Columbia High JROTC cadets hold the American flag in front of the school Friday morning as they ready to raise it during the program’s annual 9/11 Memorial March. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia High JROTC cadets hold the American flag in front of the school Friday morning as they ready to raise it during the program’s annual 9/11 Memorial March. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City officials, Cammack remember Patriot Day

Friday, September 11, 2026

Twenty-five years later and people still remember. People still love. People still grieve and they’ve made the vow to never forget the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Local

Craig Fugate, the former administrator of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, speaks Friday at Florida Gateway College about his memories of the 9/11 attacks. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Craig Fugate, the former administrator of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, speaks Friday at Florida Gateway College about his memories of the 9/11 attacks. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Resiliency, resolve in 9/11 response recalled at FGC

JAMIE WACHTER
Friday, September 11, 2026
They will never forget where they were 25 years ago when “the world changed forever” as Florida...
Lake City Councilor Chevella Young said the committee would support recreation for the community as a whole, not just the youth in Lake City. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City Councilor Chevella Young said the committee would support recreation for the community as a whole, not just the youth in Lake City. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

City moving forward with rec committee

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Friday, September 11, 2026
The Lake City Council isn’t playing when it comes to setting up a recreation advisory board. 
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Around Columbia County

Winners in the Autum ArtFest, which is hosted by the Live Oak Artists Guild, Rachel Budwick (from left), April Phinazee, Jennifer Houston, Anda Chance, Mabel Gonzalez, Sharon Hester, Vaster Fryar, George Fryar and Mariena Craig. (ROB WOLFE/Lake City Reporter)

Winners in the Autum ArtFest, which is hosted by the Live Oak Artists Guild, Rachel Budwick (from left), April Phinazee, Jennifer Houston, Anda Chance, Mabel Gonzalez, Sharon Hester, Vaster Fryar, George Fryar and Mariena Craig. (ROB WOLFE/Lake City Reporter)

Chance captures Best in Show at Autumn ArtFest

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
There were a lot of smiles Saturday at the Suwannee River Regional Library in Live Oak. 
Live Oak City Councilman Adam Collins said an ‘absolute’ certainty in the United States of America has been ‘freedom,’ including from surveillance like is occurring with the Flock Safety cameras. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Live Oak City Councilman Adam Collins said an ‘absolute’ certainty in the United States of America has been ‘freedom,’ including from surveillance like is occurring with the Flock Safety cameras. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Live Oak canceling Flock contract

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Flock cameras are no longer welcome in the City of Live Oak.
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Sports

Branford hitter Paisley Knight fires a shot against Lafayette on Aug. 27. (JACK HOWDESHELL/Lake City Reporter)

Branford hitter Paisley Knight fires a shot against Lafayette on Aug. 27. (JACK HOWDESHELL/Lake City Reporter)

PREP ROUNDUP: Scores and stats from 9/10/26

NEWS STAFF
Thursday, September 10, 2026
The Branford volleyball team's winning streak continued Thursday night while several schools were...
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Columbia High JROTC cadets hold the American flag in front of the school Friday morning as they ready to raise it during the program’s annual 9/11 Memorial March. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia High JROTC cadets hold the American flag in front of the school Friday morning as they ready to raise it during the program’s annual 9/11 Memorial March. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City officials, Cammack remember Patriot Day

TONY BRITT
Twenty-five years later and people still remember. People still love. People still grieve and they’ve made the vow to never forget the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.Friday morning more than 60 people gathered at the Lake City Public Safety Building to attend the 25th anniversary…
Craig Fugate, the former administrator of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, speaks Friday at Florida Gateway College about his memories of the 9/11 attacks. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Craig Fugate, the former administrator of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, speaks Friday at Florida Gateway College about his memories of the 9/11 attacks. (JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter)

Resiliency, resolve in 9/11 response recalled at FGC

JAMIE WACHTER
They will never forget where they were 25 years ago when “the world changed forever” as Florida Gateway College President Larry Barrett called it.But whether they were working at a college in New York two hours away from the World Trade Center, at a training with Federal Bureau of Investigation…
Lake City Councilor Chevella Young said the committee would support recreation for the community as a whole, not just the youth in Lake City. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City Councilor Chevella Young said the committee would support recreation for the community as a whole, not just the youth in Lake City. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

City moving forward with rec committee

MORGAN MCMULLEN
The Lake City Council isn’t playing when it comes to setting up a recreation advisory board. Councilors discussed the matter at Thursday’s meeting after previously allocating money in the upcoming budget for a community recreation committee. That money — $140,000 in a general pot — would then…

Teen charged in pregnant girlfriend’s death

NEWS STAFF
A 17-year-old “person of interest” is in custody after his girlfriend was found following a shooting Wednesday afternoon.According to a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office release, deputies responded to an apartment on U.S. Highway 441 South near Racetrack Lane around 4 p.m. Wednesday for a well-being…
Members of the Columbia High JROTC march the American flag through the CHS commons area as other uniformed students line the walkway Friday morning for the program’s annual 9/11 Memorial March. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Members of the Columbia High JROTC march the American flag through the CHS commons area as other uniformed students line the walkway Friday morning for the program’s annual 9/11 Memorial March. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

CHS JROTC Memorial March remembers lives lost

TONY BRITT
The crisp tap of a snare drum was the most pronounced sound coming from a group of Columbia High School JROTC students as they marched through the school’s commons Friday morning.The group trekked through lines created by other uniformed JROTC students as well as staff, teachers, visitors and…
Lake City Mayor Noah Walker pointed out during Thursday’s meeting that the millage rate the Lake City Council approved was the rollback rate. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Lake City Mayor Noah Walker pointed out during Thursday’s meeting that the millage rate the Lake City Council approved was the rollback rate. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Council approves millage, budget

MORGAN MCMULLEN
Lake City’s finances look to have a fast track for approval after the latest, brief round of budget talks. The Lake City Council unanimously approved several aspects of its upcoming Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget during its meeting Thursday night. That includes city residents’ millage rates and…

Boyfriend faces murder charge after altercation

NEWS STAFF
A Columbia County teen faces murder charges after his girlfriend was killed in a domestic violence incident earlier this week.Isaiah Devon Campbell, 19, has been charged with murder and was ordered during his first appearance Friday to be held at the Columbia County Detention Facility without bond…
Columbia County Economic Development Director Jennifer Daniels, mingling at one of the economic development week events last year, said this year’s week of events is designed to highlight the workforce that can be built here. (COURTESY)

Columbia County Economic Development Director Jennifer Daniels, mingling at one of the economic development week events last year, said this year’s week of events is designed to highlight the workforce that can be built here. (COURTESY)

Economic development week focused on ‘maximizing capacity at home’

JAMIE WACHTER
When Columbia County’s Economic Development Office and the Florida Gateway Chamber team up for economic development week this month, it will do so with a focus on growing what already is here.The county’s economic week celebration is set for Sept. 21-25 with events scheduled for four of those days.…
Columbia celebrates after match point in Thursday's five-set victory over Suwannee. (JACK HOWDESHELL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia celebrates after match point in Thursday's five-set victory over Suwannee. (JACK HOWDESHELL/Lake City Reporter)

PREP VOLLEYBALL: Columbia holds on to edge Suwannee in five sets

CIARA BYRD
The Tigers never doubted their potential coming into a five-set showdown between the two bordering counties of Columbia and Suwannee.CHS wasted no time letting the Bulldogs know this would not be easy as they stole the first two sets of the game in dominance. And even after Suwannee came back to…
Branford hitter Paisley Knight fires a shot against Lafayette on Aug. 27. (JACK HOWDESHELL/Lake City Reporter)

Branford hitter Paisley Knight fires a shot against Lafayette on Aug. 27. (JACK HOWDESHELL/Lake City Reporter)

PREP ROUNDUP: Scores and stats from 9/10/26

NEWS STAFF
The Branford volleyball team's winning streak continued Thursday night while several schools were on the golf course earlier in the day.Here are the scores and stats from Sept. 10.VOLLEYBALL— Branford 3, Hilliard 0: The Class Rural No. 1 Buccaneers (8-1) won their fifth straight with a 25-12,…
Wendy Lakso with the Columbia Lighthouse Project through Columbia University, led one of the suicide prevention sessions Wednesday at the American Legion Post 57. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Wendy Lakso with the Columbia Lighthouse Project through Columbia University, led one of the suicide prevention sessions Wednesday at the American Legion Post 57. (TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter)

Training focuses on suicide prevention

TONY BRITT
More than 70 people, from a variety of community and public organizations, attended a two-pronged suicide awareness and prevention training session at American Legion Post 57 on Wednesday, part of a concerted effort to reduce suicide numbers.The training combined tips for suicide prevention though…
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