3/9: Census directs federal funds to states

Charlotte Observer: Census directs federal funds to states

A Brookings Institution study was designed to underscore the importance of ensuring an accurate count. "The hope is that it stimulates participation in the census, that people recognize that there's a connection between their participation and the amount of federal money and federally funded goods and services their community receives," said Andrew Reamer, the report's author.

The report found that North Carolina got $11.8 billion and South Carolina $5.5 billion. (See the report here.)

Most of the money - nearly 60 percent in North Carolina - went to health programs such as Medicaid. Housing, highways and education accounted for the next-largest allocations.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Editorial: Alabama takes hit in tanker decision

ARKANSAS: State BOE approves merging school districts

FLORIDA: Bill has teacher merit pay provision

GEORGIA: Lawmakers scramble to stop Hustler Magazine from getting slain hiker photos

KENTUCKY: Legislator wants cellphone, landline users to pay equally for 911 service

LOUISIANA: State to cut at-risk youth services

MISSISSIPPI: Voter ID to be on November 2011 ballot

NORTH CAROLINA: State hospital inspection data kept from the public

SOUTH CAROLINA: Three groups to get federal funds for renewable energy projects

TENNESSEE: State has huge financial stake in getting accurate Census count

VIRGINIA: Bills would increase financial incentives to companies moving into state

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

2/24: Illegal immigrant numbers rise in the Southeast

AP: Illegal immigrant numbers rise in Southeast

A new federal report shows that Georgia had the greatest percentage increase among the 10 states with the biggest illegal immigrant populations during 2000-2009, with more than 480,000 immigrants noted during that period. In 1990, Georgia had just 35,000 illegal immigrants.

North Carolina is also one of the top 10 states for the sheer size of its illegal immigrant population, estimated at about 370,000 in January 2009 as compared to 260,000 in 2000, according to the report by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Immigration Statistics.

As recently as the 1980s, Southeastern states with the exception of Florida had very few immigrants, legal or illegal, Jeff Passel of the Pew Hispanic Center said. A recession in California in the early 1990s, and a ready supply of low-skilled jobs in other regions prompted immigrants to look elsewhere, especially the Southeast, Passel said.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Lawmakers consider ban on public release of 911 calls

ARKANSAS: International students boost state's economy by more than $23 million

FLORIDA: Supreme Court approves Florida's version of Miranda rights warnings

GEORGIA: Statewide campaign -- Exit 2 Text It -- aimed at teen motorists

KENTUCKY: Group rallies against payday lenders

LOUISIANA: State to get $77 million more in stimulus money for health care

MISSISSIPPI: Gov. Barbour gives President Obama advice -- 'jobs, jobs, jobs' should be priority

NORTH CAROLINA: State lags behind on disclosing hospital infections

SOUTH CAROLINA: State considers early release of 3,000 prisoners as way to save money

TENNESSEE: New biorefinery to convert wood products into diesel or jet fuel

VIRGINIA: Primary victims of state budget: Education and Medicaid

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

9/21: Europeans fear U.S. lacks political will on climate change

New York Times: Europeans fear U.S. lacks political will on climate change

Climate talks are to begin this week at the United Nations, and Europeans are expressing little hope that the U.S. Senate will act on a climate bill before the Copenhagen talks begin in December.

European leaders say the American reluctance to accept any agreement that would require legally binding and internationally enforceable targets for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions could doom the Copenhagen session.

And, inaction in the Senate limits the flexibility of the U.S.'s chief climate negotiator, Todd Stern.

The Copenhagen meeting is in three months.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: New 911 technology could be tested in Alabama

ARKANSAS: Jobless rate falls to 7.1% in state

FLORIDA: Offshore drilling to be pushed again by Florida Energy Associates

GEORGIA: Brutal attack could result in renewed call for hate crime law in Georgia

KENTUCKY: Student test results to be released Wednesday

LOUISIANA: River Bend nuclear power reactor is shut down

MISSISSIPPI: Work begins on state budget

NORTH CAROLINA: State tries new public health insurance program

SOUTH CAROLINA: Immigrants make up 4% of state's population

TENNESSEE: State lawmakers want resolution on highway bill

VIRGINIA: State announces sales tax holiday for appliances

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