Local

Storm debris is piled up alongside SW McFarlane Avenue in Lake City on Monday afternoon. Cleanup crews will now begin the process of picking up the debris alongside streets and roadways in both the City of Lake City and Columbia County. (JACK WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Storm debris is piled up alongside SW McFarlane Avenue in Lake City on Monday afternoon. Cleanup crews will now begin the process of picking up the debris alongside streets and roadways in both the City of Lake City and Columbia County. (JACK WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Storm debris almost cleared from Columbia roadways

TODD WILSON
Monday, September 30, 2024
Lake City churned back to life Monday as most business corridors saw power returned after more than three days in the dark and retail stores opened their doors to customers. Traffic was steady most of the day on U.S.
Columbia County Schools will be back open Tuesday. (FILE)

Columbia County Schools will be back open Tuesday. (FILE)

Columbia schools re-opening Tuesday

NEWS STAFF
Monday, September 30, 2024
Columbia County Schools will be back in session Tuesday. The district announced late Monday morning that all the school facilities in the district have power and are safe for the return of both students and staff.
Power crews from Titan Powerline of Duncan, Okla., work to install a new power pole and transformer where the old one snapped and exploded during Hurricane Helene on Southwest Castle Heights Terrace near Southwest Main Boulevard in Lake City Sunday afternoon. A foreman with Titan said the company does daily work in Oklahoma and Texas, but contracts with FPL for storm recovery. Titan Powerline sent three full crews, or 20 workers, to Lake City to help restore power. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter)

Power crews from Titan Powerline of Duncan, Okla., work to install a new power pole and transformer where the old one snapped and exploded during Hurricane Helene on Southwest Castle Heights Terrace near Southwest Main Boulevard in Lake City Sunday afternoon. A foreman with Titan said the company does daily work in Oklahoma and Texas, but contracts with FPL for storm recovery. Titan Powerline sent three full crews, or 20 workers, to Lake City to help restore power. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter)

Clay Electric moves toward midweek power-up goal

TODD WILSON
Sunday, September 29, 2024
Clay Electric is quickly gaining ground on the areas where its customers are in the dark and needing power restored and the company hopes to have its customer base almost all restored by the end of day Tuesday, officials said.
Tony Humphreys and Tony Dale, who live in a neighborhood off State Road 47, carry bags of ice from a trailer at the Southside Sports Complex to their truck on Sunday afternoon. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Tony Humphreys and Tony Dale, who live in a neighborhood off State Road 47, carry bags of ice from a trailer at the Southside Sports Complex to their truck on Sunday afternoon. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Ice the hot commodity at distribution centers

TONY BRITT
Sunday, September 29, 2024
With thousands of residents reeling from Hurricane Helene — plunged into darkness with no power, no ice and limited access to fresh water and food, the county stepped up its resource distributions, providing the commodities at several community centers on Sunday.
Susan Kroh (middle) and Columbia County Sheriff's Deputy Brian Rix (right) attempt to figure out what to do with 1,000 pounds of ice delivered to the Deep Creek Community Center on Sunday afternoon in the back of a Honda Pilot. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Susan Kroh (middle) and Columbia County Sheriff's Deputy Brian Rix (right) attempt to figure out what to do with 1,000 pounds of ice delivered to the Deep Creek Community Center on Sunday afternoon in the back of a Honda Pilot. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Hurricane relief supplies flowing into Columbia County

TODD WILSON
Sunday, September 29, 2024
The first trucks bearing hurricane relief supplies arrived in Columbia County Sunday morning bearing ice, bottled water, tarps and MREs for distribution, easing the tension between county commissioners and public officials and the public aid distribution process was launched at six locations around...
Carl Lynn carries his MREs and water out of the Fort White Community Center on Sunday afternoon. Lynn's biggest concern moving forward without power is for the welfare of his animals on his 30 acres in southern Columbia County. (STASI WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Carl Lynn carries his MREs and water out of the Fort White Community Center on Sunday afternoon. Lynn's biggest concern moving forward without power is for the welfare of his animals on his 30 acres in southern Columbia County. (STASI WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Residents thankful for supplies after storm

JAMIE WACHTER
Sunday, September 29, 2024
FORT WHITE – Carl Lynn has plenty of experience, both from the National Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in dealing with disaster response. Hurricane Helene, though, provided a different vantage point of that response for Lynn, a Fort White resident.
Keith Brown (from left), Sherri Woods and Kate Reeves talk to CCSO Deputy Greg Williams on Sunday while utilizing laundry units in Southside Sports Complex. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Keith Brown (from left), Sherri Woods and Kate Reeves talk to CCSO Deputy Greg Williams on Sunday while utilizing laundry units in Southside Sports Complex. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Supplies, comfort stations available around county

TONY BRITT
Sunday, September 29, 2024
As restoration efforts continue, Columbia County officials have established services for residents in various areas of the county to address the basic post-storm needs.
Assistant County Manager Kevin Kirby (left, blue shirt) gives a road debris cleanup report to county commissioners Saturday during the daily briefing at the Columbia County EOC bunker. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter)

Assistant County Manager Kevin Kirby (left, blue shirt) gives a road debris cleanup report to county commissioners Saturday during the daily briefing at the Columbia County EOC bunker. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter)

500-plus locations need trees & limbs moved off roads, Helene sets record for worst Columbia storm

TODD WILSON
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Columbia County roads with trees, limbs and debris that need cleanup from county crews and contractors number more than 500 locations throughout the county in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Columbia County Manager David Kraus listens intently to commissioners complain Saturday about the lack of execution by county staff and managers in regard to dispersement of state recovery items and services, such as temporary showers and laundry facilities. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia County Manager David Kraus listens intently to commissioners complain Saturday about the lack of execution by county staff and managers in regard to dispersement of state recovery items and services, such as temporary showers and laundry facilities. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter)

Commissioners demand better action, information from staff in aftermath of Hurricane Helene

TODD WILSON
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Columbia County Commissioners asked the chair and county staff for more specific communication and more accurate information in regard to relief supplies and actions provided by the state and county to local residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.