of the nation's. Many high-profile leaders are backing this new non-profit project called the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE), which will hold town hall meetings across the state and ultimately issue suggestions about what changes need to happen.

Part of the problem is curriculum, which was considered too easy by nationwide comparison before the coming reform effort. The state is also working to increase teacher quality and balance unequal funding issues between rich and poor districts.

And, with the state moving away from agricultural work to more industrial and technical jobs, education improvement is critical.

Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia and North Carolina are a few of the states where independent organizations keep a focus on school improvement. For example, in Alabama, the A+ Partnership helped students record the biggest gains in the nation on 2007 reading tests by raising money for a reading pilot program and providing professional development for teachers.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Legislators to consider voting rights of felons

ARKANSAS: Speculation continues on lottery proceeds, scholarship funding in legislature

FLORIDA: Attorney General wants to put a cap on what Florida pays attorneys

GEORGIA: Southern Poverty Law Center says hate groups are growing

KENTUCKY: State loan forgiveness program is out of cash, upsetting teachers who were promised help

LOUISIANA: "60 Minutes" profiles Gov. Bobby Jindal

MISSISSIPPI: Bill on immigrant poverty task force likely to die

NORTH CAROLINA: Military mother recalled by Army; reports to Fort Benning with children

SOUTH CAROLINA: A look at health care funding in South Carolina

VIRGINIA: Public school students take part in religious education in rural parts of state

If you have a news story about public policy to suggest, send an email to: info@bettersouth.org