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City Hall, parks countywide closed due to coronavirus.

City Hall, parks countywide closed due to coronavirus.

Coronavirus: City Hall, parks countywide now closed

CARL MCKINNEY
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Lake City Hall and a swath of recreational spaces are closed to the public, as local shutdowns ramp up in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.  City Hall announced Thursday that, starting today, the building would be cordoned off to the general population.
Nine test negative in county for coronavirus, says DOH.

Nine test negative in county for coronavirus, says DOH.

Coronavirus: Nine test negative in county, says DOH

CARL MCKINNEY
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Nine people in Columbia County have tested negative for COVID-19, according to the Florida Department of Health,  A story in yesterday’s edition of the Lake City Reporter said that at least 10 COVID-19 test results were pending for Columbia County.

Five Below clerk faces theft charges

TONY BRITT
Thursday, March 19, 2020
A local store clerk who said she’s been having a rough go and was living in a shed was jailed Saturday for allegedly pocketing $459 from the store. Candace Lynn Berry, 34, of North West Ella Allen Court, faces larceny charges in connection with the case.
Chick-fil-A employees take orders and payment from customers Wednesday afternoon as patrons form a line in their vehicles. The eatery is not allowing customers in its dining room and only providing drive through services because of the COVID-19 global pandemic. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Chick-fil-A employees take orders and payment from customers Wednesday afternoon as patrons form a line in their vehicles. The eatery is not allowing customers in its dining room and only providing drive through services because of the COVID-19 global pandemic. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Coronavirus: State of emergency declared in county

CARL MCKINNEY
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
A state of emergency has been declared by both Columbia County and Lake City officials, a move that will allow the two local governments to bypass some of the red tape that would have otherwise slowed their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coronavirus: At least 10 tests pending in county

CARL MCKINNEY
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Health officials won’t disclose how many pending COVID-19 tests there are for Columbia County, but lab results had yet to come back for at least 10 samples as of Wednesday afternoon, according to a high-ranking first responder.
Lyndsey Jones, APRN at Baya Urgent Care in Lake City, speaks with a patient via a TeleMedicine video call Tuesday afternoon. The company launched the video chat service to ease patients’ fears over COVID-19 and give them a safe option for treatment without being exposed to others in waiting rooms at clinics and doctor’s offices. The service also provides a safe option for a question screening for people who fear they may have the COVID-19 coronavirus. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter)

Lyndsey Jones, APRN at Baya Urgent Care in Lake City, speaks with a patient via a TeleMedicine video call Tuesday afternoon. The company launched the video chat service to ease patients’ fears over COVID-19 and give them a safe option for treatment without being exposed to others in waiting rooms at clinics and doctor’s offices. The service also provides a safe option for a question screening for people who fear they may have the COVID-19 coronavirus. (TODD WILSON/Lake City Reporter)

TeleMedicine to the rescue: A better way to find out if it’s just the flu or maybe the coronavirus

TODD WILSON
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
An expert, local assessment of flu-like symptoms could be as close as the smart phone in the palm of your hand, your tablet or a video conference on your laptop computer.