Local

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.
Commissioner Tim Murphy made the motion two weeks ago to reduce the increase to the county’s fire protection assessment. (FILE)

Commissioner Tim Murphy made the motion two weeks ago to reduce the increase to the county’s fire protection assessment. (FILE)

County to consider fees, tax rate Thursday

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, September 3, 2024
The Columbia County Commission looks to finalize its fire protection and solid waste fees for the next fiscal year on Thursday. During the commission’s 5:30 p.m.
A marker honoring Philip Proctor and other Columbia County veterans rests at the base of the 35-foot flag pole at the Columbia County Veterans Park dedicated Monday by the American Legion Post 57. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

A marker honoring Philip Proctor and other Columbia County veterans rests at the base of the 35-foot flag pole at the Columbia County Veterans Park dedicated Monday by the American Legion Post 57. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Monument, flag dedicated to veterans

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, September 3, 2024
What began as a way for Patricia Proctor to honor her late husband evolved into something bigger. After Proctor’s husband, Philip, passed away in March, she decided she wanted to recognize his love for his country and service to the U.S. Navy.
Mike Tatem is all smiles with his wife, Judy, when he was sworn in as the district governor for Rotary International District 6940 in June. Tatem hopes to help improve disaster response across the district during his term as governor. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Mike Tatem is all smiles with his wife, Judy, when he was sworn in as the district governor for Rotary International District 6940 in June. Tatem hopes to help improve disaster response across the district during his term as governor. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Relief through Rotary: Tatem aims to improve disaster response, resilience

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Saturday, August 31, 2024
Mike Tatem has been on the job for about two months now. But the new Rotary International District 6940 governor hasn’t sat idly as his year-long term begins, not to mention the plans he and the district have for the future.