Local

David Strickland, a manager at Save A Lot in Lake City, arranges Easter inventory on the store’s shelves on Thursday afternoon. Strickland retired Thursday after working at the store for 47 years. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

David Strickland, a manager at Save A Lot in Lake City, arranges Easter inventory on the store’s shelves on Thursday afternoon. Strickland retired Thursday after working at the store for 47 years. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Strickland retires after 47 years at Save A Lot

TONY BRITT
Thursday, March 16, 2023
Walking up and down the aisles of a grocery store making sure items are in their correct spaces, checking the amount of inventory and placing the inventory on the shelves were common work-related duties for David Strickland.
Caris Feagle, a junior at Columbia High School, took first runner-up honors at a recent speech competition. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Caris Feagle, a junior at Columbia High School, took first runner-up honors at a recent speech competition. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Feagle flexes with Seneca Falls speech

TONY BRITT
Thursday, March 16, 2023
A local student has given new life to one of America’s most pivotal conventions that perhaps doesn’t get that much attention.
The Battle of Olustee Monument, which honors local soldiers killed in the Civil War battle in Baker County, sits in downtown Olustee Park. Attempts to move the monument could lead to lawsuits according to a bill moving through the Florida Senate. (FILE)

The Battle of Olustee Monument, which honors local soldiers killed in the Civil War battle in Baker County, sits in downtown Olustee Park. Attempts to move the monument could lead to lawsuits according to a bill moving through the Florida Senate. (FILE)

Lawsuits could stop monument removal

NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
Wednesday, March 15, 2023
TALLAHASSEE — Local governments would be blocked from removing historic monuments from public locations and could face lawsuits, under a controversial proposal that started to advance Wednesday in the Florida Senate.
Columbia’s Top Talent performers: Ashlyn Esposito (from row from left), Kenya Polluck and Allie Brush. (Back row, from left) Van Morrison, Nova (Kiera) Fletcher, Nathaniel Johnson-Adams, Omarion Howard, Michelle Burch, Shamaria Bowles and Columbia’s Top Talent Founder, Ronnie Collins. (COURTESY)

Columbia’s Top Talent performers: Ashlyn Esposito (from row from left), Kenya Polluck and Allie Brush. (Back row, from left) Van Morrison, Nova (Kiera) Fletcher, Nathaniel Johnson-Adams, Omarion Howard, Michelle Burch, Shamaria Bowles and Columbia’s Top Talent Founder, Ronnie Collins. (COURTESY)

Talented teens take on task

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
A group of 10 local singers will be vying for the precious few five remaining spots in the second round of Columbia’s Top Talent contest later this week.

Talks beginning on arming teachers

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
Columbia County School Board members don’t want teachers carrying guns. The superintendent doesn’t want armed teachers and some teachers don’t want to be armed either.
The office and property of the Lake City Reporter has been sold to Columbia County. The 11,000 square foot building located at 180 E. Duval St., downtown across from the courthouse, will house three county departments that currently are spread out at various locations. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter)

The office and property of the Lake City Reporter has been sold to Columbia County. The 11,000 square foot building located at 180 E. Duval St., downtown across from the courthouse, will house three county departments that currently are spread out at various locations. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter)

County purchases Lake City Reporter building

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
The Lake City Reporter building and property located at 180 E. Duval St., downtown, sold to Columbia County this week. The property sale closed officially on Monday.
The Lake Shore Hospital Authority is preparing a lease with Drs. Molly and Michael White of EMPALS while a financial support agreement gets worked out. (FILE)

The Lake Shore Hospital Authority is preparing a lease with Drs. Molly and Michael White of EMPALS while a financial support agreement gets worked out. (FILE)

EMPALS not all or nothing at Lake Shore

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
A legal review on financial support for EMPALS won’t stop the urgent care practice from moving forward at the Lake Shore Hospital campus. Dr.
Tad Allen portrayed Abraham Lincoln at the Olustee Festival for more than 30 years. (COURTESY)

Tad Allen portrayed Abraham Lincoln at the Olustee Festival for more than 30 years. (COURTESY)

Olustee’s Lincoln passes at 96

TONY BRITT
Monday, March 13, 2023
For decades, Tad Allen was a living piece of Olustee Festival history. Delbert “Tad” Allen, who was a retired college professor at Brevard Community College’s Cocoa campus but was known across the state for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln, died Wednesday at his home following a brief illness.
The Lake Shore Hospital Authority approved getting bids to demolish the Bedoya building on the hospital campus. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

The Lake Shore Hospital Authority approved getting bids to demolish the Bedoya building on the hospital campus. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

LSHA prescribes demolition for Bedoya building

JAMIE WACHTER
Monday, March 13, 2023
Demolition is the prognosis for one Lake Shore Hospital campus building. At its meeting Monday, the Lake Shore Hospital Authority board unanimously approved going out to bid on demolishing the Bedoya building.
Columbia County Tax Collector Kyle Keen (right) and staff were working the Florida Licensing on Wheels mobile clinic at Saturday’s driver’s license reinstatement event. (COURTESY)

Columbia County Tax Collector Kyle Keen (right) and staff were working the Florida Licensing on Wheels mobile clinic at Saturday’s driver’s license reinstatement event. (COURTESY)

Clinic helps ‘green light’ licenses for several

JAMIE WACHTER
Monday, March 13, 2023
Several Columbia County residents received the green light Saturday to stay behind the wheel. Others are waiting, with help from lawyers who volunteered to help out, for the caution light to clear following the second “Get on the Road” driver’s license reinstatement clinic at Darby Pavilion.