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

11/25: Southern farmers see crops get washed out

New York Times: Southern farmers' hopes for bumper crops get dashed

In August, Southern farmers thought they'd have a bumper crop -- the best in years. But then the rains came in September, and it continued raining through October, a usually dry month. Soybeans shriveled on the vine, cotton hardened, sweet potatoes rotted underground. And, once combines could take to the fields, they scarred them with deep ruts that will make next year's planting more expensive.

The rain has affected farmers in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, eastern Arkansas and parts of Louisiana. Mississippi and Georgia have requested disaster declarations from the USDA, and Alabama is likely to follow suit. But help from Washington, in the form of low-interest loans, often takes a year or more to reach the farmers who need it.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State gambling dispute heads for 'showdown'

ARKANSAS: Farmers detail crop losses from flooding

FLORIDA: Sen. LeMieux comments on 'culture of corruption' in South Florida

GEORGIA: State's 'food insecurity' among worst in nation

KENTUCKY: Gov. Beshear named chairman of the Southern Growth Policies Board

LOUISIANA: Farm runoff from 41 watersheds in 12 states hits Mississippi River

MISSISSIPPI: Two Mississippi Senators introduce crop disaster bill

NORTH CAROLINA: Poverty rates in state considered 'staggering'

SOUTH CAROLINA: School exit exam scores drop in state

TENNESSEE: 'Food insecurity' in Tennessee ranks 40th in nation

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine urges nonviolent offenders to seek rights restoration

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

9/29: Ala. officials worried about Ga.'s reservoir idea

Birmingham News: Ala. officials worried about Ga.'s reservoir plan for Coosa River

A proposed 2,000-acre reservoir in north Georgia has Alabama officials worried that too much water will be taken from the Coosa River.

The plan to pipe 100 million gallons a day into metro Atlanta still has a load of legal and political hurdles to clear in Georgia, but it could open a new front in the water wars.

"Alabama cannot accept the building of a new reservoir that would simply add to the problem by adding to what's already being taken," said Todd Stacy, a spokesman for Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, the state's lead negotiator in the water wars. He would not speculate if Alabama would go to court to stop the project. However, he did say that "Governor Riley will do what is necessary to protect Alabama's water resources."

Also in the South:

ARKANSAS: State begins lottery ticket sales

FLORIDA: Convicted felons working in some nursing homes, investigation finds

GEORGIA: Census shows nearly 26,000 metro Atlanta families now in poverty

KENTUCKY: Vulgarity continues in Mongiardo's Senate race

LOUISIANA: State's poverty rate remains high, according to census

MISSISSIPPI: Gov. Barbour makes economic trip to Asia

NORTH CAROLINA: Immigrant policy at community colleges could face challenge

SOUTH CAROLINA: Gov. Sanford sets up mass transit council

TENNESSEE: Senate Speaker wants delay of Voter Confidence Act

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine talks about tax amnesty program

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