Regional

Hunter Dover, soon to turn 9, sits in his grandmother’s lap during a presentation at Five Points Elementary welcoming him back to school after a long absence. (CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter)

Hunter Dover, soon to turn 9, sits in his grandmother’s lap during a presentation at Five Points Elementary welcoming him back to school after a long absence. (CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter)

Welcome back, Hunter: Young burn victim returns to class amid fanfare

CARL MCKINNEY
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
The second grader battled his way through a year fraught with tragedy and terror.  He survived the flames, which left him with third-degree burns on most of his body. He made it through a long and rocky recovery process, coming back from what looked like the brink of death.

US, Iran step back from the brink; still on alert edge

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
WASHINGTON — The United States and Iran stepped back from the brink of possible war on Wednesday as President Donald Trump signaled he would not retaliate militarily for Iran’s missile strikes on Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops. No one was harmed in the strikes, but U.S.
Juan Bustamante (left) and Azlynne Williams prepare for the presentation portion of a robotics competition. TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter

Juan Bustamante (left) and Azlynne Williams prepare for the presentation portion of a robotics competition. TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter

FWMS robotics team to try and engineer a win

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
For the past five months, a group of Fort White Middle School students have been working with robotics, solar panels and other scientific materials, preparing for a robotics competition.
Dozens of folks came out to the Ichetucknee Springs State Park for the annual Iche Nippy Dip Day on Saturday. (MICHAEL PHILIPS/Lake City Reporter)

Dozens of folks came out to the Ichetucknee Springs State Park for the annual Iche Nippy Dip Day on Saturday. (MICHAEL PHILIPS/Lake City Reporter)

Celebrating an Iche Nippy anniversary at the spring

MICHAEL PHILIPS
Monday, January 6, 2020
Dozens of people braved the rain on Saturday in Fort White to take part in the annual Ichetucknee Springs State Park’s Iche Nippy Dip Day, where the community gathers to take a plunge into the springs together.
Sariyah Jones (from left), Aniyah Jones, Alexander Jones and Kadijah Williams pose with Alexis Zakiyah Jones Thursday afternoon. Alexis Zakiyah, who came into the world Wednesday night, was the first baby born in Lake City in 2020. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Sariyah Jones (from left), Aniyah Jones, Alexander Jones and Kadijah Williams pose with Alexis Zakiyah Jones Thursday afternoon. Alexis Zakiyah, who came into the world Wednesday night, was the first baby born in Lake City in 2020. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

First baby of 2020 just wouldn’t wait

TONY BRITT
Friday, January 3, 2020
Twenty-three hours and 19 minutes into 2020, Columbia County’s first baby of the year was born. Alexis Zakiyah Jones was ready to make her grand entrance into the world and she didn’t even wait until her mother was at the hospital to be delivered.
Mike Fortune sits next to his partner Cindy Adams, who holds their newborn baby, Ariella. Adams gave birth to Ariella on the side of the road in Alachua County last month. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Mike Fortune sits next to his partner Cindy Adams, who holds their newborn baby, Ariella. Adams gave birth to Ariella on the side of the road in Alachua County last month. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

December baby gets off to exciting start

MICHAEL PHILIPS
Friday, January 3, 2020
If the way she entered the world and her last name are any indications, Ariella Elizabeth Fortune is set to live out an exciting life. At about 3 p.m. on Thursday, December 12, Ariella’s mother, Cindy Adams, began having “bad contractions.
Artist’s rendition of the Blanche Hotel renovation project. The developer says the wait for the project to be complete is nearly over. (COURTESY IDP)

Artist’s rendition of the Blanche Hotel renovation project. The developer says the wait for the project to be complete is nearly over. (COURTESY IDP)

Blanche hits a big milestone

TONY BRITT
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
On the final day of the year, after months of new construction, restoring existing fixtures and breathing new life into the Blanche Hotel, the $18 million restoration project has received a conditional certificate of occupancy.
Jennifer and Patrick Scott each lost their mother on December 12. It was a one-two blow that has shaken them and their kids. (BRENTON CUNNINGHAM/Special to the Reporter)

Jennifer and Patrick Scott each lost their mother on December 12. It was a one-two blow that has shaken them and their kids. (BRENTON CUNNINGHAM/Special to the Reporter)

Two mothers lost in one awful day

MICHAEL PHILIPS
Friday, December 27, 2019
When Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Scott, stationed in Okinawa, Japan, heard that his paternal grandmother died, he didn’t have time to really process it. “As soon as I got off the phone with my dad, my initial reaction was shock. But then it was go, go, go.
Thomas

Thomas

Terri Thomas: CHS says goodbye to another of its own

CARL MCKINNEY
Friday, December 27, 2019
Terri Thomas, a beloved administrator at Columbia High who retired last year due to health concerns, died of an unspecified illness Thursday afternoon, according to the school.  Before leaving the school system, Thomas, 53, had been an assistant principal at seven schools in the county.