Dateline Florida

By Times Wires
Published February 14, 2008

Ill wind blows no good news on medicaid

The seven hurricanes that hit Florida in 2004 and 2005 have found another way to hurt the state's collective pocketbook. Estimates indicate that the storms will cost the state more than $480-million in reduced federal Medicaid dollars. The reason: The hurricane recovery created jobs, which raised the state's per capita income and skewed a formula the federal government uses to calculate Medicaid costs, said Dyke Snipes, deputy secretary for Medicaid at the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. Florida's per capita income is now back in line with the rest of the country, but the federal government uses a three-year average. The lower federal share is costing Florida $267-million this year and will cost another $213-million in the next budget year, Snipes said. "This has never happened before. It certainly builds a case to develop some strategy, some way to address this," Snipes said.

Waterfront ball looks good to them

A group of residents and city business owners are forming a pro-Tampa Bay Rays stadium movement. The group, Fans for Waterfront Stadium, is creating a Web site, www.fansforwaterfrontstadium.com and has scheduled a 6:30 p.m. meeting Tuesday at Ferg's Sports Bar on Central Avenue, group founder Kenny Locke said. To be involved, contact info@fansforwaterfrontstadium.com

Scouts can serve by being green

Just in case the cookie sales weren't keeping them busy enough, Gov. Charlie Crist on Wednesday announced a new program for Florida's Girl Scouts and their male counterparts. Crist, shown above with Brady Vincent, 6, of Tallahassee, unveiled the "Serve to Preserve Award," developed in cooperation with the state's scouting programs, that are aimed at protecting the environment. Among the ways to earn a patch: learning about biofuels, the drought, or making "a list of places in your neighborhood, camps, school grounds or parks that have pollution problems. Describe how these could be corrected." Crist said he wants to build "an army of conservationists" from the groups' 500,000 members. Crist wasn't a scout growing up, but at least three agency heads who were attended the announcement, including Secretary of State Kurt Browning, the former Pasco elections supervisor.

Electronic project revs up Pat Frank

Pat Frank, Hillsborough County's clerk of the circuit court, filed paperwork Wednesday to run for a second term. The former commissioner, state legislator and school board member, now 78, said she wants to continue moving the county's office from paper to electronic record-keeping.

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[Last modified February 13, 2008, 23:57:37]