Southern United States

Read the latest news and reports about the southern United States

7 Stories

200 US Counties Still Prohibit Booze

They're mainly in the South, but attitudes seem to be changing: BBC

(Newser) - Prohibition came off the books in 1933, and the liquor flowed again. But a swath of the US, concentrated mainly in the South, remains booze-free to this day by law. More than 200 dry counties exist in the country, along with plenty more that are partially dry. Now the bleak...

Southerners Sleep the Worst
 Southerners Sleep the Worst 
study says
Feb 29, 2012 3:50 PM CST

Southerners Sleep the Worst

Oklahoma, Mississippi, Arkansas among trouble spots, says study

(Newser) - People who live in the South are getting the worst, disturbance-filled sleep and experiencing the most fatigue during the day, reports a new study. The states with the highest sleep problems are Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, and West Virginia, while the best-rested snoozers generally hail from the the West, reports...

In War on STDs, NC Tries New Weapon: Bribery

Syphilis outbreak sparks offer of gift card in exchange for test

(Newser) - The incidence of syphilis is spiking in the economically hard-hit South, and health officials have lit on a novel preventative measure, MSNBC reports: Wal-Mart gift cards. Syphilis tends to rebound in tough times, and a program in North Carolina induces patients to submit to a test in exchange for the...

Poverty, Heat, Infrastructure Make Southerners Fat

(Newser) - The American South is the most obese region in the country because of a “perfect storm” of factors, Claire Suddath writes for Time. Mississippi, whose 33% adult obesity rate makes it the fattest state, is also the poorest, with 21% of people living under the poverty line. That means...

Cabinet Devoid of Southerners
 Cabinet Devoid of Southerners 
ANALYSIS
Dec 15, 2008 11:21 AM CST

Cabinet Devoid of Southerners

Some complain of 'geographical snubbing,' others say it's irrelevant

(Newser) - President-elect Obama has named most of his Cabinet picks—yet thus far, he hasn’t chosen any Southerners, Politico reports. Every president since at least JFK has named Southerners to his cabinet, and some southern Democrats aren’t happy about what they see as “geographical snubbing.” But others...

South Short on Sympathy for Detroit's Woes

Dixie welcomes foreign automakers and disses Big 3 bailout

(Newser) - West Point, Georgia, looks a lot like Main Street USA but its people aren't overflowing with pity for the struggling American auto industry, the Los Angeles Times reports. Kia Motors is building a plant in the town and residents are looking forward to new jobs and learning to love Korean...

Diabetes in US Nearly Doubles in 10 Years

South is hardest hit, as obesity and lack of exercise fuel surge

(Newser) - The nation's diabetes epidemic shows no signs of slowing, Reuters reports. Almost twice as many people were diagnosed with the disease between 2005 and 2007 as between 1995 and 1997. Nearly all of the new cases are Type 2, which is linked to obesity and lack of exercise. Nine of...

7 Stories