2/15: VA education groups against charter school plan

VIRGINIA: Education groups are against Virginia's charter school plan

State education groups are voicing opposition to Gov. Bob McDonnell's plan to boost charter schools. Virginia's school boards, superintendents and teacher groups say the measure is unconstitutional because it takes away local school divisions' decision-making power.

They also say it's wrong to potentially divert public funds to create new schools during Virginia's massive budget shortfalls.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Gubernatorial candidates lend their campaigns $5 million

ARKANSAS: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries may build wind turbine plant in Arkansas

FLORIDA: U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart won't seek re-election

GEORGIA: 191 schools to be investigated for cheating on CRCT tests

KENTUCKY: State Senate approves taking in nuclear waste from other states

LOUISIANA: Gov. Jindal to present budget today

MISSISSIPPI: Senate approves one tuition price for in-state, out-of-state college students

NORTH CAROLINA: Lawmakers prepare new clean-government changes

SOUTH CAROLINA: Legislators look at saving millions through funds

TENNESSEE: TVA faces uncertain future as power sales fall

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2/12: Home heating aid shifts to the South

ABC News: Home heating aid shifts to the South

The recent cold snap in the Deep South has sucked federal emergency home heating dollars away from traditional cold-weather states, causing heating aid to dry up faster than usual in many northern states.

Last month, $490 million in emergency heating funds were released by the Obama administration once a formula that took into account colder-than-normal temperatures and, for the first time, unemployment levels. Both of these factors favored the South.

Emergency funding more than tripled for Florida and Georgia, and more than doubled in North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Bill to create charter schools in state is tabled indefinitely

ARKANSAS: Fiscal session's first week ends with no-raise expense bill in place

FLORIDA: State sees decline in illegal immigrants

GEORGIA: Details on CRCT cheating at public schools released

KENTUCKY: Hundreds take part in rRally against mountaintop removal held in Frankfort

LOUISIANA: Gov. Jindal's $24 billion budget spares higher education

MISSISSIPPI: Gov. Barbour signs bill to restrict over-the-counter medicines used in meth making

NORTH CAROLINA: Editorial: Pressing for justice

SOUTH CAROLINA: Report shows state needs tougher jobless laws

TENNESSEE: State to resume enrollment in CoverKids, the uninsured children's program

VIRGINIA: State budget continues to be a mystery

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