FL: Top state court gives homeowners chance to fight foreclosure
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Facing one of the worst foreclosure crises in the nation, Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Peggy Quince ordered judges statewide Monday to starting sending foreclosure cases to a new "managed mediation" program in which financially strapped homeowners can try to negotiate a way out of losing their homes.
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TX: Texas' now-strong banks hold lessons for rest of U.S.
From: feeds.stateline.org
"DALLAS — When the financial system collapsed last year, a short-handed Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. went looking for people schooled in the grim art of cleaning up failed banks.
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AK: More ferry runs planned for Dutch Harbor
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Gov. Sean Parnell has ordered the Alaska Marine Highway System to schedule more ferry runs between Homer and Dutch Harbor.
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AR: Despite increased security, Arkansas airports report few delays
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Arkansas' largest airports reported few flight delays today despite new security measures implemented nationwide after an attempted terrorist attack Christmas Day.
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AZ: School tax-credit deadline looming
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Individual taxpayers can contribute as much as $200 to extracurricular or character-education programs at public charters and unified school districts for a dollar-for-dollar tax deduction on their state income taxes.
"
AZ: SRP proposes average $6 rate hike
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Salt River Project on Monday proposed an increase in electricity prices of about $6 a month for the average household, half of what officials tried to enact in the fall before a new plan to cut expenses and about 100 jobs.
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AZ: SRP returns with rate hike proposal
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Salt River Project customers would take a softer-than-expected hit to their wallets if a proposed price increase goes into effect next year.
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AZ: Senate health care bill would punish Arizona
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The 2000 decision by Arizona voters to provide free health care to more people could come around and bite state taxpayers in the financial backside.
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CA: Legislation targets predatory, confusing marketing of reverse mortgages
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Assembly Bills 329 and 260 aim to stop predatory lenders and unscrupulous mortgage brokers from using deceptive sales practices to take advantage of seniors seeking reverse mortgages and protect consumers of all ages shopping for more traditional mortgages.
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CO: Gardner says state needs to drop some membership dues amid budget crisis
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A state lawmaker says Colorado can no longer afford to shell out what could be more than $2 million annually for dues and memberships in various organizations.
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CO: Colorado public housing agencies lag on spending stimulus funds, GAO says
From: feeds.stateline.org
"As of November, Colorado public housing agencies had spent only $2.8 million of the nearly $18 million in Recovery Act formula grants awarded by the federal government this year, according to the Government Accountability Office.
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CO: Jobless fund running out of money
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Colorado's unemployment trust fund will run out of money in the next few weeks, forcing the state to borrow from the federal government.
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CT: Rell vetoes Democratic budget bills; calls them 'feeble'
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Gov. M. Jodi Rell and Democrats clashed Monday over her veto of a deficit-cutting package the legislature passed a week earlier.
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CT: Electric rate reduction approved by state regulators
From: feeds.stateline.org
"State regulators approved adjustments to electric generation rates Monday that will reduce costs by $7.29 a month for most residential Connecticut Light & Power customers.
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CT: Rell rejects Democrats' deficit bills
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Gov. M. Jodi Rell vetoed a pair of deficit-cutting bills Monday, saying the proposals passed by the Democrat-controlled legislature didn't make sufficient reductions in state spending.
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CT: State trying to sell 67 properties in effort to help close budget gap
From: feeds.stateline.org
"For Sale: A possibly unusable wedge of land originally intended for use as part of a highway exit ramp, a project later abandoned. Possible uses include, um ... potential buyers should possess creativity and imagination.
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CT: Governor vetoes bill to delay cut in estate tax
From: feeds.stateline.org
"After months of finger-pointing, legislative Democrats and Gov. M. Jodi Rell remain miles apart on how to solve a budget deficit projected at between $337 million and $550 million.
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DE: Delaware looks eager to approve dredging
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Delaware appears increasingly anxious to churn out an approval for a Delaware River main channel deepening, under terms that would salvage its pride and protect states' rights to have a say on such projects.
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DE: Road construction brings jobs, but forces store out of business
From: feeds.stateline.org
"For the past seven months, Kristin Short has listened to jackhammers tearing up the road outside her Hockessin store.
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FL: Seniors cutting Medicare coverage costs as Thursday deadline approaches
From: feeds.stateline.org
"After agonizing for weeks, retiree Lillian Martel and her exercise-class friends in Coral Springs have made a decision: They are dropping their nationally known Medicare HMO and switching to a cheaper one.
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FL: Experts -- With treatment, Urban Meyer likely can return
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Those chest pains that frightened Florida Gators football coach Urban Meyer into taking a leave of absence could be the result of heart disease or stress or both, but with proper treatment he should be able to return, medical professionals said Sunday.
"
FL: Rock mine expansion proposed for panther habitat in west Broward
From: feeds.stateline.org
"BIG CYPRESS RESERVATION, Fla. - The Seminole Tribe has applied for a permit to expand a rock mine in a remote corner of northwest Broward County, in a proposal that could generate opposition from environmentalists concerned about the Florida panther.
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FL: New South Florida water rules dodge appeals, but face test in Tallahassee
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Opponents of South Florida's new year-round watering rules are taking their fight to the Legislature, opting for legislative muscle over courtroom battles.
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FL: Will Florida's growth-a-holic tendencies change with new reality?
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Forecasters say the days of dizzying growth are over. Last year, in fact, the state lost population for the first time since World War II. Florida will grow again once a recovery takes root, demographers say, but at a slower pace.
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GA: Tea parties bubbling up in Georgia
From: feeds.stateline.org
"There's a political movement percolating in North Georgia, and it's picking up steam.
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GA: Battered banks may be eligible for tax refund
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A change in federal law quietly made last month could bring a measure of relief for Georgia's struggling banking industry.
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GA: Huff to head tourism foundation
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Georgia Department of Economic Development has named Fred Huff as the new director of the public-private Georgia Tourism Foundation.
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GA: Five more Ga. banks censured by FDIC
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Five more Georgia banks fell under strict regulatory enforcement orders in November, federal authorities announced Monday.
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GA: State's former development chief still a force to reckon with
From: feeds.stateline.org
"In 2009 — what Craig Lesser called a "slow year" — the former commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development made only six international trips.
"
HI: Plan to end furloughs rejected
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Gov. Linda Lingle rejected yesterday a plan by the teachers union and the state Board of Education that would have restored seven classroom days to the public schools calendar.
"
HI: Hawaii airport security tightened in wake of failed terror plot
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Domestic and international travelers were arriving early for flights out of the Islands yesterday — one of the busiest travel days of the year — as authorities beefed up security at airports statewide, increasing patrols of bomb-sniffing dogs and upping scrutiny at checkpoints.
"
HI: Protesters won't bite on proposal
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Ringing fishing bells and holding protest signs, a coalition of more than 90 boaters and fishers held a demonstration at the state Capitol yesterday against proposed state rules that they say would restrict their recreation and lifestyle.
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HI: University of Hawaii will reduce faculty pay by 6.7
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The University of Ha-wai'i will cut salaries for most faculty by 6.7 percent beginning Friday.
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HI: UH president warns of layoffs and aid cuts
From: feeds.stateline.org
"If the University of Hawaii does not get pay concessions from the faculty union, layoffs and cuts in student financial aid are "potentially on the table," UH President M.R.C. Greenwood said.
"
HI: Hawaii governor rejects furlough deal
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday shot down an agreement between the teachers union and education officials to end most furlough days this school year, saying it was not "fiscally responsible."
"
IA: Iowa solar-system installers want state licensing
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Iowa's lack of specific professional standards for solar-systems installers is impeding the development of a solar power industry in Iowa, some longtime observers say.
"
IA: Culver names new economic development director
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Gov. Chet Culver has named Bret Mills to take over the state's economic development department, which had been without a more permanent leader since the eruption of problems with the state's film tax credit program.
"
IA: 5 tax credits top film program
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Five tax credit programs could cost the state more money over the next five years than the film-making tax incentives that have given so many state officials heartburn this year.
"
ID: Idaho poachers get 10-year hunting bans, fines
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A pair of Boise men got 10-year hunting bans and must pay thousands in penalties after pleading guilty in 4th District Court this month to possession of three unlawfully taken elk.
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ID: Idaho city's drinking water benefits from stimulus
From: feeds.stateline.org
"American Falls is due to get a $3.3 million low-interest loan funded by the federal stimulus act that will help the city refurbish its drinking water system and save millions in interest over the next three decades.
"
IL: Wind power contracts get regulator's OK
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Illinois Commerce Commission approved a plan to solicit proposals for 20-year contracts to buy power from wind farms on behalf of the state's utility customers despite critical comments a majority of the commissioners made earlier this month about the idea.
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IL: Brady bashes suburban competition
From: feeds.stateline.org
"State Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington ripped into some of his suburban challengers in the Republican governor's primary Monday for opening the possibility to tax hikes if elected.
"
IL: Invasive species lawsuit expands
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Legal forces in the Upper Midwest arrayed against the invasive Asian carp Monday, as Minnesota joined a lawsuit with Ohio and Michigan applying legal pressure to seal off Illinois' carp-infested waterways from the Great Lakes.
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IN: Mayors shocked by Cline's permanent closing
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Indiana Department of Transportation's announcement regarding the fate of Cline Avenue on Monday surprised the mayors whose municipalities stand to be impacted by the bridge's permanent closure.
"
IN: State may join carp suit
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Indiana Attorney General's Office is waiting to weigh in on Michigan's fight to keep Asian carp from getting into Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes.
"
IN: Closed Cline extension to be demolished
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The state will demolish the closed stretch of Cline Avenue rather than repairing it, Indiana Department of Transportation Chief of Staff Bob Zier told the Post-Tribune on Monday.
"
IN: School funding cuts to hit in January
From: feeds.stateline.org
"EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Gov. Mitch Daniels said Monday the previously announced funding cut to Indiana's K-12 school districts will be begin in January.
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IN: Daniels speeds up timetable for K-12 funding cuts
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Indiana's public schools will have to begin trimming budgets in January after Gov. Mitch Daniels said Monday he'll accelerate a cut of nearly $300 million.
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KS: Supporters say a primary seat belt law would bring millions in federal money to Kansas
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Traffic safety officials have 11.2 million reasons for passing a primary seat law.
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KS: Statewide petitions seek signatures for vote on KC earnings tax
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Kansas City's earnings tax would be subject to a popular vote or abolished outright under a series of initiative petitions approved for circulation on Monday.
"
KS: Never a dull moment in a decade of region's politics
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Looking at the last decade of politics in Kansas and Missouri, Woody Overton just shrugs.
"
KY: 8 steps to understanding Kentucky's budget crunch
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Although the economic recession, which has brought double-digit unemployment to Kentucky, is the major factor behind Kentucky's budget woes, their roots run much deeper.
"
KY: KACo board to interview 4 finalists but could still hire Hatchett
From: feeds.stateline.org
"In a surprise move, the board of directors for the Kentucky Association of Counties decided Monday to interview four finalists for the organization's top position rather than go with the candidate selected by an 11-member committee earlier this month.
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KY: KACo to question all director finalists
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The board of the Kentucky Association of Counties has decided to interview all four finalists for the executive director's post and not rely on the recommendation of a search committee.
"
KY: Trust accounts for lawyers mandatory
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Twenty-two years after it was recommended by the American Bar Association, Kentucky next month will finally make it mandatory for lawyers to participate in a banking program that raises money for legal aid to the poor.
"
KY: Judge denies Nighbert request for separate trial
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A judge has denied Bill Nighbert's request for a separate trial on bribery and conspiracy charges relating to bids on state contracts while he was transportation secretary.
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LA: Weather hurts La. sugar harvest
From: feeds.stateline.org
"KRAEMER, La. — Christmas Day was just another work day for farmers trying to salvage their sugar cane from the soggy fields of southeast Louisiana.
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LA: Legal policy affects coastal projects
From: feeds.stateline.org
"In anticipation of larger coastal restoration projects on the horizon, the state has started two efforts to help address legal policy questions that could delay work.
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LA: Greenhouse gas decision is target of coordinated protest by Louisiana agencies
From: feeds.stateline.org
"he Jindal administration is mounting a coordinated campaign against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's plan to regulate the man-made gases thought to be responsible for climate change and has filed letters protesting the potential economic dislocation of the proposed policy.
"
MD: Md. home assessments to fall an average 19.7%
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Nearly all Maryland homeowners due to receive new property assessment notices being mailed today will see a lower assessed value on their houses, reflecting what officials say is the largest decline in the state assessment office's history.
"
MD: Talks continue between state, Magna over the Preakness
From: feeds.stateline.org
"State officials and Magna Entertainment Corp. are continuing discussions about the future of the Preakness, the Maryland horse-racing event that's the middle leg of the Triple Crown, as part of the company's bankruptcy proceedings.
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ME: Casino vote sought in Maine city
From: feeds.stateline.org
"LEWISTON, Maine — Voters in Lewiston may be asked whether they like the idea of using the site of a former mill for a casino.
"
MI: MSU to spend $43.2M on Plant Science Expansion
From: feeds.stateline.org
"In a time of campus-wide budget cuts, Michigan State University is moving ahead with construction of the first major new building on its campus in nearly a decade.
"
MN: Minnesota attorney general seeks injunction to stop Asian carp
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to order emergency injunctive relief to protect the Great Lakes from the potential invasion of Asian carp.
"
MO: Spending still needs explanation
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A staff member's explanation for why a state agency paid her legal fees in an FBI investigation has fallen flat with the agency's top official.
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MO: Missouri governor goes from crusading to managing in first year
From: feeds.stateline.org
"On the campaign trail, Democrat Jay Nixon proposed state scholarships good for four years of college tuition for students from middle-class families.
"
MO: Animal welfare groups propose ballot measure to tighten rules for Missouri dog breeders
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Several animal welfare groups are urging Missouri voters to adopt new rules for dog-breeders that cap the number of dogs, require rest periods after breeding and establish care requirements.
"
MS: School districts facing cutbacks
From: feeds.stateline.org
"When classes resume in the new year, K-12 school districts throughout the state will face an old problem: budget cuts.
"
MT: Pipeline upgrade nears completion
From: feeds.stateline.org
"BISMARCK, N.D. — A pipeline company's project to carry more crude oil from western North Dakota and eastern Montana is set to be completed Friday, state and industry officials said.
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MT: Rehberg will solicit ideas to 'fix' Tester's wilderness bill
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg said he wants to hear from the people left out when Democratic Sen. Jon Tester wrote legislation establishing 600,000 acres of new Montana wilderness and mandating logging on 100,000 acres of other forested land over a decade.
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NC: Crews stabilizing boulders along I-40 in N.C., aiming for March reopening
From: feeds.stateline.org
"HARMON DEN, N.C. - They are working 'round the clock to fix the rocks.
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NC: Power still out in icy mountain areas
From: feeds.stateline.org
"BLOWING ROCK, N.C. -- Blue Ridge Electric says it may be Wednesday before power is restored to all residents in Watauga and Ashe counties.
"
NC: Out-of-state travel expenses for NC lawmakers down
From: feeds.stateline.org
"General Assembly leaders say they've tightened their belts greatly on the state paying for travel outside North Carolina for them and their colleagues.
"
NC: Western N.C. job fair expects to draw thousands
From: feeds.stateline.org
"ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- A job fair created to keep college graduates and bring home workers who moved away from Western North Carolina is expecting a crowd of thousands after a year of layoffs.
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ND: North Dakota pipeline upgrade to wrap up this week
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A pipeline company's project to carry more crude oil from western North Dakota and eastern Montana is set to be completed Friday, state and industry officials said.
"
ND: N.D. likely to sue Minnesota over carbon tax
From: feeds.stateline.org
"At issue is a measure by Minnesota's Public Utilities Commission to add a fee of between $4 and $34 per ton of carbon dioxide to the cost of electrical generation starting in 2012.
"
NE: Storm forces detours, costly repairs in Southeast Nebraska
From: feeds.stateline.org
"For the first time since the slow-moving storm started last week, emergency managers, sheriffs and power utilities had a chance to assess the aftermath Monday.
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NE: Tight budget; fewer new bills?
From: feeds.stateline.org
"In a different year, Speaker of the Legislature Mike Flood would push for money to tear down the crumbling, pigeon-infested buildings on the Norfolk Regional Center campus.
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NE: Patience melts as cleanup drags
From: feeds.stateline.org
"After calling the city multiple times over the weekend, Karen Goughnour finally grabbed her snowblower Sunday and hit a stretch of Madison Street leading from her driveway to 102nd Street.
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NE: Audit finds conflicts of interest
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A psychologist with the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services tried to steer a $200,000 contract to a business owned by his wife and of which he remained president, a state audit released today said.
"
NE: County can't trim health benefits
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A state labor court has ordered Douglas County to pull back on part of a plan to restructure health insurance benefits for employees and retirees, a ruling that county officials estimate will cost more than $2 million.
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NH: Charitable groups feeling pinch of tight budgets
From: feeds.stateline.org
"New Hampshire nonprofit groups and charities are reporting more people giving, but, in many cases, offering smaller donations than in past years.
"
NH: NH's 'Old Man' memorial plans fall on hard times
From: feeds.stateline.org
"CONCORD, N.H. -- A planned memorial to New Hampshire's state symbol, the Old Man of the Mountain, has fallen on hard times - much as the profile rocks of the Old Man fell off his mountain cliff in Franconia Notch State Park and crumbled to bits in May 2003.
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NH: Cider gets competition from milk as NH state drink
From: feeds.stateline.org
"CONCORD, N.H. -- Not so fast cider! Milk fans are lobbying for milk, not cider to be named New Hampshire's state drink.
"
NJ: New Jersey releases $12 million in arts funding
From: feeds.stateline.org
"New Jersey is releasing more than $12 million in arts funding three weeks after the state froze grants in "discretionary categories" to help close a massive budget deficit.
"
NJ: A push to tighten the rules on who gets a state pension
From: feeds.stateline.org
"TRENTON, N.J. -- A New Jersey lawmaker is planning to introduce legislation that would bar nongovernment workers from enrolling in the state's taxpayer-funded pension system.
"
NJ: New Jersey could come between MGM Mirage, Macau
From: feeds.stateline.org
"This month's abrupt departure of MGM Mirage executive Gary Jacobs stems from East Coast regulators' concerns about Jacobs' handling of the company's business partnership in the Chinese enclave of Macau, knowledgeable sources say.
"
NJ: Lawmaker wants to ban taxpayer-funded pensions for non-government employees
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Future hires of three private lobbying groups should be excluded from New Jersey's taxpayer-funded pension system, a lawmaker said Monday.
"
NJ: Inmates get an education to trade THEIR cell for a job
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Leaning back in a chair with his arms crossed, Javier Herrera watched his classmates practice fade haircuts with electric clippers as he described his big plans for a men's salon in Newark.
"
NJ: Kids wolfing down school meals can qualify for take-home food
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Phillipsburg preschool teacher Dawn Vatuna knows the signs: Children hurry to the front of the school breakfast line on Monday morning, voraciously eat every bite and then seek seconds.
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NJ: Proposal to tighten pension eligibility
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Future hires of three private lobbying groups should be excluded from New Jersey's taxpayer-funded pension system, a lawmaker said yesterday.
"
NM: New Mexico banks escape some of nation's mess
From: feeds.stateline.org
"While federal intervention averted disaster in the banking sector late last year, a large number of banks have failed and credit remains tight in 2009 as big banks have chosen to return federal assistance rather than to lend the money out.
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NM: Recession batters New Mexico economy like never before; job slide deeper
From: feeds.stateline.org
"New Mexico's economy didn't just tank in 2009, it sort of collapsed.
"
NM: H1N1 vaccine snags persist
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Chuck Dupwe was irritated when he read a story in The New Mexican on Saturday in which a Department of Health official said there's no shortage of the vaccine being used to guard against the H1N1 strain of influenza.
"
NM: State's investment funds on rebound
From: feeds.stateline.org
"New Mexico's investment funds rebounded somewhat in 2009, making the state stand out against others that saw big hits to their pension funds in particular.
"
NM: New Mexico economy "sort of collapsed" in 2009
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The economy in New Mexico fell apart in a way not seen since the 1940s according to a story in the New Mexico Business Weekly.
"
NV: New year means new state laws to take effect
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Guns, novelty lighters and identity theft are three of the areas affected by state laws that take effect at the end of the week.
"
NV: Weakness expected to persist for state economy
From: feeds.stateline.org
"RENO, Nev. -- A changing of the calendar to a new decade won't mean a swift improvement in Nevada's job market, economists said.
"
NV: How even is the Gibbonses' split?
From: feeds.stateline.org
"RENO, Nev. — The Nevada marital nightmare ended Monday — 22 months after Gov. Jim Gibbons announced his intention to divorce first lady Dawn Gibbons — with them figuratively shaking hands and, among other things, divvying up a pair of Model T's.
"
NY: Shinnecock Indians see prosperity ahead
From: feeds.stateline.org
"SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — As Shinnecock Indians returned to their reservation on Long Island after World War II, elders warned that their tribe's long struggle for survival was once again threatened.
"
NY: State workers earning 100G+ soar
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Even as the national economy tanked, a six-figure tsunami swept the state payroll last year, with the number of workers who earn more than $100,000 surging 28 percent, The Post has learned.
"
NY: Unrealistic treatment plan for hydrofracking water
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Environmentalists, state regulators and even energy companies agree that the problem most likely to slow natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale in New York is safely disposing of the billions of gallons of contaminated wastewater the industry will produce.
"
NY: Is 'new' NYRA the same deal?
From: feeds.stateline.org
"State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli on Monday subpoenaed records from the New York Racing Association, and charged that the reconstituted entity is "the same old NYRA in new sheep's clothing, trying to shortchange taxpayers again."
"
NY: Big boom, and down it went
From: feeds.stateline.org
"CROWN POINT, N.Y. -- Shrouded by a snow squall, the 80-year-old Champlain Bridge met its end Monday, witnessed in person only by a handful but beamed live worldwide over the Internet.
"
OH: OSU teams with manufacturing group to help ailing auto industry
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A Cleveland-based manufacturing group will join with Ohio State University researchers to offer training and high-tech expertise to the state's struggling automotive sector.
"
OH: Health coverage help on the way for people with pre-existing conditions
From: feeds.stateline.org
"CLEVELAND -- While lawmakers in Washington duked it out over health care reform, the Ohio legislature included a few changes in health coverage rules for the state in the budget this year that will kick in on Friday.
"
OK: Poultry firms say tribe let chance to join suit slip by
From: feeds.stateline.org
"DENVER — The defendants in Oklahoma's lawsuit against the poultry industry contend that the Cherokee Nation waited far too long to ask to intervene in the case.
"
OK: State lottery's picture mixed
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Oklahoma squeezes a better return from its lottery than most states do from theirs, but it might get more if it loosened some rules, U.S. Census Bureau data suggest.
"
OR: UO sees increase in tech revenue
From: feeds.stateline.org
"An economy deep in recession didn't prevent the University of Oregon from racking up another gain in technology transfer revenue this year.
"
OR: Oregon Lottery lifts self-imposed ban in video gambling TV ads
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The Oregon Lottery has operated for nearly two decades under a self-imposed ban on advertising video gambling on television.
"
PA: State police ranks to thin; there's no money to train replacements
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The state budget doesn't contain money for a new cadet class of state troopers, and the prospects are bleak for hiring troopers with tight budgets the next few years, lawmakers and the head of the troopers union said yesterday.
"
PA: Rendell, pay grab major influences in Pennsylvania politics
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Two forces influenced Pennsylvania politics in the first decade of the 21st century more than anything else: the Legislature's ill-fated, midnight pay grab and the irrepressible Ed Rendell.
"
PA: Public schools begin selling themselves on television
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Jim Vieira can tell each year when TV ads for Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy start airing.
"
PA: Pa. Supreme Court rules against Rendell on layoffs
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Pennsylvania's highest court ruled yesterday that the state constitution does not prohibit the governor from continuing to employ and pay state employees during a budget impasse.
"
PA: State draws up disaster plan for court system
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Pennsylvania released a disaster plan yesterday to help ensure the public will have access to critical areas of the court system in case of an emergency.
"
PA: Shortage of state troopers looming
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Faced with a declining number of state troopers and no money for a new class of cadets, state legislators are trying to figure out ways to beef up the ranks, including two bills that could generate millions of dollars for new classes of cadets.
"
RI: Stimulus money to help keep a roof overhead for 13,000 in R.I.
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Advocates for the homeless are drawing on $6.9 million in federal stimulus money to help struggling Rhode Islanders.
"
SC: Grants will boost energy efficiency
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The governments of Lexington and Richland counties, along with Columbia, will replace old office lights with energy-efficient alternatives as part of $5.8 million in federal grants.
"
SD: S.D. court dismisses appeal in doll museum appeal
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The South Dakota Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal involving a $200,000 trust fund left over from the closing of the Enchanted World Doll Museum in Mitchell.
"
SD: Rural hospitals share in tech grants
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Sixteen rural hospitals will receive a total of $244,376 in grants for technology projects from laboratory electronic medical records to a medication labeling and bar code system, a health official announced today.
"
TN: Ron Ramsey backs away from lifting fundraising ban
From: feeds.stateline.org
"State Senate speaker and Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron Ramsey said lifting an in-session fundraising ban is no longer among his top priorities.
"
TX: Texas truck fees draw scrutiny
From: feeds.stateline.org
"FORT WORTH, Texas — Texans may love their pickups, but a top state transportation official says it's not fair for truck owners to pay lower state registration fees.
"
TX: Miles-traveled tax being scrutinized
From: feeds.stateline.org
"If you don't like gasoline taxes, here's an alternative: a tax on the number of miles you drive in a year.
"
TX: Feds probe links between lawmakers, Allen Stanford
From: feeds.stateline.org
"MIAMI — Just hours after federal agents charged banker Allen Stanford with fleecing investors of $7 billion, the disgraced financier received a message from one of Congress' most powerful members, Pete Sessions.
"
US: Despite subsidy, Cobra's bite still stings for many
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The government is expanding a massive safety net to help the unemployed buy health insurance, but millions of people can't access the aid because of the way the program was designed.
"
US: Health lobby takes fight to the states
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Insurance companies and other health care interests have been positioning themselves in statehouses around the country to influence the outcome of the proposed overhaul.
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UT: Shurtleff may sue to stop health care reform
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff is poised to join nine of his conservative colleagues across the nation in suing the federal government over health care reform.
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UT: More Utah restaurant liquor licenses?
From: feeds.stateline.org
"A Weber County lawmaker said he's ready to take the first step to eliminate the state's liquor license quotas but acknowledged it's going to be a tough fight.
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VA: State manufacturing employment drops 7 percent
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Industrial employment in Virginia fell at its fastest rate in 16 years from October 2008 to October 2009 as the recession hit every manufacturing sector, according to a publishing firm.
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VA: Richmond, Goochland request help with costs from storm
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Richmond and Goochland County are preparing to join state agencies in asking for federal help to pay the cost of the winter storm that dumped up to 20 inches of snow on the region this month.
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VA: McDonnell wants change in Va. budget process
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell hopes to change the way Virginia develops its two-year budget. On Monday, McDonnell called for legislative action to move the budget writing process to odd-numbered years instead of even-numbered years.
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VA: Last-minute rush for help with Medicare
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Jim Hutchinson expects his phone to ring right up to the end of the year.
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VT: Barre Rep. Poirier will seek public health option for Vt.
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Democrats in Washington, D.C. may have given up on a public health insurance option, but Rep. Paul Poirier hasn't.
The Barre City independent has completed work on his 56-page bill to establish a Vermont public health insurance option, called Green Mountain Care, that would compete directly with private insurance companies.
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VT: Vt. NEA faults retirement panel's ideas
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The union representing Vermont educators says the work of a retirement commission considering changes to the pension systems for teachers and state workers is incomplete and likely unconstitutional.
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VT: Champlain Bridge is history
From: feeds.stateline.org
"ADDISON, Vt. — The Lake Champlain Bridge came down in a plume of smoke Monday morning, its 80-year-old arch detonated as a small crowd strained to watch through a snow squall.
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WA: Four more Washington banks placed under tighter FDIC oversight
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Four more Washington banks have been placed under tighter oversight by state and federal regulators, bringing to 28 the number of state-based banks operating under closer government scrutiny.
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WA: Lawmakers eye tax on candy
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Washington residents with a sweet tooth could have another problem on their sticky hands if a proposal introduced ahead of the Jan. 11 start of legislative session becomes law: a tax on candy.
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WA: Lumber market shows signs of rebound
From: feeds.stateline.org
"LONGVIEW, Wash. -- After surviving the worst homebuilding year since the end of World War II, lumber producers in Longview say they're seeing the first signs of a slow recovery.
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WI: 172 bridge work highlights area road repairs
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Road construction crews wrapped up several major highway projects during 2009.
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WI: Minnesota joins legal fight over Asian carp
From: feeds.stateline.org
"The State of Minnesota is joining the legal fight to force changes in the way Chicago manages its water in a drastic attempt to keep Asian carp from invading the Great Lakes.
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WV: W.Va. DNR to strategize on restoring Dunkard Creek
From: feeds.stateline.org
"MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources is waiting to see how Consol Energy meets new requirements to regulate discharges before relocating fish to Dunkard Creek.
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WV: Families receiving last resort jobless aid on the rise
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Cash payments for West Virginia families who have exhausted all other benefits are growing steadily.
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WY: Child-abuse prevention group will close down
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Prevent Child Abuse Wyoming will close its doors Thursday.
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WY: State safety effort needs more info-sharing
From: feeds.stateline.org
"It has been left to Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal to decide the next step in a yearlong public-private effort to establish a central database for collecting and analyzing occupational fatality statistics.
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Road crews, agricultural sector feel effects of winter storm
From: feeds.stateline.org
"It was a storm to remember for crews trying to open rural roads in Southeast Nebraska over the long holiday weekend -- and a storm roads superintendents would rather forget.
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Iowa governor touts 4-day workweek
From: feeds.stateline.org
"TODAY’S TAKE: Iowa Gov. Chet Culver (D) is touting Utah’s first-in-the-nation move to a four-day workweek for most executive-branch state workers, and he is pushing the proposal as a way to cut costs in his own state. Hawaii and Washington State have also tried the idea.
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Govs ready speeches as fiscal woes persist
From: feeds.stateline.org
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As governors prepare their 2010 state of the state addresses, at least 36 of them are still struggling to close budget deficits for the current fiscal year, while worrying about new gaps looming in their 2011 spending plans.
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State budget gaps linger at year's end
From: feeds.stateline.org
"Over the past few months, state legislators around the country have been confronted with unfinished fiscal business tugging at them like a bad dream. Mid-year budget gaps have opened in dozens of states, brought on, in part, by overly hopeful revenue projections.
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Weekly wrap: Governors offering dire spending plans
From: feeds.stateline.org
"On the eve of state legislative sessions, chief executives are proposing grim budgets; Las Vegas gets encouraging economic news.
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Economist Mark Zandi: On stimulus, jobs, state finances, inflation and the year ahead
From: feeds.stateline.org
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A leading economist agrees with President Obama's plea for additional money to help financially strapped state governments.
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From: feeds.stateline.org
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