Local

Fort White High School National Honor Society officers Juan Bustamante (from left), Jada Knight, Leah Gianos, Sarah Heeke, Jack Schroader and Cody Maggard shoot off containers of color as they prepare for the school’s annual color fun run which will take place next Saturday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Fort White High School National Honor Society officers Juan Bustamante (from left), Jada Knight, Leah Gianos, Sarah Heeke, Jack Schroader and Cody Maggard shoot off containers of color as they prepare for the school’s annual color fun run which will take place next Saturday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Fort White National Honor Society run raising funds for Haven Hospice

TONY BRITT
Friday, February 27, 2026
FORT WHITE — Whether you’re in a stroller or use a walker, the Fort White High School National Honor Society is looking to get participants for is third annual color fun run. The Fort White National Honor Society 2026 Color Fun will take place at 9 a.m.

Rejecting protest, county points to illegal meeting, dumping

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, February 27, 2026
Columbia County has denied a request from its current solid waste provider to trash its conditional award of a new contract after illegal dumping occurred at the county’s landfill and prohibited contact between the company and a commissioner. Waste Pro filed a formal bid protest Feb.
Anderson Columbia is progressing ‘ahead of schedule’ on constructing a new quadrant road for the new Busy Bee in Ellisville. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Anderson Columbia is progressing ‘ahead of schedule’ on constructing a new quadrant road for the new Busy Bee in Ellisville. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Ellisville road work ‘ahead of schedule’

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, February 27, 2026
ELLISVILLE — The $20 million-plus road project to make way for a new Busy Bee is progressing ahead of schedule. Assistant County Manager Kevin Kirby said Friday the three-phase project to make improvements at the Interstate 75 and U.S.
Florida Gateway College was a finalist for a Bellwether Award for the first time. Receiving the recognition in San Antonio were Christine Boatright, Dean of Institutional Effectiveness & Academic Success (from left); Dr. Lawrence Barrett, FGC President; Julie Cannon, Executive Director of Admissions & Dual Enrollment; Kacey Mimbs, VP of Student Services; and Shawana Wilson, Admissions Counselor. (COURTESY)

Florida Gateway College was a finalist for a Bellwether Award for the first time. Receiving the recognition in San Antonio were Christine Boatright, Dean of Institutional Effectiveness & Academic Success (from left); Dr. Lawrence Barrett, FGC President; Julie Cannon, Executive Director of Admissions & Dual Enrollment; Kacey Mimbs, VP of Student Services; and Shawana Wilson, Admissions Counselor. (COURTESY)

FGC recognized for enrollment initiative

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, February 27, 2026
Florida Gateway College’s focus on turning dual-enrolled students into full-time Timberwolves has garnered national attention.
Patrick Krechowski, the county’s planning and zoning board attorney, said variances are supposed to deal in a gray area and subjective, which is why the county has a board of adjustment to determine those. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Patrick Krechowski, the county’s planning and zoning board attorney, said variances are supposed to deal in a gray area and subjective, which is why the county has a board of adjustment to determine those. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Splitting land, variances eyed by county

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, February 27, 2026
Columbia County staff — and its planning and zoning board — are looking for ways to prevent purchases for unusable land.

Fort White woman killed in rollover

NEWS STAFF
Friday, February 27, 2026
FORT WHITE — A Fort White woman was killed Thursday night when her pickup flipped over in southwestern Columbia County. A Florida Highway Patrol release states a 56-year-old woman was headed west on U.S. Highway 27 when her pickup traveled off the highway to the left around 8:30 p.m.

Growers and Makers market returns to downtown

NEWS STAFF
Friday, February 27, 2026
The City of Lake City Growers and Makers market returns today with an action-packed schedule. Laney Grinstead, City of Lake City Community Programs administrative assistant, said today’s event will feature three food trucks, an array of vendors and live music.
Lyla Folsom (right), Columbia High Student Government Association’s represenative, receives the gavel from Gainesville High’s Macy Gleason as CHS is now the Florida Association of Student Councils District 2 president. Gleason and GHS held the position the past year. (COURTESY)

Lyla Folsom (right), Columbia High Student Government Association’s represenative, receives the gavel from Gainesville High’s Macy Gleason as CHS is now the Florida Association of Student Councils District 2 president. Gleason and GHS held the position the past year. (COURTESY)

Folsom, Columbia SGA take district’s top office

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
The Florida Association of Students Councils District 2 not only has a friend in Columbia High, but a leader as well.
Columbia County Attorney Joel Foreman addresses the County Commission on Tuesday night about the settlement agreement with Columbia EMS. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia County Attorney Joel Foreman addresses the County Commission on Tuesday night about the settlement agreement with Columbia EMS. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

County changes EMS providers

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Columbia County has a new emergency medical services provider.