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The Gainesville Pops will perform a Christmas concert Saturday as part of the Community Concerts of Lake City series. (COURTESY)

The Gainesville Pops will perform a Christmas concert Saturday as part of the Community Concerts of Lake City series. (COURTESY)

Gainesville Pops performing Saturday

NEWS STAFF
Monday, December 12, 2022
The Gainesville Pops, a group modeled after the Boston Pops, will be performing a Christmas show this weekend as part of the Community Concerts of Lake City. Gainesville Pops will perform 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Levy Performing Arts Center on the campus of Florida Gateway College.

Pedestrian hit, killed by pickup Sunday

NEWS STAFF
Monday, December 12, 2022
A Lake City man was struck by a pickup and killed while walking in northwest Columbia County on Sunday evening. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 50-year-old man was walking along NW White Springs Avenue just north of the Springville Community Center around 6:40 p.m. Sunday.
Mahendra Patel (from left), Dr. Minesh Patel and Janak Shukla stand with Jordan Gray and Todd Gray of Gray Construction during the topping-out ceremony for the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel. The Morpheus Group is the management team behind operating the new hotel, while Oasis Lake City LLC is the development group bringing the hotel to Lake City. The hotel is scheduled to open by June 2023. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Mahendra Patel (from left), Dr. Minesh Patel and Janak Shukla stand with Jordan Gray and Todd Gray of Gray Construction during the topping-out ceremony for the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel. The Morpheus Group is the management team behind operating the new hotel, while Oasis Lake City LLC is the development group bringing the hotel to Lake City. The hotel is scheduled to open by June 2023. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Celebration held by workers over finished Marriott frame

TONY BRITT
Saturday, December 10, 2022
For the last six months, construction crews have been building a new Courtyard by Marriott Hotel on US Highway 90, working toward completing the new six-story building. Friday morning the construction workers had a brief new focus.
Ilyas Rosado, 10 months, sits on Santa’s lap as Ryatt Rosado, 7, poses for a picture with Ms. Claus on Friday evening during the Cookies With Santa event. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Ilyas Rosado, 10 months, sits on Santa’s lap as Ryatt Rosado, 7, poses for a picture with Ms. Claus on Friday evening during the Cookies With Santa event. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Santa, Mrs. Claus give gifts to Lake City kids

TONY BRITT
Saturday, December 10, 2022
Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus were busy hugging children and passing out gifts Friday evening at the First Christian Church.

State pumps $6M into LC wetlands

JAMIE WACHTER
Saturday, December 10, 2022
Lake City’s treatment wetlands are expanding. As part of $75 million worth of funding for springs restoration projects announced Friday by Gov. Ron DeSantis was $6.1 million to the City of Lake City to expand its recharge wetlands.
Lake City Mayor Stephen Witt (left) presents retired Third Judicial Circuit Judge Paul S. Bryan with a proclamation honoring Bryan for his three decades of service. (ESTA EBERHARDT/Special to the Reporter)

Lake City Mayor Stephen Witt (left) presents retired Third Judicial Circuit Judge Paul S. Bryan with a proclamation honoring Bryan for his three decades of service. (ESTA EBERHARDT/Special to the Reporter)

Judge Bryan receives sendoff in Friday retirement ceremony

TONY BRITT
Saturday, December 10, 2022
Judges, law enforcement officers, friends, family and supporters from the area piled into Courtroom 1 at the Columbia County Courthouse on Friday to celebrate, commemorate and honor three decades of work by Third Judicial Circuit Judge Paul S. Bryan during his retirement ceremony.
Santa Claus (from left) gets smiles from Bentley Strickland, 9, and Carleigh Holeman, 3, during an after-hours event at the Columbia County Public Library that was attended by more the 25 children. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Santa Claus (from left) gets smiles from Bentley Strickland, 9, and Carleigh Holeman, 3, during an after-hours event at the Columbia County Public Library that was attended by more the 25 children. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Library celebrates Santa’s early arrival

TONY BRITT
Saturday, December 10, 2022
The Columbia County public library’s main branch was buzzing with excitement Friday night around closing time. It wasn’t that employees were that excited about getting off from work, it was children and their families who were arriving at the library for an after-hours event with Santa.

Detours set again for roundabout

NEWS STAFF
Friday, December 9, 2022
As construction continues on Columbia County’s first roundabout, nighttime and overnight traffic will be detoured away from U.S. Highway 41 north and Bascom Norris Drive. The Florida Department of Transportation has announced detours through Thursday from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.