Local

Hope Jernigan, an assistant superintendent with Columbia County Schools, presents the district’s strategic plan for 2023-2028 to school board members Tuesday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Hope Jernigan, an assistant superintendent with Columbia County Schools, presents the district’s strategic plan for 2023-2028 to school board members Tuesday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

CCS plans for its future

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
The Columbia County School District is getting a head start on planning for its future. During Tuesday night’s school board meeting, Hope Jernigan, an assistant superintendent for Columbia County Schools, presented an overview draft for the school district’s 5-year strategic plan for 2023-2028.

Fairgrounds hosting GOP rally tonight

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
The final campaign rally for the August primary is here. The Columbia County Republican Party’s final campaign rally will start at 6 p.m.  at the Florida Gateway Fairgrounds. A free chicken perlau dinner, courtesy of the party, will be served at 6 p.m.
Lake City Police Chief Gerald Butler (left) promoted five officers in a ceremony Tuesday. Those promoted include (from left) Cpl. Gary Borchardt, Sgt. Michael Del Castillo, Cpl. Tim Parisi, Cpl. Brandon Rose and Cpl. LaQuinta Lovick-Plemmons. Also pictured are Assistant Chief Andy Miles (Second from right) and Lt. Garrett Register (right). (COURTESY)

Lake City Police Chief Gerald Butler (left) promoted five officers in a ceremony Tuesday. Those promoted include (from left) Cpl. Gary Borchardt, Sgt. Michael Del Castillo, Cpl. Tim Parisi, Cpl. Brandon Rose and Cpl. LaQuinta Lovick-Plemmons. Also pictured are Assistant Chief Andy Miles (Second from right) and Lt. Garrett Register (right). (COURTESY)

LCPD promotes five officers

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Five Lake City police officers now have new ranks. Chief Gerald Butler promoted a new patrol sergeant and four patrol corporals during a ceremony Tuesday. Honored in the ceremony were Sgt. Michael Del Castillo, Cpl. Gary Borchardt, Cpl. LaQuinta Lovick-Plemmons, Cpl. Timothy Parisi and Cpl.

FGC enrollment back to pre-covid levels

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
A new building and fewer covid-pandemic related health concerns appear to be a few contributing factors to Florida Gateway College returning to pre-pandemic levels. According to information from FGC Wednesday afternoon, enrollment is up for the Summer and Fall terms.
Giana Rivera (left) ties a friendship bracelet around Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Stormi McAdams’s wrist during the Harmony In The Streets camp. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Giana Rivera (left) ties a friendship bracelet around Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Stormi McAdams’s wrist during the Harmony In The Streets camp. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Finding ‘Harmony’: CCSO, kids make connection in late summer camp

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
More than a dozen Columbia County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicles dotted the Richardson Sixth Grade Academy campus Tuesday morning. The deputies were not taking part in an investigation or trying to solve a crime, though.
SVEC Communications Director Jon Little unveils the new logo for Rapid Fiber Internet on Tuesday. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

SVEC Communications Director Jon Little unveils the new logo for Rapid Fiber Internet on Tuesday. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

SVEC looking to bring fiber to Columbia

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
LIVE OAK — Taking a step back in time, Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative is looking to help rural North Florida advance into the future.

CCS still hunting for teachers

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
By TONY BRITT tbritt@lakecityreporter.com School starts in two weeks but the Columbia County School District is still eyeing additional teachers. The district, which has been hiring teachers throughout the summer, looks to begin the 2022-23 school year needing 35 additional teachers.

Johnson named interim assistant city manager

TONY BRITT
Monday, July 25, 2022
A longtime city employee has a new role. Demetrius “D” Johnson, who has worked for the City of Lake City for more than 16 years, was named interim assistant city manager on Monday. Johnson was appointed to the position, effective Monday morning, by Paul Dyal, interim city manager.
Dallas Douglass, 10, a fourth-grader at Columbia City Elementary School gets a hug from CCE third-grade teacher Jennifer Jordan on Monday afternoon. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Dallas Douglass, 10, a fourth-grader at Columbia City Elementary School gets a hug from CCE third-grade teacher Jennifer Jordan on Monday afternoon. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Champion Colts cheered: CCE celebrates top-testing students with hugs, signs

TONY BRITT
Monday, July 25, 2022
COLUMBIA CITY — A band of Columbia City Elementary School teachers and administrators gathered together Monday afternoon to celebrate student growth and academic achievement.