Local

The Florida Freedom Tour will be bringing America 250 trucks to downtown Lake City on Thursday and Friday. Admission is free to the exhibits. (COURTESY)

The Florida Freedom Tour will be bringing America 250 trucks to downtown Lake City on Thursday and Friday. Admission is free to the exhibits. (COURTESY)

Trucking in history: Free mobile history exhibit coming this week

TONY BRITT
Friday, September 25, 2026
A pair of repurposed semi-tractor trailers is heading to Columbia County to provide area residents with another taste of Americana celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary celebration. The exhibit highlights many different Floridian historical events.

Still no hurricanes formed in historically calm year

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Friday, September 25, 2026
An historically light hurricane season still doesn’t have Columbia County Emergency Management Director Shayne Morgan letting his guard down.The season hit a milestone on Sept. 12 when no named hurricane had formed in the Atlantic Ocean since hurricane season officially began on June 1.
New playground equipment is being installed at Youngs Park as part of a complete park makeover. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

New playground equipment is being installed at Youngs Park as part of a complete park makeover. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Playground equipment being installed at city park

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
The overhaul of Youngs Park is underway.The new playground equipment for the park is being installed, part of a total rehabilitation of the city’s park offerings.

Mayo opening pharmacy downtown

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Local residents will have a new option for their healthcare needs starting this weekend. For Erica Mayo, it’s been a long time coming.The Lake City native will be celebrating the grand opening of Mayo Pharmacy and Wellness Center on Saturday with a ribbon cutting beginning at 2 p.m.
A Columbia County 4-H Arachnerds member shows off her original beetle-inspired creation. Designing imaginary bugs gave club members a chance to combine creativity with what they were learning about entomology and arthropod characteristics. (COURTESY)

A Columbia County 4-H Arachnerds member shows off her original beetle-inspired creation. Designing imaginary bugs gave club members a chance to combine creativity with what they were learning about entomology and arthropod characteristics. (COURTESY)

Arachnerds crawl into new 4-H adventure

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
By Heather Futch, Derrick Conover and Zoie WhitlockColumbia County ExtensionThere is a new group of “Arachnerds” in Columbia County — and they are ready to explore the fascinating world of insects, spiders and other arthropods.
Florida Highway Patrol Troop B District Commander Mike Burroughs holds a service weapon in a box that was a presented to him as a retirement present as he is pictured with members of his family Friday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Florida Highway Patrol Troop B District Commander Mike Burroughs holds a service weapon in a box that was a presented to him as a retirement present as he is pictured with members of his family Friday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Burroughs’ long FHP career celebrated

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Four decades of running the state’s roads, looking to create safe driving spaces as well as low wrecks and scenic journeys, all while wearing the khaki and black of the Florida Highway Patrol Trooper uniform was a goal Michael “Mike’ Burroughs decided he wanted.
Minnie J. Niblack Elementary Principal Makeba Murphy (right) hugs Saporia Church on Tuesday morning after Murphy and the Columbia County School Board honored Church, a paraprofessional at the school, for saving a student’s life last month. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Minnie J. Niblack Elementary Principal Makeba Murphy (right) hugs Saporia Church on Tuesday morning after Murphy and the Columbia County School Board honored Church, a paraprofessional at the school, for saving a student’s life last month. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Niblack’s Church recognized for saving choking student

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
A normal day at Minnie J. Niblack Elementary School could have turned into a tragedy a month ago.During lunch at the school on Aug. 25, one of the third-grade students, Ta’nya Stafford, began choking.
Dayna Williams, Waste Pro’s North Florida Regional Director for Government Relations, said solid waste rates need to keep up with rises in tipping fees charged by Columbia County. Fees are set to increase by 5.3% beginning Oct. 1. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Dayna Williams, Waste Pro’s North Florida Regional Director for Government Relations, said solid waste rates need to keep up with rises in tipping fees charged by Columbia County. Fees are set to increase by 5.3% beginning Oct. 1. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Budget, millage, and fees finalized

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
The City of Lake City’s finances are officially in order for the upcoming fiscal year.The Lake City Council adopted its 2026-27 budget, millage rate, fire assessment and utility rates in rapid-fire succession during Monday’s meeting. The City will operate on a budget of $96.