Local

Wild ride leads to arrest

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
A wild ride late one January night finally caught up to a Lake City man. Christopher Lee Petty, 35, was arrested Tuesday on a warrant stemming from a Jan. 30 incident in which he fled from officers on his motorcycle, reaching speeds up to 100 miles per hour.

LC slugger charged with battery

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Mighty Casey might have struck out, but not a Lake City man, according to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. Chad Chambers, 38, was arrested Tuesday morning for aggravated battery after hitting a victim in the head with a baseball bat during a disturbance at the Motel 8 on State Road 47.
Lake City’s Brian Boatright (right) competed with Team Extinguisher on BattleBots in the 2020 season. John Flaacke IV (second from right) is the team’s captain and his father John III and brother Ben were also on the team. (COURTESY)

Lake City’s Brian Boatright (right) competed with Team Extinguisher on BattleBots in the 2020 season. John Flaacke IV (second from right) is the team’s captain and his father John III and brother Ben were also on the team. (COURTESY)

Let the Bot Battle begin: Lake City’s Boatright enjoys BattleBots experience

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
It was an admittedly crazy idea. In 2019, Lake City’s Brian Boatright volunteered to spend three months in Orlando working at Maker Faire Orlando. The payoff? Pretty crazy too. Those three months turned into an opportunity for Boatright to join Team Extinguisher in the 2020 BattleBots season.
More than 200 vaccine doses were administered to veterans Tuesday at the American Legion Post 57 during a vaccine drive held by the Legion and the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System.

More than 200 vaccine doses were administered to veterans Tuesday at the American Legion Post 57 during a vaccine drive held by the Legion and the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System.

Legion, VA partner for walk-in vaccine drive

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Recent state and federal orders allowed greater access to the covid-19 vaccine.
Ronnie Collins (back row, far left), Columbia’s Top Talent founder, stands with local artists scheduled to compete in Friday’s contest. Singers scheduled to compete in the event are (in no particular order) Serenity Camiel, Jasmine Mosley, Daniel Fulton, Kerry Polingo, Tariq Shiver, Tristian Pentomino, James Williamson, Faith Ingram, Joanna Robertson and Cai’Laina Mobley. (COURTESY)

Ronnie Collins (back row, far left), Columbia’s Top Talent founder, stands with local artists scheduled to compete in Friday’s contest. Singers scheduled to compete in the event are (in no particular order) Serenity Camiel, Jasmine Mosley, Daniel Fulton, Kerry Polingo, Tariq Shiver, Tristian Pentomino, James Williamson, Faith Ingram, Joanna Robertson and Cai’Laina Mobley. (COURTESY)

Showing off their abilities: Columbia’s Top Talent Round 2 slated for Friday.

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Only five slots are available, but there will be eight singers competing for those sacred spots. So singers hitting the stage at Friday night’s Columbia’s Top Talent contest will be looking to blow the roof off the joint with their vocal abilities.

LCMC parent company honored for ethics

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
HCA Healthcare has been recognized as one of the 2021 World’s Most Ethical Companies. HCA, the parent company of Lake City Medical Center, earned the recognition from Ethisphere for the 11th time.
The Tri-County Veterans Fund raised more than $37,000 from donations at the Suwannee Lights’ military display at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park. SOSMP General Manager Teena Peavey presented the group with a check for $37,539.51 last month. Pictured are Pat Walsh, from left, Peavey, Russ Carson, Jim Kennedy, Jenny Parcels and Charles Tedesco. (COURTESY)

The Tri-County Veterans Fund raised more than $37,000 from donations at the Suwannee Lights’ military display at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park. SOSMP General Manager Teena Peavey presented the group with a check for $37,539.51 last month. Pictured are Pat Walsh, from left, Peavey, Russ Carson, Jim Kennedy, Jenny Parcels and Charles Tedesco. (COURTESY)

Marines raise $37K during Suwannee Lights event

NEWS STAFF
Monday, March 8, 2021
A group of local Marines raised more than $37,000 from the military display in the Suwannee Lights at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park. Last month, SOSMP General manager Teena Peavey presented a check for $37,539.
Patricia Starnes, the Columbia High School FFA advisor and agriculture teacher (left) and Kinsley Coleman, a ninth-grader and Columbia FFA Jr. Chapter member, bottle feed “Cletus”, a new born goat that’s about a month old, at the school’s land lab Monday afternoon. The school’s FFA program, which raises goats, has had 18 kids born in 2021. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Patricia Starnes, the Columbia High School FFA advisor and agriculture teacher (left) and Kinsley Coleman, a ninth-grader and Columbia FFA Jr. Chapter member, bottle feed “Cletus”, a new born goat that’s about a month old, at the school’s land lab Monday afternoon. The school’s FFA program, which raises goats, has had 18 kids born in 2021. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

CHS FFA just kidding around

TONY BRITT
Monday, March 8, 2021
The Columbia High School FFA program is weeding its way through a kid population increase. The kid population increase is not new students joining the FFA program, but rather a large number of baby goats that were born in 2021.
Helfenberger: "It doesn’t close the door to working with the county on this or any other issues."

Helfenberger: "It doesn’t close the door to working with the county on this or any other issues."

City: We’ll still work with county

TONY BRITT
Monday, March 8, 2021
Despite Columbia County terminating working arrangements with the City of Lake City last week, city officials indicate they still plan to work with the county on local projects.
Florida Power & Light recently built three electric vehicle recharging stations, including one in Lake City at 3221 W. U.S. Highway 90. (COURTESY)

Florida Power & Light recently built three electric vehicle recharging stations, including one in Lake City at 3221 W. U.S. Highway 90. (COURTESY)

FPL opens vehicle charging station

NEWS STAFF
Monday, March 8, 2021
Drivers of electric vehicles can get a quick recharge locally thanks to Florida Power & Light. FPL announced the completion of three new electric vehicle charging port locations last week, including one in Lake City.