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New Poll Shows Paterson's Enthusiastic Support.

The accidental governor is making some purposeful strides. Just four months on the job, the Quinnipiac University poll finds 64 percent of New York voters approve of the job Gov. David Paterson is doing. That’s up from 56 percent in June. The poll also finds 54 percent of New Yorkers believe the Harlem Democrat has the leadership ability needed to solve the state’s budget problems. Read more

CAMPAIGN NEWS

MO – Column: Nixon Scores an Oratorical Victory on Election Night. It would have been easy for Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon to have been a bit overshadowed Tuesday night. Nixon had just clinched the Democratic primary in decisive fashion, collecting 85 percent of the vote. With a crowd of media and supporters gathered at the Uptown Theater, Nixon’s acceptance speech had to stand out. Nixon then came out to loud applause and started his speech with a slow cadence. “Tonight we celebrate,” Nixon said. “But we don’t celebrate because this victory was unexpected. We celebrate because we’re turning the page and we’re one step closer to victory … Tonight we stand united.” Nixon insisted that Hulshof is unable to bring the kind of change Missouri needs. “We can either continue moving backwards with these same failed policies. Or we can chart a new course and begin to move forward again.” Read more

VT – Symington Pitches Wind Plan. Democrat Gaye Symington called for the state to get 20 percent of its energy from wind within ten years. Currently, the state gets less then 1 percent from wind. “Jim Douglas has said no to wind. I believe it’s time to say yes,” said Symington. That would mean 225 turbines—15 projects with 15 towers each. “We want to geographically disperse wind sites so that it doesn’t feel like it’s all landing in one part of the state, but it comes down to having a plan so that we all sense we’re in this together,” said Symington. Read more

GENERAL NEWS

MD – O’Malley Announces Investments in State Parks. Gov. Martin O’Malley announced Wednesday that the Board of Public Works approved more than $5.7 million for local Program Open Space projects in 10 counties. Baltimore County will get more than $577,000 to go toward enhancing a portion of a hiking and bicycle trail near Middle River, to complete improvement of a trail in Catonsville Community Park and to acquire a five-acre property for Double Rock Park. Read more

MA – Patrick Has Plan to Save Student Loans. Gov. Deval Patrick is asking the state pension fund and major universities to help bolster the student loan market. Patrick wants the pension fund to invest $50 million and universities to invest millions more to buy portions of a $425 million bond sale the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority plans this month. The agency would use the proceeds to finance student loans. Patrick tells The Boston Globe his plan is a “sound investment.” Read more

MI – Granholm Signs Bill adding Education Funding. Gov. Jennifer Granholm Wednesday signed the $13.4 billion spending bill for public schools. Under the legislation, school districts will receive a $56 to $112 per student increase in state aid for the coming school year. The lowest-spending districts will get the maximum increase in an effort to close the gap between the poorer and wealthier districts. In addition, the measure provides the first $15 million allocation in a six-year plan to reduce large, low-achieving high schools to a more manageable size. The school aid bill also includes an additional $10 million for pre-school for some 30,000 students. “This is a signal in a state with a challenged economy that we are making a commitment to education,” Granholm said. Read more

NC – Easley Trumpets Online Courses: College Study Free for High-Schoolers. Gov. Mike Easley said that high school students have an amazing opportunity. If only they knew about it. Easley spoke to superintendents and school leaders to announce an aggressive marketing campaign to promote Learn and Earn Online, a program that allows high school students across the state to take online college courses free. Easley remains confident in the program’s potential. “This has been bigger and better than anything I ever dreamed that it would be,” Easley said. “But it’s also the best-kept secret in education in North Carolina. Read more

OK – Henry Honors Native Son Bobby Murcer. A proclamation designating today as “Bobby Murcer Day” in Oklahoma has been issued to coincide with a public memorial service. Gov. Brad Henry issued the proclamation to honor the Oklahoma native and New York Yankees great for his extraordinary career and lifelong dedication to his native state. Read more

PA – Rendell Promotes Investment in Infrastructure. Governor Ed Rendell continued his statewide budget bus tour with a stop in Ebensburg. Dozens of elected officials and residents converged on the newly completed gazebo for his latest economic announcement. Nearly $650 million has been reinvested in the state under this year’s spending plan. More than $17 million is dedicated to repairing and replacing bridges. In Cambria County 10 bridges are on the state’s to-do list. Rendell said that means good things for everyone in the region. “The repair is needed to protect public safety, quality of life. It’s also a great economic stimulator. It puts thousands of Pennsylvanians to work in jobs that can’t be outsourced in jobs that are good family sustaining jobs,” he said. Read more

WA – Gregoire Praises Soldiers Before Iraq Deployment. Gov. Chris Gregoire met with thousands of soldiers at the Army’s Yakima Training Center as the soldiers prepare to deploy to Iraq. Gregoire praised the group’s work during her Wednesday visit and urged Washington citizens to support the soldiers and their families in the coming months. Read more

WI – Doyle Delivers Workforce Training Grants. Gov. Jim Doyle presented four workforce advancement training grants worth nearly $400,000 to Madison Area Technical College. They will be used to train more than 700 workers from 20 Madison-area companies. The grant program is designed to have technical colleges work with area employers to help cultivate their workforce… and upgrade skills. “They will allow MATC to build the Madison area’s local manufacturing workforce by providing critical training to update worker skills, improve quality and productivity, boost communication and performance skills and provide resources for career advancement,” said Doyle. Read more

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