Local

Earnest Burch waved down festival-goers with his Old Glory cape at the 2019 Independence Day event at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. (FILE)

Earnest Burch waved down festival-goers with his Old Glory cape at the 2019 Independence Day event at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. (FILE)

Local groups unveiling larger July 4th celebration

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
An antique car show, watermelon and hot dog eating contests, live entertainment and of course, fireworks, are all elements of a huge birthday party later this week. The birthday celebration is for America as the nation celebrates its 249th birthday on July 4.
Work along Bascom Norris Drive continues to come along, with Assistant County Manager Kevin Kirby estimating work should be completed by early August. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Work along Bascom Norris Drive continues to come along, with Assistant County Manager Kevin Kirby estimating work should be completed by early August. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Bascom Norris work nearing completion

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Construction work on Columbia County’s busiest road is expected to be completed in a few weeks. “The project is going extremely well,” Assistant County Manager Kevin Kirby said of the work on Bascom Norris Drive near the Southside Sports Complex.
Six LCFD firefighters used Tuesday afternoon to train for the opportunity to be promoted to the driver/engineer position. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Six LCFD firefighters used Tuesday afternoon to train for the opportunity to be promoted to the driver/engineer position. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City firefighters aim for promotions

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
After years of training to become firefighters and spending the past few months honing their training on a new truck and new equipment, a group of Lake City Fire Department firefighters are looking to put their skills to the test — literally.
Columbia County Manager David Kraus said the funding for Ellisville and the Suwannee Valley tower was ‘critical.’ (FILE)

Columbia County Manager David Kraus said the funding for Ellisville and the Suwannee Valley tower was ‘critical.’ (FILE)

Columbia gets $4M in state budget

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Two “critical” Columbia County projects will receive state funding. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a $117.4 billion state budget Monday for the 2025-26 fiscal year, which began Tuesday. DeSantis cut $567 million from the budget in line-item vetoes before he approved it.
Lake City Police Chief Gerald Butler said Saturday in a town hall meeting that the FLOCK gunshot detection system is working well in reducing gunfire incidents in the city. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City Police Chief Gerald Butler said Saturday in a town hall meeting that the FLOCK gunshot detection system is working well in reducing gunfire incidents in the city. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Detection system reducing gunfire

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
The City of Lake City’s gunshot detection system is working. The proof is in the fewer amount of activations coming through the FLOCK system, according to Lake City Police Chief Gerald Butler.
Columbia High rising senior Lilla Chapman is Florida’s representative on the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Youth Leadership Council. Chapman will return to Washington D.C. later this month for the next step in the Youth Tour process. (COURTESY)

Columbia High rising senior Lilla Chapman is Florida’s representative on the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Youth Leadership Council. Chapman will return to Washington D.C. later this month for the next step in the Youth Tour process. (COURTESY)

Chapman receives national Youth Tour accolade

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Lilla Chapman’s itinerary for the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour trip to Washington D.C. included sightseeing, having fun and making memories. Giving a speech and a return trip to the nation’s capital a month later weren’t part of the plan.
Lake City Councilwoman Tammy Harris said the improved working relationship between the city and Columbia County is going to make things better for the community moving forward. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City Councilwoman Tammy Harris said the improved working relationship between the city and Columbia County is going to make things better for the community moving forward. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Partnerships touted for moving community forward

JAMIE WACHTER
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
The rocky relationship between the City of Lake City and Columbia County is a thing of the past.
The Gondolier Italian Restaurant and Pizza building was demolished Tuesday afternoon, nearly five years after the restaurant closed in September 2020. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

The Gondolier Italian Restaurant and Pizza building was demolished Tuesday afternoon, nearly five years after the restaurant closed in September 2020. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Old Gondolier restaurant building demolished Tuesday

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
The old Gondolier Italian Restaurant and Pizza location near the Lake City Mall has been demolished. Crews from Haskins Demolition & Disposal were working on the demolition project Tuesday, nearly five years after the restaurant closed in September 2020. The building was purchased for $1.