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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.
The Forest Cove Business Park on South Main Boulevard in Lake City was toppled during Hurricane Idalia on Wednesday. (J. WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

The Forest Cove Business Park on South Main Boulevard in Lake City was toppled during Hurricane Idalia on Wednesday. (J. WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Downed trees biggest issue in Lake City

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Hurricane Idalia wreaked havoc in Columbia County and Lake City early Wednesday morning leaving a majority of town with no electricity.

St. John: ‘All of Suwannee County is out of power”

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
LIVE OAK — Hurricane Idalia’s wrath will be felt for some time to come in Suwannee County, even if it wasn’t as bad as originally projected. Sheriff Sam St. John, the county’s emergency management director, said the storm was “pretty bad.
Columbia County Schools will be closed Thursday in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia. (FILE)

Columbia County Schools will be closed Thursday in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia. (FILE)

Columbia, Suwannee and Lafayette all close schools through at least Thursday

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Columbia County Schools will be closed Thursday following power outages and road closures caused by Hurricane Idalia. Superintendent Alex Cardwell issued a statement Wednesday afternoon after the storm passed. “All Columbia County Schools will be closed tomorrow, August 31, 2023,” Cardwell said.
Hurricanes Idalia's track as of the 2 p.m. update. (NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER)

Hurricanes Idalia's track as of the 2 p.m. update. (NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER)

Hurricane Idalia unleashes fury on Florida after making landfall as a dangerous Category 3 storm

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
PERRY — Hurricane Idalia made landfall Wednesday in Florida as a Category 3 storm and unleashed devastation along a wide stretch of the Gulf Coast, submerging homes and vehicles, turning streets into rivers, unmooring small boats and downing power lines before sweeping into Georgia.