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Members of the Alachua County Bomb Squad and Lake City Police Department look at the suspicious device found in the Quality Inn on Thursday morning. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Members of the Alachua County Bomb Squad and Lake City Police Department look at the suspicious device found in the Quality Inn on Thursday morning. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Bomb scare at Quality Inn defused

NEWS STAFF
Thursday, September 7, 2023
A suspicious device left behind by a guest at the Quality Inn was not an explosive. Staff at the Quality Inn on SW Commerce Drive in Lake City found a small, plastic device left in a room after a guest checked out around 10 a.m. Thursday.

10 apprehended in drug busts

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Two search warrants served led to 10 arrests Tuesday. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday that the Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force served the two search warrants at two locations in Lake City.
Stacy Cowart has resigned as Columbia County’s utility director to take a job locally in the private sector. (FILE)

Stacy Cowart has resigned as Columbia County’s utility director to take a job locally in the private sector. (FILE)

County searching for new utility director

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Columbia County has a “critical” need for a new utility director. Stacy Cowart, the county’s utility director submitted his resignation in late August after taking another job locally with a private company, County Manager David Kraus said Wednesday. Cowart will work through Sept. 22.
Lake City Councilman Ricky Jernigan made the motion to rescind a previous resolution by the city to not require background checks at Annie Mattox Park. Jernigan said he is ‘100% in favor’ of background checks for everyone. (FILE)

Lake City Councilman Ricky Jernigan made the motion to rescind a previous resolution by the city to not require background checks at Annie Mattox Park. Jernigan said he is ‘100% in favor’ of background checks for everyone. (FILE)

Background checks back at Annie Mattox

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Despite continual upheavals and dissensions from the crowd and the council alike, the Lake City Council did manage to get some things done in its meeting Tuesday. Those accomplishments still didn’t come without their hurdles.
Lake City Mayor Stephen Witt said Tuesday’s Council meeting was the ‘worst meeting we’ve had in a long time.’ (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City Mayor Stephen Witt said Tuesday’s Council meeting was the ‘worst meeting we’ve had in a long time.’ (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Mayor: ‘Worst meeting we’ve had’

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, September 5, 2023
Lake City Mayor Stephen Witt called it “the worst meeting we’ve had in a long time.
Shayne Morgan, Columbia County’s emergency management director, talks Tuesday about the opening of a Disaster Recovery Center in Lake City to assist those impacted by Hurricane Idalia. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Shayne Morgan, Columbia County’s emergency management director, talks Tuesday about the opening of a Disaster Recovery Center in Lake City to assist those impacted by Hurricane Idalia. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Disaster Recovery Center opening in LC

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, September 5, 2023
Residents needing assistance to recovering from Hurricane Idalia may soon have a place to visit in Lake City. Columbia County officials will be meeting today with state officials to get the go ahead to set up a Disaster Recovery Center at the old Lake City Reporter building.

United Way kickoff breakfast rescheduled

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, September 5, 2023
The United Way of Suwannee Valley has postponed its 2023-2024 fundraising campaign kickoff breakfast. The kickoff breakfast was rescheduled to Thursday, Sept. 14, and the RSVP deadline is now Thursday, Sept. 7.

Teen identified as murder victim

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, September 5, 2023
ELLISVILLE — A teenage girl has been identified as the murder victim found in a southern Columbia County field. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that the body found Sunday in a field near SW Haltiwanger Road near Ellisville was 18-year-old Coyoete Turner, of Lake City. Sgt.

Murder investigation underway near Ellisville

NEWS STAFF
Sunday, September 3, 2023
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the possible homicide of a female. Shortly before 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, deputies were dispatched to a field in the area of SW Haltiwanger Road near Ellisville in reference to what was reported as a body which had been located.