'Jobs summit' on tap at White House
From: feeds.stateline.org
"TODAY'S TAKE: President Obama will convene a "jobs summit" at the White House on Thursday (Dec. 3), but talk of a second stimulus package is likely to be muted by the federal budget deficit, as well as next year's midterm congressional elections.
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US: Insurers nearing regulatory victory
From: feeds.stateline.org
"State insurance regulators are moving closer to adopting a proposal that would add at least $11 billion in capital for insurers. Passage would mark another win for insurers in what is shaping up to be a string of regulatory successes for the year.
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AK: Parnell orders state flags flown at half-staff for tourism pioneer
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell has ordered that state flags be lowered in honor of Brad Phillips, a tourism pioneer and former state senator.
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AK: Oil revenues leave Alaska unfazed by large tax declines
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Alaska had the biggest plunge in tax revenues of any state last quarter, according to a new report from the non-profit Rockefeller Institute.
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AK: Wind turbines beginning to energize Alaska
From: feeds.stateline.org
"PALMER, Alaska -- Two spinning turbines dot the sky above Palmer, putting the quaint colony-era town on the forefront of a grass-roots make-your-own energy movement sweeping Alaska.
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AL: One in six Alabamians get funds for food
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Nearly one in six Alabamians receive food assistance, according to the most recent numbers available from the state Department of Human Resources.
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AL: Ida is latest storm to cause damage to Alabama beaches
From: feeds.stateline.org
"ORANGE BEACH, Ala. -- When Tropical Storm Ida blew ashore earlier this month, it was viewed along Baldwin County's beaches as a generally benign event. It brought some rainfall and, much to the delight of the hundreds of surfers that arrived in its wake, produced a few days of towering waves.
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AL: Alabama's auto industry faces bumpy road to recovery
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Across Alabama's automaking industry, there are budding signs of recovery: Employees at the Mercedes-Benz and Honda factories are working overtime to fill orders, Hyundai's strong sales are far ahead of its peers' and new suppliers are starting up operations.
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AL: More Alabama pupils eat free lunches in sour economy
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Twenty-two thousand more Alabama children are getting free or reduced-price meals at school this year. That's an increase of 5.6 percent over last year and another indication that more families have fallen on hard financial times.
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AL: Voters in other counties deciding fate of occupational taxes
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Jefferson County voters likely will decide in June 2012 whether to keep or phase out the county's occupa?tional tax, but voters in two counties beat them to the polls and decided last year to ban such taxes in their counties.
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AL: Democratic gubernatorial race -- Davis leans right on some social issues; Sparks won't say views on gay marriage, illegal immigration, abortion
From: feeds.stateline.org
"U.S. Rep. Artur Davis is rarely described as a conservative, but on many social issues, there is little difference between the Democratic gubernatorial hopeful and some of Alabama's staunchest conservatives.
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AL: Who's got free Iron Bowl tickets? Every Alabama state legislator
From: feeds.stateline.org
"For many years now, the university hosting the Iron Bowl has given lawmakers free pairs of tickets, as Auburn is doing this year, Auburn spokesman Mike Clardy said.
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AR: Tobacco critics rip packets' relabeling
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Layla Amussen likes to smoke. She knows cigarettes are bad for her health, but says she's not likely to quit anytime soon.
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AR: Tree to arrive Tuesday as part of Capitol celebration
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The centerpiece of the state Capitol's holiday extravaganza, a Leyland Cypress at least 20 feet tall, is scheduled to arrive Tuesday and be erected in the second floor rotunda, a spokeswoman for the secretary of state's office said Wednesday.
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AR: Health care debate spurs booming business in political ads
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Spirited national debates on landmark issues have given Arkansas television stations plenty to be thankful for — a steady flow of political ad spending at a time when a trickle is normal.
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AR: Pesky crop-eating boll weevil eradicated from Arkansas cotton fields
From: arkansasnews.com
"At long last, the only boll weevil left in Arkansas is the University of Arkansas-Monticello mascot.
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AZ: State lottery sales rise despite bad economy
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Even as residents cut back on spending due to the uncertainties of sagging economy, the Arizona Lottery's sales are holding up, the latest figures show.
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AZ: Change in foreclosure law repealed
From: feeds.stateline.org
"As expected, Gov. Jan Brewer has signed legislation repealing a change in law originally approved earlier this year to make it harder for some who owe more on their homes than they are worth to walk away without having to pay the balance.
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CA: Facebook groups weigh in on California state senator
From: feeds.stateline.org
"As a senator, Republican Abel Maldonado of Santa Maria is entitled to a $116,208 salary but accepts only $95,291.
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CA: Water package -- Sealing the deal
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Wrestling with California's water system is like working a Rubik's Cube: As soon as a couple of sides are aligned, the others go out of whack.
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CA: Solar panels causing some storms
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Even as California and the federal government encourage solar power, homeowners often have to fight homeowners associations for their right to install the systems.
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CA: Recycling centers close, eliminating 'green' jobs
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Recycling centers across California are closing, and scores of troubled youths are being tossed from "green" jobs onto unemployment rolls in the wake of Sacramento's raid on bottle deposit funds.
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CO: Governor's office harshly critical of GOP 'Platform'
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Colorado Republican Party "Platform for Prosperity" introduced with fanfare Monday by gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis has drawn fire for its lack of specifics.
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CO: Live TV from the Capitol, it's the Colorado Senate
From: feeds.stateline.org
"No one's expecting TV critics to take notice, but the Colorado Channel — the legislature's cable access channel — returns to the airwaves this session with a new offering in its lineup.
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CT: Legislature facing tough choices on spending cuts
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A mid-December special session of the General Assembly will be another harsh reminder of the state's fragile economy, as lawmakers - in what is supposed to be a part-time Legislature - will again confront Connecticut's seemingly continual budget deficit.
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CT: Many eyes watching Foxwoods' negotiations with creditors
From: feeds.stateline.org
"When the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation disclosed that it failed to make a large scheduled debt payment Nov. 16, the owner of Foxwoods Resort Casino left no doubt that it faces the sort of financial stress that could drive a business into bankruptcy court.
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DE: Delaware River: Dredging battle pits jobs vs. river
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Nearly 28 years after Congress authorized the Army Corps of Engineers to deepen the Delaware River's main shipping channel, the only thing about the project that has deepened is the controversy.
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FL: Special session likely Dec. 3
From: feeds.stateline.org
"If the Florida Legislature convenes in special session about rail issues, it will do so Dec. 3-10.
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FL: St. Joe quiet in drilling debate
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Northwest Florida, proud home of emerald waters and sandy-white beaches, has become ground zero in the fight against the Legislature's push for offshore drilling.
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FL: Florida's elder affairs chief racks up $70K in travel bills
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Florida's elder affairs chief has racked up nearly $70,000 in travel bills in less than three years, much of it by driving his car between the capital and Orlando, where Douglas Beach owns a home and where his wife lives.
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FL: Supreme Court to hear Florida beach-property rights case
From: feeds.stateline.org
"WASHINGTON -- Florida's beaches -- the blindingly white shores of the Panhandle, the bikini dotted sands of South Beach -- are the state's signature attraction. Now they're the subject of a U.S. Supreme Court case.
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GA: Donations to PerduePAC raise fund-raising ethics questions
From: feeds.stateline.org
"One of the leading fund-raisers at the Statehouse last year was somebody who can't even run for re-election: Gov. Sonny Perdue.
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GA: State planning more carefully for public-private toll roads
From: feeds.stateline.org
"It's a meeting in late fall of Georgia Department of Transportation board members who deal with public-private partnerships, and from all appearances the world is about to change.
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GA: Bank failures more costly than earlier wave
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The current wave of Georgia bank failures is proving much more costly than the Savings & Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s, the last major banking calamity to hit the state.
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GA: NCR Corp. to expand Ga. operations
From: feeds.stateline.org
"PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. -- NCR Corp., the world's leading provider of ATMs, is beginning its move to Georgia.
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GA: Big 3 won't buy failed banks
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The cleanup of Georgia's big banking mess likely will continue to be led by small community banks and regional lenders.
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GA: Science digs into Civil War sites
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A small but growing number of Georgia archaeologists and history buffs are starting to use high-tech gear, ground-penetrating radar, metal detectors, new software programs and detective-style techniques to detail with amazing precision what happened when U.S. Gen. William T. Sherman made good on his promise to "make Georgia howl."
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HI: Hawaii revises H1N1 vaccine allocations
From: feeds.stateline.org
"In response to mounting criticism about how the short supply of swine flu vaccine is being distributed in Hawai'i, the state will change the way it doles out the vaccine.
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HI: Beach ownership is still in question
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Intermediate Court of Appeals is scrutinizing a Hawaii law passed in 2003 that declares that new, naturally formed beach land above the high-water mark should belong to the public -- not adjoining private property owners.
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IA: Environmental reports claims Iowa overrelies on coal power
From: feeds.stateline.org
"IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Iowa is home to some of the nation's oldest coal-fired power plants, and the state gets three-fourths of its energy from coal, according to a new Environment Iowa report.
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IA: Questions still remain on Iowa film program
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Members of Iowa's film industry are applauding Gov. Chet Culver's decision to partially lift a suspension of the state's tax-credit incentive, but they worry about changes that make the program less attractive.
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IA: Lottery sales up 4%, but profits drop
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Iowa lottery sales are running 4 percent ahead of last year, although profits are down, lottery chief executive Terry Rich said.
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IA: State employee union to disclose vote results today
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The head of Iowa's largest public employees union will announce today whether members are willing to make $26.4 million in concessions in return for a promise of no layoffs for 479 state workers.
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ID: High court rules in favor of Rexburg URA
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Idaho Supreme Court has ruled unanimously in favor of Rexburg's Urban Renewal Agency in a case that had challenged the power of urban renewal agencies to take on debt for public projects without voter approval.
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ID: Crane awards money as part of college savings plan
From: feeds.stateline.org
"BOISE, Idaho — State Treasurer Ron Crane plans to award two scholarships as part of his plan to help Idaho families invest in college savings accounts.
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ID: ISP likely to prevail in wrecker lawsuit
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A lawsuit against Idaho State Police from A-1 Auto Sales in Twin Falls is nearing an end with a judgment expected in favor of the law enforcement agency, according to court records.
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IL: Study -- Detainees would attract influx of official visitors to Thomson
From: feeds.stateline.org
"DAVENPORT, Iowa -- The study, released last weekend, says the limited number of detainees who would be housed at Thomson are expected to bring in "roughly 200 outside visitors" on a daily basis.
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IL: Quinn leaves port board hanging
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Selling the state prison in Thomson to the federal government could bring jobs to northwestern Illinois, but officials in the region also are gearing up to launch what someday could become a major development along the Mississippi River.
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IL: Telephone billing scam -- Expanded state law cracks down on 'cramming'
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has beefed up an existing state law to target companies that add charges to consumers' telephone bills for services they never ordered, a scam known as "cramming."
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IN: Sources -- City will lose professional tennis tournament
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Indianapolis Tennis Championships—formerly known as RCA Championships—appear to be dead, with the ATP Tour dates being shipped off to Atlanta for 2010 and beyond.
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IN: State housing sales up 21%
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Indiana's housing market in October enjoyed its first upturn in sales of existing homes this year.
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KS: Douglas County Chief Judge says it's likely 12 days of furloughs will be needed next year for court employees
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Courts throughout the state will likely be forced to shut down for a dozen days next year, after the governor partially reneged on a promise to help fix a legislative error.
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KS: State seeks more grant money for education
From: feeds.stateline.org
"To soften the blow of state budget cuts, Kansas school leaders say they hope to receive $175 million through a competitive federal grant program.
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KY: Much of money for history center in Phelps buys sports
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Over the last five years, state Rep. Keith Hall, D-Phelps, has earmarked at least $120,000 in state funds for the "Phelps History Center" in Pike County. There is no Phelps History Center, as such.
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LA: Grant writers eye school prize
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Louisiana's bid for a $250 million education prize is being led by a pair of 20-somethings with lofty credentials.
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LA: State expropriation for new hospital includes those who rebuilt after Katrina
From: feeds.stateline.org
"NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Like tens of thousands of New Orleanians, Barbara and Larry Dillon returned after Hurricane Katrina to find their home ravaged by water that a government-built levee system did not contain.
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MA: Tribe banks on new deal
From: feeds.stateline.org
"MASHPEE, Mass. — The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe is putting its future gambling interests in the hands of the company responsible for bankrolling Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Connecticut.
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MA: Wampanoag change casino partner
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe has ended its relationship with developers Sol Kerzner and Len Wolman, who planned to build a resort style casino in Middleborough.
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MA: Hearing set for Mass. bill on wood power plants
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Environmental and health advocates, including the American Lung Association, are pushing a bill that would ban the use of old construction and demolition debris in wood burning power plants.
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MA: Charity heads home
From: feeds.stateline.org
"As the worst recession in decades stripped thousands of Bay State workers of their jobs, a small group of people saw greenbacks continue to fatten their paychecks -- the leaders of the state's top tax-exempt organizations charged with aiding the poor, mentally handicapped and other disadvantaged residents.
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MD: Homeless advocate speaks up amid budgetary gloom
From: feeds.stateline.org
"BALTIMORE, Md. -- Facing a panel of experienced elected officials can be daunting, especially for those whose agencies depend on the government for financial support, but don't count Andrea Ingram among the intimidated.
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MD: Md. tax payments to localities plunge
From: feeds.stateline.org
"BALTIMORE, Md. -- State income tax payments to local governments fell sharply in November, with Baltimore and Montgomery counties and some jurisdictions on the Eastern Shore recording drastic declines, according to a new report from the Maryland comptroller's office.
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MD: Region's dropouts take a bite out of Maryland economy
From: feeds.stateline.org
"BALTIMORE, Md. -- The Maryland economy would see an estimated $12 million in additional tax revenues if just half of those who dropped out in the Baltimore region had stayed in school and graduated with their class in June 2008, according to a study released recently by the Alliance for Excellent Education.
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MD: Nuclear power called a step backward
From: feeds.stateline.org
"BALTIMORE, Md. - As Maryland closes in on the construction of a third reactor at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Lusby, an environmental organization has released a report calling nuclear power a step backward in the nation's race to reduce pollution.
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ME: Layoffs prompt ex-USM staffers to sue
From: feeds.stateline.org
"PORTLAND, Maine -- Six former employees of the University of Southern Maine are charging age discrimination as they fight to regain jobs they lost in the recent consolidation of student support services.
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ME: Glitch might cut extensions for many on unemployment
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Earlier this month Congress passed legislation extending unemployment benefits for up to 20 more weeks, but because of a glitch in the law's language, not everyone who exhausted their benefits is eligible for an extension.
"
MI: At this school, it's marijuana in every class
From: feeds.stateline.org
"SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — At most colleges, marijuana is very much an extracurricular matter. But at Med Grow Cannabis College, marijuana is the curriculum: the history, the horticulture and the legal how-to's of Michigan's new medical marijuana program.
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MI: New tax proposal stokes discussion about how to rebuild the state
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A Democratic gubernatorial candidate's ambitious tax proposal has further fueled a vital debate about how lawmakers balance Michigan's checkbook in the future.
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MN: State economist -- A thorn in governor's philosophy
From: feeds.stateline.org
"MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The last person Gov. Tim Pawlenty may want to see rising to speak these days is Tom Stinson, a slightly hunched-over figure with a monotone delivery who, nonetheless, is much in demand.
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MN: Ethanol's boom goes bust
From: feeds.stateline.org
"WASHINGTON -- A descendant of Minnesota's early farmers, Greg Schwarz made a bet on the future last decade, when he plunged much of his corn crop -- and family savings -- into one of the state's first ethanol plants.
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MN: Mpls.-to-Duluth rail price tag climbs to $1 billion
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The cost of the proposed high-speed Northern Lights Express rail line from Minneapolis to Duluth has gone up -- way up -- to nearly $1 billion, according to state officials.
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MN: State economic forecast due Wednesday
From: feeds.stateline.org
"State leaders are bracing for bad news from the economic forecast that sets the stage for Minnesota budget deliberations.
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MN: Pawlenty to talk trade in South America
From: feeds.stateline.org
"In the name of trade, Gov. Tim Pawlenty heads south later this week — way south.
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MO: Missouri lawmakers call for closer look at tax credits
From: feeds.stateline.org
"With revenues shrinking and budget cuts looming, some Missouri lawmakers say they're going to give serious scrutiny in coming months to tax credits.
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MS: Two years after indictments, state's legal community tries to fix Scruggs case damage
From: feeds.stateline.org
"For Mississippi's legal community, the past two years have been a stain on the profession as two judicial bribery scandals played out from Jackson north to Oxford.
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MS: Hope for new beer standard brewing
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Butch Bailey loves to savor the flavor of the exotic with a pint of ale or stein of stout. To do that, though, Bailey has to hit the road, because the more "gourmet" beers have an alcohol content higher than what is permitted in Mississippi.
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MS: FEMA disputes pending
From: feeds.stateline.org
"School districts, the port authority, a county and a university are among Mississippi's first entities to use the Federal Emergency Management Agency's new fast-track route to settle disputes over cleanup costs from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
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MS: Program pairs disabled residents with mentors
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Martha Allen Nunnery doesn't smile. Loneliness will do that to you, James Dickerson said.
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MT: Montana FWP wants to restrict wake surfing, tubing in upper Holter Lake
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Officials with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks are considering restricting wake surfing and tubing in upper Holter Lake from the mouth of the canyon to the Gates of the Mountains.
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MT: Schenck, Legislature's chief fiscal adviser, retires
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Clayton Schenck, Montana's longest-serving legislative fiscal analyst, is retiring at year's end and will be spending more time hiking the trails in Glacier National Park instead of studying government budgets.
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NC: N.C. treasurer issues new ethics rules
From: feeds.stateline.org
"State Treasurer Janet Cowell has issued two new ethics rules for her office, the latest in her efforts at reform.
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NC: DOT's error on I-795 charged to counties
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Highway construction spending for six Eastern North Carolina counties will be cut by $12 million in coming years to pay for the state Department of Transportation's 18-mile paving mistake on Interstate 795 between Goldsboro and Wilson, state officials say.
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NC: New laws to target texting, reptiles
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Starting Tuesday, sending a text message or reading an e-mail while driving will become illegal for all North Carolina drivers as this and dozens of other new laws go into effect Dec. 1.
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NC: Lawmakers hope holiday sales boost budget outlook
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Don't be surprised if Mickey Michaux and Barry Boardman are keeping an eye on the traffic outside their local mall or Walmart leading up to the holidays. Michaux, the chief budget-writer in the House, and Boardman, the Legislature's chief economist, will be especially interested in the more important congestion around the cash registers.
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NC: Hard times are hard on Perdue
From: feeds.stateline.org
"GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Having grown up in the coal country of southwest Virginia, Bev Perdue says she knows how to survive difficult times.
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NC: Money's not on Marshall
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Secretary of State Elaine Marshall must be feeling like the Rodney Dangerfield of Tar Heel politics these days. She can't get any respect.
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NC: List ranks legislators' business-friendliness
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Free Enterprise Foundation's recent rankings of which legislators are most supportive of business included a few notable elements:
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ND: Otter Tail electric rate case settled
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Otter Tail Power Co.'s North Dakota customers will get a small refund and pay slightly lower electric bills as part of a rate settlement approved by state regulators.
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ND: State mill turns $2.2 million profit
From: feeds.stateline.org
"North Dakota's state Mill and Elevator made $2.2 million in profits during July, August and September, and its manager says he's confident the mill's recent huge losses won't be returning.
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NE: Recession slows plan to build bunker data centers
From: feeds.stateline.org
"HASTINGS, Neb. -- The precise spacing between the mounds of earth that decorate miles of central Nebraska farmland east of Hastings hint at their original purpose as Naval ammunition bunkers during World War II.
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NE: Game and Parks sets meetings on deer issues
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is preparing to hold informational meetings across the state to discuss deer issues.
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NH: NH businesses call for clean energy bill
From: feeds.stateline.org
"New Hampshire businesses that support clean energy legislation are gathering in Concord on Tuesday.
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NJ: 'Free money' offer target of N.J. legislation
From: feeds.stateline.org
"TRENTON, N.J. -- Assemblyman Paul Moriarty (D., Gloucester) wants to stop a marketing technique that he maintains is deceptive.
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NJ: NJ lawmaker pushing for windmills on piers
From: feeds.stateline.org
"ATLANTIC CITY — A New Jersey lawmaker wants to change state regulations to allow construction of windmills on Jersey shore amusement piers.
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NJ: N.J. business leaders eagerly await GOP governor
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Not many governors take office in an economy as bad as the one Governor-elect Chris Christie will inherit in January.
"
NJ: NJ lawmaker moves to ban unsolicited checks
From: feeds.stateline.org
"One New Jersey lawmaker wants to stop a marketing technique that he believes is deceptive.
"
NJ: Estimates of Jersey Shore storm damage can differ, report says
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Estimates of storm damage along the Jersey Shore can vary widely depending on which agency is doing the counting according to a report in The Press of Atlantic City.
"
NJ: With aid falling, N.J. towns forced into painful cuts
From: feeds.stateline.org
"In Hope Township, Mayor Tim McDonough said he's considering cuts to "sacred cows" like money for senior groups, food banks and recreation programs.
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NM: State contracts baffle some during budget crisis
From: feeds.stateline.org
"When former Department of Workforce Solutions Secretary Betty Sparrow Doris got a contract this fall to return to work after resigning from the agency, the news surprised some in state government.
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NM: Yes, N.M.'s budget woes are bad, but pain is relative
From: feeds.stateline.org
"LAS VEGAS, Nev. — With impending service cuts, taxes sure to increase and a cash-short state road fund, life in New Mexico might seem, well, not so enchanting.
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NM: Denish in political balancing act dealing with Richardson baggage
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Things are going well for Lt. Gov. Diane Denish in her quest to become the first woman elected governor of New Mexico next year.
"
NV: Nevada leads nation in rate of bankruptcy filings
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Two reports issued Thanksgiving week illustrated the U.S. recession's devastating effect on Nevada.
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NV: Workforce reductions hit Nevada amid recession
From: feeds.stateline.org
"It's no secret that Nevada has more workers in the hospitality and food service industries than any other state.
"
NY: Stalemate in Albany as state nears its last dollar
From: feeds.stateline.org
"New York State is running out of cash. Without a budget deal, New York will be left with just $36 million in the bank by the end of December, according to current projections.
"
NY: At odds over land, money and gas
From: feeds.stateline.org
"CHENANGO, N.Y. — Chris and Robert Lacey own 80 acres of idyllic upstate New York countryside, a place where they can fish for bass in their own pond, hike through white pines and chase deer away. But the Laceys hope that, if all goes well, a natural gas wellhead will soon occupy this bucolic landscape.
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NY: Bad times do not bring more crime (if they ever did)
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Unemployment has reached 10.3 percent in New York City, higher than it is in the state and nationally. The Bloomberg administration is weighing cuts from every city agency to help close a $4.1 billion deficit next year. Homelessness among families is at a record high, with more than 28,000 men, women and children now in the city's shelter system.
"
NY: Comptroller's budget red alert
From: feeds.stateline.org
"It's hard to believe, but New York's budget crisis is even worse than Gov. Paterson says it is.
"
NY: Judges charge taxpayers for frivolous expenses
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Objection, your honor! State judges are using taxpayer money to buy everything from spa trips to self-portraits to electronics, The Post has learned.
"
NY: A new volley on the deficit
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Lawmakers will be back in session today, but little progress appears to have been made over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in efforts to eliminate the state's $3.2 billion deficit.
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NY: Anti-smoking program may be cut
From: feeds.stateline.org
"New York's fiscal crisis is now expected to have to take another $10 million from the anti-tobacco program to help balance the state budget. Anti-smoking forces believe the proposal would end a TV ad campaign and eventually cost more in health care costs.
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NY: Paterson takes $1.6 billion in emergency action
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Unable to get the Legislature to agree on how to address a $3.2 billion deficit, New York Gov. David Paterson on Sunday said he's taking $1.6 billion worth of temporary, emergency measures to cover the state's December bills.
"
NY: Law regulates 'life settlement' deals
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A new law seeks to protect consumers by regulating "life settlements," in which the elderly sell their life insurance for far more than the value upon cancellation to get cash, often to stave off hard times.
"
OH: Ohio banks' loan pool grows by $700 million
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The total loan pool of Ohio-based banks increased by about $700 million in the third quarter, according to numbers compiled by the Ohio Bankers League from Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. filings.
"
OH: New fee deepens hospitals' fiscal pain
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Ohio hospitals, which are struggling through the recession by cutting jobs and medical services, will have to pay a new state fee on Monday.
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OH: GOP backer of budget fix has found few followers
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Republican chairman of the Senate Finance Committee says he is willing to support the governor's plan to fix an $851 million budget shortfall, with a few amendments.
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OH: Slot machines in the mix as Republican senators look to solve state's budget shortage
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Stonewalled earlier this month by Gov. Ted Strickland and Senate Democrats in the debate over how to fill an $851 million hole in the state budget, Senate Republicans are regrouping to figure out their next move -- with an eye on Dec. 18.
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OH: Ohio reaps $5 million from nose-spray settlement
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Ohio will get more than $5 million from a pharmaceutical company that was found to have overcharged the state Medicaid program for three nasal sprays, Attorney General Richard Cordray's office said today.
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OH: Roads money to rain in '10
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Federal stimulus money is expected to rain down on projects next year, causing the number of orange-barrel sightings to increase significantly in spring.
"
OK: EPA grant funds watershed research at Lake Thunderbird
From: feeds.stateline.org
"NORMAN, Okla. — State water quality officials are working with a "green" developer in Norman to test ways to control storm water runoff that will better protect the Lake Thunderbird watershed.
"
OR: Tax dollars blow away in wind projects
From: feeds.stateline.org
"When Gov. Ted Kulongoski vetoed a bill this summer that would have slashed Oregon's tax subsidies for large wind farms, he insisted the reduction went too far and would jeopardize the growth of Oregon's green economy.
"
OR: Liberal Oregon activist says tax hikes are good
From: feeds.stateline.org
"SILVERTON, Ore. -- Chuck Sheketoff is on a mission to knock down claims that the proposed Oregon tax increases on business and the well-to-do will cause hardship.
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PA: 12-day firearms deer season starts today
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Pennsylvania's biggest draw for hunters is set to begin with the start of the 12-day firearms deer season.
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PA: Lobbyist expenses wasteful, critics say
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Pennsylvania governments paid lobbyists more than $4 million this year to lobby the state and federal governments for more tax money.
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PA: Another state 'reformer' has seen enough, won't seek re-election
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The General Assembly's so-called "reform" class of November 2006 is losing another member.
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PA: Rendell's legacy appears written
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Twelve months from now, a newly elected governor will be hiring staff, planning an inauguration and getting ready to write the next chapters in Pennsylvania's history.
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PA: First Bonusgate trial set to open
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Nearly three years since word first surfaced of lawmakers giving publicly funded bonuses for campaign work, the first case in the Bonusgate corruption scandal is coming to trial.
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PA: Analysis -- Pennsylvania ghost job trial may set tone for cases
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The first trial from a legislative corruption investigation pursued by Attorney General Tom Corbett is scheduled to begin Tuesday in Dauphin County Court, in a case accusing a former legislator of holding a ghost job while a state House candidate.
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RI: Charter school budget raised by educators
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Despite the state's deep budget cuts and yawning deficit, education officials have developed a budget proposal for 2010-2011 that includes slightly more than $7.3 million in additional money for charter schools.
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RI: Biotech firms still lack qualified workers
From: feeds.stateline.org
"There are 74,700 Rhode Islanders out of work, but leaders of one emerging industry — bioscience — say they can't find enough qualified applicants to fill vacant jobs.
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SC: Antique software blocks aid to jobless
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Andy Trotter, out of work for 22 months, is frustrated. Money is available for a 20-week extension of unemployment benefits, but the state Employment Security Commission can't make the payments.
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SC: Forecast for S.C. remains gloomy
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Roughly half a million adults in South Carolina are unemployed, underemployed or have given up looking.
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SC: S.C. colleges face more budget cuts
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Higher education spending in South Carolina will drop to roughly 1995 levels if the state trims roughly 3 percent from what it spends on colleges and universities.
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SC: Payday lender trying out different business model
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Payday lending pioneer Check Into Cash said it will convert some of its South Carolina payday lending stores to consumer small loan businesses by the end of the year.
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SC: DOE chief attending SC groundbreaking, symposium
From: feeds.stateline.org
"AIKEN, S.C. -- The Energy Department's top official is traveling to South Carolina for several events.
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SD: SD a battleground in Canadian oil sands debate
From: feeds.stateline.org
"An oil industry representative says he considers South Dakota a battleground in the fight over the extraction of oil from the Canadian oil sands.
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SD: Mold woes spreading in S.D.
From: feeds.stateline.org
"ABERDEEN, S.D. -- While mold is showing up in many cornfields across the region, not all the fungus poses the same threats, and producers can avoid more damage with proper storage, area Extension educators said.
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TN: Lawmakers target radioactive waste in TN landfills
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Lawmakers are questioning a state program that allows low-level radioactive waste to go to regular landfills in Tennessee.
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TN: UT mulls hotel, conference center at Cherokee Farm
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The University of Tennessee has hired a consulting firm to determine the feasibility of a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly hotel and conference center on the Cherokee Farm research campus.
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TN: Children living in poverty increases in Middle TN
From: feeds.stateline.org
"While new U.S. Census Bureau figures show poverty has dropped in most of Middle Tennessee between 2007 and 2008, the area's children remain disproportionately affected.
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TN: Nashville defends move to clear TN State Fairgrounds
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Mayor Karl Dean's administration is working to clear the Tennessee State Fairgrounds of its remaining tenants in a little more than a year, despite having no new plan for the site.
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US: White House, business leaders split on how to create jobs
From: feeds.stateline.org
"WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration and U.S. business leaders will meet at the White House this week to ponder ways to boost employment. Their ideas, though, don't overlap much.
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US: Food stamp use soars, and stigma fades
From: feeds.stateline.org
"MARTINSVILLE, Ohio — With food stamp use at record highs and climbing every month, a program once scorned as a failed welfare scheme now helps feed one in eight Americans and one in four children.
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US: Unemployment and midterms
From: feeds.stateline.org
"If they crave comfort, Democratic candidates can grab onto this: political science research finds little historical connection between unemployment and midterm Congressional elections.
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US: Debate on creating jobs, without raising deficit
From: feeds.stateline.org
"WASHINGTON — As Democrats renew their push to create jobs, they are at odds over the timing, cost and scope of additional measures, with the White House's concern about high budget deficits pitted against the eagerness of many in Congress to spur hiring before next year's elections.
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UT: Herbert builds his own team of rivals
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Like his predecessor, Gov. Gary Herbert is relying on a formal group of advisers that includes business and community leaders.
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UT: Poll -- Utahns support statewide anti-bias laws for gays
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A new poll shows 69 percent of Utahns think state lawmakers and Gov. Gary Herbert should push to pass statewide anti-discrimination laws to protect gays.
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VA: Beach plans study to find best use of land near Oceana
From: feeds.stateline.org
"VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- City officials once thought the patchwork of fields between Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach and Fentress Naval Auxiliary Landing Field in Chesapeake would be a perfect location for homes - lots of them.
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VA: Va. to borrow $1.26 billion for depleted unemployment funds
From: feeds.stateline.org
"HAMPTON ROADS, Va. -- As Virginia wrestles with ways to replenish its depleted fund for unemployment benefits, Hampton Roads employers expressed concern about the impact that higher unemployment taxes could have on the health of their businesses.
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VT: State to foot bill for dam update
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Concerned that Canadian energy giant TransCanada has Vermont towns over the proverbial tax barrel, the state of Vermont will pay to update property tax values on a series of hydroelectric dams on the Connecticut and Deerfield rivers owned by TransCanada's Hydro Northeast.
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VT: Moonlighting in Vermont
From: feeds.stateline.org
"SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. — Joe Sinagra is realizing the wisdom of his wife's bumper sticker. "My wife is a native Vermonter and has a bumper sticker that says: 'Moonlight in Vermont or starve,' which I think is hysterical," Sinagra said.
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WA: Gregoire considers 4-minute Keno games
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Gov. Chris Gregoire is "seriously considering" legislation that would allow four-minute Keno games as a way to help deal with a projected $2.6 billion budget shortfall, The Seattle Times reported today.
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WA: A new (but old) perspective on the Boeing move
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Boeing's recent decision to increase production in South Carolina over Washington state has caused much anxiety and soul-searching.
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WI: Bill would boost tax credits for angel investors
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Democratic state legislators plan to hold hearings, possibly as soon as next week, on a proposed $15 million economic growth package that would bulk up Wisconsin's angel investing tax credits, better connect businesses with university research, and include other measures to rebuild the state's economy.
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WI: For road worker, stimulus funds translate to vital job
From: feeds.stateline.org
"KENOSHA, Wisc. -- It's a single job amid the thousands that were supposed to be either saved or created by the federal stimulus program. But to Aaron Schilling, the job is not a statistic - it's a lifeline.
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WI: Wisconsin improves its ranking on taxes
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Dented by income tax cuts and a marked spending slowdown on education, Wisconsin's national status as a tax hell is fading.
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WI: Water plan aims to help jobs flow
From: feeds.stateline.org
"MILWAUKEE -- This city has been selling the world Lake Michigan water for decades. It just mixed in a little hops and barley first.
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WI: Tribe's Mississippi plans hit new snags
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Plagued with problems almost from the start, the Lac du Flambeau Chippewa tribe's bid to build a gambling complex in Mississippi has run into a series of new obstacles, putting the Wisconsin-based tribe's multimillion-dollar investment at even greater risk.
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WI: As funds increase, review finds nearly 1 in 8 weatherization jobs flawed
From: feeds.stateline.org
"As stimulus money doubles Wisconsin's weatherization budget for the next two years, a review of state records since 2007 found weatherization work done on hundreds of low-income homes failed to meet federal standards.
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WV: Percent of union workers in W.Va. drops in half
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Workers in West Virginia were about half as likely to belong to a union in 2007 as they were in 1983.
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WV: W.Va. to offer online help to problem gamblers
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A program that helps problem gamblers in West Virginia is preparing to launch a free online chat service with counselors.
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WV: Voters reconsider table games for W.Va. casino
From: feeds.stateline.org
"CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. -- At the Turf Motel, just outside the entrance to the Charles Town Races & Slots, red lights flash a promise: "Free steak and omelet with room!" Then a plea: "Save our jobs. Vote Yes!"
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WV: GSD has made strides, but more must be done
From: feeds.stateline.org
"On the surface, at least, one of the areas where the Manchin administration has made improvements is in the General Services Division of the Department of Administration.
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WV: 85 miners collect checks in Massey settlement
From: feeds.stateline.org
"CANNELTON, W.Va. -- Eighty-five coal miners laid off from Cannelton Mining after Massey Energy took it over and renamed it Mammoth Coal gathered at their local union hall on Sunday afternoon. Each miner received a $38,000 check from Massey.
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WY: Transportation Commission awards over $21 million in contracts
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Contracts totaling nearly $21.6 million for nine highway projects around the state were awarded by the Wyoming Transportation Commission during its November meeting in Cheyenne.
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WY: Bill lets cities borrow against revenue anticipated from neighborhood upgrade
From: feeds.stateline.org
"When a neighborhood gets an upgrade, such as road improvements, a new public building or even a hazardous waste cleanup, the amount of taxes generated increases.
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WY: Governor to unveil Wyoming budget recommendations for 2010-2012
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Gov. Dave Freudenthal will unveil his state budget recommendations for the coming two-year funding cycle this week.
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State budgets lean on property sales, leases
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Some states, struggling to balance their budgets, are selling or leasing public property, including state office buildings, prisons and major toll ways. While a quick way to raise revenue, this strategy is attacked by some as a short-term fix that postpones making more difficult decisions. 
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Tax revenue down in at least 44 states
From: feeds.stateline.org
"TODAY'S TAKE: Tax collections declined in the third quarter in the 44 states for which early data are available, according to a report released today (Nov. 23). Even North Dakota -- which has weathered the recession better than most states -- is feeling the effects.
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Weekly wrap: Forecasting revenue is a lot like predicting the weather these days
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Indiana is mulling changes to how it estimates monthly revenues, while several states are considering mergers and consolidations of government agencies, universities, school districts and more to save money.
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Economy to sway 2010 gov races
From: feeds.stateline.org
"
 |
The tax hikes that so many states levied to plug holes in their recession-ravaged budgets this year could endanger a few incumbent governors’ careers in 2010 when 37 gubernatorial contests are at stake.
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Visit the Stateline.org Economy & Business Page
From: feeds.stateline.org
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Preparation of business and individual tax returns and financial
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