Local

The Lake Shore Hospital Authority, which is still trying to finalize a deal to occupy the Lake Shore Hospital building, is proposing the lowest possible millage rate for a fourth straight year. (FILE)

The Lake Shore Hospital Authority, which is still trying to finalize a deal to occupy the Lake Shore Hospital building, is proposing the lowest possible millage rate for a fourth straight year. (FILE)

LSHA considering lowest millage rate

NEWS STAFF
Saturday, September 7, 2024
The lowest possible millage rate will likely once again be charged by the Lake Shore Hospital Authority. The authority’s first budget hearing for the 2024-25 fiscal year is set for Monday night at 5:15 at the LSHA Administrative Complex at 259 NE Franklin St., Suite 102.
Young Women of Excellence members Lanashia Peterson (from left), Janaisha Peterson, Graciela Gerard, Mrs. Thayla Mullins (Assistant Principal, Lake City Middle School), and Bonnie McKerley pose for a photograph following a recent event. (COURTESY)

Young Women of Excellence members Lanashia Peterson (from left), Janaisha Peterson, Graciela Gerard, Mrs. Thayla Mullins (Assistant Principal, Lake City Middle School), and Bonnie McKerley pose for a photograph following a recent event. (COURTESY)

Young women mentoring program seeks new members

TONY BRITT
Saturday, September 7, 2024
A local mentorship program catered toward helping young women navigate life’s challenges and develop the skills, mentality and self confidence to address issues is seeking new members.
Lance Jones with Jones Engineering goes over the plan for Penelope Place, a mixed-use development that would include single-family houses, apartments and a commercial element, during Tuesday’s planning and zoning board meeting about the proposal. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Lance Jones with Jones Engineering goes over the plan for Penelope Place, a mixed-use development that would include single-family houses, apartments and a commercial element, during Tuesday’s planning and zoning board meeting about the proposal. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Housing plan draws huge crowd, denied request

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, September 4, 2024
After nearly three hours of hearing concerns, a Columbia County advisory board voted against a zoning change for a multi-use development on the north side of Lake City.
Lake City Councilman James Carter voted against raising the millage rate on city residents during the council’s tentative budget hearing Tuesday. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City Councilman James Carter voted against raising the millage rate on city residents during the council’s tentative budget hearing Tuesday. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Council approves 11.9% tax increase

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Wednesday, September 4, 2024
City of Lake City residents are one step closer to paying more on their tax bills than in years past. The Lake City Council voted at its meeting Tuesday night to set residents’ 2024-25 tentative millage rate at 5.241, an 11.91% increase over the rollback rate of 4.
Lake City Manager Don Rosenthal defends his position on the city’s need to hire a financial consultant to help with the city’s finances during the Lake City Council’s Tuesday meeting. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City Manager Don Rosenthal defends his position on the city’s need to hire a financial consultant to help with the city’s finances during the Lake City Council’s Tuesday meeting. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

City hiring financial consultant

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Wednesday, September 4, 2024
The Lake City Council faced several disagreements among itself on different items during Tuesday’s meeting. Following a request from City Manager Don Rosenthal, the council looked at the possibility of hiring an outside financial consultant, Nicholas Narducci of NJN Consulting Services Inc.
Rocky Ford, the chairman of the North Florida Water Utilities board, said he wanted to take time to study the applicants’ resumes before voting on the fifth member. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Rocky Ford, the chairman of the North Florida Water Utilities board, said he wanted to take time to study the applicants’ resumes before voting on the fifth member. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Regional authority waits to appoint fifth member

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, September 4, 2024
LIVE OAK — The identity of the final member of the North Florida Water Utilities Authority board will have to wait another month.
Dale Williams speaks during the North Florida Water Utilities Authority’s Wednesday meeting. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Dale Williams speaks during the North Florida Water Utilities Authority’s Wednesday meeting. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Utility board approves budgets

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, September 4, 2024
LIVE OAK — The North Florida Water Utilities Authority now officially has a budget. Both for the current fiscal year, which ends later this month, and for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
University of Florida sophomore Drew Hingson, 19, of Lake City, leads 90,000 fans in a cheer during the Gators home opener Saturday against Miami in The Swamp. Hingson is the school’s Florida Mic Man this season. Hingson will lead the crowd in pregame cheers of ‘Orange and Blue’ and the ‘Gators Spell-out’ and serve as the hype man with the Gators Cheer Squad in front of the student section at home football games. (COURTESY)

University of Florida sophomore Drew Hingson, 19, of Lake City, leads 90,000 fans in a cheer during the Gators home opener Saturday against Miami in The Swamp. Hingson is the school’s Florida Mic Man this season. Hingson will lead the crowd in pregame cheers of ‘Orange and Blue’ and the ‘Gators Spell-out’ and serve as the hype man with the Gators Cheer Squad in front of the student section at home football games. (COURTESY)

Mr. Orange & Blue is Lake City’s Drew

TODD WILSON
Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Drew Hingson said his lifetime of Gator fandom combined with a boisterous personality made him a natural for the job. He never doubted his ability for a second and neither did his friends on campus.
Florida Mic Man Drew Hingson, 19, of Lake City, greets Gator fans in the student section at The Swamp on Saturday. Hingson, was selected for the Mic Man job 10 days before the home opener and joined the Florida Cheer Squad after an open tryout on campus. He is a sophomore at UF. (COURTESY)

Florida Mic Man Drew Hingson, 19, of Lake City, greets Gator fans in the student section at The Swamp on Saturday. Hingson, was selected for the Mic Man job 10 days before the home opener and joined the Florida Cheer Squad after an open tryout on campus. He is a sophomore at UF. (COURTESY)

Mic Man practiced only 3 times for Gators’ opener

TODD WILSON
Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Once selected as the University of Florida’s Mic Man for the 2024-25 sports season, Drew Hingson said he was welcomed into the hectic world of the Florida Cheer Squad. There was a lot to learn, a lot left to chance and a lot of pure instinct on display for the 19-year-old sophomore from Lake City.
A worker measures a window on the outside of Lake City Hall on Tuesday as work begins to determine what is causing issues with the bricks on the historic building so the protective netting can be removed. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

A worker measures a window on the outside of Lake City Hall on Tuesday as work begins to determine what is causing issues with the bricks on the historic building so the protective netting can be removed. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

City looks to lose netting

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Construction work is taking place on Lake City’s historic City Hall building, which may eliminate the need for the netting that has secured the building’s bricks for several years. Lake City Manager Don Rosenthal said the building has had problems with bricks falling.