11/16: Study shows FL at risk for fiscal calamity

Orlando Sentinel: Study shows Florida is at risk for fiscal calamity

Florida, with an economy built on rapid growth, is experiencing a worse slowdown in its economy than other states. A study last week by the Pew Center on the States identified Florida as one of the states at risk of fiscal calamity and cited its reliance on population growth as contributing to its economic woes.

"Florida's population is shrinking -- a disturbing trend for a state that has built its economy, and structured its state budget, on the assumption that throngs of new residents will move to its sunny shores each year," said the report.

However, what might seem like slow growth for Florida is still higher than in much of the rest of the nation, William Frey of The Brookings Institution said. Even if Florida growth slows to 2 percent a year, that's still twice the national average.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Study says state may not recover jobs until 2013

ARKANSAS: State gets research edge with tobacco funds

FLORIDA: Sink says state ban on gay adoption must go

GEORGIA: State House speaker says he tried to commit suicide

KENTUCKY: Anonymous online attacks seen in state's Senate race

LOUISIANA: Committee to consider lifting oyster moratorium

MISSISSIPPI: State BOE to vote on school accountability plan this week

NORTH CAROLINA: Fees at community colleges jump nearly three times over last year

SOUTH CAROLINA: Lawmakers consider new property tax rules

TENNESSEE: State's H1N1 immunization system is model for others

VIRGINIA: New leaders elected to state's Democratic House caucus

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

8/31: Open access at risk as Internet turns 40

Clarion Ledger -- Open access at risk as Internet turns 40

The researchers who created the Internet (no, not Al Gore) intended the open network to be a place for freely exchanging information. Now, 40 years later, despite developments in social networking like the World Wide Web and Facebook, the openness may be breaking down.

To blame: Spam and hacking force network operators to put up security firewalls. Some governments block access to the Internet within their borders. And some commercial applications create policies to thwart their competition, further limiting what some devices can do.

Already, there is evidence of controls at workplaces and service providers slowing the uptake of file-sharing and collaboration tools. Video could be next if consumers shun higher-quality and longer clips for fear of incurring extra bandwidth fees. It'll be interesting where the Internet goes in the next 40 years.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: H1N1 virus hits Alabama college campuses

ARKANSAS: Arkansas Medicaid launches adult dental program

FLORIDA: Little done to enforce state hotel regulations on pest infestation

GEORGIA: Average global temperatures up, but not in Georgia

KENTUCKY: Reclaimed coal strip-mining sites being used for agriculture

LOUISIANA: Gov. Jindal orders state agencies to buy Louisiana shrimp

MISSISSIPPI: State to pilot civil rights courses for K-12 students

NORTH CAROLINA: OLF environmental impact study delayed in the state

SOUTH CAROLINA: State seeks innovative way to rebuild reefs for oyster beds

TENNESSEE: Cigarette waste the target of a new pollution study in the state

VIRGINIA: 19-tower wind tower project in Virginia draws criticism from neighboring state

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