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Archive of Stateline.org RSS - State by State Roundup on Monday December 05, 2005
Hundreds of FEMA trailers are ready to roll
SUMMERDALE, Ala. -- Among the pastures and homes along Baldwin County 32, rows of more than 1,000 travel trailers and mobile homes sit parked in what looks like a gigantic manufactured housing lot. [Mobile Register] Read More
A&M, ASU seek continued desegregation funds
Attorneys for the state's predominantly black colleges are asking the federal court to keep a 24-year-old higher education desegregation case open. [The Birmingham News] Read More
ALFA strong after storms
The Alabama Farmers Federation and its associated insurance companies withstood another withering hurricane season to sustain a period of growth, organization executives told members gathered here Sunday evening. [Mobile Register] Read More
Alabama considers Bible literacy course
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - School boards in Alabama could offer courses in Bible literacy as an elective in public high schools under a new measure viewed by critics as an attempt to promote Christianity in classrooms. [The Dallas Morning News (registration)] Read More
Picturing Katrina
BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala. -- Like several of her classmates at Alba Middle School, 13-year-old Adrian Overstreet is recovering from Hurricane Katrina one photograph at a time. [Mobile Register] Read More
FHA to pay mortgages for a year
WASHINGTON - The Federal Housing Administration is launching a program to pay the mortgages of up to 20,000 victims of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma for as much as a year. [The Sun Herald (Biloxi)] Read More
Steering Alaska's ships
VALDEZ, Alaska -- When it comes to guiding giant oil tankers safely out of Prince William Sound, the most important person isn't the captain. [Anchorage Daily News (registration)] Read More
State limits rules for personal care in the home
The state is tightening rules for a program that provides personal care in the home for thousands of Alaskans who are elderly or have disabilities. [Anchorage Daily News (registration)] Read More
Alaska Republicans expects no fallout from leaders' missteps
The Reagan legacy of the Teflon Republican is alive and well in Alaska. [The Juneau Empire (registration)] Read More
Avalanche rescue groups practice in Hatcher Pass
In Hatcher Pass Sunday teams from around the state gathered at Independence Mine to conduct search and rescue missions. [KTUU.com (Anchorage)] Read More
6 guvs protest bill's public land sale
Six western governors put Congress on notice this week they oppose a measure pending in the U.S. Senate that would open millions of acres of public lands for sale to mining companies. [Rocky Mountain News (Denver)] Read More
Supreme Court refuses appeal of eminent domain ruling
In a victory for property rights advocates, the Arizona Supreme Court has declined to consider Tempe's appeal of a trial judge's rejection of the city's efforts to use condemnation lawsuits to seize privately owned land so that it can be used for development of a shopping complex. [Arizona Capitol Times (Phoenix)] Read More
Giffords resigns to run for Congress
U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe's retirement announcement last week opened wider the political doors in the 8th Congressional District where a slew of potential candidates, including current and former state legislators, are contemplating entering the southern Arizona race to succeed the 11-term Republican. [Arizona Capitol Times (Phoenix)] Read More
State seeing record job growth, but wages still well behind
Arkansas employment reached a record high in October, but forecasters warn that state job growth is slowing and not as vibrant as the rest of the U.S. economy, which added 215,000 new jobs November. [Arkansas News Bureau] Read More
Service sector jobs growing fast across state
Service jobs that don't carry the same earning power as traditional blue-collar work are fueling record employment growth in Arkansas. [Arkansas News Bureau] Read More
Endangered habitats preserved
A state preservation agency is using federal money and land donations from Northwest Arkansas developers to protect the homes and feeding grounds of endangered bats and cave fish in Northwest Arkansas. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock)] Read More
Miss Arkansas sits out holiday parade
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Given the choice of seating Miss Arkansas in a convertible with an Elvis impersonator, beauty pageant officials said she would sit this Christmas parade out. [The Commercial Appeal (Memphis) (registration)] Read More
Pearl Harbor memorial at Capitol to mark 64th anniversary of attack
David Moffatt doesn't know how many fellow survivors of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor will join him at the annual memorial Wednesday at the state Capitol. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock)] Read More
Health coverage of young widens with states' aid
LOS ANGELES - The number of American children without health care coverage has been slowly but steadily declining over the past several years even as health care costs continue to rise and fewer employers provide insurance, creating a breach that states have stepped in to fill with new programs and fresh money. [The New York Times (registration)] Read More
12% raise kicks in Monday
Most California lawmakers will get a boost Monday to help with their holiday shopping -- a 12 percent pay raise that will bump their annual salaries to $110,880 and assure their place as the best paid state legislators in the country. [The Mercury News (San Jose) (registration)] Read More
In a reversal, governor keen on big bonds
In town halls and talk shows just a month ago, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was predicting dire financial consequences if voters didn't pass an initiative that gave him expanded budget-cutting powers. [Contra Costa Times (registration)] Read More
Invasive weed threatens to harm Lake Tahoe's clarity
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - An invasive aquatic weed is spreading at Lake Tahoe and threatening its famed clarity, California State Lands Commission officials said. [Nevada Appeal (Carson City)] Read More
City rejects its good name
SAN DIEGO - America's Finest City? Not anymore. [The Orange County Register] Read More
Suitcase packed with Christmas lights forces bridge closure
SAN FRANCISCO - Both directions of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge were temporarily closed twice Sunday, after a suspicious package was found on the bottom deck. [The Orange County Register] Read More
Newspaper- School quakes study has at least 2,000 errors
LOS ANGELES ? A state study designed to identify school buildings vulnerable to earthquakes contains at least 2,000 errors, including listing schools that have been repaired and assigning schools to incorrect or non-existing districts, the Los Angeles Times reported. [The San Diego Union-Tribune] Read More
UCLA study identifies new cause of autism
LOS ANGELES - Autistic children lack a key brain activity that helps others understand people's feelings and intentions, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles. [The San Diego Union-Tribune] Read More
Governor pushes 'really big' bond to remodel state
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders are crafting an aggressive campaign to remodel California that promises to go beyond the traditional bond-and-build approach to schools and roads. [The San Diego Union-Tribune] Read More
Gas prices drop an average of 11 cents a gallon nationwide
CAMARILLO, Calif. - Retail gas prices kept dropping across the country, falling another 11 cents in the past two weeks, according to a survey released Sunday. [The San Diego Union-Tribune] Read More
Capitol tree's roots date back to '30s
The roots of the holiday tree-lighting ceremony at the Capitol are tangled. [The Sacramento Bee (registration)] Read More
Doctor to oversee prison health care
The Schwarzenegger administration on Friday responded to a sharply worded judicial opinion about its handling of inmate health care in state prisons, saying it had appointed a physician to oversee a system blamed for numerous inmate deaths. [The Mercury News (San Jose) (registration)] Read More
Bill aims to help foreign brides
The 24-year-old aerobics instructor from the Ukraine looked forward to immigrating to the United States to marry a man from Sunnyvale she had met through an international matchmaking agency. [The Mercury News (San Jose) (registration)] Read More
Motivated individuals can lay down state law
For Lauren Ward, it began with the death of her puppy, Angus. [The Sacramento Bee (registration)] Read More
Shadows cloaking immigrants prevent accurate count
The Census Bureau does not ask about immigration status, and the federal government has not issued an estimate of the undocumented population for the past few years. That has left the issue open for debate in the private sector, where counts of the illegal population range from 7 million to 20 million. [The Houston Chronicle (registration)] Read More
Key Dems throw support to Ritter
It took a two-hour breakfast, six pages of questions and a series of phone calls to turn Democrat Paul Sandoval around. The north Denver businessman - who once said he'd consider voting for the Republican in the gubernatorial race if former Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter got the Democratic nomination - now has a different opinion. [Rocky Mountain News (Denver)] Read More
Feds - Grants at risk over sex-crime law
Colorado may have to return part of the $4.5 million in U.S. Justice Department grants it has received in the past six years after failing to fully implement a sexually violent predator law, according to federal officials. [The Denver Post] Read More
Republican fesses up to blog ID raid
A Republican operative has admitted collecting identity data from a political Web log - a practice the state Republican Party earlier had blamed on Democrats. This week, the GOP warned state party members that someone was compiling the online identities of visitors to the Web site coloradopols.com. [Rocky Mountain News (Denver)] Read More
Secretary of state wants to try voting center model
It's the evening of Nov. 4, 2008, and you're pressed to leave your Merrillville office and get home to Chesterton in time to vote in the presidential contest of Condoleezza Rice versus Hillary Clinton. No worries. [Northwest Indiana Times (Munster)] Read More
Underground economy expands to new states
Three years ago, a tiny financial services office opened in Nampa with just a handful of employees and a focus on Spanish-speaking clientele. [The Idaho Statesman (Boise)] Read More
Utes accused of ducking taxes
A state legislator has complained to Gov. Bill Owens that Ute Indian tribes are unfairly avoiding sales taxes on items they sell to non-Indians. [Rocky Mountain News (Denver)] Read More
6 guvs protest bill's public land sale
Six western governors put Congress on notice this week they oppose a measure pending in the U.S. Senate that would open millions of acres of public lands for sale to mining companies. [Rocky Mountain News (Denver)] Read More
State's eye on vote scanners
After a hand recount changed the outcome of two elections last month, the Colorado secretary of state may order 10 counties to get new voting machines before next year's high-stakes gubernatorial election. [The Denver Post] Read More
"Most-wanted" sweep nets 2 on state's list
Citizens helped a law-enforcement task force arrest two of Colorado's 50 most-wanted fugitives Sunday, individuals suspected of crimes including homicide and sexual assault. [The Denver Post] Read More
Gas blend might change
The state Air Quality Control Commission is considering scrapping a wintertime program that requires ethanol be added to gasoline sold in Denver - a move Colorado corn growers say could cost them $80 million a year in sales. [The Denver Post] Read More
Putting mentally ill in nursing homes questioned
NEW LONDON, Conn. -- An advocacy group is investigating the placement of the mentally ill in nursing homes to determine if Connecticut is violating state and federal laws. [Waterbury Republican-American] Read More
State to track discipline in special ed
If minority students in special education classes receive more severe discipline than their white peers, the state and federal Departments of Education now have the tools to tackle the problem. [New Haven Register (registration)] Read More
Group probes mentally ill in nursing homes
NEW LONDON, Conn. - An advocacy group is investigating the placement of the mentally ill in nursing homes to determine if Connecticut is violating state and federal laws. [The Boston Globe (registration)] Read More
Courthouses to open as usual this morning
Government officials said the state's courts will open at the normal time and follow a normal business schedule today, three days after a series of bomb threats shut down the judicial system at midday Friday. [The Hartford Courant (registration)] Read More
Courthouse sweep ends
State police have wrapped up their search of courthouses that were closed down after threatening phone calls were made and found no problems, a spokesman said Saturday. [The Hartford Courant (registration)] Read More
Finance reform may work
Legislative approval last week of dramatic reforms to Connecticut?s campaign finance system has left good government activists and many lawmakers giddy over their "historic" victory. [New Haven Register (registration)] Read More
Experts - N.E. needs more power plants
BOSTON ? New England's economic prosperity is at risk if the region does not increase efforts to build new electrical generating plants, but much more aggressive energy conservation is needed as well, a regional conference on energy policy was told Friday. [Rutland Herald] Read More
Pollster -- Many losing faith in state leaders
WILMINGTON, Del. -- Pollster John Zogby had a Sunday wake-up call for members of the Council of State Governments -- confidence in governments' ability to get things done has slipped badly in the past five years. [The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)] Read More
Del. ranks 3rd in combating tobacco use
Teenager Zachary Boyles, a senior at Mount Pleasant High School, has been smoking for five or six years. He has tried to quit a couple of times and is gearing up to make another run at it. [The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)] Read More
Guardsman's new rank makes history
Ernie Talbert is first black general in Delaware National Guard. [The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)] Read More
Lawmakers take first deep look at troubled water board
A special General Assembly commission has waded into the debate over water in Kent County amid warnings of shortages that could paralyze development in the fast-growing region. [The Providence Journal (registration)] Read More
Del. Army National Guard -- Prepared for action; AGR soldiers key to readiness
GEORGETOWN, Del. -- As the old proverb of the kingdom being lost for the want of a nail suggests, it's the little things that often spell the difference between victory and defeat. [Delaware State News (Dover)] Read More
Toll of job worth more pay? Hazardous duty bonus proposed for collectors
A few weeks ago, Theresa Sartin was working in a Dover tollbooth collecting money from drivers on Del. 1 just like a normal workday, when she heard a loud noise and felt the booth shake. [Delaware State News (Dover)] Read More
Details missing as vote nears on Medicaid reform
If legislators pass the biggest overhaul of Medicaid in the state's history this week, part of their vote -- at least as matters stand now -- will have to be based on faith. [The Palm Beach Post] Read More
Rethinking redistricting
A group that wants to change the way Florida draws its political districts is facing mounting pressure to abandon one of its two proposed constitutional amendments. [The Orlando Sentinel (registration)] Read More
Slots regulation tops in special session of Florida Legislature
Allan Solomon is a high-ranking gaming industry executive in South Florida. But even he isn't willing to take bets on what the Florida Legislature will do about slot machines in a special session this week. [The Sun-Sentinel (South Florida)] Read More
Gear up now for the next hurricane season
OK, Mother Nature, you have our attention. Eight hurricanes in two years pounding our so-called Sunshine State were enough. [The Miami Herald (registration)] Read More
Scandals trigger calls to curtail cozy deals
Senate leaders from both parties are spearheading legislation for this week's special session to close a loophole that allows lobbyists to operate in secret when seeking to influence Florida's elected constitutional officers. [The Miami Herald (registration)] Read More
UF trustees OK benefits plan for domestic partners
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Gay and lesbian employees of the University of Florida can now receive benefits for their domestic partners, despite strong opposition by one of the school's biggest donors. [The Palm Beach Post] Read More
Broward to test Bush's Medicaid reform plan
Almost a year after proposing to transform the liberal-era legacy program of Medicaid, Gov. Jeb Bush expects state lawmakers this week to start his conservative market-based fix that could help cement his own legacy as a reformer. [The Miami Herald (registration)] Read More
Once given reprieve, teen faces life in prison
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Lionel Tate became the youngest person sentenced to life in prison in modern U.S. history when he was convicted at the age of 13 of murdering a young girl, but he got out on probation after his first conviction was thrown out. [Quad-City Times] Read More
Florida lawmakers to consider Medicaid reforms
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida lawmakers will meet this week to debate a sweeping reform package that would shift almost all of the state's Medicaid recipients to managed care programs by the end of the decade. [The Boston Globe (registration)] Read More
FHA to pay mortgages for a year
WASHINGTON - The Federal Housing Administration is launching a program to pay the mortgages of up to 20,000 victims of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma for as much as a year. [The Sun Herald (Biloxi)] Read More
Need Medicaid? Prove it upfront
Gov. Sonny Perdue tightened requirements on the state's ballooning Medicaid program Friday as a way to control fraud and check the citizenship status of applicants. [The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (registration)] Read More
First anti-gang trial to begin today
The first person ever prosecuted in Athens-Clarke County under the state's anti-gang law starts trial today in Clarke County Superior Court as defense and prosecuting attorneys begin selecting a jury. [The Athens Banner-Herald] Read More
Lawmakers tout sex crimes bill
Historically, Georgia lawmakers tend to prefer their sessions during gubernatorial election years to be short and quiet. In keeping with that pattern, few major issues are virtually guaranteed to land on the legislature's platter during the session that starts on Jan. 9. [The Albany Herald] Read More
Public gets say in child support rules
A series of public hearings will begin Monday night on a dollars-and-cents plan for divvying up the costs of raising children of divorce. [The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (registration)] Read More
Hawai'i Guard unit wraps up Kuwait tour
The 1st Battalion, 487th Field Artillery of the Hawai'i Army National Guard conducted its transfer of authority ceremony on Nov. 27 at Kuwait Naval Base, marking the official transfer of mission from the 1st-487th to the 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery of the Wisconsin Army National Guard. [The Honolulu Advertiser] Read More
Proposal to ban lay gill nets on the way
State Board of Land and Natural Resources Director Peter Young said his department plans to propose a ban on the use of lay gill nets on Maui and parts of Oahu, in light of public worries about decreasing fish stock. [Honolulu Star-Bulletin] Read More
Sex abuse centers survive in isles on limited funding
During the early morning hours of a summer day in 2001, a Honolulu woman was raped by a man she knew. [Honolulu Star-Bulletin] Read More
Idaho, U.S. jobless rates level off
Idaho's jobless rate in November was unchanged at 3.6 percent, a signal that the state's economy remains stable, experts said Friday. [The Idaho Statesman (Boise)] Read More
Dispute casts pall on highway project
As debate over Gov. Dirk Kempthorne's $1.2 billion highway-improvement plan intensified in the Legislature last spring, Washington Group International held its annual lawmaker gathering at its Boise headquarters. [The Idaho Statesman (Boise)] Read More
Underground economy expands to new states
Three years ago, a tiny financial services office opened in Nampa with just a handful of employees and a focus on Spanish-speaking clientele. [The Idaho Statesman (Boise)] Read More
Mongolian lands manager learns conservation in Idaho
SILVER CREEK, Idaho - Gongor Gansukh has taken hundreds of pictures of Idaho, but worries that no one in his native Mongolia will believe it. [The Times (Shreveport)] Read More
Idaho's youngest mayor ready to take office in Stanley
STANLEY, Idaho - If you buy fresh bread or pastries in Stanley next summer, Hannah Stauts is likely to be your waitress. [The Idaho Statesman (Boise)] Read More
Tenure frustrates drive for teacher accountability
These results show that 20 years after the Illinois Legislature mandated changes designed to increase accountability among teachers, it remains almost impossible to fire a tenured educator. [Small Newspaper Group] Read More
Is it time to rewrite the Constitution?
Crack open the Illinois Constitution and add a line that forces the state to spend more money on education. That's the dramatic measure a school board lobby group wants to take to obtain long-sought-after education funding reform. [Daily Southtown (Tinley Park)] Read More
Governor to fight video-game ruling
Gov. Rod Blagojevich vowed Saturday to launch a "multipronged effort" in his fight to ban the sale of violent and sexually explicit video games to minors while he appeals the federal court ruling that struck down the state law he championed. [Chicago Tribune (registration)] Read More
Ryan judge, attorneys concerned about jurors
CHICAGO -- Jurors at former Gov. George Ryan's marathon racketeering and fraud trial, now slogging through its third month, are starting to sigh when lawyers huddle out of earshot. [The State Journal-Register (Springfield)] Read More
Illinois public schools rarely fire tenured teachers, study shows
It's next to impossible for schoolteachers in Illinois to lose their jobs if they have tenure, according to a newspaper group's examination of state records. [The State Journal-Register (Springfield)] Read More
They chose New Orleans -- but will they choose it again?
Like that of thousands of other college students, Jason Lieser's fall semester at Tulane University was over before it began, cut short by a killer hurricane swooping in on New Orleans. Now, the 21-year-old Elgin native, who interned over the summer with the Daily Herald, is preparing to head back to campus, with no second thoughts, despite the devastation and questions facing the area's future. [Daily Herald (Arlington Heights)] Read More
Parties get set for busy primary
A week before the filing of candidacy petitions begins for next spring's elections, Democrats and Republicans braced for primary challenges that could turn into a referendum on the state's political leadership. [Chicago Tribune (registration)] Read More
Firing Mr. Roth -- $400,000 and counting
GENESEO, Ill. - Instead of instructing seventh-graders in algebra, fired teacher Cecil Roth has used the court system in a way that has subtracted money from his former employer, divided a community and multiplied administrators' headaches. [Small Newspaper Group] Read More
School boards lose power to fire poor teachers
For most folks, it is their boss who determines whether or not they are doing good work and should keep their jobs... But for most tenured Illinois teachers, that decision has been taken out of the hands of their principal, superintendent or school board. In 875 of Illinois' 876 school districts, it is left up to a hearing officer to determine whether someone should be fired. [Small Newspaper Group] Read More
Underground economy expands to new states
Three years ago, a tiny financial services office opened in Nampa with just a handful of employees and a focus on Spanish-speaking clientele. [The Idaho Statesman (Boise)] Read More
Topinka looks at lawmaker as a possible running mate
A 40-year-old lawmaker from Jacksonville is among a handful of potential running mates being considered by Republican Judy Baar Topinka. [Quad-City Times] Read More
Bill would increase penalties for sex crimes
State Sen. John Loudon, R-Chesterfield is proposing stricter penalties for sex crimes. Loudon proposes life in prison - with a minimum of 25 years to be served - for convictions of forcible rape or sodomy, or statutory rape or sodomy of children younger than 12. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch] Read More
Nicarico saga led to Illinois reforming death penalty
A killer stole Jeanine Nicarico's future more than two decades ago, but the legacy born from her tragic death sparked a death penalty debate that forever changed Illinois' criminal justice system. [Daily Herald (Arlington Heights)] Read More
State won't pay for liver transplant
On Friday, John Dougherty Sr. will be sentenced to somewhere between 20 and 60 years in prison for the summer 2004 murder of Michael Stursa. Dougherty is only 48, but he'll probably never again see freedom. His own health has sentenced him to death. [The State Journal-Register (Springfield)] Read More
Parents roll dice on insurance
The Evans family avoids the doctor except in emergencies, like when its youngest member has an acute asthma attack, and then its concerns are compounded by worries of how to pay for his costly care. [Chicago Tribune (registration)] Read More
Fighting for recruits
The Indiana State Police, which is locked in a fierce competition with other law enforcement agencies for new recruits, plans to lower the bar for admission by dropping its college requirement. [The Indianapolis Star] Read More
Daniels urges full $10 million allocation for RDA
The Regional Development Authority should get the entire $10 million in toll money it's entitled to next year, Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels said Friday. [Northwest Indiana Times (Munster)] Read More
Chamber pushing for tax credits
Among other things, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce hopes lawmakers this legislative session will create tax credits for businesses that have their employees trained in how to use new technology. [Journal and Courier (Lafayette)] Read More
Courts struggle to meet 6-month trial deadline
FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- Court staff around the state are shuffling courtroom schedules to beat a new 6-month deadline for trials established in a recent ruling by the Indiana Supreme Court. [The Indianapolis Star] Read More
Secretary of state wants to try voting center model
It's the evening of Nov. 4, 2008, and you're pressed to leave your Merrillville office and get home to Chesterton in time to vote in the presidential contest of Condoleezza Rice versus Hillary Clinton. No worries. [Northwest Indiana Times (Munster)] Read More
State -- Hoffman Estates deal won't scotch Hammond talks
Cabela's newly minted marriage with Hoffman Estates doesn't take the outdoor megastore off Indiana's dance card. [Northwest Indiana Times (Munster)] Read More
Driving permits for immigrants on tap in 2006
Undocumented immigrants who live and work in Northwest Indiana could receive a special drivers license under landmark legislation that state Rep. John Aguilera, D-East Chicago, plans to pursue next year. [Northwest Indiana Times (Munster)] Read More
Iowa attorney general to investigate state land deal
ANKENY, Iowa -- Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says he will investigate the terms of land sale that eventually led to the planned move of Polk County's only driver's license station to Ankeny. [Sioux City Journal] Read More
Health care cost is Iowans' top issue, Iowa Poll shows
Iowans' worries about soaring health care costs have reached epidemic proportions, a new Des Moines Register poll shows. Many residents are looking to the Legislature for relief, even though the state's options appear to be limited. [The Des Moines Register] Read More
Democrats want to make Iowa energy independent
Legislative Democrats said Friday that they want to make Iowa energy independent -- meaning the state produces as much energy as it imports -- within the next five to seven years by boosting the production of ethanol and biodiesel. [Quad-City Times] Read More
DNR proposes 25 mph night limit on lakes
State law-enforcement crews have recommended a 25 mph night speed limit on the Iowa Great Lakes, which is slower than a local group recommended. [The Des Moines Register] Read More
Prison needs costly repairs or replacement
FORT MADISON, Iowa - The Iowa State Penitentiary, which opened before the Civil War, is crumbling and will require expensive repairs or the construction of a new facility that could cost more than $40 million, Iowa Board of Corrections officials said Friday. [The Des Moines Register] Read More
Ban on obscenity in schools sought
An ongoing dispute over books taught in Johnson County's Blue Valley school district could lead to a statewide ban on obscenity in K-12 schools ... Republican activists are pushing for such a plank in the state party?s platform, to be approved at next month's "Kansas Days" gathering of GOP faithful. [The Lawrence Journal-World] Read More
Regents' tax plan could face uphill battle
Asked about the Kansas Board of Regents' plan to pay for a mammoth backlog of maintenance and repairs at public universities, House Speaker Doug Mays ticked off the problems. It's a tax increase. It will be introduced during an election year. And it's complicated. [The Lawrence Journal-World] Read More
Chief justice concerned about attacks on judiciary
Decrying continued attacks on courts nationwide, the leader of the Kansas judiciary said Friday that the rhetoric could undermine public confidence in the legal system. [Wichita Eagle (registration)] Read More
Wichita - Airfares are state priority
Wichita area government and business leaders are pressing the state for $5 million a year to expand low-cost air service at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport. [Wichita Eagle (registration)] Read More
Analysis - Expect negative election campaigns to begin emerging
Negative campaigning is old hat in Kansas politics, and there's every reason to believe voters will see it in next year's elections. Two races where negative campaigning is expected are the attorney general's race and the race to unseat Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. [The Lawrence Journal-World] Read More
Few seek refunds on used-car sales taxes
It sounded like a great offer: Kansans who felt cheated by the "clunker bill" could apply for a refund on the sales tax they paid on a used car ... Kansas Department of Revenue officials originally estimated that the state had collected an extra $5 million from the 2004 law and that as many as 50,000 people would apply for a rebate. That estimate proved extremely high. [Kansas City Star (registration)] Read More
Seniors caught up in drug trade
PRESTONSBURG, Ky. -- After being fingerprinted and photographed, 87-year-old Dottie Neeley sat quietly in the local jail, imprisoned as much by the tubing from her oxygen tank as the concrete and steel surrounding her. [The Courier-Journal (Louisville)] Read More
Katrina costly for firms here
Now that the hurricane season - one of the worst in memory - is over and the economic damage is being tallied, Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky companies are seeing losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars from the storms. [The Kentucky Post (Covington)] Read More
Cracking down on child porn
Peter Kirchhof seemed like a young man building a bright future -- earning A's in college, recently marrying his high school sweetheart and working at a bank to help pay the rent on their apartment. [The Courier-Journal (Louisville)] Read More
Tighter rules for teen drivers sought
LIBERTY, Ky. -- Pam West steered her minivan down a winding country road, past sagging barns, wooded hills, mobile homes and a feed store. [The Courier-Journal (Louisville)] Read More
Ohio River towns cope with pollution
Ohio River communities built around promises of economic opportunity and secluded riverside homes have fewer than 6 percent of Ohio's residents. [The Courier-Journal (Louisville)] Read More
First Democrat files for gubernatorial primary
While other Kentucky Democrats ponder their options, one candidate from the state's last governor's race has announced his intentions to seek the 2007 nomination. [Lexington Herald-Leader] Read More
Kentucky Democrats seeking to build depth in political ranks
State Sen. Joey Pendleton was excited about the number of young people at a recent political event. [Lexington Herald-Leader] Read More
Election filings
Former Supreme Court Justice Janet L. Stumbo last week filed papers to run for the state Court of Appeals in Eastern Kentucky's 7th district -- a seat now held by Judge David A. Barber. [Lexington Herald-Leader] Read More
Campaign donation to justice questioned
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- An attorney for a state Senate candidate whose court battle has reached the Kentucky Supreme Court is a top donor to one of the court's members. [The Courier-Journal (Louisville)] Read More
Kentucky to track testing
A $5.8 million federal grant will allow Kentucky to modify its student testing system so that it can track progress over time. [The Cincinnati Enquirer] Read More
Wineries apply for agri-tourism money
Local grape-growers and winemakers plan to apply for some of the $1 million in agri-tourism money that Kentucky officials announced they will make available statewide in 2006, one local winemaker has said. [The Cincinnati Enquirer] Read More
Todd wants state to invest in UK
University of Kentucky President Lee Todd says the school is seeking an unprecedented amount of money from the state to try to become one of America's top 20 research universities. [The Kentucky Post (Covington)] Read More
State couldn't keep up with aid offers
WASHINGTON - In the days after Hurricane Katrina hit, Louisiana officials were overwhelmed with offers of help -- everything from buses, helicopters and boats to the temporary use of a Hamptons summer home donated by its New York owner with the caveat it go only to a fellow lawyer displaced by the hurricane. [The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)] Read More
Blanco defends actions in storm
Promises of rescue buses that arrived days late. Critical requests to the White House missing for nearly a week. A plea to officials as far away as California for police reinforcements and helicopters. [The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)] Read More
Blanco, Bush bickered over Guard, state says
Gov. Kathleen Blanco and President Bush could not agree on key aspects of who would be in charge of military forces in the response to Hurricane Katrina, a crippling breakdown in relations with the White House that affected the rescue, peacekeeping and support effort during the week after the storm, according to information released by the state Friday. [The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)] Read More
Blanco releases Katrina records
Thousands of documents released by Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Friday night shed new light on clashes between state officials, New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin and the Bush administration as they struggled to respond to Hurricane Katrina. [The Washington Post (registration)] Read More
Unlikely Haven
One man was shoved into an Army National Guard truck at riflepoint in eastern New Orleans. An elderly woman, after holding out in her flooded Carrollton neighborhood for a week, waved a white sheet in surrender, pleading for help. A young woman risked her life to save a disabled couple in the Lafitte public housing complex. [The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)] Read More
Gulf coast resurrection rests on who pays
Three months after Hurricane Katrina, we know that damage is enormous. We know that it will cost billions of dollars to rebuild New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast. What we don't know is where the money will come from. [The New York Times (registration)] Read More
N.O. levee inspections fell short of federal mandate
Before Hurricane Katrina, levee inspections in New Orleans were so superficial that one engineer who used to work for the Army Corps of Engineers said he conducted more diligent inspections on Florida levees that protected cattle. [The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)] Read More
Scientist says rebuilt coast won't save south Louisiana
Building better levees and restoring tattered marshes have taken center stage in the discussion over how to rebuild and protect Louisiana's hurricane-ravaged coast. [The Advocate (Baton Rouge)] Read More
Blanco's office scrambled to spin Katrina
Gov. Kathleen Blanco and the Bush administration were locked in a pitched political battle to shape public opinion about the response to Hurricane Katrina at the same time they were trying to manage the rescue operation, documents released late Friday by the governor's office show. [The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)] Read More
Court to hear Louisiana ex-governor's appeal
NEW ORLEANS - After being delayed by Hurricane Katrina, arguments in former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards' latest appeal of his 2000 racketeering and fraud conviction are set for Tuesday in Houston. [The Dallas Morning News (registration)] Read More
For 13 evacuees, a hard trip down memory lane
NEW ORLEANS - Litania and Bobbie Banks haven't seen their gray frame house since the levees broke Aug. 31, flooding the Lower Ninth Ward. Dorothy Cage's son had warned her there was nothing worth saving in her once-well-kept home. [The Christian Science Monitor] Read More
Who will pick up the tab to rebuild Coast?
Three months after Hurricane Katrina, we know that damage is enormous. We know that it will cost billions of dollars to rebuild New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast. [The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson)] Read More
FHA to pay mortgages for a year
WASHINGTON - The Federal Housing Administration is launching a program to pay the mortgages of up to 20,000 victims of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma for as much as a year. [The Sun Herald (Biloxi)] Read More
They chose New Orleans -- but will they choose it again?
Like that of thousands of other college students, Jason Lieser's fall semester at Tulane University was over before it began, cut short by a killer hurricane swooping in on New Orleans. Now, the 21-year-old Elgin native, who interned over the summer with the Daily Herald, is preparing to head back to campus, with no second thoughts, despite the devastation and questions facing the area's future. [Daily Herald (Arlington Heights)] Read More
Edwin Edwards gears up for latest appeal
NEW ORLEANS - After being delayed by Hurricane Katrina, arguments in former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards' latest appeal of his 2000 racketeering and fraud conviction are set for Tuesday in Houston. [The Advocate (Baton Rouge)] Read More
Tougher plan for welfare is slammed
WASHINGTON ? Thousands of Maine welfare recipients would have to work significantly more to receive benefits under a little-noticed provision of legislation that the House approved and that is under negotiation with the Senate. [Portland Press Herald] Read More
State museum shines spotlight on presents of Christmas past
Stroll into the lobby of the Maine State Museum, and you immediately have dozens of hard, unblinking eyes watching you. [Portland Press Herald] Read More
Experts - N.E. needs more power plants
BOSTON ? New England's economic prosperity is at risk if the region does not increase efforts to build new electrical generating plants, but much more aggressive energy conservation is needed as well, a regional conference on energy policy was told Friday. [Rutland Herald] Read More
Measures' focus to be on sex offenders
Sex offenders living in Maryland would be more closely supervised, and for longer periods, under legislation that Maryland's attorney general plans to introduce this week. [The Sun (Baltimore) (registration)] Read More
Smoking ban's fate hazy in Md.
Despite a wave of success on the local level, the effort to extend a restaurant smoking ban across Maryland faces a tough road as tobacco lobbyists and health groups rev up sophisticated campaigns to influence the measure, lawmakers say. [The Washington Post (registration)] Read More
Faithful split on death penalty
The solemn voices echoed through the high-vaulted sanctuary of St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church in Baltimore. [The Sun (Baltimore) (registration)] Read More
Leaders defend overseas trips paid by taxpayers
Since June 2004, Anne Arundel County Executive Janet S. Owens has traveled at taxpayer expense to Finland, Russia, Denmark, China, back to Denmark and once more to China. [The Sun (Baltimore) (registration)] Read More
Katrina's leftover$ -- State pols grapple over extra funds
More than $22 million earmarked for Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Massachusetts was never spent, a Herald review shows, and now a political showdown is shaping up over who keeps the cash. [Boston Herald] Read More
Right-to-die battle over girl
WESTFIELD, Mass. -- The photos hanging on Allison Avrett's living room wall conceal the heartache they've come to represent. [Waterbury Republican-American] Read More
Guardsmen reunite for first time since Iraq
Braving a snowstorm, instead of a sandstorm, 19 Massachusetts National Guardsmen reunited yesterday, gathering as a company for the first time since they returned home from Iraq in October. [Boston Herald] Read More
A clean sweep -- BPD's weekend crackdown nets 77 arrests
Boston police delivered a resounding blow this weekend to the recent surge in violence with a crime crackdown that netted a whopping 77 arrests -- the most prolific sweep in two years, according to police. [Boston Herald] Read More
Experts - N.E. needs more power plants
BOSTON ? New England's economic prosperity is at risk if the region does not increase efforts to build new electrical generating plants, but much more aggressive energy conservation is needed as well, a regional conference on energy policy was told Friday. [Rutland Herald] Read More
Student weigh-in bill heavy on critics
Putting Michigan school kids on the scale and sending reports to their parents about their body-mass index would turn educators into the fat police, opponents of a bill requiring student weigh-ins say. [Booth Newspapers (Lansing)] Read More
Don't alter juries to add black people, local judges told
Judges can't bring affirmative action to the jury selection process, even if the jury makeup is not representative of the community, the state Supreme Court said in a ruling issued Friday. [Detroit Free Press] Read More
Governments wonder whether hybrid cars are worth it
By gradually adding hybrids to this city's vehicle fleet, James Muller knows he's helping to save the environment. What he doesn't know is whether switching to the more expensive "green" vehicles will ever save any taxpayer dollars. [The Detroit News] Read More
State House, Senate to take up new Republican tax cut plan
State lawmakers will take another crack this week at tax reform. Republican majorities in the House and Senate want to send a new package of bills that would provide tax credits for manufacturers on equipment and other personal property to Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm before they begin their holiday recess at the end of next week. [The Detroit News] Read More
Children of vets to keep tuition help
The children of deceased and disabled veterans appear likely to continue receiving tuition help from the state after Jan. 1, when a program funding the grants had been scheduled to end. [Detroit Free Press] Read More
State revenue picture grows rosier, but uncertainties lie ahead
State tax collections have been stronger than year-ago levels for five of the past six months, a bright spot after four years of mostly bad news. But with General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Delphi Corp. facing tough times and talking layoffs, the state probably won't see job growth and strong increases in revenues for at least another year, economists say. [The Detroit News] Read More
Funding for child support at risk
Michigan stands to lose $249 million in federal funding for its child-support enforcement system during the next five years, a reduction that would be devastating to the state's children and could increase the number of them on public assistance, say Michigan officials from both political parties. [Detroit Free Press] Read More
Hatch's links to fund are questioned
Minnesota law dictates that candidates maintain what is sometimes called a "firewall" between their own official campaigns and other political committees that may be working on their behalf. [Minneapolis Star Tribune (registration)] Read More
Pawlenty offers Ford alternative for St. Paul
Gov. Tim Pawlenty offered Friday to make "significant" state investments in a partnership with the Ford Motor Co. to establish a research center in St. Paul aimed at developing alternate-fuel vehicles [St. Paul Pioneer Press (registration)] Read More
Pawlenty advised to forgo forest governance
Gov. Tim Pawlenty shouldn't try to influence how roadless portions of two federal forests in northern Minnesota are managed, an advisory panel has recommended. [St. Paul Pioneer Press (registration)] Read More
Key adviser to Pawlenty steps down
After a year on the job, Tom Mason, a top adviser to Gov. Tim Pawlenty, announced Friday that he is leaving his government job and will return to private political consulting. [Minneapolis Star Tribune (registration)] Read More
Miss. may improve transportation system
BILOXI, Miss. - Even before Hurricane Katrina, the transportation system along the Mississippi Gulf Coast was a hodgepodge of crowded roads, insufficient evacuation routes and dangerous intersections where rail lines crossed busy roads. [The Boston Globe (registration)] Read More
FHA to pay mortgages for a year
WASHINGTON - The Federal Housing Administration is launching a program to pay the mortgages of up to 20,000 victims of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma for as much as a year. [The Sun Herald (Biloxi)] Read More
Who will pick up the tab to rebuild Coast?
Three months after Hurricane Katrina, we know that damage is enormous. We know that it will cost billions of dollars to rebuild New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast. [The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson)] Read More
Phone tracking will yield traffic data
Missouri transportation officials approved a controversial contract Friday that will allow a private corporation to track signals from motorists' cell phones to map traffic snarls and highway congestion on major roads throughout the state. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch] Read More
Delayed oath makes new House members eligible to serve longer
Voters recently chose three new Missouri lawmakers -- one senator and two House members -- to fill vacant seats. Although elected on the same day, the Senate winner already has been sworn into office, while the House winners are waiting until Jan. 4 ... Because of a voter-approved quirk in Missouri's term limits law, the several-week wait for the oath will entitle the two new House members to seek an additional two years in office come 2012. [Jefferson City News Tribune] Read More
Tax incentives for film crews on the chopping block
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - For years, Missouri has offered tax breaks to filmmakers looking to shoot movies within its borders ... But a state panel has recommended doing away with Missouri's film production giveaway, saying the trade-off isn't worth it. [Jefferson City News Tribune] Read More
UM president calls for administrative cuts
University of Missouri President Elson Floyd said Friday at a Board of Curators meeting that he wants to streamline the university's administrative costs by 10 percent, or a total of about $12.5 million, to be a better steward of taxpayer dollars. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch] Read More
6 guvs protest bill's public land sale
Six western governors put Congress on notice this week they oppose a measure pending in the U.S. Senate that would open millions of acres of public lands for sale to mining companies. [Rocky Mountain News (Denver)] Read More
Competing school-funding plans to be unveiled today
Two legislators - one Democrat, one Republican - will present new school-funding proposals Monday before a legislative panel that hopes to make a final decision on the issue. [Missoulian] Read More
Legislators show their resolve
WASHINGTON - Over the past year, Americans celebrated National Cowboy Day, marked the passing of country music star Chris LeDoux and honored an artist who beautified the U.S. Capitol during the 1800s, all thanks to official acts by Wyoming and Montana lawmakers. [Billings Gazette] Read More
Panel visiting Eastern Montana
SIDNEY, Mont. - A legislative subcommittee will visit Eastern Montana this month to talk to residents about oil industry regulations. [Billings Gazette] Read More
State parks director to retire
Doug Monger never set out to make smart financial decisions. He just liked parks. After almost 30 years working for state government - most of those for Montana State Parks - the 49-year-old state parks director recently figured he had more than enough time in to retire. [Billings Gazette] Read More
Legal Aid to offer access line for all Nebraskans over 60
Older Nebraskans are about to get some help navigating the legal system. [Lincoln Journal Star] Read More
Creighton University starts major fund-raising drive
Creighton University is starting the largest fund-raising campaign in its 127-year history with the hope of generating $350 million. [Lincoln Journal Star] Read More
Central Platte NRD to decide on extending moratorium
The Central Platte Natural Resources District Board of Directors will decide Tuesday on whether to broaden a temporary well-drilling moratorium along the Platte River. [The Grand Island Independent (registration)] Read More
Nevada universities' graduation rate less than 50 percent
LAS VEGAS - Nevada's two public universities have a graduation rate lower than 50 percent, and the state's community college students graduate at the lowest rate in the West, according to a report from the Nevada System of Higher Education. [Nevada Appeal (Carson City)] Read More
Nevada regents consider benefits for employees' domestic partners
LAS VEGAS - A proposal that would extend health benefits to Nevada university system employees' domestic partners is stirring debate among regents. [Nevada Appeal (Carson City)] Read More
Gold prices shining on Nevada mining
RENO, Nev. - Just two years after gold edged past the $400 an ounce plateau, the metal settled at $503.30 Friday on the New York spot market - its highest close in 23 years. University of Nevada, Reno economist John Dobra calls that good news for Nevada, especially its rural areas. [Nevada Appeal (Carson City)] Read More
Nevada panel hires consult to help study future highway projects
Members of a new task force studying Nevada highway project decided Friday on a typical course of action for such panels - they voted to hire an expert to help with their study. [Nevada Appeal (Carson City)] Read More
Invasive weed threatens to harm Lake Tahoe's clarity
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - An invasive aquatic weed is spreading at Lake Tahoe and threatening its famed clarity, California State Lands Commission officials said. [Nevada Appeal (Carson City)] Read More
Panel to discuss train operation
The state commission in charge of the reconstruction of the Virginia & Truckee Railway will decide Monday whether to conduct a nationwide search for a rail operator, bringing a close to the debate on who will operate the tourist railway on the historic Comstock right-of-way. [Nevada Appeal (Carson City)] Read More
Marriage panel could spur a wider debate
Last week, the state's gay marriage study commission issued its final report, but many lawmakers say the debate over rights for gay people in New Hampshire is just beginning. [Concord Monitor] Read More
Souter critic plans rally to push eminent domain
Weare, N.H. ? Logan Clements, the California activist who has proposed building a hotel on land owned by Supreme Court Justice David Souter, has announced plans for a rally in early January in Weare. [The Union Leader (Manchester)] Read More
Experts - N.E. needs more power plants
BOSTON ? New England's economic prosperity is at risk if the region does not increase efforts to build new electrical generating plants, but much more aggressive energy conservation is needed as well, a regional conference on energy policy was told Friday. [Rutland Herald] Read More
Mother of slain children heads to Ohio
The morning after bodies found in Hudson, Ohio, were confirmed as those of Philip and Sarah Gehring, their mother was making plans to travel to the grave site. [The Union Leader (Manchester)] Read More
Vermont lawmaker to bring secession effort to Legislature
KILLINGTON, Vt. - A Vermont lawmaker is preparing to introduce legislation that would bring before his colleagues the proposal to have Killington become a part of New Hampshire. [The Boston Globe (registration)] Read More
N.J. is 'pretty much broke'
Acting Gov. Richard J. Codey knows about budget deficits, having inherited a $4 billion version when he became acting governor last year. [The Times (Trenton)] Read More
Corzine urged -- Pick non-political attorney general
Jon Corzine should appoint an attorney general of the highest caliber, an ethical stalwart untainted by politics who can restore confidence in New Jersey's state government, attorneys and law enforcement officials say. [The Record of Bergen County] Read More
Bear hunters, activists take their battle to woods today
New Jersey's second black bear hunt in three years begins today -- with about 3,500 hunters eligible to take a shot at the big game believed to be roaming just beyond the back yards of suburbia. [The Record of Bergen County] Read More
10 Questions for Bill Richardson
As a former U.N. ambassador, Bill Richardson, 58, has a knack for persevering in sticky situations. The New Mexico Governor, who titled his new autobiography Between Worlds--The Making of an American Life, spoke with TIME's Karen Tumulty about his possible bid to become the first Latino President, the shocking grooming habits of some world leaders and his storied baseball career. [Time] Read More
Old New Mexico woe, drinking and driving, is vexing state anew
SANTA FE, N.M. - After pleading guilty to drunken driving, Joseph Tapia followed the judge's orders and showed up one night in November at a forum at Santa Fe Community College to hear from accident victims. [The New York Times (registration)] Read More
Lawmakers examine education money
The state has an enormous need for adult basic education and English-as-a-second-language classes, but nowhere near the resources required to meet those needs, the director of those programs told lawmakers Friday. [The Daily Times (Farmington)] Read More
Battle brews over water from Salt Basin
ALAMOGORDO, N.M. - A battle is brewing between New Mexicans and Texans over water from an underground reserve south of here. [Santa Fe New Mexican (registration)] Read More
Wildfire chars 27,000 acres around Floyd
FLOYD, N.M. - Firefighters today were mopping up the remains of a wind-whipped range fire that charred more than 35,000 acres of eastern New Mexico grassland and destroyed at least one home. [The Albuquerque Tribune] Read More
Richardson fete isn't quite legal
On Wednesday, Bookworks held a "Champagne Reception and Book Signing" with Gov. Bill Richardson for his autobiography, "Between Two Worlds: The Making of an American Life." But the North Valley bookstore ... did not get a temporary permit to dispense alcohol. [The Albuquerque Tribune] Read More
6 guvs protest bill's public land sale
Six western governors put Congress on notice this week they oppose a measure pending in the U.S. Senate that would open millions of acres of public lands for sale to mining companies. [Rocky Mountain News (Denver)] Read More
State revenue picture grows rosier, but uncertainties lie ahead
State tax collections have been stronger than year-ago levels for five of the past six months, a bright spot after four years of mostly bad news. But with General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Delphi Corp. facing tough times and talking layoffs, the state probably won't see job growth and strong increases in revenues for at least another year, economists say. [The Detroit News] Read More
Critics name flaws in envionmental legislation
Two years ago, the New York state Legislature passed what it called the most significant environmental legislation in recent memory, the culmination of a seven-year effort to turn many long-abandoned industrial sites into usable properties. [Syracuse Post-Standard] Read More
Aid for blind & deaf at movies
A deal being announced in New York today involves eight national theater chains. The chains agreed to implement technology to help the visually and hearing impaired enjoy movies in 140 theaters across New York State -- up from about a dozen now. [Newsday] Read More
With his party in conflict, Pataki faces contentious final year
As Gov. George E. Pataki prepares to enter his 12th and final year in office in New York, he is finding out the perils of being a lame duck, with his power under attack as never before - even from within his own party. [The New York Times (registration)] Read More
Some assail search committee's secrecy; others say it's necessary
Members of the search committee for a new SUNY chancellor are taking their confidentiality pledges seriously -- so much so that they won't reveal details such as how many people have applied for the high-profile post. [Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester)] Read More
Pirro's hubby a louse spouse
Jeanine Pirro's own husband is working against her in her bid for the U.S. Senate, sneaking around behind her back to lobby a state Republican leader to get her to drop out of the race, sources told The Post. [New York Post] Read More
Veteran sleuth fixes on Black
For two decades, Joe Sinsheimer was sort of a political gumshoe, a consultant who was paid to put politicians under a magnifying glass. [The News & Observer (Raleigh) (registration)] Read More
A crisis in mental-health care
The massive overhaul of the state's $2.3 billion mental-health system began with the best intentions. State officials hoped to improve the treatment of more than 358,000 North Carolina residents with mental illness by moving patients from the state psychiatric hospitals to community programs. [The Winston-Salem Journal (registration)] Read More
Black companies hired as 'fronts,' group says
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Builders are offering minority-owned companies thousands of dollars to do little work on a $94 million prison as a way to satisfy state rules on hiring minorities, according to a black contractors group. [The Post and Courier (Charleston) (registration)] Read More
Mintz to run as Democrat
State Rep. Russell Capps of Raleigh will be getting a most unusual Democratic challenger next year -- the president of the Wake County Republican Mens Club. [The News & Observer (Raleigh) (registration)] Read More
Hodges wears scarlet 'R'
If one of Jimmy Carter's Cabinet secretaries volunteered his services to the state, how do you think North Carolina's Democratic leadership would react? [The News & Observer (Raleigh) (registration)] Read More
N.D. teacher pay slips
North Dakota teachers are losing economic ground, according to a national report released today. [The Forum (Fargo)] Read More
Lawmakers looking to improvements
Plans for creating two new state Capitol legislative committee hearing rooms could eliminate a public coat room, and greatly shrink the space used for distributing copies of bills to visitors. [The Bismarck Tribune] Read More
Teacher pay rankings see drop in N.D.
North Dakota's teacher pay ranking has dropped to 50th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, a National Education Association report says. [The Bismarck Tribune] Read More
Political pressure cooker heating up early for Ohio's 2006 races
It's only December, but political tension is rising. [Toledo Blade] Read More
Ohio suspends 2,500 lawyers
About 5 percent of Ohio's lawyers are on suspension because they failed to pay a $300 registration fee, the state Supreme Court said. [The Beacon Journal (Akron)(registration)] Read More
A look at Top 10 polluters along the Ohio River
The top 10 companies along the Ohio River in terms of volume of toxic waste released in 2003: [The Beacon Journal (Akron)(registration)] Read More
Ohio River plants most foul, paper says
Ohio River communities built around promises of economic opportunity and riverside homes in the hills house fewer than 6 percent of Ohio's residents. [Dayton Daily News] Read More
State EPA asks to end E-Check
The cure could be more painful than the poison - or, at least, more expensive. [The Cincinnati Enquirer] Read More
State lawmaker adds name to hopefuls for Oxley's seat
FINDLAY, Ohio - State Rep. Mike Gilb said yesterday that he intends to make a run for the 4th Congressional District seat held by U.S. Rep. Mike Oxley since 1981. [Toledo Blade] Read More
Leaning on political will
Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell has the Christian right, Attorney General Jim Petro has the money, but Auditor Betty Montgomery is banking on her long-standing popularity with the voters to lead her to the Capitol. [The Beacon Journal (Akron)(registration)] Read More
Greens' candidate announces
Bob Fitrakis of the Green Party announced his candidacy for governor in Columbus last week. [Dayton Daily News] Read More
Ohio tries to plug hole in vicious dog law
A dispute over Ohio's 17-year-old practice of automatically labeling pit bulls "vicious" has stalled a bill designed to plug an enforcement loophole created by a state Supreme Court ruling last year. [Toledo Blade] Read More
Legislative preview
New rules for voting, a plan to delay gasoline price hikes and a proposal to open the door wider for the filing of lawsuits by victims of childhood sexual abuse. Those are three of the topics that Ohio legislators plan to look at this week. [Ohio Public Radio (Columbus)] Read More
Republican candidates mostly agree
Problems the state is having with some tribes over using the wrong, cheaper cigarette tax stamp highlight the mismanagement of Gov. Brad Henry, the three Republican gubernatorial candidates said Saturday. [The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) (registration)] Read More
Dad files tort claim in death of Kelsey
The father of a Meeker girl beaten to death in October has filed a $15 million tort claim against the state, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services and any contractor related to the protection of his daughter. [Shawnee News-Star] Read More
Cargill says he has votes to be speaker
One state legislator is claiming he already has the votes to become the next speaker of the House. [The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) (registration)] Read More
DHS stress increasing by the load
Not many people would pursue Jeff Hodges' career. [The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) (registration)] Read More
DHS names child-care director
The state Department of Human Services has named a new director of the child-care division. [The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) (registration)] Read More
State leads in virtual lessons
Oklahoma is a national leader in providing colonial history lessons to public school students, the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence reports. [The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) (registration)] Read More
GOP gubernatorial candidates square off at forum
Three Republican gubernatorial candidates squared off together for the first time at the state Capitol and took turns blasting Gov. Brad Henry over tribal tobacco compacts with the state. [The Daily Ardmoreite (Ardmore)] Read More
Former Oregon gov. considering comeback
SALEM, Ore. - Shortly before former Gov. John Kitzhaber left office, he said the state had become ungovernable because excessive partisanship was standing in the way of real solutions to problems like a growing lack of access to health care. [The Boston Globe (registration)] Read More
Oregon's corporate tax rebate under fire
Efforts are building to scale back or kill Oregon's quarter-century guarantee of an income-tax kicker rebate for corporations. [The Oregonian (Portland)] Read More
6 guvs protest bill's public land sale
Six western governors put Congress on notice this week they oppose a measure pending in the U.S. Senate that would open millions of acres of public lands for sale to mining companies. [Rocky Mountain News (Denver)] Read More
Oregon utility plans fish projects
ESTACADA, Ore. - Portland General Electric, Oregon's largest utility, is putting the final touches on plans to spend an estimated $200 million on environmental improvements to protect salmon, steelhead and other migratory fish. [The Seattle Times] Read More
Governments wonder whether hybrid cars are worth it
By gradually adding hybrids to this city's vehicle fleet, James Muller knows he's helping to save the environment. What he doesn't know is whether switching to the more expensive "green" vehicles will ever save any taxpayer dollars. [The Detroit News] Read More
Suddenly, reform is closer to reality
A strict lobbyist disclosure law. Tougher campaign fund-raising restrictions. Fewer legislators. For years, these and other ideas have been on wish lists pushed by groups with good-government agendas. But in large part, they remained a pipe dream -- dead on arrival for a lack of political will. [The Inquirer (Philadelphia) (registration)] Read More
Church fights plan to ease sex-suit filing
The Catholic Church in Pennsylvania is lobbying against a proposal that would allow sexual-abuse victims from decades ago to file lawsuits, saying it could cause financial ruin for the church. [The Inquirer (Philadelphia) (registration)] Read More
Church in Pa. says allowing suits unfair
PHILADELPHIA - Roman Catholic Church officials in Pennsylvania say a proposal to let sexual-abuse victims file lawsuits decades after they were abused would be "fundamentally unfair" and could financially ruin dioceses across the state. [The Washington Post (registration)] Read More
Mentally retarded young adults go unprotected in Pennsylvania
One Beaver County family referred to their 19-year-old mentally retarded foster daughter as "the mortgage baby" because they used her monthly Social Security check to make the house payment. She was kept in the basement, with only a cot and a portable toilet. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette] Read More
Pa. volunteers reach out to asylum-seekers
YORK, Pa. -- They set out for the life-risking journey like generations of immigrants past. One says she escaped an abusive husband in Saudi Arabia, another fled torture in China and, all on his own, a mentally retarded 16-year-old from Guinea took flight after his political activist father was killed. [The Sun (Baltimore) (registration)] Read More
Coalition hopes to stop cap on state spending
Pennsylvania lawmakers have major hurdles to clear if the state is to become the 27th with caps on spending. [The Patriot-News (Harrisburg)] Read More
Governor Calls for National Health Insurance
WASHINGTON - The nation should create a stripped-down, HMO-syle national health insurance program that could replace some of the functions of Medicaid, and the country needs to adopt a ?Manhattan Project? approach to national energy independence based on clean-coal and other advanced technologies, says Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell [Governing.com] Read More
A R.I. take on Katrina's lessons
First responders from Rhode Island described yesterday the utter devastation they found in coastal Mississippi and Louisiana in the days following Hurricane Katrina three months ago. [The Providence Journal (registration)] Read More
Take care -- Stomach flu rumbles through R.I.
Rhode Island is experiencing an outbreak of the Norovirus infection -- commonly known as stomach flu -- whose symptoms include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, state Department of Health officials said yesterday. [The Providence Journal (registration)] Read More
FEMA shift alarms evacuees in R.I.
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be changing its housing aid for hurricane evacuees -- changes that might force them out of their housing after February. Evacuees had been told that the agency would cover their rent for a year. [The Providence Journal (registration)] Read More
R.I. Guard unit awarded for valor
The Department of Defense presented the Valorous Unit Award yesterday to the 115th Military Police Company, the first time a Rhode Island National Guard unit has earned the honor. [The Providence Journal (registration)] Read More
Experts - N.E. needs more power plants
BOSTON ? New England's economic prosperity is at risk if the region does not increase efforts to build new electrical generating plants, but much more aggressive energy conservation is needed as well, a regional conference on energy policy was told Friday. [Rutland Herald] Read More
'Barbecue and Politics'
Here's what can be gleaned from reading one of South Carolina's newest and most biting Web sites: [The State (Columbia)] Read More
Bill would impact organ donations
Drivers would have to say they don't want their organs donated if they die in a wreck under a bill filed by a Myrtle Beach senator becomes law. [The State (Columbia)] Read More
Tougher seat-belt law won't spark crackdown
Starting Friday, police officers can pull you over and write you a ticket for not wearing a seat belt, but state and local law enforcement officials say they aren?t planning an enforcement blitz to greet the new law. [The State (Columbia)] Read More
Many Bush backers in S.C.like Allen in ?08
The S.C. Republicans who managed George Bush's successful bare-knuckles primary campaign here five years ago appear to be moving toward U.S. Sen. George Allen of Virginia for 2008 [The State (Columbia)] Read More
Greenville loses legislative power
GREENVILLE, S.C. - Upstate legislators feel the center of their political universe moving south again. [The Post and Courier (Charleston) (registration)] Read More
Review of donations expands
The state Revenue Department is taking a closer look at taxpayers who may have inflated charitable contributions. [The Post and Courier (Charleston) (registration)] Read More
Rounds seeks disaster relief
Gov. Mike Rounds on Sunday asked President Bush for a disaster declaration so that areas of South Dakota hit hard by a winter storm last week can be reimbursed for damage. [Argus Leader (Sioux Falls)] Read More
Thousands still without power
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- About a week after ice and snow storms hit central and eastern South Dakota, thousands of residents - primarily in rural areas - still do not have electricity to run their farms and homes, Gov. Mike Rounds said Sunday. [Rapid City Journal] Read More
Officials fear heat aid won't stretch
State and local officials charged with helping South Dakotans pay their heating bills say they've managed so far, but they worry that higher energy costs and harsh weather could leave some in the cold before winter ends. [Argus Leader (Sioux Falls)] Read More
S.D. has nation's best student loan repayment rate
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- College graduates in South Dakota have the best record nationwide in repaying education loans. [The Bismarck Tribune] Read More
Capitol service to remember crime victims
Gov. Phil Bredesen and wife Andrea Conte will host their annual holiday memorial service for families of crime victims statewide Thursday at the Capitol. [The Commercial Appeal (Memphis) (registration)] Read More
More Tenn. fire deaths are feared
Plunging temperatures and soaring fuel prices could translate into more deadly fires this winter in Tennessee, a state with an already high rate of fire deaths. [The Commercial Appeal (Memphis) (registration)] Read More
Vegetarian group continues fight to get state proclamation
Tennessee politicians have issued proclamations officially praising pork, backing beef and urging constituents to eat their vegetables. [The Tennessean (Nashville)] Read More
Immigrants struggle with illegitimacy
Millions of immigrants come to the United States illegally precisely because they cannot have in their native lands the "comforts" that are readily available here. And more often than not, the vast majority are able to stay because for a number of complex and controversial reasons, the nation's immigration laws are simply not enforced. [The Houston Chronicle (registration)] Read More
Group sues to stop toll road
SAN ANTONIO - Claiming that state transportation officials have ignored their responsibility to conduct an environmental impact statement for a toll road, a local group is suing to stop construction. [The Austin American-Statesman (registration)] Read More
Chill seen hindering school funding fix
A frosty relationship between two of Texas' top Republicans has some legislators worried that finding solutions for court-mandated school funding issues will be tougher and they see trouble ahead for a pending special session. [The San Antonio Express-News (registration)] Read More
Texas Democrats furious over Department of Justice redistricting memo
Texas Democrats are outraged about a memo that surfaced this week showing that Department of Justice staff attorneys and analysts objected to Texas' 2003 congressional redistricting plan. [The Austin American-Statesman (registration)] Read More
Houston mayor a governor?
HOUSTON - Faced with thousands of evacuees from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, Houston Mayor Bill White took a gamble that Dallas Mayor Laura Miller wouldn't: He welcomed victims to town and put the city of Houston on the dotted line for generous relief, including apartment rent, trusting that the feds would cover the cost. [The Dallas Morning News (registration)] Read More
Toll roads will limit improvements to free roadways
Toll roads are being pushed as the next best thing to a road fairy bearing cash, but there's a built-in irony that many motorists don't know. To sell bonds to build tollways to relieve traffic congestion, there usually needs to be some guarantee that there will be ... traffic congestion. [The San Antonio Express-News (registration)] Read More
Gas taxes can't fuel all road projects
Highway officials say they'll have to lay more asphalt, and plan to break ground for San Antonio's first toll road in January -- adding four to eight lanes to a three-mile section of U.S. 281 just north of Loop 1604. But a debate rages over how to pay for new highway lanes. The old way has been mostly with gas taxes. The new way, if state officials prevail, and it looks like they could, will include tolls. [The San Antonio Express-News (registration)] Read More
Power plant hearing gets started Monday
The arguments for and against CPS Energy's proposed coal-fired power plant have focused on the big picture, from the plant's impact on global warming to its ability to keep San Antonians' skyrocketing energy bills down. But when the two sides finally face off before judges in Austin on Monday, it will be a fairly narrow set of technical issues that decide the fate of the $1 billion facility. [The San Antonio Express-News (registration)] Read More
DeLay case holds future of GOP leadership
WASHINGTON - A Texas judge's ruling expected this week could force Rep. Tom DeLay to stand trial on conspiracy and money-laundering charges, as well as decide the future of the House Republican leadership and further shake a GOP hit hard by recent scandal. [The San Antonio Express-News (registration)] Read More
Campaign Notebook - Straus setting sights on full term in Austin
State Rep. Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, filed his re-election papers for District 121 on Saturday, the first day of the candidate filing period for the March primaries. [The Austin American-Statesman (registration)] Read More
Schools brace for funding cutoff
When lawmakers last were confronted with a Texas Supreme Court deadline to overhaul school finance, 168 Texas school districts faced the prospect of running out of money unless a new plan was passed in time. Lawmakers reached an agreement with only days to spare. More than a dozen years later, Texas again faces a June 1 deadline for change, and at least one lawyer says more of its 1,037 districts might be in a tough spot this time if state funding stops. [The San Antonio Express-News (registration)] Read More
Ex-House speaker giving up his seat
Pete Laney of Hale Center, the past Democratic speaker of the Texas House celebrated for quietly symbolizing bipartisan stewardship, said Friday that he won't seek re-election to the House next year. [The Austin American-Statesman (registration)] Read More
FHA to pay mortgages for a year
WASHINGTON - The Federal Housing Administration is launching a program to pay the mortgages of up to 20,000 victims of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma for as much as a year. [The Sun Herald (Biloxi)] Read More
State at risk for wildfires
Gov. Rick Perry on Friday ordered National Guard helicopters, two platoons of state firefighters and firefighting equipment to wildfire hot spots brought on by some of the driest conditions statewide in more than a decade. [The Austin American-Statesman (registration)] Read More
Strayhorn campaign plan comes from her state office
A plan to cut property taxes that was released Friday by gubernatorial hopeful and Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn is already under fire -- but not for its substance. A news release outlining Strayhorn's proposal to help property owners who have disabilities or who are older than 65 was written on a state computer, which critics say could constitute a violation of a law that forbids agencies from using state money for political campaigns. [The Austin American-Statesman (registration)] Read More
Few Democrats willing to stand up for statewide races
On the eve of an election year when the governorship, a U.S. Senate seat and other statewide posts are on the ballot, the Texas Democratic Party last week was urging visitors to its Web site to get behind four hopefuls -- including the mother of NFL quarterback Drew Brees -- running for the Austin-based 3rd Court of Appeals. [The Austin American-Statesman (registration)] Read More
Battle brews over water from Salt Basin
ALAMOGORDO, N.M. - A battle is brewing between New Mexicans and Texans over water from an underground reserve south of here. [Santa Fe New Mexican (registration)] Read More
Shadows cloaking immigrants prevent accurate count
The Census Bureau does not ask about immigration status, and the federal government has not issued an estimate of the undocumented population for the past few years. That has left the issue open for debate in the private sector, where counts of the illegal population range from 7 million to 20 million. [The Houston Chronicle (registration)] Read More
Fake IDs critical and easy to get
It is virtually impossible to tell exactly how many of the estimated 10 million undocumented immigrants in the United States use invalid or fraudulently obtained Social Security cards to gain employment, obtain driver's licenses or get loans, but there are indicators that the practice is endemic. [The Houston Chronicle (registration)] Read More
Tax panel has few proposals
The state's Tax Reform Task Force began its work last spring with sights set high - no less than a fundamental overhaul of Utah's tax system. [The Salt Lake Tribune] Read More
Lawmakers to consider boost in tuition assistance
Utah's higher education officials want the 2006 Legislature to approve a $1.7 million boost in tuition aid for college students most in need. They say the money is critical because assistance isn't keeping pace with rising tuitions in Utah, which ranks 43rd in the nation in state-sponsored aid. [The Daily Herald (Provo)] Read More
Regents to review costs at presidents' homes
Four college and university presidents live in million-dollar homes -- for free -- while a fifth university president lives in a house she built with her own money. [Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City)] Read More
Unlikely Haven
One man was shoved into an Army National Guard truck at riflepoint in eastern New Orleans. An elderly woman, after holding out in her flooded Carrollton neighborhood for a week, waved a white sheet in surrender, pleading for help. A young woman risked her life to save a disabled couple in the Lafitte public housing complex. [The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)] Read More
Vermont lawmaker to bring secession effort to Legislature
KILLINGTON, Vt. - A Vermont lawmaker is preparing to introduce legislation that would bring before his colleagues the proposal to have Killington become a part of New Hampshire. [The Boston Globe (registration)] Read More
Highest-risk sex offenders get special designation
MONTPELIER, Vt. - Officials who manage the state's sex offender registry have created a new designation of those considered to be at highest risk for new offenses, and have put some 22 names on the list. [The Boston Globe (registration)] Read More
Experts - N.E. needs more power plants
BOSTON ? New England's economic prosperity is at risk if the region does not increase efforts to build new electrical generating plants, but much more aggressive energy conservation is needed as well, a regional conference on energy policy was told Friday. [Rutland Herald] Read More
State sues former mental health care provider
The state of Vermont has sued Matrix Health Systems, a former provider of mental health services at Vermont's jails, claiming Matrix overcharged the state by more than $500,000 between 2000 and 2003. [Rutland Herald] Read More
Top officials resign from private prison medical provider
BURLINGTON, Vt. - Three top officials have resigned from the private company that provides health care services in Vermont's prisons. [Rutland Herald] Read More
Vermont legislators warm up for session
Members of Vermont's House of Representatives are to meet today to lay out their plans for the session beginning in January. [Rutland Herald] Read More
Health care tops packed Democratic agenda
House Democrats will return to the Statehouse on Jan. 3 determined to achieve health care reforms that ensure every Vermonter has access to basic medical care at an affordable price. [Burlington Free Press] Read More
Sustainability, manure key issues for Vermont farm summit
Farmers and innovators from all over Vermont will gather Thursday to hear about the latest technology for the farm, including high-tech suggestions for how to handle animal manure. [Rutland Herald] Read More
Vermont agency will deny marble firm's application
The state Agency of Natural Resources has notified Omya Inc. that it intends to deny the company's application for interim certification of its tailings waste site in Florence. But the company expressed confidence Friday the agency would reconsider. [Times Argus (Barre/Montpelier)] Read More
Chemical plume concerns residents
WINDSOR, Vt. - Discovery of a plume of a potentially toxic chemical vapor in the ground beneath a number of houses has created concern, but officials say they don't know how serious the situation might be. [Rutland Herald] Read More
But seriously folks, Warner has plans
Gov. Mark R. Warner is a success in business and politics. But stand-up? The possible Democratic presidential candidate in 2008 last night pitched for yucks in Washington at the Gridiron Club winter dinner, organized by the capital's media elite. [Richmond Times-Dispatch] Read More
GOP to address weakneses in Virginia
HOT SPRINGS, Va. - Alarmed that Virginia's once solidly Republican suburbs among the nation's fastest growing areas voted Democratic in last month's governor's race, the state GOP will study what went wrong. [ABCNews.com] Read More
State school enrollment declining as hurricane evacuees move on
Virginia opened its schools in September to waves of students displaced by Hurricane Katrina. [The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk) (registration)] Read More
Visitors peek in Executive Mansion
'Twas three weeks before Christmas and all through the house, the Warner family wasn't stirring, not even their dogs. [Richmond Times-Dispatch] Read More
6 guvs protest bill's public land sale
Six western governors put Congress on notice this week they oppose a measure pending in the U.S. Senate that would open millions of acres of public lands for sale to mining companies. [Rocky Mountain News (Denver)] Read More
Children's Hospital fights Medicaid-fund reduction
WASHINGTON - Cutting the deficit always sounds like a good idea. But there are winners and losers whenever Congress and the National Governors Association start looking for ways to save money. [The Seattle Times] Read More
No Human Cases of West Nile Virus in WA
Now that winter?s near, health officials are taking a break from monitoring for West Nile Virus. Washington?s the only Northwest state that has yet to see any humans get sick with the virus, which can cause high fever and brain swelling. [Northwest Public Radio] Read More
Evergreen author's work takes spotlight in marriage debate
The debate over gay marriage has social conservatives decrying the destruction of the sanctity of marriage, but an Olympia-based, nationally renowned marriage expert argues the institution was thrown into chaos long ago. [The Olympian] Read More
"Reform" math- Examining the pluses, minuses
As students file into her classroom at Shorecrest High, Marilyn Leverson flips through the textbook to show how math instruction is changing. [The Seattle Times] Read More
State wins coal lawsuit
West Virginia coal companies will continue to pay state severance taxes on exported coal, a divided state Supreme Court ruled Friday. [Charleston Gazette (registration)] Read More
Infighting shows GOP wounds not healed
The primary is still more than five months away, but the fight over the GOP's nomination in West Virginia's 2006 U.S. Senate race already has taken a nasty turn. [Charleston Gazette (registration)] Read More
A look at Top 10 polluters along the Ohio River
The top 10 companies along the Ohio River in terms of volume of toxic waste released in 2003: [The Beacon Journal (Akron)(registration)] Read More
Battle over automatic increase in gas tax comes to a head
To state Sen. Tom Reynolds, it's simple. If lawmakers want the state's gas tax to keep going up annually, they should vote on it each year. [Janesville Gazette] Read More
Big farm, big feud -- Giant dairy's manure angers neighbors
CLEVELAND, Wis. -- Manure from Tod Leiteritz's Manitowoc County farm has been blamed for foul air and polluted streams. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] Read More
Doyle vetoes medical malpractice caps
Gov. Jim Doyle vetoed new caps on pain and suffering damages to victims of medical malpractice Friday, saying they weren't different enough from the previous set of limits to pass constitutional muster. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] Read More
Bible study conflict escalates to national issue
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. -- Last month, the interim chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire hastily called a meeting of her executive staff. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education had just contacted her to complain that a resident assistant named Lance Steiger had been banned from hosting Bible study in his dorm. The chancellor sensed imminent controversy. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] Read More
Finding room under tax ceiling
When state legislators approved new limits on local property tax increases this summer, Hartland Village Administrator Wally Thiel immediately postponed plans to hire another police officer. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] Read More
State scores low in generosity listing
Wisconsinites are among the most tightfisted charitable givers in the country, according to a new national report [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] Read More
Conceal-carry again draws fire
Even as a bill to allow Wisconsin residents to carry concealed weapons goes to a vote in the state Senate Tuesday, the debate carries on among supporters, opponents and those somewhere in the middle. [Green Bay Press-Gazette] Read More
Doyle vetoes new malpractice caps
Gov. Jim Doyle on Friday vetoed a bill that would have capped the amount of money medical malpractice victims can win in court for their pain and suffering. [The Capital Times (Madison)] Read More
Expert -- Chvala obeyed law
Former Senate Majority Leader Chuck Chvala did not violate any campaign finance laws by setting up and running an independent group to help elect fellow Democrats to the Senate, according to a deposition filed Friday in Dane County Circuit Court. [The Capital Times (Madison)] Read More
Web threat gets tax scofflaws to pay up
MILWAUKEE - Delinquent taxpayers are paying up after the state threatened to post their names online. [The Capital Times (Madison)] Read More
Gas-tax increases may end
Three months after Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf Coast and sent gas prices skyward, the storm could knock out Wisconsin's automatic gas tax. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel] Read More
6 guvs protest bill's public land sale
Six western governors put Congress on notice this week they oppose a measure pending in the U.S. Senate that would open millions of acres of public lands for sale to mining companies. [Rocky Mountain News (Denver)] Read More
State gets handle on reservoirs
GILLETTE, Wyo. - It took nearly a year for the Wyoming state engineer's office to sort out a massive enforcement case regarding illegal coal-bed methane water reservoirs in Campbell County. [Casper Star-Tribune] Read More
State seeks to spend $700,000 on lot
CASPER, Wyo. - The Wyoming Department of Employment has received Gov. Dave Freudenthal's permission to spend $700,000 to buy and fix up a parking lot even though the parking lot's owner has no plans to sell. [Billings Gazette] Read More
State ups tobacco rank
Funds from a one-time windfall helped propel Wyoming to eighth place in an annual ranking of funding programs to protect children from tobacco. [Wyoming Tribune-Eagle (Cheyenne)] Read More
Legislators show their resolve
WASHINGTON - Over the past year, Americans celebrated National Cowboy Day, marked the passing of country music star Chris LeDoux and honored an artist who beautified the U.S. Capitol during the 1800s, all thanks to official acts by Wyoming and Montana lawmakers. [Billings Gazette] Read More
UW works to raise biomed sciences awareness
LARAMIE, Wyo. - The University of Wyoming will undertake a pilot program to help raise awareness of biomedical sciences among middle school students in rural areas of Wyoming. [Casper Star-Tribune] Read More
Scott- Hospital endowment proposal not likely to get far
POWELL, Wyo. - A proposed state endowment for critical access hospitals isn't a bad idea, but it's not likely to get far in the Legislature, says Sen. Charles Scott, R-Casper. [Casper Star-Tribune] Read More
When ID theft hits close to home
MILWAUKEE ? The 8-year-old boy hopped in his father's car after school and announced he needed $202 to pay an energy bill that had arrived with his name on it. He figured he had received the bill because he had watched so much television and never paid for it. [The Olympian] Read More
Gas prices drop an average of 11 cents a gallon nationwide
CAMARILLO, Calif. - Retail gas prices kept dropping across the country, falling another 11 cents in the past two weeks, according to a survey released Sunday. [The San Diego Union-Tribune] Read More
Shadows cloaking immigrants prevent accurate count
The Census Bureau does not ask about immigration status, and the federal government has not issued an estimate of the undocumented population for the past few years. That has left the issue open for debate in the private sector, where counts of the illegal population range from 7 million to 20 million. [The Houston Chronicle (registration)] Read More
Fake IDs critical and easy to get
It is virtually impossible to tell exactly how many of the estimated 10 million undocumented immigrants in the United States use invalid or fraudulently obtained Social Security cards to gain employment, obtain driver's licenses or get loans, but there are indicators that the practice is endemic. [The Houston Chronicle (registration)] Read More
Immigrants struggle with illegitimacy
Millions of immigrants come to the United States illegally precisely because they cannot have in their native lands the "comforts" that are readily available here. And more often than not, the vast majority are able to stay because for a number of complex and controversial reasons, the nation's immigration laws are simply not enforced. [The Houston Chronicle (registration)] Read More
A wave of activism in states may signal a surge nationwide
It's not a news bulletin that this has been a decade of conservative dominance in Washington. [Los Angeles Times (registration)] Read More
States boosting highway spending
State governments are investing huge amounts of money in road construction after several years of modest spending, a change that could ease traffic congestion that has worsened sharply in the past decade. [USA Today] Read More
Budget cuts may hit poor
WASHINGTON - Lawmakers returning to Capitol Hill this week face a bruising fight over whether to curtail poverty programs - decisions that could impose hardships on some Texans, including legal immigrants, children of the working poor and those dependent on child support. [The Dallas Morning News (registration)] Read More
States' food-stamp fight intensifies
Nearly a decade after welfare reform, some states are placing a new emphasis on food stamps as a program to improve the nutrition of the working poor. [The Wall Street Journal (subscription)] Read More |
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