Local

Gateway Art Gallery artist Jeanne Van Arsdall discusses design with CARC painter Tony Lovett. (COURTESY)

Gateway Art Gallery artist Jeanne Van Arsdall discusses design with CARC painter Tony Lovett. (COURTESY)

Gallery ‘hangs out’ with CARC clients

NEWS STAFF
Friday, October 31, 2025
Ten artists from the Gateway Art Gallery partnered up with a dozen clients of CARC, a local non-profit organization for developmentally disabled adults. During the event, clients painted Christmas ornaments which will be featured on a special Christmas tree at the Gallery in downtown Lake City.
Bonnie Smith (from left) and Doreen Waters, the late Terry Hancock’s sisters, hold flags and a sign for motorists in honor of their brother on Wednesday morning. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Bonnie Smith (from left) and Doreen Waters, the late Terry Hancock’s sisters, hold flags and a sign for motorists in honor of their brother on Wednesday morning. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Crowd gathers to honor Hancock, ‘Lake City Flag Waver’

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Sometimes in life it’s the simplest gestures that leave the longest lasting impressions. Terry Hancock was a local resident who mastered the trait.
Judy MacGrath (from left) and Sonya Rossin, members of the Lake City Garden Club, take flowers out of their planters to add them to the city’s planter. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Judy MacGrath (from left) and Sonya Rossin, members of the Lake City Garden Club, take flowers out of their planters to add them to the city’s planter. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Garden Club spruces up downtown

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Despite gray skies, misty rain and cooler temperatures, a group of Lake City residents hit the downtown area Tuesday morning hoping to add a splash of color to the local streets. Members of the Lake City Garden Club were out planting fall flowers in planters along North Marion Avenue.
Columbia County Schools Superintendent Keith Couey (left) greets Jade as Columbia County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Bailey introduces her to the school board. (COURTESY COLUMBIA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE)

Columbia County Schools Superintendent Keith Couey (left) greets Jade as Columbia County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Bailey introduces her to the school board. (COURTESY COLUMBIA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE)

K-9 Jade starts new job at school board meeting

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
The newest Columbia County Sheriff’s Office deputy doesn’t care much for decorum at public meetings. But she makes up for that by being a good girl. The CCSO officially debuted its newest employee, K-9 Jade, during the Columbia County School Board meeting Tuesday.
Columbia County Tax Collector Kyle Keen (from left), Finance Director La Gina Dow and Finance Clerk Serena Kirby accepted the Legacy Finance Award during the Florida Tax Collector’s Association’s Fall Education Conference. (COURTESY)

Columbia County Tax Collector Kyle Keen (from left), Finance Director La Gina Dow and Finance Clerk Serena Kirby accepted the Legacy Finance Award during the Florida Tax Collector’s Association’s Fall Education Conference. (COURTESY)

Tax Collector’s office receives prestigious Legacy Award

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Amid the state’s deeper looks into individual counties’ finances, the Columbia County Tax Collector’s Office is busy bringing home hardware recognizing its upkeep. Columbia County Tax Collector Kyle Keen announced Monday his office’s certificate of merit for a clean audit.
Inga Dwyer, the Toys for Tots coordinator for Columbia and Lafayette counties, holds up a pair of dolls at her new office for this year at 819 SW Alachua Avenue in Lake City. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Inga Dwyer, the Toys for Tots coordinator for Columbia and Lafayette counties, holds up a pair of dolls at her new office for this year at 819 SW Alachua Avenue in Lake City. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Toys for Tots settling into new building

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
The Toys for Tots organization serving Columbia County children will be operating in a new location for this year’s holiday season.
Columbia County Sheriff Wallace Kitchings talks about the need to renovate the Columbia County Detention Facility during Tuesday’s legislative delegation meeting. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia County Sheriff Wallace Kitchings talks about the need to renovate the Columbia County Detention Facility during Tuesday’s legislative delegation meeting. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Delegation talks public safety concerns

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Before he began addressing Columbia County’s legislative delegation Tuesday morning, Sheriff Wallace Kitchings delivered a gift to the legislators. Kitchings started off his time by handing both Sen. Jennifer Bradley (R-Fleming Island) and Rep.