Local

The Lake City Police Department is closing some streets around Annie Mattox Park for its Easter celebration Sunday as well as having one-way traffic on Center Avenue and Patterson Avenue to help alleviate congestion. An LCPD officer was shot at last year’s event. (COURTESY)

The Lake City Police Department is closing some streets around Annie Mattox Park for its Easter celebration Sunday as well as having one-way traffic on Center Avenue and Patterson Avenue to help alleviate congestion. An LCPD officer was shot at last year’s event. (COURTESY)

Safety changes implemented for Easter event

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
New safety protocols are being implemented for the Easter event at Annie Mattox Park after a Lake City police officer was shot during last year’s celebration.
April Powell (left) and Todd Denmark, Circle of Life Assisted Living Facilities employees, unload bags of food stable items that were donated to Catholic Charities during the March Against Hunger event on Thursday afternoon. Circle of Life Assisted Living facilities contributed 1,126 canned goods to the food collection drive. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

April Powell (left) and Todd Denmark, Circle of Life Assisted Living Facilities employees, unload bags of food stable items that were donated to Catholic Charities during the March Against Hunger event on Thursday afternoon. Circle of Life Assisted Living facilities contributed 1,126 canned goods to the food collection drive. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Marching against hunger

TONY BRITT
Friday, March 27, 2026
Students on spring break. People just getting off work. Local business owners giving back to the community. Representing different parts of the community, all brought food contributions to Catholic Charities on Thursday afternoon as the local agency held its annual March Against Hunger event.

Murder charged in 2024 missing woman case

NEWS STAFF
Friday, March 27, 2026
A Columbia County man was arrested Wednesday for the murder of his girlfriend two years ago. Aaron Hokanson, 60, was arrested on a sealed warrant Wednesday, according to Columbia County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Craig Strickland.
Columbia County Commissioner Kevin Parnell, who also serves on the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council speaks out against the Water First North Florida recharge project during the council’s meeting Thursday night at Holiday Inn. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia County Commissioner Kevin Parnell, who also serves on the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council speaks out against the Water First North Florida recharge project during the council’s meeting Thursday night at Holiday Inn. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Regional planning group opposes recharge project

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Friday, March 27, 2026
Yet another regional organization is formally speaking out against a proposed water recharge project.
The Wawa convenience store on U.S. Highway 90 will celebrate its grand opening Thursday morning, including T-shirt giveaway and free coffee. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

The Wawa convenience store on U.S. Highway 90 will celebrate its grand opening Thursday morning, including T-shirt giveaway and free coffee. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Wawa set for grand opening celebration

NEWS STAFF
Friday, March 27, 2026
Bird is going to be the word next week in Lake City. The state’s newest Wawa is set to host its grand opening party on Thursday, April 2, beginning at 7:55 a.m. The grand opening will take place at the new gas station and convenience store’s location at 1518 U.S. Highway 90.

Parker, Raulerson appointed to FGC board; four reappointed

NEWS STAFF
Friday, March 27, 2026
Florida Gateway College’s governing board now has two new members. Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Chip Parker and Sherrie Raulerson to the FGC Board of Trustees on Friday while also reappointing Renae Allen, Lindsey Lander, Suzanne Norris and James Surrency for another term on the board.
Ryan Poirier (clockwise from left), 6 and Callie Poirier make a bubble wand with help from Bella Heser during the MESS-tival event at the West Branch Library on Thursday morning. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Ryan Poirier (clockwise from left), 6 and Callie Poirier make a bubble wand with help from Bella Heser during the MESS-tival event at the West Branch Library on Thursday morning. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Making a Mess-tival

TONY BRITT
Friday, March 27, 2026
Local youngsters were able to attack the doldrums of spring break by painting pictures, playing with bubbles, meeting with Bellamy Beaver and enjoying other activities as part of the Mess-tival event at the Westside Library on Thursday morning.

Toys for Tots seeks permanent location

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Columbia County Toys for Tots Coordinator Inga Dwyer is tired of moving. In Dwyer’s nine years of providing Christmas joy to children in the county through Toys for Tots, she has been housed in five different locations.
Sheri Carder (left) and Dee Etheridge have fun and share laughs while they go through a box of Freedom Rocks at the Gateway Art Gallery last month. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Sheri Carder (left) and Dee Etheridge have fun and share laughs while they go through a box of Freedom Rocks at the Gateway Art Gallery last month. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Freedom Rocks ready to be hidden around county

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Searching for and collecting rocks will become a prime pastime in the area within the next few weeks. As part of the America 250th anniversary celebration, Columbia County, the City of Lake City and Gateway Art Gallery artists partnered to give the community a “Freedom Rock” hunt.