|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Experts say Christian Coalition poll flawed
By Rob Lowry, The Huntsville Times
A poll conducted by the Christian Coalition on electronic bingo may have been flawed because of the way the questions were worded and the order in which they were asked, polling experts say.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Parnell takes hit for TV ad
By Sean Cockerham, Anchorage Daily News
Candidate for governor Ralph Samuels is calling for a halt to a television ad featuring Gov. Sean Parnell that's being aired by a nonprofit advocating against domestic violence and sexual assault.
Read More
|
|
Palin calls global warming studies 'snake oil science'
By Judy Lin, The Associated Press, Anchorage Daily News
REDDING, Calif. -- Former Gov. Sarah Palin called studies supporting global climate change a "bunch of snake oil science" Monday during a rare appearance in California, a state that has been at the forefront of environmental regulations.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Juneau may vie for Arctic Games
By Mary Catharine Martin, The Juneau Empire
The 2014 Arctic Winter Games aren't yet officially being held in Alaska, but that isn't stopping more than one Alaska city from organizing a bid.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Budget plan runs into trouble
By Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services, Arizona Daily Sun (Flagstaff)
Efforts to plug the state's current budget deficit hit a snag Monday. House Speaker Kirk Adams, R-Mesa, said he is still trying to round up the necessary 31 votes for two bills that, together, would borrow $1.2 billion.
Read More
|
|
Scottsdale wants law changed to spur development
By Lynh Bui, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
Scottsdale will seek a change in state law that would allow property owners to tax themselves as part of a development district, a move designed to revitalize the McDowell Road corridor or parts of the Scottsdale Airpark.
Read More
|
|
House panel approves increasing school tax breaks
By Jonathan J. Cooper, The Associated Press, Arizona Daily Sun (Flagstaff)
An Arizona House committee voted Monday to allow bigger tax breaks for private school scholarship donations while also requiring new accountability measures.
Read More
|
|
Private school tax credit avoids major changes
By Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services, Arizona Daily Sun (Flagstaff)
A House panel refused Monday to limit who can get scholarships for private and parochial schools that are paid for with money that otherwise would go to the state.
Read More
|
|
Criticism of Cubs bill raises ire of Mesa Mayor Scott Smith
By Jim Walsh and Jahna Berry, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
Mesa Mayor Scott Smith lashed out at parochialism among Cactus League baseball teams Monday, saying their opposition to a ticket surcharge for a new Chicago Cubs training facility could cost them all if the team bolts to Florida.
Read More
|
|
Plan -- Lawmakers pick US Senate candidates
By Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services, Arizona Daily Star (Tucson)
A freshman Southern Arizona lawmaker is leading the effort to strip Arizona voters of the right to decide who should be a candidate for the U.S. Senate.
Read More
|
|
Gag order sought in sweat-lodge trial
By Felicia Fonseca, The Associated Press, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Attorneys for a motivational speaker charged in the deaths of three people during an Arizona sweat-lodge ceremony wasted no time going on the offensive after his arrest last week.
Read More
|
|
Bill aids AZ campus stadiums
By Alec Nielson, Arizonan News Service, Arizona Daily Star (Tucson)
Arizona's universities could upgrade their football stadiums and other athletic facilities using money from new local businesses, under a proposal moving through the Legislature.
Read More
|
|
Braswell appointed, sworn in as District 6 state senator
By Yvonne Wingett, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has appointed Republican Dave Braswell the new state senator of legislative District 6, which covers Anthem and much of the North Valley. He was sworn in by the Senate on Monday.
Read More
|
|
Sheriff again eyes migrants
By JJ Hensley, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
Every Maricopa County Sheriff's deputy will receive training on the authority of local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration law under a new education program.
Read More
|
|
New Lottery a sure bet with legislative OK
By Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
You can put money on it: Arizona is likely to have a state Lottery for the next 25 years. The state House of Representatives on Monday voted to create a new Lottery that would begin in mid-2012, when the current game expires.
Read More
|
|
Bark beetles' song could save forests
By Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
Researchers at Northern Arizona University think they may have found an environmentally safe and readily available weapon against the tree-eating armies of bark beetles.
Read More
|
|
Valley bankruptcies dropped in January
By Russ Wiles, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
Are recession-ravaged residents finally gaining the upper hand on their finances? Metro Phoenix bankruptcy filings in January fell to their lowest level in nearly a year, coinciding with similar improvements at the national level.
Read More
|
|
DPS -- Man dies after an officer uses Taser
By Michael Ferraresi and JJ Hensley, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
An Arkansas man died after a highway-patrol officer used a Taser on him during an altercation on Interstate 17 in north Phoenix, the Arizona Department of Public Safety confirmed Monday.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ark. Senate, House split over campaign fundraising
By Chuck Bartels, The Associated Press, The Log Cabin Democrat (Conway)
Members of the Arkansas Senate will be allowed to raise funds for re-election during the fiscal session that started Monday, while House members will not be able to do the same.
Read More
|
|
Little Rock-area state offices closed Tuesday
By The Associated Press, The Log Cabin Democrat (Conway)
Gov. Mike Beebe's office says state offices in the Little Rock area will be closed Tuesday. Beebe's office says the decision was made because a hard freeze of slush-covered roads was expected Monday night and temperatures were forecast to remain below freezing until Tuesday afternoon.
Read More
|
|
Roadways remain slick, many schools stay closed
By Gavin Lesnick, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock)
No additional wintry precipitation is forecast this morning, but officials are stressing that travel may be hazardous on roadways still covered in snow, slush and ice
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
State job bias remedies called separate, unequal
By Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle
Californians who complain of job discrimination are steered down two separate paths, a new study says - one for workers who can afford to hire lawyers, and another, less-rewarding road for those who can't.
Read More
|
|
Lawmakers lash out at EDD
By Andrew McIntosh, The Sacramento Bee
Lawmakers are fed up with the state Employment Development Department, saying its technology staff is set to rack up $53 million in cost overruns on projects funded with federal stimulus money and is behind on assisting the unemployed.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fixing seasons of California discontent
By Stu Woo, The Wall Street Journal
The prospect of more California-statehouse dysfunction this year is adding momentum to two efforts to overhaul California's budget process — including one that could rewrite much of the state's constitution.
Read More
|
|
Foreign energy firms getting windfall of U.S. stimulus funds
By Brooke Williams, Watchdog Institute, The San Diego Union-Tribune
Of the more than $2 billion the federal government has given out to boost the economy and create green-energy jobs, more than three-quarters has gone to foreign-owned companies that dominate the global wind-power industry. This latest finding by the Investigative Reporting Workshop, a nonprofit at American University in Washington, D.C., is illustrated clearly in San Diego County, where about a dozen commercial wind developers have offices.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Democrats call for Abel Maldonado's rejection
By Anthony York, Los Angeles Times
As Sen. Abel Maldonado's confirmation hearing in the Assembly Rules Committee was postponed until Tuesday, three Assembly Democrats held a Capitol news conference arguing that Maldonado's nomination as lieutenant governor should be rejected.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Schwarzenegger to carry Olympic torch
By Michael Rothfeld, Los Angeles Times
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is traveling to Vancouver, Canada, to serve as a torchbearer Friday morning for the 2010 Winter Olympics, the committee organizing the Games announced Monday.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Will energy plant explosion mean higher electric rates?
By Mara Lee, The Hartford Courant
The idea behind the Kleen Energy plant was straightforward even though getting the project started was complex.
Once the plant and better high-voltage transmission lines to power-hungry Fairfield County were open, the combination would drive old, dirty, expensive-to-run power plants out of business.
Read More
|
|
Three investigations launched into power plant explosion
By Rob Varnon, Connecticut Post
A day after a deadly explosion rocked a power plant in Middletown, a state panel and federal and criminal investigators began searching for the cause of the blast and looking at a list of safety issues that could have contributed to the tragedy.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lawmakers urge steps to combat domestic violence
By Amanda Falcone, The Hartford Courant
Domestic violence shelters should be staffed around the clock, teen dating violence should be addressed in schools, and authorities need to better enforce restraining and protective orders by using GPS technology, a legislative task force recommended Monday.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Requests for medical data are questioned
By Matthew Sturdevant, The Hartford Courant
The state's largest physician organization wants answers after several Connecticut doctors received faxed requests for patients' medical information from an insurer.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Braswell appointed, sworn in as District 6 state senator
By Yvonne Wingett, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has appointed Republican Dave Braswell the new state senator of legislative District 6, which covers Anthem and much of the North Valley. He was sworn in by the Senate on Monday.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Talk in Laurel is about schools, not scandals
By Dan Shortridge, The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)
LAUREL, Del. -- With two high-ranking town and school officials under separate clouds of scandal, local leaders are seeking to reassure the community that things are running smoothly and that the system isn't broken.
Read More
|
|
Schools may have to make up time
By Edward L. Kenney, The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington)
With most schools closed Monday and today following the weekend snowstorm, children statewide enjoyed another day off.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Unemployment to peak this summer, Florida top economist says
By Marcia Heroux Pounds, The Sun-Sentinel (South Florida)
Florida's unemployment is expected to reach an historic peak, 12.3 percent, by this summer, the state's chief economist said on Monday. The forecast is nearly a half percentage point above the record of 11.9 percent set in May 1975.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Claims of misconduct at FPL prompt investigation
By Mary Ellen Klas, The Miami Herald
State utility regulators and Florida Power & Light's parent company said Monday they would investigate anonymous allegations that FPL managers broke the law and committed fraud by forcing employees to provide inaccurate and misleading information to regulators and shareholders.
Read More
|
|
Records suggest expense-, salary-padding by state GOP leaders
By Beth Reinhard and Adam S. Smith, The Miami Herald
As a volatile election season gets underway, the Republican Party of Florida is facing its biggest crisis of confidence in decades. Donors and party activists are livid over newly revealed records that suggest outgoing chairman Jim Greer used the party as a personal slush fund for lavish travel and entertainment.
Read More
|
|
Candidate calls for full disclosure
By Bill Cotterell, Tallahassee Democrat
A Republican candidate for governor challenged both major contenders for her party's chairmanship to disclose all of the Florida GOP's finances, including credit-card bills of party officers.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Court refuses to halt execution
By Wire Reports, St. Petersburg Times
The Florida Supreme Court on Monday refused to halt the execution of a man convicted of murdering a state wildlife officer 25 years ago in Pinellas County.
Read More
|
|
Broward property values fall
By Amy Sherman, The Miami Herald
Broward property values plummeted more dramatically than ever last year, according to a preliminary estimate, a decline sure to force local governments to slash spending or raise taxes. Countywide values dropped about 16 percent, according to figures released Monday by Property Appraiser Lori Parrish.
Read More
|
|
Meek adds name to NASCAR race car
By Anthony Man, Sun-Sentinel, The Miami Herald
U.S. Senate candidate Kendrick Meek is adding some horsepower to his campaign. Fans in the stands and watching ESPN2 cable coverage of Saturday's NASCAR race in Daytona Beach will see Mike Wallace's No. 01 race car emblazoned with the ``Kendrick Meek for U.S. Senate'' logo.
Read More
|
|
Billboards on Tampa Bay roads duel over existence of God
By Dong-Phuong Nguyen, St. Petersburg Times
A group representing people who do not believe in God or any gods has revved up an awareness campaign in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. The United Coalition of Reason paid to have two billboards erected that feature a blue sky with clouds and the words: "Are you good without God? Millions are."
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Bills address teachers' pay, how to punish cheaters
By Kristina Torres, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
House and Senate lawmakers have filed bills in support of two of Gov. Sonny Perdue's major education initiatives this year. One would tie teachers' pay to students' performance. The other would make it a crime to cheat on state tests.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Older students attending Georgia's colleges
By Laura Diamond, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
They're the opposite of the public image of a college student -- someone between the ages 18 and 24, went to college right after high school and earns a degree in just four years. That student is becoming extinct.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Hawaii DHS restructuring may cut 200 jobs, close 50 offices
By Mary Vorsino, The Honolulu Advertiser
More than 200 state workers who process applications for government assistance programs could lose their jobs, their union said, and at least 50 eligibility offices statewide could close under a cost-cutting proposal that advocates are worried will make it harder for the poor to access key social services.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Furlough bill vote postponed
By Loren Moreno, The Honolulu Advertiser
The state Senate's education committee again postponed a vote on a bill that would eliminate the remaining public school teacher furlough days through use of the state hurricane relief fund and an increase in the general excise tax by 1 percentage point.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ID Senate backs bill to kill tax check-off
By The Associated Press, The Times-News (Twin Falls)
A three-decade-old provision that's allowed Idaho residents to chip in a buck of their taxes to their favorite political party is a step closer to falling victim to a tough economy.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Day care judgment marred by bankruptcy
By Andrea Jackson, The Times-News (Twin Falls)
The family that filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Happy Feet Day Care in Twin Falls may never see their $1.26 million judgment, since Happy Feet's owners lacked insurance and have filed for bankruptcy.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Feds may close locks to stop carp
By Katherine Skiba, Chicago Tribune
At a White House meeting Monday on the Asian carp threat to the Great Lakes, federal officials said they may seek to close navigational locks on Chicago-area waterways for up to three or four days a week, a move that would restrict cargo shipping and recreational boating.
Read More
|
|
Illinois plans reforms for processing DNA
By Megan Twohey, Chicago Tribune
Illinois is moving to reform the way DNA evidence from sexual assaults is processed after a Tribune review found that many rape kits were being placed in police storage untested, robbing the state of opportunities to solve crimes and exonerate the wrongfully convicted.
Read More
|
|
Democrats prepare to pick new lieutenant governor
By Rick Pearson and Ray Long, Chicago Tribune
Democratic Party leaders began the delicate dance of picking a new running mate for Gov. Pat Quinn on Monday, while emphasizing there was no horse-trading involved to get a scandal-ridden Chicago pawnbroker to abandon the primary nomination for lieutenant governor.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Former Peorian for lieutenant governor?
By Karen McDonald, Peoria Journal Star
PEORIA, Ill. -- Former Peorian and comptroller candidate Raja Krishnamoorthi wants to be considered for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor and says he can bring the votes to help clinch victory.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cohen controversy renews debate over value of the job
By Timothy Magaw, Daily Herald (Arlington Heights)
The controversy surrounding Scott Lee Cohen's nomination and subsequent withdrawal from the race for Illinois lieutenant governor has renewed the debate over whether the position is needed at all.
Read More
|
|
Illinois AG files suits on reverse mortgages
By Mary Ellen Podmolik, Chicago Tribune
The state of Illinois filed lawsuits Monday against two firms that offer reverse mortgages to senior citizens, alleging that they used unfair and deceptive marketing practices.
Read More
|
|
Police called to Cohen party
By Chris Fusco and Frank Main, Chicago Sun-Times
Pawn shop owner Scott Lee Cohen's election-night party at the Palmer House Hilton had some unexpected guests -- Chicago Police -- who arrived within an hour after Cohen gave his victory speech in the Democratic lieutenant governor's race.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Governors meet at White House about Asian carp
By Mark Guarino, The Christian Science Monitor
The governors of Michigan and Wisconsin met at the White House Monday to discuss the next steps in preventing the invasive Asian carp's potential entry into Lake Michigan from an Illinois shipping canal. The Illinois governor, Pat Quinn, also participated in the meeting by teleconference.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Illinois announces Medicaid managed care pilot
By Staff Reports, Quad-City Times
The state of Illinois is planning a pilot project to enroll Medicaid recipients in six counties in managed care, an effort being criticized by advocates for the developmentally disabled.
Read More
|
|
Blagojevich attys refused prosecution trial plans
By Mike Robinson, The Associated Press, Quad-City Times
A federal judge refused Monday to give former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's attorneys an early look at key evidence in his corruption case, saying their request was based on "rhetorical flourishes," not legal principles.
Read More
|
|
Caterpillar buys into the FutureGen Alliance
By Herb Meeker, Herald & Review (Decatur)
MATTOON, Ill. -- Caterpillar Inc., the world's largest maker of mining and construction equipment, plans to join a coalition of companies planning to build an experimental clean-coal power plant known as FutureGen near Mattoon.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
SIU Board to discuss wind power project
By Stephen Rickerl, The Southern Illinoisan (Carbondale)
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees will decide Thursday whether to take the next step toward bringing wind power to the Carbondale campus.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jobs have session split down the aisle
By Eric Bradner, Evansville Courier and Press
How best to create and protect jobs will be a key point of contention between Democrats and Republicans as the Indiana General Assembly enters the second half of this year's session.
Read More
|
|
State report critical of heath-care bill
By Kevin Allen, South Bend Tribune
Indiana's attorney general says the health-reform bill that passed the U.S. Senate in December is potentially unconstitutional and would add hundreds of millions of dollars to the state's annual health care costs.
Read More
|
|
Feds may close locks to stop carp
By Katherine Skiba, Chicago Tribune
At a White House meeting Monday on the Asian carp threat to the Great Lakes, federal officials said they may seek to close navigational locks on Chicago-area waterways for up to three or four days a week, a move that would restrict cargo shipping and recreational boating.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Governors meet at White House about Asian carp
By Mark Guarino, The Christian Science Monitor
The governors of Michigan and Wisconsin met at the White House Monday to discuss the next steps in preventing the invasive Asian carp's potential entry into Lake Michigan from an Illinois shipping canal. The Illinois governor, Pat Quinn, also participated in the meeting by teleconference.
Read More
|
|
State agency sets hearings on closure of Cline bridge
By Chelsea Schneider Kirk, Gary Post-Tribune
INDOT will host two public meetings today regarding the Cline Avenue bridge closure. State officials from the Indiana Department of Transportation will make a brief presentation touching on Cline Avenue's history and near-term solutions for the bridge's closure.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Indiana bills target dangerous driving
By Kevin Allen, South Bend Tribune
Habitual traffic violators, including those with histories of drunken driving, would have to submit to stricter monitoring if two bills moving through the General Assembly become law.
Read More
|
|
Production resumes at Indiana Toyota plant
By The Associated Press, Indianapolis Business Journal
Production work has resumed as planned at Toyota's southwestern Indiana plant after a week-long shutdown for the company to repair defective gas pedals.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Wheeler, 2 filmmakers charged in tax scandal
By Lee Rood, The Des Moines Register
The Iowa attorney general's office on Monday charged the former manager of the Iowa Film Office with misconduct in office and filed first-degree theft charges against principals in the making of a 2008 film in Council Bluffs.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Traffic fines on state radar for revenue
By Jason Clayworth, The Des Moines Register
The massive government reorganization bill that Gov. Chet Culver has touted as a key to resolving the state's budget crisis has gotten $913,500 weaker in the past week, placing more pressure on House members to find additional savings.
Read More
|
|
Senate votes to toughen red-light penalties
By Jennifer Jacobs, The Des Moines Register
Jermiah Dosser's mother, Jody, wiped tears as the Iowa Senate voted unanimously Monday to stiffen fines and driver's license sanctions for drivers who fail to stop at red lights.
Read More
|
|
Ombudsman concludes lottery safer than in past
By William Petroski, The Des Moines Register
State Ombudsman William Angrick has ended a simmering feud with a top Iowa Lottery official, although he vowed Monday to keep watching whether the lottery is doing enough to protect customers from retailer fraud.
Read More
|
|
"Prevailing Wage-Lite" passes House Committee
By Jason Clayworth, The Des Moines Register
A new version of a controversial union labor proposal that failed last year was approved today by the House Labor Committee, paving the way for the idea to advance to full House for further consideration.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grandparents-rights bill advances
By Jennifer Jacobs, The Des Moines Register
Grandparents could seek visitation or custody when a parent of the child dies under a bill before the Iowa Legislature that took a step forward Monday.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
School funding loophole in peril
By David Klepper, Kansas City Star
The Shawnee Mission School District's clever interpretation of state law now has other school districts urging legislators to close a loophole in school finance law.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Kansas secretary of state resigns
By David Klepper, Kansas City Star
Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh will leave office a year early to take a private-sector job, giving Democrats a possible leg up ahead of November's election.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senator seeks review of U of L health care affiliates
By Tom Loftus, The Courier-Journal (Louisville)
Sen. Tim Shaughnessy has asked the state auditor to review the University of Louisville's dealings with related nonprofit entities, particularly its financial transactions with two having to do with health care.
Read More
|
|
Payday lending bill hits snag in House
By Beth Musgrave, Lexington Herald-Leader
A measure that would cap interest rates on all short-term loans at 36 percent might never get a hearing in the Democratic-controlled House, despite the backing of Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear.
Read More
|
|
Insight to launch Kentucky-themed channel
By Scott Sloan, Lexington Herald-Leader
Insight Communications, cable provider for Lexington and other parts of Kentucky, plans to launch a cable television channel this spring that focuses on the Bluegrass State.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mitch Landrieu to stay until May
By Michelle Millhollon, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu plans to stay on the job until May despite his weekend win in the New Orleans mayor's race.
Read More
|
|
Landrieus' Washington hot line
By Gerard Shields, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
WASHINGTON — Having a sister that serves as the chairwoman of the U.S. Senate disaster recovery subcommittee can't be too bad for a guy who will soon become mayor of a city still reeling from a disastrous hurricane nearly five years ago.
Read More
|
|
Drivers could apply for 'Who Dat' tags
By Ed Anderson, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)
Sen. A.G. Crowe, R-Slidell, said Monday he will promote the concept of a new specialty vehicle license tag at the spring legislative session to honor the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints and their die-hard "Who Dat Nation" followers.
Read More
|
|
Tourism official wants governor to take control
By Ed Anderson, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)
Shifting the state's tourism office to the Department of Economic Development would give the governor more say in how the state's tourism dollars are spent and underscore the importance of the industry, one of the state's leading tourism officials said Monday.
Read More
|
|
Climate stance criticized
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
Eight state environmental groups sent a letter to Gov. Bobby Jindal last week asking the state stop acting "in an obstructionist manner on climate change."
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Madawaska union accepts 8.5% pay cut
By Nick Sambides Jr., Bangor Daily News
MADAWASKA, Maine — The United Steelworkers union will take an immediate 8½ percent wage cut in accepting a new three-year contract Monday that Fraser Papers Inc. management calls critical to keeping the town paper mill going.
Read More
|
|
FairPoint plan would cut debt sharply
By The Associated Press, Bangor Daily News
PORTLAND, Maine — The telecommunications company FairPoint Communications Inc.'s debt would be cut by nearly two-thirds under its bankruptcy reorganization plan filed Monday, but the company said the reorganization won't prevent it from expanding broadband Internet in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
Read More
|
|
Legislators debate bills on petitions
By Kevin Miller, Bangor Daily News
Lawmakers heard conflicting testimony Monday about whether proposals to change Maine's citizen initiative process would discourage fraud by signature gatherers or gut the 100-year-old law intended to empower voters
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
New rules for special education debated
By Ethsn Wilensky-Lanford, Kennebec Journal
Emergency rules adopted by the Maine Department of Education to save money on special education have caused more families to take legal action to ensure a quality education for their children, lawmakers were informed Monday.
Read More
|
|
Climate stance criticized
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
Eight state environmental groups sent a letter to Gov. Bobby Jindal last week asking the state stop acting "in an obstructionist manner on climate change."
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Study boosts notion of offshore wind production
By Timothy B. Wheeler, The Sun (Baltimore)
Offshore wind energy can furnish Marylanders with as much as two-thirds of the electricity they currently use, and if aggressively developed, could turn the state into a net exporter of power, a new report by the Abell Foundation says.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
State retains control of sailing hall
By Earl Kelly
The state attorney general has determined that Maryland cannot, under the state constitution, surrender control over the proposed National Sailing Hall of Fame to the city.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Climate stance criticized
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
Eight state environmental groups sent a letter to Gov. Bobby Jindal last week asking the state stop acting "in an obstructionist manner on climate change."
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
He has state, US funds waiting
By Casey Ross, The Boston Globe
As the top economic official in Massachusetts government, Gregory Bialecki is responsible for giving away hundreds of millions of dollars to revive the state's troubled economy. There's just one problem: He can't find enough good candidates for the money.
Read More
|
|
Bill looks to streamline economic development
By Patrick Cassidy, Cape Cod Times
Senate President Therese Murray, D-Plymouth, and Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Framingham, filed a bill yesterday to streamline economic development statewide. The bill includes a provision that would consolidate oversight of regional economic development organizations within a single office.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
On the clock, clerk is a wedding casher
By Jessica Van Sack and Richard Weir, Boston Herald
Wedding bells are ringing at Boston City Hall - and so is the cash register - as the city clerk is nearly doubling her salary hitching couples as a justice of the peace on taxpayer time, raising questions whether her profits should be going back to Hub coffers instead.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Pols wary of governor's Pike plan
By Hillary Chabot, Boston Herald
Beacon Hill power players warned Gov. Deval Patrick to slow down yesterday on a plan he's considering that would eliminate toll takers and install a high-speed electronic toll system on the Massachusetts Turnpike
Read More
|
|
Patrick tries to regain grass roots
By Michael Levenson, The Boston Globe
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- For Governor Deval Patrick, who was swept into office a little more than three years ago by a popular groundswell, it was a strikingly candid concession.
Read More
|
|
Outcry threatens Lawrence bailout
By Peter Schworm, The Boston Globe
State legislators are criticizing a $35 million bailout plan for the cash-strapped city of Lawrence, as Beacon Hill prepares to debate the proposal amid growing public outcry over the new mayor's refusal to resign his state representative post.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Big ideas for Michigan schools
By Chastity Pratt Dawsey, Robin Erb and Lori Higgins, Detroit Free Press
Education experts and observers say Michigan needs big, provocative ideas for turning around its low-performing schools and raising academic performance in general across the state.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Feds may close locks to stop carp
By Katherine Skiba, Chicago Tribune
At a White House meeting Monday on the Asian carp threat to the Great Lakes, federal officials said they may seek to close navigational locks on Chicago-area waterways for up to three or four days a week, a move that would restrict cargo shipping and recreational boating.
Read More
|
|
Governors meet at White House about Asian carp
By Mark Guarino, The Christian Science Monitor
The governors of Michigan and Wisconsin met at the White House Monday to discuss the next steps in preventing the invasive Asian carp's potential entry into Lake Michigan from an Illinois shipping canal. The Illinois governor, Pat Quinn, also participated in the meeting by teleconference.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
State, union reach tentative deal
By Staff Reports, Lansing State Journal
The Office of the State Employer and a union representing 2,000 state employees have reached a tentative agreement on concessions.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
General Dynamics to close Norton Shores facility
By Staff Reports, mlive.com
NORTON SHORES, Mich. -- General Dynamics Land Systems, a national defense contractor based in the Detroit area, announced Monday it will close its Muskegon Technical Center on June 14, company officials said.
Read More
|
|
Auto suppliers hiring up to 525
By Barbara Wieland, Lansing State Journal
DELTA TWP., Mich. -- Local auto suppliers will hire hundreds of people in mid-Michigan in the coming weeks as they prepare to support a third shift at a General Motors Co. assembly plant in Delta Township.
Read More
|
|
Climate stance criticized
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
Eight state environmental groups sent a letter to Gov. Bobby Jindal last week asking the state stop acting "in an obstructionist manner on climate change."
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Minnesota GOP feels party gathering steam
By Mike Kaszuba, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Minnesota's Republicans are talking confidently again, hoping to capitalize on a country -- and a state -- they think may already be growing tired of President Obama and the Democrats.
Read More
|
|
Redesign' sought to shore up Minnesota's finances
By Jason Hoppin, St. Paul Pioneer Press
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Facing a $1.2 billion state deficit and future deficits of up to $5.4 billion, lawmakers in the Minnesota House unveiled proposals they hope lead to a government "redesign." It is being pitched as a bipartisan effort that focuses on results rather than whether to adjust the levers of government by raising taxes or cutting spending.
Read More
|
|
DFLers hope tax breaks put jobless back to work
By Bill Salisbury, St. Paul Pioneer Press
In an attempt to spark building construction, Minnesota Senate President Jim Metzen and other Democratic senators Monday introduced a "jobs bill" that would provide tax credits for investments in small businesses, start-up technology companies and the rehabilitation of historic buildings.
Read More
|
|
Courts -- Should child-porn victims get restitution?
By James Walsh, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Every day, "Misty" finds out that another pedophile has been caught with images of her. He could be a pastor, a cop or a mechanic busted with pornographic pictures taken when she was 8 or 9 years old. In each case, another person is making her a victim again and again, said her attorney James Marsh.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Feds may close locks to stop carp
By Katherine Skiba, Chicago Tribune
At a White House meeting Monday on the Asian carp threat to the Great Lakes, federal officials said they may seek to close navigational locks on Chicago-area waterways for up to three or four days a week, a move that would restrict cargo shipping and recreational boating.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Climate stance criticized
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
Eight state environmental groups sent a letter to Gov. Bobby Jindal last week asking the state stop acting "in an obstructionist manner on climate change."
Read More
|
|
Governors meet at White House about Asian carp
By Mark Guarino, The Christian Science Monitor
The governors of Michigan and Wisconsin met at the White House Monday to discuss the next steps in preventing the invasive Asian carp's potential entry into Lake Michigan from an Illinois shipping canal. The Illinois governor, Pat Quinn, also participated in the meeting by teleconference.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
House approves ban on nitrous oxide
By PhIl West, The Commercial Appeal (Memphis)
House members overwhelmingly approved legislation Monday that bars nitrous oxide, which one legislator called "like a vehicle on steroids," in memory of a state trooper killed last May while chasing a Pontiac Trans Am equipped with the gas.
Read More
|
|
Huge crowd turns out for Martin eulogy, burial
By Billy Watkins, The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson)
TUCKER, Miss. — They came by the hundreds Monday to tiny Holy Rosary Catholic Church in this community of Neshoba County, about five miles southeast of Philadelphia, to pay their final respects to Phillip Martin, former tribal chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
Read More
|
|
Climate stance criticized
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
Eight state environmental groups sent a letter to Gov. Bobby Jindal last week asking the state stop acting "in an obstructionist manner on climate change."
Read More
|
|
Community colleges go high tech
By Ed Kemp, Hattiesburg American
Community college classrooms are getting "smarter," sometimes in unexpected ways. Very soon, students will be able to answer lecture questions using that indispensable accoutrement of 21st century life - their cell phones.
Read More
|
|
Legislative highlights
By Staff Reports, The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson)
Mandatory school start date: Beginning with the 2010-11 school year, all public schools in Mississippi would start on Sept. 1, based on an amendment approved Monday in the House.
Read More
|
|
Delta women sentenced in SNAP fraud
By Staff Reports, The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson)
Two Delta women are facing probation and restitution payments for fraudulently receiving benefits from the state's former food stamp program.
Read More
|
|
States look to the bottle
By David Kesmodel and William Spain, The Wall Street Journal
States suffering through tough times are reaching for a tonic. Lawmakers in several states with tight control of liquor sales are considering legislation that would shift the job to private industry, saving money and raising revenue.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
McCaskill -- Missouri politicians posturing on stimulus
By David A. Lieb, The Associated Press, Kansas City Star
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Claire McCaskill accused Missouri officials of political dishonesty Monday for bashing big spending by Washington while using federal stimulus money to help balance the state budget.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Climate stance criticized
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
Eight state environmental groups sent a letter to Gov. Bobby Jindal last week asking the state stop acting "in an obstructionist manner on climate change."
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Climate stance criticized
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
Eight state environmental groups sent a letter to Gov. Bobby Jindal last week asking the state stop acting "in an obstructionist manner on climate change."
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Climate stance criticized
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
Eight state environmental groups sent a letter to Gov. Bobby Jindal last week asking the state stop acting "in an obstructionist manner on climate change."
Read More
|
|
Bill would use money from wind-energy leases to reward teachers
By The Associated Press, Lincoln Journal Star
A Nebraska lawmaker wants to put wind in the sails of high-performing teachers. A bill (LB1014) before lawmakers during a hearing on Monday would create a fund with money from wind-energy leases on land owned by the Board of Educational Lands and Funds.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bill would ground teen drinkers
By Martha Stoddard, Omaha World-Herald
If Nebraska started taking the car keys from teenagers caught with alcohol, it could mean a lot fewer teens on the road.
Read More
|
|
Court -- City within rights
By Maggie O'Brien, Omaha World-Herald
The City of Omaha was within its rights when it took a fire engine and two medic units out of service to save money during a budget crunch, a judge ruled Monday. However, in two other matters, Douglas County District Judge Patrick Mullen found that the city violated a status-quo order from the Nebraska Commission of Industrial Relations.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Gibbons -- Reform school system, close prison
By Geoff Dornan, Nevada Appeal (Carson City)
The veneer of cooperation between Gov. Jim Gibbons and legislative leadership suffered some damage Monday night as Gibbons blamed lawmakers for creating the budget crisis.
Read More
|
|
Boosted by rate hike, NV Energy reports profit
By Jennifer Robison, Las Vegas Review-Journal
A mid-year rate increase helped local power utility NV Energy transform a quarterly loss into a profit, though it wasn't enough to boost the company's overall annual earnings.
Read More
|
|
Nevada's budget woes -- Gibbons blames legislators
By Ed Vogel and Ben Spillman, Las Vegas Review-Journal
Gov. Jim Gibbons lashed out at state lawmakers on Monday, blaming them for the state's fiscal crisis even as he called them into a special session to consider government spending cuts.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Health providers warn of effects of cost shifting
By Shira Schoenberg, Concord Monitor
State hospitals and health care providers are still calculating the impact of impending cuts to their funding. But, they warn, providers will not shoulder the cuts alone. Eventually, the cost of the services will be borne by average people through higher insurance premiums.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Evergreen 'pay plan' irks towns
By Tom Fahey, The Union Leader (Manchester)
A two-year-old law that guarantees municipal and school workers raises even when their contracts expire is just now starting to make itself felt at town and school district meetings.
Read More
|
|
38 jobs to be cut, tuition hike at Dartmouth
By Staff Reports, The Union Leader (Manchester)
HANOVER, N.H. – There will be 38 layoffs this week with more expected in April, and tuition will go up more than 4 percent, according to a plan to bridge the $100 million budget gap at Dartmouth College.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
FairPoint plan would cut debt sharply
By The Associated Press, Bangor Daily News
PORTLAND, Maine — The telecommunications company FairPoint Communications Inc.'s debt would be cut by nearly two-thirds under its bankruptcy reorganization plan filed Monday, but the company said the reorganization won't prevent it from expanding broadband Internet in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
Read More
|
|
Climate stance criticized
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
Eight state environmental groups sent a letter to Gov. Bobby Jindal last week asking the state stop acting "in an obstructionist manner on climate change."
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NAACP -- N.J. lawmakers have housing bill conflict of interest
By Lisa Fleisher, The Record of Bergen County
As New Jersey lawmakers continued to shape a new approach to affordable housing, the state NAACP charged that key senators drafting this policy change have conflicts of interest because their law firms represent towns affected by the rules.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
N.J. cleaning up one snow, preparing for more
By The Associated Press, The Record of Bergen County
CHERRY HILL, N.J. — Snowed-in southern New Jersey on Monday was still dealing with the aftermath of one major snowstorm as it prepared for another big one expected to arrive late Tuesday.
Read More
|
|
N.J. probes Passaic County deer kill
By Richard Cowen, The Record of Bergen County
The state is investigating whether all of the deer killed during the culling on Garret Mountain have been properly accounted for — and why so many of the harvested animals were sent to an uncertified butcher.
Read More
|
|
N.J. lawmakers tout jobs bill
By Hugh R. Morley, The Record of Bergen County
Saying small businesses desperately need credit but banks refuse to lend, two New Jersey congressmen touted a bill Monday that would give the job to the Small Business Administration (SBA).
Read More
|
|
Climate stance criticized
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
Eight state environmental groups sent a letter to Gov. Bobby Jindal last week asking the state stop acting "in an obstructionist manner on climate change."
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senate takes rare vote to override gov.'s veto
By Barry Massey, The Associated Press, Santa Fe New Mexican
Simmering disagreements between lawmakers and the administration of Gov. Bill Richardson boiled over Monday, as the Senate sought to force state agencies to provide the Legislature with confidential information about contracts and programs.
Read More
|
|
Tougher DWI penalties derailed
By Steve Terrell, Santa Fe New Mexican
Some state senators cited financial reasons as a Senate committee on Monday effectively killed a bill that would have increased DWI penalties.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
State law stalls decision in Block case
By Jason Auslander, Santa Fe New Mexican
Lawyers in the criminal case against state Public Regulation Commission member Jerome Block Jr. argued the finer points of an unusual state law during a hearing Monday, including the meanings of "shall" and "or."
Read More
|
|
Climate stance criticized
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
Eight state environmental groups sent a letter to Gov. Bobby Jindal last week asking the state stop acting "in an obstructionist manner on climate change."
Read More
|
|
Bark beetles' song could save forests
By Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
Researchers at Northern Arizona University think they may have found an environmentally safe and readily available weapon against the tree-eating armies of bark beetles.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paterson responds to 'sleazy' rumors
By The Associated Press, Times Union (Albany)
New York Gov. David Paterson on Monday lashed back at what he called a "callous and sleazy" assault on his character in statehouse rumors and media reports that include accusations about womanizing and drug use, allegations he denied.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Paterson to announce campaign for governor
By Jacob Gershman, The Wall Street Journal
Amid churning doubts over his political future, New York Gov. David Paterson has told one of his closest advisers that he will officially announce his campaign for governor next week.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Departure gives boost to racino bid
By James M. Odato, Times Union (Albany)
The winning bidder in the competition to build a huge racino at Aqueduct Racetrack cut ties with a partner whose criminal record appeared to be a deterrent to consummating the deal.
Read More
|
|
FairPoint plan would cut debt sharply
By The Associated Press, Bangor Daily News
PORTLAND, Maine — The telecommunications company FairPoint Communications Inc.'s debt would be cut by nearly two-thirds under its bankruptcy reorganization plan filed Monday, but the company said the reorganization won't prevent it from expanding broadband Internet in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Feds may close locks to stop carp
By Katherine Skiba, Chicago Tribune
At a White House meeting Monday on the Asian carp threat to the Great Lakes, federal officials said they may seek to close navigational locks on Chicago-area waterways for up to three or four days a week, a move that would restrict cargo shipping and recreational boating.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Winners will get to draw the map
By Rob Christensen, The News & Observer (Raleigh)
The 2010 political season formally opened Monday, with the next nine months potentially having an outsized influence on Tar Heel politics for the next decade.
Read More
|
|
Dentist wants help to broaden care
By Sarah Avery, The News & Observer (Raleigh)
Dr. Steven Slott, a Burlington dentist who founded a traveling free clinic, wants the state legislature to study the idea of an entirely new work force of mid-level dental positions. Such an approach has been tried in Alaska and is gaining ground in several other states.
Read More
|
|
Deputy sent to secure Edwards sex tape
By Michael Biesecker, Rob Christensen and Mark Johnson, The News & Observer (Raleigh)
In an order filed late Sunday night, a judge has dispatched an Orange County sheriff's deputy to Atlanta to be present when a bank safety deposit box purported to contain a sex tape of former presidential candidate John Edwards is opened.
Read More
|
|
Climate stance criticized
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
Eight state environmental groups sent a letter to Gov. Bobby Jindal last week asking the state stop acting "in an obstructionist manner on climate change."
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
States look to the bottle
By David Kesmodel and William Spain, The Wall Street Journal
States suffering through tough times are reaching for a tonic. Lawmakers in several states with tight control of liquor sales are considering legislation that would shift the job to private industry, saving money and raising revenue.
Read More
|
|
2 should quit, state GOP says
By The Associated Press, The Winston-Salem Journal
The head of North Carolina's Republican Party says that two top aides to Gov. Bev Perdue should resign because of poor performance.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Professor derides history class idea
By Matt Ehlers, The News & Observer (Raleigh)
The recent uproar over proposed changes to the history curriculum in North Carolina public schools is not a conservative-vs.-liberal issue, said N.C. State University history professor Holly Brewer. "This is America's history that's being cut," said Brewer, who organized a protest Monday outside the Raleigh Convention Center to object to the suggested changes.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
FairPoint plan would cut debt sharply
By The Associated Press, Bangor Daily News
PORTLAND, Maine — The telecommunications company FairPoint Communications Inc.'s debt would be cut by nearly two-thirds under its bankruptcy reorganization plan filed Monday, but the company said the reorganization won't prevent it from expanding broadband Internet in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NDSU to go smoke-free on March 1
By Amy Dalrymple, The Forum (Fargo)
North Dakota State University will become a smoke-free campus on March 1. President Dick Hanson has signed a new smoking policy that was recommended to him by the University Senate.
Read More
|
|
FEMA teams in N.D. to survey storm damage
By The Associated Press, Grand Forks Herald
Officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be in North Dakota this week evaluating damage from the ice storm that hit the state late last month.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Climate stance criticized
By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge)
Eight state environmental groups sent a letter to Gov. Bobby Jindal last week asking the state stop acting "in an obstructionist manner on climate change."
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Complaints drive state to reconsider BMV's late fees
By Laura A. Bischoff, Dayton Daily News
After hearing scores of complaints from across the state, lawmakers are looking to put the brakes on a new $20 fine for drivers who are more than a week late registering their cars or renewing their licenses.
Read More
|
|
State to fund 350 home fix-ups
By Staff Reports, The Cincinnati Enquirer
The state approved spending $510,000 to fix up homes for needy Hamilton County families, state Rep. Denise Driehaus said Monday.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
More green-energy stimulus aid sought
By Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch
Federal stimulus dollars are helping Ohio companies make components for wind, solar and other energy production, but some "clean energy" advocates say that more assistance is needed to continue creating green manufacturing jobs.
Read More
|
|
Additional petition signatures disqualified
By Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch
A group hoping to put a referendum on the fall ballot regarding a proposal to add electronic slot machines will need more additional signatures than previously thought.
Read More
|
|
Feds may close locks to stop carp
By Katherine Skiba, Chicago Tribune
At a White House meeting Monday on the Asian carp threat to the Great Lakes, federal officials said they may seek to close navigational locks on Chicago-area waterways for up to three or four days a week, a move that would restrict cargo shipping and recreational boating.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Steven Lesser appointed to the PUCO
By Alan Johnson, The Columbus Dispatch
Steven Lesser, chief of staff of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, has been appointed to the five-member panel by Gov. Ted Strickland.
Read More
|
|
Smackdown -- Controlling Board denies YSU land request
By Jim Siegel, The Columbus Dispatch
A Youngstown State University official today suffered the equivalent of a legislative beat-down today by the Ohio Controlling Board, which rejected the school's attempt to purchase a pair of adjacent properties for $620,000.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Norman House candidate ends bid
By Michael McNutt, The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City)
A day before his scheduled court appearance on a DUI charge, Matt Hecox has withdrawn as a contender in this year's race for a state House seat in Norman.
Read More
|
|
Tea Party brews Republican vote
By Michael McNutt, The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City)
MIDWEST CITY, Okla. — Most members of Oklahoma's congressional delegation say they welcome people getting involved in the populist Tea Party movement but doubt it will lead to the formation of a third political party.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Veto override shields retirees from PERS errors
By Peter Wong, Statesman Journal (Salem)
Public employees will be shielded from state agency math errors that could have forced them to repay retirement benefits under a bill that the Oregon Legislature repassed over Gov. Ted Kulongoski's veto.
Read More
|
|
Recovery will be slow, state economist says
By Peter Wong, Statesman Journal (Salem)
Monday's economic forecast, the seventh in a row to show declining tax collections, will prompt lawmakers to find more than $100 million in spending cuts, reserve shifts or reduced tax breaks to balance the state budget.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Ore. agriculture sales fall almost 15 percent
By Abby Haight, Corvallis Gazette-Times
Oregon's agricultural sales plunged almost 15 percent last year, pounded by a weak economy, low prices and oversupply, according to a report released Monday by Oregon State University.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To keep Oregon bats healthy, avoid their homes
By Staff Reports, Corvallis Gazette-Times
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife asks Oregonians, especially those who work in or enjoy exploring caves or mines, to help limit the spread of white-nose syndrome, a new disease that has killed more than a million bats in the northeast.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jack Wagner's strong state committee showing a surprise to some
By Mike Wereschagin, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Elections are won at the ballot box, not the bank teller's window, and Auditor General Jack Wagner's majority support from the state Democratic Committee over the weekend served as a reminder that the governor's race is just getting started, observers said Monday.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Veon's top aide will take the witness stand
By Brad Bumsted, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Prosecutors are expected to call former Rep. Mike Veon's chief of staff Jeffrey Foreman to the witness stand today as their second witness in Veon's public corruption trial.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Feds may close locks to stop carp
By Katherine Skiba, Chicago Tribune
At a White House meeting Monday on the Asian carp threat to the Great Lakes, federal officials said they may seek to close navigational locks on Chicago-area waterways for up to three or four days a week, a move that would restrict cargo shipping and recreational boating.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Candidates back gay marriage
By Jim Baron, The Pawtucket Times
Three of the four announced candidates for governor — Democrats Frank Caprio and Patrick Lynch and Independent Lincoln Chafee — are pledging to sign a bill allowing same-sex marriage if they are elected governor.
Read More
|
|
Democrats gather to tap Fox as new House speaker
By Katherine Gregg, The Providence Journal
While he is not pulling out of the race to succeed William J. Murphy as House speaker, Rep. Gregory Schadone has acknowledged that he does not have the votes to win if the vote is called, as expected, this week.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SC GOP nixes idea of Tea Party Republican group
By Jim Davenport, The Associated Press, The State (Columbia)
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The South Carolina GOP is ditching the idea of forming a Tea Party Republican group while leaders say they are finding ways to make the party appeal more to the activists.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
McMaster opposes Rex's cigarettes plan
By John O'Connor, The State (Columbia)
A leading Republican candidate for governor said Monday he would not support raising South Carolina's cigarette tax - the nation's lowest - under any conditions.
Read More
|
|
Scott joins race for 1st District
By Robert Behre, The Post and Courier (Charleston)
Republican Tim Scott announced Monday he will halt his bid for lieutenant governor and run for the 1st Congressional District instead. He not only becomes the seventh Republican in the race but also is vying to become the first black Republican in Congress in six years.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Segregation spurred S.C. school building spree
By Joey Holleman, The State (Columbia)
For the two generations of children who have attended integrated public schools, it's hard to fathom South Carolina spent $124 million on buildings and buses from 1951 through 1955 with the express purpose of preventing black and white kids from attending school together.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
PUC chief criticizes cap-and-trade costs
By Thom Gabrukiewicz, Argus Leader (Sioux Falls)
A comprehensive energy policy that retasks America's thirst for carbon-emitting power is possible, Public Utilities Commissioner Dusty Johnson said, but two bills before Congress largely are political behemoths that would harm South Dakota consumers.
Read More
|
|
'No Child' reform starts
By David Montgomery, Capital Journal (Pierre)
Local educators have a mixture of hopes and fears as President Barack Obama and Congress set about to reform the No Child Left Behind education program.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Study -- Standard would aid wind industry
By Thom Gabrukiewicz, Argus Leader (Sioux Falls)
South Dakota's wind industry is beginning to shift from a gale to a gentle breeze, but a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) would allow for a burst of new investments, according to a study released last week.
Read More
|
|
Bike safety bill nears review
By Thom Gabrukiewicz, Argus Leader (Sioux Falls)
The South Dakota Bicycle Coalition would like to see at least a 3-foot safety clearance - about the length of using your left arm to signal a turn - when motorists pass cyclists on state roads.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tennessee State Fair closure stirs council, citizens
By Michael Cass, The Tennessean (Nashville)
Mayor Karl Dean's administration and the leadership of the Tennessee State Fair faced tough questions from Metro Council members and the public Monday over their decision to shut down the fair and redevelop the fairgrounds.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bius charges conflict, Ogden fires back
By Mike Ward, The Austin American-Statesman
Texas Senate wannabe Ben Bius charged today that veteran Sen. Steve Ogden has been hiding "a glaring conflict of interest" for years: That Ogden's daughter, Kristen, is a lobbyist for a road-builders' trade group.
Read More
|
|
This might hurt
By Abby Rapoport, The Texas Tribune
Advocates for vaccination records say they're vital to a robust public health system, that a complete registry of those shots would help the state navigate major health crises.
Read More
|
|
Accidents will happen
By Brandi Grissom, The Texas Tribune
State troopers turned in hundreds of error-riddled accident reports in 2007 and 2008, according to an internal audit report compiled by the Texas Department of Public Safety last year.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
A fact check of the Democratic governor debate
By James Drew and Terrence Stutz, The Dallas Morning News
THE CLAIM: Farouk Shami said that over the past few years, the state has executed a few people who were innocent. He then added, "We have killed lots of innocent people in the state of Texas."
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lawmakers discuss early high school graduation
By Lisa Schencker, The Salt Lake Tribune
Sen. Chris Buttars isn't talking about dropping 12th grade any more. Now, he's talking about making 12th grade optional for those students who finish their required credits early -- and some lawmakers are listening to the idea with interest.
Read More
|
|
Depleted uranium -- Both sides sound off
By Judy Fahys, The Salt Lake Tribune
The state's plans for stricter depleted uranium controls has sparked a war of words, with EnergySolutions Inc. calling the proposal a violation of state law and the company's critics saying Utah should close the gates to the stuff forever.
Read More
|
|
State scholarships face another shortfall
By Brian Maffly, The Salt Lake Tribune
Higher education officials cautioned lawmakers Monday that they will have to substantially shrink the state's two popular merit-based scholarships next year absent an increase in funding beyond what the Legislature currently envisions.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Utah Legislature -- Lawmaker wants to rate senators
By Bob Bernick Jr., The Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City)
Should Republicans and Democrats in the Utah Legislature give a formal opinion on who should be a U.S. senator from the Beehive State, or how the current two senators are doing their jobs?
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Burlington claims Morgan Stanley mishandled pension fund
By John Briggs, Burlington Free Press
The administration of Mayor Bob Kiss asked the City Council on Monday for authority to file a claim against Morgan Stanley with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority for the company's alleged mishandling of the city's pension investments from 1991 to 2006.
Read More
|
|
FairPoint plan would cut debt sharply
By The Associated Press, Bangor Daily News
PORTLAND, Maine — The telecommunications company FairPoint Communications Inc.'s debt would be cut by nearly two-thirds under its bankruptcy reorganization plan filed Monday, but the company said the reorganization won't prevent it from expanding broadband Internet in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
States look to the bottle
By David Kesmodel and William Spain, The Wall Street Journal
States suffering through tough times are reaching for a tonic. Lawmakers in several states with tight control of liquor sales are considering legislation that would shift the job to private industry, saving money and raising revenue.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Long-held inmates sue Virginia parole board for release
By Tom Jackman, The Washington Post
Virginia abolished parole for convicted criminals in 1995. But more than 6,000 prisoners remain who were arrested prior to 1995, a new lawsuit alleges, and the state parole board denies release to more than 96 percent of them each year.
Read More
|
|
Change in formula may mean less money for area schools
By Olympia Meola and Holly Prestidge, Richmond Times-Dispatch
Richmond-area school systems are facing millions of dollars less in state education funding, after Gov. Bob McDonnell said yesterday that he will support updating the index that determines how much state money each school system receives.
Read More
|
|
McDonnell directing more education money to N.Va.
By Anita Kumar and Fredrick Kunkle, The Washington Post
RICHMOND, Va. -- In one of his first decisions on the state's two-year budget, Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell sided with Northern Virginia, the vote-rich region that helped him secure his landslide victory in November, by sending it more school dollars.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Va. Senate passes anti-discrimination bill for state workers
By Rosalind S. Helderman, The Washington Post
RICHMOND, Va. -- The Virginia Senate passed a bill Monday that would make it illegal to discriminate in the state workforce, including on the basis of sexual orientation, marking the first time such legislation has passed either chamber of the Virginia General Assembly.
Read More
|
|
GOP plan emerges to fix Va. shortfall
By Julian Walker, The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk)
House of Delegates budget negotiators hope to overcome a multibillion-dollar budget shortfall in part by deeper cuts at state agencies, bigger contributions from state workers to their pension plans and more federal money to pay for Medicaid.
Read More
|
|
Fewer civil cases go to juries due in large part to cost
By Janie Bryant, The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk)
Two years ago, Norfolk businessman Eric Stevens was broad-sided by a motorist who ran a red light. After surgery for a ruptured disc and other medical costs, he filed a lawsuit and entered the world of civil litigation.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
States look to the bottle
By David Kesmodel and William Spain, The Wall Street Journal
States suffering through tough times are reaching for a tonic. Lawmakers in several states with tight control of liquor sales are considering legislation that would shift the job to private industry, saving money and raising revenue.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$250M biomass energy plant planned at Shelton
By The Associated Press, seattlepi.com
SEATTLE -- Areva, the international energy company based in France, and Charlotte, N.C., based Duke Energy have formed a joint venture to build a biomass energy plant at Shelton.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Major polluter tax bills introduced in Olympia
By Jim Brunner, The Seattle Times
The big environmental bill of the legislative session -- a proposal to triple the tax on oil, pesticides and other chemicals and devote the money to storm water cleanup -- was formally introduced today in the state House and Senate.
Read More
|
|
Gregoire wants more clarity on school funding case
By Linda Shaw, The Seattle Times
Gov. Chris Gregoire said Monday that she has a lot of questions about last week's ruling by King County Superior Court Judge John Erlick that Washington state is not providing enough money to its public schools.
Read More
|
|
Report spells out tuition increases under Senate bill
By Lillian Tucker, The Seattle Times
Wondering what all this talk of tuition-setting authority means in terms of the price tag on education? Senate Committee Services released a report Monday that lays out possible future tuition rates under the maximum-limit provisions of SB 6562.
Read More
|
|
747-8 soars smoothly on first outing
By Dominic Gates, The Seattle Times
Boeing's chief pilot on the 747 disembarked from the newest and largest Boeing jet after its maiden flight Monday and immediately gave it the thumbs-up.
Read More
|
|
States look to the bottle
By David Kesmodel and William Spain, The Wall Street Journal
States suffering through tough times are reaching for a tonic. Lawmakers in several states with tight control of liquor sales are considering legislation that would shift the job to private industry, saving money and raising revenue.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lottery chief predicts revenue will level off
By Phil Kabler, Charleston Gazette
After three consecutive years of declining revenues, West Virginia Lottery Director John Musgrave said he believes state Lottery revenues will level off in future years -- despite a weak economy and increased competition from neighboring states.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wis. gov disappointed locks won't close
By Staff Reports, Wisconsin State Journal (Madison)
Gov. Jim Doyle says he's disappointed federal officials won't close Chicago-area locks and gates to stop Asian carp from spreading into the Great Lakes.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Feds admit wrongly tracking Wis. abortion groups
By Ryan J. Foley, Wisconsin State Journal (Madison)
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security conducted a threat assessment of local pro- and anti-abortion rights activists before an expected rally last year, even though they did not pose a threat to national security.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Washington offers plan to control Asian carp
By Dan Egan and Diana Marrero, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
WASHINGTON -- Almost three months after learning that Asian carp had breached the last line of defense for the Great Lakes - an electric barrier on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal - the federal government has put together a plan to try to do something about it.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
Feds may close locks to stop carp
By Katherine Skiba, Chicago Tribune
At a White House meeting Monday on the Asian carp threat to the Great Lakes, federal officials said they may seek to close navigational locks on Chicago-area waterways for up to three or four days a week, a move that would restrict cargo shipping and recreational boating.
Read More
|
|
Governors meet at White House about Asian carp
By Mark Guarino, The Christian Science Monitor
The governors of Michigan and Wisconsin met at the White House Monday to discuss the next steps in preventing the invasive Asian carp's potential entry into Lake Michigan from an Illinois shipping canal. The Illinois governor, Pat Quinn, also participated in the meeting by teleconference.
Read More
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
