Regional

Suwannee Springcrest Elementary School’s Becky Skipper (right) was named the Suwannee County School District’s Teacher of the Year on Tuesday. Skipper was introduced by former student Makenzie Williams. (COURTESY SUWANNEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT)

Suwannee Springcrest Elementary School’s Becky Skipper (right) was named the Suwannee County School District’s Teacher of the Year on Tuesday. Skipper was introduced by former student Makenzie Williams. (COURTESY SUWANNEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT)

Skipper named Suwannee's Teacher of the Year

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, January 22, 2021
LIVE OAK — At a loss for words Tuesday night when announced as the Suwannee County School District’s Teacher of the Year, Becky Skipper kept it simple. “Have to do a wooo!” exclaimed Skipper, a fourth-grade math and science teacher at Suwannee Springcrest Elementary School.
People enjoy a day in Ginnie Springs, which is also home to a Nestlé water-bottling plant, which is seeking a renewal of its permit to draw water from the springs. (FILE)

People enjoy a day in Ginnie Springs, which is also home to a Nestlé water-bottling plant, which is seeking a renewal of its permit to draw water from the springs. (FILE)

Judge: Ginnie withdrawal OK

JAMIE WACHTER
Thursday, January 21, 2021
In addition to memories and good times, Ginnie Springs may soon supply thousands of extra containers of bottled spring water.

Suwannee BOCC tuned in to radio purchase

JAMIE WACHTER
Thursday, January 21, 2021
LIVE OAK — Sheriff Sam St. John’s desire for a better radio system was heard loud and clear Tuesday night by the Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners. The board’s support of that push was also crystal clear: unanimous approval of spending $995,058.

Rivkees seeks additional covid vaccines

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s surgeon general urged the federal government on Wednesday to increase allotments of coronavirus vaccines to states like his, where large concentrations of seniors face the greatest risk of illness and death from a disease that has killed more than 2 million globally.
U.S. Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman reads a poem during the 59th presidential inauguration Wednesday in Washington, D.C. (KENT NISHIMURA/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

U.S. Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman reads a poem during the 59th presidential inauguration Wednesday in Washington, D.C. (KENT NISHIMURA/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Gorman stars with ‘The Hill We Climb’

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
NEW YORK — The country has a new president and may well have a new literary star. In one of the inauguration’s most talked about moments, poet Amanda Gorman summoned images dire and triumphant Wednesday as she called out to the world “even as we grieved, we grew.
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden takes the oath of office from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts as his wife U.S. First Lady-elect Jill Biden stands next to him during the 59th presidential inauguration on Wednesday in Washington, D.C. (KENT NISHIMURA/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden takes the oath of office from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts as his wife U.S. First Lady-elect Jill Biden stands next to him during the 59th presidential inauguration on Wednesday in Washington, D.C. (KENT NISHIMURA/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Biden takes the helm, appeals for unity to take on crises

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
WASHINGTON — Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, declaring that “democracy has prevailed” and summoning American resilience and unity to confront the deeply divided nation's historic confluence of crises.
Opting to skip Inauguration Day festivities for President Joe Biden, former president Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrived Wednesday at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach. (GREG LOVETT/Palm Beach Post/TNS)

Opting to skip Inauguration Day festivities for President Joe Biden, former president Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrived Wednesday at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach. (GREG LOVETT/Palm Beach Post/TNS)

Trump leaves Washington, hints of comeback

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
WEST PALM BEACH — His presidency over, Donald Trump bid farewell to Washington on Wednesday but also hinted at a comeback despite a legacy of chaos, tumult and bitter division in the country he led for four years. “Goodbye. We love you.

Biden’s big plans met by big problems

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden made a sober entrance to the nation’s capital Tuesday, ready to assume power as America reels from the coronavirus pandemic, soaring unemployment and grave concerns about more violence as he prepares to take the oath of office.

DeSantis: No signs of trouble at Florida Capitol

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
With extra law enforcement on standby, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday there remains no indication of potentially violent protesters arriving at the state Capitol to mark President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday. “We have more law enforcement at the state Capitol.

Rivkees: State vaccine is ‘supply limited’

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
TALLAHASSEE — As Gov. Ron DeSantis barnstorms the state announcing new covid-19 vaccination sites, a top health-care adviser acknowledged Tuesday on a phone call with hospital officials that Florida is in a “supply-limited situation.