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AK: Palin support for Juneau access road fading
By Pat Forgery, The Juneau Empire (registration)
Gov. Sarah Palin, who supported the Juneau access road in her campaign for governor in 2006, is now backing away from that support.
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CA: Schwarzenegger, automakers agree to pursue emissions control
By Michael Gardner, The San Diego Union-Tribune
In their first face-to-face meeting, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and automakers Thursday agreed to explore new cooperative approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions even as they duel in court and in Congress over just how far the state can go.
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IA: Senator questions printing of DOT notice in Spanish
By Darwin Danielson, Radio Iowa
Senate Republican Leader Ron Wieck of Sioux City says it appears the Iowa Department of Transportation broke the law by having a public hearing notice printed in the Sioux City Journal Thursday in both English and Spanish.
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IA: DOT to continue using Spanish, other languages
By William Petroski, The Des Moines Register
The Iowa Department of Transportation plans to keep publishing official notices in Spanish and other languages, despite a recent court ruling upholding the state's English-language law, a spokeswoman said Thursday.
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IL: State audit questions bridge inspections
By Nick Shields, Daily Herald (Arlington Heights)
More than 1,700 Illinois bridges were overdue for federally required inspections and, in some cases, the state transportation department was more than a year delinquent in checking the structures, auditors said Thursday.
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IL: Forby -- Governor had talked about moving state jobs out of Springfield
By Bernard Schoenburg, The State Journal-Register (Springfield)
State Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, whose district could get the nearly 150 Illinois Department of Transportation jobs that Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration wants to move out of Springfield, said Thursday that Blagojevich told him in the past he wanted to move state jobs out of the capital city.
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LA: Roads chief says program bankrupt
By Will Sentell, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
Louisiana's road-building agenda will suffer because a special program for 16 projects has gone bankrupt, state Transportation Secretary William Ankner said Thursday.
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LA: Little left in tank for 2 local projects
By Ed Anderson, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)
Two New Orleans area projects to be financed by a special 4-cent state gasoline tax are in jeopardy because the revenue being generated is not enough to keep up with soaring construction costs, the head of the state's transportation agency said Thursday.
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ME: Court OKs watercraft ban ruling
By Walter Griffin, Bangor Daily News
PORTLAND, Maine- Just in time for boating season, the Supreme Judicial Court has determined that it is allowable for municipalities to ban personal watercraft on ponds and lakes. The Law Court overturned a lower court ruling that allowed the operation of personal watercraft on bodies of water despite municipal ordinances preventing their use.
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MI: Campers get gas-saving perk
By Mark Hornbeck, The Detroit News
Gas price sticker shock has prompted the state to offer a new deal for campers: Store your RV, camper trailer or boat and trailer at certain state parks and recreation areas -- free -- for up to 15 days.
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MN: Legislators OK higher dropout age, minimum-wage hike
By Patricia Lopez, Minneapolis Star Tribune (registration)
Legislators dropped the hammer on Minnesota teens, and passed a bill to raise the minimum wage in two stages. But a transportation policy bill that would have made the failure to wear seat belts a primary offense was sent back to a conference committee.
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MN: Minn. pays victims of bridge collapse
By Brian Bakst, The Associated Press, The Boston Globe (registration)
ST. PAUL, Minn. - A close-knit coalition of Minneapolis bridge collapse victims - some in wheelchairs and others still wearing casts - looked on yesterday as Governor Tim Pawlenty signed a $38 million package to compensate them for their injuries and losses.
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NJ: Auditors want more vigilance on disqualified bus drivers
By Brian T. Murray, The Star-Ledger (Newark)
The state Motor Vehicle Commission and the Department of Education must standardize and reconcile their systems of tracking disqualified school bus drivers, state auditors contend, noting flagged drivers are still being listed as eligible to transport children.
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PA: Montco proposes novel funding plan for road project
By Diane Mastrull, The Philadelphia Inquirer (registration)
With federal and state funding prospects looking grim, Montgomery County officials have devised an unorthodox plan to pay for a road linking downtown Norristown to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, a $160 million project considered essential to the community's long-delayed revitalization.
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RI: Red-light cameras are a go
By Steve Peoples, The Providence Journal (registration)
The state House of Representatives last night approved a controversial provision to permanently allow red-light cameras at traffic intersections.
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SC: Senators prepare to hear from Keel
By Rick Brundrett, The State (Columbia)
Confirmation hearings for Gov. Mark Sanford's nominee to lead the embattled Department of Public Safety likely will be held the week of May 19, the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman said Thursday.
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SD: Tax break would bring no relief
By Rebecca Bentz, Capital Journal (Pierre)
While a summer holiday from gas taxes might seem like a relief for financially strapped South Dakotans, it would do more harm than good, according to state Sen. Alan Hoerth and former Clinton administration Energy Secretary Federico Pena.
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VA: Group critical of gas, sales tax ideas
By Chelyen Davis, The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg)
With the governor preparing to unveil his transportation proposal next week, a group yesterday warned that the two types of tax increases being debated by Democrats would both disproportionately hurt the poor.
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VA: Tax increases would hurt poorest, group says
By Eric M. Weiss, The Washington Post (registration)
Some of the taxes and fees being considered by Virginia lawmakers to fund the state's transportation needs could hit the neediest residents the hardest, according to a report released yesterday.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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