Regional

Trenton ‘Live Oak’ Anderson sings on the 98.7-FM gospel radio station’s entry in last year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade in Live Oak. (FILE)

Trenton ‘Live Oak’ Anderson sings on the 98.7-FM gospel radio station’s entry in last year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade in Live Oak. (FILE)

Williams, Herring headline MLK Day events

NEWS STAFF
Friday, January 12, 2024
LIVE OAK — The celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life in Suwannee County will include a parade, a service and a community feeding Monday. The parade will start the festivities, starting at RIVEROAK Technical College at 10 a.m.

Rewards offered in pair of Hamilton murders

NEWS STAFF
Friday, January 12, 2024
JASPER — A pair of $10,000 rewards are being offered after two October murders in Jasper. Both the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Department of Law Enforcement are pledging $5,000 each in both the Oct. 8 slaying of Donnie Ray Jackson III and the Oct. 27 shooting death of Martin Clay.
Sen. Colleen Burton is helping lead efforts to pass a wide-ranging health care plan in the Florida Legislature. (NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA FILE)

Sen. Colleen Burton is helping lead efforts to pass a wide-ranging health care plan in the Florida Legislature. (NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA FILE)

Senate readies to pass health care proposal

NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
Friday, January 12, 2024
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Senate is poised to pass a wide-ranging health care plan that includes trying to boost the number of doctors in the state, shift patients away from emergency rooms and seed innovation efforts.

Sessions named Live Oak city manager

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, January 12, 2024
LIVE OAK — The City of Live Oak has a full-time manager once again. At Tuesday’s Live Oak City Council meting, the council unanimously approved appointing Larry Sessions to the role as well as approving a one-year contract with Sessions. Sessions has served as the interim manager since April 2023.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (left) and former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley speak during the fifth Republican presidential primary debate, at Drake University on Wednesday in Des Moines, Iowa. (JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (left) and former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley speak during the fifth Republican presidential primary debate, at Drake University on Wednesday in Des Moines, Iowa. (JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

DeSantis, Haley trade jabs in GOP debate

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
DES MOINES, Iowa — Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis called each other liars and insulted each other’s records and character in the opening minutes of Wednesday’s Republican primary debate, underscoring the high stakes for each of them with less than a week before the Iowa caucuses.
The Suwannee River Water Management District’s 15-county area received an abundance of rain in December. (COURTESY)

The Suwannee River Water Management District’s 15-county area received an abundance of rain in December. (COURTESY)

District enjoys extremely wet December

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
LIVE OAK — An extremely wet December meant the Suwannee River Water Management District ended 2023 with a rainfall surplus. According to the district’s hydrologic conditions report for December, which was released Tuesday, the 12-month period that ended Dec. 31 had a rainfall surplus of 4.

Teen caught with stolen handgun

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
LIVE OAK — A Live Oak teenager was arrested early Tuesday after a stolen firearm was found during a traffic stop. According to a Live Oak Police Department release, an officer smelled burnt marijuana after pulling over 18-year-old O’marion Jones at 12:30 a.m. Tuesday.

State may energize Lafayette shelter

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
MAYO — With the 2024 Legislative session underway, help preparing for future emergencies could be on its way to Lafayette County. Near the end of the Lafayette County Board of County Commissioners’ brief meeting Tuesday morning, Clerk of Court and Comptroller Steve Land told the board that Rep.
Rep. Chuck Clemons pointed to concerns about ‘discrimination’ against utility customers outside municipal boundaries. (NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA FILE)

Rep. Chuck Clemons pointed to concerns about ‘discrimination’ against utility customers outside municipal boundaries. (NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA FILE)

Water rate ‘discrimination’ bill draws debate

NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
TALLAHASSEE — In an issue that could affect cities across the state, Florida House members Wednesday started moving forward with a proposal aimed at preventing municipalities from charging higher water and sewer rates to customers who live outside city boundaries.