8/11/2006 DAILY NEWS DIGEST
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/115528813214620.xml&coll=2 – Sen. Gerald Dial seeks revocation of primary win for his opponent and four long term Democratic leaders.
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/115528809714620.xml&coll=2 – State Democrats raise ethics issues in response to Riley ad portraying Baxley as too liberal.
http://www.al.com/opinion/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/opinion/115528814014620.xml&coll=2 – Editorial criticizes Baxley for call to end annual appraisals.
http://www.al.com/news/mobileregister/index.ssf?/base/news/115528785514530.xml&coll=3 – Mobile commissioners split over proposal to increase transit funding.
http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/115528804414920.xml&coll=1&thispage=1 – Proposed city ordinance on immigration issues to go to study committee.
http://www.dailyhome.com/opinion/2006/dh-editorials-0811-editorials-6h10v2608.htm - Editorial criticizes Congress for failure to increase minimum wage.
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060811/NEWS/608110306/1012/editorial1 - Another editorial critical of Baxley’s stand on property reappraisals.
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060811/NEWS/608110307/1012/editorial1 - Editorial endorses Tuscaloosa County Democrats selection to replace Bryant Melton (D-Tuscaloosa).
http://www.oanow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=OAN%2FMGArticle%2FOAN_BasicArticle&c… – Editorial calls “success” of tax free weekend to lead to other tax reforms, notably the removal of sales tax from certain food items.
FROM TODAY’S ANNISTON STAR:
Editorials
Covering kids
In our opinion
08-11-2006
It’s always good to be able to report that the state is making progress in some area of social welfare.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released a study on Wednesday showing that Alabama has made impressive gains in expanding health-care coverage among children.
In fact, the state was one of the leaders in bringing down its rate of uninsured kids. Between 1997-1998 and 2003-2004 — the period evaluated in the study — Alabama reduced its percentage of uninsured children from about 15 percent to about 8 percent.
Other states across the South also posted phenomenal gains in the numbers of kids they’re insuring.
What accounts for this success in Alabama and elsewhere? The study says the reason is mostly the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which started in 1997 and is now available in Alabama and other states. It offers coverage through a combination of state and federal funding.
What’s especially notable here is that during the period examined in the report, the total number of uninsured Americans increased by nearly 5 million. Perhaps we could draw some lessons from SCHIP to provide health insurance to more adult Americans.
(R) Jeff Sessions (1-19)
(D) Vivian Figures (33-1)
(D) Artur Davis (1-49)
(R) Mike Hubbard (13-1)
(?) David Bronner (OFF)