Local

OUR OPINION: Keep police funding right where it is

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, August 19, 2020
The social justice warriors who always have something to say at City Council meetings have gone too far with their suggestion to defund the Lake City Police Department. The suggestion was made by a local activist Sylvester Warren on Monday night and it is ludicrous. Mr.

Headed back to the big screen

CARL MCKINNEY
Wednesday, August 19, 2020
Sick of streaming movies at home? Miss that big-screen experience?  If you do, then there’s good news.  Regal Cinemas is reopening theaters nationwide, including the one in Lake City. The local Regal 90 will welcome audiences back on Friday, Aug. 28.

Retiree loses life savings to scam

CARL MCKINNEY
Wednesday, August 19, 2020
It’s one of the most common scam tactics in the age of the personal computer, and it’s still going strong but with a new twist.  First, the victim gets a phone call or email from a hacker pretending to be an employee with a tech giant like Microsoft or Apple.

Library hosting youth art contest

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, August 19, 2020
Local youngsters who have a penchant for creating artwork will have an opportunity to showcase their skills in the inaugural Columbia County Public Library 2020 Youth Art Contest. The contest is open to youngsters 10-18 years old who are amateur artists. There is no fee to enter the competition.
Noah Walker, right, congratulates Jake Hill after the election results came in Tuesday night for the City Council District 12 seat. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Noah Walker, right, congratulates Jake Hill after the election results came in Tuesday night for the City Council District 12 seat. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Durrett, Keen, Murphy win

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
It was a good night to be an incumbent. A pair of incumbents retained their seats on the County Commission, while a third is headed to a runoff for his seat. Incumbents also won re-election to the Lake City Council and the Columbia County School Board.
Todd Sampson, waving to traffic along Duval Street on Tuesday afternoon, is headed to a runoff election for the City Council District 13 seat. (CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter)

Todd Sampson, waving to traffic along Duval Street on Tuesday afternoon, is headed to a runoff election for the City Council District 13 seat. (CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter)

Hill keeps his seat; Sampson, Crenshaw in runoff

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Jake Hill won the City Council District 12 race against political newcomer Noah Walker by a scant 22 votes to claim his third term as a city councilman. The three-way race for the District 13 seat on the City Council — James Crenshaw, Alden Rosner and C.

Hudson wins 12th term on School Board

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Incumbent school board member Keith Hudson, who was facing political first-timer Michael Jenkins, for the Columbia County School Board District 4 seat, earned another four-year term in Tuesday’s primary election. Hudson captured a lion-share of the vote with 1,450 votes, 66.
Kyle Keen hugs his wife, Brandi, Tuesday night outside the Supervisor of Elections office after winning the Tax Collector’s primary race. With the win, Keen advances to November’s general election. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Kyle Keen hugs his wife, Brandi, Tuesday night outside the Supervisor of Elections office after winning the Tax Collector’s primary race. With the win, Keen advances to November’s general election. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Keen wins round 1 for tax collector

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
In a race full of experience, Republican voters chose Kyle Keen on Tuesday. Keen won the three-way Republican primary with 4,892 votes — 59.66% — to down Amy Overstreet (1,803 votes, 21.99%) and Marsha Moore (1,505 votes, 18.35%). “It feels good,” Keen said of the primary win.

Council accepts Blanche deal

CARL MCKINNEY
Monday, August 17, 2020
A $75,000 settlement deal between the developers of the Blanche Hotel, which was accused of failing to fulfill contractual obligations on time, was approved Monday night by the Lake City Council.