Local

Branford man killed in three-vehicle crash

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
GAINESVILLE — A 41-year-old Branford man, who was stopped at a traffic signal when his vehicle was involved in a three-vehicle crash Friday, died from his injuries a few hours later, according to information released by the Florida Highway Patrol Wednesday morning. The wreck occurred at 5:55  p.m.
Kevin Treat (from left) and Josh Miller clean up around the custom wood carving they created with chainsaws for Carl Allison, who is seated on the tractor. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Kevin Treat (from left) and Josh Miller clean up around the custom wood carving they created with chainsaws for Carl Allison, who is seated on the tractor. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Stumping for art: Chainsaw carvers turn stump into custom artwork

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
A dead Live Oak tree on the driveway leading up to Carl Allison’s home has found new life. Once seemingly destined for a fire pit, the massive stump is now a work of art after a pair of northern chainsaw carving masters put their skills to the test.
Ken Wells, of Bubba’s Site Prep, uses an excavator to move dirt while prepping a site for the Westside Elementary School multi-purpose room. Construction on the project began last week and is expected to be completed by the end of summer. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Ken Wells, of Bubba’s Site Prep, uses an excavator to move dirt while prepping a site for the Westside Elementary School multi-purpose room. Construction on the project began last week and is expected to be completed by the end of summer. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Westside is building for the future

TONY BRITT
Monday, January 25, 2021
The building for the future is happening both inside and out at Westside Elementary School. In addition to developing future leaders in the school, Westside is also working on a long-awaited expansion to its campus with the addition of a multi-purpose room.

Sprucing up Lake DeSoto

TONY BRITT
Monday, January 25, 2021
Armed with two canoes, swimming pool skimmers, a horde of gloves  and initiative, Rotarians and local volunteers gave Lake DeSoto a deep cleaning.

Cops: Drunk man fled to get boss’s truck home

JAMIE WACHTER
Monday, January 25, 2021
LAKE BUTLER — A Lake Butler man had a good reason for leading authorities on a high-speed chase early Sunday morning from Fort White to his house in Union County: he was drunk and wanted to get his boss’s truck back to his shop, according to a police report.

Columbia County surpasses 7,000 covid-19 cases

NEWS STAFF
Monday, January 25, 2021
Thirty-six new cases of the covid-19 virus announced Saturday moved Columbia County past the 7,000-case mark. Add in 47 more positive tests since then and the county had 7,070 confirmed cases as of Monday morning, according to data from the Florida Department of Health.

Renting room with dead man’s ID leads to jail

JAMIE WACHTER
Monday, January 25, 2021
A Lake City inn rented a room last week to a dead person. Or at least a man using a dead person’s ID. The Lake City Police Department arrested 32-year-old David Poppell, of O’Brien, on a handful of charges that included fraud/impersonation after an incident at the Cypress Inn on U.S.