Retirement Bill on the Move Guaranteed Pensions for Began Moving Through the Florida Legislature New Employees
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1A WEEKEND EDITION FRIDAY & SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8 & 9, 2013 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | 75¢ Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM PUBLIC PENSIONS Retirement bill on the move Guaranteed pensions for began moving through the Florida Legislature new employees. on Thursday. The measure is a top priority for Gov. public workers would end A House panel voted to introduce a commit- Rick Scott and Republican legislative lead- Friday under House measure. tee bill that would replace traditional defined ers. It cleared the Government Operations benefit pensions with individual investment Subcommittee on a party-line 9-3 vote. Music concert accounts similar to 401(k) plans for employees Republicans and business groups that sup- Country music singer By BILL KACZOR hired after Jan. 1, 2014. It would shift invest- port the measure contended the switch would Tracy Lawrence will per- Associated Press ment risk from employers to employees, a save taxpayers money. Democrats, union offi- form at Florida Gateway growing trend in the private sector. Benefits cials and other critics argued it would have the College’s Howard TALLAHASSEE — A proposal to end guar- can vary widely depending upon the perfor- opposite result. Conference Center, 149 SE anteed pensions for new teachers, state and mance of investments each employee chooses. College Place. The show county workers and other public employees The bill also would end disability benefits for PENSIONS continued on 3A will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $25. Lawrence has amassed 18 No. 1 hits during his COUNTY career, including “Alibis,” “If the Good Die Young” COMMISSION and “Find Out Who Your Friends Are.” For tickets or more information, call TOP TEACHER (386) 754-4340 or visit www. Events fgcentertainment.com. Boys program center The Lake City Parks and Recreation Department has openings for its after- plans school structured activ- ity for boys, The program is held at the Teen Town stalled Community Center, next to the Lake City Girls Club. The program is licensed by County asking for the Department of Children changes to memo and Families and the staff is DCF certified. The cur- of understanding. rent session runs through March 15 and the cost is By DEREK GILLIAM $200. Bus service from the [email protected] schools is included. For more information, contact The $28 million project Heyward Christie at (386) to build an events center 754-3607 or email chris- in Columbia County stalled [email protected]. after the county commis- sion rejected a draft memo- Art League exhibit randum of understanding The Art League of North because it did not form a Florida eighth annual Spring binding contract. Members Art Exhibit opens Commissioners want- today at the Florida Gateway ed Columbia County College. The exhibit runs Resources, Inc., which owns through April 5. An opening the county fairgrounds, to reception will be at 6 p.m. at agree to sign the deed of the college’s Alfonso Levi the fairgrounds over to the Performing Arts Center. county if the county does There will be refreshments, decide to build an events original art, an opportunity center. to meet and talk with the However, the draft mem- artists and an awards pre- orandum of understand- sentation. Photos by JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter ing presented at Thursday Artists who are not Columbia City Elementary School Principal Lana Boone (from left) watches as retired teacher JoAnn Torrans hugs night’s meeting would not league members but would Columbia High School ninth-grade English teacher Carrie E. Cooper after Cooper was named the 2013-14 Teacher of force CCR to do so. like to participate are asked the Year. Cooper has been teaching for six years, five of which have been at Columbia High. County Manager Dale to contact Marie Brown at Williams said the events 752-1248 or Sue Hall 755- 1109. Carrie Cooper ignored her mother’s CENTER continued on 3A Theater performance High Springs Community advice when she said, ‘Don’t teach’ Teen hurt Theater will present the Pulitzer Prize-winning play in crash “Death of a Salesman” Ninth-grade English tonight through March 3. teacher at Columbia Show times are 8 p.m. on of utility Fridays and Saturdays and High takes top honors. 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets vehicle are $11. Seniors tickets for By DEREK GILLIAM From staff reports the Sunday matinee are $9. [email protected] Tickets are available at arrie E. Cooper was The Framery, 341 S. Marion A Lake City teen was seri- always told by her Ave. in Lake City, by calling ously hurt in the crash of a mother, “Don’t be a (386) 754-2780 or online at utility vehicle in which he teacher.” Her mother, highspringscommunitythe- was a passenger Wednesday, Gail Little, taught ater.com. For more infor- the Florida Highway Patrol Celementary school for 31 years. mation, call (386) 454-3525. reported. She saw the highlights that come Jakob L. Ehrler, 14. was with the profession. The look transported to Shands at on a child’s face when a lesson Saturday the University of Florida, clicks. The satisfaction of know- B-CU alumni FHP said. ing you have touched a young life. The Columbia County The driver, David I. And when a teacher truly has an Chapter of Bethune- Huntzberry, 14, White impact on a child, the difficulties Cookman University Alumni Springs, was unhurt. associated with the profession will hold its Founders Day According to FHP, the seem insignificant. program at 4 p.m. at the two were headed west on But Little also knew teaching Alexandre Lopes, the 2013 Florida Teacher of the Year, speaks to a crowd Holiday Inn in Lake City. private property east of was hard. Little told her daughter of about 300 at the Columbia County Schools Teacher of the Year program The speaker, BCU presi- SW Duckett Court at 5:45 the work never ends. There’s and reception at First Presbyterian Church on Thursday. dent Dr. Edison Jackson, will p.m. when Ehrler told always one more phone call to speak about “A Relentless Huntzberry he saw a dog make, one more test to grade and Pursuit of Excellence.” rewarding thing I could ever do Year at the First Presbyterian on their left. one more lesson to plan. Although The event is semiformal. with my life.” Church. She teaches ninth-grade Huntzberry steered right, Cooper’s mother told her not to Donations will be accepted Thursday afternoon Cooper English and is the head of the sending the 2010 Polaris be a teacher, Cooper said she for the university scholar- was recognized as Columbia Ranger XP onto a small dirt showed her “it was the most ship fund. County’s 2013-14 Teacher of the TEACHER continued on 3A rise where it overturned. Vol. 138, No. 268 Opinion ............... 4A CALL US: People................. 2A TODAY IN COMING (386) 752-1293 71 46 PEOPLE SUNDAY SUBSCRIBE TO Partly cloudy Obituaries ............. 5A THE REPORTER: Advice & Comics ....... 4-5B Robert set to Local news Voice: 755-5445 Puzzles ............... 4-5B Fax: 752-9400 WEATHER, 2A return to GMA. roundup. 2A 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER DAILY BRIEFING FRIDAY & SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8 & 9, 2013 Celebrity Birthdays Wednesday: Wednesday: n Composer-conductor John n Actor Henry Czerny is 54. Afternoon: 9-3-6 Afternoon: 2-6-7-2 Tuesday: Williams is 81. n Rock singer Vince Neil Evening: N/A Evening: N/A 8-10-15-20-33 n Newscaster Ted Koppel (Motley Crue) is 52. is 73. Rock singer-musician Sammy n Actor Nick Nolte is 72. Llanas (The BoDeans) is 52. n Comedian Robert Klein is n Environmental Protection PEOPLE IN THE NEWS 71. Agency Administrator Lisa P. n Actor-rock musician Creed Jackson is 51. Bratton is 70. n Actress Mary McCormack n Singer Ron Tyson is 65. is 44. Robin Roberts set to return to ‘GMA’ n Actress Brooke Adams is Rock musician Keith Nelson 64. (Buckcherry) is 44. n Actress Mary Steenburgen n Retired NBA player Alonzo is 60. Mourning is 43. NEW YORK n Author John Grisham is 58. n Actor Seth Green is 39. BC News says Robin Roberts will be back on the job at the “Good Morning America” anchor Daily Scripture desk on Feb. 20. Her Areturn will be five months to the day “Let those who love the Lord since her bone marrow transplant to treat a rare blood disorder. hate evil, for he guards the lives Roberts has gotten the all-clear of his faithful ones and deliv- from her doctors, according to the announcement made Thursday on ers them from the hand of the “GMA.” She reached the critical 100- wicked.” day benchmark in December. — Psalm 97:10 In January, she began a series of dry runs at the “GMA” studio to re-acclimate herself to the work routine. Lake City Reporter Her last day on “GMA” was Aug. HOW TO REACH US 30 before she started her medical Main number . .(386) 752-1293 BUSINESS leave. Fax number . .752-9400 Controller Sue Brannon. .754-0419 About a year ago, Roberts began Circulation . .755-5445 ([email protected]) ASSOCIATED PRESS Online . www.lakecityreporter.com CIRCULATION feeling the symptoms of her illness, Roberts Roberts, seen here on Jan. 24, will be back on the job at the “Good The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate of known as MDS. Community Newspapers Inc., is pub- Home delivery of the Lake City Reporter Morning America” anchor desk on Feb. 20. Her return will be five months to the lished Tuesday through Friday and should be completed by 6:30 a.m. She said in a statement: “What a day since her bone marrow transplant to treat a rare blood disorder.