It wasn't long ago that Sun Belt states like Florida and Texas attracted a steady stream of newcomers from up north, pushing their economies ever forward and creating new jobs.

Florida led the nation in lost jobs over the past year, with 78,100, according to figures released Friday by the U.S. Department of Labor. » read more

That breeze you're feeling may be the sudden gust of news about wind energy, until now almost a boutique producer of power in America.

This week, global-warming guru Al Gore announced a plan to spend at least a trillion dollars in the next 10 years on renewable energy, including wind, to break the nation’s fossil-fuel addiction cold turkey. » read more

Despite a push by some in the South Carolina business community to drill for oil off shore, geologists say such efforts will bring no quick relief at the pump. Those same scientists say the waters off the Palmetto State have little oil to offer.

The Charleston group -- with members from the manufacturing, home building, real estate, utility, maritime and port industries -- says lifting the ban would free the country to pursue energy independence by tapping oil and natural gas resources that are currently untouched » read more

A 21-year-old Kennewick, Wash., man used a large coffee dispenser to try to break through a glass door at a convenience store after he was locked inside for trying to steal beer, police said.

The incident began when Montoya and two friends went to Metro Mart, 520 E. Columbia Drive, just after 2 a.m. Thursday to buy beer, Sgt. Brian Swartswalter said. » read more

MANATEE --Motorists strapped by high gas costs are postponing car maintenance or allowing their gas levels to drop so low their cars stall on the roadways.

The auto club recorded 22,000 "won't start" calls for the month of May 2007 and 25,520 for May 2008, an increase of 16 percent, Newton said. The club fields 2.2 million calls a year from motorists in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. » read more