About 100,000 homeowners in the bay area are still underwater. Business, 4B
In the
know
tampabay.com
FLORIDA’S BEST NEWSPAPER
SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2015 | $1
134 hospitals to split $2B
EVEN MANLY MAN
TAKES LIKING TO
SPA TREATMENT
Florida lawmakers reach a deal to divide the money that will be used for charity care.
BY STEVE BOUSQUET
Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
No longer a luxury just for
the ladies, spas can help
smooth out the rough edges
of men, as a rugged, outdoors skeptic finds out during a visit to Spa Evangeline
in Tampa. Personal Best
TALLAHASSEE — The biggest
piece of Florida’s budget puzzle
fell into place Friday as state legislators divvied up $2 billion to
hospitals for the costs of treating
millions of people with no health
insurance.
Working through the night,
they split a pot of federal, state
and local tax money among 134
Obama trade bill
fails in House vote
Led by union-backed Democrats, the House rejects an
important part of a package
aimed at fast-tracking a
trade pact with11 other Pacific Rim nations. Nation, 2A
hospitals for charity care in the
low-income pool or LIP that’s
being cut back by the Obama
administration.
“This is a huge step forward,”
said Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando.
To make up for the federal cut,
the state will pump nearly $400
million into LIP in next year’s
budget, eating up nearly half of a
projected $1 billion surplus. That
Cutting costs
The state House passes six bills,
hoping to increase health care
access. Local,1B
$400 million will draw an additional $600 million in matching
federal money.
Florida has the second highest number of uninsured residents of any state, and the Legis-
lature’s failure to agree on a payment plan in the regular session
forced the current special session
to ensure a budget by July 1.
The deal to help hospitals
keeps lawmakers on track to finish their work by Tuesday, which
would allow the session to end
next Friday, June 19. The threeweek special session costs taxpayers about $75,000 per day.
The largest recipients of low
STANLEY CUP FINAL
Rays take 7-5 win
over White Sox
Game 5: Lightning vs. Blackhawks, 8 tonight, Amalie Arena
Joey Butler has three hits,
two RBIs and a run scored
to lead Tampa Bay over Chicago at the Trop. Sports,1C
VISIONARY
Parents say NAACP
chief not black
They say Rachel Dolezal,
37, president of the NAACP
chapter in Spokane, Wash.,
has misrepresented herself
for years. Nation, 2A
One man’s improbable quest has produced a bay area treasure.
Second breach of
data tied to China
U.S. soccer team
ties with ex-coach
The United States plays to a
0-0 tie with Sweden and former coach Pia Sundhage in
an anticipated match of the
group stage at the Women’s
World Cup. Sports,1C
Gators vs. ’Canes
in World Series
Florida opens College World
Series play tonight against
Miami, and Gators coach
Kevin O’Sullivan says the
grind of the SEC has the
team prepared to battle for a
championship. Sports, 2C
LUIS SANTANA | Times
Thousands of Lightning fans who braved a brief downpour in Tampa on Monday erupt in celebration after watching Tampa Bay
rally late on the big screen to beat the Blackhawks 3-2 in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final in Chicago.
BY BEN MONTGOMERY
Times Staff Writer
Scary Halloween:
Freddy and Jason
G
TAMPA
ood quest stories start at the beginning, so let
us untangle all the various narratives about the
improbable birth of the Tampa Bay Lightning and
begin with the bold desire of one man, a man whose
life was defined by hockey, a man who got emotional when he
talked about hockey, a man who would let go of his wife before
he let go of hockey.
Phil Esposito wanted a hockey team.
That’s the beginning, a man with a wish. On May 1, 1990, eight
months after the NHL announced its intentions to expand from
21 teams to 28 by the year 2000, Esposito told the hockey world
he was interested in bringing a team to a place most unlikely:
Tampa Bay. And he had a name: the Lightning.
Fast forward 25 years. The uncertainty has evaporated like a
Freddy Krueger of Nightmare on Elm Street and
Jason Voorhees of Friday
the 13th are coming to Universal Orlando’s 25th anniversary of Halloween Horror
Nights. Etc, 2B
TODAY’S WEATHER
Very hot, humid
Times file (1990)
Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito decided in 1990 that he
wanted to bring an expansion franchise to Tampa Bay.
4 p.m. 8 p.m.
88°
84°
60% chance of rain
Nuts to the naysayers
More, back page of Sports
.
Sue Carlton says bravo, Tampa, you’re
a bonafide hockey-loving city. Local,1B
tampabay.com
Sights at Metrocon
See LIGHTNING, 4A
Bolts mystery man
Who’ll start in goal? Your guess is as good
as his, coach Jon Cooper says. Sports,1C
Must-win?
Tom Jones offers his insights into what this
pivotal Game 5 at home means. Sports,1C
See PARKS, 6A
Fear over Obamacare ruling
If the high court rules against subsidies, many Floridians could lose.
INDEX
BY KATHLEEN MCGRORY
Crosswords 13A, F
Times Staff Writer
Editorials
Nicole Peterson already struggles to provide for her three
daughters with the $36,000 she
makes managing a Kenneth City
day care center.
If she were to lose her $150-amonth health insurance subsidy
from the federal government?
“That’s an electric or a water
Astrology
4F
Business
4B
Classified
F
Lottery
2A
3F
Puzzles
4F
Vol. 131 No. 324
© Times Publishing Co.
.
To generate more money
for the state, Florida’s popular state parks could see more
than just timber harvesting
and cattle-grazing added to
the bird-watching, camping,
canoeing, kayaking and hiking activities allowed now.
How about hunting?
The boom of gunfire could
begin echoing through Florida’s awardwinning
parks system
by
December under a
Department
of Environmental Protection plan DEP Secretary
contained in Jon Steverson
documents
wants the
obtained
park system
Friday by to pay for
the Tampa itself.
Bay Times.
The documents did not
specify which of the state
parks might be suitable spots
for hunters to shoot deer, turkey, squirrel, rabbit, otter, bobcat, raccoons, beavers, quail,
dove, feral hogs, coyotes and
— if the state wildlife commission approves a hunting
season this month — bear.
A review of the parks that
could be targeted “for immediate implementation” would
begin within 30 to 60 days if
approved.
The news that this is being
considered caught environmental advocates by surprise
— understandable, given the
history involved.
“There has never been hunting in state parks,” said Albert
Gregory, who spent 35 years
working for the state park
system, most of it as the chief
planner. The reason, he said,
.
Fans dressed as
their favorite characters at Metrocon,
the anime convention that
continues through Sunday
at the Tampa Convention
Center. View a photo gallery
at tbtim.es/metrocon.
Comics
Parks
a new
spot to
hunt?
Times Staff Writer
Starting Oct.1, Judge
Michael G. Williamson of
Tampa heads the bankruptcy court for Florida’s Middle
District, one of the nation’s
busiest. Business, 4B
Noon
84°
See BUDGET, 11A
BY CRAIG PITTMAN
Local judge to lead
bankruptcy court
8 a.m.
77°
.
To boost state park
funds, the DEP
considers letting
hunters in.
The hackers gained information in files related to
intelligence officials working
for the FBI, defense contractors and other government
agencies, White House officials say. Nation, 2A
.
income pool money include Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami,
Broward General Medical Center
in Fort Lauderdale, Tampa General and All Children’s Hospital
Johns Hopkins Medicine in St.
Petersburg. All are members of
a statewide Safety Net Hospital
Alliance.
“We appreciate the work of
the House and Senate to provide
12A
bill, or groceries and gas,” Peterson said. “These aren’t luxuries.
These are things we need for survival.”
So in between 11-hour days
at the child care center and the
demands of being a single mom,
Peterson looks for updates on the
U.S. Supreme Court case known
as King vs. Burwell. The decision,
expected this month, will deter-
mine whether she and 6.4 million other Americans continue
receiving the subsidies associated with the Affordable Care
Act.
The stakes are particularly
high in Florida. A ruling against
the health care law could cause
more than 1.3 million Floridians
to lose their financial assistance.
.
See HEALTH CARE, 7A
SOPHIA NAHLI ALLISON | Times
Nicole Peterson and her daughters, Lily, 5, left, Taylor, 13, and
Hannah, 15, of Kenneth City receive subsidies under Obamacare.