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Gerard Gardner (clockwise from left), a New Millennium employee, shows Baker County High School students Mikayla Evans and Brooklyn Welsh how to work on building supports. (FILE)

Gerard Gardner (clockwise from left), a New Millennium employee, shows Baker County High School students Mikayla Evans and Brooklyn Welsh how to work on building supports. (FILE)

Build My Future expo set for Wednesday

TONY BRITT
Friday, March 28, 2025
A local corporate manufacturer is hoping expose hundreds of area students to the trade industry next week when a trade expo showcases the tools, skills and career options available.

State pours $3.8M into city wetlands

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, March 28, 2025
Nearly $4 million in state funding will re-energize a City of Lake City wetland recharge project. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced Wednesday $3.8 million in a Springs Restoration Grant to the city to expand its recharge wetlands at the Steedly Field spray field.
Joseph Peurrung, the owner of Security Safe (right), and Chelsea Flores, owner of Chelsea Flores State Farm Insurance, donated 24 smoke detectors to the Lake City Fire Department this week. Assistant Fire Chief Ret Tompkins accepted their donation. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Joseph Peurrung, the owner of Security Safe (right), and Chelsea Flores, owner of Chelsea Flores State Farm Insurance, donated 24 smoke detectors to the Lake City Fire Department this week. Assistant Fire Chief Ret Tompkins accepted their donation. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Detector donations boost LCFD, community safety

TONY BRITT
Friday, March 28, 2025
The Lake City Fire Department is taking more of a proactive role toward protecting life in structure fires. It has also enlisted a few partners to help them achieve its goal.

Lake City man charged for posssessing child porn

NEWS STAFF
Friday, March 28, 2025
A Lake City man was arrested this week for possession of child pornography. According to a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office release, 42-year-old Thomas Rike Jr. was arrested Monday on a warrant for 10 counts of possession of child pornography as part of an “Internet Crimes Against Children” case.
Lake City firefighters Hunter Anderson (from left) and Elliot Redish use two different hoses that will be used to douse blazes as they trained in the department’s newest fire truck. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City firefighters Hunter Anderson (from left) and Elliot Redish use two different hoses that will be used to douse blazes as they trained in the department’s newest fire truck. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

LCFD firefighters get aerial training on new truck

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
The Lake City Fire Department is putting its new state-of-the-art fire truck through its paces and firefighters have spent most of the week training on the mobile behemoth.
City of Lake City Wastewater Director Cody Pridgeon looks in on a tank of untreated wastewater Wednesday morning at the North Florida Mega Industrial Park wastewater plant, which recently started operations. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

City of Lake City Wastewater Director Cody Pridgeon looks in on a tank of untreated wastewater Wednesday morning at the North Florida Mega Industrial Park wastewater plant, which recently started operations. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

NFMIP wastewater plant up and running

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
The North Florida Mega Industrial Park took a huge step to entice more businesses to the area when the facility’s new wastewater plant started operations a few days ago.
Tourist Development Council board member Chris Candler said the original plans for the Lake DeSoto and Wilson Park area included a dock or pier in addition to the amphitheater. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Tourist Development Council board member Chris Candler said the original plans for the Lake DeSoto and Wilson Park area included a dock or pier in addition to the amphitheater. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

TDC sending $150K for city amphitheater

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Plans for an amphitheater at Wilson Park received some additional funding from Columbia County’s Tourist Development Council. The TDC board unanimously approved Wednesday providing the $150,000 previously allocated for the project.
Chris Wynn, a Tourist Development Council board member and the regional director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said the Gateway Outdoor Center could be a ‘destination’ for visitors. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Chris Wynn, a Tourist Development Council board member and the regional director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said the Gateway Outdoor Center could be a ‘destination’ for visitors. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Outdoors education center desired for recreational park

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
A partnership between government agencies may bring a “destination” to Columbia County’s planned 500-acre recreation park.

State flowing $13.8M to Lake City, Fort White

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
The City of Lake City and Town of Fort White have been awarded more than $13 million in Water Quality Improvement Grants funds from the state. Fort White was awarded $12 million while Lake City received $1.7 million for septic-to-sewer conversion projects. The grant funding announcement, from Gov.