Burt Reynolds takes first role since surgery

Once a hero in Florida and a champ at the box office, Burt Reynolds guest stars on USA's "Burn Notice" at 9 tonight as a burned-out former spy.

It's the first work for Reynolds since undergoing a quintuple bypass in February at a hospital in Jupiter (where he grew up and has a museum dedicated to his career).

The 74-year-old plays a spy who was ousted just like series hero Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan). Some Russian hit men are after Reynolds' character so Westen and his pals have to save him.

Because "Burn Notice" is filmed in South Florida, could this role lead to a regular gig for Reynolds?

Reynolds, who is now living near Stuart, was treated last year in a West Palm Beach facility for an addiction to painkillers. He has been teaching acting classes at his Burt Reynolds and Friends Museum.

Jupiter was once was home to the Burt Reynolds Dinner Theater, which opened in 1979 and closed in 1996 after he declared bankruptcy.

Reynolds has worked in more than 100 films and his career soared in the 1970s with roles in "Deliverance," "The Longest Yard" and "Smokey and the Bandit." He never won an Oscar, but he got an Emmy in 1990 for the TV comedy "Evening Shade."

HEALTH CARE NEWS: Although it is still under development, a new health journalism project based at WUSF radio and television in Tampa is up and running.

The Healthy State Collaborative, which will attempt to cover local, state and national health care issues, has an executive director: Jennifer Molina, 44.

She has more than 10 years experience in multimedia production for web, radio podcasts and documentaries. Most recently she was a senior video producer for Newsweek.com, where she shot, produced and edited short video documentaries and multi-part series on social issues, culture and national affairs.

There's also a website, www.healthystate.org, which will eventually be the destination for the content produced by the collaborative's multimedia health reporters. They will be working with WUSF (Channel 16 and 89.7 FM); WEDU, Channel 3; WMNF, 88.5 FM; WGCU Public Media (in Fort Myers); WMFE Public Media (Orlando); and WUFT (Gainesville).

Molina says she is in the process of hiring the reporters. Already on board for WUSF is Dalia Wheatt Colon, a former Tampa Bay Times reporter. Her health related stories are airing on WUSF radio, Molina says.

The Healthy State Collaborative is funded by a $1.23 million grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It's one of seven created around the country to develop news coverage of an issue relevant to each region. (Health care was picked as primary focus in Florida).

Molina says the goal is to reach a target audience of young professionals ages 20 to 45 who are attuned to the new media. She adds that health care coverage encompasses a wide range of topics including research and technology, the business of health, health and law, and much more.

A sampling of the stories posted on the website include topics such as tracking health threats from the Gulf oil leak; avoiding vocal cord strain from cheering at sporting events; swimming with dolphins as therapy for disabled children; avoiding lawn mower injuries; high levels of arsenic in apple juice; and Florida Attorney General Bill McCollom's lawsuit challenging the nation's new health care reform law.