Here at the FOX News bureau in Atlanta, we’re awaiting a 12 PM Eastern media briefing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Anne Schuchat, MD, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases is scheduled to update reporters on the latest H1N1 activity and the distribution of vaccine.

Last week, the CDC reported a downward trend in influenza activity, but cautioned that it was too early to declare the worst was over. Health experts say holiday travel may cause temporary spikes.

AAA projects 38.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Thanksgiving holiday (a 1.4 percent increase over last year when Thanksgiving travel decreased by more than 25 percent amid concerns over the economic meltdown),

In addition to the usual recommendations to wash hands, cover coughs and get vaccinated as soon as possible, the CDC is urging people not to travel if they’re sick.

As of yesterday, 49,584,300 doses of H1N1 vaccine have shipped nationwide, according to flu.gov.

Although state health departments continue to focus vaccination campaigns on high risk groups, such as children, health care workers, pregnant women and persons with underlying health conditions, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell told reporters, vaccine could become available to the general public within the next few weeks.

Canadian health officials have advised doctors in that country to stop using a specific batch of H1N1 vaccine, representing 170 thousand doses, after half a dozen patients had severe allergic reactions. A CDC spokesman says the batch in question is an adjuvanted version of the H1N1 vaccine that is not distributed in the US.

Adjuvants are ingredients added to a vaccine to increase the body’s immune response, which often allows for the use of smaller doses — thereby extending limited vaccine supplies. Although widely used in Europe, Asia and Canada, adjuvants are not currently authorized for use in influenza vaccines here in the US.

Experts say it’s still unclear whether adjuvants played a role in the adverse reactions, or whether some other factor came into play.

Meanwhile, China has reported eight cases of H1N1 mutation. However, Chinese health officials say the variant form of the virus is still prevented by vaccines and responds to anti-viral drugs.

And four patients in an isolated unit at Duke University Medical Center have contracted a strain of H1N1 that shows resistance to Tamiflu, a leading anti-viral drug. However, doctors say this new form of the virus is no more severe than the original.

Early on, researchers warned that the H1N1 virus could mutate or develop resistance to anti-viral drugs. So far, variant forms of the virus do not appear to be in wide circulation.

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As the first cars roll off the assembly line at KIA’s new plant in West Point, residents of this small Georgia town are celebrating the creation of new jobs, new businesses and something they haven’t seen much of in a quarter of a century — new home building. And that means even more jobs.

Builder Ross Mundy of Southern Place Homes says West Point is not just a great place for business — it’s a great place to live. He knows this firsthand, having moved here with his family from Atlanta. Watch my interview with him here.

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The availability of H1N1 vaccine is still less than what manufacturers had predicted and what federal health officials had wanted. Still, the 38 million doses currently ready for states to order is 11 million more than what was available a week ago, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The pace of our progress is picking up,” said Rear Adm. Anne Schuchat, MD, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

Schuchat stopped short of predicting when the supply of vaccine would be enough to become readily available to the general public.

States, and in some cases municipalities, are responsible for determining how best to distribute limited supplies. In most areas, vaccinations are directed toward those at highest risk of spreading the disease or suffering the worst consequences.

Children remain among the groups most vulnerable. The virus is now blamed for 129 pediatric deaths in the U.S. Approximately two-thirds of these children had underlying neurological or respiratory conditions, Schuchat said.

According to the CDC, influenza activity is “widespread” in 48 states, with 7.7 percent of doctor’s office visits from patients reporting flu-like symptoms. That’s down slightly from last week’s figure of 8 percent. However, federal health officials say it’s too early to say whether H1N1 activity has peaked.

“Flu season can last until May,” Schuchat sait. “So, we really don’t know what trajectory we’ll see with this virus or with the flu season in general.”

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Atlanta prides itself on being “the city too busy to hate.” Indeed, race relations here are cordial and the city provides economic and social opportunities for people of many different racial, ethnic and social backgrounds.

Yet in the “cradle of the Civil Rights Movement,” social issues and politics are viewed through a racial prism. Such is the case with this year’s mayoral campaign.

For the first time since 1973, Atlanta may elect a white mayor. A poll from last week, commissioned by local TV station WXIA 11Alive and radio station V103, suggests Atlanta City Concilwoman Mary Norwood is leading a six-way race for mayor with 46 percent of the vote. Her closest contender, Georgia State Senator Kasim Reed, trails at 26 percent.

Although the candidates have kept the focus of their campaigns on crime, taxes and city services, two African-American professors released the racial genie back in August when they wrote an open letter, urging black voters to unite behind Atlanta City Council President Lisa Borders “in order to defeat a Norwood (white) mayoral candidacy.”

Both Norwood and Reed were quick to distance themselves from the letter. “It was wrong minded,” Reed told FOX News. “It represents the worst of Atlanta in my mind.”

Despite Norwood’s considerable lead in the polls, she will likely face Reed in a runoff. Election rules require the winner of the Atlanta mayoral race to receive a 50 percent plus one vote majority.

“The conventional wisdom has always been that a white candidate could get in a runoff in a citywide election, but that that white candidate was doomed in the runoff when all the black voters consolidated behind a black candidate,” said Dick Williams, a longtime Georgia publisher and political commentator.

But much has changed since current Mayor Shirley Franklin was elected to the first of her two terms eight years ago. Atlanta’s African-American majority, which once accounted for two out of three voters — now hovers just above 50 percent.

Williams said the closing of Atlanta’s large public housing projects has removed a loyal minority voting bloc. “Those were reliable foot soldiers for the mayoral candidates who could arrange the money and the transportation to the polls,” he said.

The gentrification of many inner-city neighborhoods has attracted many white and black professionals, who may be less likely to see race as a key issue in a political contest.

While many Atlantans still hold painful memories of the days of segregation, younger citizens have grown up in a city with many prominent African-American politicians and entrepreneurs. Race has become an issue not so much for division, but discussion.

No doubt, that discussion will continue through the November 3rd election. Watch my video report here.

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“We are getting to the level where it will become significantly easier to find vaccine,” said Thomas Frieden, MD.

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, as of today, 22.4 million doses of H1N1 vaccine are available for shipment to providers. While that figure is not as high as public health officials would like, it represents an 8 million dose increase over the amount of vaccine available last week.

“Eventually there will be enough vaccine for all who want to get vaccinated to get vaccinated,” Frieden said.

Frieden said H1N1 activity is actually beginning to decrease in some parts of the country, including Georgia — where the spread of H1N1 got off to a rapid start (likely because of the early beginning of the school year in that state).

And while that may be good news for your Atlanta-based correspondent, the threat of H1N1 is far from over. Cases continue to increase in other parts of the country.

“H1N1 influenza remains widespread throughout the United States,” Frieden said.

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The H1N1 vaccine came out sooner than expected, but in smaller amounts. So vaccination efforts continue to focus on high risk groups.

Just 20 blocks from our FOX News Atlanta Bureau (where I’m writing this blog), Emory University Hospital Midtown is vaccinating pregnant women. And in New York City, public schools are sending students home with parental consent forms for a pediatric vaccine campaign to begin next week.

Most of us outside the high risk groups, however, will likely have to wait well into November before we can get the shots.

In the meantime — many hospitals, local governments and other entities are taking precautions to slow the spread of H1N1, or at least prevent the virus from disrupting operations.

In Minneapolis, Hennepin County Court officials are issuing 20 percent more jury summons than normal. They’re also doubling the number of alternate jurors assigned to trials.

That way, even if some members of the jury pool get sick with H1N1, the trials are likely to proceed on schedule.

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Making biodiesel in a high school lab.

What if school buses could run on fuel made by students? It’s happening on a small scale at East Burke High School in Connelly Springs, NC.

Science teacher Bob Smith is showing students how to turn used cooking oil from a local restaurant into biodiesel fuel for use in school buses. In the process, his students learn about chemistry, environmental science and even public speaking (the school’s biodiesel program, after all, is attracting local and national media attention).

“We wanted to do something hands on in the lab that would utilize classroom lessons with a real world problem,” Smith said. The instuctor also hopes the biodiesel project will encourage some of his students to pursue careers in science and engineering.

“We’re using chemistry in everyday life,” said Nou Yang, a high school senior who is considering a career pediatric medicine. “Cooking is chemistry. We’re just not baking a cake, it’s about molecules reacting to each other.”

The same goes for driving.

The process of refining vegetable oil into an odorless fuel takes about 6 to 7 hours of work in the lab followed by an overnight waiting period to allow the product to settle.

At the conclusion, students load the fuel into a school bus and watch their work in action. Click here to see the live demonstration they did for FOX News Channel.

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“If I could wave the vaccine magic wand or we could consult the Hogwarts Medical School, we’d have had a vaccine back in May,” said Jay Butler, MD. The director of the CDC’s H1N1 Vaccine Task Force was jokingly referring to the fictitious Hogwarts boarding school of wizardry in J.K. Rowling’s popular Harry Potter book series.

In the real world, the amount of time it took researchers and public health officials to develop and begin distribution of an H1N1 vaccine is on the faster end of the spectrum of what experts had predicted.

“We anticipated that it would probably be six to nine months after a pandemic is identified before a vaccine would actually be available,” Butler said. “Here we are, barely six months into the pandemic, and we’re starting to see vaccine available for administration.”

Today, the first doses of H1N1 vaccine arrived at hospitals in Memphis, Tenn. and Indianapolis, Ind. in the form of a nasal spray.

At these two locations, health care workers are getting vaccinated first. Local health officials said this is to prevent health care workers from getting sick and missing work at a time they are most needed, as well as to reduce the chances of them spreading the virus among hospital patients — who often have weakened immune systems.

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State and local governments have begun placing orders for H1N1 vaccine. The first 600-thousand doses will be distributed by Tuesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More than 250-million doses are expected over the course of the fall and early winter. Federal health officials say this will be enough to accommodate everyone who wants to get the vaccine, however its availability will be sporadic during the first days and weeks.

One of the top priorities during the initial phase of the vaccination campaign will be pregnant women. They are at much higher risk for suffering complications from H1N1 than from seasonal flu.

According to CDC figures released today, H1N1 has caused the deaths of 28 pregnant women in the U.S. so far, and is responsible for approximately 100 intensive care unit hospitalizations.

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With the first doses of 2009 H1N1 vaccine expected in early October, many Americans will have already been exposed to the virus — which was first identified in April. A common question is whether someone who’s already been sick still needs to get vaccinated — or whether they’re already protected.

The short answer is: Yes AND yes, according to experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“People who have actually been infected with the 2009 H1N1 virus likely do have some immunity,” said Jay Butler, MD, chief of the CDC’s 2009 H1N1 Vaccine Task Force. “But the important issue is whether or not they know that’s what they were actually infected with.”

Most suspected H1N1 cases are diagnosed without laboratory confirmation.

“Early in the epidemic, we had other strains of influenza circulating,” Butler said. “There are other viruses that can make people ill as well. So, even if someone has had an illness that’s similar to influenza, even if there was perhaps a credible diagnosis of H1N1 infection made, our recommendation would still be to receive the vaccine so that you know that you’re immune.”

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Reporting on Atlanta real estate for a New York-based network is a lot of fun.

In my earpiece, I hear the anchors, producers and audio technicians at our Midtown Manhattan headquarters marvel at what $225-thousand will buy you down here — charming houses that would cost a fortune up there.

Today, we’re checking in with Realtor Joshua Keen of RealSource Brokers, as we have throughout the year, to see how economic trends are affecting him. Click here to watch our live/on the scene interview.

Joshua says he’s seen business pick up by 50 percent over the past 45 days. Eighty percent of his clientele these days are first time buyers. He says much of this is being driven by the first time homebuyer tax credit which expires Nov. 30.

Joshua says the Average sales price in town remains steady at… $225-thousand.

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At a time H1N1 influenza has heightened awareness and concern about the spread of infectious diseases, two British companies — BAE Systems and Quest International UK — have announced new technology to inhibit the spread of pathogens on board aircraft.

The AirManager cabin air management system “eliminates all airborne viruses and bacteria,” according to a news release posted on BAE’s website. The company also writes:

The patented AirManager uses a revolutionary Close Coupled Field Technology (CCFT) – a contained and safe electrical field that eliminates smells, and breaks down and destroys airborne pathogens, contaminants and toxins.

BAE says it has successfully tested the filtration system on eight BAe 146 and Avro RJ aircraft. Both of these models are regional passenger jets. The company is currently conducting trials in much larger Boeing 757 jetliners and expects to design similar filters for use in two workhorses of commercial aviation — the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320.

Even before H1N1, airline cabin air quality had come under scrutiny. Because jet engines have to work harder to pull in fresh air from outside, many aircraft recycle cabin air to reduce fuel costs. The practice has caused considerable debate within the aviation industry and the medical community as to whether it increases the transmission of disease.

BAE officials claim their AirManager will allow air conditioning systems to operate even more efficiently — essentially paying for the system in fuel conservation within the first year of use.

Meanwhile, on the ground, the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority has begun weekly cleaning of common areas to reduce the spread of flu among its estimated 1 million daily passengers. For more on that, and other H1N1-related information, see my Liveshots Blog.

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The Food and Drug Administration has approved the new H1N1 vaccine.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told Congress a limited number of doses may be distributed in early October, with a bulk shipment in the middle of that month.

This year’s response to H1N1 marks one of the fastest research and development phases of an influenza vaccine. In an interview earlier this month, Jay Butler, MD, director of the CDC’s H1N1 Vaccine Task Force told me:

I think the news is really good in terms of what we’ve been saying over the past several years — how we’ve planned, particularly at the state level, for the next pandemic. We’ve anticipated that a vaccine wouldn’t be available for about six to nine months after the first cases are identified. If, indeed, we can be getting vaccine out to the public by mid-October, we’re actually a little bit ahead of schedule.

Public health officials first discovered this H1N1 outbreak in April.

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At least 45 million doses of H1N1 vaccine are expected in mid-October, followed by what federal health officials describe as a “stream” of approximately 20 million doses each week.

“The headwaters are the five manufacturers that are producing the vaccine,” said Jay Butler, MD, director of the H1N1 Vaccine Task Force at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “It will go from the manufacturers to a contract distributor that has locations in different parts of the country, where orders from state health departments will be processed and filled and then distribute the vaccine to providers around the country.”

Butler estimates as many as 90-thousand providers will receive the vaccine. Just who those providers are will be up to state and, in many cases, local governments.

“Obviously, with my staff of 500, a fraction of which are actually clinical staff, we’re going to have to look at everyone who has any kind of clinical background in the county to assist us,” said

Elizabeth Ford, MD, district health director for the Board of Health in DeKalb County — an Atlanta suburb with more than 700-thousand residents — is asking health professionals and business clinics to assist in vaccination efforts. “That’s going to be the Wal-Marts. That’s going to be the MinuteClinics, the CVSs. The school system we’re going to expect to assist us and also a lot of private physicians offices,” she said.

Ford is asking interested parties to sign up on the Georgia Division of Public Health’s H1N1 Influenza website.

The CDC says vaccines will be distributed to states in proportion to their general population, as opposed to the number of those in high risk groups — which include pregnant women, children, people with chronic medical conditions, health care workers and those who care for infants.

“We certainly discussed the issue of how to allocate the vaccine to the states and came to the conclusion that pro rata, or based on the total population, was best,” the CDC’s Dr. Butler said. “The group that is recommended to get the vaccine as a priority during the early times of availability really constitutes about a half of all Americans — about 159 million people in those five groups. And we found that when we looked at some of those groups, the variation from state to state was not all that great. So, it really didn’t make a big difference.”

Ultimately, health officials recommend that Americans get the H1N1 vaccine. While they don’t anticipate significant shortages, they will be relying on state and local governments — as well as the general public — to ensure those who need the vaccine the most get it first.

“We are not intending to refuse vaccine for anyone who requests the vaccine,” said DeKalb County’s Dr. Ford. “We’re just hoping that folks use good guidance and good common sense about whether or not they’re in the high risk groups.”

In a crunch, state and local health officials could focus vaccination on high risk groups by directing supplies to certain types of providers. For example, an immunization program in schools could limit vaccine distribution to children. Allocating vaccine to obstetricians could target pregnant women, as opposed to adults in general.

But the need for such rationing appears unlikely in light of preliminary findings of several studies, which suggest adults may need only one 15 microgram dose of vaccine to produce immunity to H1N1 — not two separate doses as previously thought. For more on that, click here.

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America’s hospitals are preparing for a resurgence of H1N1 flu. But a limited number of beds will require some out of the box thinking.

“Hospitals have taken the same approach the airlines have. They’ve tried to fill every seat,” said Art Kellermann, MD, professor of emergency medicine at Emory University. “A full hospital is an economically efficient hospital. But a full hospital to start a flu season is a very, very tough place to manage.”

According to Kellermann, many hospitals already have contingency plans in place — opening separate waiting areas for people with flu symptoms and expanding patient treatment into areas normally used for administration.

Kellermann said the general public can also play an important role by getting vaccinated, covering coughs, washing hands and staying home when sick to slow the spread of H1N1. “If you can spread the epidemic season out, that means — on any given day or any given week — doctors like me have less severely ill patients to take care of,” he said.

According to public health experts, the vast majority of those infected with H1N1 will not require a visit to the emergency room. Convincing people with mild cases to recover at home will be key to freeing up America’s ERs for those who need them most, Kellermann said.

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Swimmers beware.

Residents and visitors along North Carolina’s Outer Banks appear to be taking Tropical Storm Danny in stride as it continues to churn out in the Atlantic.

Although the eye of the storm is expected to miss the Carolina coast, forecasters have warned of the potential for rip tides. Here at Nags Head, a lifeguard’s ATV carries a warning sign: “Strong Currents.”

Children play close to shore — while further out, surfers take advantage of the larger than usual waves. And, other than a ten minute rain shower that passed through here just minutes before writing this blog, beach-goers have been enjoying a sunny day with minimal winds.

On the drive to Nags Head, we saw no businesses or homes that had been boarded up — as you would expect during the approach of a more powerful storm.

On this Friday afternoon, most residents and visitors appear to be taking Danny in stride — watching, but not worrying.

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The idea of testing a vaccine on children makes many parents squeamish. But for Amanda Strudwick, it was a chance for the Atlanta mother and nurse to protect her children and the nation from H1N1.

“There are children in school getting sick already,” Strudwick said. “If my children are vaccinated,  it means hopefully that they won’t pass it along to somebody else who may have a lower immune system.”

Strudwick;s daughters Nina, 7, and Hannah, 9, are among 100 children participating in an H1N1 vaccine study being conducted at Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. For more details on that study, see my related blog or watch my video report.

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Press room at the CDC in Atlanta.

As researchers continue to test vaccines against H1N1 influenza, public health officials are addressing the concerns of many Americans about the risks — both real and perceived.

Approximately 100 million people in the U.S. get vaccines for seasonal influenza each year, according to Anne Schuchat, MD, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The way that the H1N1 vaccine is being made is the same way that the seasonal influenza vaccines are made, and so we have a good track record there,” she said. “On the other hand, unexpected things can happen and we’re going to have a very strong safety system in place that we’re increasing in intensity right now to make sure that if there are any problems — that we don’t expect, but could happen — we’re on top of them and we take steps quickly.”

Five manufacturers are producing H1N1 vaccines, which are currently undergoing clinical trials in human volunteers, including children. Researchers say, so far, the studies have raised no red flags in terms of safety.

CDC officials expect the vaccines to become available to the general public in mid-October. They emphasize that the immunization program will be voluntary.

Approximately one in three Americans gets vaccinated for seasonal flu each year. Seventy percent of Americans 65 and older — among those at highest risk for suffering complications from seasonal flu — get the shots. The numbers are much lower for young people.

But young people are at highest risk for H1N1. What remains uncertain is whether the increased risk will translate into more young people getting immunized.

The CDC is planning public information campaigns on H1N1, not only using traditional outlets such as radio and TV, but new media and social networking sites such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

Related post: Tracking H1N1 – Reporting from the CDC

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The CDC's Global Communications Center in Atlanta.

This morning, I’m on my way to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. The CDC is holding a two day workshop for journalists covering influenza (including H1N1), to give us the latest information on these viruses as well as more in-depth background.

I will update this blog with what we learn. Regarding H1N1, here’s what we know so far:

According to the CDC’s latest figures, H1N1 has been responsible for 7,983 hospitalizations and 522 deaths in the U.S. this year.

“It’s important to keep in mind that these numbers radically underestimate the number of cases that actually occur,” said Jay Butler, director of the CDC’s H1N1 Vaccine Task Force. “Many cases go without testing and, in many areas, there is not routine testing of people who are not sick enough to require hospitalization.”

The CDC stopped reporting estimates of probable cases of 2009 H1N1 on July 24. Mathematical modeling at the time suggested as many as 1 million Americans may have been infected.

“If that’s accurate, it’s more than 1 million cases now,” Butler said.

Health officials say H1N1 continues to disproportionately affect young people — unlike seasonal flu, which tends to hit the elderly the hardest. According to Butler, 75 percent of H1N1 hospitalizations and 60 percent of H1N1 deaths involve persons under 49 years of age.

This year, H1N1 is the predominant influenza virus circulating worldwide. Researchers have been keeping a close eye on South America and Australia, which are approaching the end of their winter flu season.

So far, fears that the virus might mutate into a more dangerous form have not been realized.

“There have been no significant changes detected in the influenza virus isolated from persons in the southern hemisphere as compared to viruses isolated from persons in the northern hemisphere,” Butler said.

According to Butler, the viruses remain susceptible to anti-viral drugs, such as oseltamivir phosphate (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza). He said they also remain similar to the viruses selected for H1N1 vaccines currently in development.

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Long lines outside the Jefferson County Courthouse.

When we arrived at the Jefferson County Courthouse in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, a long line of residents stretched down the front steps and along a sidewalk. Many of these people were simply waiting to renew their vehicle tags.

“You’ve got people 60, 70 and 80 (years old) and they have to stand up for four and five hours,” said Timothy Stanfield, a Birmingham resident.

The long lines are symptomatic of a budget crisis that has prompted Jefferson County to close satellite government offices in outlying areas and lay off well over a quarter of its workforce.

Although Jefferson County has been in the national spotlight recently for its difficulties paying off $4 billion in sewer bonds, commissioners say the mass-layoffs stem from an unrelated financial crisis: loss of tax revenue.

Earlier this year, a judge struck down Jefferson County’s occupational tax — a half percent levy on the earnings of people who work in the county (excluding certain professionals, such as barbers, who already pay county licensing fees). That tax had generated approximately $75 million in annual revenue.

State lawmakers from the area are proposing a new occupational tax that would affect every worker in the county — no exceptions — thereby surpassing the previous tax in the amount of revenue generated.

The local sheriff is asking for something even more dramatic.

After losing a legal battle to protect his budget from the Jefferson County Commission’s fiscal ax, Sheriff Mike Hale sent a request to Alabama Governor Bob Riley, asking him to consider sending state funds — or the National Guard.

“I need force multipliers” Hale said. “I need the National Guard to partner with my deputies to make sure communities and neighborhoods are safe.”

According to the Sheriff, the $4 million budget cut slated for his office could result in layoffs of as many as 300 of his 700 employees.

Hale insists public safety is crucial. But so are many other public services, according to Jefferson County Commissioner Jim Carnes.

“It’s no good if we’ve got law enforcement (and) we don’t have a coroner to say, ‘This person was murdered,’ and a D.A.” to try the suspected killer, he said.

As for the people waiting for vehicle tags, we saw one man emerge from the courthouse with his renewed license plate — nearly 9 hours after he arrived.

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What do America’s future doctors and clinicians think about health care reform? For answers, we went to the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. Click on the video for a sampling of opinion.

Related Videos: Watch our live discussion on FOX News Channel (7/30/09).

Additional Q&A with the students on producer David Lewkowict’s blog.

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The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention Center

My suit and tie stand out as I walk through the crowds of vacationing retirees and gamblers in my Biloxi hotel.

“Do you work for the hotel?” asks an elderly man holding an assistance dog (to my surprise — a miniature dachshund) in his lap. “No, sir,” I reply. “I’m here with FOX News, covering the governors conference.”

Perhaps it’s Biloxi’s reputation as a fun, leisure destination that kept some governors away from this year’s National Governors Association meetings — not wanting to be seen as having too much fun, while their constituents struggle with economic woes back home.

This year’s participants include 16 Democrats and 8 Republicans — less than half of the nation’s governors. Nevertheless, Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS) says the meetings will help showcase how far his state has come since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The NGA meetings are taking place in a new convention center within eyesight of the Gulf of Mexico. As he opened the conference, Gov. Barbour reminded participants that during Katrina’s storm surge, the property they were on was under 20 feet of water.

Related Link: NGA updates from FOX News producer Serafin Gomez.

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The i-house's rooftop deck.

It’s not your father’s mobile home. The i-house combines modular construction with environmentally-friendly features and a trendy, Scandinavian-influenced design.

Clayton Homes CEO Kevin Clayton says his company gave its architects free reign to come up with the new concept. “Take it as far as you can. There are no limits. There are no boundaries. We want to see what’s possible,” he said.

The i-house costs between $100 and $130 per square foot, about half the price of a standard “stick built” home. Its energy efficient windows, insulation and appliances, which include optional solar panels on its butterfly roof, can reduce the i-house’s electric bill to $1 a day, according to the manufacturer.

The i-house gets its name from its unique shape: A long rectangular main unit with a separate “flex room” to “dot the i.” Click on the video below to watch our FOX Report.

Related links:

• View more of Jonathan’s photos of the i-house on Facebook.
• i-house virtual tour on Clayton Homes website

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For those of you who like your glass half-full, this just in from the National Association of Realtors:

Existing home sales rose in April with strong buyer activity in lower price ranges.

Now the half-empty part: The latest S&P/Case-Shiller Index shows a 19.1 percent decline in average home prices nationwide in the first quarter of 2009 versus the same period last year. Statistics from March lead Standard and Poor’s to conclude:

We see no evidence that a recovery in home prices has begun.

Out of 20 major metropolitan areas surveyed by S&P/Case-Shiller, Phoenix, Las Vegas and San Francisco suffered the most significant decreases in housing prices over the past year — posting losses of 36, 31.2 and 30.1 percent respectively. Click on the video below to watch my report for FOX Business Network.

Joshua Keen, an agent with RealSource Brokers in Atlanta (where housing prices dropped 15.7 percent over the past year) predicts prices won’t drop much further. But he says even after the real estate sector recovers, the market will be very different from the years before the proverbial bubble burst.

For more of his analysis, click on the video below.

To illustrate the recession’s effect on the real estate sector, we’re reporting live from a home in East Atlanta that’s on the market for $250-thousand. During our hit for Studio-B on FOX News Channel, a photographer’s misstep provided some unexpected comic relief to an otherwise serious story. Click on the video below to watch.

Related links:

• Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices
• National Association of Realtors website
• Joshua Keen’s blog on Atlanta Real Estate

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The most surprising information to come out of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s briefing on the H1N1 flu outbreak today does not concern the disease itself, but pubic opinion.

According to Prof. Robert Blendon of the Harvard School of Public Health, 77 percent of Americans surveyed say they continue to follow news stories about H1N1, even though 61 percent say they’re not worried about themselves or their families getting sick from the virus in the next 12 months. That’s up from last week, when 53 percent said they were not worried. Normally, people stop following diseases in the news after they stop considering those diseases a direct threat. Prof. Blendon interprets it this way:

We think what people are saying is that they are following the news closely because they’re both interested and uncertain about the risk for themselves and their families during the next year. So even though they’re not immediately worried at this point, they are uncertain. So, they’re going to pay a lot of attention to whatever comes out as the days and weeks go by.

The survey suggests 83 percent of the general public believe local, state and federal health officials are managing the outbreak well and doing a good job getting information out.

However, parents of school age children are substantially more concerned than the rest of the population about the risks of their families getting the disease. Half of these parents report not knowing what their schools are doing in response to the outbreak, according to Prof. Blendon, who said this high level of concern needs to be addressed.

For additional information, visit the CDC’s website at: pandemicflu.gov.

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