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Garrett Morrison, left, and Destiny Evans discussed Remnant Ministries’ vision for the main Lake Shore Hospital building. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Garrett Morrison, left, and Destiny Evans discussed Remnant Ministries’ vision for the main Lake Shore Hospital building. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Religious groups seek spots at Lake Shore

The latest batch of proposals for use of the buildings at the Lake Shore Hospital Authority campus is in. While previous presentations had much more of a strict medical angle to them, the pair heard by the LSHA Board of Trustees Monday night were a bit more pious.
Columbia High School Principal Trey Hosford speaks to a packed gym full of incoming freshmen students and their parents during orientation on Monday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia High School Principal Trey Hosford speaks to a packed gym full of incoming freshmen students and their parents during orientation on Monday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Welcome to the jungle: Freshmen greeted at CHS orientation

Back-to-school shopping is mostly complete. School buses have already run their practice routes. Yet, with one day of summer vacation remaining, hundreds of students and adults converged at Columbia High School on Monday.
The Columbia County Recreation Department office is moving from Richardson Community Center to a building at the Southside Sports Complex. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

The Columbia County Recreation Department office is moving from Richardson Community Center to a building at the Southside Sports Complex. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Rec office is on the move

The Richardson Community Center has jointly served as the home of the county recreation department and a local community center for years. All that will change later this week when the county’s recreation department moves into a new home across town.

CCSO: GPS device used for stalking

If running into the same Edgewater man seemed more than a coincidence on Saturday, it’s because it was. Johnnie King Jr., 55, was arrested by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office for installing tracking devices in a victim’s vehicle as well as driving under the influence.
Columbia County Tax Collector Kyle Keen displays a proclamation explaining that his office has been designated as a Purple Heart Office. (COURTESY)

Columbia County Tax Collector Kyle Keen displays a proclamation explaining that his office has been designated as a Purple Heart Office. (COURTESY)

Showing Purple Heart: Keen designates Tax Collector's building a Purple Heart Office

Driving back from a youth baseball tournament in Missouri last summer, Kyle Keen saw the signs: literally. In small towns across the likes of Alabama and Georgia and other states in between, Keen kept seeing similar signs over and over again.
Columbia County Supervisor of Elections Tomi Brown looks over construction work for the addition of a 35-foot window that will allow voters to see into the canvassing room back in February. (FILE)

Columbia County Supervisor of Elections Tomi Brown looks over construction work for the addition of a 35-foot window that will allow voters to see into the canvassing room back in February. (FILE)

Early voting set to begin on Monday

Columbia County residents can begin casting their ballots for the upcoming primary election next week when early voting begins. Early voting begins Monday, Aug. 8  and will conclude on Saturday, Aug. 20. Voters will be able to cast ballots from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
K9 Deputy Chaos holds a piece of equipment in his jaws while suited in CCSO attire. (COURTESY CCSO)

K9 Deputy Chaos holds a piece of equipment in his jaws while suited in CCSO attire. (COURTESY CCSO)

Sheriff’s office gets new K9 deputy in Chaos

There’s a new dog in town. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office officially announced one of its newest deputies on Wednesday, when K9 Deputy Chaos joined the ranks of the CCSO.
Todd Kennon with Robinson, Kennon & Kendron (right) and Scott Walker of Folds Walker in Gainesville proposed teaming up to serve as the City of Lake City attorney at Thursday’s Lake City Council meeting. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Todd Kennon with Robinson, Kennon & Kendron (right) and Scott Walker of Folds Walker in Gainesville proposed teaming up to serve as the City of Lake City attorney at Thursday’s Lake City Council meeting. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City Council considers new counselors

The City of Lake City may have found an attorney — or two — to fill their soon-to-be-vacated counsel post.

Open houses scheduled for CCS sites

Class doesn’t begin until Wednesday, but Columbia County Schools will be full of students on Monday. Most of the schools in the district will holding Meet the Teacher or Open House events Monday, welcoming back students in preparation for the 2022-23 academic year.
A group of Florida Gateway College graduates celebrate during the college’s graduation ceremony on May 6. (FILE)

A group of Florida Gateway College graduates celebrate during the college’s graduation ceremony on May 6. (FILE)

FGC ready for inaugural summer graduation ceremony

Florida Gateway College will hold its first-ever summer commencement ceremony for students graduating in Summer of 2022. The Summer 2022 Commencement will take place 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the FGC Howard Center (Building 10).