Regional

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to supporters before signing a 15-week abortion ban into law Thursday in Kissimmee. The move comes amid a growing conservative push to restrict abortion ahead of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that could limit access to the procedure nationwide. (JOHN RAOUX/Associated Press)

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to supporters before signing a 15-week abortion ban into law Thursday in Kissimmee. The move comes amid a growing conservative push to restrict abortion ahead of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that could limit access to the procedure nationwide. (JOHN RAOUX/Associated Press)

DeSantis signs bill banning abortions after 15 weeks

NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
Thursday, April 14, 2022
TALLAHASSEE —Florida doctors soon will be barred from performing abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, as Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed a measure that closely resembles a Mississippi law under review by the U.S. Supreme Court.

DeSantis’ new map tears up Lawson’s district

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
TALLAHASSEE — A Black congressman’s district would be dismantled under a map Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis submitted to state lawmakers Wednesday ahead of a special session that was called after the governor vetoed maps sent to him by the GOP-dominated Legislature.

Officials: Prepare for storm season

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
ORLANDO — Emergency preparedness officials on Wednesday warned Floridians not to get complacent during the upcoming hurricane season, particularly in coastal areas that haven’t experienced strong storms recently.
Pilgrim’s Pride’s Brent Lang (right) speaks at Wednesday’s unveiling of Discovery Trail as Suwannee River Regional Library System director Betty Lawrence (left) listens. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Pilgrim’s Pride’s Brent Lang (right) speaks at Wednesday’s unveiling of Discovery Trail as Suwannee River Regional Library System director Betty Lawrence (left) listens. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Trail waiting to be discovered

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
LIVE OAK — Visitors to Live Oak’s Heritage Trail will be met with the opportunity to learn. The Heritage Trail Discovery Trail was unveiled Wednesday with a ribbon cutting. The project, which is similar to a Story Walk and includes 22 informational panels that adorn the full 1.

Underage driver killed in crash

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
JASPER — An underage driver was killed and two other teenagers were critically injured when he lost control of a pickup in Hamilton County on Tuesday morning. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 14-year-old Jasper boy was driving south on County Road 137 just after 7 a.m.
The catfish dinners were popular at Saturday’s Suwannee River Catfish Festival in Branford, selling out of 380 pounds of catfish filets. (ROB WOLFE/Lake City Reporter)

The catfish dinners were popular at Saturday’s Suwannee River Catfish Festival in Branford, selling out of 380 pounds of catfish filets. (ROB WOLFE/Lake City Reporter)

Catfish Festival lures in large crowd

JAMIE WACHTER
Monday, April 11, 2022
BRANFORD — The sixth annual Suwannee River Catfish Festival proved quite a lure Saturday. Attracting an estimated 2,800 to 3,000 visitors to the Greenway Park in Branford, the festival’s return after a two-year hiatus due to covid-19 was better than its organizers could have imagined.

‘Son’ busted for $8K swiped from safe

NEWS STAFF
Friday, April 8, 2022
HIGH SPRINGS — Helping himself to some of his roommate’s cash out of a safe has landed a High Springs man in jail. According to a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office report, a High Springs woman reported March 25 that she was missing $8,000 from lockbox-type safes at her house.