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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1/15: NC, VA consider privatizing liquor sales

Stateline: North Carolina, Virginia consider privatizing liquor stores

North Carolina and Virginia (and Washington) are considering eliminating state-run liquor stores, turning over the sale of booze to the private sector. Currrently, nineteen states control their liquor sales.

Virginia's Gov.-elect McDonnell, who will be sworn in as the state's governor on Saturday (Jan. 16), made privatization of the state’s 300 liquor stores a central theme of his winning campaign last fall. He said it would raise about $500 million in one-time money for transportation, but critics say it will never pass the General Assembly because the state would have to give up about $100 million a year in revenue that helps pay for public schools, human services, prisons and other services.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Legislature rejects plan to furlough state workers

ARKANSAS: State official says Medicaid could face big deficit in 2012

FLORIDA: State sets new foreclosure record in 2009

GEORGIA: Gov. Perdue wants regional sales tax to pay for transportation

KENTUCKY: House Speaker Stumbo favors rollback of sales tax

LOUISIANA: State's education system gets a C grade from Quality Counts

MISSISSIPPI: Recovery in Mississippi to be slower, harder says Economic Outlook 2010

NORTH CAROLINA: State law doesn't address freed sex offenders

SOUTH CAROLINA: State Dept. of Natural Resources faces budget crisis, plans layoffs

TENNESSEE: House may act today on teacher tenure legislation

VIRGINIA: Opinion: For Virginia politicians, is a Southern accent a bad thing?

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

1/7: Schools in the South show two majorities

New York Times: Schools in the South show two majorities

The South is the first region in the country where more than half of public school students are poor and more than half are members of minorities, according to a new report by the Southern Education Foundation.

The shift is due to an influx of Latinos and other minorities, the return of blacks to the South and higher birth rates among black and Latino families.

The report says the new numbers mark a milestone for the South -- "the only section of the United States where racial slavery, white supremacy and racial segregation of schools were enforced through law and social custom."

The South will face an enormous challenge in tackling on such a broad scale the lower achievement rates among poor and minority students, who score lower than average on tests and drop out more frequently than whites.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Bill pre-filed to ban driver text-messaging

ARKANSAS: State unveils universal scholarship application, replacing 20+ separate forms

FLORIDA: State emergency management division allegations continue

GEORGIA: GA, SC to meet for talks on water

KENTUCKY: State's food prices dropped 5.6% in 2009

LOUISIANA: Undeveloped business sectors to be focus for 2010 in state

MISSISSIPPI: Gov. Barbour issues state of emergency covering entire state

NORTH CAROLINA: Foreclosure filings up by 17% in 2009

SOUTH CAROLINA: More than $1 billion in stimulus funds have come to state agencies

TENNESSEE: Budget trimming 'devastating' to state's TennCare Medicaid program

VIRGINIA: More than $4 billion to be cut when legislators return to Capitol next week

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

12/22: Survey shows Southerners lead in religious devotion

USA Today: Survey shows Southerners lead in religious devotion

Southerners, and Mississipians in particular, are most active in their religious practices and beliefs according to a new survey from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

Five other states had at least seven in 10 people stating that religion holds that kind of importance for them: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, and South Carolina.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State agencies worried about 2011 General Fund budget

ARKANSAS: Two-year college enrollment booming in Arkansas

FLORIDA: Senate candidates agree one one thing -- Cuba

GEORGIA: Biofuel demonstration plant to be built in Tifton

KENTUCKY: Number of children in foster care rises in state

LOUISIANA: Editorial: Keep ban on drilling in Lake Pontchartrain

MISSISSIPPI: Gov. Barbour names panel to study school district consolidation

NORTH CAROLINA: Foreclosure prevention program helps more than 2,500 in state

SOUTH CAROLINA: Lawmakers consider reassessment cap which could hurt local governments

TENNESSEE: A year later, TVA coal ash spill still unresolved

VIRGINIA: State could see $20 million increase by taking in Pennsylvania convicts

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

12/10: Anti-smoking program funding drops in South

Anti-smoking program funding drops in South

Tennessee is the worst in the nation at funding anti-smoking programs aimed at children. In the current budget crisis, the state cut its spending by 96% this year, putting the state in the lowest spot as reported by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

Tennessee (51st), Georgia (50th), Alabama (47th), South Carolina (44th) and Kentucky(40th) rank in the bottom of the rankings. Kentucky's anti-smoking spending continues to be low, as it spends about 6.9% of the amount recommended on cessation programs as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And, tobacco companies are spending $20 to market products for every $1 the state spends to fight tobacco use.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Inmate attorneys say state underreports violence at prison

ARKANSAS: Sens. Lincoln and Pryor tout health care proposal

FLORIDA: State is ranked #2 for number of foreclosures in November

GEORGIA: Atlanta's mayoral race settled with recount: Kasim Reed wins

LOUISIANA: State's doctors oppose Medicare expansion proposed in Senate

MISSISSIPPI: Companies in Washington County seek 'free port exemption'

NORTH CAROLINA: Video games playing bigger role in education

SOUTH CAROLINA: House panel votes against impeachment of Gov. Sanford

VIRGINIA: State to get federal aid for disaster areas

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

11/20: CDC survey points out Southern counties most obese

AP: CDC survey points out Southern counties most obese

The first county-by-county survey of obesity reflects past studies that show the rate of obesity is highest in the Southeast and Appalachia, with two Alabama counties -- Greene and Dallas -- having adult obesity rates that are among the highest in the nation.

New research from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that more than 80% of counties in the Appalachian region (Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia) show high rates of obesity and diabetes. The same high rates of obesity and diabetes were found in about 75% of counties in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia and South Carolina.

Also in the South:

ARKANSAS: Power costs likely to go down in state now that multi-state agreement can be broken

FLORIDA: New cigarette tax increases state budget, despite drop in sales

GEORGIA: Tom Baxter: Clock ticks on Georgia in water wars dispute

KENTUCKY: Jobless rate in state is now at 11.2%

LOUISIANA: Protesters say Hispanic residents are getting citizenship questions from police

MISSISSIPPI: University leaders worry about impact of merger talk

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Perdue says group of violent inmates won't be released from prison

SOUTH CAROLINA: Foreclosures up slightly in South Carolina

TENNESSEE: Lawsuit over guns-in-bars statute to be heard today

VIRGINIA: State faces $3.5 billion hole in next two-year budget cycle

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

10/16: GA street gangs going after cartel cash, drugs

GEORGIA: Street gangs go after cartel cash and drugs, increasing risk for law enforcement

Gang investigators in the state say that Mexican drug trafficking organizations are becoming targets of criminal street gangs.

The danger has increased for law enforcement officers, as cartels are arming themselves more heavily to deter the thefts. A small number of reporters were allowed to attend this month's Georgia Gang Investigators Association meeting – which is usually private – on the condition that they not identify the gang behind a string of recent drug rip-offs or disclose its country of origin.

Investigators said the Latino street gang that has been targeting Mexican cartels in the metro Atlanta area is violent, brash and increasing in numbers.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Foreclosures up 22% in September

ARKANSAS: No change on math scores for fourth, eighth graders

FLORIDA: State may ban both paper and plastic bags

KENTUCKY: State gets a 'D' on protecting children's legal rights

LOUISIANA: Interracial couple denied marriage license in state

MISSISSIPPI: State plans more budget cuts for 2010

NORTH CAROLINA: Baptist preacher plans to burn Bibles on Halloween

SOUTH CAROLINA: State's jobless fund is running out of money

TENNESSEE: Jobless rate in state drops to 10.5%

VIRGINIA: State's infrastructure gets poor rating

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

9/16: Florida's health insurance program has no clients

St. Petersburg Times: Florida's health insurance program has no clients

Florida Health Choices, a program touted as a solution to the state's high rate of uninsured last year by the GOP House leaders, still has no insurers or businesses signed up.

A program created by Gov. Crist at the same time, "Cover Florida," has only 4,130 policies while the number of uninsured in the state has grown to 3.6 million.

These results mean neither Gov. Crist nor Marco Rubio, his opponent in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate, can use these programs as campaign fodder.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Poultry industry in Alabama closely watching trade battle with China

ARKANSAS: Problem gambler program sets up in state as lottery gears up for first day

GEORGIA: President Carter comments on Rep. Wilson's outburst: "(It's) based on racism"

KENTUCKY: Electric vehicles to be built in state by Global Green Cars

LOUISIANA: Federal health officials say state owes $362 million for Medicaid overpayments

MISSISSIPPI: Proposed $43 million program could create 4,800 jobs in state

NORTH CAROLINA: State expands foreclosure prevention program

SOUTH CAROLINA: Rep. Wilson's son defends dad's outburst

TENNESSEE: State solar project gets federal approval

VIRGINIA: Tax collections down 6.6% in August

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

8/19: A look at 2009 legislative sessions

8/19: Stateline: A look at 2009 state legislative sessions

History was made on the political front and on the social policy front, according to a study by Stateline.org. Along with budget issues, state lawmakers also dealt with a variety of contentious social policy questions, ranging from gay marriage to abortion to the death penalty.

The study gives a state-by-state review detailing how states handled budget deficits and the federal stimulus package, as well as trends developing in key areas such as education and health care, notable new legislation, and a chart of completed sessions and political control.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Ag commissioner outlines benefits of gambling as way of bringing jobs to state

ARKANSAS: Rep. Snyder says public option to health care reform won't make it through Congress

FLORIDA: State Supreme Court says mediation needed for enormous number of foreclosures

GEORGIA: PSC member wants to know why solar power isn't selling in state

KENTUCKY: State faces major challenges as ACT scores are low

LOUISIANA: State-backed insurance company faces $95 million bill

MISSISSIPPI: Democratic U.S. Rep. Travis Childers says he won't vote for health reform bill in current form

NORTH CAROLINA: State's community colleges review immigrant policy

SOUTH CAROLINA: State leaders talk of offshore drilling impact today

TENNESSEE: Greenpeace releases list of dangerous chemical plants in state

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine expected to seek more than $1 billion in budget cuts

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