By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
   Lisa Greene and Michael Curtis have won prestigious Florida Press Association awards.
   Greene was chosen as a runner-up for the Shining Star Award, which recognizes the most valuable employee of a business. In the past, Mary Ellen Greene and Jacob Bembry have won the award. In a letter nominating Lisa Greene for the award, Bembry pointed out that she has a strong work ethic and has brought pride to her design and layout of the Madison County Carrier and Madison Enterprise-Recorder. He also noted that she can do any job that she is called upon to do at the newspaper.
   The Shining Star Award is an open circulation category, so Lisa Greene was competing against employees at newspapers much larger than the ones Greene Publishing, Inc. publishes.
   Curtis placed in the Community Service division for his outstanding series, “The Status of Madison Families.”
   The series was created in response to the outcry regarding the horrible state of community affairs in several sectors of Madison County, particularly among health and social service providers. According to statistics, Madison County is among the worst in Florida in such areas as chronic disease, education, nutrition, unemployment and underemployment.
   Greene Publishing, Inc. congratulates Lisa Greene and Michael Curtis for the Florida Press Association awards.

Man Injured, Truck Totaled

By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
   A Madison man was injured and had his truck totaled early Sunday morning, June 15.
   According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, Grady Cochran, Jr., 61, was traveling south on State Road 53. For unknown reasons, his 2005 Dodge truck drifted onto the west shoulder, striking a wooden fence and then a tree where it came to a final rest.
   FHP reported that Cochran was not wearing his seatbelt. He was cited for the seatbelt violation and for careless driving.
   Cochran was transported to Madison County Memorial Hospital where he was treated for minor injuries.
   The Madison County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene.
   FHP Trooper William Ernst was the investigating officer.

“Blogs” Promoting Freedom Of Expression

By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
   The explosion of Internet use over the last decade has created numerous new types and styles of communication, each designed to serve its part in this new electronic world of recreation and commerce.  Among these, there is a lot of attention now being given to the “BLOG,” so named for the reference “web log,” where web refers to the Internet (the “www” in front of a website name stands for “world wide ‘web’”), and log simply referring to “keeping a log, or written record.”
   There are many different types of blogs, differing not only in the type of content, but also in the way that content is delivered or written.  Blogs take various levels of formality as well, some designed purely for gossip and fan enjoyment, while others are actually considered sound and informative journalistic sources.  In fact, it’s becoming customary nowadays for all manner of websites to include space for responses below articles to promote site and article interest.
   Here are a few of the more popular blog types:

Personal Blogs
   The personal blog is an on-going diary or commentary by an individual and is thought of as the traditional, or common blog.  Personal bloggers usually take pride in their blog posts, even if their blog is never read by anyone but them.  These blogs often become more than a way to just communicate; they become a way to reflect on life or works of art.  Personal blogging can have a sentimental quality.  Few personal blogs rise to fame and the mainstream, but some personal blogs quickly garner an extensive following.  Basically, a personal blog is like posting one’s diary on the Internet, although the content may be of less intimate topics of course.

Corporate Blogs
   Blogs can be for business purposes and can be used internally, to communicate ideas or instruction when an email wouldn’t do the job right, or externally, where the blog is meant to enhance or promote to the public.  This could be in conjunction with marketing programs or simply to gather and exchange information, like a survey with more comments than questions.  Besides marketing, corporate blogs are used for branding and public relations as well.

By Media Type
   A blog made of videos is called a vlog, one using links to and from other websites is called a linklog, a site containing a portfolio of sketches is called a sketchblog or one comprising photos is called a photoblog.  Blogs with shorter posts and mixed media types are called tumblelogs.  An artlog permits art sharing and publishing in the format of a blog, but differentiated by the predominant use of, and focus on, artwork rather than text. 

By Device
   Blogs can also be defined by which type of device is used to compose it. A blog written by a mobile device like a mobile phone or PDA is called a moblog.  One early blog was named for Wearable Wireless Webcam.  This unique blog was an online diary of a person's personal life combining text, video, and pictures transmitted live from a wearable computer and EyeTap device to a web site.  It was like following a person with a camera and a microphone, recording his or her life to be shown on the Internet.  This practice of semi-automated blogging with live video together with text was referred to as sousveillance.  Such journals have actually been used as evidence in legal matters.

By Type
   Some blogs focus on a particular subject, such as political blogs, travel blogs, house blogs, fashion blogs, project blogs, educational blogs, niche blogs, classical music blogs, quizzing blogs and legal blogs (often referred to as a blawgs).  There are even dreamlogs.

   The Internet already touches over a billion lives annually and blogs are quickly becoming American mainstream.  Among people under 30, they already are.  Unfortunately, there are already blog abusers too.  For instance, blogs are sometimes used for the sole purpose of spamming.  (Spamming is the practice of sending out huge numbers of communications, like emails, or in this case blogs, at one time, typically for marketing rip-offs).  This is known as a splog.  Regardless of what one call’s it, one thing’s for sure.  Bloggers no longer have the reputation of the computer geek who lacks the self-confidence, social skills and courage to come away from the anonymity of the computer, rather today among the blogging ranks are the leading edge thinkers and marketers moving America.  

David Letterman Compares His Writer To Green Publishing Editor

By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
   On Monday night, June 16, numerous local viewers of the Late Show with David Letterman shouted back at the screen, “Hey I know that guy!”
   David Letterman has an ongoing segment on his show called “Small Town News” where he refers to humorous and folksy articles from papers around the nation.  In this case, the reference was to the Madison County Carrier,but instead of noting a headline, Letterman simply pointed out that one of his writers, Bob Borden, bore a striking resemblance to this paper’s Editor Jacob Bembry.
   To view the segment, go to www.youtube.com/user/ringlord777 and look in “Favorites.”  This is Bembry’s space on the “You Tube” website, which is enormously popular these days.
   As always, the first caller to notify Greene Publishing about sighting the newspaper on the show receives a free annual subscription.  In this case, the winner, Jessie Dobbs, left a voicemail at 12:01 a.m., just ahead of other callers.

Madison City Commissioners:
Madison Prepares For Grant To Address Low-Income Areas

By Giner Jarvis
   Repaving roads and sidewalks, replacing sewage lift stations, demolishing dilapidated houses, and creating a new park are possible uses for funds that the City of Madison is pursuing in the 2008 round of Community Development Block grants. The city commissioners approved the concept of the grant at their regular meeting on June 10.
   The grant, which could come to $700,000, would address needs in the low-to-medium income areas of Madison. One possible project in development of the lot at the corner of Martin Luther King Drive and Brooklyn Avenue, recently acquired by the city.
   The commissioners approved the idea following a presentation by Martha Orthoefer of the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council. They will later vote on details of the great application after Orthoefer meets with the planning and zoning council. There were no public comments for the first hearing on the application.
   In related business, the board voted to change the contractor for the present CDBG $500 per day past the promised completion date of June 13. The contractor had to re-order shrouds for the new street lamps, so was unable to complete the project on time.
   City manager Harold Emrich announced that the city will have $100,000+ left when the 2007 project is completed. He suggested using the money to add parking spaces. However, Commissioner Judy Townsend pointed out the need for street repairs at Range and Pinkney. Commissioner Jim Catron asked that public works Superintendent Chuck Hitchcock present a list of suggested projects and their costs for consideration at the July meeting.
   The commissioners approved a resolution authorizing the city manager to permit signs on city rights-of-way with the stipulation that the sign owner remove the sign with 60 days notice. The resolution will include a process of appeal by sign owner.
   The board also approved a letter to the owners of Madison Heights Apartments telling them to pay their city utility bill or face a lawsuit. The owners owe $25,000 presently; they receive HUD brochures for that purpose.

Planning And Zoning Workshop Set For July 10

By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
   In an ongoing effort to keep pace with progress, County Planner Jeanne Bass is organizing a planning and zoning workshop for July 10.  Several weeks ago, the Madison County Planning and Zoning Board recommended, and the Board of County Commission awarded, a contract to Kimley-Horn & Associates of Tallahassee to construct a zoning map for the county.  The group is being paid from a $5,000 grant the county received for to execute such services.
   During discussion with the Kimley-Horn staff, Bass and County Coordinator Allen Cherry wanted to make sure that the direction be clear and concise, considering all costs, allowing for maximum efficiency for growth and development.  The challenge is that some features of planning and zoning are requirements that come down from the state, while others come from within the county.  In a basic sense, one approach may make the paper trail move faster, while the other may allow for more options but with more tedious processing.  Again, Bass and Cherry simply want to make sure it’s done right for now and later.
   Keeping with this goal, on July 10 at 5:30 p.m., representatives from Kimley-Horn will join the Planning and Zoning Board, under Chair Billy Washington, as well as other stakeholders and volunteer leadership in the county planning process, to discuss and determine the which win-win scenario is best for all concerned.  One may call (850) 973-3179 for more details.

FCAT Scores Show Pockets Of Progress

By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
   Over the summer, there will be ongoing reports regarding FCAT scores, as well as the planning and actions that inevitably result from the positives and negatives the reporting will reveal.  On clear point already though, there are some distinct pockets of progress, several of which will be featured in upcoming editions along with the scores by grade and school.
   Madison Superintendent of Schools Lou Miller has always made FCAT testing a top priority.  Parents, instructors and administrators often live and die by the FCAT and although many feel it isn’t a fair assessment of progress, perhaps at best a rough snapshot, it is none the less a state standard that must be addressed.  So it’s a joy to announce that among this sterile examination of scores, real success stories are emerging, like the fine young lady in Greenville who scored perfectly on the fourth grade writing section of the FCAT.
   The bridge between identifying potential, especially considering the poverty culture in which the majority of county students reside, and turning that potential into real life skills, can be difficult at best.  It definitely requires much more than a nine-to-five, inside the box, approach to extract the full potential of a child.  Some would say that only a crusader on a cause could tackle this immense objective.  Fortunately, several of these dedicated practitioners are emerging as well. 
   Take Rod Williams for instance.  Everybody knows him as the very successful Defensive Coordinator of the Madison County High School football team.  What may come as a surprise though, is that he organized a disadvantaged group of eighth graders at the Central School into an organized group of achievers, naming the effort “The Succeed Academy.”  The unique program helped fifteen youth who had been held back for various reasons and were severely struggling academically to overcome obstacles and prepare for the FCAT.  Among other accomplishments, this effort added to the outstanding score the eighth graders received on their writing portion of the FCAT.  In fact, as a class, they scored above state average.

Lee Political Rally And Peanut Boil Set For June 21

By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
   Mayor Ernestine Kinsey and the Lee Town Council cordially invite voters, residents, guests and their families to the 2008 Political Rally and Peanut Boil to be held on Saturday, June 21 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.  The Lee Volunteer Fire Department is sponsoring the event, so it’s sure to be a warm mix of the serious side of selecting political leadership with the fun side of gathering with friends and neighbors.
   Local and regional candidates have been invited to give a brief introduction of themselves and their campaign starting at 5 p.m. at the Lee City Hall Pavilion located just north of U.S. 90 on State Road 255.  For additional information, call Lee City Hall at (850) 971-5867.