Local

Columbia County Supervisor of Elections Tomi Brown (center) receives a U.S. Election Commission Clearinghouse Award for her office’s ‘Bubble it in’ T-shirt. (COURTESY)

Columbia County Supervisor of Elections Tomi Brown (center) receives a U.S. Election Commission Clearinghouse Award for her office’s ‘Bubble it in’ T-shirt. (COURTESY)

Elections office ‘bubbles in’ honor

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Pleas and instructions give by local political candidates at rallies around the county last year provided the fuel for an award-winning concept from the Columbia County Supervisor of Elections Office.
Mollie Burch, the mother of fallen Florida Forest Service Ranger Josh Burch, was escorted by Forest Ranger Ryan Rehberg to place a rose in honor of her son during Tuesday’s Public Safety Memorial service at First Baptist Church. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Mollie Burch, the mother of fallen Florida Forest Service Ranger Josh Burch, was escorted by Forest Ranger Ryan Rehberg to place a rose in honor of her son during Tuesday’s Public Safety Memorial service at First Baptist Church. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Honoring the fallen: Annual service remembers county’s 17 first responders who gave all

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
If there was any confusion as to why First Baptist Church was filled Tuesday night, Wilton Simpson summed it up with one sentence.

CCSO: Kidnapping tied to drugs

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Authorities say an armed kidnapping Sunday in Columbia County was over a drug dispute. Jason Wilson, an 18-year-old Fort White man, was charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault, kidnapping/false imprisonment and possession of a bulletproof vest during certain offenses.
Volunteers, with assistance from the Lake City Fire Department, erect the crosses and flags alongside State Road 47 Saturday morning for the America’s Heroes Program. (COURTESY)

Volunteers, with assistance from the Lake City Fire Department, erect the crosses and flags alongside State Road 47 Saturday morning for the America’s Heroes Program. (COURTESY)

Program honors America’s Heroes

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Paying homage to veterans and first responders, several area residents donated time this past weekend to erect more than 200 flags and crosses along a section of State Road 47 for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday.
Fort White High graduates toss their caps in the air at the end of Friday’s commencement ceremony at Arrowhead Stadium as Superintendent Lex Carswell (foreground) walks off the field. (RAY CARPENTER/Special to the Reporter)

Fort White High graduates toss their caps in the air at the end of Friday’s commencement ceremony at Arrowhead Stadium as Superintendent Lex Carswell (foreground) walks off the field. (RAY CARPENTER/Special to the Reporter)

Fort White High School sends off talented class

TONY BRITT
Friday, May 19, 2023
FORT WHITE — Individuals and, at times, groups of students entered the Fort White High School cafeteria after giving one another handshakes, hugs and dap on Friday evening. Some of the students were wearing caps and gowns and others carried their gowns draped across their arm.
U.S. Navy Master Chief Damage Controlman Robert Ratliff salutes fellow service members as he “comes ashore” during his retirement ceremony Friday. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

U.S. Navy Master Chief Damage Controlman Robert Ratliff salutes fellow service members as he “comes ashore” during his retirement ceremony Friday. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Ratliff goes ‘ashore’ from Navy

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Friday, May 19, 2023
A Lake City native has retired after 31 years and 11 months in the U.S. Navy. Master Chief Damage Controlman Robert Ratliff had a proper military sendoff Friday afternoon at Olustee Park.
An adoption event in 2019 drew a crowd to the Lake City-Columbia County Humane Society. LCHS staff members are worried about how the shelter’s new agreement with Columbia County will impact their work. (FILE)

An adoption event in 2019 drew a crowd to the Lake City-Columbia County Humane Society. LCHS staff members are worried about how the shelter’s new agreement with Columbia County will impact their work. (FILE)

County reaches deal with Humane Society

TONY BRITT
Friday, May 19, 2023
Columbia County’s new animal enforcement department will now officially house the animals at the Lake City-Columbia County Humane Society. The Columbia County Commission unanimously approved an updated contract with the LCHS to house the animals brought in for $375,750 annually.
Kate Duong, the Youth Services Outreach Librarian for the Columbia County Public Library, hangs an airplane at the Main Branch library Wednesday. The library’s summer rading program is travel themed, providing information on six of the seven continents. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Kate Duong, the Youth Services Outreach Librarian for the Columbia County Public Library, hangs an airplane at the Main Branch library Wednesday. The library’s summer rading program is travel themed, providing information on six of the seven continents. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Summer programs ready to take flight

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
The Columbia County Public Library’s children section looks more like an airport, granted one filled with books.