2/12: Home heating aid shifts to the South

ABC News: Home heating aid shifts to the South

The recent cold snap in the Deep South has sucked federal emergency home heating dollars away from traditional cold-weather states, causing heating aid to dry up faster than usual in many northern states.

Last month, $490 million in emergency heating funds were released by the Obama administration once a formula that took into account colder-than-normal temperatures and, for the first time, unemployment levels. Both of these factors favored the South.

Emergency funding more than tripled for Florida and Georgia, and more than doubled in North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Bill to create charter schools in state is tabled indefinitely

ARKANSAS: Fiscal session's first week ends with no-raise expense bill in place

FLORIDA: State sees decline in illegal immigrants

GEORGIA: Details on CRCT cheating at public schools released

KENTUCKY: Hundreds take part in rRally against mountaintop removal held in Frankfort

LOUISIANA: Gov. Jindal's $24 billion budget spares higher education

MISSISSIPPI: Gov. Barbour signs bill to restrict over-the-counter medicines used in meth making

NORTH CAROLINA: Editorial: Pressing for justice

SOUTH CAROLINA: Report shows state needs tougher jobless laws

TENNESSEE: State to resume enrollment in CoverKids, the uninsured children's program

VIRGINIA: State budget continues to be a mystery

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

1/8: New smog limits could be challenging for NC, US

News & Observer: New smog limits could be challenging for NC, US

Much of North Carolina would flunk the federal pollution standards in a nationwide proposal Thursday to require tougher limits on smog. The federal Environmental Protection Agency's new limits are the strictest so far.

The new standards will put hundreds of counties across the nation out of compliance and force local officials to find creative new ways to squeeze more pollution reductions from transportation, heavy industry and residents.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Opinion: How Alabama can meet justice needs

ARKANSAS: Schools in state scramble for federal money

FLORIDA: South Florida schools face mid-year budget crisis

GEORGIA: Homeowners in state could lose $13 billion in property values in next two years

KENTUCKY: New mining procedures to cut down on dumping of coal waste

LOUISIANA: Much of New Orleans area to be out of compliance with new EPA ozone standards

MISSISSIPPI: State denies Allstate's bid to raise insurance rates by 65%

SOUTH CAROLINA: State legislature says cigarette tax is likely this year

TENNESSEE: Legislative agenda's top issues: budget cuts, education

VIRGINIA: State tightens rules on car-title lending

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

10/13: Mississippi last on health scorecard

The Commonwealth Fund: Mississippi has worst health care

The Commonwealth Fund has issued its second State Scorecard on Health System Performance to compare states in terms of access, affordability and care.

None of the 11 Southern states we cover are in the top tier of the 2009 rankings.

However, five of the ten lowest ranking states are in the South: Mississippi (#51 of 51), Louisiana (#49) , Arkansas (#48), Kentucky (#45) , and Florida (#44). Of the six other states in the South, the rankings are as follows:

• North Carolina - #41
• Alabama - #40
• Tennessee - #39
• Georgia - #38
• South Carolina - #33
• Virginia - #22

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Candidate Artur Davis says next governor can save more than $500 million

ARKANSAS: Eight school districts removed from 'fiscally distressed' list

FLORIDA: Gov. Crist outlines his conservative credits in campaign for Senate

GEORGIA: State seeks more alternative energy projects

KENTUCKY: Mortality rate unusually high at VA hospital in Lexington

LOUISIANA: State's juvenile justice system still troubled, say activists

NORTH CAROLINA: U.S. Supreme Court to hear NC-SC water lawsuit today

SOUTH CAROLINA: State Ports Authority works to reduce air pollution

TENNESSEE: State tax collections down again in September

VIRGINIA: Democrat and former GOP governor want public-private approach to school renovation

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

9/15: Some governors worried about Medicaid growth

Associated Press: Medicaid growth could hurt state budgets, say some governors

Some governors worry their financial burdens could get worse as Congress works on a comprehensive health care bill, especially as states struggle with high rates of poverty and unemployment.

“If the federal government wants to expand health care to everybody in the country, they should not force the states to pay part of the bill. If they want to do that, the federal government should pay for it,” said Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, who is chairman of the Republican Governors Association.

Medicaid budgets are already strained in some states. In Georgia, Gov. Sonny Perdue ordered 3 percent funding cuts for Medicaid and public schools and 5 percent cuts for most other state programs because of weak state tax collections in late July, just three weeks into the new fiscal year.

In Mississippi, where 21.1 percent of residents live in poverty and 20 percent are enrolled in Medicaid, paying for health care has long been a struggle. Barbour said a mandate to cover more people could lead to tax increases.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Gov. Riley returns from Europe, says state will pursue foreign firms more aggressively

ARKANSAS: Former judge debates Sen. Baker over Employee Free Choice Act

FLORIDA: State DOT considers pay-per-mile motorists' tax

GEORGIA: Tom Baxter: Jody Powell, a true original
"In an age of instant communications and overnight campaigns, it’s hard to convey just what a revolution in political communications Jody Powell was instrumental in pulling off. But I’ll always think of it in terms of two picnics."

KENTUCKY: $10.5 million in federal stimulus funds to help Kentucky go greener

LOUISIANA: Violent crime rate down in state

MISSISSIPPI: Wetlands project approved for Mississippi Delta

NORTH CAROLINA: State's Justice Dept. supports fight against Navy's practice landing field

SOUTH CAROLINA: State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex joins gubernatorial race

TENNESSEE: Rural residents in parts of state lack safe water

VIRGINIA: NRA switches support to McDonnell in governor's race

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