2/3: Food hardship report: Poverty up in South

Examiner: Food hardship report shows increase in poverty in South

Ten of the eleven states the ThinkSouth blog covers are suffering the highest rates of hunger in America -- Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida and Georgia.

Mississippi, the state with the highest incidence of food hardships report, saw their numbers increase when children under the age of 18 were factored into the statistics. Mississippi households without children held a hunger rating of 22.5 percent while Mississippi households with children held a hunger rating of 33.8 percent.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State Senate fails to pass $1 billion road construction bill

ARKANSAS: Counselors see increase in gambling addictions in Arkansas

FLORIDA: Including illegal immigrants in census count becomes an issue in Senate race

GEORGIA: PSC wants refund for taxpayers from abandoned Yucca Mtn. nuclear waste project

KENTUCKY: State highway plan could cost $11 billion from 2010-2016

LOUISIANA: Coastal restoration funds in President Obama's proposed 2011 budget

MISSISSIPPI: Commentary: Odds stacked against state lottery

NORTH CAROLINA: State has exhausted ability to borrow money according to new report

SOUTH CAROLINA: Study links port expansion to health problems

TENNESSEE: Nursing home care in state ranks very low

VIRGINIA: Under Gov. McDonnell, death penalty likely to expand

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

11/27: Some states sell or lease public buildings for budget-building

Stateline: Some states sell or lease public buildings for budget-boosting

While it's a quick way of raising cash, some say the strategy of selling or leasing public property is a short-term fix that delays making more difficult budget decisions.

Todd Haggerty, a National Conference of State Legislatures policy associate, said: “States are having to look at anything and everything to close these (budget) gaps. For the most part, easy decisions have already been made, so states are now looking at more difficult options.”

And in the South:

ALABAMA: Editorial: Alabama needs charter schools

ARKANSAS: State approves electric power rate increase

FLORIDA: Congressional primary rescheduled due to Passover conflict

GEORGIA: State is failing to make progress in lung cancer battle

KENTUCKY: Executions suspended by state's highest court

LOUISIANA: Public option on healthcare not likely in Louisiana, some say

MISSISSIPPI: State program aims to keep diabetics out of the hospital

NORTH CAROLINA: Proposed port has small town worried about traffic, noise

SOUTH CAROLINA: Tax-free 'Second Amendment' weekend likely to mean higher gun sales

TENNESSEE: Sex offender tracking gets trickier with wireless devices in use

VIRGINIA: Tobacco-rich Virginia goes smoke-free in restaurants Dec. 1

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