Local

Florida man breaks into house, naps on couch

CARL MCKINNEY
Friday, January 17, 2020
He bears the name of an infamous outlaw, but behaved more like Goldilocks when he broke into a home this week and napped on a couch inside, according to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. And his explanation reportedly sounded like a scene from “Alice in Wonderland.

Record month for housing

TONY BRITT
Friday, January 17, 2020
December was an outstanding month for local real-estate agents, and sales figures were predicated by sellers receiving nearly 98% of the original list price.
Megan Gatzke (left), gives her father, Alan Gatzke, a kiss on the check at the same time as her mother, Mary Gatzke. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Megan Gatzke (left), gives her father, Alan Gatzke, a kiss on the check at the same time as her mother, Mary Gatzke. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

FWES math teacher named Teacher of the Year

TONY BRITT
Thursday, January 16, 2020
A veteran educator with more than 40 years’ experience as a school administrator, teacher, bus driver and even a custodian when necessary can add a new line to his resume — Columbia County Schools’ Teacher of the Year.
Steve Nelson (from left), Columbia School Board chairman poses with Candace Starling and Lex Carswell, Columbia Schools’ Superintendent after Starling, a CHS secretary, was named the 2020 School-Related Employee of the Year Award winner Thursday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Steve Nelson (from left), Columbia School Board chairman poses with Candace Starling and Lex Carswell, Columbia Schools’ Superintendent after Starling, a CHS secretary, was named the 2020 School-Related Employee of the Year Award winner Thursday. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

CHS secretary Candace Starling recognized for going the extra mile

TONY BRITT
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Operating amid organized chaos is often what it takes when working as a Columbia High School secretary.

Sheriff getting 5 Fords, not 10

CARL MCKINNEY
Thursday, January 16, 2020
The art of haggling was on full display at Thursday night’s Columbia County Commission meeting, where the board negotiated with Sheriff Mark Hunter to cut his $402,000 request for new vehicles in half.  The Sheriff’s Office budgeted for 10 vehicles this year.
Anthony Newton, right, is pictured with Chad Adams. (CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter)

Anthony Newton, right, is pictured with Chad Adams. (CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter)

VA marks MLK Day

CARL MCKINNEY
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Unity, equality and sacrifice were the central themes at an MLK Day ceremony hosted by the Lake City VA Medical Center on Thursday morning, where veterans gathered with their families and caregivers to celebrate the civil rights leader’s life.

Irma fraud alleged; charges filed

CARL MCKINNEY
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
In the wake of a disaster-relief scam related to Hurricane Irma, a Suwannee County woman could spend up to 30 years in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Martin Luther King festivities set for Monday

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
During the past three decades, Columbia County residents have made it a tradition to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a variety of public events  — parades, church services and more.

Semi, pickup joust in road-rage incident

CARL MCKINNEY
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
A road-rage-fueled argument set a pickup truck from Lake City on a collision course with a semi in Alachua County on Wednesday morning, and the smaller vehicle came out on top, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report.