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Gregoire's Record Gives Her the Upper Hand

Washington – In the upcoming rematch of an election that Gov. Chris Gregoire won, experts say Republican Dino Rossi has stepped onto a field that is much less level than it was when he stepped off three years ago. He likely faces an uphill battle. Gov. Gregoire’s communications director said that Gregoire has a strong record of accomplishments. “She came in and was handed a $2.2 billion deficit and she’s turned that into a substantial surplus. She’s got 84,000 kids back on health care. She’s increased teacher salaries, reduced class sizes and upheld the will of the voters, reinstating the initiatives that the people passed.”
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GENERAL NEWS

CO – Ritter Announces Solar Partners. The Governor’s New Energy Economy program got a boost from rural electrical cooperatives. Gov. Bill Ritter announced that 22 Solar Residential Program partners have been selected to promote the installation of residential solar electric and solar domestic hot water systems statewide. The Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) has committed $550,000 of Clean Energy Funds and created a total program budget of $1 million to advance solar investment in the state. “Prior to GEO’s residential solar program, only two rural electric associations (REAs), Holy Cross and La Plata, offered solar incentives,” Ritter said. “With nine new rural electrics joining as partners, now half of Colorado’s REAs offer solar incentives.”
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KS & KY – Sebelius, Beshear Join Pact to Aid Military Families. Kansas and Kentucky have signed on to a compact that should make life a bit easier for children of military families to change schools. The compact seeks to address common problems when military children transfer between installations or their parents are deployed. Compact members will work to create uniform standards of practice, including the transfer of records, course placement and graduation requirements. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius signed a bill last week to make Kansas the first state to join the compact. Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear then followed suit. “Changing schools and making new friends can be hard on children whose parents are in the military,” Sebelius said. “This bill will help ease the transition between schools by seamlessly transferring records.”
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MI – Granholm to Establish Mental Health Courts. Corrections officials say more than 12,500 of Michigan’s 50,000-plus prison inmates—1 in 4—have a history of mental illness. That’s why Gov. Jennifer Granholm wants $3.4 million in the coming fiscal year to establish five mental health courts—pilot projects designed to keep more mentally ill residents from flooding jails and prisons. Mental health courts would parallel drug courts the state set up several years ago to keep some substance abusers out of the penal system. “Clearly, not taking in prisoners with mental illness, or with significant medical conditions, is one strategy to be able to reduce the prison population costs,” Granholm said. “And, frankly, it’s a much more humane strategy for dealing with mentally ill inmates who have not committed especially violent crimes.”
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NC – Easley Welcomes New Jobs. A national distributor of upholstered furniture is planning a manufacturing and distribution facility in Catawba County. Sutter Street Manufacturing is expected to create 820 jobs over the next five years. Gov. Mike Easley said that the company is expected to open the plant in Hickory, where it already employs 50 people.
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WV – Manchin Initiative Cleaning Up State. Volunteers across the state are rallying to improve their local parks, public spaces, waterways, hiking trails, sidewalks and streets by participating in the Department of Environmental Protection’s WV Make It Shine Statewide Cleanup. The 2007 West Virginia Make It Shine statewide cleanup produced phenomenal results with over 200,000 pounds of litter and debris collected by more than 3,000 volunteers. The WV Make It Shine program is part of Governor Manchin’s Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan initiative under the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.
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WI – Doyle Awards Tax Credits to Housing Project. A La Crosse housing project got a big boost from the state. Governor Jim Doyle announced the Grand River Station project will get $7.5 million dollars in tax credits from the state. The Grand River Station will include a transit center, retail space, affordable rental housing, condominiums and a parking deck.
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WY – Freudenthal Meets with Tourism, Energy Officials in China. Gov. Dave Freudenthal says his trip to China has included meetings with officials on topics such as tourism and energy development. Freudenthal discussed a possible visit by a Chinese delegation to Wyoming to build tourism between Wyoming and China. His meetings also included discussion of clean coal technology, containing underground coal seam fires and the University of Wyoming’s project with General Electric to develop the High Altitude Gasification Research Center.
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