Local

County Manager David Kraus speaks at a prior meeting. (FILE)

County Manager David Kraus speaks at a prior meeting. (FILE)

County to assess fees, budget at hearing

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
Columbia County officials look to take the first step toward final approval of the county’s $55 million general fund budget in addition to the other funds that comprise the fiscal budget for 2022-23 today.
Councilman Todd Sampson leaves the dais as City Manager Paul Dyal speaks near the end of the Lake City Council meeting Tuesday. Sampson would return to his seat to respond to Dyal. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Councilman Todd Sampson leaves the dais as City Manager Paul Dyal speaks near the end of the Lake City Council meeting Tuesday. Sampson would return to his seat to respond to Dyal. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Profanity, threats, chaos at city meeting

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, September 6, 2022
What started as a fairly innocuous Lake City Council meeting quickly turned to name-calling, expletive-laced legal threats and, eventually, near-violence. Tuesday’s council meeting saw a handful of ordinances and resolutions passed, including awarding a $2.
A Lake City firefighter rings a bell commemorating the times that planes struck the Twin Towers and Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, during last year’s Patriot Day ceremony. (FILE)

A Lake City firefighter rings a bell commemorating the times that planes struck the Twin Towers and Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, during last year’s Patriot Day ceremony. (FILE)

Patriot Day memorial ceremony planned

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, September 6, 2022
More than two decades ago terrorist-hijacked jets were strategically crashed into the World Trade Center Twin Towers and the Pentagon while another airliner crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Hundreds of first responders and victims of the terrorist attacks were killed on Sept.
Columbia County firefighters Jessica Islam (center) and Bryan King (right) work with the Hurst Jaws of Life as Tyler Dorris (left) looks on Tuesday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia County firefighters Jessica Islam (center) and Bryan King (right) work with the Hurst Jaws of Life as Tyler Dorris (left) looks on Tuesday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

CCFR gets hands-on experience with new rescue tools

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, September 6, 2022
Opening a car door took on new meaning for a group of Columbia County firefighters Tuesday. The group was getting versed in using more than $30,000 worth of new rescue tools used for extrication.
Seraph Brass opens the Community Concerts of Lake City season Friday night. (COURTESY)

Seraph Brass opens the Community Concerts of Lake City season Friday night. (COURTESY)

New shows, new venue for Community Concerts

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, September 6, 2022
Now entering its 54th season of “Providing the Magic of Live Entertainment at an Affordable Price,” Community Concerts of Lake City announces a venue change and also the lineup of this season’s upcoming concerts.

Detours returning to U.S. 41 roundabout site

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, September 6, 2022
Traffic will detour away from the roundabout on U.S. Highway 41 North again this week. The Florida Department of Transportation will detour traffic from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily through Friday. Over the weekend, detours will be in place from 7 p.m. Friday though Monday at 6 a.m.

CCSO SUV involved in evening crash

NEWS STAFF
Monday, September 5, 2022
An evening car wreck at a busy Lake City intersection didn’t result in any major injuries, though it did turn some heads. According to a Florida Highway Patrol release, the driver of a white pickup truck was waiting at the traffic light at the intersection of U.S.
Po’Boy cools off after his rescue from a tree. (COURTESY)

Po’Boy cools off after his rescue from a tree. (COURTESY)

Signage company frees dog from tree

JAMIE WACHTER
Saturday, September 3, 2022
WELLBORN — While he wasn’t up in a limb with Po’Boy, Glenn Allen Burd was stuck. After his dog ended up three stories high in a tree after chasing a cat, the Wellborn man didn’t know where to turn or what to do. He didn’t have a ladder high enough to reach Po’Boy.