| Minnesotans could save billions in health care costs, task force says
Gov. Tim Pawlenty said there's much he likes in the wide-ranging recommendations he received Tuesday from a task force he appointed to find ways to improve health care in Minnesota. But he stopped short of endorsing some of the panel's recommendations, such as requiring Minnesotans to buy health insurance or raising the cigarette "health-impact fee" to discourage smoking. "I think we've done enough to smokers for now" by banning smoking in most bars and restaurants and adding the 75-cent fee, he said. And requiring everyone to have insurance might "criminalize poor people" who can't afford it, he added. Still, Pawlenty said the task force report "can be the framework for a significant health care reform initiative in Minnesota." The broad range of recommendations would link doctors, hospitals, employers, patients, insurers, schools, communities and policy makers in initiatives aimed at paring $12.3 billion from health care costs otherwise projected to soar from about $30 billion now to $57.4 billion by 2015.
DFLers advance health insurance plan
A bold plan to provide health insurance coverage for all Minnesotans through a government run program was advanced today by DFL legislators, who say they expect to wage a three or four year battle for such a system. The proposed Minnesota Health Plan was touted as the most effective way to transfer savings resulting from lower insurance overhead and other costs to provide coverage for an estimated 400,000 uninsured Minnesotans. The effort is being led largely by new House members, who say they are responding to numerous complaints about health insurance while campaigning in 2006. "Health care was either number one or number two as a primary concern," said Rep. David Bly, DFL-Northfield. The single-payer plan will compete with less dramatic proposals for health coverage reform during the upcoming legislative session.
McCain outshines Romney in Florida's GOP primary
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Florida's rough-and-tumble Republican primary last night rolled in favor of Arizona Sen. John McCain, who held off a challenge from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and strengthened his lead in the race for his party's presidential nomination. With the win, Mr. McCain, who already had recorded victories in New Hampshire and South Carolina, picked up a whopping 57 delegates and the perception of momentum heading into next week's Super Tuesday primaries. "It shows one thing. I'm the conservative leader who can unite the party," the Arizona senator said in a brief interview with The Associated Press. "It's a very significant boost but I think we've got a tough week ahead and a lot of states to come." New York Mayor Rudolph W.
Japan Rebounds to Close Up But Australia Slips
Japan ended higher Thursday, rebounding from early losses, but Australia closed lower, hitting a five-day low as investors remained sidelined after recent signs that the U.S. economy is headed into recession. Most Asian markets are closed for the Lunar New Year holiday Thursday and Friday. Markets in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan will all reopen Monday. The Chinese market will reopen Wednesday. .
Central All-District basketball teams named
First team: Greg Avery, Newark, 6-foot-4, senior, 18.6 points per game; Chris Johnson, Cols. Brookhaven , 6-5, sr., 26.2; Devon Moore, Cols. Northland, 6-4, sr., 14.2; Jared Sullinger, Cols. Northland, 6-9, so., 20.5; Robbie Taylor, Gahanna-Lincoln, 5-10, sr., 20.0.
Player of the year: Chris Johnson, Cols. Brookhaven.
Coach of the year: Brett Norris, Hilliard Darby. .
Commercial Breaks
A new chance to sparkle on NYC plates
Sooner and closer to home, Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson of Frasca Food & Wine in Boulder will cook for the Taste of the NFL, an annual event the night before the Super Bowl featuring chefs from NFL cities. (Are they the Boulder Broncos?) It's a big walk around — with proceeds fighting hunger. Lachlan will serve up artisan link sausages from Fra'Mani with horseradish sauce on little buns. Corn liquor. My friends know that I am a nut for fresh corn, especially sweet Colorado corn from Olathe. I also appreciate the occasional sip of vodka (meaning every night at 6 on the dot). So I entered some kind of pleasure vortex to come upon Goat Artisan Vodka, made in Palisade from Colorado grain — including Olathe sweet corn. The vodka, which is certainly distinctive, is created with loving kindness by Rory Donovan, Bill Graham and Dave Thibodeau, "three good friends with a penchant for hooch" it says on their website, which is peachstreetdistillers.com.
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