Regional

The Rev. Al Reese delivers the eulogy at the celebration of life service held for James H. Montgomery on Saturday at First Presbyterian. (MICHAEL PHILIPS/Special to the Reporter)

The Rev. Al Reese delivers the eulogy at the celebration of life service held for James H. Montgomery on Saturday at First Presbyterian. (MICHAEL PHILIPS/Special to the Reporter)

A final farewell to Mr. Mont

MICHAEL PHILIPS
Monday, January 13, 2020
A celebration of life for James H. Montgomery was held Saturday at First Presbyterian Church of Lake City, the same church his father was called to serve more than 90 years before. The church used spillover parking locations, as its parking lot filled quickly.
Abraham Farajian with a tray of baklava. (MICHAEL PHILIPS/Lake City Reporter)

Abraham Farajian with a tray of baklava. (MICHAEL PHILIPS/Lake City Reporter)

A little bit of Jordan in Lake City at Rita's Steakhouse

MICHAEL PHILIPS
Friday, January 10, 2020
When the Reporter first met Abraham and Rita Farajian in March of last year, they had just arrived in Lake City a month before, coming from Jordan. The couple moved to Florida because they had a son attending Jacksonville University. They were also a few months away from opening a restaurant.

DeSantis enviro plans get a boost

NEWS STAFF
Friday, January 10, 2020
Governor Ron DeSantis is making progress on his environmental wish list, as House members have joined senators in efforts that include setting up a statewide office focused on sea-level rise and creating more electric-vehicle charging stations. Also, Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, and Sen.
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.