ACROSS the nation

STUART—Southeastern Printing's sales and customer service personnel celebrated Benjamin Franklin's 300th birthday during its weekly sales meeting, complete with party hats, Franklin info packets and a cake featuring Benjamin's portrait. Known as "the father of American printing," Franklin was born in Boston January 17, 1706. Roger Butler, sales manager at Southeastern, reminded attendees that "despite Ben's many achievements and remarkable talents, he referred to himself in his will and his self-composed epitaph simply as 'Benjamin Franklin, printer.' We're grateful to him for establishing a noble and honorable profession that continues to flourish today," Butler noted.