Regional

Uncle Sam makes an appearance at a previous year’s Freedom Festival. (FILE)

Uncle Sam makes an appearance at a previous year’s Freedom Festival. (FILE)

Live Oak set for July Freedom Festival

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
LIVE OAK — The City of Live Oak plans to honor men and women who have provided the the freedom to celebrate the Freedom Festival next month. As part of the city’s July 4 festivities in downtown Millennium Park from 6-9 p.m., the city will recognize all Purple Heart recipients from Suwannee County.
Suwannee County Fire Rescue recently added its third Advanced Life Support engine to provide additional care to patients on medical calls. The ALS engines are equipped with the same equipment that is on ambulances. (COURTESY SUWANNEE COUNTY FIRE RESCUE)

Suwannee County Fire Rescue recently added its third Advanced Life Support engine to provide additional care to patients on medical calls. The ALS engines are equipped with the same equipment that is on ambulances. (COURTESY SUWANNEE COUNTY FIRE RESCUE)

SCFR adds ‘game changer’ to service

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
LIVE OAK — Suwannee County Fire Rescue has introduced another “game changer” in providing emergency medical services in Suwannee County. Last week, SCFR outfitted its third Advanced Life Support (ALS) engine to help pro- vide additional care to patients on emergency calls.

Suwannee teachers rank among state’s best

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
LIVE OAK — When someone sent Niche’s 2025 Best Schools and District Rankings to Suwannee County Superintendent Ronnie Gray earlier this month, he wasn’t surprised by what he saw. Rather, Gray said the rankings that showed Suwannee County teachers among the top 5 in the state were “reassuring.”

Teen hit, killed by dump truck

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
LIVE OAK — A Live Oak teen was killed Monday morning when she was hit by a dump truck on State Road 51. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the 14-year-old girl was walking southbound on the western shoulder of SR51 around 10:25 a.m. when she stepped into the southbound lane of traffic.
Renee Shiska won first place in painting in last year’s Autumn Artfest fine arts exhibition for her piece, ‘The Witness.’ (FILE)

Renee Shiska won first place in painting in last year’s Autumn Artfest fine arts exhibition for her piece, ‘The Witness.’ (FILE)

Registration open for 27th annual Autumn Artfest

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
LIVE OAK — Registration is open for the Live Oak Artists Guild’s annual fine art exhibition. The 27th annual Autumn Artfest will be held Sept. 6-19 at the Suwannee River Regional Library’s Live Oak branch.
House Speaker Daniel Perez (left) and Senate President Ben Albritton (right) took part in a traditional hanky-drop ceremony marking the end of the legislative session. (NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA)

House Speaker Daniel Perez (left) and Senate President Ben Albritton (right) took part in a traditional hanky-drop ceremony marking the end of the legislative session. (NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA)

Lawmakers finally pass $115.1B budget before adjourning session

NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — One of the more-contentious legislative sessions in recent history came to a close late Monday as lawmakers approved a $115.1 billion budget for next fiscal year and prepared to send it to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Maria Isidro (third from right), pictured with her husband Josafat and their four children, was detained last week by immigration officials during a meeting in Tallahassee. Her family said she was dropped off at the Mexican border Wednesday night. (COURTESY)

Maria Isidro (third from right), pictured with her husband Josafat and their four children, was detained last week by immigration officials during a meeting in Tallahassee. Her family said she was dropped off at the Mexican border Wednesday night. (COURTESY)

‘She belongs here with her family’: Live Oak family searching for answers after deportation

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, June 13, 2025
LIVE OAK — Last week, Maria Isidro headed to Tallahassee hopeful that her case to receive a green card was moving forward. Instead, when the Live Oak woman met with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, that optimism turned into a family nightmare.
Connie Brecheen, listening at a Fort White town meeting, was selected as the White Springs interim manager Thursday. (FILE)

Connie Brecheen, listening at a Fort White town meeting, was selected as the White Springs interim manager Thursday. (FILE)

Brecheen picked to lead White Springs

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, June 13, 2025
WHITE SPRINGS — The Town of White Springs has an interim manager. Maybe.
North Florida received approximately 8% more rain in May than its historical average according to the Suwannee River Water Management District. (COURTESY)

North Florida received approximately 8% more rain in May than its historical average according to the Suwannee River Water Management District. (COURTESY)

SRWMD: May showers don’t solve rain deficit

NEWS STAFF
Friday, June 13, 2025
North Florida experienced a wetter than normal May. Still, the Suwannee River Water Management District said the area is still experiencing a rainfall deficit over the past year. The district released its Hydrologic Conditions report for May on Friday.