Local

Boris the camel gives a child a ride at the 2023 Wellborn Blueberry Festival. Boris is among the attractions expected for Saturday’s Fall Festival in Wellborn. (FILE)

Boris the camel gives a child a ride at the 2023 Wellborn Blueberry Festival. Boris is among the attractions expected for Saturday’s Fall Festival in Wellborn. (FILE)

Fall Festival set to benefit Toys For Tots

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
WELLBORN — Area residents will have an opportunity to provide goods and toys to a local charity and enjoy a day of fun and festivities when the Suwannee County Toys For Tots hosts a benefit event. The inaugural Wellborn Fall Festival will take place 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov.

Lake City pair killed when pickup overturns

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
WHITE SPRINGS — A pair of Lake City men were killed Saturday when their pickup overturned north of White Springs. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the men were headed south just after 2:15 p.m.

Truck driver killed in head-on crash

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
JASPER — A Lake City truck driver was killed early Tuesday morning in a head-on collision with another tractor trailer in northern Hamilton County. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the 57-year-old man’s truck collided with a truck driven by a 48-year-old man from Douglas, Ga.
Students with the Columbia High FBLA program helped pass out food this past weekend with the Kids Feeding Kids Thanksgiving program. (COURTESY)

Students with the Columbia High FBLA program helped pass out food this past weekend with the Kids Feeding Kids Thanksgiving program. (COURTESY)

Non-profit groups team up with turkeys

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Hundreds of families have something to be a little more thankful for this holiday season as a result of pair of non-profit organizations. Kids Feeding Kids in Lake City and The Faith Project in Live Oak combined to spread some Thanksgiving spirit and food this past weekend.
Xavier White (left) and Taylor Carroll wait for a client from Catholic Charities to park their vehicle so they can unload boxes of food into the car. Catholic Charities served approximately 650 people during this year’s Thanksgiving food distribution. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Xavier White (left) and Taylor Carroll wait for a client from Catholic Charities to park their vehicle so they can unload boxes of food into the car. Catholic Charities served approximately 650 people during this year’s Thanksgiving food distribution. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Serving up Thanksgiving meals

TONY BRITT
Saturday, November 23, 2024
Lines of cars, lines of food and lines of people carrying that food to the cars made Catholic Charities a busy locale Thursday. Shannon Moser, Regional Director with Catholic Charities Lake City, said Thursday’s food distribution for Thanksgiving was wonderful.
The Lake Shore Hospital Authority is close to finalizing a deal with Meridian Healthcare to transfer ownership of the Lake Shore Hospital. The City of Lake City, though, has claimed the hospital no longer conforms to the zoning on the property. (FILE)

The Lake Shore Hospital Authority is close to finalizing a deal with Meridian Healthcare to transfer ownership of the Lake Shore Hospital. The City of Lake City, though, has claimed the hospital no longer conforms to the zoning on the property. (FILE)

Hospital board to City: ‘Stop trying to shut down’ deal

JAMIE WACHTER
Saturday, November 23, 2024
The Lake Shore Hospital Authority is wanting the city to “stop trying to shut down the hospital.” In a letter sent to Lake City Manager Don Rosenthal on Nov.
County Manager David Kraus said under the agreement with the City of Lake City to operate the sewer plant at the North Florida Mega Industrial Park, the two agencies would divide the revenue or deficit with each other. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

County Manager David Kraus said under the agreement with the City of Lake City to operate the sewer plant at the North Florida Mega Industrial Park, the two agencies would divide the revenue or deficit with each other. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

County teaming up with city on sewer plant

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Saturday, November 23, 2024
Columbia County and the City of Lake City may have found at least one public project the two entities can agree on. In a letter sent to County Commissioners on Nov.
County Commission Chairman Tim Murphy, who previously served on the Lake Shore Hospital Authority board, said he feels the LSHA is ‘taxation without representation’ since it is a governor-appointed board. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

County Commission Chairman Tim Murphy, who previously served on the Lake Shore Hospital Authority board, said he feels the LSHA is ‘taxation without representation’ since it is a governor-appointed board. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

County takes next step in dissolving LSHA

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Saturday, November 23, 2024
Columbia County has begun planning its next steps in the wake of a local referendum on the Lake Shore Hospital Authority. During its Thursday meeting, the Board of County Commissioners acknowledged the results of a county resolution on the general election ballot, which saw 65.
Columbia County Extension Service employees, Bellamy Beaver and youngsters in the local 4H program stand with McDonald’s officials during a check presentation on Tuesday afternoon. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia County Extension Service employees, Bellamy Beaver and youngsters in the local 4H program stand with McDonald’s officials during a check presentation on Tuesday afternoon. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Supersizing Bellamy’s reach: 4-H conservation outreach receives $5K grant boost

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
The Columbia County 4-H program has additional funding for its programs after it was named a $5,000 Golden Grant award recipient from McDonald’s. Representatives from the local 4-H program received a ceremonial check during a brief presentation at the McDonald’s on West U.S.