A-'AUG 4B -- - BUSINESS FDOT District 2 Web Site www.flroads.com wins national award The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District 2 Public Informa- tion Office, with the assis- tance of Earth Tech, Inc., in Lake City was awarded an American Association of State Highway Transporta- tion Officials (AASHTO) Public Affairs Skills Award. The FDOT won the award for the www.nflroads.com Web site in the category of Best Web Site with Consultant. The national competition is held annually and is open to each member state in AASHTO. The award was-presented to the FDOT on Aug. 1 ii Oklahoma City at the annu- al National Transportation Public Affairs Workshop (NTPAW), a meeting held by the AASHTO Adminis- "Empty :Bag Empty grocery bags are beii used to send a strong message Florida's members- of Congre about the need for comprehensi' immigration reform that address the need for a legal guest work program. The Florida Farm.Bureau Feder tion is spearheading the effort wi brown paper grocery bags label with a message that reads, in pa "Border Security and Enforceme is vital to our national security. safe, affordable and abundant d mestic food supply is too!" The message then points to t need for comprehensive immigi tion reform that also provides foi legal guest worker program or t grocery bag may remain empty. In earl\ fall. each coiiun Far trative Subcommittee on Public Affairs, whose membership is primarily the head of each state agency's public affairs of- fice. Entries are judged by the Public Affairs Office of the. winning state in the pri- or year. Last year's winner was the Idaho Department of Transportation. The purpose of the www.nflroads.com Web site is to provide informa- tion on current state road construction projects in the 18 counties that make up northeast and north central Florida and fall under the jurisdiction of FDOT Dis- trict 2, Visitors to the Web site. can view project pages pro- viding general information and timely updates about the project, current traffic show Florida Bureau in the state'conducts an an- nual meeting open to its member- ship. At these meetings, Farm Bu- reau members will be signing their names and a personal message to their member of congress on these empty grocery bags. These bags will then be delivered to those congress- men across the state to highlight the need for a solution to this issue. ''Border security and a safe, af- fordable domestic food supply are both vital to our national security," said Kevin Morgan, director of the Florida Farm Bureau's agricultural policy division. "We believe thatim- migration reform must be done in a comprehensive manner that includes border secarit;. enforcement and a viable legal guest \ orkei program."Y Florida Farm Bureau nemibers ate alerts, related documents including technical infor- mation, news releases, fliers and brochures and a photo gallery. Links to oth- er projects within the same city, county or corridor also appear on each project page. In addition to project pages, the site provides a news room with current news releases, travel alerts and tips and a glossary of construction terms. The Web site is also an effective means to provide specific information through the use of specialty pages like,the University of Florida advi- sory page, which is current-' ly being used to alert stu- dents and UF fans of road construction in the area and offers suggestions on alter- nate routes. FDOT WEB SITE WINS NATIONAL AWARD: Pictured. I to r, Chip Skinner of Earth Tech, Gina Buss- cher of FDOT, Sandra Mancil and Monica Reifeiss, both of Earth Tech; hold their American Associ- ation of State Highway Transportation Officials Public Affairs Skills'Award on top of the computer screen showing the home page for the winning Web site: www.nflroads.com..- Photo: Submitted congressmen need for immigration solution concerned that any immigration re-. ing and quality of life for farmers. Farm Bureau is available on the ,form proposal that does not include and ranchers. : Florida Farm Bureau Web site, a viable, guest worker program' More information: about Florida http://FloridaFarmBureau.org. would cause significant losses to' state agriculture. DACS annou ces "We. support .homeland security I .n u and an end to illegal immigration. Im p o r ricti but not at the expense of crippling i port restrictions agriculture and driving production , off shore," Morgan said. u t SFor more information about this o an n als due o initiative; please contact Florida I Farm Bureau's Kathy Richardson at V IlCU IF So at 352-374-1533. With more than 140,000 mem- Florida Agriculture and Con- Wyoming, the first such case re- bers, Florida Farm Bureau repre- summerr Services (FDACS) an- ported in the United States this sents agricultural interests across the nounced recently the placement year. state of Florida. Its mission is, to im- of restrictions on the importation Vesicular stomititis is a highly plement policies that are de\ eloped of animals from states affected contagious, viral disease that af- by members and pro\ ide programs .t ith l eicular stoinmaiti follo\ tects horses. cattle, swine and:oc- that \ ill improve econoinic tell-be- ing a confirmed case in casionall s-heep. goats and deer. The \ irus can ali' c.au'Ifleu 8~~~~ .r-~~ -( a .--,. ,, 'I'' w--:-:* 'i-'~x *: r n: "" C.' like s\ mptoms in people %\orkming \ith infected ani- mals. Signs of vesicular- stomatitis include blister-like lesions in the mouth, on the tongue, lips, nostrils, hooves and teats. While the virus is rarely fatal, it does result in significant weight loss and milk production loss. It is also difficult to distinguish between this \irus and foot and mouth disease, a devas- tating livestock disease found outside the United States. States and other countries often impose movement restrictions on animals from vesicular stomatitis affected areas. Earlier this week, the. USDA National Veterinary Sert ices Laboratories con- firmed the finding of a posi- tive horse, with clinical signs on a ranch in Natrona County, Wyoming. "I'm pleased to see that Wyoming has taken immedi- ate action to hold animals on the affected premises," FDACS Commissioner Charles H. Bronson said, " but the possibility that this disease could be in other ar- ,eas makes it imperative that we have rules in place to prevent the disease from be- ing imported into Florida." Florida requires veterinary inspection of susceptible an- imals coming from states af- fected with vesicular stom- atitis. Hoofed animals enter- ing Florida from Wyoming will require prior permission for entry and must be ac- companied by an official certificate of veterinary in- spection. The certificate of veterinary inspection must state that the animals are free of clinical signs of vesicular stomatitis and have not been exposed nor,locat- ed within 10 miles of a posi- tive premises, within the previous 30 days. In addi- 'tion, any hoofed livestock from states that are affected with vesicular stomatitis are required to have documenta- tion to show they have been tested and found negative within 10 days of movement to Florida. co-EljoVWMMS -FRIDAY; SEPTEMBER 1, 2006 0 SUWABNNEE DEMOCRAT/ILIVE OAK -At-Ir- AM