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Richardson Rallies for Gregoire

Washington State – Gov. Bill Richardson roused a Democratic crowd with calls to overhaul U.S. foreign policy and close Guantanamo Bay, enthusiasm Gov. Chris Gregoire hopes will bring big checks for her re-election campaign. Richardson, the New Mexico governor and globe-trotting negotiator, headlined a fundraising luncheon that drew an estimated 1,300 Democratic donors. As Gregoire noted, the crowd was about 10 times the size of her razor-thin winning margin in 2004, which came after three vote counts and a six-month court challenge. In her speech, Gregoire touted her first term, highlighting increased state spending on education, health care and the environment, along with historically low unemployment and positive ratings from the national financial media. She also pointed to $850 million socked away in state reserves and a constitutionally protected Rainy Day fund.
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GENERAL NEWS

IA – Culver Signs Riverfront Improvement Bill. As city crews closed more streets and added sandbags to their flood control efforts, Cedar Rapids civic leaders watched as Gov. Chet Culver signed legislation to provide state funding to help turn their hopes of a $400 million downtown and riverfront development project into reality. “In Iowa, one of our real strengths is our natural beauty,” Culver said. “Our rivers, lakes and streams provide us all with a lot of comfort, certainly some challenges with respect to flooding, but a beautiful opportunity, certainly, in the Cedar Rapids area, to do some great things in terms of revitalizing the river here.”
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MA – Patrick Announces Workforce Training Grants. In a packed hall, Gov. Deval Patrick announced more than $276,000 in workforce training grants to five regional companies looking to boost their business by aiding their employees. “These funds will help train 429 people and enable these companies to grow stronger,” Patrick said. “Achieving immediate and long-term growth in the commonwealth requires investments like this one at the regional level.” Patrick said investing in workforce training is part of his administration’s comprehensive strategy to make investments that create opportunities while preparing for a softening economy.
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MI – Granholm Approves New Trooper Training. Gov. Jennifer Granholm has signed a bill to allow training of new state troopers to begin. The bill provides $1 million dollars for the recruit school to begin this fall. The Granholm administration is seeking legislative approval for another seven million to complete the school in the budget for the fiscal year that starts in October.
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NC – Easley Promotes Energy Efficiency. Western Carolina University is among the recipients of the state’s first Energy Efficiency Reserve Fund grants designed to help state agencies, University of North Carolina system campuses and N.C. community colleges implement power-saving projects. Western will receive a grant of $80,000 to modify and repair the heating, ventilation and air conditioning controls system of H.F. Robinson Administration Building, a project that will restore the system to its original efficiency levels or better. The renovation is one of 58 power-saving projects at 10 state agencies, 15 UNC campuses and six community colleges funded through $5 million in grants announced recently by Gov. Mike Easley. The grants are expected to save about $3.2 million in annual utility costs and conserve the amount of energy needed to power 4,028 homes for a year, he said.
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TN – Bredesen Awards Training Grants to Local Companies. Gov. Phil Bredesen has awarded $31,298 to Satellite Med and $17,590 to Phoenix USA, Inc. The grants will assist Satellite Med with training 52 employees in lean healthcare fundamentals and technologies, leadership development and operating systems management. In addition, Phoenix USA, Inc. will train 29 employees in core skills customer service development and quality and continuous improvements. “It is vital for Tennessee workers to continually train and upgrade their skills so our state can remain economically competitive,” said Bredesen. “Once the employees of these companies complete this valuable training it will help these businesses become more productive.”
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WI – Doyle Works to Expand Children’s Health Coverage. BadgerCare Plus is off to a strong start. The Medicaid health program for low-income families signed up 71,000 children and eligible adults in its first six weeks. That’s more than 2.5 times the projected enrollment for the first 12 to 18 months. Gov. Jim Doyle calls BadgerCare Plus a great success toward meeting his goal of insuring all Wisconsin children.
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