Regional

The Florida Springs Council, an environmental advocacy group, filed a lawsuit claiming the new state law doesn’t protect Outstanding Florida Springs such as Ichetucknee Springs in Columbia County. (COURTESY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL)

The Florida Springs Council, an environmental advocacy group, filed a lawsuit claiming the new state law doesn’t protect Outstanding Florida Springs such as Ichetucknee Springs in Columbia County. (COURTESY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL)

State springs rules draw challenge

NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
TALLAHASSEE — A springs-advocacy group is challenging newly proposed state rules, saying they will not adequately prevent water withdrawals that could harm what are designated as “Outstanding Florida Springs.

RIVEROAK bookkeeper charged with stealing nearly $50K

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
LIVE OAK — The former bookkeeper of RIVEROAK Technical College was arrested last week for stealing nearly $50,000 from the Suwannee County school. Katlin Westrich, 36, was charged Friday with three felonies: larceny, passing forged checks and forgery of checks.

South Florida woman killed in I-75 crash

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
JASPER — A Pembroke Pines woman was killed Saturday night when she was hit by a semi truck after exiting her crashed vehicle on Interstate 75. According to a Florida Highway Patrol release, three women got out of their sedan after it hydroplaned in the rain on I-75 around 11:24 p.m.

O’Brien man thrown from truck, killed

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
O’BRIEN — An O’Brien man was killed Monday morning when he was thrown from his pickup truck. A Florida Highway Patrol release states a westbound pickup ran off of County Road 248 around 6:41 a.m. Monday and began to overturn near the intersection with 87th Road just east of U.S. Highway 129.
A car sits submerged in flood waters on Ohio Avenue (U.S. Highway 129) in Live Oak following Hurricane Debby in August. (FILE)

A car sits submerged in flood waters on Ohio Avenue (U.S. Highway 129) in Live Oak following Hurricane Debby in August. (FILE)

Live Oak, OMI look to solve flooding issue

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, January 17, 2025
LIVE OAK — Five months after large swaths of the city were under water thanks to Hurricane Debby, Live Oak City Manager Larry Sessions has begun work to, hopefully, make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday his selection of Attorney General Ashley Moody to serve in the U.S. Senate. (TOM URBAN/News Service of Florida)

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday his selection of Attorney General Ashley Moody to serve in the U.S. Senate. (TOM URBAN/News Service of Florida)

Moody appointed to U.S. Senate seat

NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
Friday, January 17, 2025
TALLAHASSEE — Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody was named Thursday by Gov. Ron DeSantis to replace U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who is in line to become President-elect Donald Trump’s secretary of state.

Live Oak cyclist hit, killed on U.S. 90

NEWS STAFF
Friday, January 17, 2025
LIVE OAK — A cyclist was killed early Thursday morning after turning in front of a pickup on the west side of Live Oak. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 46-year-old Live Oak man was riding his bicycle west on the side of U.S.

Brannan’s son files to replace him in House

NEWS STAFF
Friday, January 17, 2025
MACCLENNY — Chase Brannan has filed to run for his dad’s seat in the Florida House of Representatives next year. Brannan filed to run for the District 10 seat, which represents Columbia, Baker, Bradford and Union counties along with the northern portion of Alachua County, in the 2026 election.

Live Oak council renews Sessions’ contract

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, January 17, 2025
LIVE OAK — Live Oak’s city manager is back for a second year. During its meeting Tuesday, the Live Oak City Council unanimously approved retaining Larry Sessions as city manager for a second one-year term.