Local

Bobby Griffis shows county commissioners a picture of damage to a local field during Thursday evening’s county commission meeting as several citizens attended the meeting opposing the plan to raise field usage fees for travel ball teams. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Bobby Griffis shows county commissioners a picture of damage to a local field during Thursday evening’s county commission meeting as several citizens attended the meeting opposing the plan to raise field usage fees for travel ball teams. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

County to ‘work out the kinks’ on new field fees

TONY BRITT
Friday, May 16, 2025
The Columbia County Commission’s marathon meeting Thursday night came to an abrupt end when Chairman Tim Murphy adjourned the meeting without warning.
Pat Davis places a rose to honor her son, late Columbia County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeff Davis, during last year’s Public Safety Memorial ceremony. (FILE)

Pat Davis places a rose to honor her son, late Columbia County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeff Davis, during last year’s Public Safety Memorial ceremony. (FILE)

Fallen heroes to be honored Tuesday

TONY BRITT
Friday, May 16, 2025
Columbia County law enforcement officers and first responders who gave their lives in the line of duty will be honored next week in the county’s annual memorial service for fallen heroes. The Lake City-Columbia County Annual Public Safety Memorial will take place 6:30 p.m.

Woman injured in Cedar Park shooting

NEWS STAFF
Friday, May 16, 2025
A woman was hit in the leg by gunfire early Thursday morning at Cedar Park Apartments. According to the Lake City Police Department, multiple shots were fired around 12:37 a.m. Thursday but nobody observed the shooting.
Plans for the old Lake City Reporter building show where CareerSource Florida (Florida Crown), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the county’s building and zoning department would be located after renovations are completed. CareerSource and DEP hope to be in the building by Aug. 1. (COURTESY)

Plans for the old Lake City Reporter building show where CareerSource Florida (Florida Crown), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the county’s building and zoning department would be located after renovations are completed. CareerSource and DEP hope to be in the building by Aug. 1. (COURTESY)

County making room in old LCR building

TONY BRITT
Friday, May 16, 2025
A building Columbia County officials purchased nearly two years ago to address the need for additional office department space, is having renovation and remodeling work fast-tracked as two potential tenants look to move into the building within the next 90 days.
Westside Elementary School third-grade teacher Shelly Teel was named a finalist for the state’s Teacher of the Year on Wednesday by the Florida Department of Education. (COURTESY)

Westside Elementary School third-grade teacher Shelly Teel was named a finalist for the state’s Teacher of the Year on Wednesday by the Florida Department of Education. (COURTESY)

Teel named finalist for state TOY

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Westside Elementary School teacher Shelly Teel was holding a celebration for her third-grade students who earned 100 Accelerated Reader points for the school year in the cafeteria. Little did she know that she would become a bigger piece of the celebration than she expected.
Columbia County Tax Collector Kyle Keen (middle) presents a $35,476 check to Superintendent Keith Couey and School Board Chair Narrie Smith as the proceeds from the Kids Tag Art program. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia County Tax Collector Kyle Keen (middle) presents a $35,476 check to Superintendent Keith Couey and School Board Chair Narrie Smith as the proceeds from the Kids Tag Art program. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Tax collector’s office, community partners benefit elementary school art education

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Columbia County elementary school art programs are the beneficiaries of more than $30,000 thanks to community partners, supporters and a bunch of young artists who sketched drawings for the local Kids Tag Art program.

Belmont graduating second largest class

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Belmont Academy will graduate its second largest class when the charter school holds its commencement exercises on Saturday. The Belmont Academy graduation ceremony for the Class of 2025 will take place 7 p.m.
Lake Shore Hospital Authority Attorney Todd Kennon was directed to send a counter offer to the City of Lake City to try to clear the path for Meridian Healthcare to operate a mental health facility downtown. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Lake Shore Hospital Authority Attorney Todd Kennon was directed to send a counter offer to the City of Lake City to try to clear the path for Meridian Healthcare to operate a mental health facility downtown. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

LSHA counters city about Meridian

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
The Lake Shore Hospital Authority is throwing one last Hail Mary toward peacefully resolving the question of Meridian at Lake Shore.
Chase Piesel (right) uses a drill to secure a flag to a cross on Saturday morning as volunteers erected flags in honor of veterans and first responders. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Chase Piesel (right) uses a drill to secure a flag to a cross on Saturday morning as volunteers erected flags in honor of veterans and first responders. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Volunteers recognize veterans, first responders with flags, crosses

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
A group of volunteers determined to honor veterans from Columbia County braved weekend showers and thunderstorms to erect more than 200 flags and crosses along a portion of State Road 47 on Saturday.