Wisconsin's new BadgerCare Plus insurance program is an affordable way for uninsured families to get health care for their children, officials said Thursday.Today is the first day for people to enroll in BadgerCare Plus, which state Rep. Jennifer Shilling said will help extend health insurance to 98 percent of Wisconsin residents. .

Hotline activated for needy in region

A new hotline makes finding social services as easy as calling police or firefighters.

Beginning today, anyone in the Bay Area who needs help with food, housing, employment or health care can simply dial 211.

The three-digit hotline began operating in San Francisco nearly two years ago; and since then six other Bay Area counties - Solano, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa and Santa Clara - have been in various stages of operation.

But as of this morning, the service is officially up throughout the seven-county region.

Among the newcomers is Contra Costa County, where 211 has operated in test mode until today. Still, operators at the Contra Costa Crisis Center have been fielding hundreds of calls a month.

"Near Concord? OK, let's see, hmm," specialist Minerva Blaine told a caller Friday, scrolling through a computer database to find affordable housing units for the homeless mother of a new baby.

Healthy US interest in ‘medical tourism’

Two in five Americans would consider travelling abroad for a medical procedure if it cost half the US price and quality was at least equal, according to a Deloitte consumer health report published on Wednesday .

Raul Castro Tops Fidel In Parliamentary Election

The election was held over the weekend and the official results were released Wednesday. 76-year-old Raul received 99.4 percent of votes cast in the family's base of Santiago in eastern Cuba, a percentage point more than Fidel got. Both brothers easily won re-election to the National Assembly of Popular Power, as did all of the other 614 candidates. Officials said that 95 percent of eligible voters went to the polls, though about 4.5 percent of those turned in blank or invalid ballots. While voting is not mandatory, failing to do so can draw unwanted attention from pro-government neighborhood watch organizations. There was only one choice for each office and organized campaigning was forbidden. While far less prominent globally than his brother, Raul has long been popular in eastern Cuba. Some Cubans consider him more pragmatic than his visionary brother.

BadgerCare Plus debuts: Enrollment in health care program for ...

Wisconsin's new BadgerCare Plus insurance program is an affordable way for uninsured families to get health care for their children, officials said Thursday.Today is the first day for people to enroll in BadgerCare Plus, which state Rep. Jennifer Shilling said will help extend health insurance to 98 percent of Wisconsin residents. .

Daily Planner: February 20

BLOOD DRIVE: Donor hours 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday. BloodSource, 555 Rio Lindo Ave., Chico. 893-5433. Weekly.

PATERNITY WORKSHOP: Order to show cause, establish paternity, child support custody and orders, visitation. 532-7004. Service of Butte County Superior Court. Weekly.

TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER CLINIC: 9 a.m. Paradise; 1:30 p.m. Oroville. Free. Victims of domestic violence. Sponsored by Catalyst Domestic Violence Services. 800-895-8476 for times, locations.

PARADISE CENTER FOR TOLERANCE & NON-VIOLENCE: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 6023 Skyway. Support, advocacy for adults, children who have been victimized by harassment, bullying. 877-1856 or online www.pctn.org. Weekdays.

BABIES LOVE BOOKS: 9:30-10 a.m. Chico Library, 1108 Sherman Ave. Storytime for newborns to 18 months; Library Playtimes in Children's Room for newborns to age 3.

Dion hints Liberals willing to let budget stand

Cue the personal attacks from the Harpercrite apologists.

Care to try and make your point without attacking his english (which is as good or better than Harper's french, IMO), his heritage, his physique, or other superficial and irrelevant things?

Can you do it?

Didn't think so.

Don't feel too bad....neither can the CPC. Their attack ads are all sizzle and no steak. And pathetic, to boot.

That's why your hero's party is basically in a tie with Dion's in the polls.

That's why Harper will never get his majority.

Thank goodness. Posted 19/02/08 at 1:52 AM EST | Alert an Editor | Link to Comment .