'As states, we compete,' Wyo. governor says
Gaining the competitive edge seems to be on the minds of state officials more than usual.
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Archive of Economy & Business on Wednesday October 28, 2009
'As states, we compete,' Wyo. governor says
Gaining the competitive edge seems to be on the minds of state officials more than usual. Read More
US: Early reports -- Job gains signal stimulus impact
WASHINGTON — States have reported using stimulus money to create or save more than 388,000 jobs so far this year, buttressing the Obama administration's claim that the $787 billion plan has had a significant impact on the economy. Read More
AK: Palin got $1.25 million retainer for book while in office
Sarah Palin was paid $1.25 million while governor in advance of her upcoming memoir. Read More
AK: Stranded rural Alaskans can get tickets home
Some villagers and other rural Alaskans stranded in Anchorage for lack of a plane ticket can get home through a new partnership of Cook Inlet Tribal Council and Lutheran Social Services. Read More
AK: Anchorage legislative building reconsidered
ANCHORAGE, Alaksa – Alaska lawmakers are talking again about building a new legislative office building in Anchorage. Read More
AL: State jobless rate among worst in US
For September, Alabama had the 10th-highest unemployment rate among the 50 states. It also recorded the nation's third-fast?est growth in unemployment for the last year. Read More
AL: Governor roasts officials over 'pork' transfers
Gov. Bob Riley asked four-year college and university presidents Tuesday to notify him if legislators or other elected officials attempt to hide spending in their districts by transferring money through their schools. Read More
AR: Poll shows lottery backlash
Fewer than half of Arkansans have a favorable opinion of the state's new lottery, and more than half say they are unlikely to buy a lottery ticket in the next 12 months. Read More
AZ: 300 protest child-care fee hike
Hundreds of people appealed to Gov. Jan Brewer on Tuesday in an effort to prevent steep increases to child-care licensing fees that could raise the cost of care. Read More
AZ: ADOT: 15% cut would decimate services, staff
The Arizona Department of Transportation has told the Governor's Office that it would have to close all highway rest stops, shutter most MVD offices and suspend all highway maintenance except for emergency repairs, if the state closes its budget gap through spending cuts alone. Read More
AZ: State's trial balloon about as believable as Colorado balloon boy
I know that the state of Arizona is in a bad way, that the Republican governor wants to raise taxes and the Republican Legislature doesn't and that the $1.5 billion hole in the state budget is only going to get deeper and deeper the longer our leaders do, well, nothing. Read More
AZ: Adjusted state unemployment rate hits 17.2%
New federal figures show Arizona's real unemployment situation is already in double digits - 17.2 percent - when also accounting for people who are "underemployed" because they can't find full-time work and discouraged Arizonans who have given up their job search. Read More
AZ: Plan on midyear cuts, school districts told
Education proponents painted a grim picture Monday evening for school board members trying to grapple with the state of their district budgets. Read More
CA: Schwarzenegger airs Medicaid cost concerns, but still backs action
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday reiterated his call for Congress to pass a bill this year to overhaul the U.S. health-care system, while also expressing concerns about the legislation's potential impact on state budgets. Read More
CA: Another member of L.A. pension board resigns
Another pension appointee of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa resigned Tuesday, the seventh to depart in the last six months amid increased scrutiny of the state's public employee retirement systems. Read More
CA: California water legislation at a standstill
Lawmakers have been chewing over water legislation for weeks, unable to seal a final deal despite threats from the governor, weekend negotiating sessions and their own deep desire to disprove the widespread perception that they can't get anything done. Read More
CO: Gov. Ritter adds four state furlough days in 2010
State employees, many of whom are set to take four furlough days this year, will see four more unpaid days in the first six months of 2010, Gov. Bill Ritter said Tuesday. Read More
CO: Wind-turbine maker Vestas to slow Colorado job growth
A weak market for wind turbines in the U.S. will slow job growth at Vestas Wind Systems' four Colorado plants, Ditlev Engel, the company's chief executive, said Tuesday. Read More
CO: Stimulus money a "lifeline" for Colorado
The stimulus money flowing through state agencies has saved or created almost 4,500 jobs in Colorado so far, most of them in colleges and prisons. Read More
CO: Colorado in crosshairs of nuke boom if climate bill sparks uranium revival
Colorado, historically a major uranium-producing state, will be ground zero of the nation's nuclear revival if that form of power enjoys the renaissance proponents say is necessary for climate change legislation to win approval in the U.S. Senate. Read More
CT: Moody's releases 'negative outlook' for state's bonding prospects
Wall Street released a "negative outlook" for Connecticut's bonding prospects Tuesday, unleashing worries that state taxpayers may have to pay millions more to finance future borrowing by the state government. Read More
CT: Housing permits down 43% from September '08
The number of new homes being built in Connecticut continues to lag behind last year's pace, with data released Tuesday showing the number of housing permits issued in September fell 43 percent from a year ago. Read More
CT: E-mails cast doubt on Rell in flap over budget poll
University of Connecticut professor Kenneth Dautrich conducted a $6,000 poll this spring on the orders of Gov. M. Jodi Rell's chief of staff aimed at weighing voters' attitudes toward tax increases, borrowing and service cuts as Rell struggled to gain an upper hand over legislative Democrats in a brewing standoff over the state budget. Read More
CT: UConn trying new approach to resolve cash-strapped health center
With a fresh set of players and too little support in the legislature for a new hospital, the University of Connecticut is looking for a collaborative solution to resolve the long-running problem of its cash-strapped health center in Farmington. Read More
DE: Markell fills coffers with political capital
For Gov. Jack Markell, news that the Boxwood auto assembly line would roll again is more than a boon to the economy, it has the makings of a political victory of major proportions. Read More
FL: State regulators delay vote on Progress Energy, FPL rate increases
Handing Gov. Charlie Crist a win, state utility regulators voted Tuesday to delay a decision on large rate increases sought by Progress Energy Florida and Florida Power & Light. Read More
FL: `Smart' power gets a jolt with U.S. funds
ARCADIA, Fla. -- The Obama administration has awarded Florida Power & Light a $200 million grant to put smart meters in customers' homes and improve the reliability of the grid. Read More
FL: Study raises new red flag on coastal development
MIAMI -- Despite growing concerns about rising sea levels, Atlantic states, led by Florida, continue to steer development toward the coast, a new study finds. Read More
FL: Fla. offshore drilling being debated on Internet
Computer users will be able to participate in an interactive debate over opening Florida waters to offshore drilling for oil and natural gas. Read More
FL: Utility regulators delay vote on rate increase
Handing Gov. Charlie Crist a win, state utility regulators voted Tuesday to delay a decision on large rate increases sought by Progress Energy and Florida Power & Light. Read More
FL: Cuba travel clears one hurdle
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The Broward County Commission took the first steps to becoming a gateway to Cuba. Read More
GA: $200 million in stimulus funds flows to Georgia to update power grid
WASHINGTON -- More than $200 million in federal stimulus money is expected to flow into projects in Georgia as part of the Obama Administration's plans to upgrade the nation's aging electric grid. Read More
GA: Embattled charter schools agency gets grant
The Georgia Charter Schools Commission, which is facing a legal challenge from several of the state's largest school systems, has won a $35,000 grant in a national competition. Read More
GA: Georgia colleges recruit growing population of Latino students
If Georgia's public colleges are to succeed -- and the state's economy is to flourish -- during the next couple of decades, recruiters must learn how to convince a growing group of students, and their families, that higher education is a good deal. Read More
HI: Hawaii visitor arrivals up 7.2 percent for September, but spending down 3%
The state's top industry got some good news with today's announcement that September visitor arrivals rose by 7.2 percent to 494,376 visitors. It was the third monthly rise in visitor arrivals in a row. Read More
HI: Hawaii auto sales projected to fall again this year, improve in 2010
Hawaii automobile sales are forecast to fall for the fourth consecutive year this year, but should show modest improvement in 2010, according to a report from the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association. Read More
IA: Decision day arrives for Culver on budget cuts
Gov. Chet Culver will release at 3 p.m. today his plan for slicing $565 million from the budgets of 39 state departments and agencies. Read More
IA: Iowa law hampers film tax recovery
Iowa's attorney general wants to recoup some of the $32 million in film tax credits awarded by the state, but the odds of that may be slim, a tax-credit specialist said Tuesday. Read More
IA: Retooled subsidy program focuses on conservation
MINBURN -- Rick Hartmann's organic vegetable farm did not produce a single bushel of corn or soybeans, which account for the bulk of the federal crop subsidies paid to farmers in Iowa and across the Midwest. Read More
IA: Iowa panel to weigh in on Missouri River's future
A state commission charged with developing policies for the Missouri River is working to develop a strategic plan for the waterway that makes up a large share of Iowa's western border. Read More
ID: Idaho students share in $112M debt settlement
BOISE, Idaho — Three dozen former Idaho students from a bankrupt helicopter training school will share in a $112 million debt-relief settlement with lender Student Loan Xpress. Read More
ID: Idaho could end Dworshak park lease to save money
The Department of Parks and Recreation may terminate its lease of Dworshak State Park with the federal government amid a state budget crisis, leaving the north-central Idaho recreation area's future in doubt. Read More
IL: Compromised care -- Illinois has cited half of best nursing homes
Half of Illinois' best nursing homes -- those rated four or five stars by the federal government -- have been cited at least once since 2001 for misusing psychotropic drugs, and some violations involved injuries and deaths, the Tribune has found. Read More
IL: What the taxpayers' poll really says
Don't raise taxes and cut the state's budget dramatically in areas we can't identify. Read More
IL: Quinn wants to borrow $900 million to pay for college scholarships, health care
Gov. Pat Quinn wants to take out a $900 million short-term loan to help free up money for college scholarships and get Illinois' rickety finances through traditionally lean months. Read More
IN: Surprised by rising values
Expect property taxes to be back in the headlines now that November bills are due. Read More
IN: Delay sought in Indiana business tax increase
State Republican leaders on Tuesday proposed a one-year delay in tax increases on businesses aimed at putting Indiana's unemployment insurance fund back in the black. Read More
KS: Group seeks state amendment on health care
In a pre-emptive strike on national health care, conservative state lawmakers and representatives of the "tea party" movement on Tuesday proposed changing the state Constitution to exempt Kansas from federal health insurance mandates. (Also see: CA: Schwarzenegger airs Medicaid cost concerns, but still backs action ) Read More
KS: State Republican lawmakers propose 'Healthcare Freedom Amendment'
Several Republican state lawmakers toured Kansas on Tuesday pushing for a proposed state constitutional amendment that would prohibit requiring Kansans to buy health insurance under a government plan. Read More
KY: UK Trustees back dorm name change -- Wildcat Coal Lodge
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to change the name of the men's basketball dorm to the Wildcat Coal Lodge — part of a deal with 21 private donors who will spend $7 million to replace the aging residence hall with a new facility. Read More
KY: Trans fat ban draws fans for issue's first public forum
About 50 people attended the first of two public forums on the dangers of eating chemically altered mono and polyunsaturated fats, known as trans fats, used in deep-frying and baking to give food longer shelf or fry lives. Read More
KY: H1N1 threat leads to many precautions
Kentuckians' daily routines are changing with the spread of the H1N1 flu virus. Read More
KY: New highway stretch nearly done
MAYFIELD, Ky. -- The final section of a four-lane highway between Aurora and Mayfield will be opening soon. Read More
LA: Panel offers cost cuts
A state commission decided Tuesday that cutting costs in state government should include privatizing more services and getting rid of vehicles. Read More
LA: Louisiana blasts FDA plan to limit oyster production
In an effort to reduce cases of a rare, but potentially fatal, bacterial illness contracted from raw oysters, the FDA announced new rules this month that will require any oyster served from April through October to undergo a sterilization process before it can be sold in restaurants or on the market. Read More
MA: College leaders warn against aid cuts
Leaders of Maine's public higher education institutions are warning that the proposed cuts in state aid as the result of lower state revenues will result in layoffs and fewer students over the next two years. Read More
MA: Therese Murray seeks to combine economic agencies
Senate President Therese Murray wants to slash and consolidate nearly 31 economic-development agencies she says are wasting money and often performing redundant work. Read More
MA: Housing rebound is in sight
Single-family home sales in Massachusetts increased in September for the third consecutive month, a sign that the region's housing market is on the mend. Read More
MA: Deval Patrick looks at making micro-loans to boost small cos.
The state may create a "growth capital fund" that would make micro-loans to small businesses desperate for cash during the downturn, Gov. Deval Patrick announced yesterday after his economic summit in downtown Boston. Read More
MD: Stimulus grant to cut cost of BGE 'smart meters'
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. officials said a $200 million federal subsidy awarded to the company Tuesday would lower the cost to customers of an ambitious project to provide every household with an advanced "smart meter" that will enable them to better control energy use. Read More
MD: Hybrid maker to buy GM site
A hybrid-car maker plans to reopen the shuttered General Motors plant in Wilmington, Del., that employed several hundred Marylanders, igniting hope of new job opportunities for the laid-off workers. Read More
MD: Entire delegation pledges to give back some pay
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Md. — State lawmakers representing Washington County are taking different approaches to a legislative furlough program. Most are returning pay in the same way state employees are being forced to lose part of their salaries. Read More
MD: College costs, aid availability climb rapidly
University's costs remain more than $2,000 above nation-wide average. Read More
MD: Developmental disabilities community decries budget cuts to state services
Advocates for people with developmental disabilities are mobilizing to try to preserve their services in the midst of Maryland's budget crisis. Read More
ME: Further school cuts carry federal risk
If the state cuts too deeply, it could jeopardize federal money for such programs as special education and school lunches. Read More
ME: Schools cut spending as state aid loss looms
PORTLAND, Maine -- Southern Maine districts freeze spending, eliminate positions and prepare for painful layoffs. Read More
MI: Michigan panel OKs tax credits for job-creation, redevelopment projects in Detroit, Lansing, Saginaw, West Michigan
Seven companies plan to expand operations and three brownfield redevelopment projects plan to move forward after the Michigan Economic Growth Authority board OK'd another round of monthly state tax incentive packages. Read More
MI: Michigan Reps. Mayes and Moore introduce bill to help local governments with debt
State Reps. Jeff Mayes, D-Bay City, and Tim Moore, R-Farwell, have proposed a bipartisan plan they say would give municipalities more flexibility in restructuring debt. Read More
MI: Granholm, Bishop battle over tax hike
Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop continued to trade barbs today over whether to raise revenues to save state programs from the budget ax. Read More
MI: MSU's research station faces ax
Gov. Jennifer Granholm might begin issuing her final line-item budget vetoes as soon as today, possibly eliminating state funding for the agricultural extension service run through Michigan State University. Read More
MI: $187M in state tax credits OK'd
A state panel handed out $187 million in long-term tax credits Tuesday to woo seven companies to expand or locate in Michigan. Read More
MI: 10 projects granted state tax credits to create jobs
A Toledo-based company that plans to build a $12.4-million plant in Detroit to build parts for Chrysler Group LLC is among 10 projects granted state tax credits with promises they'll produce 1,507 new direct jobs, Gov. Jennifer Granholm announced Tuesday. Read More
MN: Nation's hottest housing market? Twin Cities
Minneapolis-St. Paul area home prices rose 3.2 percent in August. It's the fourth straight month of improvement and second month in a row the Cities came out on top. Read More
MN: Pawlenty pitches transportation projects
Corporations will help pay for highway interchange projects in what state leaders tout as a model for future road projects. Read More
MO: Missouri governor's budget ax will drop at 11 a.m.
Gov. Jay Nixon will reveal his latest round of budget cuts tomorrow. Read More
MO: Deeper state cuts loom
The number crunchers who follow state revenue trends sound like doomsayers. Read More
MS: Miss. joins in fight against heart disease
Mississippi will become the 15th state to join an initiative that aims to decrease the risk of heart disease, Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant said. Read More
MS: Vet posts dwindling
Across the state, membership in VFW and American Legion posts is growing older as the organizations are unable to attract veterans from the Persian Gulf War and current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Read More
MT: In-state software offered for less
HELENA - If it gets final approval, a company that intends to send some Montana state government work to foreign workers overseas will cost taxpayers almost $6 million more than would have a company that proposed to do the same work entirely with Montana employees. Read More
NC: BCBS mails ill-timed plea
Maybe it was just lousy timing, but many customers of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina are ticked off at the mail they've received recently from the state's largest insurer. Read More
NC: The collector can't recollect
They asked; they prodded. Dave Horne just couldn't remember. Horne, who was treasurer for former Gov. Mike Easley's gubernatorial campaigns, struggled to understand or recall the answer to many questions during his testimony Tuesday morning to the State Board of Elections. Read More
NC: Poole was often Easley's shadow
Ruffin Poole was a newly minted lawyer in the late 1990s when he started working in an obscure section of the state Attorney General's Office for Mike Easley. Read More
NC: Easley camp pushed donation law's limits
Internal documents from former Gov. Mike Easley's campaign committee suggest a concerted effort to run donations illegally through the N.C. Democratic Party to circumvent contribution limits. Read More
NE: Terry offers health bill
WASHINGTON - Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., introduced his version of health care legislation on Tuesday. Terry's bill would create a health insurance system similar to the health benefits program that covers members of Congress and federal workers, but the new system would be open for anyone to purchase insurance through it. Read More
NE: Terry offers health bill
Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., introduced his version of health care legislation on Tuesday. Read More
NH: GOP puts focus on spending cuts
Cutting state spending will not be quick or easy, two budget experts said yesterday. Read More
NH: Dartmouth looks to plug financial hole
HANOVER, N.H. – Dartmouth College officials are working on a three-prong plan that could include layoffs to address the school's massive financial shortfalls. Read More
NH: Summit aims at spending
Keep the governor's hiring and purchasing freeze in place. Cut the little things. Read More
NH: FairPoint filing alarms unions
FairPoint Communications has reached an agreement with a group of its lenders to reduce its debt by more than $1 billion, but it comes with conditions, according to Monday's bankruptcy filing. Read More
NH: Layoffs to affect poorest residents
Some patients with brain disorders will have to find care outside New Hampshire. Read More
NJ: New Jersey extends inviting hand across the water
Like a couple who have lived together for too long, New York and New Jersey have bickered about any number of things: who can lay claim to Liberty Island, why New Jersey sports teams hold ticker-tape parades down Broadway, and what congestion pricing for driving into parts of Manhattan could accomplish. Read More
NJ: N.J. tourism officials open another N.Y.C. storefront
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- New Jersey tourism officials have opened another storefront in Manhattan in hopes of luring city dwellers and their money to visit the Garden State, according to a report in The New York Times. Read More
NJ: Corzine's money fuels his comeback
Gov. Jon Corzine continues to tap into his personal fortune to dramatically outspend his opponents in a comeback bid for a second term, reports released yesterday show. Read More
NM: State budget sniping outlasts special session
Judging from the ongoing debate between Gov. Bill Richardson's office and some state lawmakers about new budget cuts, it seems the Legislature's special session kept going even after it adjourned last Friday. Read More
NM: Meetings aim to soften the budget blow
Educators and state employees. People representing youth shelters, behavioral health organizations and literacy programs. Law-enforcement officers dealing with border crime. Emergency 911 operators. Read More
NV: ACORN, former official plead not guilty in Nevada
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Lawyers for the political advocacy group ACORN and a former voter registration supervisor pleaded not guilty Tuesday to illegally paying canvassers to register Nevada voters during last year's presidential campaign. Read More
NV: Case spurs pharmacies' fears of lawsuits over drug abuse
When Patricia Copening, a petite, 35-year-old doctor's office receptionist, bought nearly 4,500 doses of prescription painkillers one year, alarm bells sounded at the Nevada controlled-substance task force. The state board sent letters to 14 pharmacies in the Las Vegas area warning that Ms. Copening could be abusing drugs. Read More
NV: Smart meters suggest savings
Here's your chance to weigh in: NV Energy wants to give you control over how much you pay for your electricity. Read More
NV: 'Desperate' Nevadans flooding help line
She can feel what the callers on the other end of the line are feeling. Recently it's been tearing, gripping, throat-tightening. Read More
NY: N.Y. faces problems meeting Dec. bills
Not only does the state have a $3 billion midyear budget deficit, it also faces a $2 billion to $3 billion shortfall just to pay bills in December, Gov. David Paterson warned Tuesday. Read More
NY: Is $5,000 stipend boost a back-door pay hike?
As the Legislature and governor tackle New York's $3 billion budget deficit, the state's third branch of government has doubled judges' stipends, which will cost an additional $6 million per year. Read More
NY: Gas company won't drill in New York watershed
Bowing to intense public pressure, the Chesapeake Energy Corporation says it will not drill for natural gas within the upstate New York watershed, an environmentally sensitive region that supplies unfiltered water to nine million people. Read More
NY: Area household incomes falling short
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Income declines in the Rochester area are outpacing national and statewide trends, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data. Read More
OH: Idea of state consolidation study praised
As the largest state employee union blasted his plan to consolidate state government from 24 agencies to 11, Sen. Timothy J. Grendell even drew praise from some Democrats for saying yesterday that he is willing to move forward with a study commission instead. Read More
OH: Issue 2 foes speaking up
Opponents of state Issue 2 painted the constitutional debate yesterday as a battle of big guys and little guys: factory megafarms versus small family farms and consumers. Read More
OH: Unions object to Ohio government overhaul plan as sponsor heads a new direction
Union officials were critical of a state government restructuring plan discussed in a Senate committee Tuesday morning, but the Republican state senator pushing the radical streamlining of government said he is open to a different approach. Read More
OH: Issue 3 backers -- Ohioans will fill 90% of jobs created by casinos
The backers of proposed casinos in Toledo and three other cities pledged yesterday that 90 percent of all hires at their sites would be from the host cities and their surrounding communities. Read More
OK: Oklahoma state agencies told cuts will continue
State leaders said Oklahoma's economy will continue to slump for at least the next several months. Gov. Brad Henry and legislative leaders warned state agency heads that their monthly revenue allocations will continue to be cut by 5 percent for the remainder of this fiscal year, or through June 30. Read More
OK: Oklahoma's private detention contracts to be cut
With the state Corrections Department's funding cut 5 percent for the remainder of this fiscal year, contracts with private prisons will be cut by the same rate, a legislative leader said Tuesday. Read More
OK: Oklahoma lawmakers eye cost savings from drug treatment
Oklahoma could save millions in Medicaid expenses for hospital visits, nursing home stays and other costs by providing substance abuse treatment to select groups of recipients, a Washington state economist said Tuesday. Read More
OR: Tax-credit plan would reward job creation
With unemployment rising, Senate President Peter Courtney is making a late-in-the-session attempt to put Oregonians to work by paying small businesses to hire them. Read More
OR: Most unfilled jobs are health-related
Oregon's unemployment rate may be sitting at11.5 percent, but there are plenty of unfilled jobs. Read More
OR: As sales tank, lottery and bars in Oregon locked in mutual dependence
The lottery's proposal to protect the cut of gambling profits paid to bars and taverns confirms a long-held suspicion about video gambling in Oregon: Many business need the lottery to prop them up, and state officials say they have no choice but to do so. Read More
OR: Thousands of Oregon students miss aid deadline
EUGENE -- The state's primary need-based financial aid program stopped awarding grants two months ago, but that hasn't deterred students from continuing to apply for one. Read More
PA: Auditor General Jack Wagner pushes for competition for state contracts
State Auditor General Jack Wagner said he is growing frustrated with Gov. Ed Rendell's administration's failure to accept auditors' recommendations to instill more competition, transparency and accountability in the state's buying and selling procedures. Read More
PA: Wagner -- State contracting process wastes taxpayer money
A lack of competition in bidding for many state contracts is wasting taxpayer money, said Auditor General Jack Wagner, who called on the governor and Legislature to change that. Read More
PA: Rendell ripped over delay in education funding
The issue of how much to tax table games proposed for Pennsylvania casinos remains unresolved, prompting one Bucks County lawmaker to accuse Gov. Rendell of holding money for state-related universities "hostage" to it. Read More
PA: City stumbles in pursuit of stimulus cash
Philadelphia has spent less than $1 million in the seven months since the federal stimulus program began -- but you won't learn that from the city's Web site, which instead says more than $8 million has been distributed. Read More
PA: PPL gets $19M grant from Department of Energy
PPL Electric Utilities will receive a $19 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to improve the reliability of the electric grid and save energy for about 60,000 Harrisburg area customers, the federal agency announced today. Read More
SC: Boeing on S.C.'s radar
South Carolina lawmakers are preparing for Boeing to land in North Charleston. Read More
SD: Rounds -- Economic pain will sharpen
Revenue to the state of South Dakota was down by $33 million in the first three months of this fiscal year, Gov. Mike Rounds said Monday, setting the stage for a painful legislative session next year. Read More
TN: Rock slide cleanup could cost $10M
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Engineers have established a $2 million to $10 million plan to clean up a rock slide on Interstate 40 near the North Carolina-Tennessee line. North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue is expected to declare an emergency. Read More
TN: Emergency management conference focuses on communications
An afternoon panel discussion brought communications experts from across the state to talk about interoperability — the ability of emergency services to reach each other on common radio frequencies. Read More
TN: Stimulus helping Cleveland wing fly
Construction on a science wing for Cleveland High School received a boon recently in the form of a highly coveted low-interest loan, made possible by federal stimulus funds. Read More
TN: Nashville convention center's proposed tourism zone faces questions
A critical financing component of the proposed $600 million downtown convention center has drawn concerns from a key member of the state board that must give its final approval for the plan. Read More
TX: Watchdog group files ethics complaints against Texas education board members
A nonprofit watchdog group filed complaints Monday with the Texas Ethics Commission against two State Board of Education members for failing to disclose gifts they received from a company seeking an investment contract with the board. Read More
US: After complaints, Gates Foundation opens education aid offer to all states
Last July, Bill Gates sat down with lawmakers from 15 states in a conference room in Philadelphia, and he had good news. (Also see: US: States mismanage student information, study concludes ) Read More
US: First broadband stimulus grants are delayed
WASHINGTON -- The first broadband stimulus grants won't be awarded until December, a month later than expected, federal officials said Tuesday, citing the complexity of the 2,200 applications received. Read More
US: Sun Belt loses some glow for graduates
Many college graduates are passing up the Sun Belt and industrial centers, which have been hit hard by the recession, in favor of life in urban, high-tech meccas. Such moves are fueling a resurgence in parts of California, North Carolina and Texas. Read More
US: Home prices up slightly for third straight month
Home prices posted another modest rise in August, according to data released Tuesday, but economists cautioned that the expiration of a home-buyer tax credit and rising unemployment could reverse signs of stabilization in the housing market. Read More
US: U.S. electrical grid gets $3.4 billion jolt of stimulus funding
ARCADIA, FLA. -- President Obama stepped up his promotion of the job-creating potential of the $787 billion economic stimulus package Tuesday, announcing $3.4 billion in grants to improve the nation's electrical grid. Read More
US: Economy is kick-started, but can it motor ahead?
Over the past year, the U.S. government has thrown almost every tool at its disposal toward making the economy grow again. And it has worked, at least for now. Read More
UT: New tactics aim to get H1N1 vaccine to Utahns
With demand for H1N1 swine flu vaccine far exceeding supply -- leaving many Utahns literally out in the cold -- local health departments are changing their tactics for distributing doses. Read More
UT: Are Utahns drinking, smoking their way through tough times?
What are Utahns doing to make it through the recession? Read More
UT: Liquor law hurts business, critics say
A 2008 state law stopping the sale of alcohol within 200 feet of schools and churches — even if there's no opposition — was criticized Tuesday at a liquor-commission meeting. Read More
UT: Utah prices for homes sink while sales climb
If you're listing your house in Utah County, be ready to slash your price. Read More
UT: A.G. names former legislator, payday lender lawyer to head division
Attorney General Mark Shurtleff has named former state legislator and close political adviser John Swallow as chief deputy attorney general handling civil cases. Read More
VT: Douglas administration pitches unemployment fix
The Douglas administration offered up proposed changes to the state's ailing unemployment insurance trust fund Tuesday that included cuts to weekly benefits for those laid off and gradual increased contributions for employers. Read More
WA: Boeing talks fall apart; S.C. likely to get 787 line
Discussions between the Machinists union and Boeing over the second 787 production line for Everett are effectively dead, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. Boeing now appears close to choosing Charleston, S.C., as the location of the second line. Read More
WA: Washington has spent about half a billion in stimulus
Officials say about half a billion dollars in federal stimulus money has been spent so far by the state government. Read More
WA: Gregoire signals new willingness to talk taxes
As the state's projected deficit grows, the governor's new chief of staff says he "would be surprised" if the shortfall can be closed without new revenue. Read More
WI: Wis. gov hands out green building grants
KAUKAUNA -- Gov. Jim Doyle has handed out $247,000 in grants to train carpenters in building green. Read More
WV: Coalfield lawmakers seek bigger share of funds for counties
West Virginia coalfield counties need a greater share of severance taxes to prepare for the day when the industry's jobs have dwindled, say southern lawmakers. Read More
WV: Officials differ on state car statistics
West Virginia officials now say they know how many taxpayer-purchased vehicles they own. But that number depends on which official is talking. Read More
WV: W.Va. intends to issue coal-to-gas plant permit
The state Department of Environmental Protection is seeking public comment on its intention to issue an air quality permit for a proposed coal-to-gasoline plant. Read More
WY: 'Smart' grid stimulus funds come to Wyo
Two Wyoming electric utilities will receive more than $7.5 million combined in federal grants to help modernize their infrastructure. Read More |
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