Delaware on Friday May 09, 2008

Archive of Delaware on Friday May 09, 2008

Governor hopefuls urge investigations
By Jeff Montgomery, The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)
Three major-party gubernatorial candidates called Thursday for an aggressive investigation into the causes of cancer that occurs in some Delaware communities above the state average.
Read More

Bill would restrict eminent domain
By Adam Taylor, The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)
WILMINGTON, Del. - The latest eminent domain reform bill in the state legislative pipeline would bring riverfront development "to a screeching halt" if passed, Mayor James M. Baker said Thursday.
Read More

Neutral govs to remain on sidelines
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer

In the homestretch of an unprecedented presidential primary season, spinning with competing sound-bites and endless rhetoric, voters still heading to the polls in four states can’t look to their governors for any pre-election advice. These governors plan to wait until after their states vote to make their own endorsements.
Read More

WORTH NOTING: Illinois treasurer shows his knowledge of charges
By Daniel C. Vock, Stateline.org Staff Writer
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) endures a bruising charge from Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D). A new Utah law stirs Salt Lake City bartenders to create a new drink. And Louisiana prison guards get outside help to prevent escapes. In case you missed those stories this week, Worth Noting fills you in.
Read More

Wind farm bill to ease burden on customers tabled
By J.L Miller, The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)
A legislative move to keep Delmarva Power from having its customers foot the bill for the Bluewater wind farm fight fizzled Thursday, at least temporarily.
Read More

Delawareans' lives change as gas prices soar
By Aaron Nathans, The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)
She's canceled her summer vacation, consolidated her shopping trips, even bought a smaller car. Still, Suzanne Lubin is paying more for gasoline.
Read More

Attorneys general reach Facebook agreement
By Marcus Moore, The Gazette (Gaithersburg)
In an attempt to make the Internet safer for children, all but one of the nation's state attorneys general have turned their attention to another popular social networking site.
Read More

Facebook reaches agreement on sex predators
By Amy Worden, The Philadelphia Inquirer (registration)
Facebook, the world's second-largest social-networking Web site, has reached an agreement with state law enforcement authorities across the country aimed at protecting children from sexual predators.
Read More

Facebook safeguards will protect young users
By The Associated Press, CNN.com
HARTFORD, Conn. - Facebook, the world's second-largest social networking Web site, will add more than 40 safeguards to protect young users from sexual predators and cyberbullies, attorneys general from several states said Thursday.
Read More

Facebook agrees to shield kids from adult content
By Phuong Cat Le, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Social networking giant Facebook has agreed to better protect children on its Web site, including providing automatic warning messages when a child is in danger of giving personal information to an unknown adult.
Read More

Silver Alert helps rescue lost seniors
By Christine Vestal, Stateline.org Staff Writer
(Updated 9:30 a.m EST, May 8, 2008)

When an elderly person with dementia is lost, eight states can trigger an alert to let the community know. Proposals in Congress would expand the successful missing persons program to all 50 states.
Read More

At-risk gubernatorial seats increase
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

After a pair of hard-fought primaries, North Carolina joins Missouri, Washington and Indiana on Out There's list of states where partisan control of the governorship could flip this fall.
Read More

Will states fix 2012 primary process?
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer

While voters in Indiana and North Carolina go to the polls today (May 6) to help Democrats pick Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama as their nominee and Republicans rally behind John McCain, party insiders and state election officials are in informal talks to improve the presidential nominating contests for 2012 and beyond.
Read More

Oh say, is that banner made in the U.S.A.?
By Kim Mendelsohn, Special to Stateline.org
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

WORTH NOTING: Voters' guide promotes phone sex
By Pauline Vu, Stateline.org Staff Writer
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
By Daniel C. Vock, Stateline.org Staff Writer
(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

Fairness of death-penalty panels questioned
By John Gramlich, Stateline.org Staff Writer
Death-penalty supporters are raising questions about the fairness of state commissions charged with studying how capital punishment is carried out in Maryland and Tennessee, claiming the panels will issue reports that ignore their views.
Read More

Legislators prod Congress on Medicaid, Real ID
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer
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

With justices' OK, voter ID moves ahead
By Daniel C. Vock and John Gramlich, Stateline.org Staff Writers
A decision Monday (April 28) by the U.S. Supreme Court to let Indiana demand photo identification from voters paves the way for other states to do the same during November’s presidential election, experts say.
Read More

23 states face budget gaps in '09
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer

Like a college student fishing for stray quarters in the sofa cushions, states are tightening their belts, dipping into their rainy day funds and hoping revenues will pick up. But the faltering economy already has punched a $26 billion hole in 23 state budgets for 2009 – and it could get worse, according to a new report issued today (April 25).

Will Democrats grow legislative edge in '08?
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

For the past several election cycles, the Democrats have been on a roll in legislative elections. This year, the party is well-positioned to hold its majority of chambers — but greatly expanding Democratic control may not be in the cards.

'Purple' states turn a little more 'blue'
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

The national polls point to a tight presidential race in November. But Democrats have a bit more to cheer about than Republicans do, regardless of who wins the Democratic primary, according to the latest state-by-state electoral-vote projections by “Out There.”
Read More

Governors pitch ambitious programs
By Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org Staff Writer

Billion-dollar deficits in California, New York and Arizona haven’t stopped governors there and elsewhere from proposing big-ticket items for 2008. Stateline.org looks at proposals from governors’ 2008 "state of the state" speeches and provides an exclusive summary of all the addresses so far.

Summary of the State of the State Address

Gov. Ruth Ann Minner (D) asked lawmakers in her address Jan. 18 to create a registry of health disparities among minorities and ethnic groups, provide cervical-cancer vaccine to all uninsured girls and launch a homeland-security initiative that would fingerprint every fourth-grader in the state. Minner also asked the politically split General Assembly to ease the First State’s already business-friendly tax code.
Read More

Commentary: Govs beat White House hopefuls as agents of change
By Gene Gibbons, Stateline.org Executive Editor

This column was published simultaneously by The Politico.

It took a while for most of the presidential candidates to figure out that voters want “change” and action on a variety of issues that affect their lives. They might have gotten it sooner if they had noticed the way that many states, led by innovative governors, are moving forward in areas like health care, immigration and global warming.
Read More

Iraq casts shadow on 2008 state races
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org Columnist

Not a single governor or state legislator wields authority over the conduct of the Iraq War, yet a broad range of party strategists and political analysts agree that state races in 2008 will be shaped, mostly indirectly, by public attitudes towards that conflict. Unless there’s a sea change in public opinion, that’s bad news for Republicans.
Read More

Democratic mid-term gains affecting policy
By Louis Jacobson, Stateline.org columnist
So complete was the Democratic rout in the 2006 midterm elections that the party even gained legislative influence in Alaska, Idaho, North and South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming – states long dominated by the Republicans. And those gains, though small, are translating into policy achievements.
Read More

WORTH NOTING: Illinois gov runs up travel tab
By Christine Vestal, Stateline.org Staff Writer
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. California corrections officials install “flushometers” to control wasteful toilet flushing in prisons. In case you missed any of those stories this week, "Worth Noting" fills you in.
Read More

Visit the Stateline.org Delaware Page

Read More