Ten states plan lawsuit against health care reform bill

Once President Obama signs the health care reform bill into law, its battles won’t be over.

According to CNN, Florida’s attorney general Bill McCollum announced today that his state will be joined by nine others in plans to file a lawsuit challenging the bill’s constitutionality. The provision that required people to purchase health insurance is what McCollum says will be the main target of the lawsuit. 

“This is a tax or a penalty on just living, and that’s unconstitutional,” he said. “There’s no provision in the Constitution of the United States giving Congress the power to do that.”

McCollum said Florida will be joined by Alabama, Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Washington. While each of these states has Republican attorney generals, McCollum said this is about the law and not about the politics.

President Obama said he plans on signing the bill into law tomorrow, after which McCollum said the states will file the lawsuit. He said he expects the case to reach the U.S. Supreme Court.

Local food bank sees rise in traffic

According to a new study by the Food Bank of Central New York, 82 percent of food pantries in Central and Northern New York saw an increase in demand for food over the past four years.

The Post-Standard reported that Becky Slater, the Food Bank’s director of member programs, said the recession and poverty are causing this rise in hunger.  The study showed that more than 40 percent of the households using the free food services had to choose between paying for food or making rent or mortgage payments.

“People don’t have enough income to meet their expenses,” Slater said. “It’s just amazing how people are trying to make ends meet.”

A national study called Hunger in America 2010 found that about one out of every eight Americans is currently using food relief programs.  Slater said the local network of food banks has provided 900 thousand more meals in 2010 than in 2009.

Dancing With the Stars changes things up

Dancing With the Stars premieres its 10^th season tonight with some big names and a new setup. Stars like Chad Ochocinco, Buzz Aldrin, Kate Gosselin and Erin Andrews are among the celebrity halves of the couples that will show off their first dance tonight at 8 p.m. on ABC. 

Not only is the cast different, but People reports that producer Conrad Green says the show is changing things up for its viewers. This season will include theme nights, including one night featuring songs by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Also, the cast will watch their competitors' dances from a balcony, instead of on a screen backstage as in previous seasons.

The scores from tonight’s premiere will be combined with next week’s scores when the couple with the lowest score will be eliminated.