Govs turn to fixing infrastructure
From: www.stateline.org
"
PHILADELPHIA – Improving the nation’s crumbling bridges, roads and sewage systems is a $1.6 trillion problem that governors intend to explore in the next year.
"
A-B's board sells kingdom to InBev for $52 billion
From: www.stltoday.com
"The board of directors of Anheuser-Busch Cos. on Sunday accepted a $52 billion takeover offer from Belgium's InBev, putting a quick end to a monthlong standoff between the companies. The agreement paves the way for a brewing colossus controlling about a quarter of the world's beer market."
Alaska gas line project vote a week away
From: newsminer.com
"TransCanada Corp. wants a license to proceed on a pipeline project that will move North Slope natural gas to Midwest markets, but it will have to wait another week before the Alaska Legislature takes a vote."
State lands provide new lease on life
From: newsok.com
"When Denny Sanders pays the rent for his Shawnee restaurant, more than 600,000 kids get a shot at a slightly better education."
Stalemate threatens S.D. wind industry
From: www.argusleader.com
"WASHINGTON - South Dakota's wind energy industry is being held hostage in a high-stakes game of political chicken, delaying construction on new wind farms across the state and causing sleepless nights for at least one utility project manager."
U.S. experts hesitate to rank Iowa's disaster
From: www.desmoinesregister.com
"The storms that flooded and battered Iowa this summer probably will be remembered as the worst natural disaster ever to hit the state, but experts say it's too soon to tell how Iowa's pain will rank nationally."
Ark. lawmaker plans to propose sales-tax holiday
From: www.thedailycitizen.com
"BELLA VISTA, Ark. - A state legislator says she will renew her effort to convince her colleagues to institute an annual state sales-tax holiday on school supplies and clothing as a way to make it easier on parents to provide their children the basics. "
Vt. tax holiday seen as success
From: www.rutlandherald.com
"Shoppers and merchants tangoed in a mad flurry of buying and selling as each took advantage of the tax-free weekend."
U-M helps to reshape Mich. economy
From: www.freep.com
"As job losses, foreclosures and other woes continue to batter Michigan, an unlikely savior has emerged from the halls of academia."
Nups-issue rewrite may dim passions on both sides
From: www.azstarnet.com
"When Arizonans voted down amending the constitution to define marriage between a man and a woman in 2006, nearly $3 million was spent by the dueling campaigns to influence voters."
AZ probes complaints vs. Wildcat Mitsubishi
From: www.azstarnet.com
"Selling damaged vehicles. Breaking rules. Calling cops on customers who complain.
"
Sugar industry likely to remain potent political force
From: www.sun-sentinel.com
"U.S. Sugar Corp.'s plan to sell its land to clear a path for Everglades restoration signals the decline of a major political player that has shaped state and national policy for decades."
Businesses bitten by salmonella probe
From: www.mysanantonio.com
" McALLEN - The Food and Drug Administration's attempt to target a source for the nationwide salmonella outbreak has effectively shut down Texas border tomato traffic - and that of cilantro, jalape os, other peppers and other produce - even as tainted ones have yet to be found in Mexico."
Austin companies considering four-day workweeks
From: www.statesman.com
"With energy costs on the rise and gas prices hovering around $4 a gallon, some employers are proposing a solution likely to delight many workers: mandating a four-day workweek."
Governors say they'd like more federal help
From: www.philly.com
"Many of the nation's governors, dealing with crumbling schools, roads, bridges and water systems, would like economic stimulus checks of their own."
Hickel draws fire from governor, legislators over proposed gas line advertisement
From: newsminer.com
"Gov. Sarah Palin and state lawmakers are firing back at former Gov. Walter Hickel and others for what many describe as an inappropriate and threatening request on the gas pipeline."
It's time to vote on gas line, Democrats tell state House
From: www.adn.com
" Democrats on Saturday called on the House leadership to go ahead with a vote on the proposed natural gas pipeline license, saying hearings on the matter have become "repetitive." In a letter to House Speaker John Harris, R-Valdez, House Minority Leader Beth Kerttula of Juneau asked that a final vote on the license to TransCanada Corp. be held by Tuesday."
First Nations watch gas pipeline closely
From: www.adn.com
"State legislators considering whether to award a license and $500 million in planning dollars to TransCanada Corp. on Sunday shifted their focus away from all the Alaska aspects of the pipeline to look at the Canadian challenges involved."
Top aerospace execs wooed at London event
From: www.al.com
"LONDON - Alabama showed its Southern charm in royal style Sunday, wooing top aerospace executives with champagne and truffles amid the lush gardens at Kensington Palace."
Sales-tax backers want rewrite
From: www.azstarnet.com
"The backers of an initiative to increase the state sales tax from 5.6 to 6.6 cents on a dollar to pay for transportation say a pamphlet describing the proposal, being sent by the state to all voters, is misleading."
Nups-issue rewrite may dim passions on both sides
From: www.azstarnet.com
"When Arizonans voted down amending the constitution to define marriage between a man and a woman in 2006, nearly $3 million was spent by the dueling campaigns to influence voters."
Employee pickets could start Monday
From: www.signonsandiego.com
"A union representing nearly 20,000 University of California workers vowed yesterday to press ahead with plans to strike the system campuses next week in defiance of a court order issued earlier in the day."
Up to 8,500 UC employees may go on strike over wages today
From: www.sacbee.com
"As many as 8,500 University of California employees - including UC Davis workers - are expected to hit the picket lines today to protest a deadlock over wage hikes."
Big Sur highway reopens, people return to Paradise
From: www.sacbee.com
"SAN FRANCISCO -- More Californians returned Monday to homes they fled when wildfires threatened and a scenic coastal highway was open to traffic again as a slight improvement in weather eased the burden on firefighters."
Web site lets drivers reserve parking spots
From: www.sfgate.com
"Hunting for parking in many San Francisco neighborhoods requires patience and perseverance, and a tiny car doesn't hurt, either. But a new Internet startup hopes to ease the pain of finding a place to park - for a price, of course."
Mudslides ooze onto highway, homes in Sierra
From: www.sfgate.com
"In California's latest fire-related natural disaster, thunderstorms in the Sierra Nevada over the weekend prompted mud to slide into homes and across a highway north of Independence in Inyo County, where a blaze last year had chewed away vegetation that held the ground together."
Rain, low winds, higher humidity aid firefighters across California
From: www.latimes.com
"Lower wind speeds, rain and high levels of humidity helped firefighters battling blazes across the state Sunday, though officials feared that a series of mudslides and flash floods from the precipitation could hinder their progress. "
Budget cuts could hurt Shriver's plan for the disabled
From: www.latimes.com
"First Lady Maria Shriver set an ambitious agenda last year to dispel a common misperception that people who are physically or mentally impaired cannot hold jobs: Launch a campaign to find employment for 20,000 Californians with developmental disabilities. "
Calif. diving program helps anchor ex-inmates
From: www.usatoday.com
"CHINO, Calif. - Kenyatta Kalisana completed his training here this month, departing with a choice of three jobs and a possible six-figure annual salary."
Schwarzenegger envisions future role as Obama 'energy and environment czar'
From: www.sacbee.com
"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he is "through with the acting" for now and remains committed to being a public servant, possibly even in a future role as "energy and environment czar" for Barack Obama should the Illinois senator become president, according to an ABC News interview that aired Sunday."
State eyes relief for cab drivers
From: www.zwire.com
"If anyone should know about the effect of rising gas prices, it should be the guys who drive all day for a living."
Rell touts public transportation, van pools for commuters
From: www.courant.com
"Gov. M. Jodi Rell is inviting people to take advantage of a state-sponsored program that gives 10 free bus rides to new riders."
Crist's fianc e a study in contrasts
From: www.palmbeachpost.com
"Florida's future first lady is a study in contrasts. A pampered princess yet uncompromising businesswoman."
Towing legislation a long road for senator
From: www.sun-sentinel.com
"Why does it often seem to take a long time for a good idea to become a good law in Florida? Think about that the next time your car breaks down and you need a tow."
Crist kick off trade mission to Europe, Russia
From: www.palmbeachpost.com
"Gov. Charlie Crist kicks off an 11-day international trade mission, amid criticism that it's a costly and ill-timed trip."
Transit dreams to cost billions
From: www.palmbeachpost.com
"As local governments get ready to lay off employees and slash services to make up for shrinking property taxes, South Florida transportation officials are planning an expanded transit system that may cost an estimated $8.9 billion to $10.9 billion during the next quarter century."
Sugar deal might mire other efforts at restoration
From: www.palmbeachpost.com
"The South Florida Water Management District is in the midst of a monumental land deal. But what that means for the 16 counties' taxpayers who bankroll the district - well, that's about as clear as the water in the C-51 canal."
Is Florida the Sunset State?
From: www.time.com
"Greetings from Florida, where the winters are great! Otherwise, there's trouble in paradise."
Fund helps laid-off workers with expenses
From: www.honoluluadvertiser.com
"The closures of Molokai Ranch and Aloha Airlines left hundreds of former employees struggling not only to find new jobs but also to get health insurance for their families."
Cancer center hinges on Kakaako lease
From: starbulletin.com
"A $500,000 National Cancer Institute grant is at stake in a rush to get a lease agreement approved for a new Cancer Research Center next to the medical school in Kakaako."
Ersatz cigs help smokers evade ban
From: www.desmoinesregister.com
"Some Iowans have found a way to smoke in public without running afoul of the state's new tobacco ban. Batteries are included."
Critics -- Identity theft law not very effective
From: www.desmoinesregister.com
"A new Iowa law intended to limit the damage from identity theft does little to stop criminals and could have a negative effect on businesses, critics charge."
Iowa state government not moving toward alternative work schedules
From: ads.qctimes.com
"Iowa won't follow in the footsteps of other states by introducing a four-day workweek for state employees any time soon."
Idaho farmers see spike in hay theft
From: www.ktvb.com
"CALDWELL, Idaho -- Idaho farmers beware -- police say thieves are setting their sites on an expensive crop."
Idaho airports see fewer passengers, fewer flight options
From: www.idahostatesman.com
"POCATELLO, Idaho -- Record-high fuel prices are to blame for a 7 percent drop in passenger traffic at the Pocatello Regional Airport, airport manager David Allen said."
Idaho minimum wage set to increase
From: www.magicvalley.com
"MOSCOW, Idaho -- Employers in northern Idaho are hoping minimum wage workers will find the short commute to Washington state -- where minimum wages are $2 more an hour -- less tempting. In Idaho, minimum wage will increase from $5.85 to $6.55 on July 24."
Obama has long record of backing faith-based charities
From: www.chicagotribune.com
"As a state senator from Chicago's South Side, Barack Obama once arranged for a $200,000 state grant to jump-start an urban venture capital fund for a non-profit group run by Rev. Jesse Jackson."
Blagojevich cuts budget for historic sites in half
From: www.qctimes.com
"On the cusp of Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday, Gov. Rod Blagojevich has slashed about half of the state's budget used to maintain and operate historic sites, including those dedicated to the 16th president."
Suburban lawmakers say lame-duck tax talk all wet
From: www.dailyherald.com
"Gov. Rod Blagojevich might believe there's a conspiracy brewing among lawmakers to raise taxes after the elections, but many suburban members say they'd have no part in the rumored plot."
Blagojevich still pushing for capital program
From: www.chicagotribune.com
"Governor Rod Blagojevich is still pushing for lawmakers to pass his massive statewide construction program to rebuild roads, bridges, schools and more. "
Gov. Blagojevich alters bill so insurance companies would have to cover autism therapy
From: www.chicagotribune.com
"When Brianna Dicianni was diagnosed with autism two years ago, doctors said the girl would never learn to speak."
Budget's winners and losers
From: www.chicagotribune.com
"After more than a month of finger-pointing over state spending, public schools and the Illinois State Police are emerging on what is a short list of winners in the budget battle."
Harder to get wheels to deliver meals
From: www.suntimes.com
"Joseph Alvarez simply ran out of gas. Alvarez loved driving 32 miles around Palatine in his Subaru everyday, delivering meals to seniors citizens for the last year. But with gas prices averaging $4.21 a gallon, he decided to throw in the towel."
Hey, bikers - CTA has you covered
From: www.suntimes.com
"CTA commuters who ride bicycles to four busy rapid-transit stations will no longer have to worry about drying off their bikes at night after rain or snow."
Gov wants insurers to pick up autism costs
From: www.suntimes.com
"Using his power to rewrite legislation, Gov. Blagojevich proposed Sunday that insurers be required to pay for diagnosis and treatment of autism, a poorly understood disorder in children that can cost families their life savings."
Undocumented qualify for some, not all, public programs
From: www.jconline.com
"When being treated at the Tippecanoe Community Health Clinic, a patient gets asked a lot of questions. But one they don't get asked is: What's your citizenship status?"
Property taxes back on lawmakers' agenda
From: www.indystar.com
"Sometimes they've tackled the issue, sometimes just tinkered with it, but state lawmakers can never seem to give property taxes a rest."
BP refinery's plan to add flares is attacked after Indiana grants air permit
From: www.chicagotribune.com
"Federal environmental regulators accuse the BP refinery in Whiting of repeatedly violating pollution limits on its flares, which burn off pressurized gases and shoot out noxious pollution that contributes to dirty air throughout the Chicago area."
Olathe cracks top 25 in fastest-growing U.S. cities
From: www.kansascity.com
"Hate to say it, Overland Park, but new population estimates released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau show Olathe is gaining on you.
"
Wichita State seeks $31 million for composites research
From: www.kansas.com
"If David McDonald gets what he's asking for, he says his scientific collaborators will create thousands of new jobs here, turning Wichita into a sort of Silicon Valley for orthopedic surgeons. Wichita State University is asking the state this week for a $31 million, five-year grant to invent and build new medical industries."
U of L, builder team on housing
From: www.courier-journal.com
"University of Louisville officials announced a deal yesterday with a private developer that recently started construction on the first of more than 500 apartments for students near the Belknap Campus."
Several new state laws go into effect tomorrow
From: www.courier-journal.com
"Starting tomorrow many children younger than 7 must be strapped in booster seats in vehicles, and gas stations will find it easier to collect from motorists who drive off without paying for fuel."
Storms blew up deductibles
From: www.2theadvocate.com
"Three years ago, Hurricane Katrina swamped southeast Louisiana, wrecking thousands of homes and businesses. Large portions of New Orleans lay under water or in ruins. St. Bernard Parish was a ghost town. And the state's property insurance landscape was forever altered."
Real estate sales no cure for looming deficit
From: bostonherald.com
"The Massachusetts Turnpike is facing a financial meltdown, but market conditions prevent it from tapping its most valuable asset - its real estate."
Deval Patrick seeks more budget cuts
From: bostonherald.com
"Signaling a potential state money meltdown, Gov. Deval Patrick is asking lawmakers to grant him extraordinary budget-slashing power to make emergency cuts if the economy takes another turn for the worse."
Ex-Senate president in race to head BPL
From: www.boston.com
"Thomas F. Birmingham, the former state Senate president and onetime candidate for governor, is competing against five professional librarians to take over the helm of the Boston Public Library, according to three people briefed on the selection process."
Patrick vetoes $122.5m in budget
From: www.boston.com
"Governor Deval Patrick took his veto pen to the state budget yesterday, striking $122.5 million in spending on lawmakers' pet projects, while asking the Legislature for expanded power to make midyear cuts to state services if needed."
Bill seeks to help nonprofits on fuel
From: www.baltimoresun.com
"Sens. Barbara A. Mikulski and Benjamin L. Cardin are pushing legislation to help volunteer organizations cope with rising gas prices, they announced yesterday. "
Thousands seek help with soaring electric bills
From: www.hometownannapolis.com
"Anne Arundel County has seen a staggering increase this year in the number of residents seeking state aid to pay their electric bills."
Report touts Maine-fed pellet heat
From: pressherald.mainetoday.com
"One in 10 homes and small businesses in Maine could be heated with wood pellets manufactured locally from trees grown in the state, according to the initial findings of a special study group."
Some state governments shifting to 4-day workweek, but Maine not among them
From: kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com
"At the end of June, Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman announced plans to impose a four-day workweek on 17,000 state employees as an energy-saving move."
Maine leaders consider ideas for winter aid
From: bangornews.com
"Despite agreement that action is needed to aid Mainers beset by historically high energy prices, exactly what steps to take - and when - must still be worked out by Gov. John Baldacci and the lame-duck Legislature."
30-year-old bottle law part of state ethic
From: bangornews.com
"Thirty years ago this summer, Mainers started to pay deposits on beverage containers and began what has become a tradition of recycling those containers instead of throwing them into the trash."
Candidates vie for Livonia's 19th House District seat
From: www.detnews.com
"LIVONIA, Mich. -- Creating jobs, cutting the budget and attracting new businesses are some of the top issues facing the Livonia candidates running for the 19th District House seat."
Call to post -- Race to open track enters home stretch
From: www.crainsdetroit.com
"Jerry Campbell had a lot of reasons to hurriedly open his new Pinnacle Race Course thoroughbred track this summer. Six million of them, in fact."
Bill would fund OU project
From: www.crainsdetroit.com
"Oakland University would be one of only three four-year universities to receive full state bond funding of its capital requests, and the only one in Southeast Michigan, under a bill voted out of a legislative conference committee last month."
Michigan billboard spat enters new chapter
From: www.mlive.com
"Another battle over billboards is brewing in Michigan."
Road agencies' budget cuts mean less staff, more clutter
From: www.freep.com
"Michigan's beat-up economy is showing another unattractive side in the form of freeways and roadsides that are dirty, with lingering litter and overgrown weeds."
SCSU's blueprint to a new arena
From: www.sctimes.com
"St. Cloud State University's campaign to raise $22 million to renovate the National Hockey Center will rely on mining established partnerships and creating new ones."
To fellow governors, Pawlenty was step ahead of energy crisis
From: www.startribune.com
"PHILADELPHIA - The price of oil has doubled since Gov. Tim Pawlenty became chairman of the National Governors Association a year ago and made energy his signature policy issue."
Senator will finish brother's PUC term
From: www.twincities.com
"Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Friday appointed state Sen. Betsy Wergin to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, filling the remaining term of her brother, LeRoy Koppendrayer."
Power line application goes online
From: www.billingsgazette.net
"North-Western Energy gave state officials a 2 -foot-high stack of documents that make up an application to build a major power transmission line, and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality has begun posting the documents on its Web site."
Ag groups seek brucellosis fix
From: www.billingsgazette.net
"The Montana Stockgrowers and the Montana Farm Bureau say they are working together to find a workable plan for the state's brucellosis problem."
Corrections seeks new sex offender program
From: www.billingsgazette.net
"The Department of Corrections announced Friday that it is looking for a contractor to build and run a new sex offender treatment facility."
Coastal land boom fizzles
From: www.newsobserver.com
"SOUTHPORT, N.C. - Near the peak of the recent real estate boom along coastal North Carolina's rivers and sounds, William Highfill got an invitation for a gala three-day sales weekend at a new Brunswick County subdivision."
Judge to hear state's claim that TVA power plants pollute N.C.
From: www.newsobserver.com
"A lawsuit that aims to stem pollution wafting into North Carolina from coal-fired power plants in other states goes to trial today in a federal courthouse in Asheville."
Judge to hear state's claim that TVA power plants pollute N.C.
From: www.newsobserver.com
"A lawsuit that aims to stem pollution wafting into North Carolina from coal-fired power plants in other states goes to trial today in a federal courthouse in Asheville."
N.D. oil tax campaign spurs funding source bickering
From: www.grandforksherald.com
"Opponents and supporters of a constitutional measure to put much of North Dakota's oil tax income off limits to routine spending are trading accusations and demands about each group's backing."
To plant or not on set-aside farmland?
From: www.omaha.com
"Midlands farm groups are at odds over whether farmers should be allowed to till environmentally sensitive Conservation Reserve Program land to plant corn and"
Eating locally: NH seeks consumer-farm link
From: www.unionleader.com
"Riding a wave of concern over tainted vegetables, rising transportation costs and a surge to go green, the state Agriculture Department is using the opportunity to sink new roots in local farms."
N.H. rail advocates say their time has come
From: www.fosters.com
"Peter Griffin said he always knew that one day, New Hampshire would embrace passenger and freight rail service the way it did more than 75 years ago when it powered the state's economy."
Lynch vetoes bill on foreclosure evictions
From: www.nashuatelegraph.com
"Gov. John Lynch has vetoed a bill that deals with evictions following foreclosure sales, saying the measure would allow a successful bidder to start evicting tenants on the property before becoming its owner."
Katz sues CWA to block 'overthrow' of local board
From: www.nj.com
"Embattled state-worker leader Carla Katz went to federal court last night in an effort to stop the Communications Workers of America from taking over the local chapter she has led for nearly a decade."
State orders new assessments on homes
From: www.santafenewmexican.com
"Taxation and Revenue Secretary Rick Homans has ordered county assessors to adjust the valuations of homes purchased through affordable housing programs as directed by a law passed in March. He said he issued the order Tuesday to clarify confusion around the new law, for which regulations are not in place yet."
Lawmakers warm to special session
From: www.santafenewmexican.com
"New Mexico legislators weren't thrilled about the idea of coming back to Santa Fe for a special session to talk about Gov. Bill Richardson's health-care proposals. But the idea of using a revenue windfall from the current oil-and-gas boom to help folks through the rough patch in the economy seems to hold more appeal. "
Corrections Inc.-- Questions remain about the state's dependency on for-profit prisons
From: www.santafenewmexican.com
"When the doors swing open on the Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility next month, inmates will file in , new employees will start collecting paychecks and a tiny corner of the state will become its own small economic engine."
Gov. Gibbons tax break questioned
From: www.nevadaappeal.com
"Gov. Jim Gibbons asked for and received a property tax break on a vacant rural parcel he owns in Elko County that saved Nevada's chief executive thousands of dollars a year and left the county assessor feeling pressured. "
N.Y. mayor offers new poverty gauge
From: www.washingtonpost.com
"NEW YORK - Calling the current federal poverty measure broken and outdated, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (I) on Sunday unveiled a new method that he and his aides said gives a more accurate picture of the poor, and that he hopes eventually will become the new national standard. "
New York state bill could boost fuel output
From: www.democratandchronicle.com
"With the stroke of a pen, Gov. David Paterson could give a significant boost to the natural-gas boom in the Southern Tier or slow down the process to better plan for the expected surge in drilling."
Wilmers assumes Empire State post, says economy is "not an easy fix"
From: www.buffalonews.com
"Robert G. Wilmers, chairman of Buffalo-based M&T Bank, adds a new line to his resume today - economic-development czar for the state."
Government construction projects go unclaimed or face pricey bids from skittish contractors
From: www.dispatchpolitics.com
"The planners of Dublin's World War II memorial got a shock when they opened the single bid for its construction: A project they expected to cost about $337,000 would cost $200,000 more."
$3,750 per person and rising fast
From: www.cleveland.com
"An unprecedented study released today shows that the combined cost of government across 16 northeastern Ohio counties -- teaching our children, running our cities and tending myriad other public services -- had reached at least $16 billion by 2002."
Strickland says at City Club speech -- Ohioans too hard on themselves
From: www.cleveland.com
"Gov. Ted Strickland acknowledged Ohio's economic difficulties Friday, but he also offered a challenge."
In Northeast Ohio, schools account for 40 percent of government spending
From: www.cleveland.com
"Schools racked up almost 40 percent of our local governments' spending in 2002, the study found. The total bill for 202 school systems in 16 counties: $6 billion."
Sandusky considers allowing golf carts on streets
From: www.cleveland.com
"SANDUSKY, Ohio -- For years, golf carts have been legal on the streets of the Lake Erie islands and in resort and retirement communities in Florida, Arizona and elsewhere."
State dental board cracks down on ads
From: www.dispatch.com
"Although they can advertise teeth bleaching, bonding and veneers, dentists can't call themselves cosmetic specialists, says the Ohio State Dental Board, which oversees more than 6,100 practitioners."
Ohio leaves million unused to feed needy children
From: www.daytondailynews.com
"CLEVELAND - Millions of dollars designated to provide meals for needy Ohio children are going unused and social service providers are unaware the money is available, activists said."
Lawmakers call for Regier's removal
From: www.news-star.com
"Two state senators on Friday called for the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board to remove Jerry Regier, who they recently hired as administrator."
Legislators call for removal
From: www.tulsatoday.com
"State Senators Debbe Leftwich and Harry Coates called on the Construction Industries Board (CIB) to remove Jerry Regier as the agency's Interim Director. Regier was hired last week - a move the two legislators believe to be pointless. "
An Oregon county could vanish along with timber payments
From: www.oregonlive.com
"Is it possible that one of Oregon's 36 counties could disappear? And if so, would anyone step in to provide basic services to its residents?"
High fuel costs pinch off rural Oregon's air connections
From: www.oregonlive.com
"WASHINGTON -- The handful of passengers boarding Horizon Air flight 2906 from Pendleton to Portland each day probably don't realize they are stepping into a case study for the turbulent economics of the airline industry. But they are."
Casino investors hope deal is done by weekend
From: www.post-gazette.com
"Lawyers for Don Barden and a company co-founded by Chicago billionaire Neil Bluhm will work through the weekend to try to finalize a deal to get construction of the North Shore casino back on track."
Local casinos aren't the only ones hurting
From: www.post-gazette.com
"It turns out casinos aren't recession-proof after all. That used to be an economic truism, but it's been put to the test in the last year, and especially since the start of 2008."
Youthful offenders restoring luster to diners of old
From: www.nytimes.com
"CRANSTON, R.I. - Classic American diners are dinosaurs these days. Many of them, anyway."
South Carolina budget short on funds
From: www.wyff4.com
"The South Carolina Board of Economic Advisors will meet Thursday to review tax collections and other revenue."
New law could hurt businesses, judge says
From: www.thestate.com
"A new state law will make it easier to write bad checks and get away with other minor crimes at businesses, Richland County's chief magistrate contends."
FEMA sets up office to manage SD disaster relief
From: www.rapidcityjournal.com
"The Federal Emergency Management Agency has set up a temporary office in Pierre to help manage the flood relief that's heading to South Dakota."
An unexpected future in Pierre
From: www.capjournal.com
"Recent college graduates, Thomas Keller and Brain Schneider, now in the midst of training with Eagle Creek, never thought they'd be working in South Dakota."
Minimum wage going up this month in S.D.
From: www.argusleader.com
"South Dakota's minimum wage will increase July 24, raising it to $6.55 per hour."
N.C.-TVA pollution fight goes to court
From: www.tennessean.com
"North Carolina is challenging the electricity mega-producer Tennessee Valley Authority in a court battle beginning today that centers on whether the health of residents throughout the South has been adversely affected by pollutants spewing from the utility's power plants."
North Carolina, TVA square off over pollution
From: www.timesfreepress.com
"To North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper, the Tennessee Valley Authority is a public nuisance whose coal plants literally are killing the resident`s of the Tar Heel state."
Longer class days aren't for everyone
From: www.tennessean.com
"Flexible scheduling has suddenly become the way for colleges to show they care about students' wallets as gas prices continue to rise. But students haven't been so quick to embrace the changes."
Chattanooga -- City, state want water rates set 'correctly,' not quickly
From: www.timesfreepress.com
"NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A Tennessee Regulatory Authority official has given the state's consumer advocate, Chattanooga and local manufacturers more time to develop expert testimony they believe can show Tennessee-American Water Co.'s proposed 20.58 percent rate increase is "too high.""
Tennesseans urged to spend vacation dollars at home
From: www.tennessean.com
"FRANKLIN, Tenn. - There aren't many folks who are benefiting from the crummy economy and high gas prices, but state tourism officials hope they'll be the exception."
Clay Robison-- Sunset review raises idea of elected insurance commissioner
From: www.mysanantonio.com
"Tired of high insurance rates? Want to vote them away?
"
Obama finds kindred soul at helm in Kansas
From: www.boston.com
"TOPEKA, Kan. - When Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas gave the Democrats' response to the State of the Union address in January, she rejected the usual partisan rhetoric. Instead, she gently called on President Bush to "join us" in fixing problems like the economy and healthcare, pointing to areas of common ground."
U.S. governors honor 2 Utahns for public service
From: www.sltrib.com
"PHILADELPHIA --The nation's governors Sunday honored two Utahns -- a civic-minded banker and an art-education philanthropist -- for their public service."
Hatch introduces bill to help state banks
From: deseretnews.com
"Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, wants to stop what he says is double taxation of some state-chartered banks."
UDOT sees jump in drivers out of gas
From: deseretnews.com
"Alan Peterson cruises the roadways looking for distressed motorists. But this isn't the start to some slasher flick, it's his job."
Virginia program saves farms, forests
From: www.washingtontimes.com
"A 228-acre family farm in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is the first property shielded from development under a Virginia program to stop the loss of farms and forests. "
Failed session costs taxpayers
From: www.washingtontimes.com
"Virginia lawmakers' failed special session this year will cost taxpayers more than just continued headaches in traffic. "
Va. agency starts blog on paying for college
From: www.inrich.com
"So you'd really like to go out of state for college but can only afford in-state tuition. There's a way, if you know about the Academic Common Market."
Virginia leaders cite concerns
From: www.inrich.com
"Some Virginia leaders expressed concerns last night about the impact that InBev NV's reported buyout of Anheuser-Busch Cos. will have in the state."
UR plans satellite campus downtown
From: www.inrich.com
"The University of Richmond plans to open a law office downtown this fall, but the project will be much more than that."
W.Va. not alone with road funding woes
From: www.dailymail.com
"West Virginia would be hard-pressed to look to its sister states, or even the federal government, for a better way to fund road repair and building needs."
W.Va. launches homecoming campaign
From: www.herald-dispatch.com
"Gov. Joe Manchin has a message for the estimated 1.2 million West Virginia natives living in other states: Please come home."
West Virginia economist Hammond sees growth over five-year period ahead
From: www.dailymail.com
"FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- Like the national economy, West Virginia's economy is flirting with a recession, says George W. Hammond, a West Virginia University economist who tracks the state's economy."
W.Va. completes investigations of 2 mining deaths
From: www.dailymail.com
"State investigators have completed investigations of two fatal coal mining accidents in West Virginia."
Massive wind farm envisioned for southern Wyoming
From: www.billingsgazette.net
"LANDER, Wyo. -- A newly proposed wind power project in southern Wyoming would be one of the biggest in the world and would more than triple the number of utility-sized wind turbines in the Cowboy State."
Natural gas price gap returns
From: www.casperstartribune.com
"Wyoming narrowly missed a disastrous price slump for natural gas this winter thanks to an expansion of the Rockies Express pipeline, according to local industry experts. Yet the constrained pipeline export capacity in the region persists."
2008 state-by-state summary
From: www.stateline.org
"(Updated 12:11 p.m. EDT, July 3, 2008)
Here’s
Stateline.org's state-by-state rundown of significant legislative action in 2008."
Govs punt on global warming
From: www.stateline.org
"
PHILADELPHIA - Congress and the White House aren’t the only ones who can’t agree on a comprehensive energy plan. Neither can the nation’s governors. The National Governors Association is expected to conclude its centennial meeting today (July 14) by urging Congress anew to extend tax breaks that encourage the use of more wind and solar power and energy-efficient buildings, but the governors were too far apart on whether to tackle global warming.
"
Govs celebrate past, look to '09
From: www.stateline.org
"While 70 current and former governors hobnob and reminisce in Philadelphia July 11-14 during the National Governors Association's 100th anniversary celebration, the sitting governors also plan to strategize on how to influence the next president on policies ranging from energy to health care."
WORTH NOTING: Cream pie on gov's 4th of July
From: www.stateline.org
"Vermont
’s governor unexpectedly gets pie in the eye. Ohio State University, a runner-up in football and basketball, earns a dubious top ranking in something else. And the National Football League raids the Pennsylvania State Police for talent. In case you missed those stories this week, “Worth Noting” fills you in."
Sour economy limits states' options in '08
From: www.stateline.org
"
(Updated 4 p.m. EDT, July 2, 2008)
For many states, 2008 will be remembered for record numbers of home foreclosures, $4-a-gallon gasoline and the beginning of a slide into new fiscal woes after two years of overflowing coffers.
Stateline.org’s annual state-by-state look at legislative accomplishments, covering 36 states so far, discerns the trends and precedents emerging from state capitals this year."
FEMA change sends states searching for ice
From: www.stateline.org
"
States looking for free ice from FEMA in the aftermath of a hurricane will be out of luck because of the agency's new policy.
"
Squeeze spares some states
From: www.stateline.org
"Not every state is having budget troubles. Alaska, Texas, West Virginia and others are faring better than most because of their booming energy industries. But North Dakota stands out because it has energy and agriculture — and not many people."
States revisit Prohibition-era booze laws
From: www.stateline.org
"Seventy-five years after the repeal of Prohibition, state lawmakers across the country are marking the anniversary by relaxing or eliminating some laws that have restricted alcohol sales since as long ago as the 1930s."
State workers: Thank God It's Thursday
From: www.stateline.org
"(Updated 1:45 p.m. EDT, June 30, 2008)
In the face of $4-a-gallon gasoline, Utah is imposing four-day workweeks for most of its state employees in a newly invigorated trend at the state and local level to combat record-high energy costs."
July brings bumper crop of new laws
From: www.stateline.org
"
New state laws that take effect Tuesday will change life for many, as they crack down on California’s cell-phone-chatting drivers, Colorado’s deadbeat parents and New Mexico’s human traffickers, among others.
"
States credit foreign language study
From: www.stateline.org
"Some states are rewarding high school students who study a foreign language outside of the classroom. Connecticut became the latest state to give school credit to students who take private classes and pass a proficiency test."
Jobs are at risk if Congress doesn't fix the Highway Fund
From: www.stateline.org
"State budgets and nearly 400,000 jobs are at risk if Congress fails to replenish the Highway Trust Fund, John Horsley, executive director of the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials, writes in a commentary for
Stateline.org."
The economic downturn: an opportunity for governors?
From: www.stateline.org
"Most governors recognize that they have the best political job in America. Most also would concede that the job is more satisfying when the economy is strong and revenues are growing than during an economic downturn, when cutting budgets becomes the major task. But even a recession can present opportunities for governors to make improvements that yield lasting benefits for their states."
Visit the Stateline.org Economy & Business Page
From: www.stateline.org
"Most governors recognize that they have the best political job in America. Most also would concede that the job is more satisfying when the economy is strong and revenues are growing than during an economic downturn, when cutting budgets becomes the major task. But even a recession can present opportunities for governors to make improvements that yield lasting benefits for their states."
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