Local

The Columbia County Redistricting Committee submitted this map for the BOCC’s consideration. (COURTESY)

The Columbia County Redistricting Committee submitted this map for the BOCC’s consideration. (COURTESY)

Committee maps out voting districts

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Columbia County’s voting districts for the next decade may be all mapped out. Or not. The Columbia County Redistricting Committee has presented a map for the Board of County Commissioners’ consideration during Thursday’s 5:30 p.m.
Annie Mattox Park reopened Tuesday after a Monday evening meeting by the park's board. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Annie Mattox Park reopened Tuesday after a Monday evening meeting by the park's board. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Annie Mattox opens back up after closing following weekend shooting

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
The temporary closing of Annie Mattox Park was brief. Closed Sunday evening after a shooting incident in the area, the park was reopened Tuesday morning after the park’s board of directors met Monday night.

District: Get the vaccine, get paid

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Columbia County educators won’t be mandated to receive the covid-19 vaccine. But those teachers and staff that do receive the shot(s) may get an extra injection of money, too.
City Council Member Todd Sampson (left) discusses an item at Monday’s budget workshop. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

City Council Member Todd Sampson (left) discusses an item at Monday’s budget workshop. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Council: No across board raises

TONY BRITT
Monday, August 30, 2021
During its lone budget workshop Monday, the Lake City Council settled on raises for some city staff as well as addressing other staffing needs including setting aside funding for additional K-9 officers.
Annie Mattox Park Board President Grover Lewis posted on Facebook Sunday evening that the park would be closed indefinitely after a weekend shooting. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Annie Mattox Park Board President Grover Lewis posted on Facebook Sunday evening that the park would be closed indefinitely after a weekend shooting. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Shooting shuts Annie Mattox park

TONY BRITT
Monday, August 30, 2021
Annie Mattox Park has been closed by its board of directors following a weekend shooting incident. Park officials have not set a date for when the park will reopen.

Hotel guest stabbed by homeless man

NEWS STAFF
Monday, August 30, 2021
A hotel guest got an unwanted wakeup call Friday morning. Authorities say a homeless man broke into a room at the Howard Johnson on W. U.S. Highway 90 around 7:30 a.m. Friday and cut the man inside with a knife.
Interim city manager Ami Mitchell Fields. (FILE)

Interim city manager Ami Mitchell Fields. (FILE)

City to discuss proposed budget Monday

TONY BRITT
Friday, August 27, 2021
City officials are scheduled to hold a Monday afternoon workshop to discuss the city’s 2021-22 budget which includes proposed salary increases for city employees as well as city council members. The meeting has been scheduled for 4 p.m.
Suwannee County has the fourth highest rate in Florida with Hamilton County fifth.

Suwannee County has the fourth highest rate in Florida with Hamilton County fifth.

Suwannee, Hamilton among worst covid rates in the state; Columbia’s cases down

NEWS STAFF
Friday, August 27, 2021
Columbia County has relinquished its hold on the state’s highest covid-19 rate. After two straight weeks of posting the highest rate of new cases in Florida, Columbia County fell to 13th from Aug. 20 through Thursday with 771 new cases of the virus for a rate of 1,081.5 per 100,000 population.