• 09 Feb 2010 03:07

  Tuesday, February 9, 2010

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• 08 Feb 2010 07:17

  Monday, February 8, 2010

  FL: Space shuttle blasts off on last night flight By The Associated Press, St. Petersburg Times CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Endeavour and six astronauts rocketed into orbit Monday on what's expected to be the last nighttime launch for the shuttle program, hauling a new room and observation deck for the International Space Station.   Read More HI: Hawaii charges ahead with electric vehicles By Sean Hao, The Honolulu Advertiser The state is driving the adoption of electric and alternate vehicles through a variety of mandates and grants, but the push could add to costs at government agencies and businesses already grappling with the worst economy in decades.   Read More IA: Computer breaches examined as consolidation of information systems pushed By Charlotte Eby, Quad-City Times A recent breach in the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission's database that compromised personal data of casino employees is raising questions about how safe data is in state computer systems.   Read More IA: Iowans rate drivers' texting as more urgent than gay marriage By Jennifer Jacobs, The Des Moines Register A majority of Iowans think the issue of gay marriage doesn't deserve lawmakers' limited time. Among six hot-button topics, a new Iowa Poll shows a majority of Iowans consider only a ban on text messaging while driving worth the Legislature's time during a session shortened by 20 days to cut costs.   Read More IL: New Web site to share ideas, info on UI resources By Julie Wurth, The News-Gazette (Champaign) URBANA, Ill. -- The University of Illinois has launched a new budget Web site to give students and employees input on how to best use scarce university resources.   Read More KS: State considers cell phone ban By Jeremy Hsieh, The Associated Press, The Juneau Empire Lawmakers in the nation's most inaccessible state capital are considering the most aggressive statewide ban in the United States on the use of cell phones while driving.   Read More MA: Deval Patrick puts toll takers on notice By Hillary Chabot, Boston Herald Gov. Deval Patrick is quietly moving forward with a plan to install electronic tolling on the Massachusetts Turnpike that would target costly, patronage-laden toll takers as he pushes for reelection, the Herald has learned.   Read More ME: Bill on potential hazards of cellular phone use attracts national attention By Susan M. Cover, Kennebec Journal It won't get a public hearing until next month, but lobbyists already are working a bill that would require cell phones sold in Maine to have stickers warning of the possibility of brain cancer.   Read More MO: Mo. to consider putting public notices online By The Associated Press, St. Louis Post-Dispatch Missouri lawmakers are considering a bill that pits print newspapers against the Internet.   Read More NH: Hodes -- Give NH more oversight over Vermont Yankee By The Associated Press, Concord Monitor VERNON, Vt. -- New Hampshire Rep. Paul Hodes is heading to Vermont on Monday to announce a new proposal to give New Hampshire greater oversight over safety inspections at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant.   Read More NV: What's next for Yucca? Restoration By Stephanie Tavares, Las Vegas Sun When it was on the drawing boards, the Yucca Mountain radioactive waste dump promised unprecedented challenges to nuclear engineers and physicists: How to safely store nuclear waste underground?   Read More OR: Oregon cell phone ban's first month -- Portland police issued 368 tickets; OSP wrote 41 By Joseph Rose, The Oregonian (Portland) Oregon State Police issued 41 tickets and 250 warnings to motorists caught breaking a new hands-free cell phone law on the state's highways in January.   Read More PA: State probes handling of grant By Tracie Mauriello and Jonathan D. Silver, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette In 2006, a nonprofit called Greene County Industrial Developments Inc. applied for a $500,000 state grant on behalf of a start-up Internet company in Pittsburgh.   Read More SD: South Dakota professors, others aim to refine the law on 'sexting' By Ross Dolan, The Daily Republic, Grand Forks Herald MITCHELL, S.D. -- Dakota Wesleyan University assistant professor Jesse Weins is part of a team tackling legal issues surrounding the murky world of juvenile "sexting."   Read More TN: Oak Ridge projects get one-third of TN money By Anne Paine, The Tennessean (Nashville) OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — The federal stimulus program has created something of a spending spree at the U.S. Department of Energy's massive campus in East Tennessee.   Read More VT: Vt. Internet sex registry facing tweaks, challenges By Peter Hirschfeld, Times Argus (Barre/Montpelier) Coming amendments to a 2009 law that expanded the state's Internet sex-offender registry appear to have staved off at least one lawsuit challenging the new statute. However civil-rights advocates say it's only a matter of time before the broadened Web-based registry faces a more strenuous constitutional challenge.   Read More VT: Vermont Yankee zeroes in on possible source of leak By Terri Hallenbeck, Burlington Free Press Vermont Yankee officials zeroed in Friday on pipes that connect the "off-gas pit sump" -- a concrete vault -- to a radioactive waste building as the possible source of a tritium leak at the Vernon nuclear power plant.   Read More WI: Private, public research under one roof at UW By Kathleen Gallagher, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel When it opens in December, the $205 million Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery will be a showcase of high-tech design and model of collaboration.   Read More WV: Frontier's stimulus request goes unfunded By Eric Eyre, Charleston Gazette The federal government has declined to fund Frontier Communication's $55 million request for economic stimulus money that the company planned to use to expand high-speed broadband availability across West Virginia, according to a federal Web site that tracks broadband grant applications.   Read More WY: Wind rules up for debate By Dustin Bleizeffer, Casper Star-Tribune The State Lands and Investments Board has drafted proposed rule changes regarding wind energy development on state lands.   Read More

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• 07 Feb 2010 12:54

  Sunday, February 7, 2010

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• 06 Feb 2010 01:45

  Saturday, February 6, 2010

  CA: Governor gearing up to sell ads on freeway electronic signs By Kevin Yamamura, The Sacramento Bee In his latest effort to patch California's cash-strapped budget, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has resurrected an idea to convert overhead freeway displays into electronic advertising billboards. AL: Senate passes ban on most no-bid contracts The Alabama Senate has approved legislation to stop the state government from issuing no-bid contracts except in emergencies. GA: Ga. Senate approves microchip implant bill By The Associated Press, The Macon Telegraph State senators are moving to protect Georgians from being implanted with a microchip without their permission. IA: Lottery CEO asks to sell tickets via phone, Web By Jason Clayworth, The Des Moines Register An idea to let Iowans purchase lottery tickets and games using cell phones or the Internet raised concerns among a consumer advocate and legislators on Thursday. KY: Bill to ban texting while driving passes House By Gregory A. Hall, The Courier-Journal (Louisville) Rep. Keith Hall, D-Phelps, was opposed to a bill that would ban texting while driving — until his wife was in a car crash involving her cell phone the night before the Kentucky House was to vote on the measure. MA: Mass. House OK's driving safety bill By Noah Bierman, The Boston Globe The Massachusetts House passed a measure yesterday that would make this the seventh state to require drivers to use a hands-free device while chatting on their cellphones. MS: Teachers' license info online for parents By Marquita Brown, The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson) Parents of Mississippi public school students now can go online to see whether their children's instructors are licensed in the subject are they teach. OK: House Republicans move quickly to save face By Michael McNutt, The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) House Republican leaders acted quickly Thursday to rally behind their newest member, a day after his first speech on the House floor ended up as part of an embarrassing loss for the GOP majority. PA: Authorities differ on making 'sexting' a criminal offense By Tom Barnes, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette State legislators and the ACLU agree on one thing -- teens are foolish and misguided when they transmit nude or sexually explicit photos of themselves via cell phone -- but the two sides sharply disagree on whether the practice of "sexting" should be listed as a criminal offense. VA: Repeal of radar detector ban advancing in Virginia House By Bill Sizemore, The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk) For motorists hankering to zip along the highways unfettered by the heavy hand of law enforcement, this is shaping up to be a very friendly General Assembly session. VT: Radioactivity readings spike at Vermont Yankee By The Associated Press, Burlington Free Press Tritium levels in groundwater samples taken at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant are up more than nine times over previously recorded levels, officials said Thursday. The seventh annual Hal Hovey Award was presented Feb. 3 to Marc Perrusquia, an enterprise and investigative reporter for The Commercial Appeal, the daily newspaper in Memphis Tenn. The award is made jointly by Stateline.org, which is part of the Pew Center on the States, and Governing Magazine for outstanding coverage of state and local government.

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• 04 Feb 2010 02:07

  Thursday, February 4, 2010

  AK: Ellis bill -- Use state systems for e-mails By The Associated Press, Anchorage Daily News Senate Majority Leader Johnny Ellis has proposed a measure that would require public employee e-mails related to state business be sent on state-run systems. AL: Alabama Gov. Bob Riley says he's right to press anti-bingo campaign By Kim Chandler, The Birmingham News Alabama Gov. Bob Riley said Tuesday he has no doubts about his efforts to shut down the thousands of electronic bingo machines operating around the state. AL: House OKs bill restricting access to Ala 911 calls By The Associated Press, Montgomery Advertiser The Alabama House has passed a bill that would restrict the public's access to 911 calls and require a court order for their release. AZ: Ariz DPS employee indicted for accessing databases By Staff Reports, Arizona Daily Sun (Flagstaff) The state Attorney General's Office says 24-year-old Teisa Simone Mayfield Vallejo was indicted on two counts of unauthorized access to criminal history. CA: California considers dramatically expanding the number of black bears hunters can kill By Paul Rogers, The Mercury News (San Jose) Watch out, Smokey. Keep your head down, Yogi. CA: California sets up statewide network to monitor global-warming gases By Todd Woody, The New York Times SAN FRANCISCO — California is preparing to introduce the first statewide system of monitoring devices to detect global-warming emissions, installing them on towers throughout the state. CA: No live TV of a trial on marriage, but a replay By Malia Wollan, The New York Times SAN FRANCISCO — Considering all the media hoopla surrounding the trial on Proposition 8, California's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, it was bound to get the Hollywood treatment. But this fast? DE: NRG deal promises cleaner air, bays By Molly Murray, The News Journal (New Castle-Wilmington) Delaware regulators and NRG Energy have struck a deal that would shut down three of four generating units at the Indian River Power Plant by 2013, cutting toxic air pollution from one of the state's largest industrial polluters and vastly reducing the plant's impact on area waterways. GA: Senate votes to expand definition of text book By Ernie Suggs, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Can a Kindle, iPad or any other reading device soon be as common in schools as text books? IA: Inquiry sought in data breach By William Petroski, The Des Moines Register Iowa Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal said Tuesday he will request an inquiry into a security breach that allowed a hacker to access a state computer system with personal information regarding 80,000 people. IL: Anti-texting law tough to enforce against drivers, authorities say By Rhys Saunders, The State Journal-Register (Springfield) Local authorities say a new Illinois law that makes it illegal for people to text-message while driving has been difficult to enforce. IN: Several key bills advance as session nears its midpoint By Bill Ruthhart and Mary Beth Schneider, The Indianapolis Star State lawmakers in the House and Senate moved legislation at a torrid pace Tuesday, passing dozens of bills as they hit the midpoint of the legislative session. KS: Kansas House endorses proposal to level 911 fees for all phones By The Associated Press, The Lawrence Journal-World The Kansas House has tentatively approved a measure that would set a level fee for all telephone users to finance enhanced emergency services. KY: Bluegrass gambling poll shows Kentucky support grows for slot machines By Joseph Gerth, The Courier-Journal (Louisville) Nearly six of every 10 Kentucky voters say they favor legalizing slot machines at the state's race tracks, according to the latest Couri er-Journal/WHAS11 Bluegrass Poll. MA: Salazar visits Cape, puts off wind farm ruling By Christine McConville, Boston Herald Interior Secretary Kenneth Salazar didn't tip his hand on Cape Wind yesterday during a Bay State visit, but he pushed back the deadline to make a decision on the nation's first offshore wind farm until April. MD: Maryland drivers may be barred from reading texts By The Associated Press, The Capital (Annapolis) People driving in Maryland would no longer be able to read texts while behind the wheel, under legislation proposed by one state lawmaker. ME: First Wind eyes Bowers Mountain By Nick Sambides Jr., Bangor Daily News CARROLL PLANTATION, Maine — First Wind of Massachusetts is collecting data on Bowers Mountain wind conditions as a first step toward possibly erecting an industrial wind-to-energy site near the 1,127-foot summit, company officials said Tuesday. ME: First Wind eyes Bowers Mountain By Nick Sambides Jr., Bangor Daily News CARROLL PLANTATION, Maine — First Wind of Massachusetts is collecting data on Bowers Mountain wind conditions as a first step toward possibly erecting an industrial wind-to-energy site near the 1,127-foot summit, company officials said Tuesday. MS: Stalking, texting bills alive By Elizabeth Crisp, The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson) Proposals to sell the state jet, ban texting while driving and strengthen stalking laws are among measures that survived the Legislature's deadline Tuesday for nonrevenue bills. NE: Bill advances to require cell phone locating information By Staff Reports, Lincoln Journal Star The bill, sponsored by Sen. Tim Gay of Papillion, would require a wireless carrier to provide the best available cell phone location information to law enforcement in an emergency. NJ: N.J. judge says state's voting machings safe, reliable By Elise Young, The Record of Bergen County New Jersey's 11,000 electronic voting machines are "safe, accurate and reliable," but a panel of experts — some with computer training — must decide whether to keep or scrap the most popular model, a Superior Court judge said in a ruling issued Monday. OK: Panel OKs birth-date confidentiality bill By Barbara Hoberock, Tulsa World Public employees' birth dates could soon be confidential under a measure that passed a Senate panel on Tuesday. SC: Bill targets texting, talking on cell phones By John Monk, The State (Columbia) Drivers in the state's fleet of 5,000 public school buses would be forbidden to text-message or talk on cell phones while transporting students under a proposal before the House Transportation Subcommittee today. TN: Republican leaders balk at tax increases to save employee jobs By Andy Sher, Chattanooga Times Free Press Gov. Phil Bredesen's proposal to raise $21.3 million by increasing sales taxes on cable television bills and subjecting cable boxes to use taxes is getting static from Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey and other GOP legislative leaders. TN: Bredesen's proposal for raising revenue worries lawmakers By Lucas L. Johnson II, The Associated Press, The Tennessean (Nashville) Some Tennessee lawmakers say they're concerned about how their constituents will react to a state revenue proposal that includes taxing cable TV and hiking driver's license fees for the first time in more than 20 years.   Read More WI: Website that provides court records is under scrutiny By Ed Treleven, Wisconsin State Journal (Madison) For the woman who was a victim of domestic abuse, it was a relief when a Columbia County prosecutor dismissed an unfounded domestic battery charge against her about five years ago.   Read More WY: State stimulus Web site gets poor marks By Tom Lacock, Cowboy State Free Press A bipartisan policy center has given the Wyoming stimulus accountability Web site a low grade, while the Governor's office defends the effort as effective, but not flashy.   Read More

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• 01 Feb 2010 23:31

  Tuesday, February 2, 2010

  AR: Social media reshaping politics in Arkansas By Rob Moritz, Arkansas News Bureau The social media are changing the political playing field, and their impact has never been more evident in Arkansas than in recent weeks. CT: Rell proposes stricter cell phone laws for drivers By Régine Labossière, The Hartford Courant The state needs to toughen its ban on cellphone use while driving and needs a similar ban on text messaging, Gov. M. Jodi Rell said Saturday. AL: Supreme Court blocks bingo in Ashville By Phillip Rawls, The Associated Press, Montgomery Advertiser The Alabama Supreme Court unanimously blocked electronic bingo machines in Ashville on Friday and reiterated that bingo games must involve lots of human interaction to meet Alabama law. CO: Colo. proposed rules on uranium mining go public By Monte Whaley, The Denver Post Colorado mining officials have released draft regulations aimed at tightening oversight of uranium mining operations in the state. CT: Jury -- State must pay $18 million to computer firm By Dave Altimari and Edmund H. Mahony, The Hartford Courant The state must pay more than $18 million to the owner of an East Hartford computer company that state officials had accused of skimping on parts, a Superior Court jury in Waterbury decided Friday. FL: The $4.4 billion question -- Will Central Floridians take the train? By Dan Tracy, The Orlando Sentinel Central Florida is in for a culture shock. Dependent for generations on the automobile for virtually all means of transit, the region relatively soon will have not one, but two, new passenger trains running through it. GA: Ga. Power casts lot with gas, nuclear By Dave Williams, Atlanta Business Chronicle Georgia Power Co. is betting its future on generating electricity from nuclear power and natural gas. IA: State investigates hacking of computer server By The Associated Press, Sioux City Journal The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission says someone gained access to a computer server that holds more than 80,000 records containing casino employee information. IA: Lawmakers hear dangers of texting while driving By Jennifer Jacobs, The Des Moines Register You may think you're skilled enough to read e-mails on your cell phone, or send text messages, while you're driving. Don't be fooled, national and state traffic safety researchers told Iowa legislators last week. MA: Clean energy group launches TV ads aimed at Brown By The Associated Press, Boston Herald A clean energy group inspired by Democrat Al Gore is launching an advertising campaign aimed at newly elected Republican Scott Brown. MN: Landrieu caper prep: Whole lotta typin' goin' on NEW ORLEANS - Johnny Angel opened the door to his old, brick-faced duplex and saw them all there, typing away quietly on their computers just days before their hidden-camera stunt in Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu's district office. NE: Did politics play role in call center pick? By Paul Hammel, Omaha World-Herald Two Omaha lawmakers and the state employees union are upset that the state's largest city — with the largest number of experienced welfare caseworkers — was overlooked as the state selected sites for new welfare call centers. NM: Oil output sweetens, natural gas stinks By Kevin Robinson, New Mexico Business Weekly (Albuquerque) New Mexico's oil and gas industry is facing a very lopsided recovery. NV: Reid -- Budget would eliminate Yucca Mountain funds By The Associated Press, Nevada Appeal (Carson City) WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's budget will propose withdrawing a license application for a nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain in Nevada, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Sunday. NV: Open government is a promise seldom kept By David McGrath Schwartz, Las Vegas Sun Transparency is the kissed baby of political rhetoric, an unassailable position for politicians. OK: Plenty of posturing for 2010 legislative session By Barbara Hoberock, Tulsa World, Tulsa World State lawmakers on Monday will convene a legislative session that is expected to be marred by budget fights and a boisterous election year. SC: Herriott to lead research campus By Staff Reports, The Post and Courier (Charleston) The University of South Carolina has chosen a former pharmaceutical executive to direct its new research campus in Columbia. SD: S.D. treads carefully in online court filing By John Hult, Argus Leader (Sioux Falls) The state's judicial system plans to move to electronic case filing within three years. That should streamline the system but also might result in higher court filing fees. VT: Utilities watch closely as Vermont Yankee's future grows more questionable By Terri Hallenbeck, Burlington Free Press There was a time when Mary Powell thought Vermont Yankee's future and how much her company, Green Mountain Power Corp., would pay for power from the plant would all be settled in 2009. VT: Vermont considers boiler buyback program By Candace Page, Burlington Free Press Cliff Gross of Bradford says the smoke from a neighbor's outdoor wood furnace seeps into his house, making him cough, causing sore throats and subjecting him and his wife to sleepless nights. WV: News site has extensive ties to conservative groups By Alison Knezevich and Gary A. Harki, Charleston Gazette The Watchdog site and its parent organization, the Public Policy Foundation of West Virginia, are part of an extensive network of conservative groups across the country. WY: Freudenthal to discuss hopes for wind-energy tax By The Associated Press, Billings Gazette Gov. Dave Freudenthal has scheduled a news conference to discuss his proposals for new laws for Wyoming's wind energy industry. WY: RMP asks for $16.3M rate decrease By Dustin Bleizeffer, Casper Star-Tribune Wyoming's largest electric utility, Rocky Mountain Power, has requested a $16.3 million rate decrease which, if approved, would go into effect in April. WY: Delegation fights for fair trona trade By Jeff Gearino, Casper Star-Tribune GREEN RIVER, Wy. -- The state's Congressional delegation is accusing China of unfair trade practices to the detriment of Wyoming's soda ash industry and is asking U.S. trade representatives for help.

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• 31 Jan 2010 21:52

  Monday, February 1, 2010

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• 30 Jan 2010 22:15

  Sunday, January 31, 2010

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• 29 Jan 2010 20:05

  Friday, January 29, 2010

  US: Driver phone bans' impact doubted By Larry Copeland, USA Today A national crackdown on distracted driving takes an unexpected turn today. A new study shows that the number of traffic crashes did not drop in three states and the District of Columbia after they banned drivers from using handheld cellphones. US: Va., Md. get nearly $140 million for rail projects By Ashley Halsey III, The Washington Post President Obama doled out $8 billion in federal stimulus money Thursday to build and improve rail lines in 31 states, helping fund high-speed service between Richmond and Washington and replacement of a 19th-century tunnel through Baltimore. AK: 500-mile road to Nome could cost $2.7 billion By The Associated Press, The Juneau Empire An engineering study found that a 500-mile road to Nome championed by Gov. Sean Parnell could cost as much as $2.7 billion. AK: Accounting firm loses public employee data By Becky Bohrer, The Associated Press, Anchorage Daily News A major accounting firm has agreed to provide credit protection for more than 77,000 current and former public employees whose personal information it lost, Alaska Attorney General Dan Sullivan said Thursday. AZ: Measure aims to prohibit sale of electronic cigarettes to minors By Beth Duckett, The Arizona Republic (Phoenix) Frustrated by a lack of federal regulations governing electronic cigarettes, Arizona policy makers are taking the initiative to ban sales of the tobaccoless devices to minors. CA: Stimulus money seeds big rail plans in California By Rebecca Smith, The Wall Street Journal California will receive a $2.34 billion slice of the $8 billion of federal stimulus funds earmarked for high-speed rail projects, more than any other state. But that is only a sliver of the $42 billion it will need to build an 800-mile line to carry the nation's first 220-m.p.h. trains. CA: Stimulus money will spur construction on California high-speed rail project, officials say By Dan Weikel, Los Angeles Times The $2.25 billion in federal stimulus funds awarded this week to the California high-speed rail project ensures that construction can proceed on a 520-mile route between Anaheim and San Francisco within three years, rail officials said Thursday. CA: Putting the moon in the state's orbit By Mike Anton, Los Angeles Times When the Apollo 11 astronauts blasted off from the moon, they left behind not just the small steps of men but a giant pile of equipment and junk for all of mankind. FL: Rail gets `down payment' By Alfonso Chardy and Marc Caputo, The Miami Herald When Florida asked the Obama administration last year for money to build a high-speed rail line, it requested $2.5 billion for a Tampa-Orlando stretch and $30 million to advance the Orlando-Miami leg. GA: North Carolina invests, wins rail money; Georgia doesn't North Carolina has spent more than $300 million since 1992 to bolster its passenger rail service. On Thursday, it saw a return on that investment: a $545 million slice of President Barack Obama's $8 billion high-speed rail stimulus. GA: 4COL, new TXT MSG fine is OTT :( By Chris Carroll, Chattanooga Times Free Press Last year, Tennessee legislators passed a law that makes text messaging illegal for all drivers, including truckers. Georgia legislators are considering similar legislation. GA: Senate passes bill to allow use of hands-free devices while driving On the eighth legislative day, the Georgia Senate heard their first bill on the floor. And it breezed through. HI: Governor, mayor at odds over financing for rail By Richard Borreca, Honolulu Star-Bulletin The city's plans for rail transit are based on financial assumptions that are too shaky to proceed without more study, says Gov. Linda Lingle. ID: Idaho Power files plan to meet future power demand By The Associated Press, The Idaho Statesman (Boise) Idaho Power Co. has filed a plan with the state's energy regulator detailing how it will meet growing customer demand over the next 20 years. IL: Chicago business leaders launch 'Illinoisisbroke.com' to highlight state money woes By Michelle Manchir, Chicago Tribune Chicago business leaders are launching a media blitz Friday to highlight the breadth of the state's dire budget problems under the theme "Illinois Is Broke." LA: Tampering at Landrieu Office Called a 'Stunt' By Campbell Robertson and Bernie Becker, The New York Times NEW ORLEANS — The lawyer for one of the four men arrested Monday on charges of interfering with the phones in Senator Mary L. Landrieu's office in New Orleans said the episode was a prank based on what conservative activists have said was a problem getting through to the senator's office during the health care debates. MA: Governor -- Wind farm's in By Christine McConville, Boston Herald The fix is in for Cape Wind, the controversial plan to build 400-foot-tall wind turbines in Nantucket Sound, and you can take Gov. Deval Patrick's word for it. MN: Lawyer denies senator was being wiretapped By The Associated Press, Minneapolis Star Tribune NEW ORLEANS - Four conservative activists accused of trying to tamper with a senator's phones were just trying to record embarrassing undercover video of her staff ignoring phone calls from constituents angry that she supported overhauling health care, one of their attorneys said on Thursday. MN: Geithner gives the green light for green jobs By Leslie Brooks Suzukamo, St. Paul Pioneer Press U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who received a grilling Wednesday in Congress over his role in the bailout of insurance giant AIG, came to the Twin Cities to talk about how the Obama administration proposes to create jobs in the green-energy sector. MN: High-speed Chicago-to-St. Paul rail line gets first federal grant for planning By Jason Hoppin, St. Paul Pioneer Press A high-speed rail line between the St. Paul and Chicago moved one step closer to reality Thursday when the White House said it would provide seed money for the long-sought line. MO: Mo. revenue agency encourages online tax filing By The Associated Press, St. Louis Post-Dispatch Missouri revenue officials are encouraging taxpayers to file their state income tax returns online. NC: Blue Cross fined for health reform robo calls By Lynn Bonner, Rob Christensen and Benjamin Niolet, The News & Observer (Raleigh) Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina will pay a $95,000 fine for violating the state's robo calls law. ND: Funds near for addition to NDSU tech park By Helmut Schmidt, The Forum (Fargo) North Dakota State University is in the final stages of obtaining $9 million in state and federal funds for an addition to Research I in the Research and Technology Park that would double the facility's size. NE: Caseworkers worry about ACCESSNebraska's effect on some clients By Nancy Hicks, Lincoln Journal Star State employees fear that moving most of the state's food stamp and welfare business to the Internet and telephone call centers will jeopardize Nebraskans who are mentally ill, disabled or old -- people who rely on face-to-face contact. NV: Permitting process -- State high court deals setback to pipeline proposal for Southern Nevada By Henry Bean, Las Vegas Review-Journal A state Supreme Court ruling issued Thursday could seriously delay or halt a multibillion-dollar plan to supply Las Vegas with groundwater from across eastern Nevada. NV: State, feds point fingers as Nevada misses rail funding By Kyle Hansen, Las Vegas Sun Politicians were quick to take credit or pass blame Thursday when Nevada was left off the list of 31 states that will benefit from federal stimulus funds for high-speed rail, but the Nevada project that sought funds wasn't qualified anyway. NV: Nevada's high-speed rail plan deemed ineligible for stimulus funds By Steve Tetreault, Las Vegas Review-Journal WASHINGTON -- Nevada lost out on another multimillion-dollar economic stimulus program when the government doled out $8 billion for high-speed rail projects Thursday because a route planned for a magnetic levitation train between Las Vegas and Southern California was declared ineligible for the funds. NV: Permitting process -- State high court deals setback to pipeline proposal for Southern Nevada By Henry Bean, Las Vegas Review-Journal A state Supreme Court ruling issued Thursday could seriously delay or halt a multibillion-dollar plan to supply Las Vegas with groundwater from across eastern Nevada. NY: Cell ban fails crash test By Brian Nearing, Times Union (Albany) A study issued Thursday by an insurance industry group finds that crash rates have not declined in New York after the hand-held cellphone driving ban was adopted. The same thing happened after bans were imposed in California, Connecticut and the District of Columbia.   Read More NY: High-speed rail gets green light By Brian Tumulty, Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester) WASHINGTON — New York finished an unimpressive eighth Thursday in the race to share $8 billion in federal money to develop high-speed passenger rail service.   Read More NY: Local leaders happy with $151 million grant for high-speed rail By Steve Orr, Jill Terreri and Patti Singe, Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester) The modest $151 million in federal stimulus funds that New York state received for high-speed rail will pay for preliminary work — in the Rochester area — on the first stretch of a long-sought passenger rail corridor across upstate New York.   Read More OH: Ohio House leaders plan to delete all Tweeting By Jim Siegel, The Columbus Dispatch House Speaker Armond Budish said he would move to strengthen rules preventing members from communicating with lobbyists or sending "Tweets" electronically while on the House floor.   Read More OK: High-speed plan derailed By Jim Myers, Tulsa World WASHINGTON — Oklahoma was shut out Thursday in its bid for construction funds from the Obama administration to be part of the first nationwide program for high-speed passenger rail service.   Read More OR: Oregon's free recycling of computers, TVs was a big hit in 2009 By Scott Learn, The Oregonian (Portland) Oregon's free electronics recycling program collected 18.9 million pounds of televisions, computers and monitors in its first year, the state said today, well beyond initial projections.   Read More PA: Pa. left at the station for high-speed funds By Paul Nussbaum, The Philadelphia Inquirer President Obama yesterday revealed his plans to spend $8 billion on high-speed rail projects heralded as the start of a new era in American transportation, but Pennsylvania's share will be only a tiny fraction of that amount.   Read More PA: Region mostly shut out of high-speed rail grants By Staff Reports, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The White House today released the list of high-speed rail projects that will share $8 billion in stimulus funds, and, as expected, Western Pennsylvania was largely shut out.   Read More PA: DEP plans to hire 68 inspectors By Rick Stouffer, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The state Department of Environmental Protection said Thursday it will hire 68 inspectors to make sure drilling companies obey state laws and protect water supplies.   Read More PA: Rail stimulus paltry for Western Pennsylvania By Matthew Santoni, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Only four passenger trains daily visit Pittsburgh's Amtrak station, taking five hours or longer to trek across mountains to Harrisburg and Washington, or nine hours through the night to Chicago.   Read More TX: Paperless medicine -- Training the eworkforce By Andrew Kreighbaum, The Texas Tribune Physicians in Texas are just starting to use electronic medical records in their practices. But with the promise of thousands of new jobs in the field, Central Texas colleges are jumping at the chance to train their students in the technology   Read More TX: File not found By Ross Ramsey, The Texas Tribune To understand why it takes so long to get election ballots together in Texas, it helps to know that some people still don't use email, that political candidates fill out forms incorrectly, and that regular mail is sometimes slow.   Read More TX: Case open -- The Investigation Skinner is scheduled to be executed on February 24 for the murders of Twila Busby and her two mentally disabled adult sons. Skinner and his lawyers insist he was too intoxicated from liquor and pills that New Year's Eve to have killed three people, and they contend his defense lawyer — a former district attorney who had previously prosecuted Skinner for theft and assault — did a shoddy job representing him at trial.   Read More US: New England outgunned on US rail funds By Alan Wirzbicki, The Boston Globe WASHINGTON -- New England found itself on the short end of federal stimulus funding yesterday as President Obama announced that most of the $8 billion for high-speed rail projects will go to other parts of the country.   Read More VA: Va. falls far short of goal in federal rail funds By Peter Bacque, Richmond Times-Dispatch Virginia's $75 million share of the $8 billion federal stimulus package for high-speed rail isn't anywhere near what the state asked for, but officials said they were grateful for it.   Read More VA: Supporters of high-speed rail pack Norfolk hearing By Alicia P.Q. Wittmeyer and Harry Minium, The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk) NORFOLK, Va. -- A cheering crowd of nearly 1,000, including hundreds wearing "conductor" hats, jammed into the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center on Thursday night to support bringing high-speed rail service from the Richmond area to South Hampton Roads.   Read More VA: 'Gun-show loophole' bill shot down in House subcommittee By Bill Sizemore, The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk) A perennial effort to close the so-called "gun-show loophole" was shot down in a House subcommittee Thursday evening. The bill would have required prospective buyers to undergo an instant criminal background check before buying a firearm from a private seller at a gun show.   Read More WA: Microsoft fiscal 2Q earns up 60 pct on PC rebound By Jessica Mintz, The Associated Press, seattlepi.com SEATTLE -- Microsoft Corp. said Thursday its earnings in the most recent quarter jumped 60 percent, as a rebound in the personal computer industry drove sales of the company's latest Windows operating system.   Read More

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• 28 Jan 2010 17:42

  Thursday, January 28, 2010

  High-speed rail funds en route Stateline.org Staff ReportsTODAY'S TAKE: A day after delivering his first State of the Union address, President Obama heads to Florida to showcase $8 billion in federal funds for high-speed rail projects in the Sunshine State and 30 others. US: Transit stimulus funds handed out By Josh Mitchell, The Wall Street Journal WASHINGTON—The Obama administration will hand out $8 billion Thursday in grants to modernize rail service along 13 intercity routes, with the biggest single award going to start developing a high-speed rail system in California. AR: AG sues online payday lender By John Lyon, Arkansas News Bureau Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said today his office has filed its first-ever lawsuit against a payday lender operating on the Internet. CA: U.S. hands California $2.25 billion for high-speed rail By Michael Doyle and E.J. Schultz, McClatchy Newspapers, The Sacramento Bee President Barack Obama's State of the Union shout-out for high-speed rail will now translate into more than $8 billion spread among states including California, Washington, North Carolina and Florida. GA: As little as $750,000 for Georgia on high-speed rail By Ariel Hart, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Georgia appears to have won as little as $750,000 from the $8 billion pool of high-speed rail grants that President Obama was scheduled to announce this week. GA: Ban on texting while driving bill sent back to drawing board By Staff Reports, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution A proposed House bill that would ban people from sending or reading text messages while driving has hit a bump in the road. KS: Kansas Senate considers toughening laws against human trafficking By David Klepper, Kansas City Star Kansas lawmakers want to give law enforcement new tools to fight human trafficking. KS: Kan. firm receives $101M for broadband expansion By The Associated Press, Wichita Eagle A Kansas company has been awarded $101 million in federal stimulus funds to build broadband Internet infrastructure. LA: Mary Landrieu phone-tampering suspects linked by passions of conservative college journalism By Jonathan Tilove, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans) Veritas Vos Liberabit. The truth will set you free. That was the defiant declaration of James O'Keefe after his release from custody in New Orleans, where he and three other men stand accused of attempting to tamper with the phones in the downtown office of Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La. MD: GM to produce electric motors at Md. plant By Adam Kerlin, The Capital (Annapolis) WHITE MARSH, Md. - General Motors Corp. will be the first major automaker to produce electric motors on United States soil after investing $246 million in the Baltimore Transmission plant, an investment that would immediately generate about 200 new jobs, GM executives said. ME: Bill looks to cut UMS Internet sales By Kevin Miller, Bangor Daily News FairPoint Communications took its cyber turf war with the University of Maine System to the State House on Wednesday, arguing for new restrictions on the institution's ability to sell high-speed Internet services. MI: State court rules that government officials' personal e-mails aren't subject to FOIA By Ryan J. Stanton, mlive.com A sweeping decision released by the Michigan Court of Appeals today places new limits on the state's Freedom of Information Act, concluding that personal e-mails exchanged between government officials are not subject to disclosure. NC: $520M puts fast trains on fast track North Carolina is expected to receive $520 million today as part of $8 billion in federal economic stimulus funds President Barack Obama will distribute in 31 states to start building a national high-speed rail network. NH: Feds reject millions in stimulus money for NH By Denis Paiste, The Union Leader (Manchester) Federal agencies have rejected University of New Hampshire's $46 million broadband build out application as well as two of three FairPoint Communications Inc. applications for broadband Stimulus funds to benefit New Hampshire. NM: Measures tally up House votes online By Steve Terrell, Santa Fe New Mexican In 2007, the state Senate passed a resolution that required the Legislative Council Service to post roll-call votes on the Legislature's Web site within a day of the vote. NY: Andrew Cuomo alleges deception by online retailers By Joseph Spector, Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester) Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said his office is investigating 22 popular online retailers that he claims are deceptively linking consumers to fee-based membership programs when they make purchases. NY: Paterson wants to add 100 megawatts of solar By Larry Rulison, Times Union (Albany) Gov. David Paterson today announced a plan to add 100 megawatts of solar electric systems in New York state within the next four years. OH: Anti-predator porn law doesn't apply to web sites By Laura A. Bischoff, Dayton Daily News The Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday, Jan. 27, ruled that a state law designed to protect children from pornography and predators on the Internet applies only to material sent via person-to-person communications, such as instant messages, e-mails and private chat rooms. OH: Ohio Supreme Court rules pornography law is enforceable By Reginald Fields, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) The Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday unanimously ruled that a state law banning the electronic transmission of pornography to minors is not vague and is indeed enforceable. OH: State high court upholds Net law to protect kids By James Nash, The Columbus Dispatch A state law intended to protect children from "obscene or harmful" content on the Internet would not stop adults from viewing the same type of material, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled yesterday. PA: Pa. driver's license and photo centers to reopen tomorrow By Jon Schmitz, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette All services at PennDOT Driver License and Photo Centers across the state will resume during regular business hours on Thursday. SC: Cell phone lawsuit settled; legislation debated Using cell phones while driving took center stage in Columbia Wednesday, as a lawsuit involving a distracted driver who killed two bicyclists was settled hours before trial and state lawmakers began a discussion of whether to pass a law restricting cell phone use while driving. TN: City lobbyist says traffic camera bid is not legal By Tom Humphrey, The Commercial Appeal (Memphis) A lobbyist for the city of Knoxville contends that a new move by legislators seeking to impose restrictions on the use of traffic surveillance cameras is unconstitutional. TX: Paperless medicine? By Emily Ramshaw, The Texas Tribune Can Texas physicians go paperless? TX: Case open By Brandi Grissom, The Texas Tribune Skinner's execution date approaches as Texas faces renewed scrutiny of its famously busy death row and the science used to convict the accused. VT: Vermont texting ban draws support By Molly Walsh, Burlington Free Press A proposed state law that would prohibit texting while driving met with broad support at a public hearing Wednesday as teenagers testified to an urgent need for the ban to curb a problem that is rampant among members of their generation. VT: Douglas fed up with Vermont Yankee The pressure intensified Wednesday on the beleaguered Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant as the governor, state regulators and the state's top prosecutor turned up the heat. WI: Bill would limit access to online court records By Patrick Marley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Public access to online court records would be scaled back dramatically under a bill before the state Assembly. The bill by Rep. Marlin Schneider (D-Wisconsin Rapids) would make court records available online only for those who are convicted of a crime, found liable in a civil case, evicted or issued a restraining order or injunction by the court.

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