Local

Chase at 100 ends with arrest, PIT maneuver

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
A high speed chase early Saturday morning ended after crossing county lines. After running a red light at the SW Bascom Norris Drive and U.S. Highway 90 intersection at 2:13 a.m. Saturday, a brown Jeep refused to stop for law enforcement, instead heading west at high speeds.
Natalie Fannon, a cashier at Save A Lot In Lake City, checks out the snow flurries that blew through North Florida on Saturday afternoon. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Natalie Fannon, a cashier at Save A Lot In Lake City, checks out the snow flurries that blew through North Florida on Saturday afternoon. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Snow flurries cause excitement in Columbia County

TONY BRITT
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Ol' Man Winter, who brought frigid temperatures to Columbia County earlier this week, attempted to change the face of North Central Florida by pushing a number of snow flurries through the area on Saturday.
Third Circuit Judge Gregory Parker (from left) and retired Circuit Judge David Fina present retiring Third Circuit Judge Leandra Johnson with a ceremonial gavel during her retirement ceremony Friday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Third Circuit Judge Gregory Parker (from left) and retired Circuit Judge David Fina present retiring Third Circuit Judge Leandra Johnson with a ceremonial gavel during her retirement ceremony Friday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Johnson steps down after 20-year career on bench

TONY BRITT
Friday, January 30, 2026
Leandra G. Johnson capped her 20-year career as a Third Judicial Circuit Judge on Friday afternoon during a retirement farewell which was attended by more than 100 people.
Former Fort White High School principal Keith Hatcher holds a ceremonial eagle plaque at his retirement party. Hatcher served as the high school’s first principal. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Former Fort White High School principal Keith Hatcher holds a ceremonial eagle plaque at his retirement party. Hatcher served as the high school’s first principal. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Hatcher departs school district after 40 years

NEWS STAFF
Friday, January 30, 2026
The Columbia School District recently hosted a retirement party for former Fort White High School principal Keith Hatcher, which took place in the school district’s Adult Education building on Thursday afternoon in Room 130.

Dyal wants city to drop pay dispute

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, January 30, 2026
Lake City’s former manager wants the city’s scrutiny of his severance payout to be over for good. Joel Foreman, the attorney for Paul Dyal, sent a letter to Guy Norris, special counsel for the city on the matter of Dyal’s severance, on Jan. 15 requesting a settlement on the matter.

Gray returns as TDC director

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, January 30, 2026
Columbia County’s new tourism director will be experiencing a homecoming. Cody Gray, a Lake City native and a former Columbia County Tourist Development Council employee, has been named the new TDC executive director. He will begin work for Columbia County on March 4.
A home on NE Webster Avenue was severely damaged Thursday morning when a fire was sparked by a space heater being used during the cold weather. (COURTESY LAKE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT)

A home on NE Webster Avenue was severely damaged Thursday morning when a fire was sparked by a space heater being used during the cold weather. (COURTESY LAKE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT)

Nobody injured in home blaze

NEWS STAFF
Friday, January 30, 2026
A single-family Lake City home was severely damaged Thursday morning when flames erupted at the house when adults left to take their children to school.

Lake City man arrested for child porn possession

NEWS STAFF
Friday, January 30, 2026
A Lake City man was arrested this week for possessing child pornography. Kevin Manuel Reyes Rosa, 26, was arrested Thursday following an investigation that began in early December, according to a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office release.
Billy Golightly (right), the broker and co-owner of Lands of North Florida Realty, receives the Lake City Board of Realtors’ Realtor of the Year award Wednesday from Brad Dicks, last year’s winner. (COURTESY)

Billy Golightly (right), the broker and co-owner of Lands of North Florida Realty, receives the Lake City Board of Realtors’ Realtor of the Year award Wednesday from Brad Dicks, last year’s winner. (COURTESY)

Golightly named Realtor of the Year

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, January 30, 2026
As he walked to the front of the Holiday Inn & Suites conference room to accept the 2026 Realtor of the Year Award, Billy Golightly took a moment.

Stalker nabbed at grocery store

NEWS STAFF
Friday, January 30, 2026
Looking for more than groceries led to a Lake City man’s arrest at Save-a-Lot on Thursday. According to a Lake City Police Department release, officers responded to the Save-a-Lot on E. Duval Street around 6:25 p.m. Thursday to a report of stalking at the store.