Regional

Former state and federal emergency-management chief Craig Fugate speaks Tuesday in Tallahassee. (MIKE EXLINE/News Service of Florida)

Former state and federal emergency-management chief Craig Fugate speaks Tuesday in Tallahassee. (MIKE EXLINE/News Service of Florida)

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Post-storm rebuilding costs could pose future problems

NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
Wednesday, July 31, 2024
TALLAHASSEE — As the Atlantic Ocean shows signs of heating up, potentially fueling damaging hurricanes, a former state and national disaster chief warned Tuesday of working-class Floridians being priced out of communities in post-storm rebuilding.
Kecia Robinson with the Suwannee Valley Community Foundation (from left) provides a check for $2,000 to Uplift Suwannee and Hamilton counties to Dusty Pye with LSF Health Systems, Chrissy Polovich with Mountain2Sea Ministries and Greg Player with Recovery Church. (COURTESY)

Kecia Robinson with the Suwannee Valley Community Foundation (from left) provides a check for $2,000 to Uplift Suwannee and Hamilton counties to Dusty Pye with LSF Health Systems, Chrissy Polovich with Mountain2Sea Ministries and Greg Player with Recovery Church. (COURTESY)

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Uplift-ing the community

TONY BRITT
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
LIVE OAK — Addressing homelessness, pregnancy, suicide, substance abuse and other social issues in Suwannee and Hamilton counties, several local agencies met last week to renew their focus and ‘Uplift’ area residents with faith-based options.

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Beer bottle attack lands Live Oak man in jail

NEWS STAFF
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
LIVE OAK — A Live Oak man faces attempted murder charges after using a broken beer bottle as a weapon Sunday afternoon. According to the Live Oak Police Department, a fight broke out between two men at a residence on Rogers Avenue on the northwest side of the city around 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

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Death warrant signed in ’94 FSU student murder

NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a death warrant for an inmate convicted in the 1994 murder of a Florida State University student who went to the Ocala National Forest to camp with his sister. Loran Cole, 57, is scheduled to be executed Aug.
The tropical outlook of a system in the Atlantic as of 2 p.m. Tuesday. The National Hurricane Center increased the odds of the system turning into a tropical storm to 60% on Tuesday. (COURTESY NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER)

The tropical outlook of a system in the Atlantic as of 2 p.m. Tuesday. The National Hurricane Center increased the odds of the system turning into a tropical storm to 60% on Tuesday. (COURTESY NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER)

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Chance tropical storm forms, threatens Florida up to 60%

TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
By Richard Tribou Orlando Sentinel The National Hurricane Center increased the odds a system developing in the Atlantic could turn into the season’s next tropical depression or storm with a projected path that could threaten Florida. As of the NHC’s 2 p.m.

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Live Oak man charged with child molestation

NEWS STAFF
Friday, July 26, 2024
LIVE OAK - A Live Oak man was arrested Thursday on charges of molesting three children in Suwannee County. According to a Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office report, accusations were made Monday that 59-year-old Craig Ames had sexually abused several children.

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Farmworker housing bill vetoed

NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
Friday, July 26, 2024
Pointing to concerns that it could provide housing for illegal foreign workers, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday vetoed an agriculture industry-backed bill that would have made it easier to build housing for farmworkers.

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Lafayette County earns state’s top grade

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
The Lafayette County School District earned high honors across the state once again Wednesday. When the Florida Department of Education released its School Grades on Wednesday, Lafayette County earned an ‘A’ for the sixth straight year.
Johnny and June’s Jukebox will perform Friday night at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, playing all the favorite classics from the 1950s and 1960s. (COURTESY)

Johnny and June’s Jukebox will perform Friday night at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, playing all the favorite classics from the 1950s and 1960s. (COURTESY)

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New duo coming to Music Park

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
LIVE OAK — The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park will feature some new and old sounds this weekend. A new duo, Johnny & June’s Jukebox, will grace the Music Hall stage on Friday to get the weekend started. The River Rats band then will close out the performances Saturday night.

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Lafayette sets max millage rate

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
MAYO — The Lafayette Board of County Commissioners is keeping its millage rate the same. Commissioners voted at their Tuesday meeting to retain the county’s 10.