Local

Shayne Morgan, Columbia County Emergency Management director, looks at a county map Monday afternoon in the county Emergency Operations Center as he begins to prepare for the possibility of Tropical Storm Eta impacting Columbia County. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Shayne Morgan, Columbia County Emergency Management director, looks at a county map Monday afternoon in the county Emergency Operations Center as he begins to prepare for the possibility of Tropical Storm Eta impacting Columbia County. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Emergency management preparing in case Eta heads this way

TONY BRITT
Monday, November 9, 2020
Tropical Storm Eta continues to churn in the Gulf of Mexico garnering attention from Floridians curious about where, when or if the storm will make landfall in the Sunshine State. Several recent forecast models put North Central Florida in the storm’s potential path.

County to enter the water biz

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, November 6, 2020
After years of discussions and planning, the North Florida Mega Industrial Park seemed close to becoming a magnet for industrial development. Construction on a rail spur at the site is underway and the primarily grant-funded sewer plant should be completed early in 2022.
Meally Jenkins, Christmas Dream Machine founder and director, arranges toys in the agency’s office Friday afternoon. The Christmas Dream Machine opened Sunday and has already compiled a list of 100 children to serve this holiday season. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Meally Jenkins, Christmas Dream Machine founder and director, arranges toys in the agency’s office Friday afternoon. The Christmas Dream Machine opened Sunday and has already compiled a list of 100 children to serve this holiday season. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Dream Machine begins 32nd year of Christmas giving

TONY BRITT
Friday, November 6, 2020
More than three decades have passed since Meally Jenkins first packed her Volkswagen with toys and clothes for underprivileged children in the area.
Nancy Chauncey and her husband Stanley Chauncey, of Lake City, look at names on the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall Thursday afternoon. The wall will be on display next door to the Honda of Lake City through Tuesday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Nancy Chauncey and her husband Stanley Chauncey, of Lake City, look at names on the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall Thursday afternoon. The wall will be on display next door to the Honda of Lake City through Tuesday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Moving memorial: Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall on display here

TONY BRITT
Thursday, November 5, 2020
Teresa Anderson has seen the Vietnam Memorial Wall before. But that didn’t lessen the emotions for the Lake City resident Thursday morning when the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall passed by. “It was chills and tears,” she said.

County spending full CARES allocation

JAMIE WACHTER
Thursday, November 5, 2020
After a change in the rules, Columbia County is no longer struggling to spend its CARES Act funds. Not even after the timeline to submit requests for reimbursements and a revised spending plan was shortened, either.
Young exhibitors participating in the diary heifer livestock show stand by their animals while they await questions from the show judge during the Florida Gateway Fair. The final livestock show was held Wednesday and the livestock sale is tonight. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Young exhibitors participating in the diary heifer livestock show stand by their animals while they await questions from the show judge during the Florida Gateway Fair. The final livestock show was held Wednesday and the livestock sale is tonight. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Fair’s livestock show, sale benefits youth

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, November 4, 2020
Dedication often requires quality time, effort and expense to be successful.