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Fowler & Simon

Pair busted for drugs after traffic stop

NEWS STAFF
Thursday, March 11, 2021
A routine traffic stop led to a major narcotics bust by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.  According to a CCSO report, an officer pulled over an SUV traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 441 near SW Hermitage Glenn after it failed to stop at a stop sign and for malfunctioning taillights.
Madison DeSantis (from left), Casey Desantis and Gov. Ron DeSantis talk to Summers Elementary School students Thursday morning after the governor held a press conference at the Southside Sports Complex, across the street from Summers Elementary School, detailing recent covid vaccine distribution successes. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Madison DeSantis (from left), Casey Desantis and Gov. Ron DeSantis talk to Summers Elementary School students Thursday morning after the governor held a press conference at the Southside Sports Complex, across the street from Summers Elementary School, detailing recent covid vaccine distribution successes. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Summers receives surprise visit from governor

TONY BRITT
Thursday, March 11, 2021
Their fingers and faces pressed against the school’s fence, several  Summers Elementary School students attempted to eavesdrop on Gov. Ron DeSantis’s press conference about covid-19 vaccines Thursday morning. When the press conference ended, the students gave a loud round of applause.
Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to the media during a Thursday morning press conference at Southside Sports Complex, where he gave an update regarding the state’s covid vaccine effort. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to the media during a Thursday morning press conference at Southside Sports Complex, where he gave an update regarding the state’s covid vaccine effort. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

DeSantis delivers good news, J&J vaccine in local stop

TONY BRITT
Thursday, March 11, 2021
Gov. Ron DeSantis stopped in Lake City Thursday morning and came bearing gifts.
Ray Robinson sets up a row of chairs Wednesday afternoon while preparing the Florida Gateway Fairgrounds Rodeo Arena for the Florida Gateway Pro Rodeo, which takes place this weekend. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Ray Robinson sets up a row of chairs Wednesday afternoon while preparing the Florida Gateway Fairgrounds Rodeo Arena for the Florida Gateway Pro Rodeo, which takes place this weekend. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Florida Gateway Pro Rodeo returns this weekend

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
The Florida Gateway Pro Rodeo was the last rodeo held in the state a year ago before covid-19 caused wide-spread shutdowns. The annual event will return this weekend with all the excitement, amusement and beauty the local rodeo has brought to the area for close to three decades.

Suwannee River Jam canceled

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
LIVE OAK —Unfortunately for country music fans, an encore covid-19 performance has derailed the Suwannee River Jam again. Teena Peavey, the general manager of the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, announced the decision in a release issued Wednesday.

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.