NATIONAL NEWS
In tight times, volunteers help cities stay green
(St. Paul, MN)- When local governments start to slash budgets, rain garden projects aren't likely to make the cut. Neither are composting experiments in the school cafeteria. Nor tree inventories, even with a voracious insect coming to town. So when the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency announced it would line up volunteers for environmental projects across the state, many governments and schools jumped at the chance to participate.

LOCAL STORY
Gulfport to start environmental court
(Gulfport, MS)- Gulfport will start an environmental court next week to deal with derelict properties, tree ordinance violations, vandalism, building- and fire-code violations and other issues. Mayor George Schloegel plans to ask the city council next week to appoint attorney Richard J. Smith to hear environmental cases.