Americans Regain Some Confidence in Newspapers, TV News

New Gallup survey says American's confidence in newspapers and TV news has rebounded slightly in the past year. But at 28% for newspapers and 27% for TV news, it's still pretty dismal.

When you read into the survey a bit, you can see that it's young people (18-29 year olds) who have very little confidence in the "old" media of traditional newspapers and television news.

County Leads in National Discount Drug Program

NACo Executive Director Larry Naake joined Montgomery County (Md.) Executive Isiah Leggett on June 20 to announce that county residents have saved more than $20 million on their medicine costs thanks to NACo's Prescription Discount Card Program. More info at www.naco.org under Programs & Services/Help Your Residents.

Hillsborough County Wins 2011 NACo Achievement Award

Bay News 9, a 24-hour local news channel serving the Tampa Bay area, reports on Hillsborough County, Fla. winning a 2011 NACo Achievement Award. Begun in 1970, the annual Achievement Award Program is a non-competitive awards program that recognizes innovative county government programs. More info on the NACo website.

Rep. King Statement on Senate Commerce Committee Action to Reallocate D Block for Public Safety

U.S. Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, cited NACo's support in his statement on Senate Commerce Committee passage of S. 911, which would reallocate the D Block communications spectrum to public safety.

Mercer Courthouse Clock Repaired

Nice story here (WFMJ-TV) about community cooperation as students raised money to help pay for renovation of the large county clock on top of the Mercer County (Pa.) Courthouse. The students raised more than $1,200 to pay for parts and two local businesses conducted the extensive renovations free of charge. Commissioner Ken Ammann said the savings to taxpayers amounted to $35,000. The clock had been inoperable for about a year and has now been repaired in time for the courthouse's 100th anniversary.

States, Counties Spar Over Medicaid 'Flexibility'

"Our mantra is, when states talk about 'flexibility,' that's flexibility to let someone else pay for it," says Paul Beddoe, associate legislative director for health and the National Association of Counties. "And we're going to be that somebody else."

Interesting blog post in Governing exploring the differece of opinions of block-ganting federal Medicaid monies to the states.

Senators decry Medicaid block-granting

Hugely successful NACo Rally on Capitol Hill last week to drum up support to preserve Medicaid. Many thanks to West Virginia Senator Jay Rockefeller for sponsoring the event with NACo. No fewer than seven United States Senators stood with members of NACo's Large Urban County Caucus. More in County News.