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News at noon: Senate leaders unveil bill to repeal Affordable Care Act; Tampa Bay home prices continue to rise; Crist calls for national day of civility; with trade freeze over, Lightning could be active

 
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday. [Doug Mills/The New York Times]
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday. [Doug Mills/The New York Times]
Published June 22, 2017

Here are the latest headlines and updates on tampabay.com:

SENATE LEADERS UNVEIL BILL TO REPEAL THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

Senate Republicans, who have promised a repeal of the Affordable Care Act for seven years, took a major step on Thursday toward that goal, unveiling a bill to cut Medicaid deeply and end the health law's mandate that most Americans have health insurance. The bill would create a new system of federal tax credits to help people buy health insurance, while offering states the ability to drop many of the benefits required by the Affordable Care Act, like maternity care, emergency services and mental health treatment.

TAMPA BAY HOME VALUES CONTINUE TO RISE ALONG WITH SALES PRICES

For the second month in a row, Tampa Bay had one of the highest year -over-year increases in home values in May, Zillow reported today. The median value of a bay area home jumped to $184,900 for an 11 percent gain, tying with Dallas for the second biggest increase among the nation's 35 largest metro areas.

CINDY DOWNGRADED TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION

Forecasters say Cindy, the onetime tropical storm since downgraded to a depression, is weakening as it heads inland. But bands of heavy rain are continuing — with heavy rain in parts of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says a tropical storm warning from High Island, Texas, to Morgan City, Louisiana, has been discontinued, hours after the storm made landfall.

CHARLIE CRIST CALLS FOR NATIONAL DAY OF CIVILITY

A week after a gunman opened fire on a group of Republicans, Rep. Charlie Crist this morning called for the establishment of a national day of civility, saying "the need for action could not be more urgent."

IN IOWA, PRESIDENT CHANNELS HIS INNER CANDIDATE TRUMP

Struggling to advance his agenda in Washington, President Donald Trump traveled to the Midwest for a raucous rally with his loyal supporters — the kind of event he relished before winning the White House. Trump, no stranger to victory laps, turned his visit to a battleground state he captured in November into a celebration of his resilience despite the cloud of investigations that has enveloped his administration and sent his poll numbers tumbling.

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES TO OFFER FLIGHTS FROM TAMPA TO SAN DIEGO

Southwest Airlines will offer new nonstop service from Tampa International Airport to San Diego International Airport beginning Jan. 8, 2018. San Diego has been a route that Tampa airport officials have been vying to add to the market for some time.

BLACK LAWMAKER: I WAS CALLED 'MONKEY' AT PROTEST TO CHANGE CONFEDERATE STREET SIGNS

A black state legislator says he was called a "n-----" and a "monkey" Wednesday by pro-Confederates who want Hollywood to keep three roads named after Confederate generals, including one of the founders of the Ku Klux Klan.

BUSY START HAS FLORIDA HOSPITAL CENTER ICE DREAMING BIG

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As Gordie Zimmermann takes stock of his first months at Florida Hospital Center Ice — a five-rink, 150,500-square-foot, $22.5 million ice sports complex billed as the largest of its kind in the southeast United States — he does so with awe. And the jam-packed schedule shows no signs of slowing down.

STUDY: STATES WITH LEGALIZED MARIJUANA HAVE MORE CAR CRASH CLAIMS

A recent insurance study links increased car crash claims to legalized recreational marijuana. The Highway Loss Data Institute, a leading insurance research group, said in study results released Thursday that collision claims in Colorado, Washington, and Oregon went up 2.7 percent in the years since legal recreational marijuana sales began when compared with surrounding states.

WITH TRADE FREEZE OVER, LIGHTNING COULD BE ACTIVE

With around $23 million in cap space for next season, Lightning GM Steve Yzerman can be active and aggressive on the trade and free agent market. There are expected to be many league-wide deals this weekend at the NHL Draft in Chicago, now that the roster freeze was lifted at 8 a.m.

BUCS FANS RANKED 25TH IN STUDY OF NFL TEAMS

The Bucs and their fans are ranked 25th in an Emory University study of NFL teams' "fan base and branding analysis."

THE GREATEST COACHES NEVER TO WIN IT ALL

Florida State's 7-4 loss Wednesday to LSU in the losers bracket of the College World Series left head coach Mike Martin 0-for-16 in the CWS in his 38 seasons as 'Noles coach. As a result, Martin -- who rivals Bobby Bowden as the folksiest and most endearing presence in FSU athletics history -- remains entrenched in that paradoxical pantheon of legendary coaches or managers who never have won the big one.

JONATHAN ISAAC COULD MAKE FLORIDA STATE HISTORY TONIGHT

Florida State forward Jonathan Isaac will probably hear his name called early in tonight's NBA draft. Maybe historically early, at least by Seminoles standards. No Florida State player has been picked higher than fourth (Dave Cowens to Boston in 1970).

'HOW TO SURVIVE A SUMMER' TAKES ON HOMOPHOBIA AT ITS WORST

Nick White's 'How to Survive a Summer' takes a sometimes harrowing look at the extremes of homophobia, but ultimately it's a book that arcs toward hope, writes Times book editor Colette Bancroft.

News at noon is a weekday feature from tampabay.com. Check in Monday through Friday for updates and information on the biggest stories of the day.