3/4: SC legislators may cut all services for disabled

Times & Democrat: S.C. legislators consider cutting all services to those with disabilities

The nearly 26,000 people in South Carolina with disabilities may soon no longer have access to state services, as legislators struggle over the budget. Parents say the proposed cuts to day care programs and other services would force them to give up much-needed jobs to stay home and care for their young and adult children.

Andrew J. Imparato, chief executive of the American Association of People with Disabilities, said he is hearing horror stories about budget cuts around the country, but South Carolina is the most extreme example. Shutting down everything but federally required residential care is “the most draconian kind of thing I’ve heard,” he said.

Other states have raised taxes to deal with similar problems, but that’s unlikely in South Carolina.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State Senate won't allow state vote on e-bingo

ARKANSAS: Thousands of FEMA trailers to head out of state despite legislators' protests

FLORIDA: Another tomato crisis looms for the state, nation

GEORGIA: State's jobless rate is at all-time high of 10.7%

KENTUCKY: Gov. Beshear wants workers' compensation insurer to cut its rate

LOUISIANA: Pre-K program in the state is safe from budget cuts for now

MISSISSIPPI: Michelle Obama's visit to nation's fattest state (transcript)

NORTH CAROLINA: Think tank releases list of 10 worst stimulus projects in the state

TENNESSEE: State ranked 5th for economic development performance

VIRGINIA: One-gun-a-month law to be considered by Senate

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11/25: Southern farmers see crops get washed out

New York Times: Southern farmers' hopes for bumper crops get dashed

In August, Southern farmers thought they'd have a bumper crop -- the best in years. But then the rains came in September, and it continued raining through October, a usually dry month. Soybeans shriveled on the vine, cotton hardened, sweet potatoes rotted underground. And, once combines could take to the fields, they scarred them with deep ruts that will make next year's planting more expensive.

The rain has affected farmers in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, eastern Arkansas and parts of Louisiana. Mississippi and Georgia have requested disaster declarations from the USDA, and Alabama is likely to follow suit. But help from Washington, in the form of low-interest loans, often takes a year or more to reach the farmers who need it.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State gambling dispute heads for 'showdown'

ARKANSAS: Farmers detail crop losses from flooding

FLORIDA: Sen. LeMieux comments on 'culture of corruption' in South Florida

GEORGIA: State's 'food insecurity' among worst in nation

KENTUCKY: Gov. Beshear named chairman of the Southern Growth Policies Board

LOUISIANA: Farm runoff from 41 watersheds in 12 states hits Mississippi River

MISSISSIPPI: Two Mississippi Senators introduce crop disaster bill

NORTH CAROLINA: Poverty rates in state considered 'staggering'

SOUTH CAROLINA: School exit exam scores drop in state

TENNESSEE: 'Food insecurity' in Tennessee ranks 40th in nation

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine urges nonviolent offenders to seek rights restoration

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11/13:Southern voters: A snapshot

The Atlantic: Southern voters: A snapshot

"Winthrop has a poll out today of 866 respondents in 11 Southern states--Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia--and what we can glean from it is: independents in the South disapprove of President Obama, Southerners as a whole don't like Democratic health care reforms, and they are generally ambivalent about the stimulus package."

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State education board wants teachers to pay more for benefits

ARKANSAS: Gov. Beebe authorizes release of flood funds

FLORIDA: Gov. Crist faces problems in Florida

GEORGIA: Prison health care costs go up as inmates age and get sicker

KENTUCKY: Gov. Beshear works to simplify enrollment process for children in health care system

LOUISIANA: House speaker challenges governor on amnesty payment plans

MISSISSIPPI: State's economic council ends 12-city tour

NORTH CAROLINA: Study says state's budget is relatively healthy

SOUTH CAROLINA: Gubernatorial candidates take questions about agribusiness, politics

TENNESSEE: TVA challenged over wastewater permits by environmentalists

VIRGINIA: State's lawmakers go after expansion of F-22 fleet

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11/5: LA, MS emerging from recession

Stateline: Louisiana, Mississippi among states emerging from recession

Eleven states and the District of Columbia seem to be emerging from the recession according to a new report. Moody's Economy also reported that the states, while still in recession, have seen the pace of their decline slow down, or moderate.

Energy production revenues helped states such as Alaska, Louisiana, Montana and North Dakota to stay afloat. Louisiana also boasts low business costs, ports that connect it to foreign markets, health care centers and military installations, all of which were well-positioned to weather the downturn.

Mississippi is in a similar position to Louisiana, according to Moody’s. That has allowed it to lure major investment, such as a Toyota plant in the northeastern part of the state.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State agencies laying off employees

ARKANSAS: House members reject proposed out-of-state travel rule

FLORIDA: NRA wants adoption agencies to ban questions about gun ownership of prospective parents

GEORGIA: New study shows rareness of Georgia floods

KENTUCKY: Gov. Beshear wants passage of slots bill by winter

LOUISIANA: State's delegation is a tough sell on health care overhaul

MISSISSIPPI: State's budget to receive "facelift" next year

NORTH CAROLINA: State's pork producers see effect of swine flu

SOUTH CAROLINA: New Medicaid pharmacy program saves state money

TENNESSEE: State legislators may dump $70 million biofuels project

VIRGINIA: Five state house seats gained by GOP

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10/19: States consider Internet rules for campaign fundraising

AP: States consider Internet rules for campaign fundraising

Florida mayoral candidate Scott Wagman bought an ad that popped up online when anyone ran a Google search for his opponents' names. The Florida Elections Commission ordered Wagman to remove it and pay a $250 fine, even though the required disclaimer was longer than the 68 characters allowed in the text of the ad, which wasn't "paid for" until someone clicked on it.

An ongoing debate is raging about how "old media" rules governing campaign spending should apply to the "new media" of the Internet age. When does a blog connected to a campaign need to disclose its allegiance? Does a candidate's personal Facebook page need a disclaimer if it is updated by a staffer? Can a campaign-related tweet - a message posted on social media site Twitter - even be regulated?

"Policing this is going to be a tremendously difficult thing, let alone writing the rules," said Edwin Bender, executive director of the National Institute on Money in State Politics, a nonprofit group in Helena, Mont.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: If health care overhaul fails, 46,000 Alabamians will lose health benefits says report

ARKANSAS: GOP hopes to unseat Democrat Vic Snyder, the state's lone liberal voice

FLORIDA: Files full of personal information found in mortgage company's trash

GEORGIA: U.S. Dept. of Justice rejects Georgia's voter tracking system

KENTUCKY: Gov. Beshear to tour state this week holding education press conferences

LOUISIANA: Cancer rate hits alarming numbers in Louisiana

MISSISSIPPI: State's harvest ruined by excessive rain, costing farmers $377 million

NORTH CAROLINA: Economic summit on education and economy at NCCU today

SOUTH CAROLINA: Coastal alliance formed by SC, GA, FL, NC to handle regional issues

TENNESSEE: State may have to cut total of $1.1 billion from 2010 budget

VIRGINIA: Judge rules for second time that VA violated voting rights of military personnel

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10/5: Prepaid state college plans may not cover all costs

New York Times: Prepaid state college plans may not cover all costs

In the last year, the slump in the stock market and rising college costs have put all but two of the 18 prepaid college savings plans in the red.

South Carolina’s plan overseers have developed doomsday scenarios, capping how much a family would get if the program shut down completely.

Alabama closed its program to new enrollees because the fund lost almost half of its assets — more than $300 million — in the stock market in the last year, and the state might have to put its own money in to keep it solvent.

Between them, the 18 state funds serve nearly 1.6 million families and hold $23.8 billion in assets, ranging from Tennessee’s small $80 million fund serving 9,700 families to Florida’s massive $8.7 billion fund that serves about 850,000 families.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Military retirees stunned by 21% inpatient fee hike

ARKANSAS: Gov. Beebe responds to $55.8 million shortfall in revenue

FLORIDA: Gov. Crist gets bad media coverage lately

GEORGIA: State gets another blow in water wars as drinking water not considered in study

KENTUCKY: Gov. Beshear heads to China, Japan on trade mission

LOUISIANA: Autism numbers more prevalent than previously thought

MISSISSIPPI: Revenues down dramatically in September

NORTH CAROLINA: State asks for $5.3 billion for trains

SOUTH CAROLINA: Water Wars, Part Two: SC, NC battle over Catawba River

VIRGINIA: DNC to pump another $1 million into gubernatorial race

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