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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.
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.