Local

Columbia County Commission Chairman Tim Murphy (left) presents a proclamation declaring June 21-27 as Amateur Radio Week to Brad Swartz, the local Amateur Radio Emergency Services coordinator, at last week’s commission meeting. (COURTESY)

Columbia County Commission Chairman Tim Murphy (left) presents a proclamation declaring June 21-27 as Amateur Radio Week to Brad Swartz, the local Amateur Radio Emergency Services coordinator, at last week’s commission meeting. (COURTESY)

Amateur radio group taking part in Field Day

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Amateur radio does so many things for youth and adults, all throughout the year and especially during disasters, that the Columbia County Commission proclaimed June 21-27 as Amateur Radio Week at its June 18 meeting.

FGC receives $35K grant from Sarasota foundation

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Florida Gateway College has received grant funding to help provide need-based scholarships for parents attending the school.FGC has been awarded a $35,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota’s Edward K. Roberts Community College Fund.
Abram Webb (from left) as Kristoff, Ainzli Kenney as Anna, Chatlynn Childs as Bulda, and Emery Webb as Pabbie rehearse a scene for the upcoming Practically Perfect Performing Arts production of ‘Frozen Jr.’ (COURTESY)

Abram Webb (from left) as Kristoff, Ainzli Kenney as Anna, Chatlynn Childs as Bulda, and Emery Webb as Pabbie rehearse a scene for the upcoming Practically Perfect Performing Arts production of ‘Frozen Jr.’ (COURTESY)

Cool show for summer

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Friday, June 19, 2026
Local children are hoping to bring a bit of winter to the dog days of summer. Practically Perfect Performing Arts is set to present its latest musical production with ‘Frozen Jr.
AmeriPro’s Thomas Stinson, the company’s operating supervisor in Columbia County, said adding new stations will help solve geographic issues that could help reduce response times. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

AmeriPro’s Thomas Stinson, the company’s operating supervisor in Columbia County, said adding new stations will help solve geographic issues that could help reduce response times. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

County seeks plan on adding ambulances

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, June 19, 2026
Emergency medical service response in Columbia County has improved in the past week.
Dr. Edwin Burgess, an UF/IFAS veterinarian entomologist, speaks about the New Worl screwworm during a meeting Thursday night with local residents and farmers. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Dr. Edwin Burgess, an UF/IFAS veterinarian entomologist, speaks about the New Worl screwworm during a meeting Thursday night with local residents and farmers. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Local farmers learn about screwworm threat

TONY BRITT
Friday, June 19, 2026
The newest and latest threat to Florida’s livestock, the cattle industry and essentially all warm-blooded animals in the state, the New World screwworm, was the topic of discussion for more than 80 local residents and state agriculture officials Thursday night.

No EMS, sheriff’s office taxes coming

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, June 19, 2026
Columbia County property owners won’t face a new tax to fund emergency medical services next year.There also won’t be a new line on tax notices dedicated to funding the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office either.

Man charged with animal cruelty after punching dog

NEWS STAFF
Friday, June 19, 2026
Punching a dog and throwing it into a trailer led to the arrest of a Lake City man on Tuesday.According to a release from the Lake City Police Department, officers responded to the area near 322 S. Marion Avenue on Tuesday after multiple calls to 911 about a man abusing a dog.
Columbia County Commissioner Rocky Ford said he wants to see a plan for converting dirt roads into paved ones during a workshop Thursday. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia County Commissioner Rocky Ford said he wants to see a plan for converting dirt roads into paved ones during a workshop Thursday. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

County considers changing dirt road conversion program

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, June 19, 2026
The Columbia County Commission may consider changing its policy for land acquisition toward paving dirt roads in the future.But the board, currently, isn’t interested in the use of eminent domain to obtain properties to help toward that same goal.

Lake City police searching for shooting suspect

NEWS STAFF
Thursday, June 18, 2026
The Lake City Police Department is searching for a man wanted for a shooting Sunday.According to an LCPD release, a man was shot in the leg Sunday at 11:15 p.m. in the rear parking lot of Gleason Plaza shopping center at 209 NW Hutton Drive.
Taylor Johns (from left), Leon Jones and Daniel Dohrn, share a laugh and smile with Ronny Busscher, who they saved with their CPR skills on Christmas Eve after he suffered a heart attack at the McDonald’s drive-through. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Taylor Johns (from left), Leon Jones and Daniel Dohrn, share a laugh and smile with Ronny Busscher, who they saved with their CPR skills on Christmas Eve after he suffered a heart attack at the McDonald’s drive-through. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Life-saving service honored

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Four first responders — three from the Lake City Fire Department as well as a former Lake City Police Department officer — were able to meet and shake the hand of a man they repeatedly saved from death with their CPR skills.