NATIONAL NEWS

Washington Post: Obama on energy: America must build "the infrastructure of tomorrow"
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/01/obama-on-energy-america-must-b.html?wprss=44
...Next, we can put Americans to work today building the infrastructure of tomorrow. From the first railroads to the interstate highway system, our nation has always been built to compete. There's no reason Europe or China should have the fastest trains, or the new factories that manufacture clean energy products.

Bloomberg: California, Florida, Midwest Get U.S. High-Speed Rail Money
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aRxbkR3pzjKg
California will get $2.3 billion and Florida $1.3 billion to help build high-speed passenger-train service, the biggest winners among 31 states sharing $8 billion in rail grants from the U.S. economic stimulus package.

Lloyd's:  Ageing infrastructure - condition critical
http://www.lloyds.com/News_Centre/Features_from_Lloyds/News_and_features_2009/360/Ageing_infrastructure_condition_critical.htm
Underinvestment in infrastructure is one the most highly interconnected risks on the World Economic Forum’s Risks Interconnection Map. The strongest links are to financial crises, oil prices and natural catastrophes but it also links to health issues, including both infectious and chronic diseases as well as to food price volatility. Amongst other links, the map highlights that...

STATE NEWS

Journal Sentinel: Doyle puts priority on jobs, transit
http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/82745377.html
Gov. Jim Doyle pledged Tuesday to focus on jobs in his last months of office and warned of pending budget cuts...Doyle also promoted a plan he rolled out last week to create a Milwaukee County regional transit authority that could impose a sales tax of up to half a cent to fund buses.

Northside Sun: Water Woes
http://www.northsidesun.com/view/full_story/5677014/article-Water-Woes?instance=home_news_lead_story
RESIDENTS AND city leaders in Jackson aren’t the only ones that have had to face the brunt of mother nature and the realities of aging, worn out water systems.  The severe cold snap that resulted in days of below-freezing temperatures and 156 water main breaks in the capital city in January also took its toll on the water infrastructure in Shreveport, La.