Georgia's Pre-K Program Serves One Million Children

/PRNewswire/ -- The location of the Millionth Child currently being served by Georgia's Pre-K Program has been revealed. The millionth child walked through the doors of Sumter County Primary School in Americus, Georgia! Governor Sonny and Mrs. Mary Perdue will kick off a special celebration at the school on Thursday, February 18. Georgia is the first state in the nation to serve more than one million Pre-K children in a voluntary, universal, lottery-funded program.

"We are thrilled with the outpouring of support that the Millionth Child Celebration has received," said Bright from the Start Commissioner Holly A. Robinson. "This exciting campaign could not have been successful without our generous partners, outstanding providers and teachers, and most importantly, the one million children who have benefited from Georgia's Pre-K Program."

Commemorative Millionth Child Celebration activities began last year and will continue through 2010. The celebration was launched in April 2009 by Georgia First Lady Mary Perdue who read How Much is a Million? to a group of Georgia's Pre-K children. She and Governor Perdue chose the book in honor of this milestone. Other activities include the Million Book Campaign challenging everyone in Georgia to read to children. So far, more than 622,000 books have been logged in!

"The millionth child campaign emphasizes the importance of a quality learning experience that includes a strong early literacy program for all of Georgia's children," said Mary Mazarky, Assistant Commissioner for Pre-K.

Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning administers the nationally recognized Georgia's Pre-K Program. High quality learning experiences are emphasized for every child participating in the program which has been in existence 16 years. During the 2009-2010 school year, 82,000 children in approximately 4,100 classrooms in every county in the state are being served.

Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia's children and their families. It administers the nationally recognized Georgia's Pre-K Program, licenses child care centers and home-based child care, administers federal nutrition programs, and manages voluntary quality enhancement programs.

The department also houses the Head Start State Collaboration Office, distributes federal funding to enhance the quality and availability of child care, and works collaboratively with Georgia child care resource and referral agencies and organizations throughout the state to enhance early care and education. For more information, go to www.decal.ga.gov.

-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage

SFI Forest Certification Continues Rapid Growth

/PRNewswire / -- The astounding growth of the independent Sustainable Forestry Initiative(R) (SFI(R)) program is a sure sign forest certification is increasingly being used as a tool to demonstrate responsible forest management.

SFI Inc. released its 2008 progress report June 19, Sustainable Forestry Initiative: Growing Stronger Together, which showed a four-fold increase in SFI chain-of-custody certifications in 2008, and continued steady growth in forest and fiber sourcing certifications. At the end of 2008, the SFI program had 154 million acres (62 million hectares) of certified lands across the United States and Canada, 407 chain-of-custody certificates at 1,020 locations, and 39 fiber sourcing certifications - and the numbers continued to climb in 2009.

"The numbers are solid indicators of growth but I find what's behind them is even more compelling," SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow said today. "Behind them is a lot of hard work and dedication by the many people who work with us - members of conservation groups, researchers, forest professionals, public employees and representatives of companies who remain committed to sustainable forest management despite incredibly tough times in the forest industry and in the economy."

Abusow said the SFI program, one of the largest and most widely accepted forest certification programs in the world, is backed by strong endorsements. "Whether it's the American Consumer Council, the Competition Bureau of Canada, TerraChoice's North American Environmental Choice eco-logo program or marketplace surveys - it is clear consumers and end users view the SFI program as proof that products are from well-managed forests."

She said that a time when there is increased sensitivity to environmental claims, the SFI program earns this trust by making sure its labels and claims conform with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the Competition Bureau of Canada and ISO 14020's nine principles for Environmental Labeling designed to promote accurate, verifiable and relevant environmental declarations and claims.

The SFI External Review Panel, a volunteer group of experts representing conservation, environment, professional, academic and public organizations, advises the SFI Inc. Board of Directors on ways to improve the SFI program. Among other things, the panel ensured the 2008 progress report accurately reflects the program's progress, and its members continue to monitor the open review process that will lead to the revised SFI 2010-2014 Standard. The standard review process has included two public consultation sessions as well as opportunities for on-line input and seven regional workshops across North America.

"The continued growth of the SFI program is encouraging news to those of us who support the concept of sustainable forestry, and want to see more independently certified forestlands," said Panel Chair Michael Goergen, Executive Vice President of the Society of American Foresters. "We are also impressed by the commitment of SFI participants to continual improvement through a standard review process that is a model of open, transparent and responsible consideration of public input, scientific and economic factors."

In addition to the start of the standard review process, the progress report highlights additional achievements through 2008, including:

Habitat for Humanity partnerships: Local SFI Implementation Committees joined forces with Habitat for Humanity chapters to build homes in Hibbing, Minn., and Portland, Maine, using materials from sustainable sources.
Investments in forest research: SFI program participants invested $88.9 million (US) in 2008 for forest research, bringing the total invested since 1995 to $1.07 billion (US).
Support for forestry training: Through the SFI program or its recognition of other programs, 6,627 resource and logging professionals were trained in responsible forestry in 2008 - 117,405 have been trained since 1995.
Simpler, clearer labels: The SFI program introduced new on-product labels after thorough market testing, making it easier for consumers to find the information they want.

Recognition for conservation leadership: SFI Leadership in Conservation Research Awards went to projects with strong partnerships led by Rayonier Inc. in Georgia and UPM-Kymmene Inc. in the Canadian Maritimes. The Minnesota Division of Forest Capital Partners LLC won the SFI and Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Wildlife Stewardship Award for a landmark conservation easement in northern Minnesota.

-----
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page

U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA revises its Voluntary Protection Programs

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today published in the Federal Register final changes to its Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) that, among other enhancements, allow participation by companies with mobile workforces.

The VPP, the agency's recognition initiative for workplace safety and health excellence, will provide new options for construction contractors and other employers who may have employees at various locations. Other VPP changes for eligible organizations include a streamlined application process, outreach and mentoring, and onsite workplace evaluations.

"OSHA is proud to recognize the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have achieved exemplary occupational safety and health," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Thomas M. Stohler. "These program revisions will allow more companies to participate in the VPP, which has contributed to improved workplace safety. Since 2001, participation in the VPP has increased almost 200 percent. During that same period, there has been a 14 percent decrease in workplace fatalities. Establishing partnerships and encouraging continual process improvement are part of OSHA's balanced approach to workplace safety and health."

The VPP was established in 1982 to recognize employers and employees who focus on the prevention of injuries, illnesses and fatalities through the implementation of effective safety and health management systems. Currently, there are 2,161 federal and state plan VPP participants.

Changes to the VPP are effective May 9. For more information on the VPP and these latest revisions, contact the nearest OSHA area or regional office or the OSHA National Office, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs, at 202-693-2213. The Federal Register notice can be found at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-165.htm.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace for their employees. OSHA's role is to promote the safety and health of America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

-----
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page

Commerce's NTIA Urges Georgia Consumers to Apply for TV Converter Box Coupons by December 31

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced more than 231,700 over-the-air households in Georgia, those that rely on an antenna for broadcast TV, have requested coupons from the TV Converter Box Coupon Program. With two months until the nation's full-power TV stations transition to 100 percent digital broadcasting, the agency is urging consumers who rely on over-the-air television and need a TV converter box coupon to apply by the end of the year.

"There may be two months until the digital television transition concludes, but consumers who want to buy a TV converter box with a coupon should apply for it in the next two weeks or possibly risk losing use of their analog TV temporarily," said Acting NTIA Administrator Meredith Baker. "It takes approximately six weeks to apply for the coupon, buy the box and try it out so it is imperative that consumers take action by December 31 or look at other options to make the transition prior to February 17, 2009."

Below are the percentages of coupons requested by over-the-air households for each DMA in Georgia.

DMA % OTA Households Who Requested Coupons
(Data as of December 14, 2008)
Albany, GA 82%
Atlanta, GA 86%
Augusta, GA 101%
Columbus, GA 89%
Macon, GA 84%
Savannah, GA 77%
Tallahassee (FL) -Thomasville (GA) 71%


For a complete listing of the markets and their participation rates by "over-the-air" TV household, go online at www.ntia.doc.gov and for more information about the Coupon Program, go to www.DTV2009.gov.

Background

The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 requires full-power television stations to cease analog broadcasts and switch to digital after February 17, 2009. The Act authorized NTIA to create the TV Converter Box Coupon Program, which is funded by the $19 billion airwaves auction and not tax dollars. The Act funded the Program at $1.5 billion, including $1.34 billion for coupons. Currently, NTIA has obligated $1.1 billion in coupons. This obligation is a combination of coupons redeemed as well as coupons that have been ordered.

Digital broadcast television offers consumers a clearer picture, more programming choices and will free up the airwaves for better communications among emergency first responders and new telecommunications services.

Consumers receiving free, over-the-air television on analog TV sets will need to act now to ensure their televisions continue to work when full power television stations go all-digital. Viewers of over-the-air television need to look at each analog set in their home that is not connected to cable, satellite or other pay television service and make a timely decision. They can connect their television to cable, satellite or pay television service; they can replace it with a digital TV; or they may keep it working with a TV converter box.

For consumers choosing the converter box option, the TV Converter Box Coupon Program permits all households to request up to two coupons - each worth $40 - toward the purchase of certified converter boxes. Coupons may be requested while supplies last, and only one coupon can be used to purchase each coupon-eligible converter box. Consumers can purchase a converter box at one of the more than 34,500 participating local, phone or online retailers. Consumers will receive a list of eligible converter boxes and participating retailers with their coupons. Coupon applications can take several weeks to process and mail so consumers opting to purchase a converter box should act now, and should call stores before shopping to ensure the desired converter box is available. Converter boxes generally cost between $40 and $80, and coupons expire 90 days from the date they are mailed.

Consumers who choose to transition to digital television by purchasing a TV converter box with a coupon need to follow three steps and act by the end of the year because the process may take six weeks. Consumers should immediately apply for their coupons, buy a converter box when the coupons arrive and try the box with their television to address any potential technical issues before full-power broadcasters switch to digital.

Some viewers watch programs over translators or other low-power stations which may continue broadcasting analog signals after February 17, 2009. Those viewers may wish to select a converter box that will pass through analog signals.

Households may apply now for coupons online at www.DTV2009.gov, by phone at 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009), via fax at 1-877-DTV-4ME2 (1-877-388-4632) or by mail to P.O. Box 2000, Portland, OR 97208-2000. Deaf or hard of hearing callers may dial 1-877-530-2634 (English TTY) or 1-866-495-1161 (Spanish TTY). Nursing home residents may apply with the paper application available downloadable at www.DTV2009.gov.

For more information about the Coupon Program, please visit www.DTV2009.gov and for questions about the DTV transition, go to www.dtv.gov or call 1-888-CALL-FCC.

-----
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.artsacrossgeorgia.com
Arts Across Georgia