2/4: States face challenge of IT improvements

Stateline: A look at how states are dealing with IT improvements

Improving Information Technology systems at the state level is an issue facing most states these days. But many can't afford to update them, due to pressing budget problems. Some states have systems that are more than 30 years old and written in outdated computer code. Then there's the problem of slow computer networks, prone to crashes and agency incompatibility.

In Virginia, officials are a year behind on creating a new multi-agency IT infrastructure. It has suffered repeated network interruptions, adding to the cost of the five-year, $2.4 billion project.

However, in Georgia, revamping the IT structure seems to be on course. So far, the $1.2 billion, eight-year contract with IBM and AT&T has hit all of its deadlines with little difficulty. The vendors have successfully taken over the state’s IT infrastructure and are now in the process of consolidating all agencies into a single statewide system.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Editorial: Alabama needs water-saving strategy

ARKANSAS: State under hazardous weather warning today and Friday

FLORIDA: Opinion: Florida, we have a problem

GEORGIA: Gov. Perdue pushes conservation measures for long-term water savings

KENTUCKY: Gov. Beshear urges Pres. Obama to help protect coal states

LOUISIANA: State to privatize prisoner medications

MISSISSIPPI: State House votes to sell the state's private jet

NORTH CAROLINA: Settlement on "road to nowhere" to cost feds $52 million

SOUTH CAROLINA: Senate approves photo ID requirement for voting

TENNESSEE: State law protects elderly and disabled from abuse

VIRGINIA: State AG wants more outpatient treatment for mentally ill

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1/29: Editorial: Share the water across the South

ARKANSAS, Press-Register: Editorial: Share the water across the South

"Negotiate, don't litigate.

"That’s the best advice we can offer officials in Mississippi, Alabama and other Southern states that have been embroiled in long, costly courtroom “water wars.”

"Millions of dollars in legal fees have flowed into the decades-long struggle that pits Georgia against Alabama and Florida. In recent years, time and money have been invested in the fight between Mississippi and the city of Memphis over water in an aquifer that straddles the Mississippi-Tennessee-Arkansas state lines. (More)

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State lawmakers want President Obama to focus on national security

FLORIDA: State Farm drops 125,000 Florida property policies

GEORGIA: No high-speed rail for Georgia, just funds for feasibility study

KENTUCKY: State partners with Microsoft to offer free technical training

LOUISIANA: Gov. Jindal condemns break-in at Sen. Landrieu's office

MISSISSIPPI: Merger of three Historically Black Colleges 'dead on arrival'

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Perdue goes on 'secret vacation' to a 'warm place'

SOUTH CAROLINA: Bill on warrantless search heads to Chamber floor

TENNESSEE: Grassoline: Switchgrass to be used by ethanol refinery in TN

VIRGINIA: Bill to toughen seat-belt law stalls in House

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1/25: 24 states' laws could be moot with campaign finance change

New York Times: 24 states' laws could be moot with proposed campaign finance change

Laws in 24 states will be directly or indirectly called into question after the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that the federal government may not ban political spending by corporations or unions in candidate elections.

Richard Hasen, an election law specialist at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said he expected state judicial races to be especially affected by the Supreme Court decision. States like Florida and Ohio can expect to see the biggest and quickest influx of money, as it is relatively expensive to run campaigns and most are competitive.

However, David Primo, a political science professor at the University of Rochester, counseled caution about predicting the impact of the Supreme Court decision. While it grants corporations and unions new access, it is also likely to spur state officials and campaign reform groups to push for new types of restrictions.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Unemployment in state hits 11%

ARKANSAS: U.S. Rep. Marion Berry to announce retirement today

FLORIDA: Some expect President Obama to announce billions for high speed rail in Florida

GEORGIA: Report says state's foster care system has problems of abuse and neglect

KENTUCKY: Census officials having a hard time filling jobs in Kentucky

LOUISIANA: Gov. Jindal gets boost with anti-tax stance

MISSISSIPPI: Doctors turn to Iran to find out how to reduce MS's high infant mortality rate

NORTH CAROLINA: N.C. Attorney General suggests way to resolve water issue with S.C.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Lawmakers put off tax evaluation report

TENNESSEE: Regular legislative session opens today with dire budget situation

VIRGINIA: Coalition wants to create offshore wind industry

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1/14: AL religous groups fight gambling legislation

ALABAMA: Religious groups to fight gambling legislation

Religious groups are lining up to fight legislation that would expand and tax gambling in the state.

On Wednesday in Montgomery, the Rev. Jimmy Jackson, president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention, called gambling "an evil" that the Legislature should stop. The Rev. Joe Godfrey, director of the Alabama Citizen Action Program, said he opposes letting Alabama citizens vote on expanding gambling. He said operators and machine manufacturers would spend millions on the referendum, and opponents couldn't match that.

Also in the South:

ARKANSAS: Arkansas Works program expanded by Gov. Beebe

FLORIDA: Most of Florida Power & Light $1 billion rate hike request rejected

GEORGIA: Senator Shafer pushes water conservation bill

KENTUCKY: Senate panel passes nuclear power bill

LOUISIANA: Attorney General files lawsuit over tainted Chinese drywall

MISSISSIPPI: Leaky water system causes fourth day of government shut down

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Perdue unveils education initiative aimed at improving achievement

SOUTH CAROLINA: State House censures Gov. Sanford, 102-11

TENNESSEE: House panel calls for moratorium on traffic cameras

VIRGINIA: Gov.-elect McDonnell won't push to remove corporate income tax

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1/7: Schools in the South show two majorities

New York Times: Schools in the South show two majorities

The South is the first region in the country where more than half of public school students are poor and more than half are members of minorities, according to a new report by the Southern Education Foundation.

The shift is due to an influx of Latinos and other minorities, the return of blacks to the South and higher birth rates among black and Latino families.

The report says the new numbers mark a milestone for the South -- "the only section of the United States where racial slavery, white supremacy and racial segregation of schools were enforced through law and social custom."

The South will face an enormous challenge in tackling on such a broad scale the lower achievement rates among poor and minority students, who score lower than average on tests and drop out more frequently than whites.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Bill pre-filed to ban driver text-messaging

ARKANSAS: State unveils universal scholarship application, replacing 20+ separate forms

FLORIDA: State emergency management division allegations continue

GEORGIA: GA, SC to meet for talks on water

KENTUCKY: State's food prices dropped 5.6% in 2009

LOUISIANA: Undeveloped business sectors to be focus for 2010 in state

MISSISSIPPI: Gov. Barbour issues state of emergency covering entire state

NORTH CAROLINA: Foreclosure filings up by 17% in 2009

SOUTH CAROLINA: More than $1 billion in stimulus funds have come to state agencies

TENNESSEE: Budget trimming 'devastating' to state's TennCare Medicaid program

VIRGINIA: More than $4 billion to be cut when legislators return to Capitol next week

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12/23: Census reports slow growth in states

USAToday: Census reports slow growth in states

New state population estimates show Louisiana added 40,563 residents, a 0.9% increase -- nearly to the population level before Hurricane Katrina.

In the South, Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina saw increases of 16% or more, and Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky and Louisiana saw growth of under 10% as compared with population numbers recorded in 2000.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith announces he'll switch parties

ARKANSAS: Immigrant population expanding in state

FLORIDA: State leaders plan statewide conference on job creation

GEORGIA: Task force says Lake Lanier is Atlanta's best source for drinking water

KENTUCKY: State's Race to the Top program doesn't include charter schools

LOUISIANA: Gov. Jindal balances budget by cutting $248 million from state agencies

MISSISSIPPI: Special Gulf Coast census under consideration

NORTH CAROLINA: Sen. Kay Hagan defends health care bill tradeoffs

SOUTH CAROLINA: New poll says electorate is tired of Sanford drama

TENNESSEE: Attorney General to appeal the guns-in-bars decision

VIRGINIA: Incoming governor names Sean Connaughton as state's transportation secretary

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12/16: Governors set aggressive timeline for tri-state water plan

Governors set aggressive timeline for tri-state water agreement

The governors of Georgia, Florida and Alabama met Tuesday for two hours to work towards ending the 20-year water war between the states. At issue: The Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river basin.

All three governors will leave office during 2010, putting a greater push on getting an agreement sealed. Georgia Gov. Perdue alluded to the pres­sure of time and politics saying Tuesday that he believed "it would be shameful" to allow the knowledge that the three gover­nors have gained working on the water disputes to transfer to their successors.

Gov. Riley said, "As long as we look at what's best for that Southern region -- these three states -- I'm still convinced that we can reach a resolution."

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Services to be cut if funds can't be found

ARKANSAS: Report says state is prepared for medical health emergencies

FLORIDA: State DOT criticized for rail bill e-mails

GEORGIA: Governors predict water agreement by end of 2010

KENTUCKY: Gov. Beshear supports payday-loan rate

LOUISIANA: Sen. Landrieu approves current health care bill

MISSISSIPPI: Federal bill includes $150 million for Mississippi projects

NORTH CAROLINA: A look at future growth along N.C. 3

SOUTH CAROLINA: State cuts $238 million from budget

TENNESSEE: Special session called by Gov. Bredesen on schools

VIRGINIA: Drug use is up among youth in Virginia

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12/15: Environmentalists target soft toilet paper

Tennessean: Environmentalists target soft toilet paper

Environmentalists say the super-soft toilet paper pushed by manufacturers like Kimberly-Clark and Procter & Gamble are anti-green. Greenpeace, the Natural Resources Defense Council and other environmental groups are urging these companies to stop using wood from virgin forests to make tissue products. But, even as Americans say they support green initiatives, they also say in surveys that they don't want to sacrifice comfort.

Darby Hoover, a senior resource specialist with the Natural Resources Defense Council, understands the pressure of customer demand but wonders: Do we really need toilet paper to be as soft as it can be or do we need it just soft enough? Other countries — particularly in South America, Africa and Asia — seem to be OK with "soft enough."

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Lawmakers say state can't maintain retirees' benefits as they are

ARKANSAS: Judge allows non-religious display at Arkansas Capitol

FLORIDA: Federal grant may mean up to $700 million to Florida schools

GEORGIA: Tri-state water talks begin today between Georgia, Florida and Alabama governors

KENTUCKY: State has highest cancer death rate in the nation

LOUISIANA: State serves as a model in teacher assessment under new initiative

MISSISSIPPI: Food stamp program in state shows big increase in participation

NORTH CAROLINA: Commentary: Should an atheist councilman in NC be allowed to serve public office?

SOUTH CAROLINA: Racial health disparities outlined in South Carolina report

TENNESSEE: State's judges often judged in secret by judicial officials

VIRGINIA: Group says increase in gas tax could help solve budget problem

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12/14: States haunted by scary budget scenarios

Stateline: States haunted by scary budget scenarios

Budgets in most states will be facing service cuts, tax hikes, IOUs, layoffs, furloughs and political gridlock. In Virginia, outgoing Gov. Tim Kaine is putting together a budget that his successor, Bob McDonnell, will have to finalize. Said Kaine, "The things that get put in front of me in terms of cuts are ... tougher and tougher, and somewhere in whittling down that $3.6 billion number, I know I am going to get a cut that I don't want to make."

Arkansas has seen worse budgets over the years, including the hit the state took in 1930 when a third of the state flooded -- it was already reeling from budget problems before the Great Depression. In 1933, Arkansas defaulted on its bonds — the only state to do so during the Great Depression — and its state government essentially functioned on federal money for two years. It started digging itself out only when it passed a sales tax, and even then, the state had to stop building roads for 16 years.

To avoid a repeat, state leaders will have to be strong and offer solid plans to weather the budget problems.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Some of the state's schools are still segregated, according to study

ARKANSAS: Crop losses in the state estimated at $309 million by economists

FLORIDA: Judicial Ethics Committee advises judged not to befriend attorneys on Facebook

GEORGIA: Savannah worried about Atlanta's water plans and impact on coast

KENTUCKY: Abuse statistics considered 'alarming' in Kentucky

LOUISIANA: Commission on Streamlining Government works on state expenses

MISSISSIPPI: Some legislators want to change the way the budget is written

NORTH CAROLINA: Asheville councilman's atheism causing a huge stir across nation

SOUTH CAROLINA: Gubernatorial candidates outline jobs programs

TENNESSEE: Opinion: It's time Tennessee slams jail door shut

VIRGINIA: Gov. Kaine prepares Virginia budget

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12/8: EPA says greenhouse gases hazardous to health

Christian Science Monitor: EPA says greenhouse gases are hazardous to human health

The Environmental Protection Agency's announcement on greenhouse gases was made on the first day of the climate talks in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Environmentalists applauded the move. "This means the US can go to Copenhagen and negotiate from a position of strength. It shows the world that the Obama administration is serious about tackling the climate problem even if legislation in the Senate falls flat,” says Frank O’Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch, an environmental watchdog group. “It’s also a reminder to the Senate that if they sit on their hands, the Obama EPA is going to do something to regulate these emissions.”

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Governors of Georgia, Florida and Alabama to meet over water rights

ARKANSAS: Education advocate, former state senator Jodie Mahony dies

FLORIDA: State's high court may require more specific Miranda warnings

GEORGIA: Ethics reform to be a big topic of 2010 legislature

KENTUCKY: Control of state Senate to be decided in today's special election

LOUISIANA: Tax amnesty brings in $466 million, three times more than expected

MISSISSIPPI: "Green" Grand Bay Coastal Resources center dedicated

NORTH CAROLINA: Drunk driving fatality rate drops in state

SOUTH CAROLINA: State lawmakers want to outlaw texting while driving

TENNESSEE: Editorial: Local clinics could vanish along with state funding

VIRGINIA: State's charter school law gets 'fail' from education reform group

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12/4: More on Georgia's water problem

Gov. Perdue may turn to reservoirs for metro Atlanta water

A task force has been put together to help solve Georgia's water problems. A federal judge has set a 2012 deadline for Georgia to come up with a solution with Alabama and Florida; if a deal isn't reached, Georgia could be cut off from using millions of gallons of water from Lake Lanier.

The controversial practices of interbasin transfers or piping water from far-away rivers and lakes is are also being considered, to the dismay of environmentalists and rural lawmakers. And, currently a state law strictly prohibits river basin water transfers, so a battle over water resources within the state is sure to come.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Gov. Riley backs off on ban of no-bid contract deals

ARKANSAS: Gov. Beebe speaks with Washington governor about interstate parolee system

FLORIDA: State senators split on Medicare

GEORGIA: Speaker of the House resigns

KENTUCKY: Parts of eastern Kentucky to be targeted by MSHA due to black lung disease

LOUISIANA: State's federal funding dependence challenged by Rep. Darrell Issa

MISSISSIPPI: Gov. Barbour cuts $54.3 million in second round of budget cuts

NORTH CAROLINA: Judge considers arguments on NC's 'life' sentences for prisoners

SOUTH CAROLINA: Attorney General expects good news in Carolinas' water war

TENNESSEE: State to open adult health plan to sickest children

VIRGINIA: Study on safety of uranium mining to begin this winter

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

11/20: CDC survey points out Southern counties most obese

AP: CDC survey points out Southern counties most obese

The first county-by-county survey of obesity reflects past studies that show the rate of obesity is highest in the Southeast and Appalachia, with two Alabama counties -- Greene and Dallas -- having adult obesity rates that are among the highest in the nation.

New research from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that more than 80% of counties in the Appalachian region (Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia) show high rates of obesity and diabetes. The same high rates of obesity and diabetes were found in about 75% of counties in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia and South Carolina.

Also in the South:

ARKANSAS: Power costs likely to go down in state now that multi-state agreement can be broken

FLORIDA: New cigarette tax increases state budget, despite drop in sales

GEORGIA: Tom Baxter: Clock ticks on Georgia in water wars dispute

KENTUCKY: Jobless rate in state is now at 11.2%

LOUISIANA: Protesters say Hispanic residents are getting citizenship questions from police

MISSISSIPPI: University leaders worry about impact of merger talk

NORTH CAROLINA: Gov. Perdue says group of violent inmates won't be released from prison

SOUTH CAROLINA: Foreclosures up slightly in South Carolina

TENNESSEE: Lawsuit over guns-in-bars statute to be heard today

VIRGINIA: State faces $3.5 billion hole in next two-year budget cycle

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

10/8: Homeowners with tainted Chinese drywall could lose insurance

Miami Herald: Homeowners with tainted Chinese drywall could lose insurance coverage

Chinese drywall is causing lots of problems, besides the rotten-egg smell and health issues that include troubled breathing, nosebleeds and headaches.

In Florida, many homeowners have filed claims with their home insurers to repair the drywall damage. That's turning out to be a dead end: Most property insurers are denying the claims because homeowners policies don't cover contamination or building material defects. But once an insurer knows there is drywall damage in a home, the existing damage could be the trigger for not renewing a policy unless repairs are made.

Thousands of homes in the nation are affected, as noted by The New York Times.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: State gets $27 million in energy stimulus funds

ARKANSAS: European companies can give state good economic opportunities, says Gov. Beebe

GEORGIA: 80-member water 'contingencies' task force meets

KENTUCKY: State lawmakers want more info available to public on government spending

LOUISIANA: 35,800 new jobs forecast over next two years in Louisiana

MISSISSIPPI: Health care scorecard puts Mississippi at bottom of list

NORTH CAROLINA: State health plan will penalize smokers and the obese

SOUTH CAROLINA: Public hearing set for offshore wind energy

TENNESSEE: State ranks 39th in health care study

VIRGINIA: "Book club" gatherings a new campaigning trick for Deeds in governor's race

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10/5: Prepaid state college plans may not cover all costs

New York Times: Prepaid state college plans may not cover all costs

In the last year, the slump in the stock market and rising college costs have put all but two of the 18 prepaid college savings plans in the red.

South Carolina’s plan overseers have developed doomsday scenarios, capping how much a family would get if the program shut down completely.

Alabama closed its program to new enrollees because the fund lost almost half of its assets — more than $300 million — in the stock market in the last year, and the state might have to put its own money in to keep it solvent.

Between them, the 18 state funds serve nearly 1.6 million families and hold $23.8 billion in assets, ranging from Tennessee’s small $80 million fund serving 9,700 families to Florida’s massive $8.7 billion fund that serves about 850,000 families.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Military retirees stunned by 21% inpatient fee hike

ARKANSAS: Gov. Beebe responds to $55.8 million shortfall in revenue

FLORIDA: Gov. Crist gets bad media coverage lately

GEORGIA: State gets another blow in water wars as drinking water not considered in study

KENTUCKY: Gov. Beshear heads to China, Japan on trade mission

LOUISIANA: Autism numbers more prevalent than previously thought

MISSISSIPPI: Revenues down dramatically in September

NORTH CAROLINA: State asks for $5.3 billion for trains

SOUTH CAROLINA: Water Wars, Part Two: SC, NC battle over Catawba River

VIRGINIA: DNC to pump another $1 million into gubernatorial race

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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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9/15: 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

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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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8/17: Reforestation proposed for Central Appalachia

Kentucky: 125 million tree program proposed for Appalachian mine sites

A group is proposing a massive reforestation plan to plant 125 million trees on Appalachia mine sites that were cleared or leveled and is seeking $422 million in federal funds for the project.

The goal is to put back trees on hundreds of thousands of acres where they once stood, but which coal companies reclaimed as grassland after surface mining over the last three decades.

The plan could boost the economy in one of the nation's most chronically poor areas, ultimately providing an estimated 2,000 jobs for forestry technicians, tree-planters, bulldozer operators and others, backers estimate. It could also improve water quality in streams, help soak up carbon dioxide and boost the economy by expanding the wood-products economy.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Gov. Riley signs occupational tax into law to benefit Jefferson County

ARKANSAS: 68 hospitals to become part of state's new trauma system

FLORIDA: Healthcare debate impacted by campaign donations from insurance companies

GEORGIA: Impact of water wars to be reach across the state

KENTUCKY: GOP Senate candidate Rand Paul predicts death of grandmothers under Obama's plan

LOUISIANA: State agencies cutting jobs, reducing work hours as budgets shrink

MISSISSIPPI: GOP spends time, money to push for voter ID on ballot

NORTH CAROLINA: Property rights took a hit this year in General Assembly

SOUTH CAROLINA: A look at how the GOP is doing in aftermath of Sanford affair

TENNESSEE: State's high-cost public insurance experiment fuels health care debate

VIRGINIA: UVA-UM study shows ancient slash-and-burn farming may have altered global climate

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Megaregion talks held in Charlotte

Charlotte Observer: Megaregion talks held in Charlotte

The 'megaregion,' described as stretching from Raleigh, NC to Birmingham, Ala. , is drawing a lot of attention from elected officials, executives, planning officials, and academics. Closed-door sessions, hosted by Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, were held on Tuesday to consider the fast-growing urban area.

The megaregion's population is expected to grow by almost 70 percent by 2050, according to estimates presented at the Atlanta forum. Its gross regional product is $1.1 trillion, 10 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product.

A news conference will be held today to allow the mayors to discuss what issues they've identified from the energy, transportation, and environmental sectors.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: Solution to tri-state water wars is....conservation

ARKANSAS: Chinese ambassador to U.S. says Arkansas is key to trade with China

FLORIDA: State approves plan to build nuclear plant in Levy County

GEORGIA: State's leaders call for immigration reform

KENTUCKY: State's tax revenue receipts show economy is still down

LOUISIANA: Survey shows state's residents vulnerable to swinging oil rates

MISSISSIPPI: Black male enrollment lags at state's colleges

NORTH CAROLINA: Congressman Butterfield faces hecklers at health care forum

SOUTH CAROLINA: Drug addiction running high among S.C.'s health-care workers

TENNESSEE: Editorial: A new role for Tennessee
"If America is headed, however haltingly, toward a more environmentally responsible and energy independent path, Tennessee is well positioned to lead the way."

VIRGINIA: Fairfax Co. schools look at new CDC swine flu strategy

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