3/18: Report says most power plants still emitting toxic mercury

McClatchy: Report says most power plants still emitting toxic mercury

The nonpartisan Environmental Integrity Project reported that 10 plants with the highest amount of mercury emitted are in Texas, Georgia, Missouri, Alabama, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Alabama has one of the top five highest mercury emitting plants in the U.S., and Arkansas has two plants, ranked 32nd and 33rd on the list.

Coal-fired power plants are the largest source of mercury pollution, generating more than 40 percent of U.S. emissions. Mercury released into the air settles in rivers and lakes, where it moves through the food chain to the fish that people eat.

Mercury exposure can harm the brain development of infants and children. Each year more than 300,000 babies may have an increased risk of learning disabilities as a result of exposure to mercury before birth, the report said.

Also in the South:

ARKANSAS: Attorney General rejects proposals on recall, term limits

FLORIDA: Lawmakers seek tax breaks, fee cuts despite budget shortfall

GEORGIA: State's unemployment rate hits record high of 10.5%

KENTUCKY: Senate passes bill to block some drug offenders from buying cold medications

LOUISIANA: State officials make pitch to get federal school funding

MISSISSIPPI: State prison to stop segregating HIV-positive inmates

NORTH CAROLINA: A look at state guidelines on government e-mails

SOUTH CAROLINA: House approves 30-cent tobacco tax increase

TENNESSEE: State senate votes to approve fish, birds in barbershops

VIRGINIA: AG's office confirms state will sue over health care

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2/5: Senate likely to be less diverse after elections

Washington Post: Senate likely to be less diverse after elections

In contests in Florida, Texas and North Carolina, black candidates face daunting challenges to joining the Senate, from difficulty raising cash to lack of name recognition to formidable rivals.\\

By next year, the number of black Senators could be zero, despite the fact that 12.2% of the population is black. David Bositis, a senior political analyst with the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, noted that blacks don't make up the majority population in any state and in states where there are large numbers of blacks, as in the South, there are racial divisions that make getting elected difficult.

Florida is more likely to produce the next Hispanic senator than it is the next black senator.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Legislation on using Alabama Trust Fund for roads and bridges is withdrawn

ARKANSAS: FEMA to provide federal funding to state for flood damage

FLORIDA: 7.5% drop in property taxes over three years hurts state's budget

GEORGIA: State gets a "D" from voter rights group

KENTUCKY: House approves ban on texting while driving

LOUISIANA: Sen. Landrieu defends $400 million Medicaid deal

MISSISSIPPI: State stops prison growth by releasing more nonviolent offenders

NORTH CAROLINA: Sen. Larry Shaw says he won't seek re-election

SOUTH CAROLINA: Conference to draw 200 to discuss future of state's land use

TENNESSEE: Sen. Alexander introduces bill to reduce mercury emissions

VIRGINIA: Bill to end ban on radar detectors advances

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

8/20: The new silent majority

Southern Political Report: Opinion: Tom Baxter: The New Silent Majority

"Last month, writing about the first of two health care reform town meetings I’ve attended, I noted that while those who opposed the current version of health care reform from the right were the loudest and rowdiest, the greater number of those lining up at the microphones to complain about the plan opposed it from the left because it didn’t go far enough.

"This turns out not to have been an isolated incident, but an overriding dynamic of the larger debate over health care reform.

"All the red-faced town hall protesters combined have had nothing like the impact of the Obama Administration’s hint over the past weekend that it might be willing to drop the public option alternative to private insurers in order to get the remainder of its health care package passed this fall."

For more, click on this.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State employees to see increase in insurance rates

ARKANSAS: Head of RNC visits state to talk about health care

FLORIDA: Approval rating on Obama drops below 50% in state

GEORGIA: Most of the state's counties are considered 'economically distressed'

KENTUCKY: Grant will allow prescription drug task force to expand statewide

LOUISIANA: Federal study shows mercury in fish is widespread

MISSISSIPPI: State schools hit with H1N1 virus

NORTH CAROLINA: State cuts mental health care; 75 lose jobs

SOUTH CAROLINA: Fish in S.C. have high mercury content

TENNESSEE: GOP courts three possible candidates to unseat Reps. Gordon, Davis

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine says he may have to cut education, health care, and public safety

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