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A rendering of the Arbors Pointe housing development on the northwest side of Lake City. ACRUVA Community Partners is seeking financial help from the City of Lake City and Columbia County on the 24-unit development. (COURTESY)

A rendering of the Arbors Pointe housing development on the northwest side of Lake City. ACRUVA Community Partners is seeking financial help from the City of Lake City and Columbia County on the 24-unit development. (COURTESY)

Lake City Council supports tax break for housing development

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
The Lake City Council is willing to try to figure out how to help a state-backed workforce housing development in the city.The council provided consensus to City Manager Don Rosenthal to bring back a recommendation or proposal on how the city could help support a proposed $10.

Lake City accepts overgrown property

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
A problematic property will now belong to the City of Lake City.The Lake City Council unanimously approved Monday night accepting a deed from Columbia County for the 0.156-acre property at 854 SE Monroe Street.

Lake City man caught luring child online

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
A Lake City man was arrested last month for seducing a child online.According to information released Monday by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, 23-year-old Willie Rogers III was arrested July 27 for soliciting a child online for sex and luring them to his residence.
A rendering of the Publix Super Market planned for the Cornerstone Crossing development at the Interstate 75 and State Road 47 interchange. The company is doing a feasability study of the site, according to City of Lake City officials. (COURTESY)

A rendering of the Publix Super Market planned for the Cornerstone Crossing development at the Interstate 75 and State Road 47 interchange. The company is doing a feasability study of the site, according to City of Lake City officials. (COURTESY)

New Publix moving forward

NEWS STAFF
Saturday, August 15, 2026
The second Publix in Columbia County is moving forward.The new supermarket looks to be the anchor or many new business venues in the Cornerstone Crossing commercial development at the Interstate 75 and State Road 47 interchange.
Debbie Griffin, a Lake City Humane Society board member, said the organization still receives an overhelming number of calls for service from county residents. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Debbie Griffin, a Lake City Humane Society board member, said the organization still receives an overhelming number of calls for service from county residents. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Residents oppose LCHS $200K ask from county

JAMIE WACHTER
Saturday, August 15, 2026
A year after Columbia County moved to expand its own animal control department, the Lake City Humane Society is back seeking county assistance again.Debbie Griffin, representing the LCHS board, requested $200,000 from the county during a budget workshop Thursday morning.
Columbia County Superintendent Keith Couey is going to have the student ambassadors to the Columbia County School Board from Columbia High and Fort White also shadow him on the days of board meetings so they understand what it takes to operate the district. (FILE)

Columbia County Superintendent Keith Couey is going to have the student ambassadors to the Columbia County School Board from Columbia High and Fort White also shadow him on the days of board meetings so they understand what it takes to operate the district. (FILE)

District adding student ambassadors to board

JAMIE WACHTER
Saturday, August 15, 2026
Student ambassadors are coming to the Columbia County School Board.
Columbia County Sheriff Wallace Kitchings said he was requesting an increase to his budget to ‘hire the best,’ ‘train the best’ and then to ‘retain’ those officers. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia County Sheriff Wallace Kitchings said he was requesting an increase to his budget to ‘hire the best,’ ‘train the best’ and then to ‘retain’ those officers. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

CCSO 5% budget increase aimed at hiring ‘best’

JAMIE WACHTER
Saturday, August 15, 2026
The Columbia County Commission’s budget workshop Thursday began with a short video.
The new covered rodeo arena at the Florida Gateway Fairgrounds collapsed Wednesday afternoon. The A frame structure of the new facility was being constructed when it collapsed. (RAY CARPENTER/Lake City Reporter)

The new covered rodeo arena at the Florida Gateway Fairgrounds collapsed Wednesday afternoon. The A frame structure of the new facility was being constructed when it collapsed. (RAY CARPENTER/Lake City Reporter)

New rodeo arena collapses

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
More than eight months of construction on a new rodeo arena is now likely a pile of scrap metal after the new Florida Gateway Rodeo Arena collapsed Wednesday afternoon.