That much-ballyhooed stimulus package has arrived.

Not the one they’re talking about in Washington.

I’m talking about the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

When I was a kid, I used to have a subscription to SI. There is nothing that warms a 12-year-old boy’s heart in February like the Swimsuit Issue.

Of course that was back when the models actually wore swimsuits. These days the issue continues to make headlines, sometimes as much for what the models are not wearing as for what they are.

This year’s cover features Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli. She has been known to pal around with Leonardo DiCaprio. It is my journalistic duty to ogle the cover when it is released each year. Associated Press always runs a picture of the cover. As best as I can tell, Refaeli seems to be pulling off her bikini bottom. That sure looks like a tan line to me.

I no doubt will get several irate phone calls today, complaining about using the photo of Refaeli on the cover in today’s print edition. It’s also posted on our Web site.

I am guessing Judy Fitzpatrick will not be among them. The Folsom mom called me yesterday to alert us of a local angle to this year's Swimsuit Issue.

Her daughter Melanie is featured in the mag. She’s a Saint Joe’s nursing student and member of the Sixers dance team. The magazine did a shoot involving members of several NBA team’s cheerleading squads.

Just doing our job, always looking for the local angle to important stories.

No doubt today we will chase down lots of local angles to the economic stimulus package.

The temperature today is expected to approach 70 degrees. It will be a fleeting taste of spring.

Think swimsuits. We’re doing our part.