Local

Residents and local officials attend Thursday’s County Commission meeting. The big item of the night was a proposed noise ordinance, which was tabled so the board could iron out more details. (CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter)

Residents and local officials attend Thursday’s County Commission meeting. The big item of the night was a proposed noise ordinance, which was tabled so the board could iron out more details. (CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter)

Proposed ordinance: Noise regs need more work

CARL MCKINNEY
Thursday, June 18, 2020
A deal may be carved out to exclude a local race track from a county noise ordinance in the works.
Lake Shore Hospital. (FILE)

Lake Shore Hospital. (FILE)

Buyout offer for Lake Shore hospital lease is $7.5M

CARL MCKINNEY
Thursday, June 18, 2020
The healthcare company that operates Lake Shore Hospital has proposed the terms under which it wants to divorce itself from the facility.  The brick-and-mortar hospital building is owned by taxpayers and overseen by the Lake Shore Hospital Authority.
Helfenberger

Helfenberger

City refi deal will save a bundle

CARL MCKINNEY
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
After securing a more favorable interest rate on some existing debt, the city is poised to save millions.  The debt, which was taken out at least 10 years ago for utility revenue bonds, has been refinanced through JPMorgan Chase at an interest rate of 1.
County charter board members hold the first of three hearings Wednesday. A proposal dealing with a controversial spending practice moved forward to another hearing, as did three other proposals. (CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter)

County charter board members hold the first of three hearings Wednesday. A proposal dealing with a controversial spending practice moved forward to another hearing, as did three other proposals. (CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter)

CRC backs down on 1 of its proposals

CARL MCKINNEY
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
A measure that would limit county commissioners’ power to wield the public purse strings moved forward on Wednesday,  along with several other proposed charter amendments.

5 CRC ballot items up for review

CARL MCKINNEY
Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Voters have the chance to lay down five new commandments that the government of Columbia County must abide by.  A package of five charter amendment proposals are ready to be taken up by the county’s charter review board during a series of public hearings, with the first one scheduled for today.

Cops: Man tased after foot chase

CARL MCKINNEY
Tuesday, June 16, 2020
A foot chase on Monday night ended with deputies using a taser to subdue a suspect involved in a traffic stop where drugs were found, deputies say.  Jawan Rasheed Dunmore, 23, of Southwest Musket Place, was a passenger in a white Toyota truck that was seen running a stop sign a little before 7 p.m.
A Confederate monument in downtown Lake City continues to be a source of controversy. Some want it relocated to either the battlefield where the soldiers it honors were killed or the cemetery where they are buried, while others want it to stay where it is. (STAFF)

A Confederate monument in downtown Lake City continues to be a source of controversy. Some want it relocated to either the battlefield where the soldiers it honors were killed or the cemetery where they are buried, while others want it to stay where it is. (STAFF)

Possible removal of Civil War monument taken off agenda, but City Council takes comments regardless

CARL MCKINNEY
Monday, June 15, 2020
The debate over Confederate symbols played out during an online Lake City Council meeting Monday, when a proposal to relocate a monument by the downtown county courthouse generated a surge of interest on both sides of the issue.