Local

Merrick Mitchell, a nutrition educator, prepares turnips during a food demonstration at Catholic Charities on Wednesday, kicking off its annual March against Hunger campaign. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Merrick Mitchell, a nutrition educator, prepares turnips during a food demonstration at Catholic Charities on Wednesday, kicking off its annual March against Hunger campaign. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Catholic Charities ready to ‘March against Hunger’

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Learning different cooking methods to prepare different foods is one way to fight food insecurity and rising food costs have become a strain on local budgets.
Tourist Development Council board member Janak Patel said February’s numbers will look much better than January’s on the bed tax and room rates. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Tourist Development Council board member Janak Patel said February’s numbers will look much better than January’s on the bed tax and room rates. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Bed tax, room rates expected to rebound

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
A drop in hotel stays in January will bounce back, according to a Columbia County hotelier.
Participants in a previous Columbia County 4-H School of Life Skills for Magical Beings Day camp take part in an outdoor team challenge. Columbia County 4-H is set to host a wide variety of summer programs and camps, both practical and whimsical. (COURTESY)

Participants in a previous Columbia County 4-H School of Life Skills for Magical Beings Day camp take part in an outdoor team challenge. Columbia County 4-H is set to host a wide variety of summer programs and camps, both practical and whimsical. (COURTESY)

Summer camps coming from 4-H

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Columbia County 4-H is preparing for another exciting summer of hands-on learning as it announces a series of engaging summer day camps designed to help local youth explore new interests, build confidence, and develop important life skills.
The Harveys Supermarket on the west side of Lake City will be transitioned to a Winn-Dixie, its parent company announced Monday. There is no timeframe for when the change will occur. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

The Harveys Supermarket on the west side of Lake City will be transitioned to a Winn-Dixie, its parent company announced Monday. There is no timeframe for when the change will occur. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Supermarket Swap: Lake City Harveys will become Winn-Dixie

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Goodbye, Harveys Supermarket. Hello, Winn-Dixie. The Winn-Dixie Company announced Monday that the Lake City Harveys store will transition to the Winn-Dixie brand. It is one of seven locations in Florida and Georgia that are changing brands.
Former Lake City Manager Joe Helfenberger was hired as Fort White’s town clerk on Monday. Helfenberger will serve in the role part-time on an ‘as needed basis.’ (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Former Lake City Manager Joe Helfenberger was hired as Fort White’s town clerk on Monday. Helfenberger will serve in the role part-time on an ‘as needed basis.’ (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Helfenberger hired as Fort White town clerk

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
FORT WHITE — Fort White has a new town clerk and it’s a familiar name. The Fort White Town Council hired Joe Helfenberger, the former Lake City manager, as its new town clerk on Monday night, by a 3-1 vote with Monica Merricks casting the dissenting vote.
Lake City Manager Don Rosenthal said during Monday’s council meeting that the former Five Points Elementary School campus could house different school programs as well as a storm shelter. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City Manager Don Rosenthal said during Monday’s council meeting that the former Five Points Elementary School campus could house different school programs as well as a storm shelter. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

City buys Five Points school

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
The Lake City Council is taking a vacant elementary school off the school board’s hands. The council voted unanimously to purchase the former Five Points Elementary School campus from the Columbia County School District during Monday’s meeting. The city will spend $200,000 on the purchase.
Councilwoman Chevella Young said using money from the Mariah Fund for playground repairs was a “smart move.” (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Councilwoman Chevella Young said using money from the Mariah Fund for playground repairs was a “smart move.” (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Mariah Fund set for playground repairs

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
After hearing and seeing a report on dangerous playground equipment from Public Works Director Steve Brown at its last meeting, the Lake City Council is moving to have it replaced through an alternative source. Lake City Police Chief Gerald Butler proposed using $142,788.
Christina Munro, a member of the Lake City Fire Department, holds her medal after finishing the Gate River Run in Jacksonville last week. Munro did the 15K run in her firefighting gear. (COURTESY)

Christina Munro, a member of the Lake City Fire Department, holds her medal after finishing the Gate River Run in Jacksonville last week. Munro did the 15K run in her firefighting gear. (COURTESY)

LCFD firefighter Munro completes Gate River Run in fire gear

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Friday, March 13, 2026
JACKSONVILLE — Firefighters likely will never have to run nine-plus miles to respond to an incident. Regardless, Christina Munro wanted to prove she was up to the task. Munro, a member of the Lake City Fire Department, demonstrated that and more during last weekend’s Gate River Run in Jacksonville.
David Chandler (from left), Sons of the American Revolution, Scarlet Frisina, Lake City Mayor Noah Walker, Jane McClelland, Daughters of the American Revolution, and Kay Yarbrough, Honorary State Regent of the Florida State Society Daughters of the American Revolution, pose next to the new Liberty Tree planted at St. James Episcopal Church in honor America’s 250th Anniversary on Wednesday for the Edward Rutledge Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

David Chandler (from left), Sons of the American Revolution, Scarlet Frisina, Lake City Mayor Noah Walker, Jane McClelland, Daughters of the American Revolution, and Kay Yarbrough, Honorary State Regent of the Florida State Society Daughters of the American Revolution, pose next to the new Liberty Tree planted at St. James Episcopal Church in honor America’s 250th Anniversary on Wednesday for the Edward Rutledge Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Liberty Tree planted to celebrate 250th

TONY BRITT
Friday, March 13, 2026
As Florida begins to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, local groups, organizations and clubs are holding their own events to memorialize and celebrate the occasion.
The former Five Points Elementary School building and campus may be purchased by the City of Lake City for $200,000. The Lake City Council will decide at its Monday meeting whether to proceed with the acquisition. (FILE)

The former Five Points Elementary School building and campus may be purchased by the City of Lake City for $200,000. The Lake City Council will decide at its Monday meeting whether to proceed with the acquisition. (FILE)

City eyes Five Points school for $200K

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, March 13, 2026
The City of Lake City may be going back to school, elementary school. The Lake City Council will discuss, and possibly act on, purchasing the former Five Points Elementary School campus from the Columbia County School District during its 6 p.m. meeting Monday at Lake City Hall, 205 N.