Regional

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a Republican presidential primary debate Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a Republican presidential primary debate Wednesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

DeSantis knocks Trump during GOP debate

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Seven Republican presidential hopefuls gathered at the Reagan Library in California on Wednesday for the second of the party’s primary debates. The contest’s dominant front-runner — former President Donald Trump — skipped the event again.
Elvoy and Betty Land will be granny and pappy for the 43rd annual Pioneer Day festival in Lafayette County. (COURTESY)

Elvoy and Betty Land will be granny and pappy for the 43rd annual Pioneer Day festival in Lafayette County. (COURTESY)

Lands named festival granny and pappy

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
MAYO — The 43rd annual Pioneer Day has its granny and pappy. The Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce announced Monday that Elvoy and Betty Land will serve in the honorary roles for the Oct. 14 festival in Lafayette County.
Lafayette County Judge Darren K. Jackson with Gloria and Allen Johnson after swearing the couple in as the 2022 Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce Pioneer Day Granny and Pappy last year at the Lafayette County Courthouse. Voting for this year’s Granny and Pappy begins today. (FILE)

Lafayette County Judge Darren K. Jackson with Gloria and Allen Johnson after swearing the couple in as the 2022 Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce Pioneer Day Granny and Pappy last year at the Lafayette County Courthouse. Voting for this year’s Granny and Pappy begins today. (FILE)

Lafayette’s Pioneer Day officially on

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
MAYO — All is clear for Pioneer Day to roll back into Mayo. The Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce was urged last week to continue preparations for the Oct.14 festival, pending a safety check on Veterans Memorial Park. Those concerns were to be addressed by Wednesday.

Reported intruder locks down SuwCo schools

JAMIE WACHTER
Saturday, September 16, 2023
LIVE OAK — Six Suwannee County schools were placed on lockdown for approximately two hours Friday after students reported seeing an armed individual in the area. After deputies and officers from several agencies canvassed the area, Suwannee County Sheriff Sam St.
Lafayette County Commissioner Lance Lamb encouraged the Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce to hold Pioneer Day. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Lafayette County Commissioner Lance Lamb encouraged the Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce to hold Pioneer Day. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Pioneer Day on for now

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
MAYO — Plans for the 43rd annual Pioneer Day are moving forward. Keesha Rourks and Lynne Buchanan with the Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce addressed the Lafayette County Commission about the upcoming festival on Tuesday, looking for some guidance on the Oct. 14 event.
Members of the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office are recognized Tuesday at the Lafayette County Commission meeting. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Members of the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office are recognized Tuesday at the Lafayette County Commission meeting. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Lafayette County continues storm cleanup

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
MAYO — The work of recovering from Hurricane Idalia continues in Lafayette County. Scott Sadler, the county’s public works director, told the Lafayette County Commission on Tuesday that there had been approximately 1,500 loads of debris removed from the county and taken to dump sites so far.
Hurricane Lee continues its slow west-northwest trajectory across the Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday. (NOAA)

Hurricane Lee continues its slow west-northwest trajectory across the Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday. (NOAA)

Heavy surf pounds Bermuda as Lee aims for New England

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The outer bands of Hurricane Lee began to lash Bermuda late Thursday as big surf pounded the island, with the Category 2 storm expected to make landfall on the coast of New England or Atlantic Canada over the weekend.

NFC hosting CDL Open House

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
MADISON — North Florida College invites those interested in learning more about NFC’s Comprehensive Commercial Driver’s License Programs, encompassing Class A, Class B, and CDL endorsements to attend its CDL Open House this weekend.

Group seeks information on voucher expansion

NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
A non-profit group Wednesday called for the state Department of Education to provide information about how many additional private schools are accepting vouchers after a massive expansion of voucher programs took effect in July. A new law (HB 1), approved by the Legislature and Gov.