3/29: VA program to help minority business falls short

News & Advance: Virginia program to help minority business falls short

The program aimed at helping small, women and minority firms win state business has been deemed largely ineffective at awarding contracts to minority owners. A big part of the problem -- The definition of 'small business' is so broad that it includes 99% of the businesses in the state.

"When you’re looking at minority business and small business, that’s two different issues on two different fronts,” said Darryl Samuels, executive vice president of the National Association of Minority Contractors. “The minority issue gets diluted.”

“It is a program from hell,” said A. Hugo Bowers, president of the 48-member Black Business Alliance of Virginia, formed to press for public and private sector diversity. “(State agencies) can meet their SWaM goals and never hire a minority.”

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Legislators found way to fund education plan

ARKANSAS: Child maltreatment reports in seven-county area are up

FLORIDA: Editorial: Florida's lawmakers aren't facing up to the state's budget crisis

GEORGIA: State House won't force AG to sue over health reform

KENTUCKY: Impact of health care reform on Kentucky explored

LOUISIANA: State legislature convenes 2010 session today

MISSISSIPPI: Opinion: State's unemployment benefits need work

NORTH CAROLINA: Protesters rally against jail's policy on deporting immigrants

SOUTH CAROLINA: National health care may mightily expand SC's Medicaid, bills

TENNESSEE: State health officials say H1N1 flu has increased slightly

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

11/12: Obstacles exist for electric car use

Tennessean: Obstacles exist for electric car use

A few cities in the U.S. will be targeted in an electric vehicle push and a program is being launched to provide a network of recharging stations. Included in these cities is Nashville, and there's concern about consumer hesitance to the vehicles.

"If every one of us had a car or two in the garage that was charging every night, could that be handled?" said Joe Hoagland, TVA's vice president for environmental policy, science and technology. "I'm not sure." If people want to fast-charge vehicles at the same time, it could mean transformers blow.

Efforts to stagger charges or build larger transformers are being pursued, as are ways to improve batteries, figure out the best way to give electric cars a 100-mile range, and establish ways for people to pay if they need to plug in while visiting a friend or shopping.

It'll have to be convenient to get the public's buy-in.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State's aversion to charter schools may be over as federal dollars available

ARKANSAS: Agriculture in state could be taking $650 million hit this harvest

FLORIDA: State ranks 7th on Pew Center's list of 'States in Fiscal Peril'

GEORGIA: State may raise fees for public services & licenses instead of raising taxes

KENTUCKY: Q&A with Rand Paul, candidate for U.S. Senate seat

LOUISIANA: Opinion: Senator fails to keep immigrants out of 2010 Census

MISSISSIPPI: Opinion: Justice too slow for death row inmates

NORTH CAROLINA: No more test points for cash in Goldsboro school, say officials

SOUTH CAROLINA: New study shows state could save $5 billion if more energy efficient

TENNESSEE: Gov. Bredesen open to furloughs and contract freezes

VIRGINIA: State to work with Delaware and Maryland on off-shore wind energy

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

9/21: Europeans fear U.S. lacks political will on climate change

New York Times: Europeans fear U.S. lacks political will on climate change

Climate talks are to begin this week at the United Nations, and Europeans are expressing little hope that the U.S. Senate will act on a climate bill before the Copenhagen talks begin in December.

European leaders say the American reluctance to accept any agreement that would require legally binding and internationally enforceable targets for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions could doom the Copenhagen session.

And, inaction in the Senate limits the flexibility of the U.S.'s chief climate negotiator, Todd Stern.

The Copenhagen meeting is in three months.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: New 911 technology could be tested in Alabama

ARKANSAS: Jobless rate falls to 7.1% in state

FLORIDA: Offshore drilling to be pushed again by Florida Energy Associates

GEORGIA: Brutal attack could result in renewed call for hate crime law in Georgia

KENTUCKY: Student test results to be released Wednesday

LOUISIANA: River Bend nuclear power reactor is shut down

MISSISSIPPI: Work begins on state budget

NORTH CAROLINA: State tries new public health insurance program

SOUTH CAROLINA: Immigrants make up 4% of state's population

TENNESSEE: State lawmakers want resolution on highway bill

VIRGINIA: State announces sales tax holiday for appliances

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