Local

City crews clean up Lake Jeffery Road on Tuesday afternoon after repairing a broken water line on the road near the intersection with NW Orange Street. The line was broken by a contractor installing fiberoptic cables. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

City crews clean up Lake Jeffery Road on Tuesday afternoon after repairing a broken water line on the road near the intersection with NW Orange Street. The line was broken by a contractor installing fiberoptic cables. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Water line break repaired

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Hundreds of Lake City residents and businesses were without water Tuesday after a company installing fiberoptic cables punctured a city water line.
The future of Richardson Community Center was tabled by the Lake City Council on Tuesday to provide time for staff to provide information on what it would cost to run the facility and recreation there. (FILE)

The future of Richardson Community Center was tabled by the Lake City Council on Tuesday to provide time for staff to provide information on what it would cost to run the facility and recreation there. (FILE)

RCC status still up in air

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Concerns over finances has Richardson Community Center’s fate still uncertain.
HAECO will remain in Lake City long-term after a 20-year lease deal was approved by the Lake City Council. (FILE)

HAECO will remain in Lake City long-term after a 20-year lease deal was approved by the Lake City Council. (FILE)

Long-term HAECO lease clears council

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Although delayed, the City of Lake City has landed a long-term deal with HAECO Americas at the Florida Gateway Airport. The Lake City Council voted 4-1 in favor of a new lease agreement with HAECO at Tuesday night’s meeting. Councilor Todd Sampson dissented.
E. Stanley Richardson (left) will portray Frederick Douglass in the Feb. 3 performance alongside Shamrock McShane as Captain John Brown. (COURTESY)

E. Stanley Richardson (left) will portray Frederick Douglass in the Feb. 3 performance alongside Shamrock McShane as Captain John Brown. (COURTESY)

Gallery showcasing live performance

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, January 17, 2023
The Gateway Art Gallery is expanding the arts showcased at the facility to a medium not bound to a canvas. The Gateway Art Gallery has scheduled a live performance of “An Evening with Frederick Douglass and Captain John Brown” as the inaugural event for its First Friday program.
Skylar Beichner center is presented with her Eagle Scout rank patch by her grandmother Ruth Kennedy (left) and mother Lodisca Beichner during a ceremony on Saturday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Skylar Beichner center is presented with her Eagle Scout rank patch by her grandmother Ruth Kennedy (left) and mother Lodisca Beichner during a ceremony on Saturday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

County’s first female Eagle Scout honored

TONY BRITT
Monday, January 16, 2023
The scouting sash covering the right shoulder and most of Skylar Beichner’s torso contained a variety of merit badges representing everything from knot-tying to camping.
The Lake City Council will consider a new long-term lease agreement with HAECO at Tuesday’s meeting. (FILE)

The Lake City Council will consider a new long-term lease agreement with HAECO at Tuesday’s meeting. (FILE)

City, HAECO deal circles for landing

TONY BRITT
Friday, January 13, 2023
A long-term lease agreement at Lake City Gateway airport is ready for a second landing attempt.
Fort White Elementary School’s Tucker Ayers shows off his awards for winning the Columbia County Spelling Bee on Friday. (COURTESY)

Fort White Elementary School’s Tucker Ayers shows off his awards for winning the Columbia County Spelling Bee on Friday. (COURTESY)

County champion is spelled Tucker Ayers

TONY BRITT
Friday, January 13, 2023
Columbia County’s top speller has more than district bragging rights. Fort White Elementary School fifth grader Tucker Ayers beat out his older brother Jakob along with 12 other competitors to win the 2023 Columbia County Spelling Bee on Friday.

Planning begins for Richardson roundup

NEWS STAFF
Friday, January 13, 2023
After a two-year hiatus, the Roundup is back in action. The Richardson Roundup Committee will host a meeting Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Richardson Recreation Center in the conference room beginning at 3 p.m. The purpose of the meeting will be to organize the upcoming roundup at the end of July.
Hunter Peeler (right), the school board member for District 5, suggested to Superintendent Lex Carswell the district resume live-streaming board meetings. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Hunter Peeler (right), the school board member for District 5, suggested to Superintendent Lex Carswell the district resume live-streaming board meetings. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

School board meetings ready for live-streaming

TONY BRITT
Thursday, January 12, 2023
The Columbia County School Board will soon be going virtual. The district plans to begin live-streaming school board meetings in the near future. Public meetings were live-streamed on YouTube two years ago during the height of the covid-19 pandemic.
An Ellianos Coffee shop serves a thirsty customer. Ellianos was recently named one of the top franchises in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 list. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

An Ellianos Coffee shop serves a thirsty customer. Ellianos was recently named one of the top franchises in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 list. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Brewing up recognition: Ellianos a top 500 franchise in new magazine rankings

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
One locally based coffee shop has earned international recognition as one of the best franchises in the world. Ellianos Coffee, based in Lake City, was named one of the top franchises in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 list.