Local

Cheating at casino nets jail, not jackpot

JAMIE WACHTER
Saturday, September 26, 2020
Finding a broken lock on a gambling machine at a local casino, a Lake City man thought he had hit the jackpot. Instead, he is facing grand theft and fraud charges. According to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Vegas One 777 casino on South U.S.
A large crowd of festival-goers milled around Wilson Park at this past year’s Olustee Battle Festival. Lake City’s largest and oldest festival, though, was canceled for February due to health concerns from covid-19. (FILE)

A large crowd of festival-goers milled around Wilson Park at this past year’s Olustee Battle Festival. Lake City’s largest and oldest festival, though, was canceled for February due to health concerns from covid-19. (FILE)

Olustee surrenders: No downtown festival in Lake City in February

TONY BRITT
Thursday, September 24, 2020
Lake City’s largest and oldest festival, the Olustee Battle Festival, has been canceled for February 2021 because of health concerns associated with the ongoing pandemic, organizers said.
D’Andre Jefferson, holding bags of donated clothes, is hosting a clothing drive after being upset when he saw children mocked for the clothes they were wearing. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

D’Andre Jefferson, holding bags of donated clothes, is hosting a clothing drive after being upset when he saw children mocked for the clothes they were wearing. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Teens hosting clothing drive

JAMIE WACHTER
Thursday, September 24, 2020
When he saw some kids getting picked on about their clothes, D’Andre Jefferson wasn’t amused. “It’s not cool, not funny,” Jefferson said.
Scott Boisvert throws debris into a dumpster Thursday afternoon while cleaning out the old Boys Club of Columbia County facility. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Scott Boisvert throws debris into a dumpster Thursday afternoon while cleaning out the old Boys Club of Columbia County facility. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

FGC expanding corrections training at Boys Club

JAMIE WACHTER
Thursday, September 24, 2020
The former Boys Club of Columbia County is turning into a bubble. Florida Gateway College, which acquired the facility from the Lake City Rotary Club in June, is renovating the Boys Club to utilize it as a bubble for an expanded corrections officer training program.
Dispatcher Marcel Ferro (seated) uses a backup code book to explain the Lake City Fire Department’s new Fire Priority Dispatch System that went online Wednesday. Firefighter Matt Herndon, (left) Communication Supervisor Megan Hollis and LCFD Assistant Chief Joshua Wehinger look on. The new fire and rescue dispatch system trains dispatchers on how to gather more pertinent information from 911 callers quickly and pass it along to responding fire and rescue first responders. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter)

Dispatcher Marcel Ferro (seated) uses a backup code book to explain the Lake City Fire Department’s new Fire Priority Dispatch System that went online Wednesday. Firefighter Matt Herndon, (left) Communication Supervisor Megan Hollis and LCFD Assistant Chief Joshua Wehinger look on. The new fire and rescue dispatch system trains dispatchers on how to gather more pertinent information from 911 callers quickly and pass it along to responding fire and rescue first responders. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter)

Detailed Dispatch: LCFD system gathers specific info

TODD WILSON
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
The Lake City Fire Department’s Fire Priority Dispatch System went online Wednesday and now provides firefighters more detailed information about each incident while they are responding to fire and rescue calls.
Political candidates Jennifer Bradley (clockwise from left), Robby Hollingsworth and Chuck Brannan look on as Brenda Lacy, Rehabilitation Center of Lake City administrator, helps Lillian Patterson register to vote during a voter registration rally Tuesday morning at the Rehabilitation Center of Lake City. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Political candidates Jennifer Bradley (clockwise from left), Robby Hollingsworth and Chuck Brannan look on as Brenda Lacy, Rehabilitation Center of Lake City administrator, helps Lillian Patterson register to vote during a voter registration rally Tuesday morning at the Rehabilitation Center of Lake City. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Rehab Center registers new voters

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
A table featuring red, white and blue decorations was set up near the door at the Rehabilitation Center of Lake City Tuesday morning with the letters “V-O-T-E” in the center of the arrangement.
The Wilson Park amphitheater terrace with Darby Pavilion in the background basks in the afternoon sun Tuesday afternoon. City officials are pursuing a Community Development Block Grant to assist with the final improvements to the park. A stage, street lights and a new fountain in Lake DeSoto are part of the final stage upgrades the city is planning. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter)

The Wilson Park amphitheater terrace with Darby Pavilion in the background basks in the afternoon sun Tuesday afternoon. City officials are pursuing a Community Development Block Grant to assist with the final improvements to the park. A stage, street lights and a new fountain in Lake DeSoto are part of the final stage upgrades the city is planning. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter)

Fountain of funds: City eyes grant to finish Wilson Park

TODD WILSON
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
City officials hope to complete the final phase of Wilson Park’s lakefront footprint with grant money from state funds and there’s a push to be first in line with the best application.