Local

Kids race to gather Easter eggs during the Easter Extravaganza put on by The Canopy at Harper Lake on Saturday afternoon. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Kids race to gather Easter eggs during the Easter Extravaganza put on by The Canopy at Harper Lake on Saturday afternoon. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

The egg-citing hunt: Families take in Easter celebration

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
With events ranging from an Easter egg hunt, blood pressure checks, photos with the Easter Bunny and several vendors selling their wares, The Canopy at Harper Lake brought an Easter celebration to the facility for their residents.
Meridian Healthcare Chief Operating Officer Lauren Cohn addresses the Lake Shore Hospital Authority during its Monday meeting. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Meridian Healthcare Chief Operating Officer Lauren Cohn addresses the Lake Shore Hospital Authority during its Monday meeting. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Meridian issue tabled at Lake Shore

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Neither the Lake Shore Hospital Authority nor Meridian Healthcare took kindly to Lake City’s proposal to resolve a land dispute over the Authority’s main hospital building. It’ll be at least another month before anything gets decided.
Suwannee County Administrative Assistant Shannon Roberts speaks during a prior NFWUA meeting. (FILE)

Suwannee County Administrative Assistant Shannon Roberts speaks during a prior NFWUA meeting. (FILE)

NFWUA set to name first director

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
The North Florida Water Utilities Authority is poised to name its first utilities director before the end of the week. The NFWUA Board interviewed two candidates, Joe Helfenberger and Shannon Roberts, for the position on April 2 and has nearly two weeks to mull its decision.

Annie Mattox hosting Easter events

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
A community Easter egg hunt, obstacle course, 5K race, bounce houses and a health fair, will aide area residents in having fun, being cognizant about their health and allow them to create relationships with professionals who want Columbia County residents to feel their best.
Fort White Mayor George Thomas gives his thoughts to the Lake Shore Hospital Authority at its Monday meeting. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Fort White Mayor George Thomas gives his thoughts to the Lake Shore Hospital Authority at its Monday meeting. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

County ready for cleanup on new LSHA property

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
While the Lake Shore Hospital continues its dispute with the City of Lake City, a different local government is chugging right along with acquiring more property on the Lake Shore campus. Columbia County Manager David Kraus made his pitch to the LSHA Board during its Monday meeting.
Lake City Police Chief Gerald Butler talks with teens about interviewing during the police department’s Sumer Youth Employment Program in 2019. (COURTESY)

Lake City Police Chief Gerald Butler talks with teens about interviewing during the police department’s Sumer Youth Employment Program in 2019. (COURTESY)

LCPD gearing up for youth employment program

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
The Lake City Police Department is continuing its push to engage local youth and build positive relationships with law enforcement. The LCPD announced Monday its continuation of the Summer Youth Employment Program.
Lake Shore Hospital Authority Executive Director Dale Williams speaks during a conflict resolution hearing with the City of Lake City last month about their zoning dispute. That issue is waiting for a Meridian Healthcare board vote to be resolved. (FILE)

Lake Shore Hospital Authority Executive Director Dale Williams speaks during a conflict resolution hearing with the City of Lake City last month about their zoning dispute. That issue is waiting for a Meridian Healthcare board vote to be resolved. (FILE)

Meridian, Lake Shore deal still not final

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, April 11, 2025
Resolution on the main Lake Shore Hospital building will take at least a couple more weeks.
Congresswoman Kat Cammack (second from left) met with Columbia County Economic Development Director Jennifer Daniels (from left), Legislative & Intergovernmental Affairs Coordinator Staz Guntek and County Manager David Kraus this week in Washington D.C. to discuss economic development projects. (COURTESY)

Congresswoman Kat Cammack (second from left) met with Columbia County Economic Development Director Jennifer Daniels (from left), Legislative & Intergovernmental Affairs Coordinator Staz Guntek and County Manager David Kraus this week in Washington D.C. to discuss economic development projects. (COURTESY)

County makes Washington trip

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, April 11, 2025
A quick trip to Washington D.C. this week was a “very good” one for a contingent of Columbia County officials.
A pickup crashed into the Lake City Public Safety Building on Thursday morning after the driver accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake as she pulled into a parking spot. (COURTESY)

A pickup crashed into the Lake City Public Safety Building on Thursday morning after the driver accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake as she pulled into a parking spot. (COURTESY)

Truck crashes into Public Safety Building

NEWS STAFF
Friday, April 11, 2025
Lake City firefighters made an emergency house call at their own station Thursday morning. According to the Lake City Fire Department, a pickup truck crashed into the the city’s Public Safety Building around 8:20 a.m. Thursday.
Quinny Shepple (from left), Cooper Shepple, Kahlani Kelley, Farrah Combs, Levi Powell and Ava Brown get ready to down some watermelon during the kids’ watermelon eating contest at the Rotary Club of Lake City’s downtown Independence Day event last year. (FILE)

Quinny Shepple (from left), Cooper Shepple, Kahlani Kelley, Farrah Combs, Levi Powell and Ava Brown get ready to down some watermelon during the kids’ watermelon eating contest at the Rotary Club of Lake City’s downtown Independence Day event last year. (FILE)

Groups pledge Independence Day will be ‘More Than Just Fireworks’

TONY BRITT
Friday, April 11, 2025
It looks like the largest Independence Day celebration in the history of Columbia County is going to start with meager beginnings.