Local

Former State Attorney Jeff Siegmeister, shown speaking to the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners previously, has been accused by federal investigators of defrauding a dead man’s estate for nearly $1 million. (FILE)

Former State Attorney Jeff Siegmeister, shown speaking to the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners previously, has been accused by federal investigators of defrauding a dead man’s estate for nearly $1 million. (FILE)

FBI: Siegmeister swindled $985K

JAMIE WACHTER
Thursday, October 1, 2020
Former State Attorney Jeff Siegmeister may lose his house following a federal investigation into his alleged public corruption found further misdeeds. According to court documents filed Wednesday in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the U.S.

Kraus named interim county head

TONY BRITT
Thursday, October 1, 2020
County officials named David Kraus as the interim county manager, effective immediately, as they set in motion their plan to search for a new head of county operations.  The search is needed following the unexpected resignation of Ben Scott earlier this week.

Lake City police arrest Va. fugitive from BLM protest

TONY BRITT
Thursday, October 1, 2020
A man accused of driving his vehicle through a crowd of Black Lives Matter demonstrators in Virginia was arrested Wednesday night in Lake City when local police responded to a disturbance call.  Emanual W. Wilder, 20, was arrested on a Virginia warrant Wednesday night.

Cops say: Dishes, fists thrown in fight

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, September 30, 2020
A Lake City couple was arrested Wednesday morning after taking their plate-and-punch throwing domestic disturbance to the streets.  According to a Lake City Police Department report, around 9:50 a.m.

United Way working to raise funds

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, September 30, 2020
There was no traditional kickoff but the United Way of Suwannee Valley is still looking to score funds. The agency’s normal fundraising campaign kickoff event was canceled in August due to the covid-19 pandemic, but the United Way is still in need of raising funds to help serve the community.

LCPD: Shooting started at apartment

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, September 29, 2020
A daytime shooting in Lake City Monday afternoon that left two with serious gunshot wounds apparently began as a disagreement at an apartment complex and ended when one of the wounded made his way to a busy intersection on U.S. Highway 90 near Northwest Ridgewood Avenue, police said Tuesday.

Bridges retiring as LCR’s editor

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, September 29, 2020
Lake City Reporter Editor Robert Bridges announced he will retire from his position with the newspaper, effective October 9. Bridges has been the paper’s editor for nine years. “Working at the Reporter has been one of the joys of my life,” Bridges said.

Commissioners surprised by Scott’s decision

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, September 29, 2020
It wasn’t the start to the work week that any of the county commissioners were expecting. After working as the county manager for the last five years, Ben Scott’s sudden resignation Monday morning caught the county commissioners off guard.

County manager Scott resigns

TODD WILSON
Monday, September 28, 2020
Columbia County Manager Ben Scott resigned his position Monday, giving commissioners a 90-day notice in writing that he intended to leave his post at the end of the year.
The Florida Gateway Fairgrounds were aglow last year by the midway at the Florida Gateway Fair, which will return next month. The fair, with additional safety measures in place, is scheduled for Oct. 30 through Nov. 7. (RAY CARPENTER PHOTOGRAPHY FILE)

The Florida Gateway Fairgrounds were aglow last year by the midway at the Florida Gateway Fair, which will return next month. The fair, with additional safety measures in place, is scheduled for Oct. 30 through Nov. 7. (RAY CARPENTER PHOTOGRAPHY FILE)

Florida Gateway Fair still on as scheduled

TONY BRITT
Monday, September 28, 2020
The Florida Gateway Fair’s bright lights, music and livestock sale aren’t going anywhere. The 66th annual Florida Gateway Fair returns to Lake City next month with a new set of shows. The fair, which is hosted by Columbia County Resources, is slated for Oct. 30-Nov.