Local
CARL MCKINNEY
Legal gray areas in the governor’s statewide stay-at-home order spurred Lake City officials to enact a measure on Thursday to clarify the new restrictions on social gatherings.
Friday, April 3, 2020
Coronavirus: Walmart to limit shoppers, reduce capacity by 80 percent
NEWS STAFF
Starting today, Walmart will limit the number of customers who can be in a store at once. Stores will now allow no more than five customers for each 1,000 square feet at a given time, roughly 20 percent of a store’s capacity.
Friday, April 3, 2020
Nationwide, a record-shattering 6.6 million Americans filed for unemployment over the last week alone.
Coronavirus: Glitches in unemployment system thwart applicants, but help from DeSantis may be on way
CARL MCKINNEY
Skyrocketing unemployment claims are overloading the state’s already-broken online application system, and Floridians far and wide are complaining they can’t reach anyone by phone, either.
Nationwide, a record-shattering 6.
Friday, April 3, 2020
All county employees 65 and up will be sent home through May 1 and the county will close the libraries, extension service office, central communications, tourist development office, information technology, economic development and the 911 addressing office through the same period, county officials announced Thursday afternoon.
Coronavirus: City, county workers 65 & up to be sent home
TONY BRITT
County and city employees 65 and over are being sent home in the wake of a statewide safer-at-home order.
Friday, April 3, 2020
On Thursday, the County Commission voted to amend the county charter to pave the way for remote meetings.
Coronavirus: Go virtual at meetings, county told
CARL MCKINNEY
County business may have to go virtual during the Covid-19 crisis.
On Thursday, the County Commission voted to amend the county charter to pave the way for remote meetings.
Thursday’s meeting was streamed on the county’s website, but commissioners were physically present in the same room.
Friday, April 3, 2020
Fourth confirmed case of Covid-19 in Columbia County
NEWS STAFF
Columbia County received notice of its fourth positive case of Covid-19, the novel coronavirus, today. The person ill with the virus is a 62-year-old male.
Thursday, April 2, 2020
Suwannee has 7th case of Covid-19
NEWS STAFF
Suwannee County is now up to seven confirmed cases of Covid-19, according to health officials.
Two of the cases there led to hospitalization, health officials reported.
Five of the cases involve women, with only two men. Their ages range from 40 to 80.
Thursday, April 2, 2020
The Columbia County Sheriff's Office issued a statement Thursday on Executive Order 20-91, issued Wednesday by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Coronavirus: Sheriff issues statement on governor's order
NEWS STAFF
The Columbia County Sheriff's Office issued a statement Thursday on Executive Order 20-91, issued Wednesday by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Thursday, April 2, 2020
Judge faces heat in Jasper, panel says he should receive public reprimand
NEWS STAFF
A Hamilton County judge should receive a public reprimand for having repeated contact with family members of people who were arrested and for holding bond hearings by telephone, a panel that oversees judicial conduct has recommended.
Judge Kenneth “Sonny” Scaff Jr.
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
110 mph chase ends in jail cell
CARL MCKINNEY
During a high-speed car chase Tuesday night, a runaway Saturn car reached a speed of 110 miles per hour while traveling the roads of Columbia County in the dark — at one point with the headlights turned off, deputies say.
Wednesday, April 1, 2020