FL: Price increases in Florida Prepaid College Plan shock parents saving for college costs
Margo Johnson always saw the Florida Prepaid College Plan as too good to pass up — until this year.
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Archive of Economy & Business on Tuesday October 27, 2009
FL: Price increases in Florida Prepaid College Plan shock parents saving for college costs
Margo Johnson always saw the Florida Prepaid College Plan as too good to pass up — until this year. Read More
MD: O'Malley urging mediation before foreclosures
BALTIMORE -- More than a year after Maryland officials set out to quell the foreclosure crisis with some of the most aggressive prevention programs in the nation, the number of homeowners on the brink is again on the rise. Read More
AK: Pipeline plan clogged with uncertainties
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Sarah Palin hit the vice presidential campaign trail last year and touted what Alaska could provide for the rest of America - a natural gas pipeline to help lead the country to energy independence. Read More
AK: Native leaders enlist legislators in contracting battle
Alaska Native leaders on Monday urged state lawmakers to join them in defending an embattled federal contracting program that has spurred enormous growth among Alaska Native firms in recent years. Read More
AK: Unsealed documents portray seamier side of Allen
Asking for leniency and a sentence of only six months in prison, Bill Allen wants a federal judge to look beyond his corruption of Alaska politics to a life of charity and job creation in the state. Read More
AK: Palin successor focuses on energy agenda
FAIRBANKS, Alaska -- When Sean Parnell was sworn in here as Alaska's 10th governor in July, dozens of reporters from the lower 48 states were on hand to mark the transfer of power from his celebrity predecessor, Sarah Palin. Read More
AR: Energy companies make case for climate bill
The bill would mandate reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and other pollutants. Backers say the economy would benefit from the bill, which would pave the way for new technology to be developed as the nation moves toward new energy sources. Read More
AR: NW Arkansas newspaper partnership starts Nov. 1
FAYETTEVILLE, SPRINGDALE, ROGERS, BENTONVILLE, Ark. — The Justice Department has closed its investigation related to failing newspapers in Northwest Arkansas, clearing the way for a joint venture to move forward, officials of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc., and Stephens Media LLC announced. Read More
AZ: Stimulus in Arizona off to a slow start
Economic-stimulus contracts with federal agencies have yet to provide a significant lift for Arizona businesses, with the state garnering a relatively low share of the total amount of federal contracts awarded so far. Read More
CA: Western lawmakers focus on regional collaboration
JACKSON, Wyo. — Lawmakers from many western states agreed Monday that they should consider collaborating on developing technology to capture and store the carbon gas that's generated from burning fossil fuels. Read More
CA: State official warns Costa Mesa on fairgrounds restrictions
COSTA MESA, Calif. -- A state official has warned city leaders that "the State will consider whatever options may be available to preserve the Fairgrounds value" if the city adopts a specific plan that diminishes the up-for-sale site's commercial value. Read More
CA: Bass tiring of governor's closed-door water talks
Assembly Speaker Karen Bass bristled Monday at the series of closed-door "Big 5" water negotiations that have been held between Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders of both parties recently. Read More
CA: Republicans balk at Delta water legislation
Two influential water districts and several environmental groups said Monday they support key elements of water legislation under negotiation in the Capitol. But the compromise is not good enough for Republican leaders, who said they still have "grave concerns" that the proposals would "create new layers of bureaucracy." Read More
CO: DPS sizes up fixes
Denver Public Schools is the first district in Colorado set to deploy stern academic reforms pushed by a White House education-stimulus program to fix the nation's worst schools. Read More
CO: Uranium mill clears Western Slope hurdles
A Canadian company's push to build the United States' first new conventional uranium mill since the Cold War has cleared local hurdles — despite environmental concerns — and won wary high-level support. Read More
CO: Ritter to reveal plan to rebalance Colorado's budget
Gov. Bill Ritter's office on Wednesday will reveal its plans to rebalance the state budget, likely meaning more cuts to state programs. Read More
CO: Loss of state funding threatens Colorado tire cleanup
SEDALIA, Colo. — Rick Welle's tire shredder whines under a bright sun, chipping slowly away at mounds of 80,000 discarded tires tucked among the sandy hills along Santa Fe Drive. Read More
CO: Colorado air-quality programs lose $31.5 million
Programs designed to improve Colorado's air quality are taking the biggest hit from a significant federal take-back of transportation funds that occurred at the end of September. Read More
CT: Tracking of federal stimulus dollars in Connecticut scattered, incomplete
Despite promises of transparency and accountability, information on how the state government is spending federal stimulus dollars is scattered and often incomplete. Read More
CT: Override a bad idea
Democratic state legislators may have come to their senses by now and figured out that it would be bad politics — as well as bad policy — to try to override Gov. M. Jodi Rell's veto of a bill that would stop her from cutting millions of dollars in spending on the state's judicial branch of government. Read More
DE: NCCo to look at advertising opportunities
Elected leaders are set to vote tonight on legislation that would allow them to craft a policy for selling, leasing or renting advertising space on county assets. While that term hasn't been defined yet, it could include anything from the government's buildings, parks and libraries to vehicles to its Web site. Read More
FL: Homeowners walking away from underwater mortgages
Many South Florida homeowners who can afford to make their mortgage payments are choosing not to, forcing the lender to foreclose. It's called strategic default. Read More
FL: Obama gives Florida Democrats a pep talk at Miami Beach fundraiser
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- In his second trip to Florida since his election, President Barack Obama told backers at a Miami Beach fundraiser not to worry about his critics: "I don't rattle." Read More
FL: Crist says he's hopeful for Seminoles gambling pact
Gov. Charlie Crist says there is still hope for a gambling deal between the state and the Seminole Tribe despite what a leading Florida legislator said last week. Read More
FL: Commission vote on FPL rate hike could signal shift in utilities' influence
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Utility regulators will decide Tuesday whether to comply with Gov. Charlie Crist's request to hold off voting on nearly $2 billion in base rate hikes for the state's two largest utilities. Read More
GA: 3 states meeting to discuss water war
For the first time since a federal judge's stunning decision in the tri-state water wars, Georgia's congressional delegation is planning to sit down with all of their counterparts from Florida and Alabama to discuss what to do next. Read More
GA: Georgia's technical colleges see record fall enrollment
Georgia's technical colleges experienced a record fall enrollment as thousands of adults returned to school in search of new careers because of the recession. Read More
GA: Hartsfield-Jackson gets $34M stimulus
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport said Monday it received $34 million in federal stimulus funds to help pay for the new Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr. International Terminal. Read More
HI: Hawaiian pilots ask for impasse, move closer to possible strike
Unionized Hawaiian Airlines pilots said today they believe their contract negotiations with the airline are at an impasse and asked the federal government to release them from mediation, a process that could start the clock for a future pilots' strike. Read More
HI: Hawaii's short school year is within rules
Hawaii's public schools won't fall below minimum accrediting standards even after chopping the number of instructional days to the fewest in the nation. Read More
HI: Spending by international students hits $160M
International students and their dependents spent $160 million in Hawaii during the last academic year. Read More
IA: Service providers worry about Iowa budget cuts
WEST DES MOINES -- Private service providers in Iowa are keeping a nervous eye on the Capitol, where decisions are being made on cutting $600 million in state funding this budget year. Read More
IA: DCI layoffs at casinos would not save money
A plan to eliminate the jobs of state law enforcement officers at Iowa's casinos will not save taxpayers any money, Iowa's chief gambling regulator confirmed Monday. Read More
IA: Film credits give states more money, headaches
More than 40 states, as well as some cities, counties and several Canadian provinces, offer some type of film subsidy, but the payback is a source of intense debate. Read More
IA: Slash newer programs, Republicans propose
Republicans weighing a campaign for governor suggest reducing state employee pay and eliminating newer Democratic priorities, such as certain economic development and education programs, when asked how they would balance the troubled state budget. Read More
IA: State officials repeatedly reached out to Electrolux
The state said Iowa leaders have worked diligently for a six years to keep the appliance manufacturer in Iowa and found little interest. Read More
ID: New money helps homeless students in Idaho
The number of school kids in Idaho who are homeless has been steadily growing over the past five years, with some local districts seeing spikes of 30 to 230 percent during the last two years, according to state and local school officials and data. Read More
ID: Employee group demands Otter delay premium hikes
An Idaho state workers association wants Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter to delay increasing health-insurance premiums for part-time government employees, saying the 2010 Legislature should review the move first. Read More
IL: Quinn names Illinois Commerce Commission member
Gov. Pat Quinn has appointed a vice president for the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies as a new member of the Illinois Commerce Commission. Read More
KS: Projection -- KCK casino will generate $203 million in first year
TOPEKA, Kan. -- A casino planned for Kansas City, Kan., will generate $203 million in gambling revenues its first year, according to a consultant's report released Monday. Read More
KS: State concerned by lack of hotels in casinos planned for KCK, Wichita
Topeka, Kan. — A Kansas review board remained troubled Monday because plans for casinos in the Kansas City and Wichita areas don't include hotels in their first phases. But consultants warned that holding out for better proposals would be risky. Read More
KS: State Board of Education chairwoman urges lawmakers to not cut school funding
Topeka, Kan. — State Board of Education Chairwoman Janet Waugh urged lawmakers on Monday not to cut public school funding any further. Read More
KS: Kansas regulators approve equalizing Westar rates
Kansas City, Mo. — Kansas regulators on Monday approved the consolidation of the rates paid by customers in Westar Energy Inc.'s northern and southern divisions. Read More
KY: GOP cries foul over Kelly's judgeship appointment
In a move sharply criticized by opponents of expanded gambling, Gov. Steve Beshear gave his Democratic Party a chance to gain another state Senate seat by appointing Republican Dan Kelly to a vacant judgeship Monday. Read More
KY: Jobless rate rises again in Kentucky
A state agency is once again reporting higher unemployment rates in Kentucky. The Office of Employment and Training released statistics Monday showing Magoffin County with a highest jobless rate in Kentucky at 21.4 percent, more than double its rate from a year ago. Read More
KY: PSC to give update on natural gas prices
Kentuckians curious about the price of natural gas for the upcoming winter can get the latest information from the Kentucky Public Service Commission. Read More
KY: Wildcat 'Coal' Lodge debate rages
A divided University of Kentucky Board of Trustees meets Tuesday to decide whether to accept $7 million from a group of private donors to build what would be called Wildcat Coal Lodge. Read More
KY: Luallen named Public Official of the Year
A national magazine that focuses on state and local government has named State Auditor Crit Luallen one of 2009's Public Officials of the Year. Read More
LA: TOPS overhaul urged by LSU System president
Louisiana should consider overhauling the TOPS scholarship program, charging standardized tuition rates for core undergraduate instruction and eliminating state subsidies for university research, the head of the Louisiana State University System said Monday. The alternative would be to raise student tuition by as much as 20 percent to make up for an expected $150 million cut in state support. Read More
LA: Medicaid cost-cutting recommended by state official
The state Department of Health and Hospitals has recommended a $232.5 million cost-cutting option in Medicaid rate reductions that would trim the state budget while lowering compensation to private health care providers. Read More
LA: N.O. education dollars from federal stimulus package in limbo
When federal financing formulas reduced New Orleans' share of education money in the federal stimulus package from a projected $25 million down to $673,000, Obama administration officials promised to fix the shortfall. Read More
MA: Just ONE thing in mind -- Taxes
In Boston, the livin' is never easy. And now Bay Staters face yet another challenge, according to the liberal group ONE Massachusetts: You're undertaxed. Read More
MA: Mass. home sales rise for 3rd straight month
Single-family home sales in Massachusetts increased for the third consecutive month in September, and the median price for homes sold dropped 1.4 percent to $285,000 from $289,000 from September 2008, the smallest drop in year-over-year monthly median home prices in about two years, the Warren Group said in a report on local residential real estate activity. Read More
MA: Feds blast Deval Patrick on cuts to disabled
A top federal official rapped Gov. Deval Patrick yesterday for a belt-tightening move that could worsen a Social Security backlog, leaving tens of thousands of disabled citizens desperately waiting for benefits. Read More
MA: Robert DeLeo, Therese Murray cut legislative staff
House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo and Senate President Therese Murray are slashing legislative jobs and budgets in an effort to backfill a $600 million budget deficit. Read More
MA: Summit stiffs candidates
Organizers of today's economic summit, billed by Gov. Deval Patrick as a non-partisan effort to map out recovery for Massachusetts, deliberately snubbed Treasurer Tim Cahill and two other gubernatorial candidates vying for Patrick's job. Read More
MD: Advocates claim success for Medicaid outreach
BALTIMORE -- Health care advocates said Monday that they had met their goal of adding 10,000 Baltimore residents to Medicaid rolls since the state expanded coverage and lowered eligibility requirements last year. Read More
MD: Substance abuse assessment provides clues, raises questions
More than 7,000 people across Maryland who struggle with substance abuse aren't receiving publicly funded treatment for it, according to the results of a recently completed county-by-county treatment needs assessment. Read More
MD: Winter heating worries ratepayer advocates
Nearly 19,000 Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. customers who are trying to pay off last winter's soaring energy bills have defaulted on their special payment plans. Read More
ME: Advocate: FairPoint bankrupcty won't hurt NH users
CONCORD, N.H. -- New Hampshire's consumer advocate says FairPoint Communications' bankruptcy should not affect customers' phone service. Read More
MI: Budget anger is boiling over
Talk of taxes and reforms swirled Monday from Lansing to Oakland County, where Gov. Jennifer Granholm argued for money to replace what she and lawmakers cut from schools, and her chief rival called her plea futile. Read More
MI: Lawmakers wait for next move
State lawmakers will gather back in the state's capital today to resume efforts to pass a state budget by 11:59 p.m. Saturday. Read More
MI: Editorial: Gov. Granholm's attack on Prop A misdirected
Gov. Jennifer Granholm told a Grand Rapids audience last week she wants to rejigger the state school aid funding formula because it no longer is working. Read More
MN: Primary concern -- Fewer family doctors
It's one small piece of health care reform, but it's a big deal for medical schools and doctor's offices: forgiving the student loans of doctors who choose primary care. Read More
MN: Housing aid -- End of a lifeline
With two emergency housing aid programs slated to end this week, officials are worried that homelessness figures, especially among single adults, will rise. Read More
MO: Report -- Mo. public defender system in 'crisis'
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's criminal justice system continues to be threatened by a severely overtaxed public defenders system, according to a new study. Read More
MO: Analysis -- Missouri finally produces Medicaid report
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — After claiming for more than a year that it could not do so, the Missouri Department of Social Services finally has obeyed a state law and published a list of employers whose workers get government-funded Medicaid health care coverage. Read More
MO: Rehab program setting youths straight
RIVERVIEW, Mo. — When the 15-year-old joined his friends in stealing a car this summer, he didn't have a clue what karma meant, or how his crime would affect the car's owner — or even his own mother. Read More
MS: MDOT to widen I-10 in D'Iberville area
The Mississippi Department of Transportation will begin a $12.8 million Interstate 10 widening project Monday, which will expand the road to eight lanes between D'Iberville and the first Ocean Springs exit. Read More
MS: Chevron reports molten sulfur leak from Pascagoula refinery
PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- Chevron Corp. on Monday said a pipeline leak at its Pascagoula refinery dumped molten sulfur into Bayou Casotte over the weekend. Read More
MS: Auditor targets Microsoft case fees
JACKSON, Miss. – If state Auditor Stacey Pickering has his way, attorneys will have to turn over $8 million they made in helping the state reach a $40 million lawsuit settlement with computer giant Microsoft. Read More
NC: Right to sue Google defended
The N.C. Institute for Constitutional Law argued before a three-judge panel at the N.C. Court of Appeals on Monday afternoon that it would be wrong under state law to bar the three taxpayers it represents from the courthouse. Read More
NC: Lost laptop has doctors' data
Social Security numbers for nearly every doctor in North Carolina were stolen this summer, but many just recently found out about the security breach. Read More
NC: Appeals court hears arguments in Google case
A group opposing state incentives for corporations has told the North Carolina Court of Appeals the taxpayers it represents should be able to challenge tax breaks used to lure Google to Caldwell County. Read More
NE: Special session -- Senators want to know where you'd cut
Not everyone wants to just cut state agency budgets, state senators learned at a Monday night town hall meeting to get ideas for the upcoming special Legislative session on the state budget. Read More
NE: Web site wants input on state budget
A state senator from Omaha has created an online site to gives Nebraskans a voice on potential budget cuts. Read More
NE: Nebraska corn harvest furthest behind since 1982
Nebraska's latest weekly crop report says fall harvest continues to lag because of chilly, wet weather. Read More
NH: Law stings laid-off workers, employers
The state will pay roughly three times as much in unemployment claims this year as it did in 2008. Read More
NH: Nottingham secession move dropped
NOTTINGHAM, N.H. -- Selectman Chair Mary Bonser last week made a surprise motion to consider seceding from the state, complaining that the town had no other recourse after years of fighting a state permit allowing water bottler USA Springs to pull about 300,000 gallons a day from local wells. Last night, Bonser withdrew her motion. Read More
NH: FairPoint enters bankruptcy court
FairPoint Communications will appear before a New York judge this afternoon to begin a Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding. The company filed for bankruptcy protection yesterday, about a year and a half after purchasing Verizon's landline network in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont with high hopes for expanding services and bringing new products to the region. Read More
NM: Governor seeks input on service cuts
Gov. Bill Richardson is warning of cuts in critical state services in the wake of a Legislature-approved package of budget cuts, but his office couldn't provide details Monday on where those cuts could come. Read More
NM: Is the guv getting ready for line-item vetoes?
Gov. Bill Richardson sounds a lot like a man who's getting ready to line-item veto certain provisions in a bill the Legislature approved last week that makes deep cuts to state government. Read More
NM: Gov. Richardson freezes "pork projects"
Waiting until January to cut capital outlay projects isn't good enough, Governor Bill Richardson said today as he moved to cancel "pork projects." Read More
NV: More welfare going to parents here illegally
Jose Silva had just obtained an appointment in three weeks to see whether his family would be eligible for monthly welfare benefits. Read More
NV: Reid public option choice could move the debate to state lawmakers
U.S. Sen. Harry Reid's decision Monday that the Senate health care bill would allow states to opt out of the government health care plan ultimately could push the raging debate into state legislatures. Read More
NV: What's at stake in House hearing on OSHA
When the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee holds a hearing Thursday to examine the failings of Nevada's workplace-safety program, representatives will try to answer two overarching questions: Why did the state agency charged with keeping workers safe on the job fail so badly — and are those failures symptomatic of a national problem? Read More
NV: NV Energy says rates could tumble
NV Energy detailed strong earnings growth in the third quarter, but company officials discussing the results Monday focused less on the past and more on trends that could curb rates and boost efficiencies in the years to come. Read More
NV: Governor's staff chief takes unusual step of fundraising
The governor's chief of staff, Robin Reedy, is hitting up his supporters for money to help finance his reelection bid. Read More
NY: N.Y. tops in population loss
New York suffered the largest loss of residents to other states in the nation from 2000 to 2008, with more than 1.5 million people leaving, a report Monday found. Read More
NY: New rule called obstacle to wind power
Gov. David Paterson has ambitious renewable energy goals for New York state -- most of which he is trying to meet by encouraging the construction of large wind turbines. But wind farm advocates say that a new regulation adopted less than two weeks ago by the state Public Service Commission may severely curtail future construction of large-scale commercial wind farms in upstate New York. Read More
NY: State's ink a deeper shade of red
Gov. David Paterson's call for the Legislature to return for a special budget-cutting session on Nov. 10 may be well-timed: It will likely come as the state enters what finance experts call a month-to-month "negative cash flow" situation for the first time in recent memory. Read More
NY: Buffalo's largest foreclosure auction is under way
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Niagara Convention Center is jammed with aspiring property owners today as bidders participate in the largest foreclosure auction in city history. As of this morning, 3,478 properties remained on the selling block. But the number is shrinking by the hour, as people who owe back taxes and fees scramble to pay their debts. Read More
OH: Issue 2 opponents slow to mount campaign
The battle over the treatment of farm livestock animals has so far been decidedly one-sided with opponents showing little sign of raising funds to counter TV ads promoting the ballot issue. Read More
OH: Proposal could raise Ohio telephone rates
Consumers relying on telephone land lines could see their rates climb for basic service under proposed state legislation to ease industry regulation, a coalition of consumer groups charged yesterday. Read More
OH: Ohio casino backers and foes debate at Xavier
NORTH AVONDALE -- Concerned citizens got a chance Monday night to ask last-minute questions about Issue 3, the issue before voters next week that would amend the state constitution to legalize construction of one casino in each of Ohio's four largest cities, including one at Cincinnati's Broadway Commons. Read More
OH: Ohio bill would exempt guns from federal rules
DAYTON -- State lawmakers have introduced a bill that would allow guns made and sold in Ohio to be exempt from federal firearms regulations. Read More
OH: Ohio Supreme Court asked to review ruling in alleged scam
Two companies that were hit with crushing fines for allegedly fleecing senior citizens in Ohio asked the Ohio Supreme Court yesterday to take another look at their case. Read More
OH: Tough climate-change bill touted as good for state
The more a congressional climate-change bill cracks down on greenhouse-gas emissions, the better the long-term prospects for Ohio's economy, according to a report yesterday by renewable-energy business advocates. Read More
OR: Ore. lottery chief: don't cut bars' commissions
The director of the Oregon Lottery says cutting gambling commissions would be "too risky" for the lottery and the bars and taverns that offer video gambling. Read More
OR: PERS is a gift that keeps on giving
One number leapt off the page of Ted Sickinger's report in The Sunday Oregonian on the exploding cost of the Public Employees Retirement System: Higher pension costs facing state agencies over the next two years could equal 60 percent of the $733 million in new taxes that voters will consider in January. Read More
OR: Ted Kulongoski unveils 'green' goals for 2009
Saying he wants all Oregonians to "live cleaner, greener lives," Gov. Ted Kulongoski unveiled a sweeping energy agenda Monday designed to combat global warming with everything from zero-emission skyscrapers to tiny electric cars. Read More
PA: Trial lawyers' donations become issue in state Supreme Court race
A candidate for an open seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court said Monday her opponent may have been unduly influenced by donations from trial lawyers, although she has received lesser amounts from the same sources. Read More
PA: Coal industry protections drafted into climate bill
WASHINGTON -- A group of coal state senators including Pennsylvania's Bob Casey Jr. and Arlen Specter have negotiated protections for the coal industry into a draft of climate change legislation. Read More
PA: Region's jobless rate hits 23-year high
Unemployment in the Pittsburgh region reached 8.1 percent for September, the highest in 23 years. The unemployment rate in August was 7.9 percent. Read More
PA: Supreme Court candidate hits rival over contributions
Superior Court Judge Joan Orie Melvin has launched a sharp attack on Judge Jack Panella, her Democratic opponent for a state Supreme Court seat next Tuesday, claiming it was unethical for him to take $1 million in campaign contributions from trial lawyers, whose cases he rules on regularly. Read More
RI: Federal data predicts a steady heating bill for Rhode Islanders this winter
Federal data predicts it will cost Rhode Islanders who use oil heat $1,547 this winter, $1,222 for those who use natural gas and $1,088 for those who use electric heat. Those figures are based on a 2,000-square-foot house with a thermostat constantly set at 68 degrees. Read More
RI: Advocates push for bill to cap utility costs for the poor
Advocates push for law to limit maximum payments to a portion of income; other ratepayers would pick up the tab. Read More
SC: SCANA earnings rise on tax refund
SCANA Corp.'s said today its third quarter earnings rose 9.6 percent as the state's only Fortune 500 company benefited from a $15 million state tax refund. Read More
SC: Legislators hint at mystery deal; is it Boeing?
The General Assembly will reconvene for a two-day special session today to restore unemployment benefits lost by thousands of jobless South Carolinians. But the session also could yield a surprise by clearing the way for what lawmakers say could be a significant economic development project. Read More
SD: Jobless rate shows stimulus folly
What shouldn't be unresolvable is the question of whether government spending or private sector growth is the engine of economic prosperity. Read More
TN: Republican Pat Marsh joins state House
Shelbyville businessman Pat Marsh has been sworn into the state House and assigned to the Commerce and Transportation committees. Read More
TX: State suing to shut plants while fatal incidents probed
Texas' attorney general has filed suit to temporarily close two affiliated industrial waste facilities in south Houston and Port Arthur until dozens of operational changes are made. Read More
TX: Gov. Perry promotes Texas in the Big Apple
The governor spoke at the NASDAQ Closing Bell Ceremony, where he said that Texas is about more than boots, hats and barbecue. Read More
TX: Former ambassador, state senator dies at home in Amarillo
Teel Bivins, a Panhandle cattleman, businessman and former state senator whose loyalty to George W. Bush led to his appointment as the U.S. ambassador to Sweden, died Monday at his Amarillo home, a family spokeswoman said. Read More
US: Toxic Chinese drywall creates a housing disaster
Along the Gulf Coast and across the country, it's being called a "silent hurricane." Between 2004 and 2007, an estimated 100,000 homes in more than 20 states were built with toxic drywall imported from China. Read More
US: The challenge in counting stimulus returns
As the government implements the $787 billion stimulus program, the effect of the spending and tax cuts are proving difficult to measure. Read More
US: Senate bill has public option
WASHINGTON -- The Senate will consider in its health-care legislation whether the government should run and fund a plan to compete with private insurance, but states could choose not to participate in the public option. Read More
US: Obama to detail stimulus spending on 'smart grid'
WASHINGTON -- President Obama and administration officials today will announce $3.4 billion in spending projects to modernize the nation's electric power system. Read More
US: Public option push in Senate comes with escape hatch
WASHINGTON — The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, sided with his party's liberals on Monday and announced that he would include a government-run insurance plan in health care legislation that he plans to take to the Senate floor within a few weeks. Read More
US: Colleges are pushed to convert loan system
Congress has not given final approval to legislation ending federal subsidies for private student loans for college. But Secretary of Education Arne Duncan sent a letter Monday to thousands of colleges and universities urging them to get ready to use the government's Direct Loan Program in the 2010-11 school year. Read More
US: Gulf govs. push European defense bid
Politicians along the nation's Gulf Coast are teaming up with other southern lawmakers to promote a bid by European defense giant EADS to build a new aerial refueling tanker for the Air Force. Read More
US: Poor unemployment insurance planning ads extra burden to Conn., South Dakota employers
Employers in Connecticut and South Dakota face hefty tax increases in the midst of a recession because their states' unemployment insurance trust funds ran dry last week. Read More
VA: Franklin mill closure definite, company spokesman says
NORFOLK, Va. -- International Paper Co.'s decision is final: The paper mill outside Franklin will close in the spring, eliminating 1,100 jobs, a spokesman said Monday night. Read More
VA: Cuts in state funds run localities off the road
SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. -- State road funding declines to "Why Bother?" status, says Spotsylvania supervisor Read More
VA: Economist -- Area will lead Va. out of recession
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- The Fredericksburg area has weathered the recession better than most parts of the U.S., though the region has suffered worse than in previous downturns. Read More
WA: $7B in recovery dollars flowing to WA state
So far, some $7 billion in federal recovery money has been flowing to Washington state. Read More
WA: Chance of more jail cuts worry police, officials
Earlier this month, due to diminished resources, the state Department of Corrections began sending some felons who violated probation home with an ankle bracelet instead of back to prison. Read More
WI: Wisconsin tax collections continue to lag
Wisconsin tax collections for the three-month period ending in September continue to lag last year's figures. Read More
WI: Wis. nonprofit gets $3.3M grant for solar training
A Wisconsin nonprofit will train solar power instructors throughout the Midwest with a $3.3 million federal grant. Read More
WV: Ex-asbestos official gets 1 year for helping rig bids
A former head of the West Virginia Capitol's asbestos abatement program was sentenced to a year in prison in federal court in Maryland last week. Paul Prendergast, 47, of Gaithersburg, Md., pleaded guilty in October 2007 to violating the federal Travel Act by leaking confidential bidding information to a company in Maryland. Read More
WV: Steps outlined to curb abuse of state vehicles
The Manchin administration on Monday outlined steps it is taking to fix rampant misuse of state vehicles for commuting and other personal uses, in response to a legislative audit critical of the problem. Read More
WY: States explore differences, similarities
TETON VILLAGE, Wyo. -- Although it's unlikely Western states can agree on a single approach to energy and environmental policy, state leaders hope the interdependence of energy producers and energy consumers within the region will yield some common goals. Read More
WY: WyoLoan to suspend practices in March
The Cheyenne-based non-profit Wyoming Student Loan Association will suspend making new loans indefinitely starting in March as it eyes legislation that would put the government in charge of all federal student lending. Read More
WY: Advocates push for free legal aid services
Without free legal aid services, "poor people don't get justice," says Jennifer Winters of Cheyenne. Read More
Damage, yields concerns for some Miss. farmers
NEW ORLEANS — Mississippi farmers are reporting widespread soybean damage and declining yields as soggy weather continues to hamper harvest. Read More
College faces big cutbacks
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. -- Plattsburgh State would have to cut nearly 70 positions to wipe out a multi-million-dollar budget deficit. Or the State University of New York could increase tuition another $670, though if history repeats itself, the state would simply keep that money to fill its own budget holes. Read More
Report shows states' revenue sources
Sales and property tax payments account for more than 60 percent of state and local government tax revenue, according to a new analysis that also singles out the states that rely most heavily on one kind of tax. Read More
Behind open doors, states track stimulus
 What do an FBI fraud team, a showdown between a governor and the legislature, and a sophisticated online system called geographic information systems have in common? All are part of states’ efforts to ensure that billions in federal stimulus money are spent wisely within their borders.
Read More
Weekly wrap: Early stimulus reports show gain in teaching, construction jobs
States and contractors begin releasing stimulus jobs data; a costly computer contract haunts Virginia, and New Mexico is facing a fiscal crisis. Read More |
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