4/1: Elusive Mississippians show distrust of census

New York Times: Elusive Mississippians show distrust of census

As the deadline for returning census forms hits today, the difficulty of getting
census forms returned is highlighted. In Mississippi's Issaquena County, only 21% of residents have returned their forms, compared with 52% nationally.

The county and entire Delta area is plagued by poverty and illiteracy. People misstrust census takers for a variety of reasons, including a belief that the government is trying to catch them doing something illegal like misrepresenting the number of people in their household, which could impact benefits such as food stamps.

In the last census, the numbers showed there was one person per 116-acres in Issaquena County.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Bill to end grocery tax hits state legislature

ARKANSAS: Researcher says state's way of identifying grade inflation is flawed

FLORIDA: Offshore oil drilling plan spares South Florida

GEORGIA: Study shows small soda taxes don't impact obesity

KENTUCKY: Gov. Beshear says more jobs are coming to the state

LOUISIANA: Black Caucus to fight lawsuit challenging health care reform law

MISSISSIPPI: Opinion: Budget -- Avoid 'irrational exuberance'

NORTH CAROLINA: Offshore oil drilling will include North Carolina coast

SOUTH CAROLINA: Senate approves 50-cent increase on cigarette tax

TENNESSEE: Tennessee Health Freedom Act passes key vote in legislature

VIRGINIA: State lags behind others in census response

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

3/26: Ga.'s Gov. Perdue to name special AG for lawsuit

Savannah Morning News: Gov. Perdue to name special AG for health reform lawsuit

Gov. Sonny Perdue says he'll appoint a special attorney general to sue the federal government over the new federal health care reform law. A team of pro bono lawyers will file the lawsuit following the refusal of Attorney General Thurbert Baker to sue.

Baker wrote in a letter to the governor Wednesday that the state doesn't have "a viable legal claim" and that he didn't want to waste state resources in a time of budget crisis.

Following Baker's refusal to sue, the state constitution gives the governor the right to appoint a special attorney general who will have the same power as the state attorney general in this specific matter, Perdue said.

Georgia probably will not join the lawsuit filed by attorneys general in 14 other states who are challenging what they deem an unconstitutional overreach of federal power, but will likely file a separate suit, Perdue said.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Alabama is one of three states to allow controversial judicial override

ARKANSAS: Lawmakers concerned over required flood insurance by FEMA

FLORIDA: Senate approves Florida class size amendment

KENTUCKY: State unemployment rate rose to 10.9% in February

LOUISIANA: Higher education in 'precarious situation' as legislative session set to begin

MISSISSIPPI: State's lawmakers to finish budget in late April

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Perdue wants to lift film incentives gap

SOUTH CAROLINA: Senate agrees on prison sentencing reform

TENNESSEE: Online map tracks census returns, finds Tennessee is lagging behind

VIRGINIA: Gov. McDonnell says no 'rampant discrimination' against gay employees evident

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

3/25: AL's Gov. Riley says health care plan costs too much for state

Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama governor says health care plan costs too much for state

Gov. Bob Riley said the federal health care plan passed by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama could cost the state an additional $60 million to $100 million a year -- money taken from an already cash-strapped General Fund.

Riley said there are currently 900,000 to a million people on Medicaid in Alabama. He said the federal plan passed over the weekend expanded the qualifications and would add another 400,000 people to the rolls. Riley said the state has a difficult enough time paying for Medicaid now.

Also in the South:

ARKANSAS: Little change to reading scores of 4th and 8th graders since 2007

FLORIDA: State AG says Medicare costs will soar with new health care reform

GEORGIA: State Senate votes to allow guns on university campuses, churches, bars

KENTUCKY: New law mandates sowing flowers on mountaintop mine areas

LOUISIANA: State could lose a seat in Congress with new census data

MISSISSIPPI: House fails to extend legislative session

NORTH CAROLINA: Busing to end in Wake County -- school diversity at risk?

SOUTH CAROLINA: Bill would ban sex offenders from state parks

TENNESSEE: Rep. Bell introduces "Tennessee Health Freedom Act"

VIRGINIA: Gov. McDonnell says health care bill is "truly bi-partisan"

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3/12: LRA to close in four months with millions unspent

NOLA: Louisiana Recovery Authority to close in four months with millions unspent

The Louisiana Recovery Authority, the state agency set up after Hurricane Katrina to oversee billions in rebuilding aid to parishes and individuals, will shut down in four months.

While staffers don't know how much of the $13.7 billion the state received is left, it is clear that it's likely to be several hundred million dollars. The LRA board will outline how the money will be spent; however, the legislature will have the final say.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State senate approves $1 billion road and bridge program

ARKANSAS: Report says Arkansas students are eating healthier at schools

FLORIDA: Foreclosure filings go up again in Florida

GEORGIA: Revised budget proposal includes heavy fees on hospitals, smaller education cuts

KENTUCKY: Senate panel backs domestic violence bill

MISSISSIPPI: State officials deny needless institutionalization of children

NORTH CAROLINA: Charge of re-segregation at Wayne County high school

SOUTH CAROLINA: State waits on $200 million in federal stimulus funds

TENNESSEE: Officials from Georgia to help with threatened TN hemlocks

VIRGINIA: Car title lending reform passed by legislators

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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

3/8: NC's Gov. Perdue wants census count change

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Perdue wants a census change on how deployed troops are counted

Gov. Beverly Perdue is focusing on changing the way deployed troops are counted. Currently, military personnel in the United States are counted as living in their barracks or off-base residence where they spend most of their time. But deployed soldiers are counted by either their home state, their legal residence or the last base they were assigned to before deploying.

Gov. Perdue wants deployed soldiers counted by their base assignments, which could mean more federal money coming to the state (up to $641.5 million over the next ten years).

While it's not likely to change for this census count, it could be considered for the 2020 census.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Experts say alternative energy could boost Alabama's revenue

ARKANSAS: Gov. Beebe: Making Arkansas count

FLORIDA: South Florida tourism aims to appeal to Chinese tourists

GEORGIA: State's use of medical reprieves for inmates on the rise

KENTUCKY: General Assembly enters tenth week of 2010 session

LOUISIANA: Civil Service Commission backs pay-raise plan for 61,000 state workers

MISSISSIPPI: Education and prisons at the top of budget discussions at Capitol

SOUTH CAROLINA: State's budget more dependent on fines, fees than one would think

TENNESSEE: State proposes tax on free hotel breakfasts

VIRGINIA: State AG tells colleges to end gay protections

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

1/18: Haiti earthquake a foreshadowing of Mississippi Delta quake?

Christian Science Monitor: Haiti earthquake a foreshadowing of Mississippi Delta quake?

Geologists consider the New Madrid fault line a major seismic zone and predict that an earthquake roughly the magnitude of the Haiti earthquake (7.0 on the Richter scale) could occur in the area during the next 50 years. And, the poverty of this area is being compared to that of Haiti.

In many areas, people still live in shanties. Healthcare is sparse. Even clean water is scarce in some places. Often, public and private buildings are decades-old and fragile, needing retrofitting or strengthening. Hundreds of towns could see severe structural damage, and large segments of the population displaced, says Dr. Al-Shukri, director of Arkansas Earthquake Center.

The New Madrid fault zone crosses five state lines and the Mississippi River in at least three places. It extends from northeast Arkansas through southeast Missouri and into western Tennessee, western Kentucky, and southern Illinois.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: 'Connecting Alabama' broadband initiative head to next phase

ARKANSAS: State leads the nation in battling childhood obesity

FLORIDA: State to push minority count, targeting ten groups, in U.S. Census

GEORGIA: State prisons to go smoke-free by end of the year

KENTUCKY: Bill would make it easier to build nuclear power plants in state

LOUISIANA: Editorial: Keep your eyes on the road

MISSISSIPPI: State BOE to be restructured in next few months

NORTH CAROLINA: Pig power: Business explores using pig manure as source of power

SOUTH CAROLINA: Confederate flag still visible in state, even as it's gone from top of State House dome

TENNESSEE: Sen. Alexander's nuclear push faces many obstacles

VIRGINIA: Lawmakers to consider ethics reform plans

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

12/18: Louisiana ranks as the happiest state, says CDC

AP: Louisiana ranks as the happiest state, says CDC

A new study comparing self-described pleasant feelings with objective measures of good living found that those living in sunny, outdoorsy states generally have reason to feel fine.

The happiness ratings were based on a survey of 1.3 million people across the country by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It used data collected over four years that included a question asking people how satisfied they are with their lives.

Ranking No. 1 in happiness was Louisiana; however, one researcher urged a bit of caution in that ranking, noting that part of the happiness survey occurred before Hurricane Katrina struck the state, and part of it took place later. Nevertheless, he said, "We have no explicit reason to think there is a problem" with the ranking.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Cities, towns in Alabama see census as crucial for federal dollars, power

ARKANSAS: Gov. Beebe wants panel to gauge racial profiling problem in Arkansas

FLORIDA: Ausley considers dropping Senate bid and running for state CFO instead

GEORGIA: State to spend $42 million on fiber optic loop for rural Internet

KENTUCKY: State's unemployment rate drops to 10.6%

MISSISSIPPI: Gov. Barbour slams health reform bill

NORTH CAROLINA: Judge rules state's sex offender law unconstitutional

SOUTH CAROLINA: State economists say revenues are meeting expectations

TENNESSEE: Ethnic groups say 'white' isn't descriptive enough on census

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine to deliver budget news today

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

11/6: U.S. unemployment rate hits 10.2%

New York Times: U.S. unemployment rate hits 10.2%

The unemployment rate is at its highest rate in 26 years. The rate, which measures the number of people actively seeking work, continues to climb, and economists do not foresee relief until well into next year.

“There’s no doubt that the slashing and burning of jobs has abated quite a lot,” said Allen L. Sinai, the founder of Decision Economics, a research firm. “The economy is recovering, but it is a very soft recovery.”

The biggest losses came in the construction, manufacturing and retailing sectors. In anticipation of this report, Congress voted Thursday to extend benefits for jobless workers for up to 20 weeks.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State benefits from Kia's Georgia plant as 3,600 jobs go to Alabamans

ARKANSAS: Looking at Arkansas politics for 2010

FLORIDA: State's plan to tear down highway toll plazas comes with alternative pay proposal

GEORGIA: Prescription drug deaths continue to rise in Georgia

KENTUCKY: State gets $350,000 in federal energy grants

LOUISIANA: Senate kills Sen. Vitter's census proposal on way to redraw Congressional maps

MISSISSIPPI: Gov. Barbour wants more authority to make deeper budget cuts

NORTH CAROLINA: Lawmakers consider special session to deal with inmate issue

SOUTH CAROLINA: Simulated photos released of what offshore wind turbines would look like

TENNESSEE: 2009 public schools report card shows mixed bag of 'grades'

VIRGINIA: State Supreme Court upholds multistate power line plan

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

9/11: States continue to streamline budgets

Stateline: States continue to streamline budgets

In Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal this year created a new panel to address the question of where the state can find savings.

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine has announced he would lay off 593 state employees, The Roanoke Times reported. Tens of thousands of other state workers will be forced to take an unpaid furlough day in May. The moves come as Kaine tries to address a $1.5 billion shortfall; it’s the fourth time in the current two-year budget cycle that the governor has had to resort to cuts in spending.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State drops high school graduation tests

ARKANSAS: Gov. Beebe says state can be major player in wind energy industry

FLORIDA: State's economic recovery lags behind other states

GEORGIA: Georgia Works program grows, acts as model for other states

KENTUCKY: Marijuana farming rebounds in tough economy

LOUISIANA: More Louisiana students test at the 'basic' level

MISSISSIPPI: Gov. Barbour announces initiative for small businesses

NORTH CAROLINA: Census report shows drop in poverty in state

SOUTH CAROLINA: Constituents comment on Rep. Wilson's outburst

TENNESSEE: State delays approval of megasite, but still supports project

VIRGINIA: Governor's race issues: Taxes, electricity rates

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

9/1: Georgia is first state to impose teacher furloughs

New York Times: Georgia is first state to impose teacher furloughs

Georgia is the first state to put teacher furloughs into effect as a way of saving state budget money. The furloughs for all state employees includes teachers for the first time in more than 25 years. The forced days off will save about $135 million, with the majority of that coming from salaries for 128,000 educators.

Several other states are considering the same action, including Florida.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: New problem created by moving toxic coal ash from TN to poor town in AL

ARKANSAS: Lt. Gov. Halter signs 'letter of intent' with officials of Henan province

FLORIDA: Jobless rate in Florida could stay high until 2018

KENTUCKY: State employees offer Gov. Beshear ways to cut budget

LOUISIANA: State GOP chairman sounds alarm about census counting illegal immigrants

MISSISSIPPI: State offers job help online and at nine access points

NORTH CAROLINA: Sen. Burr's health forum to include Sen. John McCain, Sen. Mitch McConnell

SOUTH CAROLINA: A look at a legislative poll on impeachment of Gov. Sanford

TENNESSEE: State Democrats target 12 House seats to take over

VIRGINIA: Governor's race ignites over GOP candidate McDonnell's past views

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