Local

Fort White Elementary School second graders crowd Bellamy Beaver at the end of his visit to the school. (COURTESY)

Fort White Elementary School second graders crowd Bellamy Beaver at the end of his visit to the school. (COURTESY)

Bellamy delivers water conservation message

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
On April 8, classrooms at Cambridge Prep Academy and Fort White Elementary School welcomed a special guest with an important mission: teaching the next generation about water quality and conservation.
Florida Gateway College President Larry Barrett said he and Columbia County Manager David Kraus were working together to put a plan in place for 12 vacant parcels of land owned by the Lake Shore Hospital Authority. (FILE)

Florida Gateway College President Larry Barrett said he and Columbia County Manager David Kraus were working together to put a plan in place for 12 vacant parcels of land owned by the Lake Shore Hospital Authority. (FILE)

Lake Shore waiting on plans for 12 vacant lots

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
The Lake Shore Hospital Authority’s continued fire sale of real estate could heat up even further in the near future. The Authority is still considering its options related to 12 undeveloped parcels of land it owns between North Marion Avenue and NE Calhoun Avenue on its downtown campus.

County hosting sewer plant sale public hearing

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
The Columbia County Commission may decide Thursday whether or not to sell its sewer plant at the North Florida Mega Industrial Park. During the commission’s 5:30 p.m. meeting at the Keith Hudson School Board Auditorium, 372 W.

Recall election stopped; Harrell granted injunction

NEWS STAFF
Monday, April 13, 2026
The recall election in Fort White is off. Third Circuit Judge Fred Koberlein granted an injunction to Councilman Lonnie Harrell following an emergency hearing Monday in regards to the recall election for his District 2 seat on the Fort White Town Council.
Casey Roach, a lineman at the Lake City Gateway Airport, fuels a Bonanza on Friday afternoon. At least 30 of the Beechcraft airplanes are at the airport practicing for a Wisconsin air show. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Casey Roach, a lineman at the Lake City Gateway Airport, fuels a Bonanza on Friday afternoon. At least 30 of the Beechcraft airplanes are at the airport practicing for a Wisconsin air show. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

‘Bonanzas’ of visitors

TONY BRITT
Friday, April 10, 2026
The Lake City Gateway Airport is getting a bonanza of visitors this week, as a bunch of pilots who plan to participate in an air show in Wisconsin, practice maneuvers at the local airport.
Lisa Glunt, the executive director of the Leon County Humane Society, said problems at the Lake City Humane Society can trickle over to other locales, including Tallahassee. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Lisa Glunt, the executive director of the Leon County Humane Society, said problems at the Lake City Humane Society can trickle over to other locales, including Tallahassee. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Humane Society mum on animal care concerns

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Friday, April 10, 2026
Concerns about the Lake City Humane Society were heard loud and clear earlier this week. Those concerns could also lead to contract changes or enforcing of the organization’s contract with the City of Lake City.

Belmont expanding on FGC campus

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, April 10, 2026
Belmont Academy is eying an expansion with help and space from Florida Gateway College. Belmont’s Board of Directors approved in January plans to expand its high school with a location on the FGC campus and seek to amend its current charter.
A worker attaches lettering to the front of Eastside Elementary School a couple weeks ago. The new school will be open to the public for an open house Thursday hosted by the Columbia County School District. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

A worker attaches lettering to the front of Eastside Elementary School a couple weeks ago. The new school will be open to the public for an open house Thursday hosted by the Columbia County School District. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

District holding Eastside open house

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, April 10, 2026
For the past few months, construction crews has been feverishly working on the new Eastside Elementary School. Local residents will have an opportunity to see the results of that work this week when the Columbia County School District holds an open house ceremony for the new Eastside building.

Church sentenced 30 years for sexual battery

NEWS STAFF
Friday, April 10, 2026
A convicted felon is headed back to state prison after a Columbia County jury found him guilty of sexual battery Friday. The jury, consisting of five males and one female, deliberated for 1 1/2 hours Friday after hearing two days of testimony in the case against Marqui Montez Church.