Local

County receives grant for Bell Road

CARL MCKINNEY
Friday, July 17, 2020
The county is receiving $500,000 from the state to go toward a natural gas loop to serve existing and expected businesses along the Bell Road corridor, which local officials hope will become the next hotspot for economic development.
Wayne Roseke served as Lake City's fire chief from 1987-2000. He passed away Wednesday at the age of 78.

Wayne Roseke served as Lake City's fire chief from 1987-2000. He passed away Wednesday at the age of 78.

Roseke, former LCFD chief, dies

TONY BRITT
Thursday, July 16, 2020
The man credited by many with bringing the Lake City Fire Department to the modern era in firefighting died earlier this week. Former Lake City Fire Department Chief Wayne E. Roseke was 78 years old when he died at the Haven Suwannee Valley Hospice Care Center on Wednesday.
David Warren, a Wood’s Electrical Services employee, installs electrical wires in the Summers Elementary School kitchen Wednesday afternoon. The kitchen was recently gutted and will be updated for when students return to school. It’s the first major renovation project on the school’s kitchen in the past 25 years. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

David Warren, a Wood’s Electrical Services employee, installs electrical wires in the Summers Elementary School kitchen Wednesday afternoon. The kitchen was recently gutted and will be updated for when students return to school. It’s the first major renovation project on the school’s kitchen in the past 25 years. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Summers Elementary receives overhaul to kitchen, cafeteria

TONY BRITT
Thursday, July 16, 2020
When the 2020-21 school year begins, students and the kitchen staff at Summers Elementary School can expect major changes in the school’s kitchen. For the past four months the school’s kitchen and its cafeteria roof have been the area of focus for upgrades during a renovation project.

Remains identified as man missing since 1996

JAMIE WACHTER
Thursday, July 16, 2020
Remains found in Lulu in 2002 have been identified as a man reported missing in 1996. The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office received confirmation in June from the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification that the remains discovered in February 2002 in Lulu were of Keith Bamford.
An outbreak at Columbia Correctional Institution led to 306 new cases of covid-19 being confirmed in the county Wednesday.

An outbreak at Columbia Correctional Institution led to 306 new cases of covid-19 being confirmed in the county Wednesday.

Covid-19 spike tied to prison

CARL MCKINNEY
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
An outbreak at Columbia Correctional Institution is responsible for a disproportionate number of covid-19 cases in the community.
Lori Koon (clockwise from left), deputy clerk, helps Anna Marlowe, Vera Platt and Donald Platt as they complete an application for a marriage license while at the Columbia County Clerk of Courts Record Division Office on Wednesday. Due to budget cuts, the clerks office is now closed on Fridays. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Lori Koon (clockwise from left), deputy clerk, helps Anna Marlowe, Vera Platt and Donald Platt as they complete an application for a marriage license while at the Columbia County Clerk of Courts Record Division Office on Wednesday. Due to budget cuts, the clerks office is now closed on Fridays. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Clerk’s office deals with cuts

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
The Columbia County Clerk of Court Office has laid off and furloughed employees, implemented a hiring freeze and will close its office on Fridays until further notice after its budget was recently reduced by the state.
County Commission Chairman Toby Witt said there are pros and cons to consolidation.

County Commission Chairman Toby Witt said there are pros and cons to consolidation.

Should city, county consolidate?

CARL MCKINNEY
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
The proposition of combining the governments of Columbia County and Lake City is emerging as a serious debate within the community.  On Thursday, the County Commission will hold a public hearing on whether to place a non-binding straw poll on the November ballot to measure interest in the idea.