Dateline Florida

By Times Wires
Published January 19, 2008

Tampa tops in perks for boomer retirees, says Forbes.com

Retirees these days want more than a front porch and a rocker, so Forbes.com set out to determine which cities were the best for aging baby boomers looking to stay active as they enter their golden years. Tampa came out on top. Forbes.com compared the 100 largest cities, ranking them using traditional categories like health care and golf courses, but also new factors such as the "retirement job market." Tampa's cost of living and tax burdens are relatively low, the Web site found, and health care costs and access are very favorable. The city's arts and leisure rank is in the top third of the cities measured, so there's plenty to keep retirees active. Jacksonville was the only other Florida city to crack the top 10, at No. 6.

Westchase school wins green for going green

A Tucson, Ariz., school that composts everything and uses cisterns to harvest water beat out Hillsborough's Westchase Elementary in a nationwide search for America's greenest school. Civano Community School earned the distinction and the $50,000 grand prize Friday. The school grows an organic garden and has a solar panel on its roof. Westchase, which did away with hardback textbooks in favor of online ones, didn't walk away empty-handed. As one of 10 finalists, the "Go Green and Small with 'all'" contest awarded the northwest Hillsborough school $5,000 to make additional green improvements.

Exploding exercise ball prompts man to sue

A Jacksonville man has filed a lawsuit over what he considers a little-known danger lurking in gyms across the country: exploding exercise balls. Pete Royal, 61, says he was leaning back on an exercise ball, preparing to lift two 75-pound dumbbells, when the ball exploded beneath him, the Florida Times-Union reports. He couldn't use his arms for six months and required five surgeries, Royal says. The balls, which look like giant beach balls and are supposed to strengthen stomach and back muscles, are common in gyms. Every time he sees someone doing what he did, Royal says, he warns the user. He's suing his local YMCA and the ballmaker, TKO Sports Group. Royal's lawyer says the ball should have slowly deflated, not exploded.

Correction

Longwood police Sgt. Karl Strohsal was hit by a car and killed last year as he tried to cross Interstate 4 on foot after a car crash. A story in Thursday's St. Petersburg Times was incorrect on where Strohsal was when he was hit.

[Last modified January 18, 2008, 23:34:12]