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Archive of Economy & Business on Monday May 05, 2008
Oh say, is that banner made in the U.S.A.?
Lawmakers in 10 states have taken steps to require that American flags bought with state funds be manufactured in this country. While not all the legislation has passed, one state’s new law even bans the sale of foreign-made American flags in that state. Read More
States look to rein in private Medicare plans
WASHINGTON - State officials say they will soon ask Congress for more power to regulate the marketing of private Medicare insurance plans to older Americans because they are still receiving complaints of high-pressure sales tactics that have led some beneficiaries to sign up for unsuitable policies. Read More
Strapped governments revive pension bonds
Pension bonds are making a comeback, as states and cities from Alaska to Philadelphia bet they can use the proceeds to help fill deficits in their retirement funds and still generate a higher return than what they pay in interest. Read More
Bills seek punishment for use, display of fake weapons
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Concerns that realistic-looking toy weapons are confusing police and threatening safety have led 15 states to take a crack at going beyond gun control to implement fake-gun control. Read More
Fighting global warming block by block
SEATTLE - King County Executive Ron Sims has a simple test for every new public works project, building plan or government land purchase: Will it increase the region's total greenhouse-gas emissions, or reduce them? Read More
Permanent Fund earns high praise in D.C. meeting
WASHINGTON - The International Monetary Fund convened a meeting of 25 sovereign wealth funds visited Washington, D.C., last week to discuss the development of a voluntary set of investment guidelines for government-owned funds. Read More
Kohring's lawyer makes case for leniency
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Convicted former lawmaker Vic Kohring's lawyer, John Henry Browne, says eight months in jail would be a fair sentence. Read More
Alaskans get new gadgets for their wings
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Alaska Airmen's Association kicked off its 11th annual trade show, Saturday, and the governor made a guest appearance. Read More
Blow dealt by rescission of work force training funds softened, Beebe says
With the help of Arkansas' congressional delegation, Gov. Mike Beebe said Friday he has found some relief to a $4.3 million rescission of federal funds already allocated for workforce training programs. Read More
Arkansans won't escape effects of global tightening of rice supply
Less than a three-hour drive from riceland that feeds people worldwide, the manager of an Asian restaurant in Russellville would like to build a stockpile of rice that would last at least half a year. Read More
AP News Analysis -- Ballot measure campaigns to be waged in Arkansas' pews
The best place to hear arguments this fall over whether to create a state-run lottery for education or to restrict public services for illegal immigrants may not be at a campaign rally. It'll be from the pews. Read More
Northwest Arkansas termed 'recession-proof'
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Is Northwest Arkansas recession-proof? It is, according to Mark Hovind of Las Vegas, president of JobBait.com. Read More
Governor's budget plan grows green staff
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's near-and-dear fight to make the state greener is adding a lot of new jobs to the state's already-in-the-red payroll. Read More
Fiddler plays the state worker blues
You can view this as enterprising entrepreneurialism -- or just a sign of hard times: A young guy with a fiddle has set up shop at various spots near the Capitol lately, scratching out tunes for passers-by. Next to the guy is an open fiddle case, with a sign in it that reads "Budget Crisis: Please Help." Read More
California faces huge upheaval
If demography is destiny, as 19th-century French philosopher Auguste Comte first proposed, California is destined to soon experience an economic and cultural tsunami of monumental proportions. This is the year the oldest of the post-World War II baby boomers turn 62 and can begin drawing Social Security benefits. That's expected to touch off a mass exodus from the state's labor force over the next two decades. Read More
Foster care cuts challenged
Two years ago, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law an eight-bill package designed to improve the lives of thousands of children in foster care. Now, Schwarzenegger is proposing a 10 percent across-the-board cut in state services because of a budget deficit he says may reach $20 billion. Read More
Locals developing taste for locally grown food
Concerns about food contamination and the environmental impact of long-haul transportation are stoking demand for locally grown food in Connecticut. Read More
State energy policy at heart of dispute
When the Sustainable Energy Utility was formed last year, lawmakers envisioned a small nonprofit that could help Delawareans insulate their homes, buy energy-efficient refrigerators or install solar panels. Read More
Transfer tax fund is shrinking
The realty transfer tax, a dwindling pot of money divided among Delaware's state, county and municipal governments, could still provide some cushion to pad the state's $200 million to $250 million budget shortfall. Read More
Metal dealers want law scrapped
Carmen Micucio Jr. thinks state lawmakers may have dealt a death blow to the recycling business he's spent 26 years building in Glasgow. Read More
Tampa Bay area's legislative rewards small in lean budget year
Stopping lead-laced toys from being distributed and sold in Florida seemed like "an apple pie bill" to Sen. Charlie Justice. The Senate even passed it. Read More
Florida Senate sends $66.2 billion budget to governor
The Florida Senate Friday morning signed off on an austere $66.2 billion budget that carves deeply into school funding and an array of health-care programs as a result of the biggest one-year drop in revenues in state history. Read More
Winners and losers in the 2008 Florida Legislature
A list of legislation that passed in this year's regular session of the Florida Legislature, which ended Friday, from The Associated Press. Read More
Belt-tightening session comes to an end
Florida lawmakers ended their annual session Friday by approving a tight-fisted state budget and stitching together plans to provide modest health coverage to kids with autism, the working poor and small businesses. Read More
$66.2B budget will roll out Crist's health-insurance plan
The Florida Legislature skidded to the finish line of the 2008 session Friday, approving a $66.2 billion budget, help for children with autism, and a sweeping health-insurance plan sought by Gov. Charlie Crist. Read More
Florida governor praises budget, while Democrats grimace
As Gov. Charlie Crist praised the Legislature for its "great work" Friday night, his own human services secretary, Bob Butterworth, stood a few feet away and gave a very different critique of the 2008 session. Read More
Lawmakers OK health-care plan for uninsured
State legislators approved a plan to provide basic health insurance Friday for nearly 4 million Floridians who can't afford coverage, calling it "a giant step" toward protecting the poor and working poor. Read More
Governor Crist praises energy bill
Gov. Charlie Crist didn't get nearly everything he wanted. But he praised the expansive bill lawmakers did pass, legislation that could affect Floridians for decades to come. Read More
It came down to money -- and there wasn't enough
Republicans at the helm kept one eye on a fuel gauge that showed tax collections on fumes and another on the approaching storm of the November elections. The result was a $66.2-billion budget with more than $4 billion in spending cuts targeted largely at school children, the sick and the elderly. Read More
Why -- and how -- the ball on Central Florida's commuter-rail project was dropped
Central Florida's commuter-rail project failed in the Florida Legislature because its backers didn't heed a cardinal rule of politics: Know your enemy. Read More
Florida lawmakers lament lack of money
While the budget is the only thing lawmakers must do, they tackled other issues as well, ranging from deadly serious programs to expand insurance coverage of autism, the issue that brought the session to an emotional, last-minute climax to the seriously absurd: the short-lived ban against displaying bull genitalia on bumpers. Read More
Florida legislative session not kind to state workers
With the sluggish economy causing a crash in tax collections that forced lawmakers to lower state spending by more than $4 billion from last year, Big Bend legislators didn't expect Gov. Charlie Crist's proposal of a 2-percent merit-based pay raise to survive long in the session. It didn't. Read More
Necessity, not politics, ruled '08 session
A souring economy and a worrisome election year forced Florida's Republican-led Legislature to moderate its politics in the session that ended Friday because it had no other choice. Read More
Lingle pulls land talks with OHA off the table
Gov. Linda Lingle says the failure of the state Legislature to approve a ceded-lands settlement with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs was shortsighted and a disappointment. Read More
Shield law for journalists awaits governor's OK
Hawaii journalists would be protected from revealing their sources, notes and video recordings to the government under a measure given final approval by lawmakers last week. Read More
Bill tackles Kokee cabins flap
LIHUE, Hawaii - A bill passed last week by the state Legislature aims to end long-standing controversies about Kokee State Park in Kauai's mountainous interior. Read More
Corrections officials begin working on new prison plan
Iowa corrections officials are beginning to work on a $131 million maximum-security prison project in southeastern Iowa that won't begin housing prisoners until 2014. Read More
Iowa JEL representatives to attend tobacco company meeting
State officials are spending some of the state's anti-smoking money on a trip for five Iowa high schoolers and their adult mentor. Read More
Hospitals cautious when seeking to build
About 95 percent of all Iowa hospitals that apply for state approval to relocate or expand their facilities are granted permission. But that does not mean approval is easy to get. Read More
Legislator -- Keep new law quiet
Iowa lawmakers quietly passed a bill in the final hours of the 2008 legislative session that would allow most of the state's hospitals to bypass public approval for the construction of new facilities. Read More
Midwest avoids brunt of economic slowdown
For at least a year, economists have warned that a Midwestern slowdown may be on the way. But month after month, quarter after quarter, key indicators have remained positive. Read More
Illinois smoking ban tamps down puffing at pipe convention
ST. CHARLES, Ill. - There will be no indoor smoking at a large convention for pipe smokers in Illinois. Read More
State creates Seismic Task Force to prepare for earthquakes
The state's creating a panel aimed at improving earthquake preparedness. Read More
IDOT Annex lease expired in July
The Illinois Department of Transportation's traffic safety division is in what is known as the IDOT Annex, near IDOT's main headquarters, the state-owned Hanley Building, on Dirksen Parkway. Read More
Rezko lawyer, witness bicker about cash, clout, 9/11
CHICAGO - Political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko's defense attorney and the government's last major witness bickered sharply about campaign cash, clout and even the Sept. 11 attacks Friday as prosecutors prepared to rest their case after eight weeks. Read More
Makers of 'Blow' drink mix won't sell in Illinois anymore
The Las Vegas manufacturer of a white-powdered energy drink mix called Blow has stopped selling the product in Illinois. Read More
Blagojevich aide owed IRS $21,548 when hired
One of Gov. Blagojevich's highest-ranking aides faced a sizable tax problem when he hired her in 2003 -- and when he promoted her almost four years later. Read More
State still renting space from felon
Even though he's no longer on the state payroll and has pleaded guilty to federal felony charges, a former top Blagojevich appointee is still getting money from taxpayers. Read More
Gov accused of trading favors to get recall plan killed
Twenty-one state senators either failed to show up or didn't vote for a plan that would have given voters the right to recall Gov. Blagojevich. Read More
Democrats work to sway voters in race for governor
Democrat Jill Long Thompson spoke of suspending the state sales tax on gasoline while her rival in the gubernatorial primary, Jim Schellinger, promised to restore collective bargaining for state employees. Read More
Dining with the Democratic stars
Presidential hopefuls and U.S. Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama pledged to lead a resurgence of the middle class Sunday to a swelled crowd of 2,300 gathered for the Indiana Democratic Party's annual fundraiser. Read More
Finding state's political pulse
Indiana is hurting. Hoosiers are feeling pinched by high gas prices and poor job prospects -- so much so that they have put the war on terror and the once over-arching immigration issue on the political back burner. Read More
Schellinger, Long Thompson trade jabs over their TV ads
One features grainy, washed-out images of Jim Schellinger and tells viewers he opposes cutting gasoline taxes and that he favored raising property taxes to build the "expensive schools" he designed as an architect. Read More
Clinton, Obama keep up gas tax battle
WASHINGTON -- Democratic presidential rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton took their fight over gas price relief to the morning talk shows today as they braced for the crucial Indiana and North Carolina primaries. Read More
Dog track ends talks with lottery regulators
FRONTENAC, Kan. - The owner of Camptown Greyhound Park has ended negotiations with the Kansas Lottery that would reopen the racetrack with slot machines, the Lottery Commission said. Read More
Kansas Capitol Notebook - college's foundation comes in for criticism
Rep. Ben Hodge of Overland Park has some misgivings about the 113-member, nonprofit Johnson County Community College Foundation. Read More
Immigration bill unlikely to live
It appears unlikely that the Legislature this year will pass a law cracking down on illegal immigrants and employers who hire them. Read More
Lawmakers want to sue Sebelius over coal plants
Kansas House leaders Friday introduced a resolution to allow the Legislature to sue Gov. Kathleen Sebelius over coal-fired electric power plants. Read More
Coal bill backers try new strategy
Kansas lawmakers struggled to end the 2008 legislative session Saturday, mounting last-minute efforts to resurrect two rejected coal plants. Read More
Coal debate still not resolved
Old-timers like to say politics is the art of compromise. The line holds true most of the time in the Legislature. Consider the Houdini-like escapes from a school-finance quagmire in 2006 and the bloody battle that accompanied expansion of casino gambling during 2007. Read More
Coal power plant issue keeps lawmakers from wrapping up
It was supposed to be the last day of the wrap-up session. But another coal plant measure emerged Saturday, the Senate adjourned in a huff and said it may not come back, and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius gave the session a general thumbs down. Read More
Bush visits Greensburg, a town torn and then reborn after 2007 tornado
GREENSBURG, Kan. - Alvin Hewitt was the first baby born at Kiowa County Memorial Hospital after it opened in 1950. Today, the hospital is gone. Read More
Power line proposal draws fire
HENDERSON, Ky. -- Mike Sandefur has been enjoying the irony. Sandefur is the former environmental affairs director for Indiana power company Vectren Corp. Read More
Study finds Bay Staters support casinos
Massachusetts could become the center of gambling in New England if it builds a destination resort casino and undercuts Rhode Island's 61 percent tax on video lottery terminals, according to a public policy analyst at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. Read More
Wind power debate whips up controversy
Self-styled "green" leaders across the country face a conundrum over wind power: Do they alienate part of their constituency by leveling pristine forests to build wind farms, or irritate the other part by rejecting a promising source of renewable energy? Read More
Labor group backs slots
A union group that represents more than 300,000 area workers endorsed a referendum yesterday to legalize slot machine gambling in Maryland, an announcement that underscores the institutional support proponents will have in the lead-up to November's vote. Read More
Gay rights at standstill
Gay and lesbian activists thought they had a friend in Martin O'Malley. Read More
Gas tax holiday not in state's future
With gas prices continuing to reach new heights, the part of the cost controlled by federal and state governments is coming under increasing scrutiny as some politicians lobby for a break during the summer driving season. Read More
Powerful groups align behind slots
Superficially, the battle over November's slot machine referendum is starting to resemble a fight between a heavyweight and a flyweight. Read More
Consumers' investments help farmers produce a return benefiting both
Billi Barker, who has a 25-acre market farm in St. Albans, faces her greatest need for money in the spring. Read More
Maine AG: Price gouging not an issue
Gasoline and diesel prices in Maine have soared, but Attorney General Steven Rowe says it's not because of price gouging by retailers or wholesalers in Maine. Read More
Government officials get input on Great Lakes levels study
MUSKEGON, Mich. -- Government officials gathering public input on a massive Great Lakes water levels study were told during a meeting in Michigan to tread lightly when tinkering with the lakes. Read More
Medical Society takes 'neutral' position on stem cell ballot initative
After five years of supporting embryonic stem cell research, the Michigan State Medical Society changed its policy Sunday to a neutral position on the controversial issue that may appear on the November ballot. Read More
Mich. sets scene for films
The first 13 deals have been signed under a new law offering lucrative incentives to filmmakers to bring their projects to Michigan, state officials said Friday. Read More
Petition deadline is here - but sign with caution
Ken McKoy, a veteran political activist and African-American pastor, would never dream of adding his name to a petition seeking to curb affirmative action in Missouri. Read More
House committee won't vote on Insure Missouri until hospitals sign off on regulation changes
Gov. Matt Blunt's Insure Missouri plan for expanding government-funded health care has become a hostage in a fight about government regulation of medical facility expansion. Read More
Four groups make deadline to file initiative petitions
Supporters angling to get their initiative petitions on the November ballot dropped off boxes filled with petitions and tens of thousands of signatures Sunday. Read More
Casinos beat the cheats
It's been years since a camera was allowed into a surveillance room at a Mississippi casino. But last week the Mississippi Gaming Commission and Beau Rivage Casino showed the Sun Herald what it takes to crack an international cheating ring and why the government is partnering with casinos for homeland security. Read More
Montana tourism surviving gas prices
KALISPELL, Mont. - Americans love to play, feel they're entitled to it, actually. "So much so that people won't cancel vacations or recreation just because the price goes up a little bit." Read More
Natives & newcomers -- Doing business
The Crow Tribe recently signed an innovative agreement with Montana and the federal government that will make it easier for banks to offer secured loans on the reservation. Essentially, it provides for seizure of personal property used as collateral when a loan is in default. (It does not apply to land held in trust for the tribe or its members.) Read More
Some economies more 'recession-proof'
The catering business isn't what economists would call "recession-proof." Luckily for J.W. Walton, most of his biggest clients are. About 70 percent of the company's business comes from the Triangle's three big research universities -- Duke down the road in Durham, N.C. State in Raleigh and, of course, UNC's flagship campus in Chapel Hill. Read More
State group giving away sheep to find young shepherds
A North Dakota group, hoping to bolster the next generation of shepherds, plans to give away sheep. Read More
NAWS water project is opposed both north and south
Parts of northwestern North Dakota have been waiting more than 20 years for a pipeline that will bring a stable supply of Missouri River water. It has run into opposition from north of the border, where Canadian officials are calling for an expensive treatment system, and from the south, where the state of Missouri says it could harm an already dry river basin. Read More
State -- More gas stations cheating
The administrator for the Nebraska Department of Weights and Measures says his agency has found three to four gas stations a week trying to cheat customers. Read More
North, south Omaha stand to reap state tourism funds
Sure, the Berkshire stockholders in town know about the gems at Borsheims, but not many visitors to Omaha discover what some might consider tourism diamonds in the rough. Read More
Even in spring, heating oil prices a pain
With the arrival of spring, thermostats are being turned down but prices keep going up for New Hampshire residents who use oil to heat their homes. Read More
More gas stations require prepaying
With gasoline thefts rising along with prices, more local gas station owners are requiring customers to pay up before they fill their tanks. Read More
Clean elections could be victim of budget
The state agency that oversees campaign spending by 6,000 political candidates each year and enforces a growing maze of ethics laws is struggling with the prospect of an 18 percent budget cut. Read More
Bruce leads first group of inductees into New Jersey Hall of Fame
If you ask the Boss, New Jersey rarely gets the respect it deserves. Read More
Workers comp, hospital funding on legislature's agenda
The Legislature returns to Trenton today with a slate of more than a dozen Senate and Assembly committees taking on issues from workers' compensation to monitoring the fiscal health of hospitals. Read More
Corzine shifts to back gas-tax holiday plan
New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine is shifting gears to support a federal gas tax holiday this summer. Read More
AARP plans Trenton rally to protect property-tax rebates
AARP New Jersey plans to rally at the Statehouse in Trenton today to oppose reductions in property tax rebates. Read More
Attorney general says he complied with gift law
A company building a uranium enrichment plant in New Mexico paid for part of Attorney General Gary King's expenses when he traveled to the Netherlands in March to tour a similar uranium plant. Read More
National economist to give outlook for county
FARMINGTON, N.M. - San Juan County residents who are curious about the local economy may consider reserving space at the 2008 Economic Outlook Breakfast scheduled in about three weeks. Read More
TOUGH TIMES: Less help as more need aid
An economic downturn, a wave of foreclosures and anemic state and local budgets are combining into a stark reality for those who work with housing and the homeless: People need more help at the exact time that there's less help available. Read More
$147M in pork headed home
Lawmakers are showering $147 million in pork-barrel spending on 10,000 programs, agencies and charities back home this election year. Read More
Short on cash, state hastens plan for casino in City
For New Yorkers, a casino will soon be a mere subway ride away. Or a racino, to use the gambling industry's term: a gambling emporium built into the Aqueduct thoroughbred track in Queens that will include 4,500 video slot machines, but no table games. Read More
Gas-tax plan draws skeptics
That pain shooting from the gas pump to your wallet is real. But the consensus among economists, industry experts and consumers is that a federal gas-tax holiday won't ease the hurt. Read More
Ohio axes 554 jobs at agency for food stamps, unemployed
The state agency that oversees food stamps and health insurance for the poor is eliminating about 554 jobs to comply with Gov. Ted Strickland's order that the agency reduce spending by $67.5 million. Read More
Proposed bill would give tire makers a second set of bonds
The state Capitol could prove to be the place where the rubber meets the road. At least that's how the manufacturing industry views a proposal to allow for a second bond issuance for Oklahoma tire manufacturers. Read More
State ice storm costs tallied
TULSA, Okla. - The cost of damage to Oklahoma homes, businesses and infrastructure from December's historic ice storm is approaching $180 million, state officials said. Read More
Michelin nears completion of $200 million investment project
Michelin's Ardmore plant is nearing the finish line of its $200 million investment project that began in late 2002. The company has already spent $187 million for upgrades and will wrap up the rest by the end of October. Read More
OSU business college honors Oregon leaders
The College of Business at Oregon State University has honored several Oregon business professionals and educators. Read More
State Supreme Court clears path for criminal charges in casino case
The state Supreme Court on Friday appeared to clear the way for prosecutors to proceed with criminal charges against a Poconos casino owner accused of lying to state gambling regulators about his ties to mob figures. Read More
Bridge repairs in state require $11 billion
A state transportation official says it would cost $11 billion to fix the nearly 6,000 bridges in need of repair in Pennsylvania. Read More
Plan calls for storing CO2 beneath Pa.'s public forests
Pennsylvania's publicly owned forest lands could be used for the underground storage of carbon dioxide captured from coal-burning power plants and other industrial sources of the greenhouse gas that is a major cause of global climate change. Read More
Farmer refuses to let state regulate his raw milk sales
On a quiet, 100-acre farm in Cumberland County, Mennonite farmer Mark Nolt, his wife and his 10 children have for three years operated a dairy whose best-selling product is one the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture considers contraband: raw milk. Read More
For some state lawmakers, it's the land of the free
Pennsylvania state legislators flew to foreign lands, cheered on pro sports teams from the stands and even paid some criminal defense legal bills last year without having to open their own wallets. Read More
Budget, health care high on agenda as lawmakers return
When legislators return to the Capitol today, they will face a jam-packed agenda that includes Gov. Ed Rendell's proposals to help people without health insurance and develop alternative fuels. Read More
State pension increase carries huge cost
A looming battle over whether to increase pension benefits to retired state workers and public school teachers represents a classic clash of political favorites for legislators. Read More
'We're fired up, and we can't take it'
After snarling Friday rush hour traffic in downtown Providence with a "Unity March" from the Westin Hotel to the Statehouse, a coalition of labor and community groups held a rally in support of state workers, immigrants and union labor. Read More
Union workers rally for respect at Rhode Island's State House
Two themes generated the loudest cheers at a State House labor rally yesterday afternoon -- respect for workers and protection for public-employee benefits. Labor officials say both concepts are under attack as Rhode Island grapples with an estimated $384-million budget deficit for the coming fiscal year. Read More
State Democrats target payday lending
South Carolina Democrats have adopted a plank to their party platform that calls on the Legislature to adopt a ban on payday lending. The resolution also bars the party or its candidates from taking money from the industry. Read More
Bill puts heat on payday lenders
MULLINS, S.C. - Kathryn Gales was a 56-year-old widow when she made a series of decisions that left her without a car and hundreds of dollars in debt to payday lenders. Read More
State looks to conserve land
The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks is coming close to final details on an agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency that could pay landowners in the James River Valley to set aside as many as 100,000 acres for conservation and to allow the public to hunt it, watch wildlife and otherwise enjoy it. Read More
Nashville - Lottery deal tough with less money
House and Senate efforts to resolve a yearlong standoff on how to spend some Tennessee Education Lottery funds are running into new problems as a result of lower-than-expected lottery growth, top lawmakers said. Read More
Tuition costs likely to rise
Tennessee college students face a potential double whammy when they pay their tuition this August, with the state's revenue downturn to blame. Read More
Nashville - TVA, state benefit from interest rate break
The dark clouds over the U.S. economy are offering a ray of light for government agencies looking to borrow money. Read More
Public pushing ethics changes for lawmakers
At least 20 Texas lawmakers were fined in recent months for hiding the details of their officeholder spending -- paid with political donations -- behind vague credit card bills, even though they had been warned about the 1981 credit card law for years. Read More
States' welfare caseloads starting to rise
WASHINGTON - State welfare rolls, which declined for more than a decade after a 1996 overhaul of the nation's cash-assistance program, are beginning to rise, due in part to the struggling economy. Read More
'Last resort' program for student loans is set
The Education Department will be ready to process emergency advances for student loans by June 1, according to a letter scheduled to be sent Monday to state agencies that would administer the program. Read More
Will efforts to ensure school loans help students?
After months of turmoil in the nation's student loan markets, Congress and the Bush administration have stepped in to ensure that students will be able to borrow money for college this fall. Read More
A panel suggests a cap on pollution in the Great Salt Lake that angers activists
After this public meeting, the steering committee will draft its final recommendation to the state Water Quality Board, which will transform the suggestion into regulations. Read More
Utah's 300 new laws to take effect today
Friends will gather today to raise a glass and bid farewell to a dear friend, the Long Island Iced Tea, the potent concoction of five different liquors that has been the source of countless hangovers and untold regrets. Read More
Changes in state liquor law cause some confusion
SALT LAKE CITY -- If Cinco de Mayo isn't enough reason for some Utah revelers to party, consider this: The amount of liquor allowed in the standard cocktail is increasing by 50 percent to 1.5 ounces. Read More
A debate over what revived Dulles rail
U.S transportation officials say they reversed their position last week on the proposed extension of Metrorail to Dulles International Airport because Virginia officials and the people overseeing the project made significant enough changes to make it viable. Read More
Little relief for choked secondary roads in Va.
Winding, shoulderless Rolling Road looks like a two-lane country road. But the Newington street has become a major artery, connecting Interstate 95, Route 1, the Fairfax County Parkway and what will soon be a much larger Fort Belvoir. Read More
Sunbirds lured north
Every winter, the chilled masses of New England flee to Florida, as if drawn by a magnetic force. Vermont is hoping to spark a reverse-migration this year, enticing residents of the Sunshine State with one thing they do not have - a cool summer. Read More
Should underage GIs drink?
An attempt to lower the drinking age for members of the military in Wisconsin. A state legislator wants to lower the drinking age to 19 or members of the military. Read More
Libraries offer boost for state economy
Wisconsin's public library system contributes more to the state economy than many people may suspect. Read More
Lawmakers back I-94 plan
Expanding I-94 from six lanes to eight is an essential part of helping the Racine and Kenosha area grow and will provide needed jobs now, state Reps. Cory Mason and Robert Turner, both Racine Democrats, said Friday. Read More
Rockefeller wants to help poor buy gas
U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller has proposed legislation that would provide low-income families with a monthly stipend of $100 to $165 to offset soaring gasoline costs. Read More
Gov blasts BLM plan
Gov. Dave Freudenthal on Friday said the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's latest draft of a plan for managing oil and gas drilling in the Pinedale area was unacceptable. Read More
WORTH NOTING: Voters' guide promotes phone sex
An Oregon voters’ guide lists a very wrong number. California’s governor insults rural legislators. And Pennsylvania considers selling wine in vending machines. In case you missed those stories this week, “Worth Noting” fills you in. Read More
Parents turn to states for autism help
(UPDATED 4 p.m. EDT, Thursday May 1) One of the toughest problems facing autism patients, their families and policymakers is paying for treatment. Families are increasingly relying on states to help them cope with the financial, medical and educational needs. Read More
Legislators prod Congress on Medicaid, Real ID
As some states tumble into what they fear is a recession, state lawmakers from across the country are pushing Congress for relief from impending federal rules that would force states to pick up more Medicaid costs and spend billions to make drivers’ licenses more secure. Read More
WORTH NOTING: Phantom voter stalks Ala. State House
An Alabama lawmaker says someone’s been using his voting machine. Florida’s House Speaker locks the doors and turns off Internet access to make legislators pay attention. And Mayberry’s Sheriff Taylor endorses a North Carolina gubernatorial candidate. In case you missed those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in. Read More
Credit crunch hits states' college loans
(Updated 11:55 a.m. EDT, April 23, 2008)
The credit crisis has led some state lending agencies to suspend their federal and private student loan programs, forcing thousands of students to search elsewhere for money to pay for college. Read More
Turf wars rage over fake grass
State legislators are used to political turf wars. Now, debates in a handful of states really are about turf, pitting those who back the artificial variety against supporters of natural grass for playgrounds and athletic fields. Read More
The economic downturn: an opportunity for governors?
Most governors recognize that they have the best political job in America. Most also would concede that the job is more satisfying when the economy is strong and revenues are growing than during an economic downturn, when cutting budgets becomes the major task. But even a recession can present opportunities for governors to make improvements that yield lasting benefits for their states. Read More
WORTH NOTING: Illinois gov runs up travel tab
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s commuting costs start to add up. South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds settles a dispute with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over a cranky game warden. Read More |
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