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TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson smiles as he speaks Wednesday during a Lake City-Columbia County Chamber of Commerce Coffee and Commerce event. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson smiles as he speaks Wednesday during a Lake City-Columbia County Chamber of Commerce Coffee and Commerce event. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

State ag commish touts food security efforts

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
The Florida Department of Agriculture’s role in everything from farming to hurricane recovery to economics and addressing the needs of residents was addressed Tuesday morning over coffee and discussions of commerce.
Residents pose in front of the MUSE Candle Studio storefront ahead of Friday’s Ghouls Night Out event in downtown Lake City. (COURTESY)

Residents pose in front of the MUSE Candle Studio storefront ahead of Friday’s Ghouls Night Out event in downtown Lake City. (COURTESY)

Shoppers, city ready for Ghouls Night Out

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
\The local downtown area is expected to come to life, after normal business hours, when several businesses, vendors, food trucks and others collaborate for a night of entertainment and shopping.
Ryan Pursel arranges pumpkins on a pallet at the Columbia High School Pumpkin Patch. Local FFA students are trying to sell the 1,502 pumpkins as a fundraiser. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Ryan Pursel arranges pumpkins on a pallet at the Columbia High School Pumpkin Patch. Local FFA students are trying to sell the 1,502 pumpkins as a fundraiser. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Patch ready for picking

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Several Columbia High School and Lake City Middle School FFA students spent Tuesday afternoon creating a fall atmosphere in a local lot.
Charlie Stermer (from left) holds a LifeVac Airway Clearance Device while standing with Ed Carter, Fort White Elementary School principal, and Aubrie Brown, holds a bag with another of the devices. (COURTESY)

Charlie Stermer (from left) holds a LifeVac Airway Clearance Device while standing with Ed Carter, Fort White Elementary School principal, and Aubrie Brown, holds a bag with another of the devices. (COURTESY)

Clearing airways and nerves

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Monday was a training day for several local educators with life-saving training methods. Although the teachers and other staff members were not instructing students, they were learning how to potentially save a student’s life if the child encountered a chocking hazard.
The White Springs Farm and Livestock Auction will host its Autumn at the Auction event on Saturday. (COURTESY)

The White Springs Farm and Livestock Auction will host its Autumn at the Auction event on Saturday. (COURTESY)

Carving for a cause

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
WHITE SPRINGS — A southern Hamilton County business is giving local youngsters an opportunity to create art this weekend by carving pumpkins during a community event.
Lake City native Adam Sanders stands in New York as part of a promotional visit for the CBS reality show, ‘The Road,’ which features Sanders and other up-and-coming country musicians. (COURTESY)

Lake City native Adam Sanders stands in New York as part of a promotional visit for the CBS reality show, ‘The Road,’ which features Sanders and other up-and-coming country musicians. (COURTESY)

Sanders hitting ‘The Road’

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
A native son of Lake City, Adam Sanders is returning to his hometown. In a manner of speaking, anyway. Sanders is getting ready for his television debut on the upcoming reality TV series, ‘The Road,’ on Sunday.
Jayden Burch was fingerprinted after being convicted for second degree murder last month. He was sentenced to life in prison on Monday. (FILE)

Jayden Burch was fingerprinted after being convicted for second degree murder last month. He was sentenced to life in prison on Monday. (FILE)

Teen murderer sentenced to life

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
A teen convicted of killing a 12-year-old two years ago will now spend the rest of his life in prison. Third Judicial Circuit Judge Leandra Johnson imposed a life sentence on 17-year-old Jayden Burch on Monday for his second degree murder conviction in the shooting death of Mariah Smith.
Third Judicial Circuit Court Judge Fred Koberlein listens to an attorney during a September hearing in the Cory Mills-Lindsey Langston case. (JOE BURBANK/Orlando Sentinel)

Third Judicial Circuit Court Judge Fred Koberlein listens to an attorney during a September hearing in the Cory Mills-Lindsey Langston case. (JOE BURBANK/Orlando Sentinel)

Restraining order issued against U.S. Rep. Mills

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
A sitting Congressman must not only physically stay away from Miss United States, but he’s not allowed to reference her on social media either. Third Judicial Circuit Court Judge Fred Koberlein issued an injunction for protection against dating violence against U.S. Rep.
Lake City’s Joseph Demaio won $500,000 in the Cash Blowout scratch-off game from the Florida Lottery last month. (COURTESY FLORIDA LOTTERY)

Lake City’s Joseph Demaio won $500,000 in the Cash Blowout scratch-off game from the Florida Lottery last month. (COURTESY FLORIDA LOTTERY)

Lake City man wins $500K in Lottery

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
A Lake City man won half a million dollars last month in a Florida Lottery scratch-off. Joseph Demaio, 50, claimed his $500,000 prize from the Cash Blowout scratch-off game at the Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee on Sept. 17, the lottery announced Monday.
Lake Shore Hospital Authority Treasurer/Secretary Don Kennedy said he was happy to hear Meridian Healthcare's Board of Directors was in favor of addendums to its contract to take over the LSHA's main hospital building. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Lake Shore Hospital Authority Treasurer/Secretary Don Kennedy said he was happy to hear Meridian Healthcare's Board of Directors was in favor of addendums to its contract to take over the LSHA's main hospital building. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Meridian nearly set to receive hospital building

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
By all accounts, the new language inserted into a proposed deal between Meridian Healthcare, the City of Lake City and the Lake Shore Hospital Authority is agreeable to all involved. The LSHA heard from Meridian President/CEO Lauren Cohn during its Monday meeting.