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Bolts, the Florida Gateway College mascot, and Shawana Wilson dance to Zydeco music in the college’s student center on Tuesday during a Mardi Gras celebration. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Bolts, the Florida Gateway College mascot, and Shawana Wilson dance to Zydeco music in the college’s student center on Tuesday during a Mardi Gras celebration. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Mardi Gras hits FGC

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Florida Gateway College added a pinch of cajun seasoning to campus Tuesday morning when the college held a Mardi Gras event to celebrate Fat Tuesday.
Dennis Rivera resigned his seat on the Fort White Town Council amid concerns about the town’s appointment process. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Dennis Rivera resigned his seat on the Fort White Town Council amid concerns about the town’s appointment process. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Fort White’s new councilor resigns

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
FORT WHITE — Fort White’s newest councilor is no longer part of the town council. At a special town council meeting Monday night in front of a standing-room only crowd at town hall, Dennis Rivera resigned as the District 2 councilor. Rivera was just appointed at the town’s February meeting.
Andrew Kalel, a government affairs consultant at Sunrise Consulting Group, speaks to the Lake City Council about becoming the city’s state lobbyist. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Andrew Kalel, a government affairs consultant at Sunrise Consulting Group, speaks to the Lake City Council about becoming the city’s state lobbyist. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

City taps Sunrise as state lobbyist

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
The City of Lake City aims to have a helping hand in Tallahassee this year. During its meeting Monday, the Lake City Council unanimously authorized staff to negotiate with the Sunrise Consulting Group for state lobbyist services. The city’s budget doesn’t include any pay for lobbying services.

County holding RV park workshop

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
The Columbia County Commission wants additional discussion this week before proposing “significant” changes to its regulations on RV parks and campgrounds. The commission is holding a workshop at 10 a.m.

Man hit, killed after car broke down

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
A Lake City man was killed Sunday morning after his car broke down on State Road 100. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the 31-year-old exited his GMC Jimmy after it broke down near the intersection with County Road 245A at at 5:20 a.m. Sunday.
Lake City police officers talk after a black Nissan Frontier pickup was pulled over Monday afternoon on County Road 252. The driver of the pickup, Joe Markham, was arrested for pulling a firearm during a road rage incident moments before on S. Main Boulevard. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City police officers talk after a black Nissan Frontier pickup was pulled over Monday afternoon on County Road 252. The driver of the pickup, Joe Markham, was arrested for pulling a firearm during a road rage incident moments before on S. Main Boulevard. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

LCPD: Fiream pulled during road rage

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Some lunchtime road rage landed a Lake City man in the Columbia County Detention Facility on Monday. Joe Markham, 65, was arrested on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and improper exhibition of a firearm after reportedly pointing a firearm at another person late Monday morning.
Dakota Beichner, a senior patrol leader with Scouts Troop 85, speaks to the Lake City Council on Monday night. The troop attended the meeting as it works on its citizenship in the community merit badge. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Dakota Beichner, a senior patrol leader with Scouts Troop 85, speaks to the Lake City Council on Monday night. The troop attended the meeting as it works on its citizenship in the community merit badge. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Troop 85 observes city meeting

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Despite a small agenda, the Lake City Council still drew a packed house Monday night. The largest contingent, though, was there to learn about how government works. The Scouts Troop 85 attended the meeting as a way to work toward its citizenship in the community merit badge.

Man killed trying to pass I-75 traffic

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
A Port Saint Lucie man was killed Sunday morning after driving into the rear of a tractor trailer while trying bypass traffic on Interstate 75. A Florida Highway Patrol release stated a semi truck was parked in the emergency lane of southbound I-75 at 6:55 a.m.
Vann Carpet One is up and running at its new location in the old Ashley Furniture building on Faith Road. The company, which will celebrate 78 years in business this summer, had been located in downtown Lake City that entire time. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Vann Carpet One is up and running at its new location in the old Ashley Furniture building on Faith Road. The company, which will celebrate 78 years in business this summer, had been located in downtown Lake City that entire time. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Vann Carpet settling in

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, February 28, 2025
A downtown Lake City institution has officially moved a little farther west in the city. Vann Carpet One, which has been located in the heart of downtown since it opened July 5, 1947, is now open in in the old Ashley Furniture building at 161 Faith Road.
Patti Kahlich (left) and her Scrabble partner Rene Keith, stand up to get a better vantage point while competing in last year’s Scrabble Tournament at the Club House on Lake Isabella. (FILE)

Patti Kahlich (left) and her Scrabble partner Rene Keith, stand up to get a better vantage point while competing in last year’s Scrabble Tournament at the Club House on Lake Isabella. (FILE)

9th Scrabble tourney to support saving Club House

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Friday, February 28, 2025
For the first time, the annual Scrabble tournament will not be held at the Club House on Lake Isabella. But this year’s event does have a venue that event organizers say is a great temporary replacement.