1/21: Pres. Obama may scale back health care overhaul

New York Times: President Obama may scale back health care overhaul

President Obama signaled Wednesday that he may be open to scaling back his proposed health care overhaul to a version that could attract bipartisan support. The election of Scott Brown to the Senate seat in Massachusetts has changed the climate in Congress, as Democrats no longer have enough votes to stop filibusters.

In an interview with ABC, President Obama cited two specific goals for the health care plan: cracking down on insurance industry practices that hurt consumers and reining in health costs.

This issue continues to be one to watch.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State gets $6 million in stimulus funds for energy job training

ARKANSAS: Sen. Teague considers business tax hike to cover borrowed unemployment funds

FLORIDA: 5,000 cold-stunned sea turtles rescued by state & federal wildlife workers

GEORGIA: World's largest wood pellet plant to be built in Waycross

KENTUCKY: Bake sales promoted as way to plug state's budget hole

LOUISIANA: Opinion: Forgiveness of federal loan lifts a heavy burden from Louisiana

MISSISSIPPI: A dozen libraries in south Mississippi close due to budget woes

NORTH CAROLINA: Nonprofit to get $28 million in stimulus funds to expand Internet access

SOUTH CAROLINA: Gov. Sanford gives final State of the State address, gives three goals

TENNESSEE: Senate approves restructuring of higher education funding

VIRGINIA: State to re-open 19 rest areas

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1/14: AL religous groups fight gambling legislation

ALABAMA: Religious groups to fight gambling legislation

Religious groups are lining up to fight legislation that would expand and tax gambling in the state.

On Wednesday in Montgomery, the Rev. Jimmy Jackson, president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention, called gambling "an evil" that the Legislature should stop. The Rev. Joe Godfrey, director of the Alabama Citizen Action Program, said he opposes letting Alabama citizens vote on expanding gambling. He said operators and machine manufacturers would spend millions on the referendum, and opponents couldn't match that.

Also in the South:

ARKANSAS: Arkansas Works program expanded by Gov. Beebe

FLORIDA: Most of Florida Power & Light $1 billion rate hike request rejected

GEORGIA: Senator Shafer pushes water conservation bill

KENTUCKY: Senate panel passes nuclear power bill

LOUISIANA: Attorney General files lawsuit over tainted Chinese drywall

MISSISSIPPI: Leaky water system causes fourth day of government shut down

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Perdue unveils education initiative aimed at improving achievement

SOUTH CAROLINA: State House censures Gov. Sanford, 102-11

TENNESSEE: House panel calls for moratorium on traffic cameras

VIRGINIA: Gov.-elect McDonnell won't push to remove corporate income tax

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12/29: TN legislators want to expand community colleges' mission

TENNESSEE: State legislators want to expand community colleges' mission

Gov. Phil Bredesen is developing an overhaul of the state's education system that could mean more students will attend four-year community college programs.

Lawmakers will open debate next month on a plan meant to cut costs and bolster Tennessee's graduation rate by realigning how the state's two-year colleges and four-year universities work together.

The plan would shift some course work from public universities to community colleges while also making it easier for students to transfer credits between schools.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Gov. Riley publishes book touting life in the state

ARKANSAS: New iPhone application lists state's laws

FLORIDA: State Supreme Court orders statewide managed mediation program for glut of foreclosures

GEORGIA: One analyst's look at health reform costs in Georgia

KENTUCKY: Schools await new state standards

LOUISIANA: State's first-time jobless claims drop

MISSISSIPPI: 'Most religious' state is Mississippi

NORTH CAROLINA: State to compete for high-speed rail funding

SOUTH CAROLINA: Little clarity in race to replace Gov. Sanford

VIRGINIA: Drop in 7% noted in state's manufacturing jobs

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12/23: Census reports slow growth in states

USAToday: Census reports slow growth in states

New state population estimates show Louisiana added 40,563 residents, a 0.9% increase -- nearly to the population level before Hurricane Katrina.

In the South, Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina saw increases of 16% or more, and Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky and Louisiana saw growth of under 10% as compared with population numbers recorded in 2000.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith announces he'll switch parties

ARKANSAS: Immigrant population expanding in state

FLORIDA: State leaders plan statewide conference on job creation

GEORGIA: Task force says Lake Lanier is Atlanta's best source for drinking water

KENTUCKY: State's Race to the Top program doesn't include charter schools

LOUISIANA: Gov. Jindal balances budget by cutting $248 million from state agencies

MISSISSIPPI: Special Gulf Coast census under consideration

NORTH CAROLINA: Sen. Kay Hagan defends health care bill tradeoffs

SOUTH CAROLINA: New poll says electorate is tired of Sanford drama

TENNESSEE: Attorney General to appeal the guns-in-bars decision

VIRGINIA: Incoming governor names Sean Connaughton as state's transportation secretary

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12/17: Tainted, toxic -- but legal -- tap water

New York Times: Tainted, toxic -- but legal -- tap water

A 35-year old federal law regulating tap water is very out-of-date -- and scientists say that what Americans are drinking from the tap can pose serious health risks, but still be legal in the eyes of the government. Only 91 contaminants are regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act, yet there are more than 60,000 chemicals used in the U.S. which can find their way into the drinking water.

A study found that various contaminants were often associated with increased incidents of disease. However, that research — like all large-scale studies of human illnesses — sometimes cannot definitively say that chemicals in drinking water were the sole cause of disease.

Take a look at water quality, state-by-state. This may drive filter sales.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State's 2011 education funding request considered 'unrealistic'

ARKANSAS: State enacts tougher penalties for animal abusers

FLORIDA: Rail bill signed by Gov. Crist

GEORGIA: V. P. Biden to announce funds for high-speed internet to rural areas

KENTUCKY: Gov. Beshear bans text messaging by workers driving state-owned vehicles

LOUISIANA: Gov. Jindal's office to push legislation to give board of ethics appeal power

MISSISSIPPI: Lawmakers say fees may spike, not taxes

NORTH CAROLINA: State is #1 in number of certified teachers for 14th year in a row

SOUTH CAROLINA: House panel votes down Sanford impeachment plan

TENNESSEE: State leaders and advocacy groups participate in Copenhagen climate conference

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine may renew car tax debate

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12/7: Rendering a more balanced state tax structure

Statehouse Report: Andy Brack: Rendering a more balanced state tax structure

"With a quarter of the state’s population jobless, underemployed or fed up looking for work, a pretty good case can be made that if the state of South Carolina wants to move past the recession, it needs to seriously rethink its priorities.

"Instead of continuing to do things the same ways they’ve always been done, now might be the best time to shake things up a little. Perhaps it is time to focus more on underfunded areas that, if funded better, could generate real rewards."

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Jobless hotline in state swamped with calls

ARKANSAS: State to get lottery vending machines in Spring 2010

FLORIDA: House lawmakers to vote on commuter rail today

GEORGIA: Spread of hemlock woolly adelgid worries Georgia foresters

KENTUCKY: State to adopt protocol for death row executions

LOUISIANA: Analysis: Gov. Jindal quiet on Medicaid fix he sought

MISSISSIPPI: Three cities legalize Sunday alcohol sales

NORTH CAROLINA: State Chamber of Commerce talks taxes with state policy makers

SOUTH CAROLINA: Five reasons why Sanford may remain state's governor

TENNESSEE: State improves on ranking of healthy states, moving from 48th to 44th

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine proposes expanding health benefits to partners

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8/27: States tap rainy-day funds

Stateline: States tap rainy-day funds to shore up budgets

Alabama's rainy-day fund, which is designated for education, has been emptied to shore up the budget for the current fiscal year. At least 11 states have accessed their emergency funds -- including Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi, in order to provide services to residents.

Despite the risks to future budget cycles, budget experts support the use of rainy day funds during hard times.

“The rainy day funds exist to help states buy some time while they consider where they might need to cut their budget or where they might want to raise taxes, so I think it makes sense to withdraw money … in the current situation,” said Liz McNichol, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), a group that tracks government spending on low-income families.

In Alabama, for example, the reserve money helped shield schools from scarring funding reductions.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State Republicans want Democratic state Rep. Terry Spicer to resign

ARKANSAS: U.S. Trade Symposium to be held across state during September

FLORIDA: State loses 42,300 manufacturing jobs in the past 12 months

GEORGIA: Solar power becoming more attractive option in Georgia

KENTUCKY: 'Almighty God' reference in state homeland security law struck down

LOUISIANA: The Black infant mortality rate and the role racism plays

MISSISSIPPI: Unemployment rate now above 10%

NORTH CAROLINA: Pamlico Sound noted as best spot for utility-scale wind energy farm

SOUTH CAROLINA: Gov. Sanford resists Lt. Gov. Bauer's call to resign

TENNESSEE: Sen. Bob Corker speaks out against AARP

VIRGINIA: GOP leaders put pressure on powerful GOP legislator to resign before party is hurt

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Lawmakers defensive over health care reform

New York Times: Lawmakers on the defensive over health care reform debates

Lawmakers are returning home for their August recess and many are facing angry crowds. In Georgia, Rep. Hank Johnson told his constituents not to be deterred by reports of ''town halls gone wild,'' but the Democrat wasn't taking any chances at his first health care forum as three times the normal security detail was in position to thwart any problems. Conflicting reports from a Clarkston forum -- one said the meeting featured angry voters and booing, while another report on the same forum said the nearly 2,000 attendees stayed calm. And Tom Baxter, of Southern Political Report, says there was a little pot-stirring, but not a big rumble as expected.

In North Carolina, Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., said he will not host any town halls this month because he received a phone call threatening his life. Instead, he said he will hold one-on-one meetings with constituents.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Time ticking on governors in water wars -- all three leave office in 2010

ARKANSAS: Groundbreaking set for wood pellet plant on August 13

FLORIDA: Gov. Crist feeling the pressure over slow movement of stimulus funds

KENTUCKY: State to consider shifting prison funds to other areas

LOUISIANA: Medicaid cuts to cost Central Louisiana $5.3 million

MISSISSIPPI: U.S. Sen. Wicker to talk health care reform with medical students

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Perdue to sign significant death penalty law

SOUTH CAROLINA: Democrats seek probe into Sanford's use of state planes

TENNESSEE: TVA to use dry storage for coal ash

VIRGINIA: Congressmen to hold town hall meetings on health care reform

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