• A recent Florida TaxWatch research report recommended the State Legislature consider reinstating the civil-filing-fee waiver for persons of indigent status. TaxWatch concluded the waiver system might be more cost effective than the current system, which does not include an automatic waiver for indigent individuals. In fact, the study found the more vigilant a clerk is in efforts to collect past-due fees from indigent persons under the current system, the less likely that the costs will be recouped by collection of the initially assessed fee. The filing fee could also act as a deterrent to court access in some instances. To view the full report, visit www.floridataxwatch.org.
• Local Republican Party members Deno Hicks, John Falconetti and Marty Fiorentino will seat the Republican delegates from the 4th Congressional District during the Republican National Convention Sept. 1-4 in Minneapolis.
• The long-awaited opening of Chamblin’s Uptown on Laura Street across from Snyder Memorial has finally arrived. Ron Chamblin said he’d like to invite everyone to check out the first floor of the used and rare book store. The cafe won’t be open for a couple of weeks, but there are tomes on the shelves and Chamblin said he’s ready to sell and trade some books.
• The parking officer stationed all day in front of City Hall is there for a reason. According to Mayor John Peyton, he’s there to keep unauthorized vehicles from parking in the emergency lane next to Hemming Plaza. Apparently, emergency vehicles had a hard time finding space in front of City Hall during the fire there a couple of weeks ago.
• Clarification: Last week’s story about the Wal-Mart distribution center in Baker County incorrectly stated Daryl Register was the executive director of the Baker County Development Commission at the time. It was actually Ginger Warren, who has since passed away. Also, the average private sector salary in Baker County at the time was $16,500. Today, it is $20,000 with the average salary at the distribution center being $35,000.
“Men decide far more problems by hate, love, lust, rage, sorrow, joy, hope, fear, illusion, or some other inward emotion than by reality, authority, any legal standard, judicial precedent, or statute.”
– Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman orator, philosopher and statesman