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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. (TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE)

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. (TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE)

DeSantis orders schools closed rest of academic year

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Saturday, April 18, 2020
FORT LAUDERDALE — Governor Ron DeSantis said Saturday that schools would remain closed for rest of the academic year, calling it a fairly easy decision since the prospect of reopening for just a few weeks in May offered little academic benefit.

Robbed of the prom

TODD WILSON
Saturday, April 18, 2020
The dress is light pink satin, floor length, with a slight train. It’s pleated and fits exquisitely. From the second she tried it on, it was close to perfect. Only minor alterations were needed.
Five deaths and 23 instances of hospitalization were reported for Suwannee County. In Columbia County, there were no deaths and four cases involving hospitalization.

Five deaths and 23 instances of hospitalization were reported for Suwannee County. In Columbia County, there were no deaths and four cases involving hospitalization.

Suwannee hits 87, Columbia 35

CARL MCKINNEY
Friday, April 17, 2020
Suwannee County had 87 confirmed covid-19 cases as of Friday evening, while Columbia County was up to 35, according to the Florida Department of Health. Five deaths and 23 instances of hospitalization were reported for Suwannee County.
Josie Harlow, 4, rules over a special patch of her mother’s garden set aside just for her. Josie has been growing squashes and tomatoes, said her mother, IFAS horticulture agent Erin Harlow. (COURTESY)

Josie Harlow, 4, rules over a special patch of her mother’s garden set aside just for her. Josie has been growing squashes and tomatoes, said her mother, IFAS horticulture agent Erin Harlow. (COURTESY)

Victory gardens are back

CARL MCKINNEY
Friday, April 17, 2020
World War II-era “victory gardens,” encouraged by Uncle Sam as a way for citizens to stretch their rations, became a lasting example of perseverance in the face of hardship.  Inspired by that part of history, a homegrown initiative by agriculture experts aims to return gardening to its roots.

Jobless rate on the rise in Columbia County

CARL MCKINNEY
Friday, April 17, 2020
Unemployment took a sharp swing upward in Columbia County between February and March, reversing a slight downward trend seen over the past year, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor. The unemployment rate rose from 3.1 percent in February to 4.4 percent in March.
A 79-year-old man and 80-year-old woman became the fourth and fifth people to die there due to the virus.

A 79-year-old man and 80-year-old woman became the fourth and fifth people to die there due to the virus.

2 more covid deaths in Live Oak, bringing total to 5

CARL MCKINNEY
Thursday, April 16, 2020
Two more in Suwannee County are dead from covid-19, bringing the total death count up to five. A 79-year-old man and 80-year-old woman became the fourth and fifth people to die there due to the virus, the Florida Department of Health in Suwannee County announced Thursday.
Gracie Rogers, an employee at Moses Cleaners on SW Main Boulevard, gets an item off the rack for a customer. (CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter)

Gracie Rogers, an employee at Moses Cleaners on SW Main Boulevard, gets an item off the rack for a customer. (CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter)

Dry cleaners are ‘essential’ but almost empty

CARL MCKINNEY
Thursday, April 16, 2020
Toilet paper is harder to come by. Hair salons and barber shops are closed. Dining in at a nice restaurant is prohibited.People have sacrificed a lot since the pandemic started, but wearing clean clothes doesn’t have to be on the list.

I-75 crash leaves local man hurt

CARL MCKINNEY
Thursday, April 16, 2020
A Lake City man suffered serious injuries following a single-vehicle crash in Hamilton County on Interstate 75 Thursday afternoon, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report. Michael D.