Louisiana
Gustav Insurance Claims Could Top $10 Billion
Hurricane Gustav may trigger insurance claims as high as $10 billion after lashing Louisiana, according to firms that specialize in catastrophe estimates, making it potentially the fourth-highest total for a U.S. storm.
Source: Bloomberg

Maine
State Improves on Internet Access
Over the past year, the speed of Internet access has increased in Maine, according to a national online report. The report is based on data from nearly 230,000 Internet users throughout the country that took the online "Speed Matters" test conducted by an online advocacy group of the same name. In 2007, Maine ranked 35th in the nation in download speeds but improved to 21st in the 2008 test.
Source: The Bangor Daily News

Nebraska
Foreign Business Leaders Plan Trade Visit
A delegation of more than 125 foreign business leaders and investors will come to Nebraska next week as part of a reverse trade mission that Gov. Dave Heineman (R) hopes will build relationships and result in more overseas trade. Participating nations include Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea.
Source: Lincoln Journal Star

Nevada
Taxable Sales Plummet
More evidence of Nevada's economic decline came last week as the Department of Taxation reported that June sales of taxable products by businesses dropped to $4.2 billion from $4.5 billion in June 2007, a 6% decline. The June 2008 sales generated $3.9 billion in sales taxes statewide, down 3.7% from the previous fiscal year, the agency reported.
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal

Pennsylvania
Business Group Makes Case for Leasing Turnpike
The business consortium seeking to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike for the next 75 years says the deal is worth far more than the proposed upfront payment of $12.8 billion to the state. Abertis USA Corp., Citi Infrastructures Inc. and their investors said additional capital improvements and state corporate taxes would place the total value of the proposal at $21.6 billion in today's dollars. Gov. Ed Rendell (D) has been promoting the private lease of the 500-mile turnpike while lawmakers have been pushing to increase tolls and turn over the toll road to federal oversight.
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette