Local

Dunn defeats Lawson in redrawn district

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, November 9, 2022
Republican Rep. Neal Dunn defeated Democratic Rep. Al Lawson for a north Florida congressional seat in a redrawn district that pitted the two incumbents against each other. Dunn, a surgeon from Panama City, was elected to a fourth term in the U.S. House.
Current projected path of Tropical Storm Nicole as of 4 p.m. Wednesday. (NOAA)

Current projected path of Tropical Storm Nicole as of 4 p.m. Wednesday. (NOAA)

UPDATE: (Wednesday, 3:40 p.m.): Live Oak City Hall closed Thursday

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, November 9, 2022
Live Oak City Manager George Curtis is closing City Hall on Thursday “out of an abundance of caution.” The closure of City Hall and City Hall annex was made Wednesday afternoon by Curtis due to the Tropical Storm Warning issued Wednesday morning for the area.
Tropical Storm Nicole’s projected path as of 1 p.m. Thursday. (COURTESY/NOAA)

Tropical Storm Nicole’s projected path as of 1 p.m. Thursday. (COURTESY/NOAA)

Nicole makes landfall, weakens to tropical storm

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, November 9, 2022
Nicole made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane at about 3 a.m. Thursday near Vero Beach, but caused no significant damage there, officials said Thursday. The brunt of the storm hit north of its center. By 10 a.m.
Hunter Peeler gets a hug from a supporter outside the Columbia County Supervisor of Elections Office on Tuesday night after winning the District 5 seat on the Columbia County School Board. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Hunter Peeler gets a hug from a supporter outside the Columbia County Supervisor of Elections Office on Tuesday night after winning the District 5 seat on the Columbia County School Board. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Peeler edges out Porter for District 5 school board seat

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
For the past 11 months Hunter Peeler had been campaigning for the Columbia County School Board District  5 seat.
Dennille Decker (right) and Diana Swisher jump for joy as the final returns are announced Tuesday night and the Columbia County School District’s half-cent sales tax referendum was approved. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Dennille Decker (right) and Diana Swisher jump for joy as the final returns are announced Tuesday night and the Columbia County School District’s half-cent sales tax referendum was approved. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Voters OK school upgrades, barely

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
As the minutes ticked by at the Columbia County Supervisor of Elections office, some wearing blue shirts might’ve began to wonder if it was worth staying through the cold wind.
Sheriff Mark Hunter speaks Tuesday on the suspensions of Deputy Jayme Gohde and Sgt. Randy Harrison following the Oct. 31 arrest of James Hodges. (COURTESY)

Sheriff Mark Hunter speaks Tuesday on the suspensions of Deputy Jayme Gohde and Sgt. Randy Harrison following the Oct. 31 arrest of James Hodges. (COURTESY)

Sheriff suspends deputies for policy violations

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
Two Columbia County sheriff’s deputies have been sidelined. Sheriff Mark Hunter announced Tuesday evening that Deputy Jayme Gohde and Sgt. Randy Harrison were both suspended following an administrative investigation into the Oct. 31 arrest of a legally blind man.
Tropical Storm Nicole is projected to make landfall Wednesday night before potentially crossing to the Gulf and turning north. (COURTESY/NOAA)

Tropical Storm Nicole is projected to make landfall Wednesday night before potentially crossing to the Gulf and turning north. (COURTESY/NOAA)

Tropical Storm Watch issued ahead of Nicole

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
Subtropical Storm Nicole morphed into Tropical Storm Nicole Tuesday morning as wind speeds within the system kicked up to 50-60 mph.
A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration map shows the projected path of Tropical Storm Nicole as of 7 p.m. Tuesday. (COURTESY/NOAA)

A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration map shows the projected path of Tropical Storm Nicole as of 7 p.m. Tuesday. (COURTESY/NOAA)

Tropical Storm Nicole churns toward Bahamas, Florida

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
Tropical Storm Nicole churned toward the northwestern Bahamas and Florida's Atlantic coastline on Tuesday and was forecast to develop into a hurricane over the next couple of days, forecasters said.
James Hodges (left) is placed in handcuffs in this still from body camera footage taken on Oct. 31. (COURTESY)

James Hodges (left) is placed in handcuffs in this still from body camera footage taken on Oct. 31. (COURTESY)

CCSO investigating blind man’s arrest

NEWS STAFF
Monday, November 7, 2022
The actions of a Columbia County sheriff’s deputy in arresting a legally blind man on Halloween are under investigation. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office said Monday morning that the incident is being reviewed after body camera footage of the arrest of James Hodges around 8 a.m.
A volunteer plays with a child as they work toward building out a raised plant bed at Richardson Community Center Saturday. (COURTESY)

A volunteer plays with a child as they work toward building out a raised plant bed at Richardson Community Center Saturday. (COURTESY)

Kids Feeding Kids builds garden beds at Richardson

TONY BRITT
Monday, November 7, 2022
A few hours of “hands-on” work with hoes and shovels, combined with a little elbow grease, is creating a growing and learning environment at the Richardson Community Center.