Local

Drake elm trees in downtown Lake City will be removed as part of a beautification project. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Drake elm trees in downtown Lake City will be removed as part of a beautification project. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

CRA Board: Downtown trees, leave

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, August 4, 2021
Described as a nuisance, the drake elm trees that line Marion St. in downtown Lake City will soon be on the chopping block.
Dianna Swisher, the Columbia County School District’s volunteer and marketing coordinator, sorts through xylophones for Ginger Norris’s renovated music room at Fort White Elementary School. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Dianna Swisher, the Columbia County School District’s volunteer and marketing coordinator, sorts through xylophones for Ginger Norris’s renovated music room at Fort White Elementary School. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Hitting all the right notes: Teachers excited over classroom makeovers

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, August 3, 2021
A pair of veteran Columbia County educators will have newly renovated classrooms when classes begin next week.

2 killed in house fire

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, August 3, 2021
A Monday morning structure fire claimed the lives of two Columbia County children and hospitalized two more children, one sent to a burn center as a result of injuries from the blaze. The two deceased victims, a boy and girl, were between the ages of 2-8 years old.
A tractor trailer hauling botted water overturned at the B&B Food Store on State Road 47 in Columbia City on Monday night. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

A tractor trailer hauling botted water overturned at the B&B Food Store on State Road 47 in Columbia City on Monday night. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Wreck spills bottled water

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, August 3, 2021
COLUMBIA CITY — Bottled water poured down in southern Columbia County on Monday night. A tractor trailer loaded down with bottled water overturned at the B&B Food Store on State Road 47 near County Road 240 around 8:37 p.m. Monday, according to a Columbia County Fire Rescue report.

CHS, FWHS cancel orientations

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, August 3, 2021
There won’t be orientation for high school students in Columbia County before classes begin next week. While Columbia County Schools are holding orientation and/or Meet the Teacher events later this week or beginning of next week before the Aug.

One killed in fiery crash

NEWS STAFF
Monday, August 2, 2021
One person was killed in a fiery crash early Sunday morning in western Columbia County. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a sedan collided with a culvert after running off SW Koonville Ave. (County Road 252A) around 2:50 a.m. Sunday.

Chamber back to drawing board

JAMIE WACHTER
Monday, August 2, 2021
The search is back on for the Lake City-Columbia County Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber hosted meet-and-greets with executive director finalists Jeffrey Hunt and Tish Sheesley on July 22-23, but the Board of Directors has instead decided to continue looking for a new director.
Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter speaks to the media at Monday’s press conference. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter speaks to the media at Monday’s press conference. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Deputy arrested for theft

JAMIE WACHTER
Monday, August 2, 2021
Following a short investigation, a Columbia County deputy has been arrested for grand theft.