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Elizabeth and Darryl Boyette prepare and load sandbags at the Southside Sports Complex Tuesday morning ahead of Hurricane Idalia’s expected landfall Wednesday morning. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Elizabeth and Darryl Boyette prepare and load sandbags at the Southside Sports Complex Tuesday morning ahead of Hurricane Idalia’s expected landfall Wednesday morning. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia County prepares for Hurricane Idalia

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Darryl and Elizabeth Boyette spent part of Tuesday morning preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Idalia. It wasn’t their first rodeo. They don’t believe it’ll be their last.
Scippi and Smith

Scippi and Smith

Armed teens both CCS district students

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Both armed males arrested at the Columbia High football game Friday were Columbia County Schools’ students. Assistant Superintendent Todd Widergren confirmed Monday that both 18-year-old Anthony Smith and 17-year-old Jeremy Scippio were students in the district.
Hurricane Idalia has strengthened and accelerated its approach northward Tuesday. (NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER)

Hurricane Idalia has strengthened and accelerated its approach northward Tuesday. (NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER)

UPDATE (11 P.M.): Idalia now predicted to hit Florida as Category 4 hurricane

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Hurricane Idalia, which strengthened to a Category 2 system with winds strengthening to 110 mph by Tuesday evening, is now projected to come ashore early Wednesday as a Category 4 system with sustained winds of at least 130 mph in the lightly populated Big Bend region, where the Florida Panhandle...

Teen arrested for girl’s murder

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, August 29, 2023
A 14-year-old Lake City teen has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the death of a 12-year-old girl who was shot and killed while watching television at her home last week.
Columbia High Principal Trey Hosford (left) and Assistant Principal Doug Peeler test one of the portable metal detectors Monday at the CHS front entrance. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia High Principal Trey Hosford (left) and Assistant Principal Doug Peeler test one of the portable metal detectors Monday at the CHS front entrance. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Metal detectors installed at CHS

JAMIE WACHTER
Monday, August 28, 2023
The newest additions to Columbia High were being installed Monday afternoon. CHS and Columbia County School District staff spent Monday installing metal detectors at each of the three entrances for students at the school.
Lake City Fire Chief Josh Wehinger briefs the Lake City Council on Tropical Storm Idalia updates Monday afternoon. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City Fire Chief Josh Wehinger briefs the Lake City Council on Tropical Storm Idalia updates Monday afternoon. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

City declares state of emergency ahead of Idalia

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Monday, August 28, 2023
A skeleton crew at the Lake City Council’s emergency meeting has followed the county’s lead and declared a local state of emergency Monday afternoon in response to Tropical Storm Idalia.
Columbia County Emergency Management Director Shayne Morgan gives a briefing during Monday afternoon's meeting. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia County Emergency Management Director Shayne Morgan gives a briefing during Monday afternoon's meeting. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia County declares state of emergency

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Monday, August 28, 2023
Columbia County has officially begun its preparations for Tropical Storm Idalia’s expected landfall.  County Commissioners convened an emergency meeting Monday afternoon at 2 p.m.
Tropical Storm Idalia is expected to become a major hurricane before it reaches Florida's coast Wednesday. (NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER)

Tropical Storm Idalia is expected to become a major hurricane before it reaches Florida's coast Wednesday. (NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER)

Idalia expected to become major hurricane before landfall

NEWS STAFF
Monday, August 28, 2023
TAMPA — Florida residents loaded up on sandbags and evacuated from homes in low-lying areas along the Gulf Coast as Tropical Storm Idalia intensified Monday and forecasters predicted it would hit in days as a major hurricane with potentially life-threatening storm surges.
Columbia High Principal Trey Hosford talks with Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter at Tiger Stadium on Friday night after two armed teens climbed a fence attempting to get in. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia High Principal Trey Hosford talks with Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter at Tiger Stadium on Friday night after two armed teens climbed a fence attempting to get in. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Metal detectors coming to CHS

NEWS STAFF
Sunday, August 27, 2023
When students next return to Columbia High School, they’ll be greeted by something new at the door: metal detectors.