4/27: Florida is No. 1 in mortgage fraud

St. Petersburg Times: Florida is No. 1 in mortgage fraud

Florida is the No. 1 state in mortgage fraud, a position it has held for four years in a row. An annual ranking by the Mortgage Asset Research Institute showed that the state has close to three times the expected amount of reported loan fraud and misrepresentation.

The failure to stop Florida's epidemic of mortgage fraud imperils the state's already weak economy.

Georgia ranks 8th in mortgage fraud for the second year in a row.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Venture capital funding lags in Alabama, South

ARKANSAS: State is at the top in broadband competition

GEORGIA: State environmental groups want bill on new water rules to pass

KENTUCKY: Gov. Beshear vetoes bill giving General Assembly oversight over more gov't contracts

LOUISIANA: Fragile coastal wetlands threatened by oil spill

MISSISSIPPI: CDC says Mississippi needs stronger anti-tobacco regulations

NORTH CAROLINA: State to distribute radiation-fighting pills to 120,000 living near nuclear plant

SOUTH CAROLINA: Editorial: 50 cents is the least we can do

TENNESSEE: Voter registration dispute leads to TBI investigation, legislature battle

VIRGINIA: Moose lodges in Virginia raided for illegal video gambling

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ALABAMA: Legislation on using Alabama Trust Fund for roads and bridges is withdrawn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

10/29: In FL, public option in healthcare finding favor

Miami Herald: In Florida, public option in healthcare finding favor

At two very different forums on Wednesday, Florida doctors and nurses agreed that healthcare reform is desperately needed -- and they're not opposed to a public option as part of the package.

As a half-dozen speakers made clear on Wednesday, the issue is no longer whether there should be healthcare reform -- but what the details should include.

By Friday, it's expected that the House and the Senate will each have consolidated myriad proposals into a single bill in each chamber -- and each will have the option for government insurance.

Let's see what happens over the next 24 hours.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Gov. Riley announces grants to build new schools in state

ARKANSAS: Mass flu shot vaccination clinics begin in state

FLORIDA: State's 'smart power' program gets $200 million federal grant

GEORGIA: State creates new child care agency

KENTUCKY: Gov. Beshear says 'holiday tree' will go up at Capitol; Christian critics upset over nomenclature

LOUISIANA: Former Gov. Treen dies at 81

MISSISSIPPI: Economic special session postponed, says Gov. Barbour

NORTH CAROLINA: Rock-slide closure of I-40 to impact Asheville area's economy

SOUTH CAROLINA: Boeing chooses SC; Impact expected to be big

TENNESSEE: Vandal decides to censor 'dirty' words in library books

VIRGINIA: Voter mass mailing stopped over legal questions
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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

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9/14: House prepares to vote on rebuking Sen. Wilson of S.C.

New York Times: House prepares to vote on rebuking Sen. Wilson

The House is planning to vote on admonishing Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina for his commentary during President Obama's speech last week. On Sunday, Rep. Wilson said he would not apologize for heckling the president during his speech, which prompted Democrats to introduce a resolution formally holding Mr. Wilson in violation of House rules. Despite not wanting to give Mr. Wilson more attention, Democrats feel it's important to hold Mr. Wilson accountable for his remarks.

Republicans will be asked to rebuke Mr. Wilson, who has become a hero in conservative circles and among angry anti-Obama voters that the GOP is now aggressively courting. Voting with Democrats to rebuke their colleague could turn off those conservatives. However, most Republicans have also agreed that Mr. Wilson went beyond the bounds of acceptable behavior on the House floor and balking at the resolution could put them in the position of condoning his behavior.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: New state budgets likely to be cut from 4.5% to 10%

ARKANSAS: Lottery machines being installed statewide

FLORIDA: Taxpayers are funding security tab for politicians who visit Florida

GEORGIA: State sets up swine flu vaccine plan

KENTUCKY: Travel expenditures by legislature under scrutiny

LOUISIANA: Sen. Landrieu holds key position in health care reform

MISSISSIPPI: State GOP needs more signatures for voter ID ballot initiative

NORTH CAROLINA: A look at where the stimulus funds are going in the state

SOUTH CAROLINA: Sen. Graham says public option on health care is dead

TENNESSEE: Federal stimulus funds fuel weatherization projects

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine says state's largest conservation easement is complete

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

8/18: New storm-tracker gives more detail on hurricanes

8/18: Christian Science Monitor: New storm-tracker offers more detail on hurricanes

Hurricane season 2009 has begun, and a new site -- Emicus -- has been launched by the US Emergency Operations Center to provide more information on developing storms.

“We are preparing to go to either the Carolinas or Florida this coming Wednesday to work on-disaster-site operations so there will be a lot of on-site reporting," says Yobie Benjamin, a columnist and an official advisor to Emicus. “Our web site is undergoing last minute tweaks. Satellite phones, Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) satellite Internet systems, cameras, laptops, trucks and generators are getting ready for staging.”

As Hurricane Bill builds (now Category 2), sites like this may prove more valuable to Southerners in the path of such storms.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Gov. Riley says he'll meet with Georgia governor on water issue

ARKANSAS: Sen. Blanche Lincoln navigates health talks carefully

FLORIDA: Rural residents grill U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd at health-care town hall meeting

GEORGIA: Large increases seen in Hispanic voter registration

KENTUCKY: State creates electronic health information office

LOUISIANA: Rainy-day fund boosts state budget by $86 million

MISSISSIPPI: Citizens angry in Mississippi about health care reform

NORTH CAROLINA: Site in North Carolina to be home to solar farm

SOUTH CAROLINA: State closes books on fiscal year with $98 million deficit

TENNESSEE: Gov. Bredesen takes lead role in debate over health care costs

VIRGINIA: Three GOP candidates to challenge Congressman Tom Perriello

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Obama keeps to Bush's strict immigration policy

New York Times: Obama administration continues firm Bush policy on illegal immigrants

Despite early pledges by President Obama to moderate the tough Bush policy on illegal immigrants, the Obama administration is pursuing an aggressive strategy for an illegal immigration crackdown. Many Hispanic Obama supporters are antagonized by this, and ae openly protesting the national campaign.

The administration recently undertook audits of employee paperwork at hundreds of businesses, expanded a program to verify worker immigration status that has been widely criticized as flawed, bolstered a program of cooperation between federal and local law enforcement agencies, and rejected proposals for legally binding rules governing conditions in immigration detention centers.

“We are expanding enforcement, but I think in the right way,” said Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano in an interview.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Artur Davis unveils school dropout plan

ARKANSAS: Schools prepare for spread of H1N1 virus

FLORIDA: GOP trying to convince Lou Holtz to run for congress in central part of state

GEORGIA: GOP governors' relationship strained by water wars

KENTUCKY: State's largest e-medical records implementation plan underway

LOUISIANA: Rep. Alexander calls for ban on tax hikes for guns, ammo

MISSISSIPPI: State GOP launches voter ID campaign

NORTH CAROLINA: Six months in, Gov. Bev Perdue ranks as one of most unpopular governors

SOUTH CAROLINA: 20% in the state lack health insurance

TENNESSEE: Poll shows more Tennesseans leaning toward Democratic party

VIRGINIA: Star-Exponent: Editorial: Two ideas for legislators to consider
"Commercializing highway rest areas and privatizing liquor stores (are) worth considering if (they) will generate revenue for the state."

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