News | Robert Whitcomb’s Digital Diary: Time for a Bipartisan Carbon Tax & Boston Hate

For stormy days, when he is free from toil, He plans his summer crops, selects his seeds From bright-paged catalogues for garden needs. When looking out upon frost-silvered fields, He visualizes autumn's golden yields; He sees in snow and sleet and icy rain Precious moisture for his early grain; He hears spring-heralds in the storm's turmoil He knows no winter, he who loves the soil."

Gov. Scott announces $15.8 million…

Gov. Rick Scott announced Friday that he has approved $15.8 million for emergency beach and dune restoration projects in four Northeast Florida counties impacted by Hurricane Matthew in October. The money will be split by St. Johns, Flagler, Volusia and Brevard counties to restore critically eroded beaches and to repair dunes where there is "an imminent threat to beachfront structures, such as roadways, homes and businesses," according to the governor's office.

Death toll rises to 15, at least 43 injured following SWGA storms

Death toll rises to 15, at least 43 injured following SWGA storm - KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana News Weather & Sports The death toll in Southwest Georgia after severe weather swept through the area has now risen to 15. Due to associations with wind and flooding, several schools and universities have been closed or are delayed from opening Monday. Due to associations with wind and flooding, several schools and universities have been closed or are delayed from opening Monday.

Van Hollen marks a new era for Maryland in the senate

For almost a decade Maryland has had the same look in Senate, but now that's changed with former congressman now Senator, Chris Van Hollen. Like retired Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Van Hollen will sit on the Senate's Appropriations committee meaning he'll be able to chime in when the state needs federal monies.

Top stories: No. 1 – Hurricane Matthew brought historic flooding to Kinston

In early October residents of Lenoir County experienced one of the worst floods in the state's history Hurricane Matthew. The Neuse River reached flood levels just days after Hurricane Matthew hit Eastern North Carolina and peaked Oct. 14 at 28.31 feet, passing the previous 27.71-foot record set by Hurricane Floyd on Sept.

County needs storm debris ordinance to qualify for FEMA funds

One of the first orders of business for the Chatham County Commission in the new year, or sooner, is to enact a local ordinance that gives clear legal responsibility for storm debris clean-up to the county government. The lack of such an ordinance, according to U.S. Rep Buddy Carter and others, has apparently been a stumbling block in getting the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse Chatham County for clearing storm debris from inside gated communities.

A ‘shameful and cowardly power grab’ by Republicans is making…

Republicans in North Carolina are attempting to limit incoming Democratic governor Roy Cooper's power two weeks before he takes office. In a surprise last-minute special session on Wednesday, Republican lawmakers introduced a host of legislation that would neutralize some of the gains Democrats made in the Tar Heel State on Election Day.

Virginia Flood Damage from Matthew Costliest Since Isabel, Officials Say

Virginia suffered only a glancing blow from Hurricane Matthew last month when unprecedented amounts of rain fell, but on Wednesday officials estimated flood damage to be hundreds of millions of dollars, making it the costliest storm since Hurricane Isabel in 2003. Emergency management officials are now renewing calls for residents to get flood insurance, saying a vast majority of homeowners in areas vulnerable to major hurricane storm surge lack coverage.