Local

Wade Burlingame uses an electric chainsaw to cut a felled oak tree that landed across his vehicles at his Lake Montgomery Avenue home during Friday’s storm. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Wade Burlingame uses an electric chainsaw to cut a felled oak tree that landed across his vehicles at his Lake Montgomery Avenue home during Friday’s storm. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Morning storms cause thousands to lose power

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Friday, May 10, 2024
Early morning storms that ripped through North Florida prompted a state of emergency from Gov. Ron DeSantis. They also left some local damage in their wake.
Fort White High School was burglarized and vandalized in the overnight hours of Wednesday night and Thursday morning. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is looking for help in identifying the four suspects caught on video surveillance from the school. (COURTESY COLUMBIA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE)

Fort White High School was burglarized and vandalized in the overnight hours of Wednesday night and Thursday morning. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is looking for help in identifying the four suspects caught on video surveillance from the school. (COURTESY COLUMBIA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE)

Deputies hunting vandals in Fort White High School break-in

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, May 10, 2024
FORT WHITE — The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is looking for help in identifying four suspects from a break-in at Fort White High School.
Amaya (clockwise from left), Felder, Levy, Johns and Haltiwanger

Amaya (clockwise from left), Felder, Levy, Johns and Haltiwanger

District honoring 5 Teachers of a Lifetime

TONY BRITT
Friday, May 10, 2024
Working in a profession where instant gratification rarely exists, five former Columbia County School District educators have been recognized for their ability to inspire students, dedicate themselves to a greater cause and just flat-out teach and educate local youngsters.
Stephanie Selman (from left) and Natalie Alessi, Fort White High School students, work on adding and removing bolts with an impact driver at the Ring Power vendor’s booth Wednesday morning at Build My Future. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Stephanie Selman (from left) and Natalie Alessi, Fort White High School students, work on adding and removing bolts with an impact driver at the Ring Power vendor’s booth Wednesday morning at Build My Future. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Build My Future exposes high school students to trades

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
A realistic look at jobs in the building and construction industry was given to area high school juniors and seniors Wednesday morning during the fourth edition of Build My Future.
Summers Elementary School VPK teacher Karen McDonald works with students outside of the school. The Summers VPK program earned a perfect state score. (COURTESY))

Summers Elementary School VPK teacher Karen McDonald works with students outside of the school. The Summers VPK program earned a perfect state score. (COURTESY))

Summers VPK scores perfect grade

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Summers Elementary School is home to one of the state’s best VPK programs. In fact, Summers’ program could even be called perfect after it was one of just four VPK classrooms in the entire state to receive a perfect 7 ranking in the state’s monitoring system, the Classroom Scoring System (CLASS).
Richardson Sixth Grade Academy student Chase Bryant is returning to the National Archery in the Schools Program national championship. (COURTESY)

Richardson Sixth Grade Academy student Chase Bryant is returning to the National Archery in the Schools Program national championship. (COURTESY)

3 locals take aim at archery nationals

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
A trio of the best local middle school archers are heading to Kentucky this weekend to compete in a national archery competition. The students are headed to Louisville, Kentucky, this weekend where they will be competing in the 2024 National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP).

Bell man injured in dump truck crash

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
A Bell man was injured when his dump truck wrecked in southwestern Columbia County after a tire blew out. According to the Florida Highway Patrol the 1995 Ford dump truck was traveling south near the Columbia and Suwannee county line on State Road 247 at 1:15 p.m.
The Lake City Fire Department should soon receive a new 100-foot ladder truck, shown here, after the Lake City Council voted Monday to approve the purchase. The council is using $2.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to secure the truck. (COURTESY)

The Lake City Fire Department should soon receive a new 100-foot ladder truck, shown here, after the Lake City Council voted Monday to approve the purchase. The council is using $2.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to secure the truck. (COURTESY)

Trucking right along: City using $2.2M in ARPA money to fund fire truck

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Public safety in Lake City received a $2.2 million boost Monday night in the form of a new ladder truck for the Lake City Fire Department.

Witt not running for mayoral seat again

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
The City of Lake City will elect a new mayor this year. Following the Lake City Council’s meeting Monday, Stephen Witt said he will not be seeking re-election. “I’m going to wrap it up,” Witt said. “Nineteen years, my family is ready for me to do some other things.