Local

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.

Mom served up jail time for leaving children

NEWS STAFF
Monday, March 13, 2023
A Bradenton woman has been arrested after a month-long investigation into a report that she abandoned her children at a Lake City Burger King. According to a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office report, officers responded Feb. 11 to the Burger King at 4772 NW U.S.
Carswell

Carswell

CCS considers arming teachers

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, March 10, 2023
Discussions about arming teachers in Columbia County will begin Tuesday. Two weeks after the Columbia County School Board was set to consider allowing Superintendent Lex Carswell to begin formal discussions about implementing the Guardian Program, the program will be considered at Tuesday’s 6 p.m.
Firefighters test out a fire hose in a routine check-up. (COURTESY CCFR)

Firefighters test out a fire hose in a routine check-up. (COURTESY CCFR)

CCFR tests out fire hoses

NEWS STAFF
Friday, March 10, 2023
Fire hose is an integral part of any successful fire department and Columbia County Fire Rescue has started the daunting task of checking all of its hoses. Columbia County Fire Rescue is conducting its annual hose testing this month.
Freeman

Freeman

Teenager charged for Jan. shooting

NEWS STAFF
Thursday, March 9, 2023
A Lake City teen was arrested Thursday for a January shooting at an apartment complex on the east side of Lake City. Tomorion Freeman, 18, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm in public. The charges stem from a Jan.
Firefighters from Columbia County Fire Rescue and the Lake City Fire Department extinguish a fire in a house on NE James Avenue late Wednesday morning. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Firefighters from Columbia County Fire Rescue and the Lake City Fire Department extinguish a fire in a house on NE James Avenue late Wednesday morning. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Home fire under investigation

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
A structure fire consumed the front porch area of a local home Wednesday morning on Lake City’s east side, just beyond city limits. Lake City Fire Chief Josh Wehinger said units from the city fire department arrived at the scene first, just after 11:30 a.m.