Local

Lake Shore Hospital Authority Attorney Todd Kennon said the City of Lake City is waiting to hear from Meridian Healthcare regarding changes made to the agreement to occupy the LSHA’s main hospital building. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Lake Shore Hospital Authority Attorney Todd Kennon said the City of Lake City is waiting to hear from Meridian Healthcare regarding changes made to the agreement to occupy the LSHA’s main hospital building. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

LSHA loads up on late September agenda items

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, September 9, 2025
The showdown between the Lake Shore Hospital Authority and the City of Lake City regarding zoning on LSHA’s main hospital building is finally winding down.
Miss United States Lindsey Langston, a Columbia County resident, sits on the witness stand in a hearing Friday morning at the Columbia County Courthouse. Langston is seeking an injunction for protection from stalking against U.S. Rep. Cory Mills, her former boyfriend. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Miss United States Lindsey Langston, a Columbia County resident, sits on the witness stand in a hearing Friday morning at the Columbia County Courthouse. Langston is seeking an injunction for protection from stalking against U.S. Rep. Cory Mills, her former boyfriend. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

U.S. Rep. stalking hearing continued

TONY BRITT
Saturday, September 6, 2025
Close to two hours of court proceedings did not provide enough time for Third Judicial Circuit Judge Fred Koberlein to determine whether a standing U.S. Congressman would be strapped with a restraining order by his former girlfriend, who is a beauty queen.
Lake City Councilwoman Chevella Young called out the City Clerk’s office during Wednesday’s budget talks for a lack of help given to other departments. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City Councilwoman Chevella Young called out the City Clerk’s office during Wednesday’s budget talks for a lack of help given to other departments. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

City backs millage 4.63% above rollback

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Saturday, September 6, 2025
A messy beginning to Wednesday’s budget talks — including a brief recess for the council to bring itself back to order — didn’t deter the Lake City Council from unanimously passing its tentative millage rate and budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

City raising fire protection assessment 43%

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Saturday, September 6, 2025
Local residents packed Lake City Hall Wednesday night, all with a common refrain: don’t raise taxes or fees. But facing calls to add more positions to the fire department, Lake City Councilors relented. The council voted unanimously to institute a 43% increase in annual fire assessments.
Columbia County Attorney Joel Foreman said Thursday the county needed to officially dissolve the Industrial Development Authority in order to help settle a state enforcement action for not reporting financial details on the independent district. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia County Attorney Joel Foreman said Thursday the county needed to officially dissolve the Industrial Development Authority in order to help settle a state enforcement action for not reporting financial details on the independent district. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Commission officially dissolves IDA 14 years later

JAMIE WACHTER
Saturday, September 6, 2025
Fourteen years after it stopped using its Industrial Development Authority, Columbia County officially dissolved its previous development arm. At Thursday’s meeting, the Columbia County Commission unanimously voted to dissolve the IDA and hope that action prevents state discipline.
Columbia County Commissioner Robby Hollingsworth said that the county wasn’t increasing the tax rate, so any increases were due to rising property values. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia County Commissioner Robby Hollingsworth said that the county wasn’t increasing the tax rate, so any increases were due to rising property values. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

County millage approved 6.37% above rollback rate

JAMIE WACHTER
Saturday, September 6, 2025
As Columbia County’s Board of County Commissioners heard during a public hearing Thursday night that its proposed millage rate was set to remain the same for the next fiscal year, a simple question was asked. After hearing that the county wasn’t raising taxes — but the 7.815-mill rate is 6.
U.S. Rep. Cory Mills sits on the witness stand at the Columbia County Courthouse on Friday during a hearing over a request for an injunction of protection of dating violence from his former girlfriend, Miss United States Lindsey Langston. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

U.S. Rep. Cory Mills sits on the witness stand at the Columbia County Courthouse on Friday during a hearing over a request for an injunction of protection of dating violence from his former girlfriend, Miss United States Lindsey Langston. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Miss United States, U.S. Rep. hearing continued

NEWS STAFF
Friday, September 5, 2025
Close to two hours of court proceedings did not provide enough time for Third Judicial Circuit Judge Fred Koberlein to determine whether a U.S. Congressman would be strapped with a restraining order by his  former girlfriend, a beauty queen.
Construction crews continue progressing with the work at the new Eastside Elementary Schools with concrete walls for the first floor of the new building lifted into place this week. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Construction crews continue progressing with the work at the new Eastside Elementary Schools with concrete walls for the first floor of the new building lifted into place this week. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Eastside on schedule

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, September 3, 2025
Gilbane construction crews are continuing their feverish pace as they build the new Eastside Elementary School. Construction crews erected walls on the building in the past few days as they look to complete the new school by August 2026.
Booey, Steve Johnson’s dog, was injured Sunday on the Santa Fe River when struck by a boat propeller. (COURTESY STEVE JOHNSON)

Booey, Steve Johnson’s dog, was injured Sunday on the Santa Fe River when struck by a boat propeller. (COURTESY STEVE JOHNSON)

FWC officers save Stevie D’s dog Booey

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, September 3, 2025
A pair of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers helped save a dog this weekend on the Santa Fe River. On Aug.