Local

Columbia County Sheriffs hold a trio of suspects at gunpoint after their vehicle fled a traffic stop following a robbery at a Dollar General Tuesday afternoon. (COURTESY CCSO)

Columbia County Sheriffs hold a trio of suspects at gunpoint after their vehicle fled a traffic stop following a robbery at a Dollar General Tuesday afternoon. (COURTESY CCSO)

Robbery suspects quickly nabbed after chase

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
Trying to make off with cash from a Dollar General in southwestern Columbia County, three Lake City individuals didn’t get far.

CCSO: Naked burglar caught just a swinging

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
A Branford man might’ve taken the idiom ‘make yourself at home’ at little too literally. William Richard Davis, 43, was arrested Monday morning after authorities say he helped himself to a dip in a victim’s pool before drying himself off au naturel on their porch swing.
Lake City Fire Chief Joshua Wehinger looks at a monitor that was added to a firetruck allowing department drivers to see whats behind the trucks. Backup cameras and monitors were recently added to five of the department’s firetrucks. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City Fire Chief Joshua Wehinger looks at a monitor that was added to a firetruck allowing department drivers to see whats behind the trucks. Backup cameras and monitors were recently added to five of the department’s firetrucks. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Backup safety plan: LCFD adds backup cameras to five firetrucks

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, August 2, 2022
The Lake City Fire Department now has a backup safety plan, literally. LCFD added another safety tool to several of its firetrucks by retrofitting backup cameras on them.
Columbia Clerk of Court Jay Swisher (right) swears in new school board member Cherie Hill ahead of Tuesday’s board meeting. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia Clerk of Court Jay Swisher (right) swears in new school board member Cherie Hill ahead of Tuesday’s board meeting. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Hill sworn in to Columbia school board

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, August 2, 2022
The Columbia County School Board is back to full strength. Cherie Hill, who was appointed to the board by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday afternoon, was sworn in during a brief ceremony Tuesday evening prior to the board’s meeting.
Baskets of donated goods sit in the halls of the American Legion Post 57 ahead of Saturday’s auction. (COURTESY)

Baskets of donated goods sit in the halls of the American Legion Post 57 ahead of Saturday’s auction. (COURTESY)

Christmas comes early for Legion Riders’ event

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, August 2, 2022
Although Santa Claus is most famous for making Christmas visits in December, local American Legion Post 57 held a weekend event where the Christmas spirit was flowing during the heat of summer.
A sign for Gateway Crossing sits at the intersection of NW Centurion Court and U.S. 90, near the proposed sites of Sonic Drive-In and RibCrib restaurants. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

A sign for Gateway Crossing sits at the intersection of NW Centurion Court and U.S. 90, near the proposed sites of Sonic Drive-In and RibCrib restaurants. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

City gives green light to Gateway Crossing plans

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, August 2, 2022
Two proposed restaurants received two thumbs up from a City of Lake City board. The city’s Planning and Zoning Board unanimously approved site plan reviews for both a Sonic Drive-In and RibCrib barbecue restaurant at its Tuesday evening meeting.

Five seriously injured in SUV crash on I-75

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, August 2, 2022
A Lake City woman and her young passengers were taken to a hospital after a tire blowout sent their vehicle tumbling off the road. According to a Florida Highway Patrol release, a 29-year-old woman was driving an SUV southbound on Interstate 75 near the 406 mile marker around 3 p.m.
HAECO Americas’ lease at the Lake City Gateway Airport is set to expire at the end of the year. Lake City Councilmembers said they’ve been negotiating a renewal. (FILE)

HAECO Americas’ lease at the Lake City Gateway Airport is set to expire at the end of the year. Lake City Councilmembers said they’ve been negotiating a renewal. (FILE)

City: HAECO rent hike to $11M

JAMIE WACHTER
Monday, August 1, 2022
Lake City officials are proposing a sky-high rate increase on HAECO Americas lease at the Lake City Gateway Airport.
Tyrone Mullins (standing), an organizer for the Community Barbers Giving Back event, works as one of 11 barbers on Sunday that provided free haircuts at the back to school event. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Tyrone Mullins (standing), an organizer for the Community Barbers Giving Back event, works as one of 11 barbers on Sunday that provided free haircuts at the back to school event. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Barbers’ event back in style

TONY BRITT
Monday, August 1, 2022
More than 500 people gathered at the Richardson Community Center on Sunday afternoon and all had the beginning of the 2022-23 school year on their mind.
The Lake City Fire Department team poses with the newly won Boots and Badges Charity Basketball trophy. (COURTESY)

The Lake City Fire Department team poses with the newly won Boots and Badges Charity Basketball trophy. (COURTESY)

LCFD answers call, wins Boots and Badges

TONY BRITT
Monday, August 1, 2022
Local first responders — known more for their exploits when it comes to saving lives than playing basketball — proved they are no pushovers on the hardwood.