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President Joe Biden speaks during a visit to FEMA headquarters, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, in Washington. Biden visited the headquarters to thank the team staffing the FEMA National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) throughout Hurricane Idalia and the ongoing federal response efforts to the fires on Maui, Hawaii. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

President Joe Biden speaks during a visit to FEMA headquarters, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, in Washington. Biden visited the headquarters to thank the team staffing the FEMA National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) throughout Hurricane Idalia and the ongoing federal response efforts to the fires on Maui, Hawaii. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Biden visiting Live Oak to view Idalia damage

NEWS STAFF
Saturday, September 2, 2023
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is heading to Florida on Saturday for a firsthand look at Hurricane Idalia's destruction, but he won't be seeing the state's Republican governor and 2024 presidential hopeful, Ron DeSantis, who suggested such a meeting could hinder disaster response efforts.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (right) talks with Suwannee County Commission Chairman Franklin White and Sheriff Sam St. John Friday afternoon in Live Oak. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Gov. Ron DeSantis (right) talks with Suwannee County Commission Chairman Franklin White and Sheriff Sam St. John Friday afternoon in Live Oak. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

State helping after storm

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, September 1, 2023
LIVE OAK — While Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke Friday afternoon at Suwannee Riverside Elementary School in Live Oak, Florida State Guard members were busy behind him helping the community. DeSantis, as well as U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Gainesville), Florida State Guard Lt.
A public works employee with the City of Lake City, loads storm debris into a dump truck on Friday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

A public works employee with the City of Lake City, loads storm debris into a dump truck on Friday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Cleanup efforts underway in Columbia

TONY BRITT
Friday, September 1, 2023
City and county public works crews have put hours into the effort to restore Lake City and Columbia County to pre-Hurricane Idalia conditions.

Officials warn of scams after Idalia

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, September 1, 2023
It wasn’t long after Hurricane Idalia passed through Wednesday that Robby Hollingsworth saw something odd in his neighborhood in western Columbia County. Hollingsworth, the District 3 county commissioner, saw a man walking through the neighborhood with flyers.
Curtis Handy, Jordana Smith, Daniels Cornuet and Haley Piercey gather outside Winn-Dixie on Friday where they were offering free hot meals to area residents following Hurricane Idalia. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Curtis Handy, Jordana Smith, Daniels Cornuet and Haley Piercey gather outside Winn-Dixie on Friday where they were offering free hot meals to area residents following Hurricane Idalia. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Residents offer hot meals after Idalia

TONY BRITT
Friday, September 1, 2023
With a multitude of residents in Columbia attempting to recover from Hurricane Idalia, some local residents have decided to become Good Samaritans and feed area residents.
There are points of distribution in Suwannee County at Suwannee Riverside Elementary and Branford Elementary. (COURTESY)

There are points of distribution in Suwannee County at Suwannee Riverside Elementary and Branford Elementary. (COURTESY)

Points of distribution at Suwannee Riverside Elementary, Branford Elementary

NEWS STAFF
Thursday, August 31, 2023
There have been some small changes related to the points of distributions for Friday in Suwannee County. Due to unforeseen logistic issues, the point of distribution will not be open at Suwannee County Coliseum.
Columbia County Schools will remain closed Friday in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia. (FILE)

Columbia County Schools will remain closed Friday in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia. (FILE)

Columbia County schools closed Friday, plan to reopen Tuesday

NEWS STAFF
Thursday, August 31, 2023
Columbia County Schools announced that schools will remain closed Friday due to power outages stemming from Hurricane Idalia. The Columbia County Sheriff's Office says that 55.
Power lines and trees have caused major outages across North Florida. (COURTESY SUWANNEE VALLEY ELECTRIC)

Power lines and trees have caused major outages across North Florida. (COURTESY SUWANNEE VALLEY ELECTRIC)

SVEC: Prepare for no power for weeks

NEWS STAFF
Thursday, August 31, 2023
With nearly all of its 28,500 consumers still without power, Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative said it could be a couple of weeks until the lights are back on.
‘The Woods,’ a food truck container park, is planned for State Road 247 just southwest of the Interstate 75 overpass in Lake City. The venue will also feature two restaurants, a game room, a bar and a two-story pavilion. (COURTESY)

‘The Woods,’ a food truck container park, is planned for State Road 247 just southwest of the Interstate 75 overpass in Lake City. The venue will also feature two restaurants, a game room, a bar and a two-story pavilion. (COURTESY)

Food truck container park planned for ‘The Woods’

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
When he saw a “void” in multiple areas in Lake City, Michael Woods thought inside the box. Well, inside a container, at least. Woods is looking to open a food truck container park off State Road 247 (Branford Highway) just south of the Interstate 75 overpass.
A tree blocks Tularosa Lane at the intersection with Lake Montgomery Avenue in Lake City on Wednesday afternoon following Hurricane Idalia. (J. WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

A tree blocks Tularosa Lane at the intersection with Lake Montgomery Avenue in Lake City on Wednesday afternoon following Hurricane Idalia. (J. WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Idalia causes widespread outages: 80% of Columbia County without power

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Columbia County got lucky, according to Emergency Management Director Shayne Morgan. With Hurricane Idalia seemingly bearing down on north central Florida over the past day and a half, the hourly forecast showed the storm steering more northward throughout Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning.