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Former Fort White High School principal Keith Hatcher holds a ceremonial eagle plaque at his retirement party. Hatcher served as the high school’s first principal. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Former Fort White High School principal Keith Hatcher holds a ceremonial eagle plaque at his retirement party. Hatcher served as the high school’s first principal. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Hatcher departs school district after 40 years

NEWS STAFF
Friday, January 30, 2026
The Columbia School District recently hosted a retirement party for former Fort White High School principal Keith Hatcher, which took place in the school district’s Adult Education building on Thursday afternoon in Room 130.

Dyal wants city to drop pay dispute

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, January 30, 2026
Lake City’s former manager wants the city’s scrutiny of his severance payout to be over for good. Joel Foreman, the attorney for Paul Dyal, sent a letter to Guy Norris, special counsel for the city on the matter of Dyal’s severance, on Jan. 15 requesting a settlement on the matter.

Gray returns as TDC director

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, January 30, 2026
Columbia County’s new tourism director will be experiencing a homecoming. Cody Gray, a Lake City native and a former Columbia County Tourist Development Council employee, has been named the new TDC executive director. He will begin work for Columbia County on March 4.
A home on NE Webster Avenue was severely damaged Thursday morning when a fire was sparked by a space heater being used during the cold weather. (COURTESY LAKE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT)

A home on NE Webster Avenue was severely damaged Thursday morning when a fire was sparked by a space heater being used during the cold weather. (COURTESY LAKE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT)

Nobody injured in home blaze

NEWS STAFF
Friday, January 30, 2026
A single-family Lake City home was severely damaged Thursday morning when flames erupted at the house when adults left to take their children to school.

Lake City man arrested for child porn possession

NEWS STAFF
Friday, January 30, 2026
A Lake City man was arrested this week for possessing child pornography. Kevin Manuel Reyes Rosa, 26, was arrested Thursday following an investigation that began in early December, according to a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office release.
Billy Golightly (right), the broker and co-owner of Lands of North Florida Realty, receives the Lake City Board of Realtors’ Realtor of the Year award Wednesday from Brad Dicks, last year’s winner. (COURTESY)

Billy Golightly (right), the broker and co-owner of Lands of North Florida Realty, receives the Lake City Board of Realtors’ Realtor of the Year award Wednesday from Brad Dicks, last year’s winner. (COURTESY)

Golightly named Realtor of the Year

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, January 30, 2026
As he walked to the front of the Holiday Inn & Suites conference room to accept the 2026 Realtor of the Year Award, Billy Golightly took a moment.

Stalker nabbed at grocery store

NEWS STAFF
Friday, January 30, 2026
Looking for more than groceries led to a Lake City man’s arrest at Save-a-Lot on Thursday. According to a Lake City Police Department release, officers responded to the Save-a-Lot on E. Duval Street around 6:25 p.m. Thursday to a report of stalking at the store.
Florida Gateway College student Elisabeth Garcia-Gijon placed second in pathophysiology at the HOSA Springs Regional Conference on Jan. 24. (COURTESY FLORIDA GATEWAY COLLEGE)

Florida Gateway College student Elisabeth Garcia-Gijon placed second in pathophysiology at the HOSA Springs Regional Conference on Jan. 24. (COURTESY FLORIDA GATEWAY COLLEGE)

FGC student advances to state HOSA

NEWS STAFF
Friday, January 30, 2026
Florida Gateway College’s HOSA–Future Health Professionals chapter celebrated last weekend  when a member earned a trip to the state competition. FGC student Elisabeth Garcia-Gijon earned second place in pathophysiology at the HOSA Springs Regional Conference on Jan.
Construction of the new Eastside Elementary School on Baya Avenue is expected to be ready by the start of the next school year. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Construction of the new Eastside Elementary School on Baya Avenue is expected to be ready by the start of the next school year. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Eastside Elementary School construction ahead of schedule

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Towering above Baya Avenue, the new Eastside Elementary School is ahead of schedule and a point of conversation. “People talk about it all the time on that road,” Superintendent of Columbia County Schools Keith Couey said Wednesday.
Columbia School District Coordinator of College, Career and Technical Education Andrea Cox said Columbia Online is a result of “considerable” time researching the virtual school component for the district as well as gathering input from the community. (COURTESY)

Columbia School District Coordinator of College, Career and Technical Education Andrea Cox said Columbia Online is a result of “considerable” time researching the virtual school component for the district as well as gathering input from the community. (COURTESY)

District launching Columbia Online

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
The Columbia County School District is going virtual. The Columbia County School Board unanimously approved Tuesday the district launching Columbia Online, a virtual school option for students in grades 6-12, beginning with the 2026-27 school year.