The Florida Freedom Tour will be bringing America 250 trucks to downtown Lake City on Thursday and Friday. Admission is free to the exhibits. (COURTESY)

The Florida Freedom Tour will be bringing America 250 trucks to downtown Lake City on Thursday and Friday. Admission is free to the exhibits. (COURTESY)

Trucking in history: Free mobile history exhibit coming this week

Friday, September 25, 2026

A pair of repurposed semi-tractor trailers is heading to Columbia County to provide area residents with another taste of Americana celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary celebration. The exhibit highlights many different Floridian historical events.

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Around Columbia County

Rowdy Johnston will be one of three young Elvis tribute artists performing Saturday night at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park. That performance follows Jimmy Fields also performing Friday night as Elvis in a weekend centered around ‘The King’ at the Music Park. (COURTESY)

Rowdy Johnston will be one of three young Elvis tribute artists performing Saturday night at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park. That performance follows Jimmy Fields also performing Friday night as Elvis in a weekend centered around ‘The King’ at the Music Park. (COURTESY)

Elvis tribute artists taking over SOSMP

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
LIVE OAK — It’s going to be an Elvis music weekend at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park.
The proposed map of the Live Oak Community Redevelopment Agency district. The light green portion in the northeast section of the city will be removed from the CRA. (FILE)

The proposed map of the Live Oak Community Redevelopment Agency district. The light green portion in the northeast section of the city will be removed from the CRA. (FILE)

Live Oak CRA agrees to amend expanded district

JAMIE WACHTER
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
The expanded Live Oak Community Redevelopment Agency district will be smaller than originally...
A $6.19 million septic-to-sewer conversion project in the City of Live Oak along U.S. Highway 90, Evelyn Avenue, Lime Street, Duval Street and 105th Road has been completed. (COURTESY SUWANNEE RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT)

A $6.19 million septic-to-sewer conversion project in the City of Live Oak along U.S. Highway 90, Evelyn Avenue, Lime Street, Duval Street and 105th Road has been completed. (COURTESY SUWANNEE RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT)

SRWMD helps Live Oak with septic-to-sewer project

NEWS STAFF
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
A recently completed septic-to-sewer project in the City of Live Oak is helping protect groundwater...
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Sports

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The Florida Freedom Tour will be bringing America 250 trucks to downtown Lake City on Thursday and Friday. Admission is free to the exhibits. (COURTESY)

The Florida Freedom Tour will be bringing America 250 trucks to downtown Lake City on Thursday and Friday. Admission is free to the exhibits. (COURTESY)

Trucking in history: Free mobile history exhibit coming this week

TONY BRITT
A pair of repurposed semi-tractor trailers is heading to Columbia County to provide area residents with another taste of Americana celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary celebration. The exhibit highlights many different Floridian historical events.The Florida Freedom Tour Museum trucks will have…
Columbia receiver Antonio Days (10) celebrates with receiver Kyren Caldwell (7) after one of his two touchdown receptions against Riverside on Friday. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia receiver Antonio Days (10) celebrates with receiver Kyren Caldwell (7) after one of his two touchdown receptions against Riverside on Friday. (BRENT KUYKENDALL/Lake City Reporter)

PREP FOOTBALL: Columbia scores final 21 points to escape with win over Riverside

JORDAN KROEGER
Don’t let the final score fool you.Friday’s District 3-4A contest between Columbia and Riverside was much closer than the final score.The Generals held a 3-point lead early in the fourth quarter before receiver Shaheed White reeled in a 73-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Amari Green to kick…
Fort White running back Ezekiel Powell sprints to the end zone for an 83-yard touchdown run and the winning score in Friday’s 27-20 win over Taylor County. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

Fort White running back Ezekiel Powell sprints to the end zone for an 83-yard touchdown run and the winning score in Friday’s 27-20 win over Taylor County. (MORGAN MCMULLEN/Lake City Reporter)

PREP FOOTBALL: Fort White rides splash plays to victory over Taylor County

MORGAN MCMULLEN
FORT WHITE — In a game of big splash plays, Fort White simply made a few more than Taylor County, especially when they counted most.Ezekiel Powell broke off an 83-yard touchdown run with 3:13 remaining to break a tie ball game, and the Indians’ defense forced a subsequent turnover on downs to hang…
Suwannee quarterback Haigen Johnson is tackled by a Wakulla defender on Friday. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Lake City Reporter)

Suwannee quarterback Haigen Johnson is tackled by a Wakulla defender on Friday. (PAUL BUCHANAN/Lake City Reporter)

PREP FOOTBALL: Third quarter dooms Suwannee in district opener at Wakulla

JAMIE WACHTER
CRAWFORDVILLE — Suwannee was right where it wanted to be at halftime Friday night at J.D. Jones Stadium.Then the third quarter happened.Leading at the break, the Bulldogs received to open the third against Wakulla in the District 2-3A opener with a chance to move forward. Instead, they went in…
Branford quarterback Trent Land hands the ball off the running back Ollie James on Friday. (JACK HOWDESHELL/Lake City Reporter)

Branford quarterback Trent Land hands the ball off the running back Ollie James on Friday. (JACK HOWDESHELL/Lake City Reporter)

PREP FOOTBALL: Land, James lead Buccaneers to homecoming victory over Raiders

CIARA BYRD
BRANFORD — Homecoming week can be full of celebrations, pep rallies and distractions, but when Friday night arrived in Branford, the Buccaneers proved they could block out the noise.After an early mistake gave Crescent City its only points of the game, Branford responded with 26 unanswered points…
Lafayette Hornets

Lafayette Hornets

PREP FOOTBALL: Florida High rolls past Lafayette

NEWS STAFF
TALLAHASSEE — A slow start took any chance Lafayette had to keep things close Friday.Falling behind three scores early, the Hornets were routed 49-7 by host Florida High, The loss drops the Hornets to 2-5.“I don’t think we came out and started the way we wanted to start,” LHS coach Marcus Edwards…

Schools tout success in video contest

JAMIE WACHTER
School pride — and a free lunch for faculty and staff — is on the line this weekend among Columbia County’s public schools.Hunter Peeler, the Columbia County School Board member from District 5, launched an initiative Thursday afternoon that included each of the district’s 10 schools…

Stokes farm considered for conservation easement

NEWS STAFF
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Cabinet will be asked next week to direct more than $77 million to keep development off nearly 11,000 acres of flatwoods and farmland, including 1,500 acres in Columbia County.The agenda for a Cabinet meeting set for Tuesday includes nine proposals to use Florida Forever…

Still no hurricanes formed in historically calm year

MORGAN MCMULLEN
An historically light hurricane season still doesn’t have Columbia County Emergency Management Director Shayne Morgan letting his guard down.The season hit a milestone on Sept. 12 when no named hurricane had formed in the Atlantic Ocean since hurricane season officially began on June 1. According…
Columbia hitter Elinor Kirsch rises for a shot against Lafayette on Sept. 3. (JACK HOWDESHELL/Lake City Reporter)

Columbia hitter Elinor Kirsch rises for a shot against Lafayette on Sept. 3. (JACK HOWDESHELL/Lake City Reporter)

PREP ROUNDUP: Scores and stats from 9/24/26

NEWS STAFF
Columbia's volleyball team came up empty in a tri-match in Georgia while Fort White and Suwannee also came up short on Thursday.Here are the volleyball and golf results from Sept. 24.VOLLEYBALL— Veterans 2, Columbia 0; Valdosta 2, Columbia 0: The Tigers (7-9) went 0 for 2 in a tri-match,…
Columbia pitcher Nolan Slaymaker pitches against Mosley during the Region 1-5A quarterfinals on April 24. (FILE)

Columbia pitcher Nolan Slaymaker pitches against Mosley during the Region 1-5A quarterfinals on April 24. (FILE)

PREP BASEBALL: FHSAA approves best-of-3 series for state championships & semis

JORDAN KROEGER
The Florida High School Athletic Association made a welcome change to the baseball playoffs this week.The FHSAA board of directors voted 11-0 on Monday to change the state semifinals and championships to a best-of-3 series after the two rounds have traditionally been single elimination. The change…
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