Local

Tony Buzzella (center), commanding general of the Blue-Grey Army, starts off the Olustee Festival with some opening remarks Friday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Tony Buzzella (center), commanding general of the Blue-Grey Army, starts off the Olustee Festival with some opening remarks Friday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Weathering the storm: Scaled back Olustee opens amid showers

TONY BRITT
Friday, February 18, 2022
A scaled-back Olustee Festival designed to focus on food, entertainment, arts and crafts and education hit Lake City Friday morning with a sense of uniqueness.

Officials, attorneys hit gas on restoring licenses

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, February 18, 2022
Public officials and law offices want to hit the gas on getting driver’s licenses reinstated to residents in Columbia County. A driver’s license reinstatement clinic is slated for Saturday, Feb. 26, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Darby Pavilion in downtown Lake City next to Lake DeSoto.
Lake City’s Kamaya Bennett is the president of the Crown To Crown mentoring program at the University of Central Florida, which helps girls in the Orlando area. (COURTESY)

Lake City’s Kamaya Bennett is the president of the Crown To Crown mentoring program at the University of Central Florida, which helps girls in the Orlando area. (COURTESY)

Mentoring is Bennett’s crowning achievement

TONY BRITT
Friday, February 18, 2022
Serving as a “big sister” to Central Florida girls has a Lake City native looking to expand a University of Central Florida organization. Kamaya Bennett, a 22-year-old Lake City native attending UCF, has found her passion in extra-curricular activities at the school.
County Manager David Kraus could submit a letter of interest to the LSHA requesting three parcels of property to be used for a combined permitting office. (FILE)

County Manager David Kraus could submit a letter of interest to the LSHA requesting three parcels of property to be used for a combined permitting office. (FILE)

County making pitch for LSHA property

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, February 18, 2022
Desiring a simplified process for permitting development projects, Columbia County is looking to the Lake Shore Hospital Authority.

First Federal plans 60 days of giving

NEWS STAFF
Friday, February 18, 2022
In recognition of its 60th anniversary, First Federal Bank is giving back to the community for 60 days. The bank announced this week 60 days of giving during which bank employees will nominate local non-profit organizations for a drawing with a winner selected each day for 60 days.

County: time tight in finding econ head

TONY BRITT
Thursday, February 17, 2022
The process of finding Columbia County’s next economic development director is underway and time is of the essence. Glenn Hunter, who has served as the county’s economic development director since May 2014, announced last week that he would be retiring this year.

Paulk running for school board seat

JAMIE WACHTER
Thursday, February 17, 2022
With a history of giving back to the youth of Lake City and Columbia County, Zack Paulk is eyeing a new avenue to continue that same mission. Paulk has announced his candidacy for the District 5 seat on the Columbia County School Board.
Students make their way through a hallway showcasing different science fair projects Thursday afternoon at Florida Gateway College. Students had a chance to look at each other’s projects as judges deliberated their decision. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Students make their way through a hallway showcasing different science fair projects Thursday afternoon at Florida Gateway College. Students had a chance to look at each other’s projects as judges deliberated their decision. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Science fair ‘stays with them for life’

TONY BRITT
Thursday, February 17, 2022
Several youngsters from area schools were at the Wilson S. Rivers Library on the Florida Gateway College Thursday wearing business casual clothing and speaking intellectually about science.
A pair of VA associates set up a table at American Legion Post No. 57 ahead of Thursday’s event. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

A pair of VA associates set up a table at American Legion Post No. 57 ahead of Thursday’s event. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Career counseling, haircuts served to vets

TONY BRITT
Thursday, February 17, 2022
More than 50 veterans from around the area attended the Veteran Stand Down Event at American Legion Post No. 57 Thursday morning. The event, which was presented through a partnership with Career Source Florida Crown and Post 57, provided job opportunities, clothing, haircuts and food for veterans.
Construction workers continue working on the new STEM building on the Florida Gateway College campus Wednesday afternoon. The $12.8 million project is scheduled to be substantially complete by mid-April with hopes of opening in June. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Construction workers continue working on the new STEM building on the Florida Gateway College campus Wednesday afternoon. The $12.8 million project is scheduled to be substantially complete by mid-April with hopes of opening in June. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

FGC STEM building scheduled to be finished within months

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Construction crews working on Florida Gateway College’s newest building, its STEM building, continue making progress on the new building on campus and plan to have building completed within the next few months.